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News18
39 minutes ago
- News18
Opposition MPs write to Birla, seek special discussion on Bihar SIR
New Delhi, Aug 1 (PTI) Leaders of several Opposition parties, including Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, on Friday wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, urging him to schedule a special discussion on the ongoing voter list revision in Bihar without any further delay. In their letter to Birla, the Opposition MPs expressed deep concern over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar, especially a few months before the state assembly elections. The signatories to the letter included Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Gandhi, Congress' Deputy Leader in the House Gaurav Gogoi, DMK's TR Baalu, NCP (SP)'s Supriya Sule, RSP's N K Premachandran, SP's Lalji Verma, TMC's Kakoli Ghose Dastidar, Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Arvind Savant and RJD's Abhay Kumar. 'We, the undersigned Members of Parliament representing various Opposition parties, wish to express our deep concern over the ongoing voter list revision in Bihar, especially a few months before the state assembly elections," the opposition MPs said in their letter. 'This is unprecedented. The Election Commission of India has indicated that similar exercises will soon be undertaken across the country. Given the widespread apprehension about the transparency, timing, and intent of this process, the matter requires the urgent attention of the House," they said. The Opposition has consistently raised this issue since the start of the current session, the MPs said. 'It was reiterated in several interactions with the Government, including the All-Party Meeting held on Sunday, July 20. While the Government has stated its willingness to discuss all issues, including this one, no date has yet been fixed for such a discussion," the letter said. The revision of electoral rolls has direct implications on the right to vote and the conduct of free and fair elections, the opposition MPs said . 'A special discussion in the Lok Sabha will allow Members to seek clarity and ensure transparency and accountability. We, therefore, urge you to schedule a special discussion on the ongoing voter roll revision without any further delay," they said in their letter to Birla. The opposition has been protesting in both Houses of Parliament against the SIR, alleging the EC's exercise was aimed at 'disenfranchising voters" in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections. They have been demanding a discussion on the issue in both Houses. PTI ASK SKC DV DV view comments First Published: August 01, 2025, 12:00 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Kamala Harris' first interview after 2024 loss: Former VP recounts painful experience of certifying Trump's January 6 win
Former Vice President Kamala Harris made her first public appearance since her defeat to Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, joining Stephen Colbert on The Late Show Thursday night. The interview came just a day after Harris announced she would not run for California governor in 2026 and as she begins promoting her upcoming memoir, 107 Days, which reflects on her short-lived presidential campaign and turbulent final weeks in office. During the conversation, Colbert thanked Harris for fulfilling her constitutional duty by certifying the 2024 election results on January 6, 2025 — despite the tense political climate and threats of unrest. 'One of the things I thought of after the election and before January 20th is that you were still the vice president,' Colbert said. 'And you had to be there on January 6th and count out those electoral ballots and certify. First of all, thank you for doing your constitutional duty.' Harris replied, 'Without any question. I was fully aware of what that moment required — not just of me, but of our country. I talk about it in the book. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo That was… it was a difficult day, to be sure.' She recalled the emotional weight of returning to the Capitol, where she had once served as a senator and vice president-elect. 'I had been at the Capitol four years before because I was then vice president-elect and a United States senator,' she said. 'So what I talk about in the book is that drive to the Capitol and remembering four years before, and what Mike Pence did, and what our Constitution requires — and the importance of fulfilling those responsibilities.' 'It was a difficult day because it conjured a lot in terms of what that exact day was, what that day has meant in the history of our country — the recent history of our country,' she added. Colbert then asked if she had ever spoken to former Vice President Mike Pence about his actions on January 6, 2021. 'I did not,' Harris responded. 'But I've been very happy to compliment him as often as I can for having the courage to do what he did.' EXTENDED INTERVIEW: VP Kamala Harris's "107 Days" Is A Peek Behind The Scenes Of The 2024 Election Harris further told Stephen Colbert that what surprised her most during Donald Trump's return to office was the level of surrender within the U.S. political system. 'I didn't predict that; I did not see that coming,' Harris said on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, referring to what she described as widespread 'capitulation' to Trump's agenda, especially among congressional Republicans. Colbert had asked if Harris felt like saying, 'I told you so,' considering her past warnings about Trump's leadership—such as alienating allies and slashing taxes for the wealthy. 'I believed that on some level, there should be many who consider themselves to be guardians of our system and our democracy, who just capitulated,' she replied. Without naming names, Harris appeared to target Republicans in Congress for failing to check Trump's power grabs. 