Maharashtra, Jharkhand Assembly Election 2024: CEC expresses concern over urban apathy, appeals voters to…
Assembly polls in Maharashtra will be held in a single phase on November 20, and in Jharkhand in two phases on November 13 and 20. The EC has been flagging the issue of low polling in urban centres including those like Mumbai and Pune in Maharashtra.
Dem strategists ratchet up Hitler-Trump comparisons despite concerns about heated rhetoric
Democrats on television have continued their heated rhetoric against former President Donald Trump despite multiple attempts on his life, and pundits twice compared him to murderous dictator Adolph Hitler in the last week. In an interview on “CNN News Central,” Democratic strategist Aisha Mills was asked to respond to a comment made earlier in the day by Trump, who remarked that the U.S. has “a lot of bad genes in our country right now” during a discussion about illegal immigrants who were committing murders. Mills began by claiming that Trump “revered the Nazis… revered Hitler.” “Donald Trump has had a very sinister philosophy, wanting to be a dictator, absolutely dividing people up based on who they are, based on factors about them that have to do with their race and their gender, etc.,” she continued. MSNBC GUEST COMPARES TRUMP TO HITLER’S FINAL DAYS IN BUNKER OVER HIS HARRIS AI CROWD CLAIMS “And when he uses language like this, I don’t think that it’s a Freudian slip. I think that the danger of a Donald Trump is that he would absolutely try to exterminate an entire group of people because he thinks that their genes are somehow different than his and faulty,” Mills said. “And I say this with all the sternness that you hear in my voice because it is serious. And Americans should recognize that.” On Sunday, prominent Democratic strategist James Carville compared Trump’s plans to hold a rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City to a Nazi sympathizer who held a rally there almost 100 years ago. TRUMP REVEALS NEW DETAILS OF FIRST ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT IN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: ‘IT WAS THE CRAZIEST DAY’ “See what happened there. They are telling you exactly what they’re going to do, they’re telling you, ‘We’re going to institute a fascist regime,’” Carville told MSNBC’s Jen Psaki in response to a Trump comment that “radical left lunatics” might need to be handled by the National Guard on Election Day. Carville explained that “this election is about the Constitution.” “We are not going to have one if we lose it. And I’m not exaggerating. I’d love to debate anybody on that question,” Carville said. “He lies about everything, except, except he’s telling the truth when he’s going to have a roundup.” Fox News Digital reached out to CNN and MSNBC for comment but did not immediately receive a response. Fox News Digital reached Carville by phone, and the political veteran dismissed the social media blow back to his comments. “He said he would round up his political opponents,” Carville said. “Am I not supposed to repeat what he said? I am only repeating what he said.” “He’s the one that chose to have a rally at Madison Square Garden. The same place the Nazis had a rally on Feb. 20, 1939,” Carville added. Carville also dismissed the “implication” that “because there are crazy people who aren’t even Democrats, they are registered Republicans, that made an attempt on Trump’s life that we shouldn’t repeat what he said, which I think is an idiotic position.” Thomas Matthew Crooks, the first man who attempted to assassinate Trump, was a registered Republican, according to voting records, but he only participated in the Nov. 8, 2022 state election due to his age. Records also show that he made a $15 donation to Progressive Turnout Project, a Chicago-based political action committee that supports Democratic candidates. Ryan Routh, the second attempted assassin, is not currently registered but was a registered Democrat in the past and claimed to have voted for Trump in 2016 while also voicing support for several Democrats on social media. Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung told The Hill in a statement that Carville has “lost his marbles.” “President Trump is 100% correct — those who seek to undermine democracy by sowing chaos in our elections are a direct threat, just like the terrorist from Afghanistan that was arrested for plotting multiple attacks on Election Day within the United States.” The Hitler comparisons come after Trump has blasted Democrats and the media for heated rhetoric against him that he says contributed to two failed assassination attempts against him. “He believed the rhetoric of Biden and Harris, and he acted on it,” Trump told Fox News Digital about the gunman who pointed a gun on him on a Florida golf course. “Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at, when I am the one who is going to save the country, and they are the ones that are destroying the country — both from the inside and out.” Over the weekend, a man with multiple guns and ammunition was arrested outside a Trump rally in California in what many fear was a potential third assassination attempt against Trump. The man dismissed those fears and claimed he was a Trump supporter in a phone call with Fox News Digital. Fox News Digital’s Yael Halon contributed to this report
