Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

Mumbai: The Reserve Bank is unlikely to cut the benchmark <keyword id="20071327" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="interest-rate" source="keywords">interest rate</keyword> in its forthcoming bi-monthly monetary policy review later in the week as <keyword id="19999652" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="retail-inflation" source="keywords">retail inflation</keyword> is still a cause of concern, and there is a possibility of the Middle East crisis deteriorating further, impacting crude oil and commodity prices, say experts. Earlier this month, the government reconstituted the Reserve Bank's rate-setting panel -- <keyword id="19913109" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Monetary-Policy-Committee" source="keywords">Monetary Policy Committee</keyword> (MPC). The reconstituted panel, with three newly appointed external members, will commence its maiden meeting on Monday. MPC Chairman RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das will reveal the outcome of the three-day discussion on Wednesday (October 9). The <keyword id="19899810" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Reserve-Bank-of-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reserve Bank of India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Reserve Bank of India">Reserve Bank of India</keyword> (RBI) has kept the repo or short-term lending rate unchanged at 6.5 per cent since February 2023, and experts think some easing could only be possible in December. The government has tasked the central bank to ensure that Consumer Price Index (CPI) based retail inflation remains at 4 per cent with a margin of 2 per cent on either side. In the current context, experts feel that the RBI may not follow the US Federal Reserve, which lowered the benchmark rates by 50 basis points, and the central banks of some developed nations, which have reduced the interest rates. "We do not expect any change in the <keyword id="20094323" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="repo-rate" source="keywords">repo rate</keyword> or stance by MPC. The reason is that inflation for September and October will be above 5 per cent, and the present low inflation is due to the base effect. Besides, core inflation is inching upwards," said Madan Sabnavis, Chief Economist, Bank of Baroda. Further, the recent Iran-Israel imbroglio can intensify, and there is uncertainty here, he said. "Hence, the status quo is the most likely option even for new members. Inflation forecast may be lowered by 10-20 bps and no change in GDP forecast likely," said Sabnavis. The central bank last hiked the repo rate to 6.5 per cent in February 2023 and since then, it has held the rate at the same level. Icra Chief Economist Aditi Nayar said that given the undershooting in the initial first quarter GDP growth relative to the MPC's forecast and the likely sizeable undershooting in the second quarter CPI inflation print as well, "we believe a stance change to neutral may be appropriate in the October 2024 policy review". This could be followed by a shallow rate-cutting cycle of 25 bps each in December 2024 and February 2025, she added. "The abundant monsoon offers some insurance for crop inflation. The impact of global political developments and geopolitical uncertainty on the growth inflation dynamics remains a risk," Nayar added. An HSBC report said three developments stand out -- softer growth numbers have trickled in recently, inflation has been falling, and the external environment has moved from rate hikes to cuts. "We believe the RBI doesn't gain from waiting any longer. We think it will change its stance from a hawkish 'withdrawal of accommodation' to 'neutral' in the upcoming 9 October policy meeting, followed by repo rate cuts of 25 bps each in the December and February meetings, taking the repo rate to 6 per cent," the report said. The RBI kept the repo rate unchanged at 6.5 per cent in its August bi-monthly review amid risks from higher food inflation. This was the ninth consecutive MPC meeting, which decided to maintain the status quo on the rate front. Pradeep Aggarwal, founder and chairman, Signature Global (India) Limited, said while the real estate industry, developer community, and homebuyers are hoping for an interest rate cut in the upcoming monetary policy review, the RBI is likely to hold on to the interest rate cuts for the tenth consecutive time. "The apex bank still seems uncomfortable with the overall retail inflation scenario, particularly food inflation. As such, it is expected to maintain the status quo. The recent interest rate cut by the US Federal Reserve has ignited similar hopes even in India, but the domestic scenario is very different," he added. SBM Bank India Head Treasury Mandar Pitale believed that the MPC has persistently advocated a restrictive policy until inflation aligns durably towards the 4 per cent target. "With the unfavourable base effect taking the next couple of CPI prints near 5 per cent plus or minus, it will pose a major challenge for MPC to start easing from the October meeting," Pitale said, adding that the MPC is also expected to deliberate upon the global factors like growth-inflation behaviour in developed economies. The government has appointed Ram Singh, Saugata Bhattacharya, and Nagesh Kumar as external members of the MPC. They have replaced Ashima Goyal, Shashanka Bhide, and Jayanth R Varma. Apart from the Governor, the other internal members are the RBI Deputy Governor in charge of monetary policy Michael Debabrata Patra and the Executive Director monetary policy department of RBI Rajiv Ranjan. In an off-cycle meeting in May 2022, the MPC raised the policy rate by 40 basis points and it was followed by rate hikes of varying sizes, in the subsequent meetings till February 2023. The repo rate was raised by 250 basis points cumulatively between May 2022 and February 2023.

