<p>David Axelrod, former US President Barack Obama's senior adviser on Sunday, suggested that the current President Joe Biden should drop out of the 2024 presidential race.</p>

<p>His statement comes in the wake of polls that show the incumbent president falling, trailing his rival Donald Trump.</p>

<h2><strong>Axelrod suggests Biden should retire</strong></h2>

<p>A New York Times and Siena College poll published on Sunday showed that Biden is trailing behind Trump in the upcoming elections. Following the poll, Axelrod took to social media platform X, formerly Twitter, and said: "It's very late to change horses; a lot will happen in the next year that no one can predict &amp; Biden's team says his resolve to run is firm."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">It's very late to change horses; a lot will happen in the next year that no one can predict &amp; Biden's team says his resolve to run is firm.<br />
He's defied CW before but this will send tremors of doubt thru the party--not "bed-wetting," but legitimate concern. <a href="https://t.co/g6zeWF0T87">https://t.co/g6zeWF0T87</a></p>
— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) <a href="https://twitter.com/davidaxelrod/status/1721187586268389858?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>"Yes, there also is risk associated with changing course now, as there is little time left for a primary campaign--and campaigns are how we test candidates. (Re @RonDeSantis) But there is a lot of leadership talent in the Democratic Party, poised to emerge," he added in another post.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/trump-mocks-biden-for-gaffes-but-makes-the-same-senile-blunders-kettle-calling-pot-black-654717">Trump mocks Biden for gaffes, but makes the same 'senile' blunders. Kettle calling pot black?</a></strong></p>

<p>Axelrod further said that Biden is "justly proud of his accomplishments".</p>

<p>Calling Trump "a dangerous, unhinged demagogue" he said that the ex-president's "brazen disdain for the rules, norms, laws and institutions or democracy should be disqualifying" adding that "the stakes of miscalculation here are too dramatic to ignore."</p>

<p>Leaving the decision to Biden, he said if the 80-year-old continues to run, he will be the Democrat party's nominee, but that he "needs to decide is whether that is wise; whether it's in HIS best interest or the country's?"</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Only <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoeBiden</a> can make this decision. If he continues to run, he will be the nominee of the Democratic Party. What he needs to decide is whether that is wise; whether it's in HIS best interest or the country's?</p>
— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) <a href="https://twitter.com/davidaxelrod/status/1721189538880516252?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<h2><strong>Poll&nbsp;predict Biden's loss</strong></h2>

<p>The poll by the New York Times and Siena College poll showed that Biden is trailing behind Trump in five of six battleground states — Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, and Pennsylvania by a margin of 3 to 10 per cent points.</p>

<p>In Wisconsin, he was leading by 2 percentage points.</p>

<p>It also found that 71 per cent of registered voters believe that Joe Biden is "just too old to be an effective president". In contrast, only 39 per cent said this about Trump, who is only three years younger than Biden.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-holds-lead-over-joe-biden-in-key-states-new-poll-reveals-655557">US presidential race: Donald Trump holds lead over Joe Biden in key states, new poll reveals</a></strong></p>

<p>A further 62 per cent said they think Biden doesn't have the "mental sharpness to be an effective president". 52 per cent think Trump fulfils this criterion, i.e., only 48 per cent said Trump isn't mentally fit to be the US President.</p>

<p>Obama's former senior adviser remarked that Biden's age was his "biggest liability" and something that cannot be changed.</p>

<p>"Among all the unpredictables there is one thing that is sure: the age arrow only points in one direction," he said.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


David Axelrod, former US President Barack Obama's senior adviser on Sunday, suggested that the current President Joe Biden should drop out of the 2024 presidential race.

David Axelrod, former US President Barack Obama's senior adviser on Sunday, suggested that the current President Joe Biden should drop out of the 2024 presidential race. His statement comes in the wake of polls that show the incumbent president falling, trailing his rival Donald Trump. Axelrod suggests Biden should retire A New York Times and Siena College poll published on Sunday showed that Biden is trailing behind Trump in the upcoming elections. Following the poll, Axelrod took to social media platform X, formerly Twitter, and said: "It's very late to change horses; a lot will happen in the next year that no one can predict & Biden's team says his resolve to run is firm." It's very late to change horses; a lot will happen in the next year that no one can predict & Biden's team says his resolve to run is firm. He's defied CW before but this will send tremors of doubt thru the party--not "bed-wetting," but legitimate concern. https://t.co/g6zeWF0T87 — David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) November 5, 2023 × "Yes, there also is risk associated with changing course now, as there is little time left for a primary campaign--and campaigns are how we test candidates. (Re @RonDeSantis) But there is a lot of leadership talent in the Democratic Party, poised to emerge," he added in another post. Also read | Trump mocks Biden for gaffes, but makes the same 'senile' blunders. Kettle calling pot black? Axelrod further said that Biden is "justly proud of his accomplishments". Calling Trump "a dangerous, unhinged demagogue" he said that the ex-president's "brazen disdain for the rules, norms, laws and institutions or democracy should be disqualifying" adding that "the stakes of miscalculation here are too dramatic to ignore." Leaving the decision to Biden, he said if the 80-year-old continues to run, he will be the Democrat party's nominee, but that he "needs to decide is whether that is wise; whether it's in HIS best interest or the country's?" Only @JoeBiden can make this decision. If he continues to run, he will be the nominee of the Democratic Party. What he needs to decide is whether that is wise; whether it's in HIS best interest or the country's? — David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) November 5, 2023 × Poll predict Biden's loss The poll by the New York Times and Siena College poll showed that Biden is trailing behind Trump in five of six battleground states — Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, and Pennsylvania by a margin of 3 to 10 per cent points. In Wisconsin, he was leading by 2 percentage points. It also found that 71 per cent of registered voters believe that Joe Biden is "just too old to be an effective president". In contrast, only 39 per cent said this about Trump, who is only three years younger than Biden. Also read | US presidential race: Donald Trump holds lead over Joe Biden in key states, new poll reveals A further 62 per cent said they think Biden doesn't have the "mental sharpness to be an effective president". 52 per cent think Trump fulfils this criterion, i.e., only 48 per cent said Trump isn't mentally fit to be the US President. Obama's former senior adviser remarked that Biden's age was his "biggest liability" and something that cannot be changed. "Among all the unpredictables there is one thing that is sure: the age arrow only points in one direction," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

Obama stirring rebellion against Biden? Ex-Prez's senior adviser says Joe should drop out of election race

<p>More than 170 global leaders and Nobel laureates, including former US President Barack Obama and former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, have penned an open letter urging Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to suspend legal proceedings against Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Yunus, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his work, pioneering microcredit to aid impoverished individuals, has allegedly faced "continuous judicial harassment" at the hands of Hasina's administration.</p>

<h2><strong>What the leaders said</strong></h2>

<p>In the letter dated Tuesday (August 29th), the leaders said: "One of the threats to human rights that concerns us in the present context is the case of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Prof. Muhammad Yunus. We are alarmed that he has recently been targeted by what we believe to be continuous judicial harassment."</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/from-2800-to-4000-president-of-cash-strapped-pakistan-demands-massive-hike-in-monthly-salary-630580">From $2800 to $4000: President of cash-strapped Pakistan demands massive hike in monthly salary</a></strong></p>

<p>They asserted their confidence that "any thorough review of the anti-corruption and labour law cases against him will result in his acquittal".</p>

<p>Global figures have also called for the upcoming elections in Bangladesh —&nbsp;expected in early January — to be credible. The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party had earlier expressed concerns about potential election rigging and demanded that Hasina step down to allow a caretaker government to oversee the voting, a demand Hasina has rejected.</p>

<h2><strong>Bangladesh's government responds</strong></h2>

<p>Responding to the open letter, Bangladesh Prime Minister Hasina said that she would welcome international experts and lawyers to assess the legal proceedings and examine documents related to the charges against Yunus.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She suggested that this would reveal additional information related to the case.</p>

<p>"If they send the experts and lawyers, many more things will get revealed, which remain untouched. Many such things will come out."</p>

<h2><strong>Charges against the Nobel laureate</strong></h2>

<p>Yunus founded Grameen Bank in 1983, an institution that provides small loans to entrepreneurs who typically do not qualify for traditional bank loans.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The bank's success in alleviating poverty as per news agency AP served as a model for micro-financing initiatives globally.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-to-settle-hundreds-of-millions-in-power-bills-ahead-of-national-elections-620485">Bangladesh to settle hundreds of millions in power bills ahead of national elections</a></strong></p>

<p>However, in 2008, after coming to power, Hasina's administration launched investigations into Yunus' activities.</p>

<p>As per AP, Hasina "became enraged" when in 2007, during a period of military-backed rule, Yunus announced plans to form a political party.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Hasina, who was in prison at the time, referred to Yunus as a "bloodsucker" and accused him of using force to recover loans.</p>

<p>Yunus faced multiple charges, including allegedly receiving money without government permission, violation of labour laws, and embezzlement of funds from Grameen Telecom, a company he created. Defence lawyers as per AP have described some of the cases as harassment and vowed to contest the allegations.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
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More than 170 global leaders and Nobel laureates, including former US President Barack Obama and former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, have penned an open letter urging Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to suspend legal proceedings against Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.

More than 170 global leaders and Nobel laureates, including former US President Barack Obama and former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, have penned an open letter urging Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to suspend legal proceedings against Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. Yunus, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his work, pioneering microcredit to aid impoverished individuals, has allegedly faced "continuous judicial harassment" at the hands of Hasina's administration. What the leaders said In the letter dated Tuesday (August 29th), the leaders said: "One of the threats to human rights that concerns us in the present context is the case of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Prof. Muhammad Yunus. We are alarmed that he has recently been targeted by what we believe to be continuous judicial harassment." Also read | From $2800 to $4000: President of cash-strapped Pakistan demands massive hike in monthly salary They asserted their confidence that "any thorough review of the anti-corruption and labour law cases against him will result in his acquittal". Global figures have also called for the upcoming elections in Bangladesh — expected in early January — to be credible. The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party had earlier expressed concerns about potential election rigging and demanded that Hasina step down to allow a caretaker government to oversee the voting, a demand Hasina has rejected. Bangladesh's government responds Responding to the open letter, Bangladesh Prime Minister Hasina said that she would welcome international experts and lawyers to assess the legal proceedings and examine documents related to the charges against Yunus. She suggested that this would reveal additional information related to the case. "If they send the experts and lawyers, many more things will get revealed, which remain untouched. Many such things will come out." Charges against the Nobel laureate Yunus founded Grameen Bank in 1983, an institution that provides small loans to entrepreneurs who typically do not qualify for traditional bank loans. The bank's success in alleviating poverty as per news agency AP served as a model for micro-financing initiatives globally. Also read | Bangladesh to settle hundreds of millions in power bills ahead of national elections However, in 2008, after coming to power, Hasina's administration launched investigations into Yunus' activities. As per AP, Hasina "became enraged" when in 2007, during a period of military-backed rule, Yunus announced plans to form a political party. Hasina, who was in prison at the time, referred to Yunus as a "bloodsucker" and accused him of using force to recover loans. Yunus faced multiple charges, including allegedly receiving money without government permission, violation of labour laws, and embezzlement of funds from Grameen Telecom, a company he created. Defence lawyers as per AP have described some of the cases as harassment and vowed to contest the allegations. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Obama & other global leaders rally for Muhammad Yunus, pen open letter to Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina

<p>With former US president Donald Trump still having high approval ratings and current President Joe Biden not so much, there is an apparent stir within the Democratic Party ranks about prospects of its hold on the power post-US Presidential Election 2024. RadarOnline[dot]com has reported that secret back-channel talks have started within the Democratic Party to convince former first lady Michelle Obama to run for president.</p>

<p>The news report has said that numbers suggest Michelle Obama would have greater approval ratings (48 per cent) than Biden (36 per cent) if she declared right now that she would be running for president.</p>

<p>“If Michelle announced, the election would go immediately from a hotly contested footrace to a landslide,” a Democrat source reportedly said.</p>

<p>Trump is currently facing a slew of legal troubles. From hush money to a porn star to charges of attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 US elections, he has been forced to make appearances in a number of courts across the US, becoming the first sitting or former US president to suffer this fate. Many of the hearings in these cases are likely to take place&nbsp;just when the race to win the Republican Party nomination to contest the 2024 election heats up in the coming months.</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Historic US vs. Donald Trump trial to begin on March 4, 2024</strong></p>

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<p>However, it has been seen that Trump's legal troubles have not affected his popularity among Republican voters and he still leads the pack of Republican hopefuls in approval ratings. There is reportedly a feeling among Republican voters that Trump remains the best shot to beat Biden in 2024 elections.</p>

<p>RadarOnline[dot]com had&nbsp;previously reported that former US president Barack Obama, husband of Michelle Obama, has been secretly rallying congressional support for a candidate other than Joe Biden. This, in spite of Obama's&nbsp;public support for Biden for a second term.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-makes-strange-vow-to-lock-up-political-foes-after-comeback-to-white-house-630685">Trump makes strange vow to 'lock up political foes' after comeback to White House</a></strong></p>

<p>Obama reportedly held a low-key meeting with bigwigs in the Democratic Party at his Washington DC office recently.</p>

<p>“Barack recognizes the gravity of the situation with Joe’s disappointing poll numbers,” said a source as quoted by RadarOnline</p>

<p>“He had hoped that the president would have rallied and come into his own at this point, but that clearly hasn’t happened."</p>

<p>“With 2024 growing closer and closer, he had to act since he apparently fears Joe is getting too old and frail to win.”</p>

<p>“While Barack has already endorsed Biden, he’s reneged in private and will publicly throw Joe overboard in a heartbeat if he thinks that the election is on the line,” said another source as quoted by RadarOnline.</p>

<p>Joe Biden, even&nbsp;though he defeated Trump in the 2020 US Presidential Election, is viewed by many to be a bit&nbsp;old to harbour hopes of getting elected again. The gaffe-prone leader has been seen physically falling on a number of occasions and has had occasional trouble remembering the names of important global leaders. There is also a reported rumour about him suffering from dementia.</p>

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With former US president Donald Trump still having high approval ratings and current President Joe Biden not so much, there is an apparent stir within the Democratic Party ranks about prospects of its hold on the power post-US Presidential Election 2024.

With former US president Donald Trump still having high approval ratings and current President Joe Biden not so much, there is an apparent stir within the Democratic Party ranks about prospects of its hold on the power post-US Presidential Election 2024. RadarOnline[dot]com has reported that secret back-channel talks have started within the Democratic Party to convince former first lady Michelle Obama to run for president. The news report has said that numbers suggest Michelle Obama would have greater approval ratings (48 per cent) than Biden (36 per cent) if she declared right now that she would be running for president. “If Michelle announced, the election would go immediately from a hotly contested footrace to a landslide,” a Democrat source reportedly said. Trump is currently facing a slew of legal troubles. From hush money to a porn star to charges of attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 US elections, he has been forced to make appearances in a number of courts across the US, becoming the first sitting or former US president to suffer this fate. Many of the hearings in these cases are likely to take place just when the race to win the Republican Party nomination to contest the 2024 election heats up in the coming months. Watch | Historic US vs. Donald Trump trial to begin on March 4, 2024 × However, it has been seen that Trump's legal troubles have not affected his popularity among Republican voters and he still leads the pack of Republican hopefuls in approval ratings. There is reportedly a feeling among Republican voters that Trump remains the best shot to beat Biden in 2024 elections. RadarOnline[dot]com had previously reported that former US president Barack Obama, husband of Michelle Obama, has been secretly rallying congressional support for a candidate other than Joe Biden. This, in spite of Obama's public support for Biden for a second term. Also Read | Trump makes strange vow to 'lock up political foes' after comeback to White House Obama reportedly held a low-key meeting with bigwigs in the Democratic Party at his Washington DC office recently. “Barack recognizes the gravity of the situation with Joe’s disappointing poll numbers,” said a source as quoted by RadarOnline “He had hoped that the president would have rallied and come into his own at this point, but that clearly hasn’t happened." “With 2024 growing closer and closer, he had to act since he apparently fears Joe is getting too old and frail to win.” “While Barack has already endorsed Biden, he’s reneged in private and will publicly throw Joe overboard in a heartbeat if he thinks that the election is on the line,” said another source as quoted by RadarOnline. Joe Biden, even though he defeated Trump in the 2020 US Presidential Election, is viewed by many to be a bit old to harbour hopes of getting elected again. The gaffe-prone leader has been seen physically falling on a number of occasions and has had occasional trouble remembering the names of important global leaders. There is also a reported rumour about him suffering from dementia. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

'Desperate' Democrats are urging Michelle Obama to run for president: Report

<p>A recently disclosed letter from 1982 has shed light on the intimate thoughts of former US President Barack Obama regarding his sexuality.</p>

<p>Penned during his time at Occidental College in Los Angeles, the letter addressed homosexuality and unveiled his innermost fantasies involving same-sex encounters.</p>

<p>While the letter exposes a facet of his personal reflections, it also emphasises his acceptance of his male identity and a broader contemplation of gender, reported the Hindustan Times.</p>

<p>The uncovered letter, penned when Obama was 21, delves into his vivid same-sex fantasies as a form of mental detachment from reality.</p>

<p>These musings served as an escape from mundane life's repetitive dramas, though he stressed that they remained purely products of his imagination.</p>

<p>Beyond his fantasies, Obama also expressed a desire for an androgynous perspective, advocating for a holistic perception of individuals instead of gender-based categorisation.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Michelle Obama to Run For President In 2024? Report Says Joe Biden May Bow Out</strong></p>

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<h2><strong>Historian's revelations and hidden contents</strong></h2>

<p>Renowned historian David Garrow unearthed previously concealed portions of the letter, which were omitted by its recipient, Alex McNear.</p>

<p>This discovery provides a nuanced glimpse into Obama's younger thoughts and aspirations. The letter resides at Emory University, its contents inaccessible for photography or removal.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-joe-biden-hits-back-at-reporter-calls-question-related-to-hunter-lousy-624331">Joe Biden hits back at reporter, calls question related to son Hunter 'lousy'</a></p>

<h2><strong>Evolution of identity and political stance</strong></h2>

<p>Today, Barack Obama is a devoted husband to Michelle and father of two. His personal journey includes a transformation in his views on homosexuality and same-sex marriage.</p>

<p>Initially opposing same-sex marriage, his stance evolved during his presidential tenure, culminating in his support for its federal legalisation in 2015.</p>

<p>David Garrow's extensive interview delved further into Obama's character and motivations, paralleling his insecurities with those of President Trump.</p>

<p>Garrow noted that the disclosure of youthful sexual fantasies is not uncommon and emphasised that many individuals experience such contemplations. The biographer also expounded on Obama's multifaceted character, including his introspection on race and his policy commitments.</p>

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A recently disclosed letter from 1982 has shed light on the intimate thoughts of former US President Barack Obama regarding his sexuality. Penned during his time at Occidental College in Los Angeles, the letter addressed homosexuality and unveiled his innermost fantasies involving same-sex encounters.

A recently disclosed letter from 1982 has shed light on the intimate thoughts of former US President Barack Obama regarding his sexuality. Penned during his time at Occidental College in Los Angeles, the letter addressed homosexuality and unveiled his innermost fantasies involving same-sex encounters. While the letter exposes a facet of his personal reflections, it also emphasises his acceptance of his male identity and a broader contemplation of gender, reported the Hindustan Times. The uncovered letter, penned when Obama was 21, delves into his vivid same-sex fantasies as a form of mental detachment from reality. These musings served as an escape from mundane life's repetitive dramas, though he stressed that they remained purely products of his imagination. Beyond his fantasies, Obama also expressed a desire for an androgynous perspective, advocating for a holistic perception of individuals instead of gender-based categorisation. Also watch | Gravitas: Michelle Obama to Run For President In 2024? Report Says Joe Biden May Bow Out Historian's revelations and hidden contents Renowned historian David Garrow unearthed previously concealed portions of the letter, which were omitted by its recipient, Alex McNear. This discovery provides a nuanced glimpse into Obama's younger thoughts and aspirations. The letter resides at Emory University, its contents inaccessible for photography or removal. Also read | Joe Biden hits back at reporter, calls question related to son Hunter 'lousy' Evolution of identity and political stance Today, Barack Obama is a devoted husband to Michelle and father of two. His personal journey includes a transformation in his views on homosexuality and same-sex marriage. Initially opposing same-sex marriage, his stance evolved during his presidential tenure, culminating in his support for its federal legalisation in 2015. David Garrow's extensive interview delved further into Obama's character and motivations, paralleling his insecurities with those of President Trump. Garrow noted that the disclosure of youthful sexual fantasies is not uncommon and emphasised that many individuals experience such contemplations. The biographer also expounded on Obama's multifaceted character, including his introspection on race and his policy commitments. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

1982 letter reveals Barack Obama's candid reflections on gay fantasies to ex-girlfriend

<p>Former US President &nbsp;Barack Obama has cautioned his Democrat ally and current President Joe Biden about Republican Party's Donald Trump's 'intensely loyal following'. Obama reportedly underlined that Trump could emerge as a more formidable candidate than currently believed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to a report in The Washington Post, at a private lunch held at Biden's presidential residence inside the White House, Obama promised to throw his weight behind Biden to get him re-elected.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-indictments-arraignments-disqualification-risk-can-trump-still-run-for-2024-us-presidency-621873">Explained: Indictments, arraignments, disqualification risk. Can Trump still run for 2024 US presidency?</a></strong></p>

<p>Obama reportedly made it clear that Trump has an iron grip on the Republican Party, as reflected by a faltering campaign by Republican candidates such as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What does it mean?</strong></h2>

<p>Barack Obama is considered the top star of the Democratic Party.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Musings in the US conservative media suggest that there is a conscious attempt to cultivate the former first lady Michelle Obama as a potential presidential candidate in later years.&nbsp;Until then, the Obamas, reportedly, plan to&nbsp;stand firmly behind Joe Biden to keep Democrats in power till 2028.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>But didn't Obama favour Hillary Clinton against Joe Biden previously?</strong></h2>

<p>Yes. Many Democrats find Obama responsible for pushing former US state secretary Hillary Clinton's name and not Joe Biden's in the 2016 US presidential polls.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the recent past, a sense of lingering frustration has been reported among some in Biden’s circle about Obama’s role ahead of the 2016 election, especially in the face of a belligerent Donald Trump whose rise they say became possible because of Hillary Clinton's eventual inability to counter him in 2016.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;US: Poll shows Biden and Trump in a neck-to-neck contest for Presidency</strong></p>

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<p>But now, Biden aides have reportedly welcomed Obama’s early commitment to help his re-election campaign.</p>

<h2><strong>What all has Obama promised to get Biden re-elected?</strong></h2>

<p>Obama will reportedly begin fundraising for Biden in the fall, a person familiar with the plans was quoted as saying by Washington Post.</p>

<p>"President Biden is grateful for his unwavering support, and looks forward to once again campaigning side-by-side with President Obama to win in 2024 and finish the job for the American people," TJ Ducklo, a spokesman for the Biden campaign, was quoted as saying by Washington Post.</p>

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Former US President Barack Obama has cautioned his Democrat ally and current President Joe Biden about Republican Party's Donald Trump's 'intensely loyal following'.

