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Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Kamala Harris will take the stage for their first televised debate today. Ahead of the November 5 presidential election in the US, this will be the first and probably the only chance for around 240 million voters to watch their candidates debate and argue over policies of national and international concern.

TRUMP-HARRIS PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

The June presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden was a disappointing one for the outgoing President. Weeks after that, President Biden decided to withdraw from the race, setting the stage for US Vice President Kamala Harris to run for the top office.

While today’s debate is a chance for Harris to establish her political identity for millions of people who will tune in to watch, it also affords Trump yet another opportunity to showcase that he is prepared to lead the country again.

For Kamala Harris, it is an opportunity to lay out her priorities and prove her mettle against Trump, who has in recent times subjected her to racist and sexist attacks. The former US president will once again attempt to blunt Harris’ momentum in the presidential race, which has tightened considerably after she was named the Democratic nominee, as per polls.

WHEN AND WHAT TIME IS THE TRUMP-HARRIS DEBATE?

Hosted by ABC News, the 90-minute debate is scheduled at 9 PM ET on September 10 (6:30 AM on September 11 in India) at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The debate will be moderated by David Muir and Linsey Davis.

WHERE TO WATCH?

The first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris will be aired on ABC and streamed across ABC News Live as well as Disney+ and Hulu. Besides them, several networks have also agreed to carry the event live.

RULES OF THE DEBATE

As far as the rules are concerned, ABC News will likely mirror the format used during the Trump- Biden debate in June by CNN.

The two candidates – Trump and Harris – will get two minutes to answer along with two-minute rebuttals. There will be an additional minute for each candidate for any clarifications and follow-ups.

This debate will also have no live audience, while the two candidates will stand for the entire debate.
 

Wrestler-turned-politician Babita Phogat has for the first time responded to her cousin Vinesh Phogat’s decision to join Congress, days ahead of the October 5 Assembly elections in Haryana.

Soon after her induction into the party on September 6, the Congress fielded Vinesh Phogat (30) from the Julana Assembly segment for the upcoming elections in Haryana.

Stating that Vinesh’s decision is her own, and everyone has their own perspectives and ideologies, Babita on Tuesday emphasised that the political arena is open to everyone, and anyone can participate in politics.

Earlier, Babita’s father and veteran wrestling coach Mahavir Phogat had suggested that Vinesh should participate in the 2028 Olympic Games to be held in Los Angeles.

“My papa is Vinesh’s mentor. Vinesh should have heeded her mentor’s advice. A mentor always aims to guide their disciples correctly by providing good training. A mentor never wants their disciples to stray from their path. If a disciple deviates, it is the mentor’s duty to set them back on the right path,” said Babita, who clinched the gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in the 55 kg category.

She also said that Vinesh Phogat made a ‘hasty’ decision as she had a good chance of winning a gold medal in the 2028 Olympics.

Regarding her own ticket for the upcoming Assembly elections, Babita Phogat said, “I have no regret about not receiving a ticket. I work for the BJP’s lotus symbol. I believe that whoever gets the lotus symbol, we will work with them, put in efforts, and make sure the lotus blooms. Looking at the current enthusiasm, I can confidently say that we will win the Charkhi Dadri Assembly seat.”

Stating that the BJP has carefully chosen Sunil Sangwan as its candidate from Charkhi Dadri, Babita said, “I stand by the party’s decision. The BJP will form the government in Haryana for the third time. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, the government will be formed with a clear majority.”

On veteran Congress leader and former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, she said, “He has succeeded in creating rifts within the Phogat family. The public will teach him a lesson; he is merely engaging in politics. Divide and rule has always been Congress’ policy. Congress leaders have historically engaged in dividing both the nation and families. In contrast, Prime Minister Narendra Modi works to unite families and the country. The BJP practises ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’.”
 

Match referee Javagal Srinath‘s report on the preparedness of Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports complex in Greater Noida will go a long way in deciding the fate of the venue which is under the scanner after the one-off Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand failed to get underway on successive days. For once, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which often becomes the favourite whipping boy, isn’t responsible for the mess. The ‘home board’ is the Afghanistan Cricket Board, which selected a familiar and cost-effective venue despite being offered the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru and Green Park in Kanpur as options.

The BCCI isn’t involved in this Test match. It was the Afghanistan Cricket Board’s choice and the Greater Noida Authority was supposed to provide them with international standard facilities.

The BCCI hasn’t hosted any of its domestic games here since 2019 (Vijay Hazare Trophy) and is unlikely to host one in near or distant future in these substandard conditions, if sources are to be believed.

The ICC, for one, would follow the standard protocol for any given international venue where the match referee’s report decide the further course of action.

Not a single ball could be bowled in the first two days and with a steady downpour on Tuesday evening reducing the chances of play on third day, Srinath will have to assess the drainage conditions of the ground, which are not at par with other international venues.