Status-quo on interest rate likely, say experts ahead of RBI's policy review

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Reporters asked Fed Chair Jerome Powell whether he would resign if President-elect Trump asked him to.</li><li>Powell responded with one word: "No."</li></ul>Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell has no plans to leave the central bank prematurely under President-elect Donald Trump.On Thursday, the Federal Open Market Committee <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/federal-reserve-cuts-interest-rates-quarter-point-powell-inflation-election-2024-11">announced a 25-basis-point interest rate cut</a> two days after Trump won the presidential election.While economists <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-tariffs-higher-inflation-fed-interest-rates-taxes-mortgage-rates-2024-11">expect Trump's tariff proposals to boost inflation</a>, Powell refused to comment on anything directly related to the election or politics during his Thursday press conference. However, when a reporter asked Powell if he would resign should Trump ask him to, the head of the central bank responded with one word: "No."When a different reporter later followed up with Powell on the topic and asked if the president has the power to fire or demote the head of the Fed, Powell responded: "Not permitted under the law."Powell was <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/aboutthefed/bios/board/powell.htm">originally appointed</a> by Trump to the top position at the Fed in 2018 before being re-appointed for a second term by President Joe Biden in 2022.Trump has previously indicated that he would like to see changes in how the Fed functions. The Wall Street Journal reported in April that some members of Trump's team were <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-interest-rate-decisions-restructure-federal-reserve-jerome-powell-wsj-2024-4">crafting a plan</a> that would give the president-elect authority to oust Powell from his position before his term ends in 2026. The plan also included a path to give Trump a say in interest-rate decisions, jeopardizing the Fed's independence.Trump later walked back those comments in an August <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-08-19/trump-defends-fed-criticism-weighs-providing-aid-to-home-buyers">interview</a> with Bloomberg, saying that he doesn't need to be "calling the shot" but should be able to talk about interest-rate decisions. He also said that he would support Powell finishing his full term, "especially if I thought he was doing the right thing."The law only allows for a president to remove a Fed official if there is cause — policy disagreements, like the ones Trump has previously expressed, would not suffice. Trump <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-interest-rate-cuts-powell-help-democrats-win-elections-inflation-2024-2">said</a> in February that Powell was being "political" by making decisions that could help Democrats win elections."It looks to me like he's trying to lower interest rates for the sake of maybe getting people elected," Trump said.Powell has held firm that the Federal Reserve is not political, telling reporters on Thursday that "the election will have no effects on our policy decisions.""We don't guess, we don't speculate, and we don't assume," Powell said. "Just in principle, it's possible that any administration's policies, or policies put in place by Congress, could have economic effects that, over time, would matter for our pursuit of our dual mandate goals."

Fed Chair Powell stands firm amid questioning about whether Trump will push him out

