#India election 2024 live news | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

reasonsforhope · 3 months

Text

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is, by some measures, the most popular leader in the world. Prior to the 2024 election, his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held an outright majority in the Lok Sabha (India’s Parliament) — one that was widely projected to grow after the vote count. The party regularly boasted that it would win 400 Lok Sabha seats, easily enough to amend India’s constitution along the party's preferred Hindu nationalist lines.

But when the results were announced on Tuesday, the BJP held just 240 seats. They not only underperformed expectations, they actually lost their parliamentary majority. While Modi will remain prime minister, he will do so at the helm of a coalition government — meaning that he will depend on other parties to stay in office, making it harder to continue his ongoing assault on Indian democracy.

So what happened? Why did Indian voters deal a devastating blow to a prime minister who, by all measures, they mostly seem to like?

India is a massive country — the most populous in the world — and one of the most diverse, making its internal politics exceedingly complicated. A definitive assessment of the election would require granular data on voter breakdown across caste, class, linguistic, religious, age, and gender divides. At present, those numbers don’t exist in sufficient detail.

But after looking at the information that is available and speaking with several leading experts on Indian politics, there are at least three conclusions that I’m comfortable drawing.

First, voters punished Modi for putting his Hindu nationalist agenda ahead of fixing India’s unequal economy. Second, Indian voters had some real concerns about the decline of liberal democracy under BJP rule. Third, the opposition parties waged a smart campaign that took advantage of Modi’s vulnerabilities on the economy and democracy.

Understanding these factors isn’t just important for Indians. The country’s election has some universal lessons for how to beat a would-be authoritarian — ones that Americans especially might want to heed heading into its election in November.

-via Vox, June 7, 2024. Article continues below.

A new (and unequal) economy

Modi’s biggest and most surprising losses came in India’s two most populous states: Uttar Pradesh in the north and Maharashtra in the west. Both states had previously been BJP strongholds — places where the party’s core tactic of pitting the Hindu majority against the Muslim minority had seemingly cemented Hindu support for Modi and his allies.

One prominent Indian analyst, Yogendra Yadav, saw the cracks in advance. Swimming against the tide of Indian media, he correctly predicted that the BJP would fall short of a governing majority.

Traveling through the country, but especially rural Uttar Pradesh, he prophesied “the return of normal politics”: that Indian voters were no longer held spellbound by Modi’s charismatic nationalist appeals and were instead starting to worry about the way politics was affecting their lives.

Yadav’s conclusions derived in no small part from hearing voters’ concerns about the economy. The issue wasn’t GDP growth — India’s is the fastest-growing economy in the world — but rather the distribution of growth’s fruits. While some of Modi’s top allies struck it rich, many ordinary Indians suffered. Nearly half of all Indians between 20 and 24 are unemployed; Indian farmers have repeatedly protested Modi policies that they felt hurt their livelihoods.

“Everyone was talking about price rise, unemployment, the state of public services, the plight of farmers, [and] the struggles of labor,” Yadav wrote...

“We know for sure that Modi’s strongman image and brassy self-confidence were not as popular with voters as the BJP assumed,” says Sadanand Dhume, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute who studies India.

The lesson here isn’t that the pocketbook concerns trump identity-based appeals everywhere; recent evidence in wealthier democracies suggests the opposite is true. Rather, it’s that even entrenched reputations of populist leaders are not unshakeable. When they make errors, even some time ago, it’s possible to get voters to remember these mistakes and prioritize them over whatever culture war the populist is peddling at the moment.

Liberalism strikes back

The Indian constitution is a liberal document: It guarantees equality of all citizens and enshrines measures designed to enshrine said equality into law. The signature goal of Modi’s time in power has been to rip this liberal edifice down and replace it with a Hindu nationalist model that pushes non-Hindus to the social margins. In pursuit of this agenda, the BJP has concentrated power in Modi’s hands and undermined key pillars of Indian democracy (like a free press and independent judiciary).

Prior to the election, there was a sense that Indian voters either didn’t much care about the assault on liberal democracy or mostly agreed with it. But the BJP’s surprising underperformance suggests otherwise.

The Hindu, a leading Indian newspaper, published an essential post-election data analysis breaking down what we know about the results. One of the more striking findings is that the opposition parties surged in parliamentary seats reserved for members of “scheduled castes” — the legal term for Dalits, the lowest caste grouping in the Hindu hierarchy.

Caste has long been an essential cleavage in Indian politics, with Dalits typically favoring the left-wing Congress party over the BJP (long seen as an upper-caste party). Under Modi, the BJP had seemingly tamped down on the salience of class by elevating all Hindus — including Dalits — over Muslims. Yet now it’s looking like Dalits were flocking back to Congress and its allies. Why?

According to experts, Dalit voters feared the consequences of a BJP landslide. If Modi’s party achieved its 400-seat target, they’d have more than enough votes to amend India’s constitution. Since the constitution contains several protections designed to promote Dalit equality — including a first-in-the-world affirmative action system — that seemed like a serious threat to the community. It seems, at least based on preliminary data, that they voted accordingly.

The Dalit vote is but one example of the ways in which Modi’s brazen willingness to assail Indian institutions likely alienated voters.

Uttar Pradesh (UP), India’s largest and most electorally important state, was the site of a major BJP anti-Muslim campaign. It unofficially kicked off its campaign in the UP city of Ayodhya earlier this year, during a ceremony celebrating one of Modi’s crowning achievements: the construction of a Hindu temple on the site of a former mosque that had been torn down by Hindu nationalists in 1992.

Yet not only did the BJP lose UP, it specifically lost the constituency — the city of Faizabad — in which the Ayodhya temple is located. It’s as direct an electoral rebuke to BJP ideology as one can imagine.

In Maharashtra, the second largest state, the BJP made a tactical alliance with a local politician, Ajit Pawar, facing serious corruption charges. Voters seemingly punished Modi’s party for turning a blind eye to Pawar’s offenses against the public trust. Across the country, Muslim voters turned out for the opposition to defend their rights against Modi’s attacks.

The global lesson here is clear: Even popular authoritarians can overreach.

By turning “400 seats” into a campaign slogan, an all-but-open signal that he intended to remake the Indian state in his illiberal image, Modi practically rang an alarm bell for constituencies worried about the consequences. So they turned out to stop him en masse.

The BJP’s electoral underperformance is, in no small part, the direct result of their leader’s zealotry going too far.

Return of the Gandhis?

Of course, Modi’s mistakes might not have mattered had his rivals failed to capitalize. The Indian opposition, however, was far more effective than most observers anticipated.

Perhaps most importantly, the many opposition parties coordinated with each other. Forming a united bloc called INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance), they worked to make sure they weren’t stealing votes from each other in critical constituencies, positioning INDIA coalition candidates to win straight fights against BJP rivals.

The leading party in the opposition bloc — Congress — was also more put together than people thought. Its most prominent leader, Rahul Gandhi, was widely dismissed as a dilettante nepo baby: a pale imitation of his father Rajiv and grandmother Indira, both former Congress prime ministers. Now his critics are rethinking things.

“I owe Rahul Gandhi an apology because I seriously underestimated him,” says Manjari Miller, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Miller singled out Gandhi’s yatras (marches) across India as a particularly canny tactic. These physically grueling voyages across the length and breadth of India showed that he wasn’t just a privileged son of Indian political royalty, but a politician willing to take risks and meet ordinary Indians where they were. During the yatras, he would meet directly with voters from marginalized groups and rail against Modi’s politics of hate.

“The persona he’s developed — as somebody kind, caring, inclusive, [and] resolute in the face of bullying — has really worked and captured the imagination of younger India,” says Suryanarayan. “If you’ve spent any time on Instagram Reels, [you’ll see] an entire generation now waking up to Rahul Gandhi’s very appealing videos.”

This, too, has a lesson for the rest of the world: Tactical innovation from the opposition matters even in an unfair electoral context.

