Nikhil Kumaraswamy: Targeted by ADGP, haunted by legacy
Chandra Sekhar said the SIT had found a substantial body of evidence against the former chief minister and the wheels of law were moving to prosecute the accused.
‘Reagan’ star Dennis Quaid rallies for Trump in Coachella, California: ‘Time to pick a side’
“Reagan” movie star Dennis Quaid rallied for former President Trump in Coachella, California, on Saturday, addressing a crowd in the deep blue state that was once Vice President Harris’ turf. “God bless you. God bless America. I’m here today to tell you that it’s time to pick a side,” Quaid said on stage. “Are we going to be a nation that stands for the Constitution? Or for TikTok? Are we going to be a nation of law and order? Or wide open borders? Which is it? Because it’s time to pick a side.” Speaking in the desert city east of Los Angeles known for its namesake annual music festival, Quaid said he played President Ronald Reagan, his “favorite president of the 20th century,” in the 2024 biopic. The actor drew parallels between the political landscape when Reagan was first elected and the present. “It’s amazing how the issues of the 1980 election are very similar to what they are today,” he said, recalling the record high inflation back then, as well as the Iran hostages. TRUMP TAKES DETOUR TO ULTRA-BLUE CALIFORNIA TO SPOTLIGHT HARRIS’ HOME TURF’S FAILED POLICIES: ‘PARADISE LOST’ “We were a nation in decline. That’s what they told us. Ronald Reagan came along and said, no, we’re not a nation in decline. We’re going there. And we followed him,” Quaid said, pointing upwards. “The same with Trump, with President Trump. My favorite president of the 21st century.” The actor said that when he voted for Reagan decades ago, he went home to his roommate in Los Angeles at the time, who asked him who he voted for and told Quaid, “You are kicked out of the hippies.” “I’m gonna ask you a question that Reagan asked America back then, and I think it’s the question that got him elected. Are you better off than you were four years ago?” Quaid said. “Four years ago, under President Trump, we had energy,” he said. “We were an energy independent nation. We had cheap gas. We were actually exporting oil to our allies and our friends. Today, Putin is making money hand over fist, selling oil that he uses to pay for his Soviet-style comeback war that he has with Ukraine, and while we’re shutting down our pipelines over here and capping our wells, and begging Saudi Arabia and Venezuela to ‘pretty please, will you please sell us some oil? We’re kind of short right now.’” WHY TRUMP IS HEADED INTO ‘THE BELLY OF THE BEAST’: THE STRATEGY BEHIND HIS BLUE STATE STOPS When Trump left office, Quaid said, inflation was low and there was “peace in the Middle East,” crediting Trump as having been “right on the verge of accomplishing the Abraham Accords,” making peace between Israel and Arab nations. The actor also said Trump was negotiating a withdrawal from Afghanistan with “honor and order,” recalling how the former Republican president said he threatened a Taliban leader with a satellite image of his house. “Iran was bankrupt,” Quaid continued. “They weren’t able to give weapons to Hamas and Hezbollah. And look at where we are today. We basically funded that war. Four years ago, we had a secure border. We were on our way to even doing more and having a wall. That’s what a nation is. It has a wall.… But I guess it’s like voter I.D. you don’t need it in this country for some reason.” The actor concluded with a personal story about his housekeeper, Josie, who he said was in the United States illegally for more than a decade and used her sister’s identification. When Trump was elected in 2016, Quaid said the housekeeper from Mexico “was in fear that she was going to be sent back to her country.” “I told her, I said, ‘Josie, no, you’re not. That’s not what he’s talking about. He wants people to come here the right way, I’m going to become your sponsor,’” he said. “And so we started it. Right now she has her green card today, and she so wants to get her citizenship before so she can vote for Donald Trump.” “So like I said, people, it’s time to pick a side. Who are you going to pick? God bless you,” Quaid added.
Two accused in NCP leader Baba Siddique firing case sent to police custody till Oct 21
Mumbai Police said that two more accused are still absconding in this case. According to the police, the two accused were in Mumbai and were keeping a close eye on Siddique.
Who is Lawrence Bishnoi? Gangster involved in Baba Siddique, Sidhu Moosewala’s murder, linked to attacks on Salman Khan
The police have confirmed that jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi is believed to be involved in the killing.