The mound burial system of the <keyword id="22477664" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ahom-dynasty" source="keywords">Ahom dynasty</keyword> in <keyword id="19911206" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Assam" source="keywords">Assam</keyword>, <keyword id="22553829" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Moidams" source="keywords">Moidams</keyword> was included in the <keyword id="20413005" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="UNESCO-World-Heritage-List" source="keywords">UNESCO World Heritage List</keyword> under the category of Cultural Property on Friday. The decision was taken during the ongoing 46th <keyword id="191427" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Heritage-Committee" source="Orion">World Heritage Committee</keyword> (WHC) session held in the national capital, Delhi. <keyword id="19908797" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="UNESCO" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="UNESCO" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="UNESCO">UNESCO</keyword> will examine the proposals of 27 sites for inscription on the World Heritage List, the state of conservation of 124 sites already inscribed on the World Heritage List, and the List of World Heritage in Danger. The World Heritage Committee is one of the two bodies governing the Convention for the Protection of the World's Cultural and Natural Heritage. It is composed of the representatives of 21 states, elected from the 195 states parties to the Convention. In the ongoing session, from July 23 to July 25, the Committee will examine the state of conservation of the 124 sites already inscribed on the World Heritage List, 57 of which are also on the List of World Heritage in Danger. Similarly, from July 26 to July 29, the Committee will examine the dossiers of 27 sites proposed for inscription on the World Heritage List. The sites will be examined according to three categories. The three categories are natural, mixed, and cultural. Reacting to the news Assam Chief Minister Himmant Biswa Sharma said, "The Moidams make it to the UNESCO World Heritage list under the category Cultural Property. A great win for Assam. Thank You Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, members of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee and the people of Assam." "The Moidams of <keyword id="21130638" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Charaideo" source="keywords">Charaideo</keyword> embody the deep spiritual belief, rich civilisational heritage and architectural prowess of Assam's Tai-Ahom community. Apart from the fact this announcement has been made from the soil of Bharat, its entry also stands out for 2 more reasons," he added in a post on X. "It is the first time a site from the North East has made it to the UNESCO World Heritage List under the Cultural Category. After Kaziranga and Manas National Parks, it is Assam's 3rd World Heritage Site. I urge all of you to come and experience Awesome Assam," he further said. The Moidams are the burial mounds of the <keyword id="22558033" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ahom-kings" source="keywords">Ahom kings</keyword>, queens and nobles. The word Moidam is derived from the Tai word Phrang-Mai-Dam or Mai-Tam. Phrang-Mai means to put into the grave or to bury and Dam means the spirit of the dead. Though Moidams are found in all the districts of upper Assam, Charaideo, the first capital of the Ahoms was the necropolis of almost all the Ahom Royals. Charaideo is situated 28 km east of Sivasagar. The first king of the Ahoms Chau-lung Siu-ka-pha was buried at Charaideo after his death observing all the Tai-Ahom religious rites and rituals.

Moidams of Assam included in the UNESCO World Heritage List

<ul><li><keyword id="9875222" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="a-parliamentary-standing-committee" source="Orion">A Parliamentary Standing Committee</keyword> has taken note of the high air fares charged by some airline operators in the domestic sector.</li><li>The <keyword id="47865" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="committee" source="Orion">Committee</keyword> also pointed out the wrong information published by the private airlines on their websites, regarding the number of seats left in the flight and the prices of the tickets.</li></ul>New Delhi, A Parliamentary Standing Committee has taken note of the high air fares charged by some airline operators in the domestic sector, and held that they are misguiding the public and forcing passengers to pay more. The Committee also pointed out the wrong information published by the private airlines on their websites, regarding the number of seats left in the flight and the prices of the tickets. "The level of misinformation can be gauged from the fact that even after the last tickets have been sold, the same number of seats show on the website, as indicated before the tickets sale. This indicates that airline operators are misguiding the public and forcing passengers to pay more," the panel said in the Demand for Grants (2023-24) report of the <keyword id="58151" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="civil-aviation-ministry" source="Orion">Civil Aviation Ministry</keyword>. In view of the above, it recommended that the Ministry should formulate appropriate guidelines regarding rationalisation of fares and publishing the correct information on the website of the airlines. It also pointed out that 'Predatory Pricing' is being restored to by the domestic airlines sector. "A particular airline may sell its air tickets at such a low level, that other competitors cannot compete and are forced to exit the market. A company that does this will see initial losses, but eventually it benefits by driving competition out of the market and raising its prices again," said the report. The Committee desired to know whether aviation regulator, the <keyword id="6354787" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="dgca" source="Orion">DGCA</keyword> had at any point of time intervened to check the fares of air tickets. It also expressed concern at the fact that in the domestic sector, private airlines are charging different fares for the same sector, route and same direction of flights. This is specifically so for the northeastern region and hilly areas including Jammu &amp; Kashmir and Ladakh, where the prices of domestic sector tickets are, sometimes, even more than the international airline sector prices. The Committee took note of the fact that after the repeal of the Air Corporations Act, 1953, the airfare is market driven and depends on market fares, and is neither established nor regulated by the government. "It notes the DGCA's comments that the airfares were regulated for a fixed period during the Covid pandemic in compliance with <keyword id="1773277" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="aircraft-act" source="Orion">Aircraft Act</keyword>, 1934 and the regulation was withdrawn as the Covid pandemic abated and that airlines are free to fix reasonable tariffs under the Aircraft Rules, 1937, with regard to cost of operation, services, reasonable profit and generally prevailing tariff," said the report. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/how-is-gpt-4-different-from-chatgpt-and-what-makes-it-unique/articleshow/98688465.cms">How is GPT-4 different from ChatGPT, and what makes it unique?</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/googles-new-ai-features-for-docs-gmail-and-more-to-rival-microsofts-workspace-toolsheres-what-it-means/articleshow/98657324.cms">Google’s new AI features for Docs, Gmail, and more to rival Microsoft’s workspace tools—here’s what it means</a>