There is no doubt that, in the past 10 years, the BJP stacked the political deck against its opponents. They consolidated control over large chunks of the national media, changed campaign finance law to favor themselves, suborned the famously independent Indian Electoral Commission, and even intimidated the Supreme Court into letting them get away with it.

The opposition, though, managed to find ways to compete even under unfair circumstances. Strategic coordination between them helped consolidate resources and ameliorate the BJP cash advantage. Direct voter outreach like the yatra helped circumvent BJP dominance in the national media.

To be clear, the opposition still did not win a majority. Modi will have a third term in office, likely thanks in large part to the ways he rigged the system in his favor.

Yet there is no doubt that the opposition deserves to celebrate. Modi’s power has been constrained and the myth of his invincibility wounded, perhaps mortally. Indian voters, like those in Brazil and Poland before them, have dealt a major blow to their homegrown authoritarian faction.

And that is something worth celebrating.

-via Vox, June 7, 2024.

#india #narendra modi #pm modi #modi #bjp #lok sabha elections #rahul gandhi #democracy #2024 elections #authoritarianism #anti authoritarian #good news #hope

721 notes · View notes

dreaminginthedeepsouth · 1 day

Text

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

September 24, 2024

Heather Cox Richardson

Sep 25, 2024

This morning, President Joe Biden spoke to the United Nations General Assembly in New York City. Earlier in the day, Secretary General António Guterres of Portugal warned that “our world is in a whirlwind” and, having lost the “hot lines, red lines and guard rails” of the Cold War, is dangerous and adrift. In contrast, Biden in his final speech before the body offered optimism.

The president noted that when he first was elected U.S. senator in 1972, the world was also in a time of “tension and uncertainty.” The Cold War simmered, the Middle East was headed toward war, and the U.S. was in one in Vietnam. The United States was “divided and angry, and there were questions about our staying power and our future.” The U.S. and the world made it through that moment, he recalled, but it “wasn’t easy or simple or without significant setbacks.” Nonetheless, the world went on to reduce the threat of nuclear weapons, end the Cold War, forge a historic peace between Israel and Egypt, and end the war in Vietnam.

Last year, Biden noted, the U.S. and Vietnam elevated their partnership to the highest level, “a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the capacity for reconciliation…proof that even from the horrors of war there is a way forward,” he said.

Biden’s message continued to be one of optimism as he recalled the world history he has seen. In the 1980s, he said, the racist regime of apartheid in South Africa fell; in the 1990s, Serbian president Slobodan Milošević was prosecuted for war crimes after presiding over chaos and mass murder in southeastern Europe. At home, Biden recalled, although there is more to do, he “wrote and passed the Violence Against Women Act to end the scourge of violence against women and girls not only in America but across the world.” Then, after the attacks of September 11, 2001, the U.S. brought the attack’s mastermind, Osama bin Laden, to justice.

Turning to his own presidency, Biden noted that it, too, began in “crisis and uncertainty.” Afghanistan had replaced Vietnam as America’s longest war, and after four American presidents had had to decide whether to withdraw, Biden “was determined not to leave it to the fifth.” Biden said he thinks every day of the 13 Americans who lost their lives along with hundreds of Afghans in a suicide bombing, the 2,461 U.S. military deaths and 20,744 American personnel wounded over the 20 years of that war, and the service personnel of other countries who died there.

Biden said that he came to office determined to rebuild the alliances and partnerships of the U.S. He worked to rebuild the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and NATO allies and partners in more than 50 nations supported Ukraine’s resistance to Russia’s February 2022 invasion. Now NATO is “bigger, stronger, and more united than ever with two new members, Finland and Sweden,” he noted. Biden also worked to strengthen new partnerships like the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, known as the Quad, which brings together the U.S., Japan, Australia, and India, and whose leaders met last weekend in Delaware to affirm their commitment to the partnership.

Biden listed the many crises around the world today. “[F]rom Ukraine to Gaza to Sudan and beyond,” he said, we see “war, hunger, terrorism, brutality, record displacement of people, a climate crisis, democracy at risk, strains within our societies, the promise of artificial intelligence and its significant risks.”

In 1919, Biden recalled, Irish poet William Butler Yeats described a world where “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.” But, Biden said, “[i]n our time, the center has held.” Leaders and people around the world have stood together to turn the page on Covid, defend the charter of the United Nations, and ensure the survival of Ukraine in the face of the 2022 Russian invasion.

“There will always be forces that pull our countries apart and the world apart: aggression, extremism, chaos, and cynicism, a desire to retreat from the world and go it alone,” Biden said. “Our task, our test, is to make sure that the forces holding us together are stronger than those that are pulling us apart, that the principles of partnership that we came here each year to uphold can withstand the challenges, that the center holds once again.”

Biden reiterated the themes of his administration’s foreign policy, urging the countries in the United Nations to continue to stand with Ukraine and to manage competition with China responsibly so that competition does not become conflict. He noted that the U.S. and China are working together to combat the flow of deadly synthetic narcotics around the world, but said the U.S. will continue to push back against unfair economic competition and the military coercion of other nations in the South China Sea, while strengthening a network of alliances and partnerships across the Indo-Pacific.

Turning to the Middle East, Biden reiterated the horrors of October 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists invaded Israel and killed more than 1,200 people—including 46 Americans—and pointed out that “[i]nnocent civilians in Gaza are also going through hell. Thousands and thousands killed, including aid workers. Too many families dislocated, crowding into tents, facing a dire humanitarian situation. They didn’t ask for this war that Hamas started.”

Biden noted that the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt have put forward a ceasefire and hostage deal that was endorsed by the U.N. Security Council, and urged Israel and Hamas to finalize it. “Even as the situation has escalated,” Biden said, “a diplomatic solution is still possible.” Indeed, he said, “a two-state solution…where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalized relations with all its neighbors, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own,” remains “the only path to lasting security.”

Progress toward peace in the Middle East will put countries “in a stronger position to deal with the ongoing threat posed by Iran,” Biden said, to deny oxygen to the terrorists Iran supports and to “ensure that Iran will never, ever obtain a nuclear weapon.”

“Gaza is not the only conflict that deserves our outrage,” Biden said. In Sudan, a bloody civil war has put eight million people on the brink of famine, and caused death and atrocities. The U.S. has led the world in providing humanitarian aid, Biden said, and is leading diplomatic talks to avert a wider famine.

The U.S. stands behind the idea that people “need the chance to live in dignity,... protected from the ravages of climate change, hunger, and disease,” Biden said, and he noted that during his presidency the U.S. has invested more than $150 billion in sustainable development—including $20 billion for food security and more than $50 billion for global health—and has mobilized billions in private-sector investment. These principles were laid down in the 1950s by Republican president Dwight D. Eisenhower, who feared that impoverished populations would be easy prey for religious or political demagogues who could use them to start wars. Biden did not acknowledge that a Trump presidency, devoted to isolationism, would almost certainly abandon them.

Biden did note that the U.S. worked to repair the damage of Trump’s administration by rejoining the Paris Agreement on climate change. It also passed the most ambitious climate legislation in history, is on track to cut emission in half by 2030, and has promised to quadruple climate financing to developing nations, investing $11 billion so far this year. The U.S. also rejoined the World Health Organization and donated almost 700 million doses of Covid vaccine to 117 countries. Biden vowed to address the outbreak of mpox in Africa and urged other countries to join the effort. He noted that the U.S., the Group of Seven industrialized democracies (G7), and partners have launched an initiative to finance infrastructure in the developing world.

Biden took office warning that the international institutions set up after World War II had concentrated wealth and power among the hands of a few and thus people left behind around the globe were losing faith in democracy. That sentiment is shared at the U.N, and today he sided with those countries calling for an expanded U.N. Security Council, greater youth engagement, and stronger measures against climate change.