There was bright sunshine across two days but one heavy spell of shower, in the preceding evening, was enough to play spoilsport.

The absence of adequate super sopper or enough ground cover to protect the outfield, or for that matter the lack of adequately trained ground staff, there are problems aplenty with this venue, which isn’t directly under the aegis of BCCI.

As per the ICC ‘Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process’ that came into effect in November 2023, “After each Match, the Match Referee (Srinath in this case) will complete a Pitch and Outfield Report Form and send it to the ICC Senior Cricket Operations Manager.” The ‘Pitch and Outfield Report Form’ will be compiled using the guidelines for rating pitches and outfields and, where required, will include comments on the pitch and outfield from the captains of the two teams who played and the umpires who officiated in the relevant match.

It will be interesting to note the kind of comments given by New Zealand skipper Tim Southee.

Within 14 days of receipt, the ICC senior cricket operations manager will forward the ‘Pitch and Outfield Report Form’ to the home board, with a copy to the visiting board.

The ICC senior cricket operations manager will advise the home board on any demerit points that have been imposed on a host venue.

According to ICC clause, “If the conditions are such that the Match Referee has cause to rate the pitch and/or outfield Unsatisfactory or Unfit, a corresponding number of Demerit Points will be imposed upon the Host Venue as outlined in the guidelines for rating pitches and outfields.” Demerit Points will remain active for a rolling five-year period.

If the Greater Noida venue accumulates a total of six (6) or more demerit points, its accreditation to host international matches will be suspended for a period of 12 months.

However, if one goes through ICC rules, for a single Test match, if both pitch and outfield are deemed “unfit” by match referee, then it would get three demerit points and it would take one more such game to get the venue suspended.

The onus will thus be on the Afghanistan Cricket Board to see whether they would want to continue hosting matches at such a venue, which could get suspended in near future due to its poor infrastructure.

A facelift of gigantic proportions can’t be done by the local authorities and they would need the BCCI’s deep pockets to make it at least a palatable domestic venue.

Two men were arrested here for assaulting a police official and tearing his uniform in public on Tuesday, an official said.

A video of the shocking incident went viral on social media.

The accused were identified as Ravi Kashyap and his associate Manish, both around 25 years old.

Kashyap was having a quarrel with another man in the middle of the road at Nagar Nigam intersection on Tuesday when sub-inspector Nathuram Dohre intervened.

Kashyap and Manish then assaulted Mr Dohre, said additional deputy commissioner of police Ramsanehi Mishra.

The video showed the accused beating up the official while holding his collar and also tearing his uniform. Two traffic police constables intervened, but even they could not free the sub-inspector immediately.

Both the assailants were arrested under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and their vehicle was seized under the Motor Vehicles Act, said DCP Mishra.