Former US President Barack Obama has cautioned his Democrat ally and current President Joe Biden about Republican Party's Donald Trump's 'intensely loyal following'. Obama reportedly underlined that Trump could emerge as a more formidable candidate than currently believed. According to a report in The Washington Post, at a private lunch held at Biden's presidential residence inside the White House, Obama promised to throw his weight behind Biden to get him re-elected. Also read | Explained: Indictments, arraignments, disqualification risk. Can Trump still run for 2024 US presidency? Obama reportedly made it clear that Trump has an iron grip on the Republican Party, as reflected by a faltering campaign by Republican candidates such as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. What does it mean? Barack Obama is considered the top star of the Democratic Party. Musings in the US conservative media suggest that there is a conscious attempt to cultivate the former first lady Michelle Obama as a potential presidential candidate in later years. Until then, the Obamas, reportedly, plan to stand firmly behind Joe Biden to keep Democrats in power till 2028. But didn't Obama favour Hillary Clinton against Joe Biden previously? Yes. Many Democrats find Obama responsible for pushing former US state secretary Hillary Clinton's name and not Joe Biden's in the 2016 US presidential polls. In the recent past, a sense of lingering frustration has been reported among some in Biden’s circle about Obama’s role ahead of the 2016 election, especially in the face of a belligerent Donald Trump whose rise they say became possible because of Hillary Clinton's eventual inability to counter him in 2016. Also watch | US: Poll shows Biden and Trump in a neck-to-neck contest for Presidency × But now, Biden aides have reportedly welcomed Obama’s early commitment to help his re-election campaign. What all has Obama promised to get Biden re-elected? Obama will reportedly begin fundraising for Biden in the fall, a person familiar with the plans was quoted as saying by Washington Post. "President Biden is grateful for his unwavering support, and looks forward to once again campaigning side-by-side with President Obama to win in 2024 and finish the job for the American people," TJ Ducklo, a spokesman for the Biden campaign, was quoted as saying by Washington Post. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Obama cautions Biden of 'formidable' Trump challenge as he commits to back his reelection campaign

<p>Massachusetts State Police informed earlier this week that a former White House chef was found dead after going missing while paddle boarding near the summer home of former United States president Barack Obama.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But the latest reports, first published by DailyMail.com, mentioned that details surrounding the 911 distress call have emerged and the call remains mysteriously omitted from official logs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Reports have mentioned that authorities received a call that Campbell had fallen into the water and was unable to resurface at 7:46pm (local time). &nbsp;</p>

<p>While the call was added to the logs of the Edgartown Police Department, the critical information detailing the purpose of the call was left blank. Surprisingly, all other calls on that eventful night were properly documented.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Tafari Campbell, who was the Obama family's personal chef, was discovered dead in a big lake on the island of Martha's Vineyard by divers. Campbell, 45, was paddle boarding when he disappeared under the waves.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Obama purchased a multi-million dollar waterfront property on the northeast US island after leaving the White House. It's the same place where he often used to go on vacation with his family before and throughout his presidency.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Massachusetts State Police said in a statement that they responded to "a call for a male paddle boarder who had gone into the water, appeared to briefly struggle to stay on the surface, and then submerged and did not resurface".&nbsp;</p>

<p>The body was found the next morning and identified later in the day after a search into the night.&nbsp;</p>

<p>US media reported that Campbell had worked as a sous chef in the White House before joining the Obamas as a personal cook.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Police said earlier this week on Monday that the former president and his wife Michelle Obama were not at home at the time of the accident.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Obama family did not respond immediately, but a statement carried by several US media outlets mentioned that the Obamas called Campbell "a beloved part of our family" and said that their "hearts are broken that he's gone."&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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Massachusetts State Police informed earlier this week that a former White House chef was found dead after going missing while paddle boarding near the summer home of former United States president Barack Obama.

Massachusetts State Police informed earlier this week that a former White House chef was found dead after going missing while paddle boarding near the summer home of former United States president Barack Obama. But the latest reports, first published by DailyMail.com, mentioned that details surrounding the 911 distress call have emerged and the call remains mysteriously omitted from official logs. Reports have mentioned that authorities received a call that Campbell had fallen into the water and was unable to resurface at 7:46pm (local time). While the call was added to the logs of the Edgartown Police Department, the critical information detailing the purpose of the call was left blank. Surprisingly, all other calls on that eventful night were properly documented. Tafari Campbell, who was the Obama family's personal chef, was discovered dead in a big lake on the island of Martha's Vineyard by divers. Campbell, 45, was paddle boarding when he disappeared under the waves. Obama purchased a multi-million dollar waterfront property on the northeast US island after leaving the White House. It's the same place where he often used to go on vacation with his family before and throughout his presidency. The Massachusetts State Police said in a statement that they responded to "a call for a male paddle boarder who had gone into the water, appeared to briefly struggle to stay on the surface, and then submerged and did not resurface". The body was found the next morning and identified later in the day after a search into the night. US media reported that Campbell had worked as a sous chef in the White House before joining the Obamas as a personal cook. Police said earlier this week on Monday that the former president and his wife Michelle Obama were not at home at the time of the accident. The Obama family did not respond immediately, but a statement carried by several US media outlets mentioned that the Obamas called Campbell "a beloved part of our family" and said that their "hearts are broken that he's gone." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Obama personal chef death: Police reportedly left call log of Campbell's drowning blank

<p>An Indian-American attorney is being hailed as a “national hero” and “true patriot” in the US after he successfully argued a case before the US Supreme Court against a legal theory being promoted by conservatives, especially those who support former US President Donald Trump. The US-born attorney, named Neal Katyal, was representing the watchdog group ‘Common Cause’ and won the judgement 6-3, with support from three liberal and three conservative judges.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Such was the significance of the case that one legal expert labelled it as the most important constitutional case in US history, while it helped the attorney earn rare praise from former Democratic president Barack Obama himself.</p>

<h2><strong>What was the legal case?</strong></h2>

<p>The case, Moore v. Harper, was about overhauling the US election system altogether while giving state legislature primacy over courts to set election rules.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Had conservatives won the case, state legislatures would have become immune to interventions by courts on state election rules. However, the theory was rebuffed by six Supreme Court judges, maintaining that the power of state legislature was restrained by federal and state courts.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Donald Trump says, 'US rigged, corrupt &amp; in decline'</strong></p>

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<p>America’s top legal and constitutional experts heaved a sigh of relief as the judgement came, with Obama himself tweeting on the issue. “Today, the Supreme Court rejected the fringe independent state legislature theory that threatened to upend our democracy and dismantle our system of checks and balances. This ruling rejects the far-right theory that threatened to undermine our democracy, and makes clear that courts can continue defending voters' rights—in North Carolina and in every state," Obama wrote in his tweet.</p>

<h2><strong>‘Single most important constitutional case for American democracy’</strong></h2>

<p>The case was hailed as the “Single most important constitutional case for American democracy” by Judge Luttig, a distinguished jurist who was also associated with the fight. He also lauded Katyal for being “masterful” while arguing the case before the court. He said Katyal made "the single best oral argument I have ever heard made before the Supreme Court of the United States.”</p>

<h2><strong>Who is Neal Katyal?</strong></h2>

<p>Neal Katyal is the son of Indian immigrants, and his mother is a paediatrician while his father is an engineer. He attended Dartmouth College and pursued his law degree at Yale, where he had the opportunity to learn from Akhil Amar, a renowned Indian-origin constitutional scholar in the United States.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-lies-about-election-abortion-rape-case-at-cnn-town-hall-a-fact-check-591172"><strong>Also read:&nbsp;Trump lies about election, abortion, sexual abuse case at CNN town hall: A fact-check</strong></a></p>

<p>Presently, Katyal holds a position as a partner at the prestigious law firm Hogan Lovells. Additionally, he serves as a professor of National Security Law at Georgetown University Law Center, where he holds the distinction of being one of the youngest professors to have achieved tenure and a chaired professorship in the university's history.</p>

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An Indian-American attorney is being hailed as a “national hero” and “true patriot” in the US after he successfully argued a case before the US Supreme Court against a legal theory being promoted by conservatives, especially those who support former US President Donald Trump.

An Indian-American attorney is being hailed as a “national hero” and “true patriot” in the US after he successfully argued a case before the US Supreme Court against a legal theory being promoted by conservatives, especially those who support former US President Donald Trump. The US-born attorney, named Neal Katyal, was representing the watchdog group ‘Common Cause’ and won the judgement 6-3, with support from three liberal and three conservative judges. Such was the significance of the case that one legal expert labelled it as the most important constitutional case in US history, while it helped the attorney earn rare praise from former Democratic president Barack Obama himself. What was the legal case? The case, Moore v. Harper, was about overhauling the US election system altogether while giving state legislature primacy over courts to set election rules. Had conservatives won the case, state legislatures would have become immune to interventions by courts on state election rules. However, the theory was rebuffed by six Supreme Court judges, maintaining that the power of state legislature was restrained by federal and state courts. Watch: Donald Trump says, 'US rigged, corrupt & in decline' × America’s top legal and constitutional experts heaved a sigh of relief as the judgement came, with Obama himself tweeting on the issue. “Today, the Supreme Court rejected the fringe independent state legislature theory that threatened to upend our democracy and dismantle our system of checks and balances. This ruling rejects the far-right theory that threatened to undermine our democracy, and makes clear that courts can continue defending voters' rights—in North Carolina and in every state," Obama wrote in his tweet. ‘Single most important constitutional case for American democracy’ The case was hailed as the “Single most important constitutional case for American democracy” by Judge Luttig, a distinguished jurist who was also associated with the fight. He also lauded Katyal for being “masterful” while arguing the case before the court. He said Katyal made "the single best oral argument I have ever heard made before the Supreme Court of the United States.” Who is Neal Katyal? Neal Katyal is the son of Indian immigrants, and his mother is a paediatrician while his father is an engineer. He attended Dartmouth College and pursued his law degree at Yale, where he had the opportunity to learn from Akhil Amar, a renowned Indian-origin constitutional scholar in the United States. Also read: Trump lies about election, abortion, sexual abuse case at CNN town hall: A fact-check Presently, Katyal holds a position as a partner at the prestigious law firm Hogan Lovells. Additionally, he serves as a professor of National Security Law at Georgetown University Law Center, where he holds the distinction of being one of the youngest professors to have achieved tenure and a chaired professorship in the university's history. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Why Americans, including Obama, are in awe of Indian-American attorney Neal Katyal