At length, Biden urged the U.N to take advantage of the possibilities and manage the risks of artificial intelligence (AI), which can both usher in scientific progress and push disinformation and create bioweapons. “We must make certain that the awesome capabilities of AI will be used to uplift and empower everyday people, not to give dictators more powerful shackles on…the human spirit,” he said.

So far, Biden’s speech was a retrospective of the changes he had seen in the world in more than 50 years in public service, and how he had tried to approach present-day changes by reinforcing and expanding America’s engagement with the world. But in his last address to the United Nations, he also had something personal to say.

“Even as we navigate so much change,” he said, “[w]e must never forget who we’re here to represent.”

“‘We the People,’” he said, the first words of the U.S. Constitution, and the words that inspired the opening words of the U.N. Charter, which begins: “We the peoples of the United Nations determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war….”

Biden noted that he “made the preservation of democracy the central cause of my presidency.” He recalled the difficulty of deciding to step away, concluding that “as much as I love the job, I love my country more.”

“My fellow leaders, let us never forget, some things are more important than staying in power. It’s your people…that matter the most. Never forget, we are here to serve the people, not the other way around. Because the future will be…won by those who unleash the full potential of their people to breathe free, to think freely, to innovate, to educate, to live and love openly without fear. That’s the soul of democracy. It does not belong to any one country.”

It lives in “the brave men and women who ended apartheid, brought down the Berlin Wall, fight today for freedom and justice and dignity,” he said. It’s in Venezuela, where millions voted for change; in Uganda, where LGBTQ activists demand safety and recognition of their humanity; in citizens from Ghana to India to South Korea peacefully choosing their leaders.

“Every age faces its challenges,” Biden said. “I saw it as a young man. I see it today. But we are stronger than we think. We’re stronger together than alone. And what the people call ‘impossible’ is just an illusion. [As] Nelson Mandela taught us…: ‘It always seems impossible until it’s done.’”

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

#Joe Biden #The UN #Letters From An American #Heather Cox Richardson #National Security #American History #world economy #Election 2024

8 notes · View notes

dzthenerd490 · 2 months

Text

News Post

Palestine

Tim Walz: How does Kamala Harris’s VP pick view Israel, Palestine, China? | US Election 2024 | Al Jazeera

Kamala Harris: ‘I am speaking…’: Kamala Harris shuts down pro-Palestine protesters | World News - Times of India (indiatimes.com)

State Dept calls for Israel to investigate allegations of ‘horrific’ sexual abuse of Palestinian detainees | CNN

Israel revokes diplomatic status of Norwegian envoys | Israel-Palestine conflict News | Al Jazeera

Ukraine

Russia says fighting continues in Ukrainian incursion into Kursk region | AP News

Russia-Ukraine war live news: Third day of fighting in Kursk region | Russia-Ukraine war News | Al Jazeera

Russian ally Niger cuts ties with Ukraine as rivalry spills over into Africa (bbc.com)

Kursk: Russia says it halted a Ukrainian incursion into its territory. Evidence suggests it hasn’t | CNN

Sudan

Who Are the S.P.L.M., the Rebel Group Fighting for Democracy in Sudan? - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Sudan's war children: The forgotten victims of conflict (thehill.com)

Sudan: Over a dozen more areas at risk of famine as fighting impedes aid | UN News

Fresh hope for new talks on Sudan cease-fire – DW – 08/08/2024

Other

Iran warns airlines to avoid its airspace for 3 hours on Thursday over military drills, Egypt says | AP News

Egypt's 2023-24 economic crisis: Will this time be different? | PIIE

Congo's president accuses former leader of backing a US-sanctioned rebel coalition | AP News

WHO calls emergency meeting to discuss jump in mpox cases from DRC | Health News | Al Jazeera

Religious freedom in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan on steady decline, US watchdog says (voanews.com)

Kimia Yousofi: Afghan Olympic sprinter sends powerful message to Taliban on women’s rights | CNN

Why Ethiopia and Nigeria must press on with reforms (economist.com)

The New Humanitarian | Ethiopia conflicts trigger surge in rape and violence against women

Myanmar junta on back foot as ethnic rebels capture key base – DW – 08/07/2024

Fresh Reports Emerge of Rohingya Killings in Western Myanmar – The Diplomat

Sahel And Somalia: A Complex Battleground Requiring Global Unity Against Terrorism – Analysis – Eurasia Review

4 notes · View notes

onlinembacourse · 4 months

Text

Panchayat: A Rural Saga Captivating Hearts Across India

The Indian web series "Panchayat," created by The Viral Fever (TVF) and streaming on Amazon Prime Video, has garnered widespread acclaim for its relatable storytelling and authentic portrayal of rural life. Set in the fictional village of Phulera, the series centers around Abhishek Tripathi, an engineering graduate who takes up the job of a Panchayat secretary due to a lack of better employment opportunities. As he navigates his new life, Abhishek faces numerous challenges, from dealing with the eccentric villagers to grappling with his own aspirations and frustrations.

A Stellar Cast and Crew

The series stars Jitendra Kumar as Abhishek Tripathi, whose nuanced performance anchors the show. Supporting him are seasoned actors Neena Gupta as Manju Devi, the village pradhan (head), and Raghubir Yadav as Brij Bhushan Dubey, her husband and the de facto head. The ensemble cast includes Faisal Malik, Chandan Roy, and Sanvikaa, each bringing depth and humor to their roles.

Directed by Deepak Kumar Mishra and written by Chandan Kumar, "Panchayat" has been praised for its direction and script, which blend humor with social commentary. The creators have skillfully captured the essence of rural India, making the series both entertaining and thought-provoking.

Seasons and Plot Developments

The first season of "Panchayat" premiered on April 3, 2020, introducing viewers to the quaint yet complex world of Phulera. The second season, released on May 18, 2022, further delved into the characters' lives and the dynamics within the village, including the ongoing struggle for modernity and tradition.

The much-anticipated third season is set to release on May 28, 2024. This new installment will explore the Panchayat elections, bringing fresh conflicts and political rivalries to the forefront. Abhishek finds himself at a crossroads, torn between his duty to the village and his desire to pursue better career opportunities (Coming Soon) (India Today) (IN About Amazon) (Watch Trailer).

Cultural Impact and Reception

"Panchayat" has struck a chord with audiences for its realistic portrayal of village life and the relatable struggles of its characters. The series' humor, rooted in everyday situations and dialogues, resonates with viewers across different demographics. Its depiction of the slow-paced yet richly textured life in rural India offers a refreshing contrast to the fast-paced urban-centric narratives commonly seen in Indian entertainment.

The show's success is evident in its critical acclaim and popularity, with many praising its simplicity, authenticity, and heartwarming narrative. "Panchayat" has also been lauded for its ability to highlight social issues subtly and effectively, making it a significant addition to the Indian web series landscape.

Conclusion

As "Panchayat" gears up for its third season, fans eagerly await the continuation of Abhishek Tripathi's journey and the unfolding drama of Phulera's Panchayat elections. With its compelling storytelling, memorable characters, and insightful commentary on rural life, "Panchayat" continues to be a beloved series that resonates with viewers both in India and around the world. Whether you're a fan of heartfelt comedies or social dramas, "Panchayat" offers a delightful and meaningful viewing experience that should not be missed.

You can also check out our Latest Blog About Education.

Visit Us: Online MBA

#Panchayat #webseries #season 3

2 notes · View notes

no2ticonderoga · 9 months

Text

Well, my friends, we come to the end of 2023. And It sucked on a lot of levels. And 2024 doesn’t look like it’s shaping up much better for a lot of us. There is a lot of bad shit in the world, and a lot of it is out of our control, and that can make us feel helpless and lost. But as we turn the corner into a new year, remember that there are things we can do.

Take care of yourself. Drink water. Go for a walk. Absorb some sunshine. Take a shower. Put down your phone for an afternoon, turn off the TV, and enjoy the people around you. Even if it’s just sitting in a coffee shop with a book. Even if enjoying the people around you simply means people watching and not interacting. There is still a lot of good in the world, and social media is not always the best way to see that. Spend time with your hobbies. Spend some time doing things for you.