<p>Police have arrested the driver of a luxury car owned by Sanket Bawankule, son of Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, after it collided with multiple vehicles in Nagpur, raising a political storm as the opposition demanded an impartial investigation. The incident occurred in the Ramdaspeth area during the early hours of Monday, leaving two people injured.</p>
<p>According to police, the high-end Audi car had five occupants, including Sanket Bawankule, though he was not driving at the time, news agency PTI reported. The driver, Arjun Hawre, was arrested on Monday night and subsequently released on bail. The crash led to a case of rash driving and other offences being registered, following a complaint by Jitendra Sonkamble, whose vehicle was hit by the Audi.</p>
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet” data-media-max-width=”560″>
<p dir=”ltr” lang=”hi”>BREAKING | नागपुर ऑडी हादसे पर इस वक्त की बड़ी खबर<br /><br />- ऑडी में मौजूद थे महाराष्ट्र BJP अध्यक्ष के बेटे<br /><br />- पुलिस ने मामले में 2 लोगों को हिरासत में लिया<a href=”https://twitter.com/romanaisarkhan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@romanaisarkhan</a> |<a href=”https://t.co/smwhXURgtc”>https://t.co/smwhXURgtc</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/Nagpur?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#Nagpur</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/AudiAccident?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#AudiAccident</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/Maharashtra?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#Maharashtra</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/ABPNews?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#ABPNews</a> <a href=”https://t.co/PzBZivaDlM”>pic.twitter.com/PzBZivaDlM</a></p>
&mdash; ABP News (@ABPNews) <a href=”https://twitter.com/ABPNews/status/1833425664101200230?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>September 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>The occupants of the vehicle were reportedly returning from a beer bar in Dharampeth when the accident occurred. Authorities are currently examining CCTV footage to piece together the sequence of events. Medical examinations, including blood tests for alcohol detection, are also being conducted on the occupants. Hawre and another occupant, Ronit Chittamwar, were apprehended by the police following the crash.</p>
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<p dir=”ltr” lang=”en”><a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#WATCH</a> | Nagpur, Maharashtra | Visuals of the Audi car that hit two other cars and a two-wheeler in Nagpur last night. Both cars and the two-wheeler were damaged and the passengers in the car sustained minor injuries. The car is registered in the name of Sanket Bawankule, son of&hellip; <a href=”https://t.co/B6PwMGeTYW”>pic.twitter.com/B6PwMGeTYW</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href=”https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1833389647013286018?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>September 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>ALSO READ | <a title=”” href=”https://news.abplive.com/states/maharashtra-bjp-chief-chandrashekhar-bawankule-son-sanket-hit-and-run-rash-driving-in-nagpur-1716280″ target=”_blank” rel=”noopener” data-toggle=”tooltip” data-html=”true” data-original-title=”Story ID: 1716280″ aria-describedby=”tooltip415887″>Nagpur Audi Accident: Maharashtra BJP Chief’s Son ‘Was In Car When It Hit Several Vehicles’, Police Say</a></strong></p>
<h3><strong>Maharashtra BJP President Calls For ‘Impartial’ Probe, Sena UBT’s Sanjay Raut Accuses His Son Of ‘Drunk Driving'</strong></h3>
<p>Chandrashekhar Bawankule, a former state minister, confirmed that the Audi was registered under his son&rsquo;s name. He emphasised that the police should carry out a thorough and unbiased investigation. “Police should conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the accident without any bias. Those found guilty should be charged and appropriate action should be taken against them. I have not spoken to any police official. The law must be equal for all,” Bawankule insisted, as quoted by PTI.</p>
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<p dir=”ltr” lang=”hi”>BREAKING | नागपुर ऑडी केस पर विपक्ष ने BJP को घेरा<br /><br />- BJP बावनकुले के बेटे को बचाने में जुटी – राउत<br /><br />- ‘हादसे के बाद ड्राइवर की अदला-बदली हुई'<a href=”https://twitter.com/MrityunjayNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@MrityunjayNews</a> की रिपोर्ट<a href=”https://twitter.com/romanaisarkhan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@romanaisarkhan</a> |<a href=”https://t.co/smwhXURgtc”>https://t.co/smwhXURgtc</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/Nagpur?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#Nagpur</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/SanjayRaut?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#SanjayRaut</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/AudiAccident?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#AudiAccident</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/Maharashtra?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#Maharashtra</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/ABPNews?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#ABPNews</a> <a href=”https://t.co/RkkIIt5cfj”>pic.twitter.com/RkkIIt5cfj</a></p>
&mdash; ABP News (@ABPNews) <a href=”https://twitter.com/ABPNews/status/1833425688495276408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>September 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>The incident has sparked a major controversy ahead of the upcoming assembly elections, with opposition parties accusing the ruling Mahayuti coalition, which includes the BJP, of attempting to shield the senior leader’s son by placing blame solely on the driver.</p>
<p>Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut criticised Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, claiming that Sanket Bawankule was actually driving the vehicle and questioning why his name was omitted from the FIR. Raut alleged, &ldquo;According to our information, the son of Chandrashekhar Bawankule was allegedly drunk. His car crashed into six other cars, injuring four persons, two of whom are fighting for their lives in a hospital in Nagpur.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Raut further accused the authorities of tampering with evidence. &ldquo;Bawankule’s son hit his car twice (into other vehicles), but the CCTV footage was removed as usual. If the car is registered in the name of either BJP state president Bawankule or his son, why was the number plate removed? The prince (Bawankule’s son) was driving the car. But when the accident took place, it was shown that the driver (another person) was at the wheel. It is an attempt to whitewash the case,” he claimed.</p>
<p>Congress MLA and Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar also called for an unbiased investigation. He alleged that BJP leaders were exploiting their power and wealth to cover up the incident. “A new precedent is being set in Maharashtra where the owner of the car will kill people and blame it on the driver and make him a scapegoat,” Wadettiwar said, adding that the car was reportedly racing at 150 kmph.</p>
<p>Wadettiwar also criticised the police for allegedly destroying evidence to protect Bawankule&rsquo;s son from accusations of drunk driving. He demanded a thorough investigation, including the scrutiny of CCTV footage from the restaurant the occupants visited before the crash.</p>
<p>In response, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis urged against politicising the incident, emphasising that the police had already registered an FIR and were investigating the case. “All the facts have been brought out by the police. It is not right to do politics just to target Bawankule,” Fadnavis stated, as per PTI.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, BJP leader Raosaheb Danve assured that justice would be served. &ldquo;Whoever is the culprit in this case, he will face action and punishment as per law. It is true that the car involved in the Nagpur accident is (registered) in the name of Sanket Bawankule and he was in that car. Let the law take its own course,&rdquo; Danve said.</p>