‘Boys playing girls’ sports’ ad lands Texas Dem in hot water with LGBTQ activists on eve of pivotal debate
Democrat Rep. Colin Allred of Texas is getting pushback from the progressive flank of his party for his most recent attack ad against Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in which he says he doesn’t want “boys playing girls’ sports.” The Allred ad debuted days before he’s set to take the stage Tuesday night in a debate against his Republican opponent in next month’s Senate election. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the largest LGBTQ lobbying group in the country, endorsed Allred this year. But they’re expecting Allred to explain his comments. “Texans have, for too many years, been subjected to Ted Cruz’s hate and lies. They are ready to turn the page,” HRC spokesperson Brandon Wolf told LGBTQ media outlet The Advocate. “Congressman Allred needs to explain his comments in this ad. They simply don’t square with what we know about his record. For years, he has supported our community and worked to protect LGBTQ+ people from discrimination. Texans deserve to finally have a leader who values equality and freedom.” TEXAS DEM’S SENATE AD FEATURES BORDER WALL HE ONCE BLASTED AS ‘RACIST’ Allred, who is now running for Senate, released the ad in response to recent attacks by Cruz, who has tried to link Allred to support for transgender inclusion in women’s and girls’ sports. “I’m a dad, I’m also a Christian, and my faith has taught me that all kids are God’s kids. So let me be clear, I don’t want boys playing girls’ sports or any of this ridiculous stuff Ted Cruz is saying,” Allred said in the ad. His statement also drew the ire of other trans activists, including transgender journalist Erin Reed. “Allred’s response is significant. He’s the first major Democratic candidate to acquiesce to anti-trans messaging,” Reed wrote on X. “His decision to respond this way may be short sighted.” TEXAS DEM ALLRED SAYS HE OPPOSES ‘BOYS IN GIRLS’ SPORTS’ DESPITE PAST OF ALLOWING IT, FIGHTING PARENTAL RIGHTS A new ad paid for by Cruz’s campaign aired during NFL games in Texas this month and claimed that Allred wanted an “extreme liberal vision for America” for wanting to allow “boys in girls’ sports.” Cruz is reportedly set to run another ad this Sunday, the third addressing the subject. Allred is a former NFL linebacker who played for the Tennessee Titans from 2006 to 2010 after a college career at Baylor. He announced his Senate campaign to challenge Cruz in May 2023 and then won his party’s nomination in early March this year. In October 2021, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a law restricting transgender student athletes from playing on sports teams that align with their gender identity. Texas is one of 23 states with laws in place to prevent transgender inclusion in women’s sports. Allred has been an opponent of those efforts dating back to the first year of his congressional career. As recently as June 2023, he co-sponsored a law that “would force public schools to allow biologically male athletes who identify as transgender on girls’ sports teams.” CRUZ RACE NOW A ‘TOSS-UP’ SHOULD BE WARNING FOR TEXAS GOP, SAYS EXPERT Allred posted on X, “Texas should be a place where our young people can be who they are, free from discrimination. This is yet another dark, shameful moment for our state as the GOP in Texas is more focused on attacking trans students than fixing the real problems we face.” Allred also advocated for a Transgender Bill of Rights, co-sponsoring a resolution in March 2023 “Recognizing that it is the duty of the Federal Government to develop and implement a Transgender Bill of Rights.” The resolution called for federal law to ensure that biological men can “participate in sports on teams and in programs that best align with their gender identity; [and] use school facilities that best align with their gender identity.” Additionally, Allred supported efforts that would limit parents’ rights regarding transgender athletes. He voted against the Parents Bill of Rights Act, which required school districts to alert parents if their child was sharing a bathroom, locker room or sports team with a student of the opposite biological sex. Cruz and Allred are scheduled to have their first and only debate Tuesday evening. Cruz has held his Senate seat for the last 12 years. Fox News Digital reached out to Allred’s campaign for comment but received no response by the publication deadline. Fox News Digital’s Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
Harris touts her work on the economy, but what has she actually done for small businesses?