Don’t get caught in a outrage vortex. There’s plenty of things to be outraged about, no doubt. But don’t guilt yourself into believing you need to wallow in it. Don’t fall for the argument that enjoying things is a privilege and you shouldn’t be allowed to do it just because there are people in the world who can’t. That will always be the case, and as sad as it is, you can’t go on a downward spiral forever. That way lies madness. You do what you can for who you can, and when you can, no question. But you still need to live.

Do what you can, but don’t guilt yourself for not doing more than you’re able. There are great causes to donate your money and/or time to. Both abroad and at home. The Red Cross/Crescent/Sheild is a great place to help get medical aid to those who need it regardless of where you are. Doctors Without Borders. Your local food banks, clothing swaps, and community organizations, for a more locally targeted aid. In the US, there’s a group called End 68 Hours of Hunger, which gets food to kids who might not get a meal from school lunch on Friday to breakfast Monday morning, and is amazing cause. There are so many kids who need help, and they’re doing what they can. Can’t give money? Give some time at a local animal shelter, or donate your old ratty towels. They’re always looking for them for the animals. But if you can’t do any of that…don’t beat yourself up. Do even simpler things. Hold the door for the person behind you. Even if you can’t give to the unhoused person on the street corner, smile at them. Treat them like a human. There are things that cost nothing, and have an impact far beyond you can known.

VOTE. It costs literally nothing, and is virtually the biggest thing you can do to change the world. There are a lot of countries that are holding elections this year beyond the US. Mexico will elect a new president. India is voting. The UK is closing in on election. Take the time to educate yourself. Cast your vote wisely, to protect women, children, the environment. And don’t let the perfect be the enemy of good. Look, is Joe Biden a great president? No, probably not. But he’s done some good things that he doesn’t get a lot of credit for. But really, the question is, is he 100000% better than Trump’s second term? Yes. Is it worth withholding your vote, to take that risk, because you’re unhappy about something he did. ABSOLUETLEY NOT. Is the Labour Party in the UK perfect? No, they’ve got some issues. Is it worth risking more years under Conservative Rule. Hell no. It the anti-Modi coalition perfect in India? Probably not. But are they better than the alternative? You have to understand voting is the only way to get the change you want. And to prevent changes you don’t want. Staying home accomplishes NOTHING. It’s not a protest. It’s not symbolic. It’s not a message. Staying home is allowing people and policies you don’t want to win. It’s a simple as that. DO NOT STAY HOME. DO NOT LET PERFECT BE THE ENEMY OF GOOD.

This got longer than I intended, people, but I hope you all can take something out of my rambles. And I’ll be back tomorrow my “2024 New Year Fic Resolutions” for all of you to see and to bug me about this year. I’ll be putting them out into the universe to manifest them.

#end of the year #goodbye 2023 #unsolicited advice #rambles #VOTE DAMN YOU

4 notes · View notes

warningsine · 1 month

Text

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/indian-pm-modi-set-visit-kyiv-talks-with-ukraines-zelenskiy-2024-08-23/

KYIV, Aug 23 (Reuters) - India's Narendra Modi urged President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday to sit down for talks with Russia to end the war in Ukraine and offered to act as a friend to help bring peace as the two leaders met in wartime Kyiv.

The first visit by an Indian prime minister in modern Ukrainian history came at a volatile juncture in the war launched by Russia in February 2022. Moscow is making slow gains in eastern Ukraine as Kyiv presses a cross-border incursion.

The optics closely resembled the Indian leader's visit to Moscow last month where he called for peace and embraced Russian President Vladimir Putin, angering Ukraine, where a Russian missile strike hit a children's hospital on the same day.

"The road to resolution can only be found through dialogue and diplomacy. And we should move in that direction without wasting any time. Both sides should sit together to find a way out of this crisis," Modi said in Kyiv.

"I want to assure you that India is ready to play an active role in any efforts towards peace. If I can play any role in this personally, I will do that, I want to assure you as a friend," he said.

It was not immediately clear what Kyiv made of his remarks and whether they were part of a diplomatic push taking place behind closed doors with a November presidential election looming in the United States, a close ally of Ukraine.

Speaking later on Friday in his regular address to the nation after the visit had ended, Zelenskiy said it is "important to us that India remains committed to international law and supports our sovereignty and territorial integrity".

He also said he appreciated that Modi had begun the visit by paying tribute to the children killed in the July hospital strike.

India, which traditionally has close economic and defence relations with Moscow, has publicly criticised the deaths of innocent people in the war, but also strengthened its economic ties with Moscow.

Both leaders described Modi's visit as "historic" in their statements during their meeting, in which Modi spoke second and Zelenskiy had no opportunity to respond to the call for dialogue.

Zelenskiy said that "the matter of ending the war and a just peace are the priority for Ukraine".

Ukraine has repeatedly said it wants the war to end but on Kyiv's terms, not Russia's. Ukraine has been pushing to hold a second international summit later this year to advance its vision of peace and involve representatives from Russia.

The first summit, held in Switzerland in June, pointedly excluded Russia, while attracting scores of delegations, including one from India, but not from China, the world's second largest economy. Zelenskiy urged Modi to sign the summit's communique, which India has not done.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday that talks were out of the question after Ukraine launched its incursion into Russia's Kursk region on Aug. 6.

Kyiv's top commander has touted the capture of almost 100 settlements in the assault, part of what military analysts see as an attempt to divert Russian troops from eastern Ukraine where Moscow's forces are making gains.

'CERTAIN INFLUENCE'

Modi's visit to Moscow prompted Zelenskiy to criticise the Indian prime minister when the trip coincided with the missile strike that hit a children's hospital in Kyiv.

As he welcomed Modi to the Mariinskyi presidential palace in Kyiv, Zelenskiy embraced him with a frowning expression before they began talks. Modi issued renewed condolences over the missile strike on X in a post written in Ukrainian.

"Conflict is particularly devastating for young children. My heart goes out to the families of children who lost their lives, and I pray that they find the strength to endure their grief," the post said.

In the run-up to the visit, Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser in Zelenskiy's office, told Reuters it was significant because New Delhi "really has a certain influence" over Moscow.

"It's extremely important for us to effectively build relations with such countries, to explain to them what the correct end to the war is - and that it is also in their interests," he said.

As Western nations have imposed sanctions on Russia and cut trade relations with it over the invasion, India has developed its economic ties.

Indian refiners that rarely bought Russian oil in the past have emerged as Moscow's top clients for seaborne crude since Russia poured troops into Ukraine two-and-a-half years ago. Russian oil accounts for over two-fifths of India's oil imports.

#narendra modi #volodymyr zelenskyy #politics #news tag

0 notes

tfgadgets · 1 month

Text

BJP Fields Ministers Ravneet Bittu, George Kurian For Rajya Sabha Bypolls - NDTV

BJP Fields Ministers Ravneet Bittu, George Kurian For Rajya Sabha Bypolls NDTV India News Live: BJP lists Rajya Sabha by-election candidates Moneycontrol Latest News, Live Updates Today August 20, 2024: Rajya Sabha bypolls: BJP fields Union ministers Ravneet Bittu, George Kurian Hindustan Times BJP announces candidates for Rajya Sabha bypolls; Union Ministers Ravneet Bittu, George Kurian to…

0 notes

andrewuttaro · 2 months

Text

Warning from Trieste - Decision 2024

Is the free world in crisis? In many countries with at least some tradition of democracy, there has been a surge of hard right-wing candidates who seemed disinterested in such institutions, many of which won power: Vicktor Orban in Hungary, Andrzej Duda in Poland, Ferdinand Marcos Jr in the Philippines, Yoon Suk Yeol in South Korea, Narendra Modi in India, Javier Milei in Argentina, Nayib Bukele in El Salvador, Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua, and of course Donald Trump in the United States of America.