Oversight group sues for communications between Harris, CBP as Congress gets stonewalled
A conservative watchdog filed suit this week against the Department of Homeland Security, seeking to compel the agency to provide any communications between the executive office of Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Customs and Border Protection regarding the southwest border and illegal immigration. In September, the Oversight Project – a good-government group under the umbrella of the conservative Heritage Foundation – filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for the communications. But the group deemed that DHS’ response failed to comply with federal law, and consequently they filed suit in federal court. HOUSE COMMITTEE RAMPS UP PRESSURE TO OBTAIN IMPORTANT DOCS ON HARRIS’ ROLE IN BORDER CRISIS The suit calls for DHS to be compelled to release its communications with Harris by Oct. 22. “Here, we are seeking communications between CBP and Vice President Harris’ office. She was appointed ‘border czar’, and the administration wants to say it was to look at root causes of migration from the Northern Triangle — You would assume, given the importance of that portfolio, and the fact that 10 million illegal aliens have entered the country under her watch, that there would be a lot of communications between CBP and her office.” Brosnan said the Oct. 22 timeframe aligns with public interest to understand a major party candidate’s record on a top issue in time for them to cast their ballot: “We are seeking our rights through FOIA to get those records. And, since immigration is such an important issue in the election, the use and the importance of the salience of the documents would be greatly diminished in terms of educating the public if we were to get them after the election.” PENNSYLVANIA VOTERS ALARMED BY HEATED POLITICAL RHETORIC That, he said, is the reason for the motion for preliminary injunction, which if approved, would force the government to accelerate document releases. According to the filing, obtained by Fox News Digital, CBP acknowledged receipt of the FOIA request on Sept. 18 – citing an email correspondence between CBP and Brosnan’s colleague Mike Howell. CBP’s FOIA office later allegedly administratively closed the request without informing the plaintiffs, claiming there were “no documents sent” in the FOIA portal. The Oversight Project followed up with CBP demanding the request be reopened, and was informed by the agency their request was insufficient and lacked specifics on which particular CBP employees’ emails they were to sift through, as well as the email domains related to Harris’ executive office to be included in the search. In the filing, Brosnan’s team pointed out “inconsistencies” between CBP’s response to the FOIA and a similarly-structured request from the House Oversight Committee. In September, Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., wrote to the acting head of CBP, Troy Miller, repeating a request for documents relating to Harris’ handling of the border crisis: “It is important the committee and the American people understand Vice President Harris’ role as the border czar in the ongoing border crisis,” Comer said in the letter obtained by Fox News Digital. In an interview last week, Brosnan said the public must be aware of what Harris’ team was communicating with CBP in terms of border security if she was truly given a role to oversee such operations. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP He also cited what he called the media’s recent attempts to “rewrite” Harris’ record on the border as the reason the communications should come to light and paint the true picture – positive or negative. “The public must be informed as to what her office was working on and communicating with CBP in real time during the height of the crisis.” Fox News Digital reached out to Comer’s and Harris’ offices for comment but did not receive a response by press time. Fox News Digital’s Adam Shaw contributed to this report.
Baba Siddique’s killers were paid Rs 50,000 in advance, received pistols few days ago, fired 4-5 rounds
A report from News18, citing unnamed police sources, revealed that the accused received their weapons through a prepaid courier service and were paid ?50,000.
‘Over the last 3 days…’Ratan Tata’s closest aide Shantanu Naidu new post goes viral, check here
Shantanu Naidu, 31, who was seen weeping uncontrollably at Ratan Tata’s funeral earlier this week, mentioned that he had received condolence messages from strangers and expressed gratitude for the support during his time of grief.
Arvind Kejriwal condemns Baba Siddique’s killing, says ‘These people want to impose gangster rule…’
Former Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal has reacted to the killing of NCP leader Baba Siddique and said the incident has spread fear not only in Maharashtra but in the entire country.
Choosing to be child-free in an ‘apocalyptic’ South Asia
Zuha Siddiqui is currently designing her new house in Karachi, creating a blueprint for her future life in Pakistan’s largest metropolis. Her parents will live in the downstairs portion of this house, “because they’re growing old, and they don’t want to climb stairs”, she says. She will live in a separate portion upstairs, with furniture she likes. Siddiqui feels this is important because she recently celebrated her 30th birthday and wants a place she can finally call her own, she tells Al Jazeera over a phone call. Siddiqui has worked as a journalist reporting on topics including technology, climate change and labour in South Asia for the past five years. She now works remotely, freelancing for local and international publications. Despite all her plans for a family home of her own, Zuha is one of a growing number of young people in South Asia for whom the future does not involve having children. A demographic challenge is looming over South Asia. As is the case in much of the rest of the world, birth rates are on the decline. While a declining birth rate has been mostly associated with the West and Far East Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea, countries in South Asia where birth rates have generally remained high are finally showing signs of following the same path. Generally, to replace and maintain current populations, a birth rate of 2.1 children per woman is required, Ayo Wahlberg, a professor in the anthropology department at the University of Copenhagen, told Al Jazeera. According to a 2024 US Central Intelligence Agency publication comparing fertility rates around the world, in India, the 1950 birth rate of 6.2 