Washington, Nov 5: Democrat Joe Biden edged closer to victory in the U.S. presidential race on Thursday as election officials tallied votes in the handful of states that will determine the outcome and protesters took to the streets.
President Donald Trump alleged fraud without providing evidence, filed lawsuits and called for recounts in a race yet to be decided two days after polls closed. He tweeted this evening, “STOP THE COUNT!”.
The race was coming down to close contests in five states. Biden held narrow leads in Nevada and Arizona while Trump was watching his slim advantage fade in must-win states Pennsylvania and Georgia as mail-in and absentee votes were being counted. The Republican president clung to a narrow lead in North Carolina as well, another must-win for him.
Trump had to win the states where he was still ahead plus either Arizona or Nevada to triumph and avoid becoming the first incumbent U.S. president to lose a re-election bid since fellow Republican George H.W. Bush in 1992.
Edison Research gave Biden a 243 to 213 lead in Electoral College votes, which are largely based on a state’s population. Other networks said Biden had won Wisconsin, which would give him another 10 votes. To win, a candidate needs 270 votes.
The counting and court challenges set the stage for days if not weeks of uncertainty before the Electoral College meets on Dec. 14 and the next president is sworn in on Jan. 20.

RAZOR-THIN MARGINS

With tensions rising, about 200 of Trump’s supporters, some armed with rifles and handguns, gathered outside an election office in Phoenix, Arizona, on Wednesday following unsubstantiated rumors that votes were not being counted.

In Detroit, officials blocked about 30 people, mostly Republicans, from entering a vote-counting facility amid unfounded claims that the vote count in Michigan was fraudulent.

Anti-Trump protesters in other cities demanded that vote counting continue. Police arrested 11 people and seized weapons in Portland, Oregon after reports of rioting, while arrests were also made in New York, Denver and Minneapolis. Over 100 events are planned across the country between Wednesday and Saturday.

By early Thursday, Biden had 3.6 million more votes than Trump nationwide, but margins were razor-thin in several states. In Wisconsin, Biden led Trump by roughly 21,000 votes out of 3.3 million cast. In Georgia, Trump led by 19,000 votes out of nearly 5 million cast.

Biden, 77, predicted victory on Wednesday and launched a website to begin the transition to a Democratic-controlled White House.

Trump, 74, has long sought to undermine the credibility of the voting process if he lost. Since Tuesday’s Election Day, he has falsely declared victory, accused Democrats of trying to steal the election without evidence and vowed to fight states in court.

US election experts say fraud is rare

Trump’s campaign called for a Wisconsin recount – which he would be entitled to given the slim margin there – as well filing lawsuits in Michigan and Pennsylvania to stop vote counting. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, in charge of elections, called the Trump team’s lawsuit “frivolous.”
Trump’s campaign filed a lawsuit in Georgia to require that Chatham County, which includes the city of Savannah, separate and secure late-arriving ballots to ensure they are not counted.
It also asked the US Supreme Court to allow Trump to join a pending lawsuit filed by Pennsylvania Republicans over whether the battleground state should be permitted to accept late-arriving ballots.
The maneuvers amounted to a broad effort to contest the results before counting has concluded.
“They are finding Biden votes all over the place – in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan. So bad for our Country!” Trump posted on Twitter.
Biden said every vote must be counted. “No one’s going to take our democracy away from us, not now, not ever,” he said on Wednesday.

POTENTIAL GRIDLOCK
If victorious, Biden will face a tough battle to govern, with Republicans appearing poised to keep control of the US Senate, which they could use to block large parts of his legislative agenda, including expanding healthcare and fighting climate change.

US stock index futures jumped on Thursday as investors bet that potential gridlock in Washington could reduce the chance of major policy changes, although concerns remained about the risk of a contested election.
The contentious election aftermath capped a vitriolic campaign that unfolded amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 233,000 people in the United States and left millions more jobless. The country has also grappled with months of unrest involving protests over racism and police brutality.