Within 10-15 years of a financial crisis there always seems to be a political crisis bound up in populist ideas of national identity and the injustice done to the national spirit by a threatening outsider group. Political scientists will tell you when there is profound insecurity in people’s livelihoods, particularly in basic necessities like food and housing prices, cost of living matters if you will, revolution and chaos are not too far behind.

That might all seem like old news for those of us in the U.S. We endured the COVID19 pandemic with one of the aforementioned leaders contradicting public health directives almost non-stop. But if you ask me something has changed more recently here in American politics. Yes, the right-wing trendline is the same here as it is worldwide but distrust in the institutions of democracy has grown more widespread across the spectrum of political opinion.

What was once just an eye-catching survey result years ago, widespread distrust in institutions including the government, has morphed into doubt about the very project of democratic governance, to the point that it is seemingly baked into American political culture at this point. Do we believe that our government system works anymore?

Since the Second Vatican Council in the early 1960s the Catholic Church has formally endorsed representative democracy, or at least governance that empowers peoples to have control of their own destiny. In the shadow of the madness of the Second World War the thousands of Bishops gathered at that Council felt some sense of moral responsibility. They had failed to prevent the totalitarianism that authored genocide and the deadliest conflict in human history.

Declarations that would have been thought unnecessary a century earlier, against antisemitism and totalitarianism, were more uniformly accepted than the theological documents about the stuff you think about when you call the Catholic Church to mind. In retrospect it’s quaint and charming imagining that many people agreeing on anything, particularly with the added layer of religious discourse.

On politics and peace, what emerged from the Council was clear. Whether it was Pope John XXIII writing against nuclear war in 1963 or his successor Pope Paul VI actively pushing for treaties on trips abroad, the peacemaking tune out of the highest levels of the Catholic Church has been unmistakable since Vatican II. More than that, in recent decades the criticisms of war and autocracy has gotten so acute that it may seem impossible for the world’s political leaders to obey if they wanted to.

Just-War theory has been so narrowed by recent Popes that you might wonder if any war is justified. The Death Penalty has been explicitly condemned by the Vatican. Neat idea, eh? Pope Francis goes even further to decry predatory housing practices, denial of healthcare, and ignorance of the elderly as gravely sinful behaviors on a societal level. That last one played no small part in my own decision to do my current work in the regulation of Nursing homes and other facilities designed for older adults which often become warehouses.

For the current Pope politics is not off limits but it’s also never partisan. It should come as no surprise then that Pope Francis struck a chord that will ring loudly in the ears of Americans on a trip earlier this summer in the northern Italian city of Trieste. In an election year such as ours I felt too moved to not write about it.

Pope Francis in Trieste

Pope Francis is not the miserly, scolding grandpa his critics would have you believe. He is generally attuned to the needs of a time and place before the people affected know what to ask of him. Within the first year of his papacy he said something that sticks with me to this day and cuts across all facets of the human experience: “If nobody is to blame, everyone is to blame.” Sit with that for a moment and get back to me.

That quote was part of a speech on the Italian island of Lampedusa where migrant boats and the bodies of those who didn’t survive the journey wash ashore regularly. For however bad you think the migrant crisis is here in North America its far more gruesome in Europe where a stormy sea is the main obstacle. Francis knows how to moralize without proselytizing, a rare balance from any minister, never mind the Pope.

On July 7th in Trieste, the Pope was speaking to Catholic Social Week, an annual gathering of civic minded activists discussing the state of Italy and the world since 1907. He delivered another classic speech that feels to me like a clear warning for every person blessed with the vote and political agency in their civic context. I encourage you to read the text of the brief speech with the link here below because he covers a lot with not many words.

Early on Pope Francis acknowledges that world democracy today is not in good health. This is couched in the Italian context but extended out to the whole free world. Specifically he says this after quoting the founder of the social week he was speaking at, Blessed Guiseppe Toniolo, who said democracy is “…that civil order in which all social, legal and economic forces, in the fullness of their hierarchical development, cooperate proportionally to the common good, flowing in the last result to the prevailing advantage of the lower classes.”

You can already tell Pope Francis has a higher standard for democracy than even great patriots here in America. Democracy is not just government by the people oriented toward freedom and liberty, for Francis, democracy is a governing system aimed at the common good and helping the less advantaged. You can see how this would clarify one’s perspective on socio-economic disparities, healthcare, the environment, and many other issues that unnecessarily create suffering for those living under democracy.

Personally I think it goes a long way to clarifying some erroneous practices we take for granted here in the US that ultimately make us less free, perhaps leading us toward a more dictatorial system, but I am saving my editorializing for later.

Where the Pope’s speech goes next is very touching: he uses this image of a wounded heart as a metaphor for what he calls a crisis of democracy today. Marginalization of various people groups hurts the whole social body and makes the whole system less effective and more self-referential. This is like any number of ailments that make the literal human heart work harder and eventually lead to heart failure.

That term, self-referential, is a term Francis uses often. In religious contexts he uses it to refer to all manners of religious people who think so highly of themselves and the religious identity they inhabit that they turn inwards in corrosive selfishness. One example is clergy and laypeople obsessed with the latin mass and fighting him to the detriment of Church unity. Their vanity then has a certain parallel in the secular world when we become so absorbed in our chosen socio-political identities that we become worse for them.

If you consider yourself an avid follower of news and politics then I imagine you know what we’re talking about here. In particularly difficult electoral cycles I have seen friends and politicos I follow spiral into mental health crises over a political agenda. This is not to diminish important political priorities, only to point out how they might be costing us too much of ourselves.

After this metaphor, the pontiff goes onto quote a former Italian prime minister, Aldo Moro, emphasizing, in essence, that democracy is not democracy unless it is at the service of our humanity: that is, human dignity, freedom, and autonomy. Moreover, even if one has the right to vote, are the conditions being created in their body politic to vote knowledgably and wisely, allowing evermore people to vote?

That message hits pretty hard on its own but then Pope Francis speaks of “…freeing ourselves from the waste of ideology…” He is criticizing the lionization of ideologies themselves in political thought. He means that familiar drive to align yourself with a certain, longstanding party or political philosophy to the automatic forsaking of countervailing viewpoints. In short, he is saying that sticking to these too closely will affect us negatively on a human level. Beyond politics you will find the pontiff criticizing ideological rigidity but when he turns it on politics it feels very relevant here in such a starkly divided America.

Circling back to the Aldo Moro bit for a moment, we might ask ourselves how our political viewpoints impact human dignity. If we believe some people shouldn’t vote, what does that say about how we view their humanity? Even further, if we believe others would vote like we do if they were simply smart enough to understand our viewpoint, are we not subtly telling ourselves we are better than?

It only gets sharper when the Holy Father says: “Ideologies are seductive... but they lead you to drown yourself.” Remind yourself these are the words of one of the most well-regarded religious figures in the world today. This warning highlights the earlier quotation pushing the idea that democracy needs to serve our humanity. If we participants in democracy degenerate our humanity through excessive participation in ideology, do we not then degenerate the democracy we live under?

Entering the back half of the speech, his holiness goes onto remind listeners of solidarity and subsidiarity. These are the two bedrock principles of Catholic Social teaching. In this context they refer to the importance of people acting with regard for each other’s plight (solidarity) and the maintenance of political systems that allow everyone to have a say in the policymaking closest and most relevant to their time and place in life (subsidiarity). A disappearing generation of hippie Catholics here stateside could rattle these off for you like second nature.

These principles are invoked to remind us that valuing every person is critical for democracy to persist. Healthy democracy, moreover, requires a practiced ability to transition “…from cheering to dialogue” as the Holy Father puts it. This is to say democracy falls apart when campaigning is eternal, and governing is the afterthought. One specific former American President comes to my mind at that, but I am trying to hold off my analysis at this point in the article. It is tough.

