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Things to know about America’s pommel horse hero, Stephen Nedoroscik

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Nedoroscik
PARIS, FRANCE – JULY 27: Stephen Nedoroscik of Team United States competes on the pommel horse during the Artistic Gymnastics Men’s Qualification on day one of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on July 27, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

For the Summer Olympics in 2024, NPR is in Paris. Visit our most recent updates to see more of our coverage of the games. Clark Kent, get over here. Pommel Horse Guy is the newest spectacle-wearing (and shedding) superhero in America. When the men’s gymnastics all-around finals took place on Monday, Stephen Nedoroscik was hardly a household name. He was only there to compete in one event, which just so happened to be the final one, as Team USA’s resident pommel horse specialist. However, the 25-year-old began to draw notice during the hours he spent waiting on the sidelines. After Monday’s men’s team final, members of the U.S. men’s gymnastics team pose with their bronze medal. For the United States, it’s the first Olympic medal in the category since 2008.
With a bronze as a team, the American men’s gymnastics team ends a 16-year Olympic drought. NBC used a countdown clock in the lower corner of their video feed for “Nedoroscik Pommel.” The fact that he occasionally gave the impression of sleeping with his eyes closed fascinated observers. Comparisons on social media were rife, ranging from Steve Kornacki and Barbie’s Ken (who is known for having just one job) to Superman and Captain America. Inquiring followers found Nedoroscik’s Instagram account, where he had shared a video a few hours earlier showing how to solve a Rubik’s cube in less than ten seconds. Nedoroscik suddenly rose to hero status. However, he was somewhat of a controversial figure when he got to Paris. In an attempt to win its first Olympic team medal since 2008, the men’s gymnastics team from the United States changed its approach this time around. Despite qualifying for the Games, none of the five team members will participate in every event (there are six total). The United States chose to provide one berth on the squad to Nedoroscik, a specialist, rather than giving all five spots to “all-around” gymnasts who compete on every piece of equipment. He is only participating on the pommel horse, an apparatus that is known to be challenging and a weak point for many teams.

Nedoroscik performed the last routine during the Olympic final rotation

The only thing separating the US team from a medal was his less than one minute on the apparatus. His fist went straight up in the air as he hopped off after scoring 14.866, causing the crowd to explode in cheers. He fulfilled his purpose for visiting Paris. The Massachusetts gymnast gained attention on the internet as well. Before long, people were calling him Mr. Pommel Horse. His lover became “Ms. Pommel Horse” on X, the platform that replaced Twitter. Fans also learned about his pastime, which is solving Rubik’s cubes. On the day of the competition, he completed one in under ten seconds.
NBC’s The Today Show spoke with Nedoroscik on Tuesday, and he said that solving the puzzle provided “stress relief.” “I love to solve it—it’s just fun,” he replied. People on social media likened him to Superman’s glasses-wearing alter ego, Clark Kent. Nedoroscik sat on the sidelines wearing spectacles while he waited for his routine, and then he removed them to participate. One person remarked, “Obsessed with this guy on the US men’s gymnastics team,” in a post that went viral. “He just sits there until he’s activated like a sleeper agent, whips off his glasses like Clark Kent, and does a pommel horse routine that helps deliver the team its first medal in 16 years.” He was dubbed “the Clark Kent of pommel horse” by NBC’s Olympics X account. Nedoroscik is prone to double vision due to strabismus, or crossed eyes. He demonstrated to his fans on TikTok in 2022 how his ailment enables him to switch which eye is the dominant eye. He stated on The Today Show that he found the memes that depicted him to be “awesome” and that they represented “the people that wear glasses well.”.

Nedoroscik shared a picture of a Rubik’s Cube solve time on social media prior to the competition: 9.321 seconds

When Nedoroscik’s moment eventually came, the Americans had done so brilliantly that all he had to do was hope for the best. However, the pommel horse is the mechanism that frequently sees disasters occur. With their hands supporting their raised bodies and their legs swinging around the apparatus, athletes never stop moving and never lose their beat. Nedoroscik has a challenging routine with a high ceiling for scoring, but he has occasionally faltered under duress. Not knowing the exact calculations, he reasoned that his team would win a medal if he performed his routine flawlessly. Nedoroscik “probably had the most pressure than any other athlete tonight on the competition floor,” according to U.S. High Performance Director Brett McClure, because of the lengthy wait and the high stakes.
The elation was immediate as soon as he finished with style, scoring well enough to secure a comfortable third-place finish. Nedoroscik took his spectacles out of the chalk bucket and punched his clenched fist into heaven. They both leaped up and down, and he gave one of his coaches a hug. His colleagues gathered around and hoisted him into the air before he could even put his glasses back on his face.