Airlines misguiding people, forcing passengers to pay more, says Parl Panel

The Budget Session of <keyword id="6354721" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="parliament" source="Orion">Parliament</keyword> will commence on January 31 and end on April 6, according to an official statement. It will be the 259th session of the Rajya Sabha and the 11th session of the 17th <keyword id="6355187" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="lok-sabha" source="Orion">Lok Sabha</keyword>. "The Eleventh Session of Seventeenth Lok Sabha will commence on Tuesday, the 31st January 2023. Subject to exigencies of Government Business, the Session is likely to conclude on Thursday, the 6th April 2023," a Lok Sabha secretariat notification said. A similar statement from the Rajya Sabha secretariat said the President has summoned the Rajya Sabha to meet on Tuesday, the 31st January 2023 at New Delhi and is scheduled to conclude on Thursday, the 6th April 2023. Parliament's Budget Session will begin from 11 am on January 31 with President Droupadi Murmu'<keyword id="16089537" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="s-address" source="Orion">s address</keyword> to the joint sitting of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget for 2023-24 at 11 am on Wednesday, the 1st February 2023. The session will have 27 sittings and will continue till April 6 with a month-long recess to examine the budget papers. "In order to enable the <keyword id="4555511" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="standing-committees" source="Orion">Standing Committees</keyword> to consider the Demands for Grants of Ministries/Departments and prepare their <keyword id="34464" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="reports" source="Orion">Reports</keyword>, the House will adjourn on 13th February 2023 to meet again on 13th March 2023," the Lok Sabha statement said. "Budget Session, 2023 of Parliament will commence from 31 January and continue till 6 April with 27 sittings spread over 66 days with usual recess. Amid Amrit Kaal looking forward to discussions on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address, Union Budget and other items. "During the Budget Session, 2023 the recess will be from 14 February till 12 March to enable the department-related Parliamentary Standing Committees to examine the Demands for Grants and make reports relating to their Ministries/Departments," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi had tweeted. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/ongc-reliance-industries-paytm-siemens-among-stocks-in-focus/articleshow/97045293.cms">Sensex, Nifty50 end higher powered by L&amp;T, HDFC twins</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/gold-prices-hit-life-time-high-amid-looming-recession-hope-that-fed-will-slow-its-rate-hikes/articleshow/97061060.cms">Gold prices hit life-time high amid looming recession &amp; hope that Fed will slow its rate hikes</a>