The United States set a one-day record for new coronavirus cases on Wednesday with at least 102,591 new infections, according to a Reuters tally.
Supporters of both candidates expressed anger, frustration and fear with little clarity on when the election would be resolved.
Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016 after winning crucial battleground states even though she drew about 3 million more votes nationwide.
Republican candidates have won the popular vote only once since the 1980s, though they have won three out of seven presidential elections during that period due to the Electoral College system. (Agencies)

New Delhi, Nov 5: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday kick-started a major drive to attract global investment for making India a five trillion Dollar economy and said the government would do everything to make India the engine of global growth resurgence.
Addressing the Virtual Global Investor Roundtable (VGIR) 2020 the Prime Minister said India’s quest to become ‘Aatmanirbhar’ is not just a vision but a well-planned economic strategy, a strategy that aims at using capabilities of businesses and skills of workers to make India into a global manufacturing powerhouse.
He said a strong and vibrant India could contribute to stabilization of the world economic order and the government would do whatever it takes to make India the engine of global growth resurgence.
‘’If you want returns with reliability, India is the place to be. If you want demand with democracy, India is the place to be. If you want stability with sustainability, India is the place to be. If you want growth with a green approach, India is the place to be,’’ the Prime Minister told the investors.
He said India had shown remarkable resilience in COVID-19, whether it was fighting the pandemic or ensuring economic stability. This resilience was driven by the strength of the systems, people’s support and stability of government policies. ‘’It successfully brought out traits that Indians are known for: A sense of responsibility. A spirit of compassion. national unity, spark of innovation,’’ he added.
Throughout the year, he said, while India fought the pandemic, the world saw India’s national character and true strengths.
He said the recent reforms by India in agriculture open up new exciting possibilities to partner with the farmers of India. With the help of technology and modern processing solutions, India will soon emerge as an agriculture export hub, he added.

‘’India offers you Democracy, Demography, Demand as well as Diversity. Such is our diversity that you get multiple markets within one market. These come with multiple pocket sizes and multiple preferences. These come with multiple weathers and multiple levels of development,’’ he said.
He said today investors were moving towards companies having a high Environmental, Social and Governance score. ‘’India already has systems and companies which rank high on this. India believes in following the path of growth with equal focus on ESG,’’ he said.
He said India had a strategy that aims at using strength in technology to become the Global centre for innovations, a strategy to contribute to global development using the country’s immense human resources and their talents.

New Delhi, Nov 5: Amid heightened border tension with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that India was determined to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of unilateralism and aggression, no matter what the sacrifice.
The Defence Minister said India is a peace-loving country but has been facing challenges on its borders.
Speaking on the Diamond jubilee seminar of the National Defence College (NDC), he said, “We believe that differences should not become disputes. We attach importance to the peaceful resolution of differences through dialogue. We respect various agreements and protocols that India has entered into for peace and tranquility on our borders.”
‘‘However, India is determined to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of unilateralism and aggression, no matter what the sacrifice,” the minister added.
Singh said that in the past six years, India has focused on forging partnerships with like minded nations that shows its commitment to be a part of the Indo-Pacific initiative.
“Our strategic partnership with the US is stronger than ever before. Similarly, India’s friendship has grown tremendously with Japan over the last few years as well. The India-Australia virtual summit in June 2020 has provided a fillip to our already strong comprehensive strategic partnership. We share common concerns with Australia and shared values,” the minister said.
Speaking about India’s relation with Russia, he said, “Our two countries have weathered many a challenge in the past through our close understanding and appreciation of each other’s concerns and interests. We continue to build upon our relationship with Russia and especially in the military sphere.’’
It is pertinent to mention here that the minister has visited Moscow twice since India-China border standoff erupted in early May this year.
On Pakistan, he said, “Pakistan continues to remain adamant in the use of terrorism as state policy. However, we have achieved substantial success in working with progressive and like-minded countries to not only expose Pakistan’s regressive policies but also make it increasingly difficult to continue with its previous business as usual approach.”
The minister said that peace can only be ensured through the ability to deter war and for this, a long term policy of indigenisation is key. “This will not only be achieved through encouragement of public and private sector industries in India as has been outlined in the recent procurement policies, but also by forging partnerships with major OEMs who are keen to invest and build in India,” he said.