<p>A senior White House official has reportedly said that the Biden administration had no role in former president Barack Obama’s remarks about the state of Muslims in India, which were made during Prime Ministered Narendra Modi’s recently concluded trip to the United States.</p>

<p>The official, who has not been named, told the New Delhi-based Hindustan Times newspaper that Obama made these comments in his private capacity as a citizen and had no coordination from the White House.</p>

<p>The official, however, added that President Joe Biden raised “every kind of issue” with Modi, as the Indian PM did with the US president "in a dignified and respectful way."</p>

<p>Speaking about the online vitriol a Wall Street Journal reporter had to face as a consequence of asking Modi&nbsp;questions about human rights, the official said that the US government believed in a free and open press, and didn’t support any kind of online harassment.</p>

<p>He pointed out that the vast majority of the commentary around the visit was positive and that’s what officials would like to focus on.</p>

<h2><strong>Controversy over Barack Obama's remarks on Indian Muslims</strong></h2>

<p>A rather successful US trip by Modi was marred by an interview Obama gave to CNN during which he mentioned Modi and talked about the protection of the rights of ethnic minorities in India.</p>

<p>&nbsp;Obama said the issue of the “protection of the Muslim minority in a majority-Hindu India” would be worth raising in Modi’s meeting with Biden.</p>

<p>These “large internal conflicts”, Obama had said, would be contrary to the interests of both “Muslim India” and “Hindu India”, he said.</p>

<p>The former president said that without such protection there was “a strong possibility that India at some point starts pulling apart”.</p>

<p>The remarks were severely condemned in India, with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh leading the charge.</p>

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<h2>&nbsp;</h2>

<h2><strong>Backlash in India</strong> against Obama's remarks</h2>

<p>Sitharaman said she was shocked Obama had made such remarks when Modi was visiting the US aiming to deepen relations.</p>

<p>“He was commenting on Indian Muslims … having bombed Muslim-majority countries from Syria to Yemen … during his presidency,” Sitharaman told a press conference. “Why would anyone listen to any allegations from such people?”</p>

<p>The chief minister of northeastern Assam state, Himanta Biswa Sarma, tweeted that there were many “Hussain Obama in India itself”, and Assam Police would act according to its own priorities.</p>

<p>At the press conference with Biden, Modi denied any discrimination against minorities under his government.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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A senior White House official has reportedly said that the Biden administration had no role in former president Barack Obama’s remarks about the state of Muslims in India, which were made during Prime Ministered Narendra Modi’s recently concluded trip to the United States.

A senior White House official has reportedly said that the Biden administration had no role in former president Barack Obama’s remarks about the state of Muslims in India, which were made during Prime Ministered Narendra Modi’s recently concluded trip to the United States. The official, who has not been named, told the New Delhi-based Hindustan Times newspaper that Obama made these comments in his private capacity as a citizen and had no coordination from the White House. The official, however, added that President Joe Biden raised “every kind of issue” with Modi, as the Indian PM did with the US president "in a dignified and respectful way." Speaking about the online vitriol a Wall Street Journal reporter had to face as a consequence of asking Modi questions about human rights, the official said that the US government believed in a free and open press, and didn’t support any kind of online harassment. He pointed out that the vast majority of the commentary around the visit was positive and that’s what officials would like to focus on. Controversy over Barack Obama's remarks on Indian Muslims A rather successful US trip by Modi was marred by an interview Obama gave to CNN during which he mentioned Modi and talked about the protection of the rights of ethnic minorities in India. Obama said the issue of the “protection of the Muslim minority in a majority-Hindu India” would be worth raising in Modi’s meeting with Biden. These “large internal conflicts”, Obama had said, would be contrary to the interests of both “Muslim India” and “Hindu India”, he said. The former president said that without such protection there was “a strong possibility that India at some point starts pulling apart”. The remarks were severely condemned in India, with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh leading the charge. Backlash in India against Obama's remarks Sitharaman said she was shocked Obama had made such remarks when Modi was visiting the US aiming to deepen relations. “He was commenting on Indian Muslims … having bombed Muslim-majority countries from Syria to Yemen … during his presidency,” Sitharaman told a press conference. “Why would anyone listen to any allegations from such people?” The chief minister of northeastern Assam state, Himanta Biswa Sarma, tweeted that there were many “Hussain Obama in India itself”, and Assam Police would act according to its own priorities. At the press conference with Biden, Modi denied any discrimination against minorities under his government. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Barack Obama’s remarks on India, PM Modi not coordinated with White House: US official

<p>All current and former living US presidents have had at least one ancestor who used to own slaves, with the sole exception of Donald Trump, an investigation by Reuters has found.</p>

<p>On Tuesday, Reuters released the genealogies of “America’s political elite” data where it found that President Joe Biden and all of his predecessors still alive have descended from ancestors who enslaved Black people.</p>

<p>Even Barack Obama — the country's first Black president — is the descendant of a slaveowner from his white mother's side of the family.</p>

<p>According to Reuters, the slaveholding ancestors of living US presidents are:</p>

<ul>
	<li>George Bush — One director ancestor, six generations removed, owned 25 slaves</li>
	<li>Bill Clinton — One director ancestor, five generations removed, owned one slaves</li>
	<li>Jimmy Carter — One director ancestor, four generations removed, owned 54 slaves</li>
	<li>Barack Obama — One director ancestor, six generations removed, owned two slaves</li>
	<li>Joe Biden — One direct ancestor, five generations removed, owned one slave</li>
</ul>

<h2>&nbsp;</h2>

<h2><strong>List also includes judges, senators</strong></h2>

<p>Apart from that, it was further discovered that two Supreme Court justices, 11 governors, and 100 members of Congress are also the direct descendants of slaveholders.</p>

<p>Sitting members of Congress who can link their heritage to slavers include at least 28 per cent of Republicans and 8 per cent of Democrats.</p>

<p>They include Republicans like Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. Lindsey Graham and Democrats like Senators Elizabeth Warren and Tammy Duckworth.</p>

<h2><strong>Donald Trump: Leaked audio 'actually an exoneration'</strong></h2>

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<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-strikes-on-ukraine-restaurant-kills-at-least-injures-22-people-609413">Russian strikes on Ukraine restaurant kills at least 4, injures 42 people</a></p>

<p>“The preponderance of Republicans reflects the party’s strength in the South, where slavery was concentrated. Although white people enslaved Black people in northern states in early America, by the eve of the Civil War, slavery was almost entirely a southern enterprise,” the Reuters report stated.</p>

<h2><strong>Trump, the sole exception </strong></h2>

<p>While all American presidents have deep ancestral roots in US, Trump's ancestors immigrated to the United States only after slavery was abolished in 1865, the Reuters report said.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-spots-2-russian-warships-off-its-eastern-coast-609430">Taiwan spots 2 Russian warships off its eastern coast</a></p>

<p>Notably, none of Trump’s grandparents were born in the US. His paternal grandparents were born in Kallstadt, a small town in southwestern Germany, and emigrated to the US in the early 1900s. His mother Mary was born in Scotland, reports Business Insider.</p>

<p>Reuters said it collated tens of thousands of pieces of information contained in thousands of pages of documents to trace the lineages of the political elite.</p>

<p>They claimed that they only considered evidence of slaveholding that occurred after the founding of the US Journalists, who researched direct lineal descendants of the present-day elite rather than focusing on family trees that included distant cousins.</p>

<p>(With inputs from agencies)</p>

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All current and former living US presidents have had at least one ancestor who used to own slaves, with the sole exception of Donald Trump, an investigation by Reuters has found.

All current and former living US presidents have had at least one ancestor who used to own slaves, with the sole exception of Donald Trump, an investigation by Reuters has found. On Tuesday, Reuters released the genealogies of “America’s political elite” data where it found that President Joe Biden and all of his predecessors still alive have descended from ancestors who enslaved Black people. Even Barack Obama — the country's first Black president — is the descendant of a slaveowner from his white mother's side of the family. According to Reuters, the slaveholding ancestors of living US presidents are: George Bush — One director ancestor, six generations removed, owned 25 slaves Bill Clinton — One director ancestor, five generations removed, owned one slaves Jimmy Carter — One director ancestor, four generations removed, owned 54 slaves Barack Obama — One director ancestor, six generations removed, owned two slaves Joe Biden — One direct ancestor, five generations removed, owned one slave List also includes judges, senators Apart from that, it was further discovered that two Supreme Court justices, 11 governors, and 100 members of Congress are also the direct descendants of slaveholders. Sitting members of Congress who can link their heritage to slavers include at least 28 per cent of Republicans and 8 per cent of Democrats. They include Republicans like Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. Lindsey Graham and Democrats like Senators Elizabeth Warren and Tammy Duckworth. Donald Trump: Leaked audio 'actually an exoneration' Also read | Russian strikes on Ukraine restaurant kills at least 4, injures 42 people “The preponderance of Republicans reflects the party’s strength in the South, where slavery was concentrated. Although white people enslaved Black people in northern states in early America, by the eve of the Civil War, slavery was almost entirely a southern enterprise,” the Reuters report stated. Trump, the sole exception While all American presidents have deep ancestral roots in US, Trump's ancestors immigrated to the United States only after slavery was abolished in 1865, the Reuters report said. Also read | Taiwan spots 2 Russian warships off its eastern coast Notably, none of Trump’s grandparents were born in the US. His paternal grandparents were born in Kallstadt, a small town in southwestern Germany, and emigrated to the US in the early 1900s. His mother Mary was born in Scotland, reports Business Insider. Reuters said it collated tens of thousands of pieces of information contained in thousands of pages of documents to trace the lineages of the political elite. They claimed that they only considered evidence of slaveholding that occurred after the founding of the US Journalists, who researched direct lineal descendants of the present-day elite rather than focusing on family trees that included distant cousins. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Every living US president, including Obama, is descendant of slave owners, except Donald Trump: Report

India's Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has hit out at former US President Barack Obama for his remarks on the protection of ethnic minorities in India. Sitharaman says that Obama himself bombed 7 Muslim majority nations.

Indian FM Nirmala Sitharaman hits back at Barack Obama

Here we bring you a quick round-up of all the latest news and top headlines from all across the globe: Indian Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday responded strongly over former US President Barack Obama's remarks about the rights of Indian Muslims.