Budget Session of Parliament from January 31 to April 6

The government is expected to propose amendments to the competition law after taking into consideration various suggestions of a Parliamentary panel, in the upcoming <keyword id="105431" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Budget-session" source="Orion">Budget session</keyword> of <keyword id="6354721" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="parliament" source="Orion">Parliament</keyword>, according to a senior official. Besides, discussions are going on with respect to amendments to the <keyword id="6354456" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="insolvency-and-bankruptcy-code" source="Orion">Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code</keyword> (<keyword id="192838" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ibc" source="Orion">IBC</keyword>) as well as the Companies Act, 2013. The official also said that the corporate affairs ministry is examining a Parliamentary panel's suggestions for having a new digital competition law. The ministry is implementing the Competition Act, IBC and the Companies Act, and amendments to these laws are expected this year. A bill to amend the competition law was introduced in Parliament on August 5 last year and was later referred to the <keyword id="403206" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="parliamentary-standing-committee-on-finance" source="Orion">Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance</keyword>. The panel tabled its report on December 13 last year and the ministry will now be coming up with an amendment bill after taking into consideration various recommendations of the committee. The senior official said the bill to amend the competition law is expected in the <keyword id="6358021" type="General" weightage="70" keywordseo="budget" source="Orion">Budget</keyword> session of Parliament. The introduction of a 'Settlement and Commitment framework to reduce litigations' and incentivising parties in an ongoing cartel investigation in terms of lesser penalty to disclose information regarding other cartels were among the proposals in the bill that was introduced in August last year. In its report, the Parliamentary panel recommended various changes to the bill to amend the competition law, including bringing cartels under the scope of settlements as a "pragmatic recourse". The Budget session of Parliament will commence on January 31 with President <keyword id="2848422" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="droupadi-murmu" source="Orion">Droupadi Murmu</keyword>'s address to the joint sitting of <keyword id="6355187" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="lok-sabha" source="Orion">Lok Sabha</keyword> and <keyword id="48510" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="rajya-sabha" source="Orion">Rajya Sabha</keyword>. The session will have 27 sittings and will continue till April 6 with a month-long recess to examine the budget papers. The first part of the session will conclude on February 14 and after a break, reconvene on March 12. In another report on 'Anti-Competitive Practices by Big Tech Companies', the Parliamentary panel, on December 22, proposed a new digital competition law, ex-ante regulations and the creation of a category of systemically important digital intermediaries to curb anti-competitive practices in the digital market. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/i-belong-to-middle-class-understand-their-pressures-sitharaman-before-budget/articleshow/97031282.cms">I belong to middle class, understand their pressures: Sitharaman before Budget</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/over-5-4-lakh-housing-units-to-be-completed-across-top-7-cities-in-2023-anarock-report/articleshow/97029912.cms">Over 5.4 lakh housing units to be completed across top 7 cities in 2023: Anarock report</a>

Amendments to competition law likely in Budget session

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 5 (ANI): <keyword id="19899810" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="reserve-bank-of-india" source="keywords">Reserve Bank of India</keyword> Governor Shaktikanta Das will announce the outcome of the first <keyword id="6375120" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Monetary-Policy-Committee" source="Orion">Monetary Policy Committee</keyword> (MPC) meeting of the financial year 2024-2025 on Friday. The central banking authority of India has kept the <keyword id="43352" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="repo-rate" source="Orion">repo rate</keyword> unchanged for the last six consecutive MPC meetings and according to experts it is likely to maintain the status quo on interest rates this time too. The repo rate, is the interest rate at which banks draw funds from <keyword id="30067" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RBI" source="Orion">RBI</keyword> to overcome short-term liquidity mismatches. Monetary Policy Committee was constituted under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. MPC is a six-member committee comprising three members from RBI including Governor Shaktikanta Das and three members appointed by the Central government. The two-day review meeting of the MPC that commenced on April 3 concludes today. The RBI had maintained the status quo on policy rates and stances in its last review, which was held in February 2024. The decision however was not unanimous and one member has recommended a rate cut of 25 basis points and policy change stand to neutral. Since the last policy, rating agencies have revised India's growth forecast upwards. <keyword id="7706673" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Finance-Minister-Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="Orion">Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword>, recently said that India will grow over 8 per cent in FY24. Inflation has dropped and has remained under the range of comfort zone. Consumer Price Index inflation was 5.1 per cent in February 2024, up from over 5.5 per cent in December 2023. The core CPI inflation, excluding food and beverages, was at a low of 3.5 per cent in February 2024. However, food inflation at above 7 per cent was a concern, but with a recent cut in the prices of petrol, diesel and LPG, it is likely to further fall in March and may come below 5 per cent. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) recent announcement of above-normal temperatures during April-June may be a concern regarding rise in prices of vegetable, fruits and other perishable items. Also prices of rice, pulses have shown an upward trend which may be a concern for the MPC while taking a decision. However, softening prices of non-food items will give some relief to the committee. Generally, normal monsoons follow above normal temperatures, presuming that the average CPI inflation is likely to be in the RBI's comfort zone of 4-6 per cent in FY25. According to official data, retail inflation in India eased a tad in February to 5.09 per cent from 5.10 per cent the prior month, due to the deceleration of prices in all categories except food. Experts believe that the RBI is unlikely to change its policy stance before the August 2024 MPC review and any rate cut is unlikely before that. The US Fed has also recently indicated that it is not in a hurry to cut rates. All these suggest that the RBI, too, is unlikely to go for a rate cut before the October 2024 policy. The next MPC meetings of the RBI have been scheduled this year for June, August, October, December and February 2025.

