Joe Biden elected U.S. President, say media reports

Agencies
November 7, 2020

Washington, Nov 7: Democrat Joe Biden has won the White House, US media said on Saturday, defeating Donald Trump and ending a presidency that convulsed American politics, shocked the world and left the United States more divided than at any time in decades.

CNN, NBC News and CBS News called the race in Mr Biden's favor just before 11:30 a.m. (1630 GMT) as an insurmountable lead in Pennsylvania took the 77-year-old over the top in the state-by-state count that decides the presidency.

Mr Trump had no immediate reaction to the announcement, but as Mr Biden's lead grew during vote counts since Tuesday's election, the Republican president lashed out with unsubstantiated claims of fraud and claimed, falsely, that he had won.

Earlier Saturday, as he headed to his golf course in Virginia, he repeated this, tweeting: “I WON THIS ELECTION, BY A LOT!”

However, the result now condemns 74-year-old Mr Trump to becoming the first one-term president since George H. W. Bush at the start of the 1990s.

Mr Biden, who got the votes of a record more than 74 million people, was hunkered down with his running mate Kamala Harris, in his home town of Wilmington, Delaware.

Late Friday he delivered an address urging Americans to “come together as a nation and heal.”

The Secret Service has already begun intensifying its protective bubble around the president-elect, who will be inaugurated on January 20.

A centrist who promises to bring calm to Washington after four turbulent years under Trump, Mr Biden is the oldest man to win the presidency -- a position he twice sought unsuccessfully during his long political career, before being elected vice president to Barack Obama in 2008.

Ms Harris, a senator and former California attorney general, will make history as the first Black woman to enter the White House in either of the two top jobs. At 56, she is seen as a leading contender to succeed Mr Biden and try to become the first female US president.

Polarized nation, Covid crisis
 
Overall turnout on Tuesday broke records with some 160 million people pouring out across the United States after a deeply polarizing campaign complicated by the resurgent Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr Biden secured his win by recapturing the Midwestern states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin -- traditional Democratic territory that Mr Trump had flipped in 2016 with his powerful appeal to white, working class voters.

With Pennsylvania in the bag, Mr Biden has now accumulated 273 out of 538 Electoral College votes, clearing the bar of 270, thereby making it impossible for Mr Trump to get a second term even if he were to win the remaining undeclared states.

Mr Biden was also ahead in Arizona, Nevada and in a near dead heat in Georgia -- a southern state that has not voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since Bill Clinton in 1992 and is now headed for a recount.

Results from congressional races indicate that Mr Biden will face a divided legislature, with his Democrats holding a majority in the House and Republicans clinging to control of the Senate -- although that could still shift.

The division in Washington will likely complicate immediately Mr Biden's ability to govern, starting with disputes in Congress over a delayed economic stimulus package for Americans hammered by the fallout from the coronavirus crisis.

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coastaldigest.com news network
November 5,2024

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Several videos have been circulating across social media platforms, claiming that football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is shown reading the Quran in a mosque. Several posts have gone further to claim that Ronaldo and his wife have converted to Islam. The videos have attracted millions of views and sparked widespread speculation. 

Is Ronaldo Reciting the Quran?

One such video shows a man reading from the Quran, with captions like "Cristiano Ronaldo Reciting Quran." Several posts, especially on TikTok and Facebook, claim that Ronaldo has not only read the Quran but has also embraced Islam along with his wife, Georgina Rodríguez. One of these TikTok posts amassed 1.7 million likes and over 58,000 shares, adding to the viral momentum of this claim.

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Ronaldo Lookalike from Iraq

Contrary to these claims, the man in the video is not Cristiano Ronaldo. The individual is Bewar Abdullah, a well-known Ronaldo lookalike originally from Iraq, who now resides in Birmingham, U.K. Abdullah has gained fame for his striking resemblance to Ronaldo and regularly posts content online imitating the footballer.