Nirmala Sitharaman hits back at Obama for remarks on Indian Muslims | WION Speed News

<p>Barack Obama, the former president of the United States issued concerns about India as he said on Thursday (June 22) that New Delhi risks "pulling apart" if the Muslim minority is not respected. He also called for the matter to be raised with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently on a US visit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Obama said that if he had the chance, he would speak to PM Modi about all the concerns over the protection of the rights of ethnic minorities in India. He admitted that he has worked with PM Modi on climate change and other areas, however, also said that the issues of democracy also need to be discussed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On one side, the White House rolled out the red carpet for PM Modi and US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden welcomed him with pomp and show, on the other hand, Obama spoke about minority issues while speaking in a CNN interview.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The former president said that addressing human rights with allies was always "complicated" on a visit to Greece where he is holding a weeklong session for emerging global leaders.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/india-us-ties-pm-modi-and-biden-hail-most-defining-relationships-of-21st-century-607492">India-US ties: PM Modi and Biden hail 'most defining relationship of 21st century'</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>In an interview with CNN International anchor Christiane Amanpour, Obama said, "I think it is true that if the president meets with Prime Minister Modi, then the protection of the Muslim minority in a majority-Hindu India, that's something worth mentioning."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"If I had a conversation with Prime Minister Modi, who I know well, part of my argument would be that if you do not protect the rights of ethnic minorities in India, that there is a strong possibility at some point that India starts pulling apart," Obama said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We've seen what happens when you start getting those kinds of large internal conflicts. So that would be contrary to the interests not just of Muslim India but also of Hindu India," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/ge-aerospace-signs-mou-with-hal-for-production-of-fighter-jet-engines-for-iaf-607330">'Historic agreement': GE Aerospace signs MoU with HAL for production of fighter jet engines for IAF</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;The future of India, US defence ties</strong></p>

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<h2><strong>PM Modi's US visit</strong></h2>

<p>PM Modi is currently on a State visit to the US, one Thursday he reached the White House and was greeted by around 7,000 Indian Americans when he arrived on the South Lawn, wearing a flowing white kurta with a sky-blue jacket.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The US delegation, led by Vice President Kamala Harris, was there. The Indian delegation was led by Indian foreign minister Dr S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval, FS Vinay Kwatra and Indian ambassador to the US Taranjit Sandhu.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While welcoming PM Modi, Biden said, "I have long believed that the relationship between the US and India will be one of the most defining relationships of the 21st century. The challenges and opportunities facing the world in this century require that India and the United States work and lead together."&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Barack Obama, the former president of the United States issued concerns about India as he said on Thursday (June 22) that New Delhi risks "pulling apart" if the Muslim minority is not respected.

Barack Obama, the former president of the United States issued concerns about India as he said on Thursday (June 22) that New Delhi risks "pulling apart" if the Muslim minority is not respected. He also called for the matter to be raised with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently on a US visit. Obama said that if he had the chance, he would speak to PM Modi about all the concerns over the protection of the rights of ethnic minorities in India. He admitted that he has worked with PM Modi on climate change and other areas, however, also said that the issues of democracy also need to be discussed. On one side, the White House rolled out the red carpet for PM Modi and US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden welcomed him with pomp and show, on the other hand, Obama spoke about minority issues while speaking in a CNN interview. The former president said that addressing human rights with allies was always "complicated" on a visit to Greece where he is holding a weeklong session for emerging global leaders. Also read: India-US ties: PM Modi and Biden hail 'most defining relationship of 21st century' In an interview with CNN International anchor Christiane Amanpour, Obama said, "I think it is true that if the president meets with Prime Minister Modi, then the protection of the Muslim minority in a majority-Hindu India, that's something worth mentioning." "If I had a conversation with Prime Minister Modi, who I know well, part of my argument would be that if you do not protect the rights of ethnic minorities in India, that there is a strong possibility at some point that India starts pulling apart," Obama said. "We've seen what happens when you start getting those kinds of large internal conflicts. So that would be contrary to the interests not just of Muslim India but also of Hindu India," he added. Also read: 'Historic agreement': GE Aerospace signs MoU with HAL for production of fighter jet engines for IAF Watch: The future of India, US defence ties × PM Modi's US visit PM Modi is currently on a State visit to the US, one Thursday he reached the White House and was greeted by around 7,000 Indian Americans when he arrived on the South Lawn, wearing a flowing white kurta with a sky-blue jacket. The US delegation, led by Vice President Kamala Harris, was there. The Indian delegation was led by Indian foreign minister Dr S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval, FS Vinay Kwatra and Indian ambassador to the US Taranjit Sandhu. While welcoming PM Modi, Biden said, "I have long believed that the relationship between the US and India will be one of the most defining relationships of the 21st century. The challenges and opportunities facing the world in this century require that India and the United States work and lead together." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Obama says India risks 'pulling apart' without minority rights as PM Modi visits US

<p>Former US president Barack Obama made quite a statement as he voiced his support for the Writers Guild of America and its members striking for their rights. Obama opened Netflix’s live stream event for his new docuseries titled <em>Working: What We Do All Day</em>, as he said, “Part of what this show <em>Working</em>&nbsp;is about is how certain things are constant about the work experience. People trying to find work that’s satisfying, people trying to pay the bills.”</p>

<p>Obama added, “Unfortunately one of the things that’s also been constant is the struggle for people to make sure their employers are treating them fairly and they’re getting a fair share of the pie. I think what we’ve seen throughout American history is that unions and worker organisations have had to make demands on their employers, those that are controlling whatever industry they’re in, to make sure they’re treated fairly and entertainment is no exception. My hope would be that in a time of big technological change, where you’ve got big mega corporations that are doing really well, they keep in mind the creative people who are actually making the product that consumers appreciate and that gets exported all around the world.”</p>

<p>Now in its fourth week, the Writers Guild of America’s strike has led to a lot of films and shows halting production.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Obama, in support of the strike, added, “I know there are many studios and streamers who feel a little bit embattled and there’s been a little bit too much of a glut of product and they’re looking at their bottom line and they’re experiencing shareholder pressure, etc. But the fact is, is that they wouldn’t be around if it weren’t for writers creating the stories that matter. My hope is that as somebody who’s really supportive of the Writer’s Guild and as someone who just believes in storytelling and the craft of it, I’m hoping that they will be compensated and the importance of what they do will be reflected in whatever settlement’s arrived at. I’m very supportive of the writers and the strike and I’m hopeful that they get a fair share of the fruits of their labor.”</p>

<h2><strong>Obama champions the cause of Writers Guild of America's members</strong></h2>

<p>This is not the first time when Obama made clear which faction he resonates with. In a lengthy Instagram post, Obama promoted the launch of <em>Working</em> and wrote, “This series is also about making sure we respect everyone’s line of work — because we all deserve to be valued and treated with respect. That includes the friends I made in this series and everyone else who is fighting for fair compensation and new protections that reflect changing workplaces — including the members of the WGA who are on strike right now.”</p>

<p>Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama executive produce <em>Working: What We Do All Day</em> for Netflix through their Higher Ground Productions banner, which is under a deal with Netflix.</p>

<p>The series was inspired by Studs Terkel’s 1974 book <em>Working,</em> which revolutionised the conversation around work by asking ordinary people what they did all day.</p>

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Former US president Barack Obama made quite a statement as he voiced his support for the Writers Guild of America and its members striking for their rights. Obama opened Netflix’s live stream event for his new docuseries titled Working: What We Do All Day, as he said, “Part of what this show Working is about is how certain things are constant about the work experience.

Former US president Barack Obama made quite a statement as he voiced his support for the Writers Guild of America and its members striking for their rights. Obama opened Netflix’s live stream event for his new docuseries titled Working: What We Do All Day, as he said, “Part of what this show Working is about is how certain things are constant about the work experience. People trying to find work that’s satisfying, people trying to pay the bills.” Obama added, “Unfortunately one of the things that’s also been constant is the struggle for people to make sure their employers are treating them fairly and they’re getting a fair share of the pie. I think what we’ve seen throughout American history is that unions and worker organisations have had to make demands on their employers, those that are controlling whatever industry they’re in, to make sure they’re treated fairly and entertainment is no exception. My hope would be that in a time of big technological change, where you’ve got big mega corporations that are doing really well, they keep in mind the creative people who are actually making the product that consumers appreciate and that gets exported all around the world.” Now in its fourth week, the Writers Guild of America’s strike has led to a lot of films and shows halting production. Obama, in support of the strike, added, “I know there are many studios and streamers who feel a little bit embattled and there’s been a little bit too much of a glut of product and they’re looking at their bottom line and they’re experiencing shareholder pressure, etc. But the fact is, is that they wouldn’t be around if it weren’t for writers creating the stories that matter. My hope is that as somebody who’s really supportive of the Writer’s Guild and as someone who just believes in storytelling and the craft of it, I’m hoping that they will be compensated and the importance of what they do will be reflected in whatever settlement’s arrived at. I’m very supportive of the writers and the strike and I’m hopeful that they get a fair share of the fruits of their labor.” Obama champions the cause of Writers Guild of America's members This is not the first time when Obama made clear which faction he resonates with. In a lengthy Instagram post, Obama promoted the launch of Working and wrote, “This series is also about making sure we respect everyone’s line of work — because we all deserve to be valued and treated with respect. That includes the friends I made in this series and everyone else who is fighting for fair compensation and new protections that reflect changing workplaces — including the members of the WGA who are on strike right now.” Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama executive produce Working: What We Do All Day for Netflix through their Higher Ground Productions banner, which is under a deal with Netflix. The series was inspired by Studs Terkel’s 1974 book Working, which revolutionised the conversation around work by asking ordinary people what they did all day. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Barack Obama shows support for writers' strike as he opens Netflix’s live stream event for his new docuseries

<p>Alireza Akbari, the British-Iranian dual national and former Iranian deputy defence minister was executed earlier this year by Tehran over accusations of espionage. Now, a detailed report by the New York Times confirms that Akbari was indeed a British spy and had been leaking Iranian nuclear secrets since 2004, managing to hide his activities for a 15-year long period.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Citing three Western intelligence and national security officials, the report claims that it was in 2008 that a senior British intelligence officer went to Tel Aviv and informed Israeli officials about the mole they had planted with access to Iran's nuclear secrets. The officer forwarded&nbsp;Akbari's investigation which stated that Iran had been enriching uranium at a secret underground site at Fordow, 20 miles northeast of Qom.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At the G20 summit in Pittsburgh&nbsp;the following year, the then US President Barack Obama made the revelations public, sending shockwaves across the world. The report by Akbari was the reason Tehran was made a pariah state with hefty economic sanctions imposed on it - the effects of which are still being felt by the West Asian country.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to reports,&nbsp;Akbari's inputs also played a prominent role in the assassination of Iran’s top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh who was killed in 2020 by Israeli special forces.</p>

<h2><strong>Russia helped Iran track&nbsp;the mole</strong></h2>

<p>The report claimed that Iran finally managed to get hold of Akbari after receiving assistance from Russian intelligence officials. However, the publication&nbsp;did not make it clear how Moscow managed to make the discovery.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"He [Akbari] appeared to get away with it until 2019, when Iran discovered with the assistance of Russian intelligence officials that he had revealed the existence of a clandestine Iranian nuclear weapons program deep in the mountains near Tehran, according to two Iranian sources with links to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards," read the report.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/iran-alireza-akbari-executed-on-charges-of-being-a-british-spy-uk-condemns-execution-552686"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Iran: Alireza Akbari executed on charges of being a British spy, UK condemns execution</strong></a></p>

<h2><strong>Akbari's execution</strong></h2>

<p>Iran’s judicial news agency, Mizan&nbsp;accused Akbari&nbsp;of being, “one of the most important agents of the British spy service who collected important information and provided this for the British spy service in a fully informed and targeted manner.”</p>

<p>Prior to his execution, Akbari reportedly denied any wrongdoing. He also allegedly said that he was tortured and forced to make false confessions after he was accused of obtaining top-secret intelligence for the British intelligence agency, MI6.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“With more than 3,500 hours of torture, psychedelic drugs, and physiological and psychological pressure methods, they took away my will,” said Akbari, as per a report by Reuters, citing the BBC Persian’s audio recording.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-who-is-alireza-akbari-the-british-iranian-executed-by-iran-for-spying-552893"><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;Explained: Who is Alireza Akbari the British-Iranian dual national executed by Iran for ‘spying’?</strong></a></p>

<p>The execution was harshly denounced by&nbsp;the UK and other Western nations.&nbsp;French President Emmanuel Macron called the British-Iranian dual national’s execution an “odious and barbaric act."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Alireza Akbari, the British-Iranian dual national and former Iranian deputy defence minister was executed earlier this year by Tehran over accusations of espionage.