As Election Day creeps closer, Vice President Kamala Harris has sought to define herself as a champion of small businesses, which she has called “the engines of our economy.” However, does the vice president’s record match her rhetoric? Voters who rank the economy as their top issue in this election do not seem to think so. The Harris-Walz campaign has lagged behind rival former President Donald Trump, who, as of Oct. 1, held a nine percentage point lead over Harris in trust on this issue, according to the Fox News Power Rankings. To undercut Trump, Harris has proposed a wide range of policies to boost small businesses, with an ambitious goal of 25 million new business applications by the end of her first term, should she be elected president. She hopes to outpace the 15 million applications filed during Trump’s first term. Harris has pledged to give startup businesses a $50,000 tax deduction and steer venture capital toward local entrepreneurs in rural parts of the country to meet that goal. “I believe America’s small businesses are an essential foundation to our entire economy,” Harris said at a Sept. 4 rally in North Hampton, New Hampshire, where she outlined her vision for an “opportunity economy.” JAMES CARVILLE ADMITS HE’S ‘SCARED TO DEATH’ ABOUT ELECTION DAY Her proposals include low and no-interest loans to small businesses, simplifying how businesses can file taxes, increasing the number of federal contracts with small businesses and increasing taxes on “billionaires and big corporations” to fund these programs. Harris’ tax deduction plan has won praise from some economists, including Nicholas Creel, an assistant professor of Business Law at Georgia College and State University, who called it “potentially transformational.” Creel told Fox News Digital her plan would help people “justify the risky prospect of starting a new business and making sure more of those new businesses survive.” Other supporters point to Harris’ work as vice president and senator to boost minority-owned businesses in poorer communities. “As Vice President, Harris established the Economic Opportunity Coalition, an unprecedented public–private partnership that has poured billions of dollars of critical investment into historically underserved communities. As Senator, she secured a transformative $12 billion for Community Development Financial Institutions and other community lenders, providing capital to small businesses around the country, including to rural communities,” said Lindi Li, a Democratic strategist and member of the Harriz-Walz National Finance Committee. Li’s family owns commercial and residential real estate in Pennsylvania. “My family and I run a small business ourselves and the Biden-Harris administration has been incredibly supportive, always extending a listening ear,” she told Fox News Digital. ‘WE BELIEVE IN DONALD TRUMP’: MORE THAN A DOZEN MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS ENDORSE FORMER PRESIDENT Hundreds of venture capital investors have signed on to the Harris economic agenda as well. “VP Harris’ support for small businesses and startups is genuine and began long before this campaign,” said Gayle Jennings O’Byrne, CEO of Wocstar Capital. “I had the opportunity to speak with her earlier this year when she came to North Carolina to announce $32 million in investments into women and minority-led venture capital funds, including mine. Over 825 of the nation’s top venture capitalists, myself included, believe in her commitment so strongly that we publicly signed a pledge titled ‘VCs for Kamala.’” Republicans are predictably far less optimistic about Harris’ plans. Critics point to high inflation under the Biden-Harris administration, brought about by excessive government spending during the COVID-19 pandemic, as harmful for existing businesses. “Vice President Kamala Harris has certainly positioned herself as an advocate for small businesses, with notable initiatives like increasing the startup tax deduction and focusing on underserved communities. However, the reality on the ground tells a more complicated story,” said Ryan Waite, a Republican political consultant. Waite argued the Biden-Harris record has exacerbated inflationary pressures and undermines any support for small businesses Harris aims to provide. Year-over-year price increases peaked at 9.1% in June 2022, though inflation has since fallen to around 3% – still above the Federal Reserve’s target 2% rate. “Entrepreneurs