Aqib Ahmad
Srinagar, Nov 5: The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has banned constructions within 200 metres of the boundaries of the Wular Lake, one of the largest freshwater lakes of Asia.Hearing a Public Interest Litigation, a division bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Sanjay Dhar also directed authorities to ensure that no garbage was “at all” dumped within the boundaries or within such distance of the Lake as is mandated by the law as well as the International and National Protocols for such area. Rejecting the “excuse” by the government that garbage was dumped within the boundaries of the Wular Lake “for want of land for the dumping of the garbage.”“We make it clear that this is no excuse at all for dumping the garbage within the identified boundaries of the Wular Lake. The respondents (authorities) are bound to and shall ensure that no garbage at all is dumped within the boundaries or within such distance of the Lake as is mandated by the law as well as the International and National Protocols of the area,” the court said as per GNS, adding, “Every step in this regard shall be undertaken to ensure that there is no pollution of the Lake.”Besides being amongst fresh water lakes, the water body’s associated wetlands support rich biodiversity and provides habitat to migratory birds within Central Asia flyover. It is also largest fisheries resource in Kashmir Valley, supporting livelihoods of large human population living along its fringes.The court had made a visit to the area on 10 October this and had observed that garbage was previously being dumped within the boundaries of the Wular Lake.“During our Court visit, attention was also drawn to encroachments which have come up within the boundaries and on the banks of the Wular Lake, in any case within 200 metres of the Wular Lake,” the division bench said, adding, “The respondents (authorities) shall immediately take necessary steps for removal of the encroachments within the boundary and vicinity of Wular Lake and in the no construction activity shall be permitted or come up within 200 metres of the boundaries of the Wular Lake.”Meanwhile Faizan-ul-Haq Iqbal, Secretary District Legal Services Authority Baramulla informed that a Committee of the officials of the Revenue Department, Flood Control and Irrigation Department and the Forest Department have identified the land in Baramulla as well as Sopore for creation of a Solid Waste landfill.“We direct that no obstruction shall be caused by any person to the setting up of this site. The Police Department shall ensure provision of adequate security to enable setting up of the garbage dumping sites,” the court said.It also directed the authorities to undertake the awareness drive in the area to educate people in devising the generation of work, solid and liquid waste, as also preventing garbage dumping and littering of the area.The court also directed Wular Lake authority to identify the issues, the steps underway as well as proposed and “discuss and seek guidance” of a Committee of Experts (CoE), constituted by the court for preservation and protection of the Dal Lake. (GNS)

Mumbai, Nov 5: The Bombay High Court on Thursday refused to grant bail to Republic TV’s editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami who was arrested on Wednesday in connection with abetment to suicide case of 2018.
While denying bail, a division bench of the court said, “No interim relief will be given to Republic TV promoter Arnab Goswami in connection with his arrest on Wednesday over the suicide of an architect and his mother in 2018.”
Saying it wanted to hear the matter “in detail”, the court further said it was not inclined to grant any relief unless notices were issued to the respondents, including Akshata Naik (architect Anvay Naik’s wife), and they were given a chance to respond.
Senior lawyer Harish Salve, appearing for Goswami, argued that there were several cases pending against the journalist by virtue of his profession and asked “please release this man as an ad-interim measure and hear the case in detail later. Will heavens fall in Maharashtra if he is released on interim bail?”
The court has listed the matter for Friday afternoon.
Goswami had moved the court to quash the case against him.

New Delhi, Nov 5: An Indian government-backed COVID-19 vaccine could be launched as early as February – months earlier than expected – as last-stage trials begin this month and studies have so far showed it is safe and effective, a senior government scientist told Reuters.
Bharat Biotech, a private company that is developing COVAXIN with the government-run Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), had earlier hoped to launch it only in the second quarter of next year.
“The vaccine has shown good efficacy,” senior ICMR scientist Rajni Kant, who is also a member of its COVID-19 task-force, said at the research body’s New Delhi headquarters on Thursday.
“It is expected that by the beginning of next year, February or March, something would be available.” Bharat Biotech could not immediately be contacted.
A launch in February would make COVAXIN the first India-made vaccine to be rolled out.
India’s cases of coronavirus infections rose by 50,201 cases on Thursday to 8.36 million, second only to the United States.
Deaths rose by 704, with the total now at 124,315. The daily rise in infections and deaths has slowed since a peak in mid-September.
Kant, who is the head of ICMR’s research management, policy, planning and coordination cell, said it was up to the health ministry to decide if COVAXIN shots can be given to people even before the third-stage trials are over.
“It has shown safety and efficacy in the phase 1 and 2 trials and in the animal studies – so it is safe but you can’t be 100% sure unless the phase 3 trials are over,” Kant said.
“There may be some risk, if you are ready to take the risk, you can take the vaccine. If necessary, the government can think of giving the vaccine in an emergency situation.” Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said in September the government was considering granting an emergency authorisation for a COVID-19 vaccine, particularly for the elderly and people in high-risk workplaces.
Several leading vaccine candidates are already in final-stage testing. An experimental vaccine developed by Britain’s AstraZeneca is among the most advanced ones, and Britain expects to roll it out in late December or early 2021.
AstraZeneca has signed several supply and manufacturing deals with companies and governments around the world, including with the Serum Institute of India.
Other late-stage vaccines are developed by Moderna Inc , Pfizer Inc with partner BioNTech SE, and Johnson & Johnson.