Alireza Akbari, the British-Iranian dual national and former Iranian deputy defence minister was executed earlier this year by Tehran over accusations of espionage. Now, a detailed report by the New York Times confirms that Akbari was indeed a British spy and had been leaking Iranian nuclear secrets since 2004, managing to hide his activities for a 15-year long period. Citing three Western intelligence and national security officials, the report claims that it was in 2008 that a senior British intelligence officer went to Tel Aviv and informed Israeli officials about the mole they had planted with access to Iran's nuclear secrets. The officer forwarded Akbari's investigation which stated that Iran had been enriching uranium at a secret underground site at Fordow, 20 miles northeast of Qom. At the G20 summit in Pittsburgh the following year, the then US President Barack Obama made the revelations public, sending shockwaves across the world. The report by Akbari was the reason Tehran was made a pariah state with hefty economic sanctions imposed on it - the effects of which are still being felt by the West Asian country. According to reports, Akbari's inputs also played a prominent role in the assassination of Iran’s top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh who was killed in 2020 by Israeli special forces. Russia helped Iran track the mole The report claimed that Iran finally managed to get hold of Akbari after receiving assistance from Russian intelligence officials. However, the publication did not make it clear how Moscow managed to make the discovery. "He [Akbari] appeared to get away with it until 2019, when Iran discovered with the assistance of Russian intelligence officials that he had revealed the existence of a clandestine Iranian nuclear weapons program deep in the mountains near Tehran, according to two Iranian sources with links to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards," read the report. WATCH | Iran: Alireza Akbari executed on charges of being a British spy, UK condemns execution Akbari's execution Iran’s judicial news agency, Mizan accused Akbari of being, “one of the most important agents of the British spy service who collected important information and provided this for the British spy service in a fully informed and targeted manner.” Prior to his execution, Akbari reportedly denied any wrongdoing. He also allegedly said that he was tortured and forced to make false confessions after he was accused of obtaining top-secret intelligence for the British intelligence agency, MI6. “With more than 3,500 hours of torture, psychedelic drugs, and physiological and psychological pressure methods, they took away my will,” said Akbari, as per a report by Reuters, citing the BBC Persian’s audio recording. ALSO READ | Explained: Who is Alireza Akbari the British-Iranian dual national executed by Iran for ‘spying’? The execution was harshly denounced by the UK and other Western nations. French President Emmanuel Macron called the British-Iranian dual national’s execution an “odious and barbaric act." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Israel received intel about Iran's nuclear weapons through British spy Alireza Akbari: Report

<p>For much of the 20th century, often dubbed 'The American Century,' it was an article of faith for most Americans that their country is the world’s greatest. Slowly but steadily, this has changed. It is now a minority view.</p>

<p>The latest in a string of polls over the past few years shows that just one in five Americans think their country stands above all others in the world. The share of those who think other countries are better than the US&nbsp;rose from 19 per cent in 2016 to 27 per cent now.</p>

<p>The cultural change reflected by these figures comes from a survey conducted by the Wall Street Journal and the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago. NORC is one of the largest independent social research organisations in the US.</p>

<p>It found not only that the notion of American Exceptionalism is fading from the national consciousness but also a decline in a range of other values. A somewhat wistful headline over the Wall Street Journal report on the survey said: “America Pulls Back from Values That Once Defined It.”</p>

<p>They include, according to the survey, patriotism, religion and tolerance. Thirty-eight per cent of those polled said patriotism was very important to them, down from 70 per cent when the question was first asked in 1998. On religion, the trend was down sharply, too, from 62 to 39.</p>

<p>Tolerance for others, deemed very important by Americans in previous surveys, dropped from 80 per cent to 58 per cent – not surprising in a country as deeply polarised as the United States.</p>

<p>Bill McInturff, a pollster who worked on previous surveys, described the differences as dramatic. “It paints a new and surprising portrait of a changing America,” he told the Journal. “Perhaps the toll of our political division, Covid, and the lowest economic confidence in decades is having a startling effect on our core values.”</p>

<p>Only one of the core values the survey covered showed an upward swing: money. It was deemed very important by 31 per cent in 1998 and 43 per cent now. In this, and similar surveys over the past few years, young Americans (aged between 18&nbsp;and 29) scored lowest on the importance they gave to the concepts that combine to the idea of exceptionalism.</p>

<p>They also make up the largest group of those who say that the United States is one of the world’s greatest countries, along with others.</p>

<p>That&nbsp;sober&nbsp;view brings to mind a response then-President Barack Obama gave at a news conference in Brussels in 2009 when asked whether he believed in American exceptionalism. “I believe in American exceptionalism, just as the Brits believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks in Greek exceptionalism.”</p>

<p>The remark prompted rebukes from American conservatism, who interpreted it as undermining the standing of the United States in the world.</p>

<p>Oddly, the idea that the United States is exceptional is rooted in the writings of a Frenchman, political scientist Alexis de Tocqueville, after travelling in America in 1831. Through much of its history, US&nbsp;leaders described their country in terms that echoed his notion of a special nation.</p>

<p>Thomas Jefferson, one of the country’s Founding Fathers, frequently referred to it as “the Empire of Liberty.” President Ronald Reagan, borrowing from a 1630 sermon, rarely missed an opportunity to talk about his country as a “shining city on a hill.” Abraham Lincoln spoke of America as “the last best hope on earth.” More recently, the late Secretary of State Madeleine Albright referred to “the indispensable nation.”</p>

<p>While that may have raised eyebrows, then and now, by foreigners who saw the United States in less glowing colours, there is no dispute that it played a role so dominant after the end of the Second World War that the 20th century merited being called the American Century.</p>

<p>In a book of that title, the late British editor and writer Harold Evans noted that “the 20th century belongs to the United States because the triumph of its faith in its founding idea of political and economic freedom.”</p>

<p>With China now trying to equal or surpass the United States economically and perhaps eventually militarily, the 21st century is yet to earn a superpower-specific designation.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, there is a flip side to the “exceptionalism” label. Call it 'Only in America.'</p>

<p>Only in America are there more guns than people. Only in America are there more mass shootings than days in the month. Only in America is it easier for an 18-year-old citizen in most states to buy an assault rifle than a six-pack of beer. Only in America, driven by a toxic blend of guns and fear, can you get shot for knocking on the wrong door.</p>

<p>Only in America can a president who lost an election convince at least a third of the population that the vote was stolen, despite abundant evidence to the contrary. And only in America do you have legislators on the far right who describe people jailed for storming the Capitol to prevent the peaceful transfer of power, as political prisoners.</p>

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For much of the 20th century, often dubbed 'The American Century,' it was an article of faith for most Americans that their country is the world’s greatest. Slowly but steadily, this has changed.

For much of the 20th century, often dubbed 'The American Century,' it was an article of faith for most Americans that their country is the world’s greatest. Slowly but steadily, this has changed. It is now a minority view. The latest in a string of polls over the past few years shows that just one in five Americans think their country stands above all others in the world. The share of those who think other countries are better than the US rose from 19 per cent in 2016 to 27 per cent now. The cultural change reflected by these figures comes from a survey conducted by the Wall Street Journal and the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago. NORC is one of the largest independent social research organisations in the US. It found not only that the notion of American Exceptionalism is fading from the national consciousness but also a decline in a range of other values. A somewhat wistful headline over the Wall Street Journal report on the survey said: “America Pulls Back from Values That Once Defined It.” They include, according to the survey, patriotism, religion and tolerance. Thirty-eight per cent of those polled said patriotism was very important to them, down from 70 per cent when the question was first asked in 1998. On religion, the trend was down sharply, too, from 62 to 39. Tolerance for others, deemed very important by Americans in previous surveys, dropped from 80 per cent to 58 per cent – not surprising in a country as deeply polarised as the United States. Bill McInturff, a pollster who worked on previous surveys, described the differences as dramatic. “It paints a new and surprising portrait of a changing America,” he told the Journal. “Perhaps the toll of our political division, Covid, and the lowest economic confidence in decades is having a startling effect on our core values.” Only one of the core values the survey covered showed an upward swing: money. It was deemed very important by 31 per cent in 1998 and 43 per cent now. In this, and similar surveys over the past few years, young Americans (aged between 18 and 29) scored lowest on the importance they gave to the concepts that combine to the idea of exceptionalism. They also make up the largest group of those who say that the United States is one of the world’s greatest countries, along with others. That sober view brings to mind a response then-President Barack Obama gave at a news conference in Brussels in 2009 when asked whether he believed in American exceptionalism. “I believe in American exceptionalism, just as the Brits believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks in Greek exceptionalism.” The remark prompted rebukes from American conservatism, who interpreted it as undermining the standing of the United States in the world. Oddly, the idea that the United States is exceptional is rooted in the writings of a Frenchman, political scientist Alexis de Tocqueville, after travelling in America in 1831. Through much of its history, US leaders described their country in terms that echoed his notion of a special nation. Thomas Jefferson, one of the country’s Founding Fathers, frequently referred to it as “the Empire of Liberty.” President Ronald Reagan, borrowing from a 1630 sermon, rarely missed an opportunity to talk about his country as a “shining city on a hill.” Abraham Lincoln spoke of America as “the last best hope on earth.” More recently, the late Secretary of State Madeleine Albright referred to “the indispensable nation.” While that may have raised eyebrows, then and now, by foreigners who saw the United States in less glowing colours, there is no dispute that it played a role so dominant after the end of the Second World War that the 20th century merited being called the American Century. In a book of that title, the late British editor and writer Harold Evans noted that “the 20th century belongs to the United States because the triumph of its faith in its founding idea of political and economic freedom.” With China now trying to equal or surpass the United States economically and perhaps eventually militarily, the 21st century is yet to earn a superpower-specific designation. Meanwhile, there is a flip side to the “exceptionalism” label. Call it 'Only in America.' Only in America are there more guns than people. Only in America are there more mass shootings than days in the month. Only in America is it easier for an 18-year-old citizen in most states to buy an assault rifle than a six-pack of beer. Only in America, driven by a toxic blend of guns and fear, can you get shot for knocking on the wrong door. Only in America can a president who lost an election convince at least a third of the population that the vote was stolen, despite abundant evidence to the contrary. And only in America do you have legislators on the far right who describe people jailed for storming the Capitol to prevent the peaceful transfer of power, as political prisoners. Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

In America, a long-held belief in American exceptionalism is fading

Barack Obama's daughter Malia Obama is going to make her directorial debut in Hollywood. She is set to direct a film under Golden Globe winner Donald Glover. How did Malia Obama land this project? Was it talent, or was it nepotism? Molly Gambhir reports.