We are roused by campaigning, excited by the thrill of feeling seen and represented, but we are challenged by the task of governing. We are being called to allow ourselves to be challenged instead of fixating on the thrill of increasingly tribal political connections. Good governance is almost always a balancing of different views and possibilities for the maximum possible benefit of constituents.

You don’t have to read too deeply between the lines here to see how Pope Francis is saying that a exceptional love for ideologies in democracies leads to erosion of democracy and the undermining of the dignity of individuals and our humanity as a whole.

Something in that transcends politics into a cultural moment we Americans are in that feels quite sick. Too many of us are so culturally fortified that we begin to see democracy itself as a mere threat to our echo-chambers. Some of us view democracy itself as undermining the common good. This is a fringe trend that has seen some mainstream adoption in the last 8-9 years here in the US. Perhaps it subsides with this election cycle? Let’s get back to the Pope’s warning from Trieste.

The dialogue Pope Francis is advocating for here is in service of inclusion. Once again, democracy is healthy in so far that it is in the service of as many of its constituent people as possible. Those who feel left out are liable to be taken by hopelessness which feeds so many of the flaws that can arise in democracies like militarism, welfarism, hypocrisy, and indeed the tribalism that seems to have generated the crisis of democracy we’re talking about here.

This is where the connection to that 2013 speech in Lampedusa returns to my mind: “If nobody is to blame, everyone is to blame.” In that same speech, the newly elected Pope also spoke about the “globalization of indifference”. We can think of this as his way of talking about the current phase of the information age when we have so much news, facts, and opinion at our fingertips and yet seem more disconnected from each other than ever before. Mind you, he was saying that in 2013.

How have we become so disconnected? How do our disconnections, even within our own political contexts, within our own communities, affect our culture of democracy?

Who is being left out of democracy? Everyone registered above the age of 18 can vote, yes, but who is being left out of the fruits of our system? Those who we leave out intentionally are signs of a deep political illness within us. Those who we leave out unintentionally are the next frontier of inclusion and representation. This is, in some way, a good checkup we can always do on the health of our democracy.

The home stretch of Pope Francis’ Trieste speech turns the wounded heart into the healed heart. He gives hopeful examples of creative efforts to set aside indifference and include as many people as possible in the project of democracy. Examples he uses include recent Italian legislation giving those with disabilities more access to financial services as well as technological innovations designed to assist the protection of the natural environment.

The Holy Father says bluntly at this point: “The heart of politics is participation.” This fraternity requires courage to think of ourselves beyond ever narrower “clan groups” and as broader, more diverse and inclusive people groups. How he is using that word, people, is somewhat lost in translation. A people group is not the sum of individuals but the collective sharing in a dream, a vision for a distinct time and place and those who inhabit it. That is to say, the political entity of a nation-state may or may not be representing all the peoples within it or forging peace within and outside their borders.

The pontiff contrasts this against populism, the political calling card of this crisis of democracy we have found ourselves in. That populism, and the many darker things it can bring (as Europeans are better at calling to mind for obvious historical reasons) prefers easy solutions that ultimately work against ever greater inclusion in favor of increasingly self-referential policy goals: the slow, formal erosion of democracy. Moreover, populism requires an ever-narrower definition of the people group resulting in more exclusion. Us versus them thinking, the bane of existence for diverse democracies, is essential in how populism works in most places.

Underrated point within these closing sentences for me is when the Pope says “Democracy is not an empty box…” He says to speak up with a faith that is not private but is also not interested in defending privileges. The primarily Catholic audience for this speech understood the Pope was taking a swipe at Italian populism specifically here. Populism pits the majority group of a place in defense of perceived lost privileges. In Italy the majority is Catholic. The message is global though: we religious people must not be private about our faith while also being humble enough to not participate in the political process exclusively for the gain of our own distinct in-group.

Moreover, Francis states political love requires us to address causes more than effects, choosing responsibilities over polarizations. We are to make value judgments on responsibilities, not the party line decided by our chosen political tribe. When you’re politically active in defense of a set of societal privileges you like then you are liable to often find yourself on the wrong side of history in a diverse democracy.

A closing word on politicians themselves sneaks up on you at this point. Good politicians have civil passion according to Pope Francis, leading from among the people, perhaps back with the stragglers, to use a shepherding metaphor.

Lastly, the Holy Father speaks to efforts to “organize hope” as the basic command of Catholics, and really all people, who believe in democracy. In a comparable sentiment to the Martin Luther King Jr wisdom we are familiar with here in the US, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice”, Francis says time is superior to space. That is to say that the raw pursuit of positions of power can miss the crucial, more powerful work of doing what it takes over time to do what is right in the end.

Hope, we find at the end of the Pope’s speech in Trieste, is required to build the future. Without hope we are mere administrators of the present, disconnected from building any kind of worthy future for democracy or the dignity, freedom, and autonomy that a more perfect fraternity forms in healthy democracies. All of these high ideals for democracy are just more preaching from the Pope unless we possess the boldness to hope for them and then organize that hope into a movement.

The United States in peril – the World in peril

There is so much here to note and take to heart. I really don’t know where to start. Just contemplating when this speech was given will make your head spin. July 7th was the Sunday after transformative elections in Britian which ended fourteen years of the rule of the right-wing party there. That same day the second round of French parliamentary elections saw a stunning reversal of fortunes against the far-right National Rally party which gave birth to a hung parliament that will force French MPs to work together or face another election in the very near future.

For us in the context of the United States of America, July was a decade unto itself in our politics. Recounting it now feels like the first draft of a history lesson.

After President Joe Biden struggled through a debate with former President Donald Trump in June, there was a relative panic attack among the Democratic Party, horrified the aged Biden could not beat the insurrectionist returned to finish the job. The calls to step aside eventually dislodged the presumptive nominee for his younger Vice President. To inhabit that moment you have to contemplate the stakes involved.

The fear about how best to defeat the creeping authoritarian who is now advocating for concentration camps for migrants and pardons for insurrectionists was palpable throughout the month. Yes, this is where I begin editorializing. The upshot on the November Presidential election was not good before President Biden dropped out; at least for those of us who see some existential risk in re-electing a former President who felt the institution of democracy itself was an obstacle to him at least on one January day in 2021.

On July 9th one Volodimir Zelensky, President of embattled Ukraine, spoke at a summit of the leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). He said what everyone understands bluntly: the world’s eyes look to November. If my perspective about what a second Trump term in the White House would do to America seems verbose then consider the message when it comes out of the mouth of President Zelensky.

Donald Trump has stated he will not defend NATO from Russia if reelected. Where does that leave Ukraine actively trying to fight off Russian invasion? President Zelensky has signaled he would go down with his country if it came to it. With U.S. aid being the logistical make or break for his nation’s war effort Zelensky really is saying that our election will decide whether he lives or dies. Something about solidarity from the Pope’s speech in Trieste might be coming to mind again for you here.

On July 13th, a mere six days after Pope Francis’ speech in Trieste, a gunman with no apparent motive as of the writing of this blog, tried to assassinate former President Donald Trump outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Political violence undermines democracy in few acts more vivid than a political assassination. We may never know the shooter’s motive, he was killed at the scene, but he was only 20 years old and suffice to say he grew up in this current national climate of political hatred. What impact had this period had on him? I know we will never know but as someone who also grew up in it I struggle to think there was no impact.

We were centimeters away from entering what would have definitively been the darkest timeline. But our politics here in America are so sick now, no matter who you blame it on, that what would have otherwise been the central topic of American political life for months if not a year plus, an assassination attempt on a former President and current presidential candidate, was set aside within weeks. Call that the election year news cycle or, as I prefer, think of it as a deep illness of American political life.

Before the month was out the new presumptive Democratic Party nominee solidified intra-party support and began a more rigorous campaign schedule than her President. That presumptive nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, will be accepting her party nomination formally in Chicago later this month. With that, the final form of the 2024 Presidential election will take shape. With Pope Francis’ warning from Trieste in mind I wonder if we should ask ourselves some tough questions.