Govt will ensure that butchers sell mutton at Rs 480 per kg: Div Com
Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Nov 5: After the administration fixed the retail price of mutton at Rs 480 per kilogram, the traders associated with mutton business Thursday said mutton rates fixed by the government are not ‘genuine’ and asked the government to revise the rates.
All Kashmir Wholesale Mutton Dealers Association, All Kashmir Butchers Association, Chinar Sheep and Goat Welfare Association while addressing a press conference here alleged that government has been deliberately pushing mutton dealers to the wall.
They said the animal and sheep husbandry department has itself admitted that the production rate is Rs 476.
“However, the government has fixed mutton rate at Rs 480 per kg, which is not genuine,” president of All Kashmir Wholesale Mutton Dealers Association, Mehraj Ud Din said.
He said the government in a meeting wherein they were also invited didn’t listen to them.
“The government must come clear and tell us how Rs 600 per kg is not a genuine rate,” he said.
The public has hailed the government decision and hope that the authorities would implement the new mutton rate in letter and spirit and enforce the butchers to adhere to the new rate.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Pandurang Kondbarao Pole said government at any cost will ensure that mutton dealers sell mutton at Rs 480 per kilogram.
“We have registered various FIRs against butchers who were overcharging. We have made helpline number public and I request every consumer to use that helpline number in case any butcher overcharges them,” he said.
He said the new rates have been decided by the mutton price fixation committee.
“We are here for public and nobody will be allowed to loot public. Overcharging won’t be taken easily. It is the responsibility of consumers to complain against those who overcharge, I assure them of strict action,” Pole said.
The Divisional Commissioner provided a help line toll free number (1800-180-7114) and requested people to use it in case any butcher over charges them. (Additional inputs from KNT, KNO)

Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Srinagar Nov 5: Tourism may be backbone of Kashmir economy, but authorities are yet to explore hidden tourist destinations of the valley.
There are many existing tourist destinations that have become major tourist destinations. However, government has failed to develop infrastructure at unexplored tourist destinations or to bring them on the tourism map which could have helped the Kashmir’s economy to grow.
Bashir Ahmad, who runs a travel agency, said government has failed to develop unexplored tourist destinations.
“Our tourism has been restricted to Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Gulmarg, Dal Lake and Mughal garden. But there are many tourism destinations which could have helped the tourism sector to grow,” he said.
Tourism sector has been badly hit since August 5 last year due to restrictions imposed by the government after New Delhi abrogated Article 370 and then COVID-19 lockdown.
As per figures of tourism department, 43000 tourists visited Kashmir between August and December last year. In 2020, only 19,000 tourists visited Kashmir till September this year.
Mohammad Shafi, a hotelier, said tourists mostly visit Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Mughal Gardens and Dal Lake.
He said infrastructure has to be created at unexplored destinations without harming the environment. “The facilities have also to be improved at the existing tourist destinations”.
Imran Ahmad, a hotelier said the tourism industry has an immense potential to grow in the valley. “We have natural beauty available here. We need to develop new destinations and make their promotion so that more and more tourists visit here,” he said.
“Infrastructure has to be created at unexplored destinations without harming the environment. The facilities have also to be improved at the existing tourist destinations,” he said.
He said government should not allow constructions of big hotels at new destinations by which the environment gets vandalized.
There are score of destinations that have either remained out of bounds for the tourists or very less tourists are visiting them due to lack of promotion.
Director Tourism, Kashmir, Nisar Wani also said there has been positive response from tourists in last few weeks.
“We are receiving positive feedback from different states and many people want to visit the valley especially during winters,” he said. He said new tourist destinations are also being developed. (KINS)

Washington, Nov 5: In US elections 2020, both Donald Trump and Joe Biden are running neck-and-neck. Trump even declared his victory before the official count ended, while Joe Biden announced that he will emerge victorious after all the votes are counted, especially in battleground states that are still counting votes

Trump recently claimed that his administration would involve the US Supreme Court in a bid to halt counting of votes, which according to the incumbent Republican president is causing election fraud in the country.