Gravitas: Obama's daughter to direct her first film | How some kids just have it easy

<p>Elon Musk, the CEO of Twitter, surpassed former US president Barack Obama to become the user with the most followers on the social media platform.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Five months after purchasing the microblogging site for $44 billion, Musk has gained more than 133 million followers on Twitter, according to a report by Guinness World Records. Previously, Barack&nbsp;Obama&nbsp;held the record since 2020.</p>

<p>“Twitter has approximately 450 million monthly active users, meaning around 30 per cent follow Musk,” the report said.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">. <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elonmusk</a> is now officially the most followed person on <a href="https://twitter.com/Twitter?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Twitter</a>!<a href="https://t.co/Hyps4OUgoc">https://t.co/Hyps4OUgoc</a></p>
— Guinness World Records (@GWR) <a href="https://twitter.com/GWR/status/1641328156404482048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Obama and singer Justin Bieber lost over 2,68,585 and 1,18,950 followers, respectively, in the previous 30 days, according to data tracker Social Blade.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-to-checkmark-badges-nyt-la-times-politico-and-other-major-news-outlets-reject-twitters-blue-tick-577519">&nbsp;No to checkmark badges: NYT, LA Times, Politico, and other major news outlets reject Twitter's blue tick</a></p>

<p>Musk's $44 billion purchase of Twitter has certainly contributed to a meteoric rise in his follower count past, reported The Verge. &nbsp;Last June, Musk reached 100 million users, and in the months since, that figure has only increased.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Musk uses his account to announce various changes coming to Twitter in between sharing random and occasionally offensive memes. Additionally, he has polled his followers on important issues like whether to reinstate Donald Trump on the site and whether Elon Musk ought to stand down as Twitter's CEO.</p>

<h2><strong>Musk's Twitter acquisition</strong></h2>

<p>In a highly-publicised deal last year, Elon Musk acquired Twitter. The social media platform was purchased by the billionaire for about US$44 billion, and as soon as he started in his new role, he made a number of changes. He fired other top executives and the company's previous CEO, Parag Agrawal, as his first action. Then, in order to create his "Twitter 2.0," Musk introduced a number of changes to the company's work culture and warned workers to expect challenging working conditions.</p>

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Elon Musk, the CEO of Twitter, surpassed former US president Barack Obama to become the user with the most followers on the social media platform. Five months after purchasing the microblogging site for $44 billion, Musk has gained more than 133 million followers on Twitter, according to a report by Guinness World Records.

Elon Musk, the CEO of Twitter, surpassed former US president Barack Obama to become the user with the most followers on the social media platform. Five months after purchasing the microblogging site for $44 billion, Musk has gained more than 133 million followers on Twitter, according to a report by Guinness World Records. Previously, Barack Obama held the record since 2020. “Twitter has approximately 450 million monthly active users, meaning around 30 per cent follow Musk,” the report said. . @elonmusk is now officially the most followed person on @Twitter!https://t.co/Hyps4OUgoc — Guinness World Records (@GWR) March 30, 2023 × Obama and singer Justin Bieber lost over 2,68,585 and 1,18,950 followers, respectively, in the previous 30 days, according to data tracker Social Blade. ALSO READ | No to checkmark badges: NYT, LA Times, Politico, and other major news outlets reject Twitter's blue tick Musk's $44 billion purchase of Twitter has certainly contributed to a meteoric rise in his follower count past, reported The Verge. Last June, Musk reached 100 million users, and in the months since, that figure has only increased. Musk uses his account to announce various changes coming to Twitter in between sharing random and occasionally offensive memes. Additionally, he has polled his followers on important issues like whether to reinstate Donald Trump on the site and whether Elon Musk ought to stand down as Twitter's CEO. Musk's Twitter acquisition In a highly-publicised deal last year, Elon Musk acquired Twitter. The social media platform was purchased by the billionaire for about US$44 billion, and as soon as he started in his new role, he made a number of changes. He fired other top executives and the company's previous CEO, Parag Agrawal, as his first action. Then, in order to create his "Twitter 2.0," Musk introduced a number of changes to the company's work culture and warned workers to expect challenging working conditions. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Elon Musk now the most followed on Twitter; overtakes Barack Obama, Justin Bieber

<p>Prince Harry's autobiography titled 'Spare' is flying off the bookshelves. Over&nbsp;1.4 million copies of the controversial memoir have been sold in just 24 hours after its release, breaking a record in the non-fiction category for the publisher - Penguin Random House.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The record copies were sold in the US, UK, and Canada and involved all formats and editions, including e-books and print.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Penguin Random House announced today the English language edition of ‘Spare,’ the memoir by Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, sold more than 1,430,000 million units in all formats and editions in the United States, Canada and the UK on the first day of its publication, Tuesday, January 10, 2023.”</p>

<p>The first-day non-fiction sales figure of 'Spare' have eclipsed that of former US president Barack Obama's 'A Promised Land' (2020) and former first lady Michelle Obama's 'Becoming' published in 2018.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Obama's memoir sold 887,000 copies across US and Canada while his wife's book managed to sell 725,000 copies.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-prince-harry-accuses-prince-william-of-assault-549855"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas: Prince Harry accuses prince William of assault</strong></a></p>

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<p>The sales figures of the book suggest that the plummeting popularity of Prince Harry and Megan Markle has had no effect on the interest of people wanting to read about royal drama.</p>

<p>Five days prior to the publishing of the book, booksellers in Spain broke the strict embargo and started selling the book. Consequently, most major revelations such as Harry taking drugs and losing his virginity behind a pub made their way into the public domain.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It proved to be a masterstroke as the public interest reached a peak and the book broke several records on the first day.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, not many experts could have predicted such numbers given almost half of Britons wanted Harry to be stripped of his princely title in a recent poll conducted by YouGov on behalf of The Times.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per the poll, 44 per cent of the people thought that Harry should be stripped of the title, while 32 per cent felt that there was no need to do the Netflix docuseries where the royal family was targetted by him and his wife.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/it-made-me-feel-different-prince-harry-admits-trying-cocaine-when-young-549862" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: 'It made me feel different': Prince Harry admits trying cocaine when young</strong></a></p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Prince Harry's autobiography titled 'Spare' is flying off the bookshelves. Over 1.4 million copies of the controversial memoir have been sold in just 24 hours after its release, breaking a record in the non-fiction category for the publisher - Penguin Random House.

Prince Harry's autobiography titled 'Spare' is flying off the bookshelves. Over 1.4 million copies of the controversial memoir have been sold in just 24 hours after its release, breaking a record in the non-fiction category for the publisher - Penguin Random House. The record copies were sold in the US, UK, and Canada and involved all formats and editions, including e-books and print. “Penguin Random House announced today the English language edition of ‘Spare,’ the memoir by Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, sold more than 1,430,000 million units in all formats and editions in the United States, Canada and the UK on the first day of its publication, Tuesday, January 10, 2023.” The first-day non-fiction sales figure of 'Spare' have eclipsed that of former US president Barack Obama's 'A Promised Land' (2020) and former first lady Michelle Obama's 'Becoming' published in 2018. Obama's memoir sold 887,000 copies across US and Canada while his wife's book managed to sell 725,000 copies. WATCH | Gravitas: Prince Harry accuses prince William of assault × The sales figures of the book suggest that the plummeting popularity of Prince Harry and Megan Markle has had no effect on the interest of people wanting to read about royal drama. Five days prior to the publishing of the book, booksellers in Spain broke the strict embargo and started selling the book. Consequently, most major revelations such as Harry taking drugs and losing his virginity behind a pub made their way into the public domain. It proved to be a masterstroke as the public interest reached a peak and the book broke several records on the first day. However, not many experts could have predicted such numbers given almost half of Britons wanted Harry to be stripped of his princely title in a recent poll conducted by YouGov on behalf of The Times. As per the poll, 44 per cent of the people thought that Harry should be stripped of the title, while 32 per cent felt that there was no need to do the Netflix docuseries where the royal family was targetted by him and his wife. Read more: 'It made me feel different': Prince Harry admits trying cocaine when young (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Prince Harry's memoir sells 1.4 million copies in one day, breaks the record of Obamas

<p>Former president of the USA Barack Obama and his wife Michelle have always been vocal about all the highs and lows they have&nbsp;been&nbsp;through in their 30 years of relationship. Recently, Michelle got candid about her&nbsp;marriage and the challenges the couple faced. Opening up about her marriage, Michelle revealed that she "could not stand" her husband, Barack, for almost a decade when their two daughters were young and the couple were busy with their careers.<br />
<br />
During her roundtable&nbsp;interview with Revolt TV, Michelle shared the challenges they faced in their marriage.<br />
<br />
"People think I’m being catty by saying this. It's like there were 10 years where I couldn’t stand my husband," Michelle shared while talking to&nbsp;Kelly Rowland, Winnie Harlow,&nbsp;H.E.R.&nbsp;and Beyoncé’s mother Tina Knowles-Lawson.<br />
<br />
"And guess when it happened?" "When those kids were little."<br />
<br />
Talking more, Michelle shared that there was a time when Barack was busy travelling for work and she was alone back at home handling two daughters and her work.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
"And for 10 years while we’re trying to build our careers and, you know, worrying about school and who’s doing what and&nbsp;what, I was like, ‘Ugh, this isn’t even,’ " she explained.<br />
<br />
"And guess what?" Marriage isn’t 50/50, ever.''<br />
<br />
''There’s sometimes I’m 70, he’s 30, but guess what? We’ve been married 30. I would take 10 bad years over 30."<br />
<br />
The couple, who first met in 1989, got married in 1992 and welcomed their first daughter, Malia, in 1998, and their second daughter, Sasha, in 2001.<br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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Former president of the USA Barack Obama and his wife Michelle have always been vocal about all the highs and lows they have been through in their 30 years of relationship.