RBI Monetary Policy Meeting: Central Bank likely to keep rates steady

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Voters have repeatedly said they are worried about Biden's age.</li><li>In the wake of special counsel Robert Hur's report, Democrats are rallying around the president.</li></ul>Democrats are betting voters don’t care if President Joe Biden <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/joe-biden-memory-issues-special-counsel-report-2024-2">flubs</a> a foreign leader’s name or key detail.In the wake of special counsel <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-forgot-timing-vice-presidency-beau-death-special-counsel-report-2024-2">Robert Hur’s blistering report</a>, top officials might privately fret about their party’s leader. But the moment has long passed for an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.history.com/news/lbj-exit-1968-presidential-race">LBJ-esque bombshell</a> announcement that Biden will abandon his reelection campaign. As the president made clear last night, he firmly believes he’s the best Democrat to win in November."I'm the most qualified person in this country to be President of the United States and finish the job I started," Biden told a reporter, who mentioned the president's past comment that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/06/biden-democrat-trump-2024-elections-00130403">other Democrats could beat Trump.</a>The early responses to Hur’s conclusion that Biden would likely present himself to a jury “as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” are punctuated by public assurances that Biden remains fit to serve, attacks on the special counsel for veering into the territory of geriatric memory, and pointing out that the other 70-something challenger in the race experiences his own lapses.“I want you to find me the voter who says, ‘I will not vote for him, because he said Mitterrand and not Macron,” former White House communications Kate Bedingfield said laughing on CNN after the report’s release.Twice in recent days, Biden has confused long-dead foreign leaders with their very much alive counterparts. In this case, Bedingfield was referencing how Biden talked about François Mitterrand, who died in 1996, instead of current French President Emmanuel Macron. It likely didn’t help matters that hours later, Biden <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bad-night-furious-biden-press-conference-memory-classified-documents-2024-2">called</a> Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi “the President of Mexico” while defending his memory in the wake of Hur’s report.Polling shows this remains a risky proposition. Voters have long said they are concerned about Biden’s age. A January NBC News poll found that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24408713-240037-nbc-january-2024-poll_2624-release">62% of voters had "major concerns</a>" about the president's not having "the necessary mental and physical health to be president for a second term." <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/-nightmare-special-counsels-assessment-bidens-mental-fitness-triggers-rcna137975">NBC News reported</a> that one unnamed Biden ally called the report's release "the worst day of his presidency." The news is potentially damaging not in the sense that it breaks new ground but that it adds new details to a vulnerability that was already present. Voters have also said that they don’t want a 2020 rematch. And yet, there is little reason to doubt absent a calamity that is exactly the choice they will face in November.Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat who helped lead Trump’s second impeachment, echoed the White House’s belief that Hur went far beyond his job description when he opined on the president’s faculties. “He did take some gratuitous slaps at Joe Biden, because of his age, and a lot of these age discriminatory and age insulting remarks are getting rather tiresome — all we really need from a special prosecutor [sic] like Hur is a decision whether there is legal ground to move forward,” Raskin told CNN on Thursday night. He said there’s not.”Other Democrats pointed to Biden's record.“He has even recently, completely dominated the Republicans,” Rep. Dan Goldman, a New York Democrat, said on MSNBC Friday morning. “You look at the Fiscal Responsibility Act, he did a fabulous job,” he said. “He knew exactly where the negotiation was going to go and he took Kevin McCarthy’s shirt.” For all their efforts to brush aside the report’s unflattering views, the White House took the episode seriously enough to have Biden make a previously unscheduled appearance before reporters where he took brief questions.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/08/biden-special-counsel-report-hur-00140617">Biden also lashed out at Hur’s note</a> that the president could not specifically recall when his son Beau died during their five-hour interview that took place over two days.“How in the hell dare he raise that?” “I don't need anyone to remind me when he passed away,” Biden said of his son, who died from complications of brain cancer in 2015.House Speaker Mike Johnson argued that Hur’s report was evidence that Biden is unfit to serve the nation.“The President’s press conference this evening further confirmed on live television what the Special Counsel report outlined,” Johnson <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1755771075839848559?s=20">wrote on X,</a> formerly known as Twitter, after Biden’s brief appearance. “He is not fit to be President.”Democrats were quick to point out that Trump, Biden’s almost certain challenger, has suffered his own recent flubs. The former president’s own standing became such a topic on the campaign trail that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis launched a <a target="_blank" href="https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4272977-desantis-campaign-launches-trump-accident-tracker/">“Trump accident tracker.”</a> Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley<a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/nikki-haley-trump-mental-fitness-pelosi-522c3cddcaf7b85df5a64658c5041e96"> recently swiped at Trump</a> after the former president confused her with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.“Donald Trump couldn’t remember who his own wife was during his trial for sexual assault,” a Democratic National Committee account posted on X.