A warning for America?

Institutional distrust, that is distrust in the very organization of American democracy, is at such an apocalyptic fever pitch with even your average American that it threatens the project of this country itself. Authentic hope is out of the picture. Self-giving love is practically gone from the world of American politics.

That seems trivial unfortunately for we political junkies embroiled in this stuff on a daily basis, but draw your mind back to human dignity as Pope Francis did in Trieste: What does our terminal institutional distrust do to the system’s ability to do good for people, their dignity, autonomy and the common good?

In President Biden’s speech exiting the race for re-election he posited the idea that character in public life should still matter. That is to say: America must still pick her leaders based on an appreciation for their objective goodness and humanity. What a hopeful idea. We all seem to have the sins of our leaders on our fingertips as if a dagger ready to defend ourselves from their supporters. That isn’t organizing hope, is it? Quite the opposite I would say.

Are we too cynical as a people to define our politics by hope and character? If healthy democracy is to serve our common humanity then it would require great character and at least a general rejection of cynicism, no? Maybe I’m naïve. The alternative these days seems to be deciding that human frailty makes no person truly moral so nobody can be trusted with power. I know I am speaking in sweeping moral generalizations here but look at where we are as a country politically. Measured rhetoric doesn’t seem to catch on these days.

The initial reactions I saw to Biden highlighting character in public life was scoffing and patronizing doubt. To be clear, those were reactions I saw from people who generally supported the now lame duck President and his party. That was disheartening. In the same speech abdicating the 2024 campaign Biden reached to the epicenter of so much of contemporary American political cynicism...

“America is an idea – an idea is stronger than any army, bigger than any ocean, more powerful than any dictator… We’ve never fully lived up to this sacred idea [of the USA], but we’ve never walked away from it either. And I do not believe the American people will walk away from it now.”

Forgive me for being proud of one of my co-religionists, but President Biden ending his political career this way sings more eloquently to the Catholic political experience in America than anything I have ever seen or learned about previously. I wrote another article entitled JD Vance Catholicism on this same blog site and you should read if you want a synopsis of that history. In the meantime, consider Biden’s biography as he says this.

A man who fueled himself with the doubt of his detractors all the way to the White House, stepped aside when he realized it was necessary. A man who attends Mass more regularly than most everyday Catholics I know, chose humility in the face of what he and his political allies say is a moment of existential political danger for the country. I know in my heart that man prayed about this. He has suffered a great deal in his own life and was not about to allow more suffering fall upon his countrymen just because of the pride one feels possessing the most powerful job on earth.

President Biden knows the Holy Father’s warning from Trieste even if he did not hear it before his dropout speech. If our democracy is sick, we need to heal it now before the ailment gets worse. You can tell that even Biden knows there is a sickness to be healed in his speech, even speaking of dictatorship like it’s a possibility here in the USA.

There is also hope in Biden’s farewell; hope we as a people can sustain a healthy democracy that centers and elevates the best of our humanity, not the worst of it. I certainly don’t agree with everything Biden believes politically but the hope he speaks to in this moment is nothing short of essential. We need to be a nation of solidarity for all this country’s peoples and create policy with humanity in mind more than any individual or group of people’s privileges. Humanity comes before anyone’s privileges.

Now Biden’s Vice President Kamala Harris, whom he endorsed to take up this mantle of American democracy, is campaigning against an opposition candidate who has already shown his willingness to subvert the basics of that democracy to try to remain in power. Please, recall January 6th seriously for a moment, and contemplate what that view of America in a President would mean in the context of the Pope’s warning from Trieste.

Go vote on Tuesday, November 5th if you are registered and so able. Vote absentee or however best works for you. But take it seriously, not just because your political tribe has put absurdly high stakes on the outcome. Take it seriously because in the free world we are given this incredible civic sacrament to participate in making the world a better place.

Hold out hope that such a better world is possible. Fortify yourself in hope, not ideology. Democracy is healed when we “organize hope” in the words of Pope Francis; when we choose to work on causes more than effects, choose responsibilities over polarizations, and solidarity over ideology. Those are choices we must make long after election day no matter what the result is.

We are too big and diverse a country to give up on democracy. We are too big and diverse a country to treat hope like a fanciful ideal. Cynicism doesn’t save you. That’s what hope does. What I see in the Pope’s warning in Trieste is a blueprint to not just save democracy but heal it of the illness of cynicism which got us here in the first place. That is a warning to both sides of the aisle, and every free person preparing to vote. Heed the warning from Trieste.

#catholic #blog #america #catholicism #2024 elections #trump #kamala harris

1 note · View note

trendingallworldnews · 2 months

Text

Budget 2024: Date, Time, and How to Watch Live

photo the economic times

The budget session for FY2024-25 began today, July 22, 2024, in the Parliament. This session marks the first full Budget following the re-election of the Modi government for a third term. Taxpayers are eagerly anticipating significant tax reliefs from this initial Budget of the Modi 3.0 government. Here are the details on when the Budget will be presented and how you can watch it live.

Budget 2024 Presentation

Date and Time

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget 2024 in the Parliament on July 23, 2024. This will be her seventh consecutive Budget. The Budget 2024 speech is expected to commence at 11 am on Tuesday.

What to Expect from Budget 2024

Budget 2024 is anticipated to outline the roadmap for 'Vikshit Bharat' by 2047. According to a report titled 'Union Budget 2024-25: A Bundle of Expectations!' by Mehta Equities, expectations are high. Investors are optimistic about the continuation of economic reforms under the Narendra Modi 3.0 government, which have positioned India as the world’s fastest-growing major economy.

Key Expectations

Punit Shah, Partner at Dhruva Advisors, recommends that the government introduces amendments aimed at stimulating consumer spending. Key expectations include:

Raising the tax-free income threshold

Reducing tax rates for middle-income earners

Increasing standard deductions for salaried employees

How to Watch the Budget Speech Live

You can watch Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's Budget 2024 speech live on the following platforms:

The Economic Times website

Indian government’s official site for Union Budget:

Sansad TV

Additionally, follow the live blog on The Economic Times for real-time updates, news, reactions, and analysis of Budget 2024.

0 notes

petnews2day · 3 months

Text

Latest News, Live Updates Today July 1, 2024: Far-right party projected to get strong lead in first-round legislative elections in France

New Post has been published on https://petn.ws/JDVDU

Latest News, Live Updates Today July 1, 2024: Far-right party projected to get strong lead in first-round legislative elections in France

Get the latest news updates and breaking news stories from India and around the world right here. Latest news on July 1, 2024: Marine Le Pen, French far-right leader and far-right Rassemblement National (National Rally – RN) party candidate, deliver a speech after partial results in the first round of the early French parliamentary elections […]

See full article at https://petn.ws/JDVDU #OtherNews

#Other News

0 notes

newstfionline · 3 months

Text

Sunday, June 23, 2024

Well Beyond the U.S., Heat and Climate Extremes Are Hitting Billions (NYT) Poll workers. Pilgrims. Tourists on a hike. All have died in blistering heat in recent weeks around the world, a harrowing reminder of the global dangers of extreme weather as a heat wave bears down on nearly 100 million Americans this week. Dozens of cities in Mexico broke heat records in May and June, killing more than 100 people. India has been under an extraordinarily long heat wave that killed several election workers, and this week, in the capital, Delhi, even overnight temperatures remained in the mid-90s Fahrenheit, or in the mid-30s Celsius. Greece is bracing for wildfires this week, right after back-to-back heat waves killed several tourists. In Bamako, the capital of Mali, hospitals reported more than 100 excess deaths on the first four days of April, The Associated Press reported. Between May 2023 and May 2024, an estimated 6.3 billion people, or roughly 4 out of 5 people in the world, lived through at least a month of what in their areas were considered abnormally high temperatures, according to a recent analysis by Climate Central, a scientific nonprofit. The damage to human health, agriculture and the global economy is just beginning to be understood. Extreme heat killed an estimated 489,000 people annually between 2000 and 2019, according to the World Meteorological Organization, making heat the deadliest of all extreme weather events.