Things to know about America's pommel horse hero
US’ Stephen Nedoroscik reacts after competing in the pommel horse event of the artistic gymnastics men’s team final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris, on July 29, 2024. (Photo by Loic VENANCE / AFP) (Photo by LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images)

But not for Team USA, not this year

“Essentially, it’s because [Nedoroscik’s pommel horse scores] are so much higher than everyone else on that one event that he adds a tremendous amount of potential score,” stated Tim Daggett, an Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics for NBC Sports. The United States was hanging on to third place, and they were depending on Nedoroscik to keep them there by the time he had thrown off his warm-up clothing and glasses. It was the pressure that caused Nedoroscik to jump on the handlebars. He spun about for a terrifying forty seconds while the crowd screamed, and then he successfully dismounted with a smile and a fist pump.
His teammates gave him hugs and gave him a high five. They already knew that the United States men’s gymnastics team had just won bronze, its first team medal at the Olympics in sixteen years. Later on, Nedoroscik told reporters he had tried his hardest to turn anxiety into excitement. He remarked, “I tried my hardest to enjoy every moment of that routine, even though I’ve done it a million times by now.” He also provided an answer to an issue that was on many people’s minds: despite not believing he is using his eyes at all, he can see without glasses.

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USA’s Simone Biles wins the gold medal in the team final

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Biles
TOPSHOT – US’ Simone Biles (L) and USA team celebrate with their gold medals during the podium ceremony after the artistic gymnastics women’s team final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris, on July 30, 2024. (Photo by Gabriel BOUYS / AFP) (Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP via Getty Images)

Paris: The American women’s gymnastics team is once again at the top of the Olympic medal standings. With Simone Biles as their dependable leader, the Americans easily won the gold here, three years after her withdrawal destroyed the team’s hopes of winning a gold medal. With a score of 171.296, the American women were over six points ahead of Italy, who took home the silver medal. No team was able to challenge the United States, and Brazil won bronze.
Simone Biles and her American teammates in artistic gymnastics won the gold in the team finals, just a few days after there was a slight injury scare. It was their first medal at the Olympics in Paris in 2024 and represented a remarkable resurgence for both Team USA and the athlete who made history. After the finals, Italy finished in second place with 165.494 points, ahead of Team USA’s 171.296. It was the first women’s gymnastics Olympic medal for Italy in nearly a century. Brazil’s women’s gymnastics team earned their first-ever medal in bronze, coming in little less than a point behind Italy. Along with her American teammates Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey, and Sunisa Lee, Biles competed in the women’s artistic gymnastics team final on Tuesday at Bercy Arena. It was a crucial match for the American competitors, all of whom are making their way back to the Olympics after competing in previous editions, and particularly for Biles, who was forced to withdraw from the competition in 2020 due to a potentially fatal mental block that caused her to remove herself from contention.

The drill had assured Team USA’s win even before Biles’s score was made public

A group of people, including movie director Spike Lee and Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, erupted in cheers at Biles’ bar performance earlier. Following Chiles’s fall during her beam routine, which was performed before theirs, Lee and Biles both gave strong performances on the balancing beam that garnered high points from the judges. Her fall was the only significant mistake made by Team USA during the competition, as the athletes from the United States performed elite routines that helped them advance past their rivals in each round. Jordan Chiles in the gymnastics team finals at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
On July 30, 2024, in the Bercy Arena during the artistic gymnastics women’s team final of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Jordan Chiles of Team USA performs on the balance beam. Team USA faced off against gymnasts from seven other teams that performed strongly in the qualifiers: Italy, China, Brazil, Japan, Canada, Britain, and Romania in the final after winning the qualification session over the weekend. Three gymnasts from each team participate in each gymnastics category in the finals. The current all-around champion is Lee. However, the three gymnasts’ combined scores are taken into account in the team finals. These rules raise the stakes from qualifiers where all four athletes competed and the lowest-scoring athlete’s scores were subtracted from the team total, making the final very difficult for any competing athlete.

Recuperating from a little wound

During the press conference, Biles was asked by former US teammate Aly Raisman what moniker the current championship squad should have. He responded with a smile and the word FAAFO, which stands for “F–k Around and Find Out.” After suffering a small calf injury during Sunday’s qualifying round, Biles returned to the podium on Tuesday by competing in all four events alongside her 2020 colleagues Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, and Jade Carey, as well as 16-year-old rookie Hezly Rivera. She is the only American gymnast with eight Olympic medals, one more than Shannon Miller (1992, 1996).
In addition to competing in her third straight Olympics, Biles won a gold medal in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2016. The US ladies had previously taken home the top honor in Atlanta in 1996 and London in 2012.

Break a record in a sport

With the podium finish, Biles’ total medal count from world championships and Olympic competitions reached 38, the highest in the history of the sport. Biles, who at 35 years old became the oldest gymnast on an American women’s team in 1952, and Chiles were the only members of the team to participate in every event on the schedule, which included vault, uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise. The US won the qualifying round by a commanding score of 5.435 points; however, the results did not transfer over to the finals. Each event had three gymnasts from each team, and each gymnast’s score went toward the team’s total.

Simone

Biles persisted in defending her choice to withdraw from the competition to protect herself

“I didn’t perform poorly and give up. Throughout my career, I’ve finished competitions and given many poor performances,” she remarked. “I simply got so lost my safety was at risk as well as a team medal. “I don’t think you realize how dangerous this is on hard, competitive surfaces,” she said. “I also don’t need to justify why I prioritized my health. Mental and physical well-being are synonymous.” In the six women’s gymnastics finals, including the team, individual all-around, vault, uneven bars, balance beam, and floor, Biles qualified. It’s unclear if she plans to compete the following week.
Regarding the timetable, she stated, “Usually, when I’ve had them before, it’s usually two or more weeks.” “Honestly, no telling/time frame; something you have to take day by day, turn by turn.” USA Gymnastics announced on Wednesday that Biles will be assessed every day to see if she can safely compete in the finals the following week.

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Flash flooding at Dollywood is caused by heavy rainfall; one person was hurt

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Dollywood

WATE: PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. Flash flooding at Tennessee’s Dollywood on Sunday resulted in at least one injury, according to park officials. Storms in eastern Tennessee resulted in flooding in several locations of the amusement park in Pigeon Forge. Images taken inside Dollywood show pathways and attraction gates being flooded, with portions of the park’s parking lots being completely submerged in water. During the storm, park staff helped Pigeon Forge Police and Fire Departments direct visitors to safety. Wes Ramey, the head of public relations for Dollywood, stated that there has only been one minor injury reported as of now. Dollywood withheld additional information regarding the injury.
On Sunday night, Ramey said that cleanup teams had already been sent in to lessen the damage and “assist” visitors whose automobiles had sustained damage. Ramey said he wasn’t sure if Dollywood would open on Monday as planned at the moment. Later, park authorities verified that Dollywood will reopen on Monday at noon. A message was uploaded on Dollywood’s X and Instagram pages that said, “Park officials will continue to assess conditions, and updates will be posted to our social media pages as additional information becomes available.” According to Nexstar’s WATE, more rain is predicted for this week. Monday and Tuesday are likely to have sporadic showers, and Monday night through Tuesday morning might see particularly severe rain. A little more than a week has passed since Dollywood was forced to close on July 17 due to a broken water main, which is also when Sunday’s flooding occurred. The next day, the park opened as planned.

The victim of the Seymour killing contacted 911; the dispatcher heard gunfire

The Pigeon Forge Police Department reported around 8:30 p.m. that a road collapse had resulted in the closure of McCarter Hollow Road near the Dollywood entrance. Up until 10:45 p.m. on Sunday, Sevier County was under a flash flooding warning. At Dollywood this afternoon, Sunday, July 28, there was flash flooding due to a powerful thunderstorm. When the storm hit, park staff helped the Pigeon Forge Police and Fire Departments send visitors to safety. There has just been one documented minor injury as of yet. Teams have been dispatched to clean up after this weather incident, and Dollywood is offering assistance to visitors whose vehicles were impacted. Officials from the park will keep an eye on the situation and decide whether to reopen the park tomorrow as planned. As more details become available, we’ll share updates on our social media channels.

Authorities uncover the origin of the wildfire; a man accused of starting it is taken into custody

In an update on Sunday night, Ramey said that cleanup teams had already been sent in to help visitors whose automobiles had sustained damage and to “support” them. When the statement was made, Ramey expressed doubts about Dollywood’s Monday opening. Reopening at noon on Monday, according to park officials, is what happened next. An update to Dollywood’s X and Instagram pages states, “Park officials will continue to assess conditions, and updates will be posted to our social media pages as additional information becomes available.” This week is predicted to bring more rain, according to Nexstar’s WATE, with Tuesday and Monday seeing sporadic showers and Monday night through Tuesday morning perhaps seeing torrential downpours.
A little more than a week has passed since Dollywood was forced to close on July 17 due to a broken water main, which is also when Sunday’s flooding occurred. The next day, the park opened as planned. Nexstar Media, Inc. 2024 Copyright. All rights reserved. It is prohibited to publish, broadcast, rewrite, or distribute this content.

Flash flooding occurred Sunday afternoon at Dollywood in east Tennessee as a result of a powerful rainstorm

There was one recorded minor injury. According to the Pigeon Forge Police Department, a tree fell on a woman’s camper in the 3600 block of Bear Cove Way, and she had to be rescued. For treatment, she was brought to UT Medical Center. It is uncertain what condition she is in. Additionally, the police reported that its officers helped Sevier County maintain the roadways surrounding Dollywood and aided visitors in leaving the site. At 5:39 p.m. on Sunday, the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for Sevier County, which was valid until 10:45 p.m. Wes Ramey, a representative for Dollywood, sent an email to the Associated Press stating that about 5 inches of rain fell in the area in approximately an hour.
According to Dollywood, the park will open on Monday at noon. Additionally, Veterans Boulevard from McCarter Hollow to Forge Hideaway Road was temporarily closed due to inclement weather, according to the Pigeon Forge Police Department. Bryan McCarter, vice mayor of Sevier County, reported that the Walker Trail, Dollywood, and McCarter Hollow portions of the county had seen severe flooding. He also mentioned that other minor roads are unusable.

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“Firenado” rises from the intense Park fire to the north of Chico

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"Firenado" rises from the intense Park fire

As they battled the gigantic Park fire raging in Butte, Plumas, Shasta, and Tehama counties on Sunday, firefighters had to deal with constantly shifting weather. This was California’s largest wildfire of the year and the seventh-largest fire in state history. A brief respite in hot, dry weather over the weekend allowed the 360,141-acre fire to limit to 12% of its extent, but the fire flared up again in many spots on Sunday, making some “pretty significant runs,” according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. During an afternoon press briefing, Mark Brunton, the chief of the operations division, stated, “We are seeing increased fire activity within the incident this afternoon.”

Astonishing satellite footage captures the Park fire raging from orbit

As the fire burns through dense foliage, crews will continue to struggle this week due to rising temperatures and decreasing humidity. “We’re kind of at the mercy of the weather, the fuel, and the topography—those are the three driving factors of any fire,” incident spokesperson Jay Tracy stated. In Tehama County, on Friday, flames shot out as the Park fire crossed Highway 36 close to Paynes Creek. In Tehama County, on Friday, flames shot out as the Park fire crossed Highway 36 close to Paynes Creek. After a man, suspected of arson, threw a blazing automobile into a gully close to Chico, an explosive wildfire broke out on Wednesday afternoon. At least 67 buildings have been destroyed, 4,200 more are still under threat, and about 4,200 people have had to leave their homes. Over 4,000 firefighters are battling the fire both on the ground and in the air. However, Tracy stated that the fire is raging in steep, rugged terrain that is hard to get to, including places like the Ishi Wilderness that haven’t burned in decades and are so overgrown and prone to fire. Concerns are raised by the largest fire in California’s ‘extraordinary’ growth. It might burn for several months.
“There’s not any infrastructure in there that would have the roads and the access points that we need,” he stated. The majority of the fire is moving northeast, and Paynes Creek and other nearby areas remain of great concern. According to officials, the fire is spreading into some denser forest along Highway 32, advancing toward Deer Creek, Lomo, and other nearby locations. Billy See, the Cal Fire incident commander, stated at the press conference, “We are experiencing some challenges along the 32 corridor.” Thanks to “luck and hard work,” Cohasset, a hamlet of concern on the southern edge of the fire, has managed to escape damage thus far, according to Zeke Lunder, a geographer and fire specialist based in Chico. During a briefing on Saturday night, Lunder stated that while there are numerous active hotspots and flames in the European Space Agency’s satellite images of the fire, there are also some positive forest management and fuel reduction initiatives that have helped keep certain places safe.

"Firenado" rises from the intense Park fire

“Firenado” rises from the intense Park fire to the north of Chico

But according to forecasters, luck might soon change. Sara Purdue, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento, says that although a low-pressure system brought much cooler and wetter conditions to the area over the weekend, the coming days are likely to bring a gradual rise in temperature and drop in humidity. “We’re looking at the potential for triple digits by next weekend,” stated Purdue. “There is some uncertainty in the forecast still, but it’s going to be a slow transition back to those warmer-than-normal temperatures.” Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Saturday in response to the fire, stating that he had obtained more federal support to fight the blaze.
“This is already one of the biggest fires in California history, and we’re continuing to see dangerous conditions—our firefighters and emergency responders are working day and night to protect our communities,” Newsom stated in a statement. “Californians must heed the warning from local authorities and take steps to stay safe.”

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Djokovic hopes that his ‘unique’ competition with Nadal endures

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Djokovic hopes that his 'unique' competition with Nadal endures

After defeating his former opponent in the second round of the Olympics on Monday, Novak Djokovic (37), expressed his optimism that he will have more opportunities to play Rafael Nadal (38). In the 60th meeting between the two, the 24-time Grand Slam champion took the lead after winning 10 of the opening 11 games and seemed set to hand Nadal the most crushing loss ever. However, he ultimately prevailed 6-1, 6-4. Following the defeat, Rafael Nadal declared he would make a decision regarding his career in tennis following the Olympics, when he will also compete in doubles with Carlos Alcaraz. However, Djokovic told reporters he would like to maintain the rivalry with Nadal, having faced him for the first time at the 2006 French Open when they were still teenagers.
“In the annals of tennis history, no other rivalry has featured 60 meetings between the two men. Thus, in my opinion, that alone makes it incredibly distinctive and unique,” Djokovic remarked. “I just hope that we get to play each other once or maybe a few times, on different surfaces, in different parts of the world, for the sake of our rivalry and the sport in general. I feel like it can only be beneficial to the sport.” “I don’t know how he feels in his body or what his plans are, but let’s hope we can play some more.” It would take time, according to Djokovic, to determine whether or not Monday’s match will be his final encounter with Nadal. “We are unaware of that. It truly relies on a wide range of variables,” he remarked. “Well, it depends on whether or not we both stick with it and whether or not we play in the same events. We both seem to want to compete in the biggest tournaments, including Grand Slams. I’m not sure. Most likely, we’ll be extremely picky.”

Absence of “brotherhood”

Although Djokovic downplayed the idea of a “brotherhood” with Nadal, he acknowledged his great regard and adoration for the Spaniard. Their careers will always be intimately interwoven. “It’s tough to be close, honestly, greatest rivals, and you don’t want to maybe give insights to your life or the way you feel and stuff because that can maybe expose you and stuff,” Djokovic said. “I suppose that’s one of the possible reasons why we didn’t click so well. I don’t think you can truly connect that well with someone at that level, but who knows when our careers will finish?
“It’s a long life, hopefully for both of us, and we’re both family people, and hopefully we can address the different sides of our relationship and reflect on things that we went through together, that we lived together, the special moments in a different way.” With this win, Djokovic exacted revenge for losing to Rafael Nadal in the 2008 Olympic semifinals, where the Serbian had to settle for bronze in his first-ever competition. “It was an incredible match; just the anticipation and the hype around this match was huge,” Djokovic remarked. “I’d probably say there’s even more tension playing him at the Olympic Games, just because there is that element of representing your country and being part of the Olympic Games, which is so rare—it only happens every four years.”

Djokovic hopes that his 'unique' competition with Nadal endures

A reflection of the strain and abrasion the two have had to deal with lately

To the relief of a crowded, hot arena, Djokovic broke through for a 4-0 lead and held it for 5-0 until Nadal broke the run. Nadal’s ballooning forehand wide of the target gave Djokovic the one-sided opener. For Nadal, who was only able to muster four games off Djokovic’s serve in the opening set, the numbers were depressing. In the second set, Djokovic again carved away a double break to lead 4-0. There was no letup.
Unexpectedly, Djokovic gave Nadal a lifeline when he served up a double fault to be broken for the first time in an attempt to win his first Olympic gold medal. The top seed abruptly lost steam, but Nadal recovered to win the second break and rally from 0-4 to 4-4. In response, Djokovic stunned Nadal with a drop shot, allowing the Serb to break for a 5-4 lead on his fourth break opportunity and seal the win with an ace.

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Who took home the win in Venezuela? Both contenders declare their wins

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Both contenders declare their wins

Following the official declaration of President Nicolas Maduro as the victor of an election tainted by fraud by the opposition, Venezuelans took to the streets. Nationwide protests have broken out, with protesters even managing to topple a statue of Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo Chavez, in the state of Falcon. Protesters chanted anti-presidential slogans in the Petare neighborhood, one of the poorest areas of the capital, Caracas, while some young people wearing masks tore down the president’s campaign posters from lampposts. The presidential residence, Miraflores, was another destination for some of the demonstrators.

Large numbers of police were stationed throughout the city, and it was observed that National Guard personnel were using tear gas to scatter protesters. Additionally, pro-Maduro paramilitary forces known as “colectivos” were said to have opened fire on demonstrators. It will eventually fall. It will eventually fall. “This government is about to collapse!” exclaimed a few of the demonstrators. The National Electoral Council (CNE) officially acknowledged on Monday that Maduro had been re-elected by a majority of Venezuelans to a second six-year term as president “for the period 2025-2031,” which infuriated the populace. However, the CNE, which is dominated by Maduro supporters, has not made public the counts from each of the 30,000 polling places in Venezuela, escalating political unrest and calls for more openness in the country.

The election on Sunday was one of the least violent in recent memory in Venezuela

If Maduro does not win reelection, he has warned of a “bloodbath.” Hugo Chávez, Maduro’s mentor, led the socialist-inspired political movement that became dictatorial and lasted for over thirty years. Under his leadership, the state maintained its one-party system.  The greatest oil reserves in the world are found in Venezuela. The severe sanctions implemented by the United States in 2019 combined with the financial mismanagement of this industry under Maduro’s leadership set off a chain reaction that ultimately led to the collapse of Venezuela’s economy. Additionally, it set off a humanitarian catastrophe that is still going strong and has left people without access to essentials like food and healthcare.

Over 80% of Venezuelans are now living in poverty as a result of the crisis, and 8 million of them are thought to have fled their country for other countries in Latin America and the United States, making it the greatest displacement issue globally. In light of this, support for Maduro and the Chavista government started to decline. The opposition movement then began to gather steam as its actions started to pierce the deeply rooted political apathy brought on by years of government persecution by a regime notorious for detaining dissidents and quelling demonstrations. Attorney General Tarek William Saab of Venezuela announced in a statement on Monday afternoon that his office is looking into a possible compromise of the data transmission system used by the election commission. Without offering any proof, Saab singled out Machado and two other opposition leaders as “supposedly the main people responsible for the attack.”

What took happening in Venezuela?

“I, Nicolas Maduro Moros, the re-elected president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, pledge to protect our democracy, legal system, and populace,” Maduro uttered upon his announcement as the victor of the Sunday presidential contest. Maduro asserted that a foreign actor—whom he would not name—had attempted a “massive hack” on Venezuela’s electoral process. He requested that “the popular will” and “the sovereign life of Venezuela” be honored. In the meantime, Maria Corina Machado, the head of the opposition, declared the contested election to be won. “This is the reality, and this is the Venezuelan election with the biggest margin of victory in history, my dear fellow countrymen. Kudos, Edmundo,” Machado added, addressing Gonzalez. “We’ll continue to announce the steps [we’ll take] to defend the truth in the days to come.”

The opposition would fight “until the end,” according to her. She continued, “And the truth surfacing and respect for the popular sovereignty that was expressed today will be the end.” At 10:00 GMT, Maduro cast his ballot in Caracas at 6 a.m. He declared during voting that the police and military would support and acknowledge the results declared by the authorities. In addition to running for reelection, Maduro was fighting to carry on the political endeavor that the late President Hugo Chavez began 25 years ago. In the meantime, the opposition, emboldened and presenting the biggest threat to Maduro’s authority in years, promised, should they win, to repair Venezuela’s economy, which has been severely damaged by Western sanctions, and to restore democracy.

What can be anticipated in Venezuela next?

Independent witnesses are allowed by law in Venezuela to remain at polling places until they have confirmed the count and obtained a printed copy of the results. The opposition, however, claimed that just thirty percent of voting places provided them with results. The inability of the electoral commission to provide official voting tallies from all 30,000 polling places has made it more difficult for the opposition to confirm the results. Historian of Latin America and former electoral observer in Venezuela Javier Farje says the opposition would rely on the backing of the international community to contest the results of the poll. Farje told Al Jazeera, “The opposition will demand that access to the vote be granted to international observers, and secondly, they will demand that the international community not recognize Maduro’s victory.”

The opposition will be observing Venezuela’s Attorney General Tarek William Saab’s response in the interim. If he believes the opposition has committed specific electoral offenses, he could issue several arrest warrants. Carlos Eduardo Pina, a political scientist from Venezuela, told Al Jazeera that “this has happened in the past and it can happen again.” “A scenario of repression might occur,” Pina stated that the military’s reaction will play a major role in determining the outcome. He described them as “a sort of great elector in Venezuela.” Additionally, Pina stated that the indications thus far point to the military “recognizing” Maduro’s victory.

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“Everyone is subject to the law”: Biden demands comprehensive changes to the Supreme Court

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Biden demands comprehensive changes to the Supreme Court

July 29, Washington, DC (Reuters) – President of the United States Joe Biden will put forth broad reforms to the Supreme Court on Monday, including term limits and a mandatory code of behavior for each of the court’s nine justices. However, because of the extreme polarization of Congress, these changes are unlikely to be enacted. Biden will make the recommendations at a speech at former president Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidential library in Austin, Texas, along with a constitutional amendment to remove extensive presidential immunity. Advertisement: Click to proceed “The fundamental idea upon which this country was built is that nobody is above the law. Not America’s president. Not one justice in the United States Supreme Court. Nobody ” In a Monday opinion piece that appeared in the Washington Post, Biden stated.
A week after abandoning his reelection campaign and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to face Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in November, Biden is pushing for improvements. It also comes after the Supreme Court ruled that there is no constitutional right to an abortion, along with other rulings that thwarted Biden’s plans regarding student loans, immigration, vaccination requirements, and climate change. The life-tenured justices of the Supreme Court are not bound by any formal code of ethics, in contrast to other members of the federal court. Disclosure regulations compel them to record outside income and some gifts, although they are typically excused from reporting food and other “personal hospitality” like staying at someone’s home.

In the past, Biden had opposed attempts to reorganize or change the court’s nine judges who are appointed for life

Biden, meanwhile, would now pursue 18-year term limits for Supreme Court justices, with new justices being chosen every two years, according to the White House. According to an information sheet, this would “reduce the chance that any single presidency imposes undue influence for generations to come.” In addition, he would like to see a “binding, enforceable” code of ethics comparable to that which governs federal judges. With three judges selected during Trump’s presidency, the top court has a 6-3 conservative majority and has delivered many blows to Biden recently. The world was taken aback in 2022 when the court reversed the Roe v. Wade decision from 1973, which established the federal right to an abortion.

CurreBiden will urge Congress to enact legally mandated regulations requiring justices to reveal their gifts

According to the White House, he would also push Congress to impose an 18-year term restriction on Supreme Court judges. Term limits and an ethics code for the Supreme Court would need to be enacted into law, but given the current makeup of Congress, this is unlikely to happen. Biden will also suggest amending the constitution to explicitly state that holding office does not provide immunity from federal criminal prosecution, trial, conviction, or sentence. Adopting such an amendment would be far more challenging, needing a convention called by two-thirds of the states or two-thirds of the members of both chambers of Congress to support it and subsequently approved by 38 state legislatures out of 50.
In a momentous ruling that recognized presidential immunity from prosecution for the first time, the U.S. Supreme Court decided in July that Trump cannot be punished for acts that he took while serving as president under the Constitution. Subscribe to the On the Campaign Trail newsletter to receive weekly news and commentary on the US elections and their global significance. Register by going here.

years must serve on the Supreme Court for eighteen years in an active capacity

The Supreme Court’s mandatory code of conduct is the third modification that is being proposed. To comply with this, judges would have to reveal their gifts, abstain from political participation in public, and withdraw from cases in which they or their wives had a financial or other conflict of interest. Because of perceived ethical transgressions and political bias, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., filed articles of impeachment against Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito of the Supreme Court in July. Last year, Thomas sparked a scandal in ethics when it was discovered that he had concealed millions of dollars in gifts and other luxury travel from pals who were billionaires.
The Bronx Democrat declared, “It is expressly illegal for Justice Thomas and Judge Alito to have repeatedly, over decades, neglected to disclose that they received millions of dollars in gifts from people with business before the court.” When Biden speaks later in the day in Austin at the LBJ Presidential Library to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, he is anticipated to discuss these plans.

 

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Rajya Sabha Postpones Delhi Horror Debate: “Main Opposition Does Not Favour…”

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Rajya Sabha Postpones Delhi Horror Debate

New Delhi: In light of the deaths of four students—three of whom drowned in the flooded basement of a coaching institution in east Delhi on Saturday and one of whom was electrocuted last week—the Rajya Sabha postponed a brief discussion on Monday. The principal opposition, the Congress, disputed the three notices that Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar stated he had received to suspend regular House activity. “This was conveyed to me by Jairam Ramesh (the Congress’ communications chief) in categorical terms.” According to reports, Congress also desired a conversation about other matters that impacted students, like the controversial NEET-UG test controversy and the instability and violence in Manipur.
Mr. Dhankhar had before attacked the coaching center industry, telling the House, “Coaching has practically turned into a business. The first one or two pages of any newspaper we read are advertisements.” “I have received notices under Rule 267…they (the MPs who served the notice) have demanded a discussion on the tragic death of three students in Delhi due to negligence of authorities,” he had stated. Aam Aadmi Party MP Swati Maliwal was one of those who received notice; this is a political turn of events considering her contentious relationship with the party at the moment. The former head of the Delhi Commission for Women is embroiled in a legal battle with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s aide, Bibhav Kumar, whom she has accused of assault. For the time being, Ms. Maliwal, an AAP member, stated that she was fighting for “justice and compensation” for the families of the students, all of whom were preparing for the UPSC examinations. “I have filed notice today for suspension of business… for discussion on the pertinent issue—justice and compensation for the four UPSC aspirants who died… (the) voice of the students will not go unheard.”

In the meantime, the Lok Sabha also referred to the tragedy

“Having a smart kid whose dreams of serving the country have been crushed and the family’s hopes have been dashed is a shocking situation. It is evident that compensation is necessary in this case, yet no compensation can be sufficient,” stated Shashi Tharoor, a Congress MP. “There are several serious issues that need to be addressed—there is sadly a level of violations of basic norms when it comes to building codes, fire safety, flood safety, etc. that are rampant in the city.”
Watch this video to hear Congress MP Shashi Tharoor discuss the Old Rajinder Nagar incident in the Lok Sabha: “It’s a horrible situation, and I have to say that when you have a talented kid, all the ambitions of serving the nation through the UPSC exam have been crushed, and the hopes… image. Given that Mr. Tharoor’s party and the AAP, which govern Delhi and are in charge of the city’s civic body, are members of the INDIA opposition bloc, his pointed remarks have drawn attention. “The company bears accountability as well. I have observed a clearance certificate dated July 9 in the possession of a journalist. He became enraged and said, “The corporation lets these people do what they’re doing.”

BJP Shows Disapproval of AAP

A protest against the AAP has been initiated by the opposition BJP, as was to be expected. In response to the Old Rajinder Nagar tragedy, in which three students perished when a coaching institute’s basement was filled with water in July, Delhi Police used water cannons to scatter BJP leaders and workers who were protesting against the AAP government in Delhi, close to the AAP office. To break up the group of BJP workers protesting outside the party headquarters, Delhi Police resorted to the use of water cannons. Virendra Sachdeva, the head of the party’s Delhi section, joined the protestors.

Rajya Sabha Postpones Delhi Horror Debate

How Delhi Coaching Center Endangers Lives

Thus far, inquiries have revealed numerous mistakes made by both the local government and the proprietor of the coaching center. August 2021 saw the coaching center receive a No-Objection Certificate from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. The basement is to be utilized for parking and storage, according to the document that NDTV was able to view. A senior employee was suspended this morning, and a junior engineer with the MCD was fired. Two engineers are being sued after a study center floods and kills students. The officials collaborated with the Karol Bagh Zone’s maintenance division. This month, the coaching center also obtained a comparable certificate from the fire department.

 

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Tanya Soni, the victim of the Delhi Basement Horror, cherished poetry and aspired to become an IAS

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Tanya Soni, the victim of the Delhi Basement Horror

Patna: Tanya Soni, a 25-year-old college student, enjoyed poetry, frequently attended cultural events, and was driven to pass the UPSC entrance exam to enter the civil service. However, a soggy day spent at the library cut short her life and her goals. Tanya is one of the three aspirants to the civil service who perished on Saturday when rainwater filled Rau’s IAS Study Circle basement in Rajendra Nagar, Delhi. The 25-year-old, who was born in Aurangabad, Bihar, has lived in Delhi ever since she started college. She was getting ready for the IAS entrance exam, having recently finished her political science bachelor’s degree. Her father works in Telangana, where her parents reside. Her father, Vijay Kumar, was en route to Lucknow when he received the news. He told news agency PTI, “We deboarded at Nagpur and took a flight to Delhi after getting the information.”
Tanya’s body is on its way to her Bihar home for the last rites. Vijay Kumar, who works with Singareni Collieries Company Ltd, said becoming an IAS officer was Tanya’s childhood dream. At her Aurangabad home, relatives are shattered. Tanya’s grandfather said she was the brightest student in the family. Her cousin Ankit said, “She was very sharp, the sharpest among us all. She loved poetry. She was also interested in dancing and would perform at college functions,” he said. Tanya was among the 20-odd students in the library in the coaching center’s basement Saturday evening when a downpour sent water gushing in and trapped the students. Three students died, and the others were rescued.

Deaths at Delhi Coaching Center

Tanya Soni, a 25-year-old resident of Aurangabad, Bihar, had traveled to Delhi from Telangana. She was a Delhi University student who had been admitted to the coaching center 1.5 months prior. She had been residing in the women’s dorm at Maharaja Agrasen College. The 25-year-old Shreya Yadav was a native of Ambedkar Nagar in Uttar Pradesh. She was admitted to the coaching center two months ago, having previously resided in a PG hostel in the Shadipur neighborhood of west Delhi. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Agriculture at Uttar Pradesh College.
Nevin Delvin, 28, of Ernakulam, Kerala, was a PhD student at Jawaharlal Nehru University studying arts and aesthetics. He had only started at the coaching institute eight months prior, but up until then, he had been living in rented housing in the Vasant Kunj neighborhood of the university.