has plummeted to just above 2; it is projected to fall to 1.29 by 2050 and just 1.04 by 2100. The fertility rate in Nepal is now just 1.85; in Bangladesh, 2.07. Declining economic conditions In Pakistan, the birth rate remains above the replacement rate at 3.32 for now but it is clear that young people there are not immune to the pressures of modern life. “My decision to not have children is purely monetary,” says Siddiqui. Siddiqui’s childhood was marked by financial insecurity, she says. “Growing up, my parents didn’t really do any financial planning for their children.” This was the case for several of her friends, women in their 30s who are also deciding not to have children, she adds. While her parents sent their children to good schools, the costs of an undergraduate or graduate education were not accounted for and it is not common for parents in Pakistan to set aside funds for a college education, she says. While Siddiqui is single, she says her decision not to have children would stand even if she was attached. She made her decision soon after she became financially independent in her mid-20s. “I don’t think our generation will be as financially stable as our parents’ generation,” she says. High inflation, rising living costs, trade deficits and debt have destabilised Pakistan’s economy in recent years. On September 25, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a $7bn loan programme for the country. Like many young people in Pakistan, Siddiqui is deeply worried about the future and whether she will be able to afford a decent standard of living. Even though inflation has fallen, living costs continue to rise in the South Asian country, albeit at a slower rate than before. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 0.4 percent in August after a 2.1 percent increase in July, local media reported. Work-life (im)balance Pakistan is not alone. Most countries in South Asia are grappling with slow economic growth, rising inflation, job shortages and foreign debt. Meanwhile, as the global cost of living crisis continues, couples find they have to work more hours than before, leaving limited room for a personal life or to dedicate to children. Sociologist Sharmila Rudrappa conducted a study among IT workers in India’s Hyderabad, published in 2022, on “unintended infertility”, which examined how individuals might not experience infertility early in their lives but might make decisions that lead them to infertility later on due to circumstances. Her study participants told her that they “lacked time to exercise; they lacked time to cook for themselves; and mostly, they lacked time for their relationships. Work left them exhausted, with little time for social or sexual intimacy.” Mehreen*, 33, who is from Karachi, identifies strongly with this. She lives with her husband as well as his parents and elderly grandparents. Both she and her husband work full-time and say they are “on the fence” about having children. Emotionally, they say, they do want to have children. Rationally, it’s a different story. “I think work is a big part of our lives,” Mehreen, who works in a corporate job at a multinational company, told Al Jazeera. They are “almost sure” they will not have children, citing the expense of doing so as one of the reasons. “It’s ridiculous how expensive the entire activity has become,” says Mehreen. “I feel like the generation before us saw it [the cost of raising children] as an investment in the kid. I personally don’t look at it that way,” she says, explaining that many from the older generations saw having children as a way of providing themselves with financial security in the future – children would be expected to provide for their parents in old age. That won’t work for her generation, she says – not with the economic decline the country is undergoing. Then there is the gender divide – another major issue where the younger generation differs from their parents. Mehreen says she is keenly aware that there is a societal expectation for her to take the front seat in parenting, rather than her husband, despite the fact that both of them are earning money for the household. “It is a natural understanding that even though he would want to be an equal parent, he’s just not wired in this society to understand as
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 961
As the war enters its 961st day, these are the main developments. Here is the situation on Sunday, October 13, 2024. Fighting Kyiv said Russian attacks killed two people in the eastern Donetsk region: a 19-year-old travelling in a civilian car and an 84-year-old pensioner. One person was killed when a Ukrainian drone struck the Russian village of Ustinka in the Belgorod region close to the border with Ukraine, regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said in a statement. Russia’s air defence units destroyed 13 Ukrainian drones overnight over three regions bordering Ukraine, Russia’s Ministry of Defence said. Six drones each were downed over the Belgorod and Kursk regions, while one drone was destroyed over the Bryansk region, it said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Moscow had attempted to push back Ukrainian positions in the Russian Kursk region but that Kyiv was “holding the line”. Zelenskyy also acknowledged that the situation for Ukrainian forces in the eastern Donetsk region and southern Zaporizhia region was “very difficult”. The Ukrainian military said its forces hit a fuel depot in the Russian-occupied Luhansk region on Saturday. The facility was used to store oil and oil products for the Russian army, it said on Telegram. Politics and diplomacy Ukrainian military recruitment officers raided restaurants, bars and a concert hall in Kyiv, checking military registration documents and detaining men who were not in compliance with the compulsory military service, media and witnesses reported. Observers said it is unusual for such raids to take place in the capital, and reflects Ukraine’s dire need for recruits. All Ukrainian men aged 25-60 are eligible for conscription, and men aged 18-60 are not allowed to leave the country. Lithuanians vote on Sunday in elections likely to deliver a change of government but keep much else the same, including the NATO and European Union member’s strong support for Ukraine and moves to bolster defence policy. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he planned to partially suspend asylum rights for irregular migrants, accusing human traffickers and countries such as Russia and Belarus of abusing the system amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. Adblock test (Why?)