Biden and Trump are preparing for their first presidential debate (CNN) One is secluding himself at a mountainside retreat with a tight circle of advisers, poring over briefing binders, honing attack lines and bracing for personal smears. The other is workshopping responses and retorts with vice presidential hopefuls, sharpening policy lines while working to rein in his bombastic rhetoric. In some ways, aides to President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump describe similar goals heading into next Thursday’s presidential debate: painting their opponent as presiding over disorder and wholly unfit for office, since both are involved—Trump directly, Biden because of his son—in crimes and criminal offenses. Biden is expected to focus on policy and to try to hold Trump accountable on the debate stage. While Trump, who has struggled with policy in past debates, is reportedly focused on rhetoric.

Escape from killer New Mexico wildfire was ‘absolute sheer terror,’ says woman who fled the flames (AP) Belinda Bukovitz was jolted into action by the sound of police outside her home shouting through a loudspeaker: “Go now, go now, go now!” Realizing this was not like other wildfires that had threatened her mountain village before, she, her husband, son and two cats bundled into three separate cars and fled. The smoke was at the end of the street when they tore out of the driveway. Panic set in as the usually sleepy two-lane streets of Ruidoso became gridlocked, with cars inching along bumper to bumper, sometimes taking as long as an hour to go a single mile. As they crept forward, smoke from one fire was ahead and smoke from another behind. Bukovitz had no idea where the flames were. “It was absolute sheer terror, like I thought we were going to die,” she said, voice cracking. The South Fork and Salt fires that raged in south-central New Mexico this week prompted thousands of people like Bukovitz to flee for their lives and destroyed or damaged an estimated 1,400 structures.

El Salvador death toll rises to 19 as heavy rains continue (AP) The torrential rains hitting El Salvador caused the deaths of another six people on Friday when two girls and four adults were killed after being buried in their homes. Wall collapses and landslides on the outskirts of the capital brought a total of 19 dead. Two weather systems—one along Guatemala’s Pacific coast and the other in the Gulf of Mexico that developed Tropical Storm Alberto—have brought saturating rains to southern Mexico and Central America. The Civil Protection authorities of El Salvador issued a red alert and the country’s Congress declared a state of national emergency for 15 days because of the severity of the rains.

Top tourist destination Barcelona plans to shut all holiday apartments by 2028 (Reuters) Barcelona, a top Spanish holiday destination, announced on Friday that it will bar apartment rentals to tourists by 2028, an unexpectedly drastic move as it seeks to rein in soaring housing costs and make the city liveable for residents. The city’s leftist mayor, Jaume Collboni, said that by November 2028, Barcelona will scrap the licences of the 10,101 apartments currently approved as short-term rentals. The boom in short-term rentals in Barcelona, Spain’s most visited city by foreign tourists, means some residents cannot afford an apartment after rents rose 68% in the past 10 years and the cost of buying a house rose by 38%, Collboni said. National governments relish the economic benefits of tourism—Spain ranks among the top-three most visited countries in the world—but with local residents priced out in some places, gentrification and owner preference for lucrative tourist rentals are increasingly a hot topic across Europe.

Russian strikes continue to target Ukrainian energy facilities (AP) Russia launched a new barrage of missiles and drones in an overnight attack on Ukraine, officials in Kyiv said Saturday morning, damaging energy facilities in the country’s southeast and west and injuring at least two energy workers. In its eighth major attack on Ukrainian power plants since Moscow intensified energy infrastructure attacks three months ago, Russia fired 16 missiles and 13 Shahed drones at energy facilities and critical infrastructure, the Ukrainian air force said. State-owned power grid operator Ukrenergo said the strikes damaged equipment at facilities in Ukraine’s southeastern Zaporizhzhia region and western Lviv region. With no major changes reported along the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line, where a recent push by the Kremlin’s forces in eastern and northeastern Ukraine has made only incremental gains, both sides have taken aim at infrastructure targets, seeking to curb each other’s ability to fight in a war that is now in its third year.

A vocational school student stuns China by besting university competitors in a math contest (AP) A 17-year-old vocational school student from rural China became a celebrity on social media after reaching the final round of a math competition, beating many others from top universities and raising questions about the education system. Jiang Ping, who is studying fashion design, finished 12th in the Alibaba Global Math Competition, one of 802 who made it to the final round—an eight-hour test that takes place Saturday. While it was unclear how Jiang ended up in vocational school, her story still reminded some in China of the inequality between rural and urban areas and how that can make it harder for even talented students to climb the economic ladder. “While Jiang Ping is openly celebrated, many Chinese feel deep down inside that her story highlights the hopelessness of Chinese education,” said Jiang Xueqin, a China-based education researcher. “The odds are fundamentally stacked against ordinary Chinese, without power, wealth, or ‘guanxi,’” the Chinese term for connections.

US aircraft carrier arrives in South Korea for military drills (Reuters) A nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier, the Theodore Roosevelt, arrived in South Korea’s port city of Busan on Saturday for joint military exercises this month with the host nation and Japan, South Korea’s navy said. The leaders of the three nations agreed at a Camp David summit in August 2023 to hold annual military training drills as they condemned China’s “dangerous and aggressive behaviour” in the disputed waterway of the South China Sea. Russian President Vladimir Putin visited North Korea this week for the first time in 24 years and signed a deal with leader Kim Jong Un that included a mutual defence pledge. It was one of Russia’s most significant moves in Asia for years, which Kim described as amounting to an alliance.

Gaza’s Health Ministry says 25 killed, 50 wounded in Israeli strikes on tent camps (AP) At least 25 people were killed and another 50 wounded in attacks on tents for displaced Palestinians sheltering in southern Gaza, according to the territory’s Heath Ministry and emergency workers. Witnesses whose relatives died in one of the bombardments near a Red Cross field hospital told The Associated Press that Israeli forces fired a second volley that killed people who came out of their tents. The locations of the attacks provided by the Civil Defense appear to be just outside an Israeli-designated safe zone on Gaza’s Mediterranean coast. The Israeli military said the episode was under review but that “there is no indication that a strike was carried out by the IDF” inside the safe zone. The United Nations says no place in Gaza is safe and humanitarian conditions are dire as families shelter in tents and cramped apartments.

Yemen’s Houthis undeterred by U.S. campaign to halt Red Sea attacks (Washington Post) Despite months of U.S.-led airstrikes against Yemen’s Houthi fighters, the once ragtag rebels have continued to threaten some of the world’s most vital shipping routes, drawing from an arsenal of increasingly advanced weapons to attack vessels in and around the Red Sea. Just this month, Houthi militants sunk one ship and set another ablaze. The fighters, operating on land and in the water, have launched swarms of drones at U.S. warships and deployed a remote-controlled boat packed with explosives, tactics and weapons that experts say are associated with the group’s patron, Iran. “Their ability to replace whatever we destroy is unimpeded and our ability to interdict materiel coming into the country negligible,” said Gerald Feierstein, a former U.S. ambassador to Yemen who is now a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington.

In the spirit of perseverance, artists flock to Congo’s biggest dance festival (AP) For Virginie Magumba, a 22-year-old professional dancer from Goma, in eastern Congo, dancing is more than just a career. “Dancing helps me liberate myself, manage my emotions, and not feel all alone,” she said. “All that I have become I owe to dancing.” Magumba won the prize for Best Congolese Dancer at this year’s Goma dance festival, the largest dancing event in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The annual festival, which sees dancers from all over the world flocking to Goma, has been held in the city for the past seven years despite ongoing attacks by rebel groups in Eastern Congo. The region has long been overrun by more than 120 armed groups seeking a share of the its gold and other resources as they carry out mass killings. “This festival built me as a dancer,” said Magumba. “It showed me I could follow my dreams.”

#headlines #news

0 notes