Democrats know they have a Biden problem but they're standing by him

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Mark Zuckerberg was grilled by a Senate committee Wednesday over child safety on his platforms.</li><li>In a striking moment, GOP Sen. Josh Hawley pushed Zuckerberg to face families whose kids were harmed.</li></ul>Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was pressured to turn and face the families of children who were harmed by social media companies head-on during a contentious Senate hearing on Wednesday.The shocking moment was prompted by Republican Sen. Josh Hawley during an intense <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-ceos-face-senate-in-hearing-over-child-sexual-exploitation-2024-1">hearing on online child safety</a> before the Senate Judiciary Committee.Zuckerberg was among the five social media heads called to testify in the hearing, along with leaders from Snap, Discord, X, and TikTok.Hawley asked if Zuckerberg had apologized to the families, saying "your products are killing people."He then asked Zuckerberg if he'd like to directly apologize to the families who attended the hearings whose children were harmed or died from the impacts of social media.Zuckerberg stood and faced the families watching the hearing: "No one should have to go through the things that your families have suffered, and this is why we invested so much," he said.Families held photos of their children in the air as Zuckerberg addressed them.Several parents of children affected by social media companies were listening in on the hearing, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="c-link" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/senate-online-child-safety-hearing-what-to-know-rcna136239">according to NBC News</a>, including Tony Roberts, who said his daughter died by suicide after viewing a simulated hanging on social media."The bottom line is that we will never have what we want in this lifetime: our daughter back. So we're here advocating for change," Roberts told NBC News.Many senators in the hearing floated stripping away legal protections from social media companies, meaning they could be sued for child pornography or other sexually explicit material on their platforms

Mark Zuckerberg was pressured to physically stand up and face families affected by online abuse

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Proud Boy Jeremy Bertino said Donald Trump's comment made the group's numbers triple.</li><li>Bertino said membership grew "exponentially" after Trump's call to "stand back and stand by."</li></ul>A high-ranking member of the <keyword id="11932020" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="proud-boys" source="Orion">Proud Boys</keyword> told the <keyword id="11897870" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="january-6" source="Orion">January 6</keyword> panel that membership in the organization "tripled" after former President Donald Trump told them to "stand back and stand by." Trump made the comments during <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/30/us/politics/trump-debate-video.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a debate in September 2020</a>. The former president was asked to disavow white supremacist groups and urge them to "stand down." But instead of doing so, Trump said: "Proud Boys, stand back and stand by." A clip of an interview with Proud Boys member Jeremy Bertino aired during the televised January 6 hearings on Thursday night. He said Trump's comments were a watershed moment for the group. Bertino was asked if the number of Proud Boys members increased specifically after Trump's comments. "Exponentially," Bertino <a href="https://twitter.com/ValerioCNN/status/1535071397600444419?s=20&amp;t=aEnSVJGqflgezOFDHgUGYA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. "I'd say, tripled, probably. With the potential for a lot more eventually." Bertino was a high-profile member of the Proud Boys, based out of North Carolina. He was <a href="https://www.rawstory.com/jeremy-bertino/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the subject of an FBI search of his home in March this year</a> but has not been arrested. The televised hearing also featured a clip of former Proud Boys chair Enrique Tarrio, who said he saw the speech as a galvanizing moment for their movement <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/proud-boys-leader-enrique-tarrio-stand-back-by-trump-debte-2022-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">and admitted he regretted not selling shirts of the "stand back and stand by" phrase</a>. "One of the vendors on my page actually beat me to it, but I wish I would've made a 'stand back stand by' t-shirt," Tarrio said in his interview with the House committee.Several Proud Boys have been <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/proud-boy-got-close-schumer-jan-6-pleads-guilty-felony-2022-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">charged in connection</a> with the violence that unfolded at the Capitol on January 6, 2021. On Monday, the Justice Department <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/proud-boys-leader-enrique-tarrio-seditious-conspiracy-january-6-capitol-2022-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">charged Tarrio and four other Proud Boys</a> with seditious conspiracy in connection with the Capitol attack, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/proud-boys-leader-enrique-tarrio-seditious-conspiracy-january-6-capitol-2022-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">adding to preexisting criminal</a> accusations from January 6. The DOJ is working to prosecute the <a href="https://www.insider.com/all-the-us-capitol-pro-trump-riot-arrests-charges-names-2021-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more than 860 people arrested</a> in connection with the attack. The DOJ said the <keyword id="11931775" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="january-6-committee" source="Orion">January 6 committee</keyword> also <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/january-6-committee-transcripts-witnesses-doj-investigation-2022-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">plans to publicly release the transcripts of more than 1,000 interviews</a> with witnesses in September.