need more than just access to capital. They need a stable economic foundation to thrive. So far, the administration has fallen short in addressing these immediate concerns, and many small businesses aren’t seeing the benefits of these policies as quickly as VP Harris would have us believe.” The Harris-Walz campaign and White House did not respond to requests for comment. Harris’ campaign website claims she was a strong advocate for small businesses as both a U.S. senator and later as vice president. She was California’s junior senator from 2017-2021, when Trump occupied the White House, during which time she opposed the GOP economic agenda. Harris voted against the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which slashed corporate taxes and provided tax relief for small businesses with the Qualified Business Income Deduction, in addition to changes in individual tax deductions and the family tax credit, which affects the economy overall. As one of the more liberal members of the Senate, Harris co-sponsored the Raise the Wage Act of 2019. Introduced by self-described democratic socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., the bill would have increased the federal minimum wage to $15. Republicans opposed the effort, arguing it would increase costs on businesses that rely on low-skill or entry-level labor. It passed the House but died in the Senate. TRUMP, HARRIS LOCKED IN DEAD HEAT IN 7 BATTLEGROUND STATES, POLL FINDS: ‘COULD NOT BE CLOSER’ On a more bipartisan note, Harris voted for the CARES Act of 2020, a $2 trillion coronavirus relief package that created the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan initiatives to help small businesses survive COVID lockdown mandates. The final bill passed nearly unanimously, 96-0-4. Later that year, Harris secured passage of the Jobs and Neighborhood Investment Act, which was included in the COVID-related stimulus package passed in December 2020. The legislation provided $12 billion to community development financial institutions (CDFIs), which direct capital to businesses in minority and low- and moderate-income communities. Harris also
Trump resoundingly endorses Texas Sen. Ted Cruz ahead of Tuesday night Senate debate
Former President Donald Trump issued a full-throated endorsement of incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tx.) on Truth Social. “While I have Endorsed Ted, on numerous occasions, verbally, because of the Importance of the Race, and Ted’s Importance to the future of our Country, I thought the Endorsement should be memorialized in writing,” Trump declared in a post. Cruz — who has served in the Senate since 2013 and is currently seeking a third term — is facing off in the 2024 Texas U.S. Senate race against Democratic challenger Rep. Colin Allred, who has served in the House since 2019. CRUZ RACE NOW A TOSS-UP SHOULD BE WARNING FOR TEXAS GOP, SAYS EXPERT The two men are slated to debate on Tuesday night. “Ted is one of the strongest Senators in the Country on Border Security, whereas his Opponent, Colin Allred, is a Radical Open Border Extremist, who will put our Country, and Safety, LAST. Ted, on the other hand, will ALWAYS put Texas, and America, FIRST,” Trump said in another post on Truth Social. “Ted Cruz has my Complete and Total Endorsement – HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!” “Thank you!! Vote Trump! Vote Cruz!” the Lone Star State senator tweeted in response to Trump’s messages. TED CRUZ WARNS TEXAS SENATE RACE IS ‘INCREDIBLY CLOSE’ Cruz endorsed Trump back in January on the heels of the former president’s decisive win in the Iowa Republican presidential caucuses. Former President Barack Obama has urged voters to back Allred’s Senate bid. ‘AGAINST OUR DAUGHTERS’: CRUZ CHALLENGER HIT WITH BLISTERING 7-FIGURE AD OVER TRANSGENDER SPORTS BILL VOTE Texas has been a reliably red state in presidential contests for decades. Jimmy Carter’s 1976 win there marked the last time a Democratic presidential candidate won the Lone Star State.
Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024 date announced: Check voting time, result date and more
Vote counting will take place on November 23, with the results expected to be declared the same day.
Jharkhand Assembly Election 2024 date announced: Check phases, voting time, result date and more
The Election Commission has announced assembly election dates for Maharashtra and Jharkhand, with voting set for November.