With a fierce battle in key states of Michigan and Pennsylvania, Trump had claimed that the delay in counting increases the chances of fraud voting. This was the first time in history that so many Americans exercised their franchise, with many voting early, and others voting through mail-in ballots, which the Republicans have tried to invalidate multiple times.

Fraud is rare in US elections, and there is no evidence of any cheating happening due to mail-in voting. “This is a major fraud on our nation. We want the law to be used in a proper manner. So we’ll be going to the US Supreme Court. We want all voting to stop”, Trump had announced.

Without divulging any details of what Trump administration intends to do in terms of litigation, Trump’s team is attempting to throw open a pending case which seeks to block mail-in ballots that are showing up late in the battleground state of Pennsylvania. In Michigan too, the Trump admin wants counting to stop.

Many analysts said such objections to voting may not have a role to play in the final outcome.

An election law expert at the Ohio State University – Ned Foley believe that as opposed to the 2000 presidential race, a SC intervention will most probably will not end in the favour of Trump. In 2000, the Supreme Court announced George W Bush victorious after a recount of votes.

“It’s extremely early on but at the moment it doesn’t seem apparent how this would end up where the US Supreme Court would be decisive,” Foley told Reuters.

Given how close the race is, and with Trump’s ongoing threats, both Biden and Trump’s legal teams are ready to step up if the situation demands it.

“If we have to go through these legal challenges, that’s not unprecedented,” Trump’s attorney Jenna Ellis told Fox Business Network in an interview on Wednesday. “He wants to make sure that the election is not stolen”, Ellis added.

David Boies, who represented Al Gore in 2000, said it is unlikely that the Trump campaign would succeed in a possible effort to halt the counting of votes coming in after November 3. “I think that it’s more posturing and hope than anything else,” Boies said.

Boies also claimed that Pennsylvania’s outcome could be rendered irrelevant based on the outcome in Michigan and Wisconsin.

Legal experts also added how if Biden wins 270 electoral votes, he wouldn’t need to pursue a legal case in the state anyway.

“I think the Court would summarily turn away any effort by the President or his campaign to short-circuit the ordinary legal process,” Steve Vladeck, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin School of Law, said

“Even Bush v. Gore went through the Florida state courts first”, he added.

Precious Kashmir News
Bandipora, Nov 5: Sami Aara, a woman pilot from Bandipora, has advised parents to let their children fly in free air to excel in life.
She said this while sharing experience during a career counseling conclave for girls in Bandipora.
She said the journey from a Sumbal village of Bandipora district to Texas was not an easy one but a herculean task especially for a girl living in a conservative society. “I fought all odds with courage and made her place in the cockpit.”
“When a girl from a village can become a pilot, why can’t you, she said. It’s not important that you come from English medium background school. Those who are pass-out from Government school can also do wonders in life. I request all the parents that don’t keep your children inside the four walls, let them fly in a free air to excel in life,” she said.
She suggested the parents to believe in the ability of their kids.
“I am sure you will feel proud of them. By doubting the skills, they will feel lost and it will down their confidence.”
“Since childhood I am thinking of doing something different and big in my life,” she said adding, “I am pilot by chance not by choice. I was always thinking of becoming IAS, IPS but nature has planned something different for me. I do visit Bandipora and I love my district.”
She urged the girls to strive hard to achieve their goals and then no power on earth can stop them from achieving their goals.
She said she would keep visiting Bandipora in future as well and would inspire others to become future pilots from here.
She appreciated the efforts of the district administration for organizing the career counseling for girl students at the very opportune time and hoped that more such programmes are held for each and every student at Higher Secondary level so that they are able to make better career choices at the initial stage of their lives. (Additional inputs from KNS)