A Proud Boy told the January 6 panel that membership in the organization 'tripled' after Trump told them to 'stand back and stand by'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The House panel investigating January 6 showed footage of interviews with <keyword id="11932020" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="proud-boys" source="Orion">Proud Boys</keyword> members.</li><li>A Proud Boy said membership "tripled" after Trump told the group to "stand back and stand by."</li></ul>It was a jaw-dropping moment in the September 2020 presidential debate.On stage with Joe Biden, then-President Donald Trump was asked to disavow white supremacist groups and urge them to "stand down." Trump answered, "Give me a name," and Biden called out the far-right Proud Boys group."Proud Boys, stand back and stand by," Trump said.Nearly two years later, the House committee investigating the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol drew a line between that debate stage comment and the pro-Trump mob that sought to prevent Congress from certifying Biden's electoral victory. At the first of six public hearings planned for this month, the House committee displayed video of an interview with a Proud Boy who attributed Trump's comment to exponential membership growth in the far-right group.In another interview, former Proud Boys chairman <keyword id="12040647" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="enrique-tarrio" source="Orion">Enrique Tarrio</keyword> cracked a wry smile and said he regretted not selling t-shirts brandished with the words "Stand back and stand by." "One of the vendors on my page actually beat me to it, but I wish I would've made a 'stand back stand by' t-shirt," Tarrio said in his interview with the House committee.For the House committee, the footage bolstered a central point of the panel's first hearing: showing Trump's role in emboldening the far-right groups that instigated the violence of January 6.Rep. Bennie Thompson, the committee's Democratic chair, noted that members of the Proud Boys and far-right Oath Keepers group have pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the January 6 attack and agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department's ongoing investigation.At Thursday's hearing, the House committee also highlighted a post on the social media site Parlor in which Tarri responded to Trump's "stand back and stand by" comment. "Standing by sir," Tarrio wrote.Tarrio is now behind bars. On Monday, the Justice Department charged Tarrio and four other Proud Boys members with seditious conspiracy in connection with the Capitol attack, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/proud-boys-leader-enrique-tarrio-seditious-conspiracy-january-6-capitol-2022-6">adding to preexisting criminal</a> accusations from January 6.At a court hearing Thursday, a federal prosecutor handling the case said the Justice Department expects the House committee to make transcripts of the panel's more than 1,000 interviews <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/january-6-committee-transcripts-witnesses-doj-investigation-2022-6">publicly available in September</a>.Tarrio and other Proud Boys members are set to stand trial in August.

You Searched For "Standing committee" and got 11 results

Status-quo on interest rate likely, say experts ahead of RBI's policy review

PTI

Fed Chair Powell stands firm amid questioning about whether Trump will push him out

Ayelet Sheffey

Moidams of Assam included in the UNESCO World Heritage List

ANI

Airlines misguiding people, forcing passengers to pay more, says Parl Panel

IANS

Budget Session of Parliament from January 31 to April 6

PTI

Amendments to competition law likely in Budget session

PTI

RBI Monetary Policy Meeting: Central Bank likely to keep rates steady

ANI

Democrats know they have a Biden problem but they're standing by him

Brent D. Griffiths

Mark Zuckerberg was pressured to physically stand up and face families affected by online abuse

Lauren Steussy

A Proud Boy told the January 6 panel that membership in the organization 'tripled' after Trump told them to 'stand back and stand by'

Cheryl Teh

Ex-Proud Boys leader says he'd wished he'd sold 'stand back and stand by' t-shirts after Trump's debate comment

C. Ryan Barber

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides