Biden and Trump clinch presidential nominations, kicking off gruelling rematch
Washington (PTI): US President Biden and his predecessor Donald Trump have clinched their parties' presidential nomination, setting the stage for a 2020 rematch during the November elections.
Biden, 81, won the Democratic presumptive nomination on Tuesday after easily clinching the presidential primaries in Georgia, as the number of delegates in his kitty crossed the halfway mark of 3,933 pledged delegates. A total of 1,968 delegates were required to win the Democratic nomination.
He would formally be declared the party's nomination during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August.
Trump, 77, reached the 1,215 delegates necessary with an allocation of delegates from Washington state.
Trump will be officially nominated at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this July.
He will lead the Republican Party in a third consecutive presidential election after clinching the nomination Tuesday.
Their rematch, long anticipated, but hardly clamoured for, is broadly expected to mirror the 2020 campaign, though Trump will run this time under the spectre of 91 felony charges.
Trump is scheduled to become the first former American president to go on trial in a criminal case on March 25 in New York, where he faces charges he falsified business records to hide hush money payments to a porn star.
It would be the first presidential rematch since 1956.
The last presidential rematch came in 1956 when Republican President Dwight D Eisenhower again defeated Adlai Stevenson, the Democratic opponent he had four years prior.
Biden defeated Trump in the 2020 November elections, an outcome still challenged by the Republican leader.
Biden has faced only nominal opposition to become the Democratic nominee.
Trump has defeated several Republicans in primary elections, including Indian-origin former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Other candidates, including Trump's former vice president, Mike Pence, dropped out months ago for lack of voter support.
Biden said he is honoured to become his party's presumptive nominee and warned of another Trump presidency.
"I am honoured that the broad coalition of voters representing the rich diversity of the Democratic Party across the country have put their faith in me once again to lead our party and our country in a moment when the threat Trump poses is greater than ever," Biden said in a statement after he bagged majority of the delegates.
"Voters now have a choice to make about the future of this country. Are we going to stand up and defend our democracy or let others tear it down? Will we restore the right to choose and protect our freedoms or let extremists take them away? Will we finally make the wealthy pay their fair share in taxes or will we allow corporate greed to run rampant on the backs of the middle class?" he said.
Vice President Kamala Harris celebrated Biden securing the delegates needed to clinch his party's nomination on Tuesday and forecast how the president's campaign will look to take the fight to Donald Trump in the general election.
"From the start, the President and I never took this re-nomination process for granted. We have campaigned in earnest because we know doing so is an important step towards earning reelection and will help us mobilise the voters we need in November," Vice President Kamala Harris said in a statement.
"Now, the general election truly begins, and the contrast could not be clearer. Donald Trump is a threat to our democracy and our fundamental freedoms," she said.
With his State of the Union speech last week, Biden passionately presented our alternative vision, she said. "We will reduce costs for families, make housing more affordable, and raise the minimum wage," she added.
"We will restore Roe (nationwide right to abortion), protect voting rights, and finally address our gun violence epidemic. The American people overwhelmingly support this agenda over Donald Trump's extreme ideas, and that will propel our campaign in the months ahead," Harris said.
Democratic National Convention (DNC) Chair Jaime Harrison said this year's election will decide the future of democracy.
"Donald Trump is running a campaign focused on revenge, retribution, and his own self-interest. President Biden is running a campaign focused on what makes our country so great: the American people. President Biden understands that our freedoms, our democracy, and the very future of our country are at stake and once again, he will meet this moment and bring Democrats together this November," he said.
"America spoke, and today Joe Biden has become the presumptive Democratic nominee for President of the United States. We have arrived at this moment because millions of Americans made their voices heard, choosing Joe Biden's vision of freedom and progress for all Americans," said Democratic National Convention Committee Chair Minyon Moore.
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2nd WT20I: Shafali, spin trio do star turns in India''s seven-wicket win
Visakhapatnam (PTI): Shafali Verma hit a blistering unbeaten 69 as India made short work of a paltry target to outclass Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the second Women’s T20 International here on Tuesday.
India now lead the five-match series 2-0 after another one-sided victory, having restricted Sri Lanka to a modest 128 for 9 through a collective display of disciplined bowling from the spin trio of seasoned Sneh Rana, ably complemented by young spinners Vaishnavi Sharma and Shree Charani.
During the chase, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana (14) fell cheaply but Shafali, enjoying new found confidence after a stellar show in the World Cup final, sent the bowlers on a leather-hunt during her 34-ball knock, winning it for her team in just 11.5 overs.
The hosts have now completed back-to-back successful chases within 15 overs which speaks volumes about the unit's sky-high confidence.
Shafali's innings had 11 punchy boundaries apart from a maximum.
The floodgates opened when left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera bowled a few flighted deliveries and Shafali would step out everytime to hit her over extra cover. Her footwork against slow bowlers was immaculate whether stepping out to loft the ball or rocking back to punch or pull.
Seeing her confidence, the newly appointed Delhi Capitals skipper Jemimah Rodrigues (26 off 15 balls) also attacked as the duo added 58 runs in just 4.3 overs.
By the time Rodrigues was out trying to hit one six too many, the match as a contest was over. Shafali completed her half-century off just 27 balls and completed the formalities in a jiffy.
Earlier, off-spinner Rana, who got a look-in after Deepti Sharma was ruled out due to fever, showed her utility keeping the Lankan batters under tight leash with figures of 1 for 11 in 4 overs, including a maiden which certainly is a rarity in T20 cricket.
Charani, who made an impression during India's ODI World Cup triumph, took 2 for 23 in her quota of overs, while Vaishnavi after an impressive debut in the opening encounter, finished with 2 for 32, not letting the Islanders get easy runs in her second spell.
The last six wickets fell for just 24 runs, but what stood out during India’s bowling effort was their superb ground fielding. After a patchy show in the previous game, the improved sharpness in the field resulted in three run-outs.
Sri Lankan skipper Chamari Athapaththu (31 off 24 balls) looked in good nick as she deposited length deliveries from seamers Kranti Gaud and Arundhati Reddy over the ropes but it was Rana, who kept her quiet by repeatedly pitching on good length.
Unable to manoeuvre the strike and with the big hits suddenly drying up, Athapaththu chanced her arm at another delivery in which Rana had shortened the length slightly.
Not having transferred the weight into the lofted shot, Athapaththu's hoick was pouched cleanly by Amanjot Kaur at long-off.
This was after Athapaththu's opening partner Vishmi Gunaratne (1) had offered a simple return catch to Gaud.
Hasini Perera (22 off 28 balls) and Harshitha Samarawickrama (33 off 32 balls) did stitch a stand of 44 but they could never set the tempo against the Indian spin troika.
Once Hasini offered a tame return catch off a Charani full-toss, Sri Lankans never recovered and lost wickets in a heap towards the end.