'I think there are a lot of people who think they are riding out the storm as an excuse to be feckless,' she said. She criticized Congress, especially House Republicans, for failing to act against moves like Trump's attempt to dismantle the Department of Education. 'Congress has the role and responsibility to stand in the way of that, and they're just sitting on their hands,' she said, slamming their decision to go on recess amid Democratic calls for transparency on Jeffrey Epstein-related records. Harris, who received a standing ovation from the audience, also discussed her new book, 107 Days, which reflects on her brief 2024 presidential campaign. Her new book, 107 Days, set for release on September 23 by Simon & Schuster, offers a behind-the-scenes account of her brief campaign after Biden withdrew from the race last year. Harris says the book is a candid reflection on the campaign trail and the lessons she learned during that turbulent period. She said her recent decision not to run for California governor or any office for now was a conscious step away from a system she sees as deeply flawed. 'I just, for now, I don't want to go back into the system,' Harris said. 'I think it's broken.' While praising frontline public servants, she expressed disillusionment with institutional politics: 'I always believed that as fragile as our democracy is, our systems would be strong enough to defend our most fundamental principles. And I think right now that they're not as strong as they need to be.' Pressed on whether she started preparing for a run after President Biden's poor debate performance in June 2024, Harris said, 'I have an incredible amount of respect for him… He believed in the rule of law… and that's where I will leave that.' When asked who currently leads the Democratic Party, Harris stumbled. 'There's a lot of leaders,' she said, without naming one.
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Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
'Was fighting lunatics like you': Trump hits back at reporter on tariffs
At a White House press briefing on Thursday, US President Donald Trump lashed out at a reporter who questioned the timing of his decision to use a decades-old law to impose wide-ranging tariffs. When pressed on why he waited until his second term to invoke the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), Trump called the journalist a 'lunatic'. The confrontation began after the reporter referred to an ongoing appellate court hearing that is reviewing Trump's authority to use the IEEPA to impose tariffs. 'As you know, a federal appellate court today heard oral arguments about whether or not you had the authority to unilaterally impose those tariffs,' the reporter said. He then continued, 'Why didn't you invoke this law in your first term? You could've collected billions upon billions of dollars back then.' Trump responded, 'In my first term, I was busy fighting lunatics like you who were trying to do things incorrectly and inappropriately to a duly elected president.' He defended his tariff actions in office, saying, 'We took in hundreds of billions from China.' Trump stressed that the US had already collected 'hundreds of billions of dollars in tariffs' during his first term. Before moving on, he added, 'You people didn't cover it very well.' During his presidency, Trump imposed tariffs on Chinese goods starting in 2018, initially on $50 billion worth of imports, which expanded further in 2019. US court scrutinises Trump's tariff authority Judges from a US appeals court on Thursday raised serious doubts about whether President Trump was legally allowed to use emergency powers to justify his tariff policies. The scrutiny came during a hearing where lawyers representing states and businesses argued that Trump had gone beyond his legal authority, news agency Reuters reported. The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, based in Washington, DC, is reviewing the legality of tariffs introduced by Trump in April under a 'reciprocal' trade framework. These duties were applied to a wide group of America's trading partners. The court is also evaluating separate tariffs imposed earlier in February targeting China, Canada, and Mexico. The judges heard arguments in two related lawsuits — one filed by five small US companies and another by a group of 12 US states governed by Democrats. Both suits challenge the President's use of IEEPA to justify imposing tariffs. Judges quiz legal basis for tariffs During the hearing, government attorney Brett Shumate was repeatedly asked to clarify how the 1977 IEEPA — which was mainly designed to let presidents freeze assets or impose sanctions on foreign enemies — could be used to set trade tariffs. Shumate defended the move, saying the law grants the president 'extraordinary' powers during a national emergency, including the ability to block imports entirely. According to him, that same power extends to setting tariffs, since the law allows the president to 'regulate' imports in times of crisis. However, Judge Jimmie Reyna expressed skepticism, pointing out that the law never directly refers to tariffs. 'IEEPA doesn't even say tariffs, doesn't even mention them,' Reyna said. Tariffs on countries set to take effect On Thursday (local time), Trump signed a new executive order imposing tariffs on 68 countries and the European Union. A 50 per cent duty will apply to Brazilian imports, citing Brazil's economic policies and actions against former President Jair Bolsonaro. For India, the rate has been fixed at 25 per cent. The tariffs, effective August 7, are part of Trump's larger trade strategy ahead of upcoming negotiations. Countries not named in the order will face a 10 per cent baseline tariff.