Former president of the USA Barack Obama and his wife Michelle have always been vocal about all the highs and lows they have been through in their 30 years of relationship. Recently, Michelle got candid about her marriage and the challenges the couple faced. Opening up about her marriage, Michelle revealed that she "could not stand" her husband, Barack, for almost a decade when their two daughters were young and the couple were busy with their careers. During her roundtable interview with Revolt TV, Michelle shared the challenges they faced in their marriage. "People think I’m being catty by saying this. It's like there were 10 years where I couldn’t stand my husband," Michelle shared while talking to Kelly Rowland, Winnie Harlow, H.E.R. and Beyoncé’s mother Tina Knowles-Lawson. "And guess when it happened?" "When those kids were little." Talking more, Michelle shared that there was a time when Barack was busy travelling for work and she was alone back at home handling two daughters and her work. "And for 10 years while we’re trying to build our careers and, you know, worrying about school and who’s doing what and what, I was like, ‘Ugh, this isn’t even,’ " she explained. "And guess what?" Marriage isn’t 50/50, ever.'' ''There’s sometimes I’m 70, he’s 30, but guess what? We’ve been married 30. I would take 10 bad years over 30." The couple, who first met in 1989, got married in 1992 and welcomed their first daughter, Malia, in 1998, and their second daughter, Sasha, in 2001. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Michelle Obama talks about the time when she ‘couldn’t stand’ husband Barack

In this video, watch the scandal that overshadowed South African president Ramaphosa's reelection as chief of ruling ANC and how he turned the tables.

WION Dispatch: No easy road ahead for Ramaphosa?

Johnson earned over £1mn giving speeches. Take a look at famous leaders, and their earnings in office, after

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{d7e94bdc-6970-4c2b-9169-6dc390af72a9}{194}" paraid="1255968305" >Former United States first lady Michelle Obama has always dominated headlines when it comes to a possible presidential run. Since the end of Barack Obama’s tenure as president, questions have been asked about Michelle potentially launching her own campaign. The rumours resurfaced when Hillary Clinton announced her campaign back in the 2016 elections and again in 2020 when she put her support behind Joe Biden. However, when it comes to Michelle herself, she is not a fan of the topic.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{f19814d1-f58f-488a-87a2-d7ef5adf3c95}{158}" paraid="528662941" >During an interview with presenter Naga Munchetty&nbsp;on&nbsp;BBC Breakfast, she said that she “detests” being asked about a possible presidential run and gave a clear answer to the question.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{f19814d1-f58f-488a-87a2-d7ef5adf3c95}{158}" paraid="528662941" >Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-targets-ukraines-critical-infrastructure-in-fresh-missile-strikes-534999" hreflang="en">Russia targets Ukraine's critical infrastructure in fresh missile strikes</a></p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{838d4bb2-dd74-4700-b5d6-816fe0d6e837}{250}" paraid="69075353" >“No,” Michelle Obama said to the interviewer.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{f51086f6-fa50-4fc7-9aa5-180cecd08aae}{22}" paraid="1688956321" >Biden, who served as vice present in the Obama administration, has always enjoyed the support of both Barack and Michelle. During the interview, she once again praised Biden for his work as president and said that he has introduced a number of major reforms during his term at the White House. However, when it came to endorsing him for re-election, she sounded hesitant to lend her full support.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{f51086f6-fa50-4fc7-9aa5-180cecd08aae}{22}" paraid="1688956321" >Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-midterm-results-republicans-lead-in-house-democrats-get-senate-as-washington-sees-divided-govt-534350">Republicans control House, can now investigate Biden</a></p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{f51086f6-fa50-4fc7-9aa5-180cecd08aae}{127}" paraid="585934544" >“You know, I, I – I will have to see. It’s a personal decision that he and his family have to make. Probably, if I hadn’t been through it, I would feel more cavalier about opining on it. But I know it’s a personal call and I don’t want to be one of the millions of people weighing in on what he should do, he and Jill should do,” she said.&nbsp;</p>

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Former United States first lady Michelle Obama has always dominated headlines when it comes to a possible presidential run. Since the end of Barack Obama’s tenure as president, questions have been asked about Michelle potentially launching her own campaign.

Former United States first lady Michelle Obama has always dominated headlines when it comes to a possible presidential run. Since the end of Barack Obama’s tenure as president, questions have been asked about Michelle potentially launching her own campaign. The rumours resurfaced when Hillary Clinton announced her campaign back in the 2016 elections and again in 2020 when she put her support behind Joe Biden. However, when it comes to Michelle herself, she is not a fan of the topic. During an interview with presenter Naga Munchetty on BBC Breakfast, she said that she “detests” being asked about a possible presidential run and gave a clear answer to the question. Also read | Russia targets Ukraine's critical infrastructure in fresh missile strikes “No,” Michelle Obama said to the interviewer. Biden, who served as vice present in the Obama administration, has always enjoyed the support of both Barack and Michelle. During the interview, she once again praised Biden for his work as president and said that he has introduced a number of major reforms during his term at the White House. However, when it came to endorsing him for re-election, she sounded hesitant to lend her full support. Also read | Republicans control House, can now investigate Biden “You know, I, I – I will have to see. It’s a personal decision that he and his family have to make. Probably, if I hadn’t been through it, I would feel more cavalier about opining on it. But I know it’s a personal call and I don’t want to be one of the millions of people weighing in on what he should do, he and Jill should do,” she said.

Michelle Obama provides clear answer on her possible US presidential run

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<p>In a new book titled 'The Light We Carry', former first lady Michelle Obama has revealed that she hates her appearance&nbsp;“all the time and no matter what”.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I’ve lived with my fearful mind for 58 years now. She makes me uneasy. She likes to see me weak," writes Obama in the book, whose excerpts have been published in The Guardian.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Obama adds that there have been "plenty of mornings" when she turned on the bathroom lights, looked at herself and "desperately" wanted to flip the switch off again.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Obama admitted that she experienced a 'low-grade' form of depression during the pandemic as well.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I kept with the work I’d been doing, speaking at virtual voter registration drives, supporting good causes, acknowledging people’s pain but privately I was finding it harder to access my own hope or to feel like I could make an actual difference.”&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-midterm-elections-democrats-pin-hopes-on-former-president-obama-530981" target="_blank"><strong>WATCH | US Midterm Elections: Democrats pin hopes on former President Obama</strong></a></p>

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<p>Obama also talked about the time when the Democrats approached her to speak at the party's national convention in 2020. The former first lady said she felt 'stalled out' whenever she thought about speaking at the event. She eventually agreed to speak at the event where she called Trump, the 'wrong president'.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I felt a blanket of despondency settling over me, my mind sliding toward a dull place,” writes Obama, before adding, “I was less able to muster optimism or think reasonably about the future. Worse, I felt myself skirting the edges of cynicism – tempted to conclude that I was helpless, to give in to some notion that when it came to the epic problems and massive worries of the day, nothing could be done.”</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/michelle-obama-opens-up-about-relationship-sometimes-wanted-to-push-barack-out-of-the-window-325951" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: Michelle Obama opens up about relationship: Sometimes wanted to push Barack out of the window</strong></a></p>

<p>The book releases today and comes nearly four years after her 2018 memoir&nbsp;'Becoming' and aims to build upon it.</p>

<p>'Becoming' was a worldwide success and sold nearly 17 million copies while remaining on the bestsellers list for months. The publishers are hoping to emulate a similar, if not greater response this time around as well.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/i-hurt-for-our-country-michelle-obama-reacts-after-capitol-riots-355301" target="_blank"><strong>Read more: 'I hurt for our country': Michelle Obama, reacts after Capitol riots</strong></a></p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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In a new book titled 'The Light We Carry', former first lady Michelle Obama has revealed that she hates her appearance “all the time and no matter what”. “I’ve lived with my fearful mind for 58 years now.

In a new book titled 'The Light We Carry', former first lady Michelle Obama has revealed that she hates her appearance “all the time and no matter what”. “I’ve lived with my fearful mind for 58 years now. She makes me uneasy. She likes to see me weak," writes Obama in the book, whose excerpts have been published in The Guardian. Obama adds that there have been "plenty of mornings" when she turned on the bathroom lights, looked at herself and "desperately" wanted to flip the switch off again. Obama admitted that she experienced a 'low-grade' form of depression during the pandemic as well. “I kept with the work I’d been doing, speaking at virtual voter registration drives, supporting good causes, acknowledging people’s pain but privately I was finding it harder to access my own hope or to feel like I could make an actual difference.” WATCH | US Midterm Elections: Democrats pin hopes on former President Obama × Obama also talked about the time when the Democrats approached her to speak at the party's national convention in 2020. The former first lady said she felt 'stalled out' whenever she thought about speaking at the event. She eventually agreed to speak at the event where she called Trump, the 'wrong president'. “I felt a blanket of despondency settling over me, my mind sliding toward a dull place,” writes Obama, before adding, “I was less able to muster optimism or think reasonably about the future. Worse, I felt myself skirting the edges of cynicism – tempted to conclude that I was helpless, to give in to some notion that when it came to the epic problems and massive worries of the day, nothing could be done.” Read more: Michelle Obama opens up about relationship: Sometimes wanted to push Barack out of the window The book releases today and comes nearly four years after her 2018 memoir 'Becoming' and aims to build upon it. 'Becoming' was a worldwide success and sold nearly 17 million copies while remaining on the bestsellers list for months. The publishers are hoping to emulate a similar, if not greater response this time around as well. Read more: 'I hurt for our country': Michelle Obama, reacts after Capitol riots (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Michelle Obama admits hating her 'looks' all the time in new book

The Democrats are all set to control the Senate. According to American Network's report the Democrats have won the Nevada elections after Democratic Senator Catherine Cortez Masto won a tie to re-election race against Republican Adam Laxalt.

US Midterm Elections: Democrats retain control of Senate; Cortez Masto defeats Republican Laxalt

It was a mixed bag in the US midterm elections - some seats taken as predicted while others were not so expected. Starting with the House of Representatives, Republicans were expected to take control of the chamber but in an unexpected blue surge, the journey hasn't been a cakewalk.

US Midterm Elections: A mixed bag; unexpected blue in some states

Polls have started closing in high stakes US Midterm Elections as millions of Americans cast their vote that will shape the future of United States of America. Polls have started to close in some parts of Indiana and Kentucky. These polls are shaping up to be the most consequential in the nation's history.

US Midterm Elections: Democrats flip Massachusetts Governor seat

With the Republicans leading in the midterm elections, the party seems to be eyeing the 2024 Presidential elections. Ron DeSantis, the 44-year-old politician, has become the Florida Governor for the second time and before that he was part of the law chamber for five years.

US Midterm Elections | Donald Trump vs Ron DeSantis: Cracks within the Republicans?

US Midterm Elections: Big win for Republicans in Florida

US Midterm elections: Maura Healey to be America's first openly lesbian governor

Millions of Americans have cast their votes in these crucial midterm elections and polling has been closed in multiple states in the United States of America. Although, in the Western part of the nation, polling is still on but votes are being counted early.

US Midterm Elections: Marco Rubio wins Florida senate race

"They kept asking if he's good for General Elections, so as of this moment, we have 80 wins and 3 losses, is that okay? Wouldn't that be funny if we were better on the general election than the nominations themselves," said former President Donald Trump while addressing the media.

US Midterm Elections: Donald Trump eyes 2024 Presidential race; addresses media

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