‘Squad’ member calls Netanyahu a ‘genocidal maniac,’ sparking backlash from Israeli ambassador to the UN
Democrat ‘Squad’ member Rashida Tlaib is now calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “genocidal maniac,” prompting a sharp rebuke from the country’s ambassador to the United Nations. “Genocidal maniac Netanyahu is burning Palestinians alive, bombing hospitals, starving people, and killing aid workers,” the Michigan representative wrote Monday night in a post on X. “When will our country stop funding this madness? When?” she added. Israeli ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon responded to her by writing “The only ones who burned children alive were your buddies over at Hamas.” ISRAELI FORCES SEIZE DOCUMENTS THAT REVEAL HAMAS PLAN FOR MORE ELABORATE ATTACKS: REPORT Tlaib is one of Netanyahu’s fiercest critics in Washington. Last week, she wrote on X “The war crimes being committed by the government of Israel are being funded by our own country while families at home suffer from displacement due to hurricanes and growing poverty. Our country is obsessed with war and destruction.” When the Israeli prime minister delivered a speech to a joint session of Congress in July, she silently protested for much of it, holding up a double-sided sign that read “guilty of genocide” on one side and “war criminal” on the other. ISRAEL REVEALS HEZBOLLAH SPECIAL FORCES TERRORIST ‘BUNKER’ LOCATED UNDER HOME WITH WEAPONS, MOTORCYCLES Fox News Digital observed a member of the House sergeant-at-arms’ staff speaking to Tlaib multiple times during the speech, after which she put the sign down. Prior to Netanyahu’s July 24 address, Tlaib released a statement saying “Netanyahu is a war criminal committing genocide against the Palestinian people. “It is utterly disgraceful that leaders from both parties have invited him to address Congress. He should be arrested and sent to the International Criminal Court,” she said at the time. Fox News’ Alexander Hall contributed to this report.
Harris holds big advantage among early voters, Trump with Election Day voters: poll
With three weeks to go until Election Day, Americans are already showing a strong partisan preference for how they vote, according to a new public opinion poll. The NBC News poll found that 5% of registered voters said they have already cast their ballots in the 2024 presidential election. Three percent of voters said they mailed their ballot while 2% voted early in person. Nearly half of survey respondents who have not yet voted, 47%, said they plan to vote early – 20% intend to vote by mail and 27% want to vote in person. Of those early voters, Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat, holds a commanding 17 percentage point lead over her rival, former President Trump, 57% to 40%. Harris leads among those voting by mail 66% to 32%, with a narrower lead among those who intend to vote early in person, 51% to 47%. TRIO OF NEW POLLS AGREE ON WHERE TRUMP AND HARRIS STAND WITH 3 WEEKS TO GO UNTIL ELECTION DAY But Trump, the Republican candidate, has a strong lead among those who intend to vote on Election Day, 58%-37%. The survey found that 52% of voters said they plan to cast their ballots early, while 44% plan to vote on Nov. 5. Another 3% said they aren’t sure how they will vote, while 1% said they won’t vote. WHAT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLLS IN THE 2024 ELECTION SHOW The NBC News poll of 1,000 registered voters was conducted Oct. 4-8 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. To date, 46 states and Washington, D.C. have begun some form of early voting. CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS IN THE 2024 ELECTION States have long allowed at least some Americans to vote early, like members of the military or people with illnesses. Many states expanded eligibility in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic made it riskier to vote in-person. That year, the Fox News Voter Analysis found that 71% of voters cast their ballots before Election Day, with 30% voting early in-person and 41% voting by mail. Early voting remained popular in the midterms, with 57% of voters casting a ballot before Election Day. Elections officials stress that voting early is safe and secure. Recounts, investigations and lawsuits filed after the 2020 election did not reveal evidence of widespread fraud or corruption. Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom, Kellianne Jones and Rémy Numa contributed to this report. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Navratri: Becoming a white powder carnival
India has seen a growing influx of cocaine recently. On June 27, 2024, Chennai Airport customs officials intercepted 2.2 kilograms of high-quality cocaine from a woman who had smuggled it from Nigeria via Doha, concealing the drugs in a hidden compartment in her shoe heels.