The Reality

The viral video was initially posted by Bewar Abdullah on his TikTok account (@bewarabdullah) on July 20, 2021, with the caption "Eat Mubarek🕌 (sic)." Abdullah has a large following of 1.7 million people.

Abdullah is frequently mistaken for Ronaldo due to his resemblance, and his name appears at the end of the viral video, confirming his identity.

Abdullah’s online popularity stems from his likeness to Ronaldo, and he regularly receives invitations to events and appearances due to this.

Apart from the video, there are also widespread claims that Ronaldo and his wife have converted to Islam. However, there is no credible evidence to support this. These rumors appear to have emerged from the same viral content surrounding Ronaldo’s lookalike, without any basis in fact.

Why the Confusion?

The confusion arises from Abdullah’s close resemblance to Ronaldo and the viral nature of social media posts that often mislead viewers. The presence of Ronaldo-related hashtags and captions like "#Ronaldo #CristianoRonaldo #CR7 #SaudiArabia" further fueled the speculation, making it seem more believable to the football star's global fanbase.

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News Network
November 3,2024

Mangaluru: Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar emphasized the urgent need for local job creation and a dedicated tourism policy to address communal tensions and rejuvenate the Dakshina Kannada region. 

He spoke during "Ashoka Jan-Mana," a clothing distribution event organized by Rai Estates Educational and Charitable Trust, under the leadership of MLA Ashok Rai, at Kombettu’s taluk stadium in Puttur on Saturday.

“There are challenges to communal harmony across the coastal and interior regions of Dakshina Kannada. To counter these issues, we must provide opportunities for our youth," Shivakumar stated. "The government is considering a specialized tourism policy for the coastal areas to attract more visitors and retain local talent."

Shivakumar expressed concern about a rising trend among local youth to migrate to Saudi Arabia, Mumbai, and Bengaluru due to limited job opportunities in the area. "Communal disturbances have also discouraged students from other districts from enrolling in our institutions, and several banks that originated here have closed down," he said.

Highlighting the region's potential, Shivakumar remarked, “Dakshina Kannada is home to many temples and boasts a rich coastline. Yet, despite Mangaluru having a major port, we still lack five-star hotels. Developing tourism here will be essential for creating jobs and fostering harmony.”

He also hinted at development projects proposed by Ashok Rai for Puttur, which are currently under wraps due to by-election restrictions. Assuring commitment, Shivakumar said, “Although we secured only two seats in Dakshina Kannada, we are committed to developing all constituencies in the region.”

The Deputy Chief Minister concluded with a powerful message on leadership, likening Ashok Rai to a modern embodiment of ancient virtues. “For success, one should have Dharmaraya's righteousness, Karna's generosity, Arjuna's focus, Vidura's ethics, Bhima's strength, and Krishna's strategy. Ashok Rai has all these qualities," he said, praising Rai’s dedication to the people of Dakshina Kannada.

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News Network
November 11,2024

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Udupi, Nov 11: The Karkala town police in Udupi have arrested Krishna Naik, the sculptor responsible for installing a 33-foot Parashurama statue at Umikkal Hill in Bailur, Karkala taluk. 

Naik, the owner of Krish Art World and a resident of Bengaluru's Visvesvaraya Layout, was apprehended in Mahe, part of the Union Territory of Puducherry, for allegedly substituting a look-alike statue in place of a genuine bronze figure at the Parashurama Theme Park in Karkala.

Udupi Superintendent of Police Dr. Arun K confirmed the arrest, stating that Naik faces charges under Sections 420 (cheating) and 409 (criminal breach of trust) of the Indian Penal Code. 

This legal action followed a complaint lodged in June by Krishna Shetty, a resident of Nallur village, Karkala. Shetty claimed that Naik had received a payment of ₹1,25,50,000 from Udupi Nirmithi Kendra for the installation of a bronze Parashurama statue. However, Naik allegedly deceived the government by installing a replica instead.

The statue was unveiled on January 27, 2023, by then Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. Current Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has since ordered a CID investigation to probe deeper into the alleged fraud surrounding the statue's installation at the theme park.

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