Shreya Yadav

In April 2024, 25-year-old Shreya Yadav from Uttar Pradesh’s Ambedkar Nagar enrolled in Rau’s IAS tutoring program. Out of her three siblings, Shreya was the oldest. Her goal upon moving to Delhi was to ace one of the hardest exams in the nation. Shreya graduated with a B.Sc. in Agriculture from Sultanpur’s Kamla Nehru Institute of Technology. Her instructors and family recall her as a bright child who was always “smart in studies” and as a potential student. One of Shreya’s brothers, Abhishek Yadav, is a mass communication student, while Shreya’s father owns a dairy store in Ambedkar Nagar.
Rajendra Yadav, Shreya’s father, asserted that she had previously told the family about the basements flooding after rain and that the institute had taken no action to resolve the problem. According to her father, he learned about the incident from the media and was not informed about it by the institute. Dharmendra Yadav, Shreya’s uncle, claimed he was denied access to view her body at the hospital in the meantime.

Tanya Soni

Tanya Soni, a twenty-five-year-old Secunderabad, Telangana resident, was born in Aurangabad, Bihar. She resided in the Maharaja Agrasen College women’s hostel while a student at Delhi University. Tanya only enrolled in the coaching program 1.5 months ago, as reported by PTI. Vijay Kumar, her father, works for a Telangana mining company. Tanya had a brother and a sister who were her younger siblings.

Nevin Dalvin

Nevin Dalvin, 28, is an IAS candidate from Ernakulam, Kerala. He has been studying for a PhD at Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi for around eight months. Nevin, a resident of Patel Nagar, went to the underground library on Saturday morning at around ten in the morning. Nevin’s family, who were originally from the Thiruvananthapuram district, has been residing in Ernakulam for the past ten to twelve years.

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2024 football match between Argentina and Morocco, with a score of 1-2

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2024 football match between Argentina and Morocco
Paris 2024 Olympics – Football – Men’s Group B – Argentina vs Morocco – Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium, Saint-Etienne, France – July 24, 2024. Achraf Hakimi of Morocco reacts as pitch invaders run to the pitch after the match. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani

The wild conclusion of Argentina’s Olympic soccer match against Morocco on Wednesday was dubbed “a scandal” by coach Javier Mascherano, while the head of the country’s soccer association claimed it “makes no sense.” Men’s soccer tournament play was delayed for about two hours due to Moroccan supporters storming the field and hurling bottles in protest of an Argentina goal that came late in the game. Argentina lost 2-1 after the video assistance referee later reversed the goal. “There was a scandal on the field. These are the Olympic Games, not a neighborhood competition, Mascherano declared. Following the Saint-Etienne match, Paris organizers stated they were attempting to “understand the causes and identify appropriate actions.” The Argentine soccer federation said on Wednesday that it had sent an official protest to FIFA, the world governing body and that it will take “what is necessary” to ensure the players’ safety.
Argentina Football Association president Claudio Tapia stated, “It makes no sense, and that goes against the competition rules. Our players having to warm up again and continue to play a match that should have been suspended by the main referee after Morocco fans entered the pitch is something that makes no sense and that goes against the competition rules.” The Argentina squad also reported that before the match, their training camp was broken into, with player Thiago Almada’s watch being removed. In the meantime, tensions between the two countries erupted over the Argentine soccer team’s disparaging post-match chants toward French players at the Copa America. According to his office, Argentine President Javier Milei landed in Paris on Thursday and is scheduled to see French President Emmanuel Macron. In the 16th minute of additional time at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Cristian Medina’s goal looked to tie the game at two, causing fans from Morocco to rush the field in protest. In addition, there were bottle throws from the audience, and security tackled fans on the field in frantic scenes.

What transpired during Morocco’s match vs. Argentina?

The Group B match between Argentina and Morocco got underway at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard at 2 pm BST/9 am ET. Morocco led 2-0 at the break owing to goals by Soufiane Rahimi in each half. However, in the 68th minute, Giuliano Simeone, the son of Atletico Madrid manager Diego, cut the deficit in half for Argentina. After 15 minutes of stoppage time, Argentina believed they had equalized when Medina headed home after the ball had struck the Morocco woodwork twice in the seconds before. First, Morocco’s goalkeeper Munir diverted Nicolas Otamendi’s strike into the crossbar. The ball was then headed in by Medina from close range after Bruno Amione’s looping header struck the crossbar. There were crazy scenes in the stands, with several glasses and bottles hurled in the direction of the Argentina players who were celebrating. Stewards pursued a few spectators who had sprinted onto the field while wearing the flag of Morocco. A flare-like object appeared to go off on the touchline where several players were standing and the two dugouts were situated, according to broadcast footage. As riot police waited nearby, players ducked, covered their heads, and quickly fled the field.
At 4.10 p.m. BST/11.10 a.m. ET, the game appeared to have concluded in a 2-2 draw. The broadcast stream stopped, and the next match between Egypt and the Dominican Republic was shown. The game was over, according to the official Olympic match blog. A notice that said, “Your session has been suspended,” appeared on the big screen as fans were ordered to exit the stadium. Kindly proceed to the closest exit.

2024 football match between Argentina and Morocco

There were pictures of players from Argentina trembling as something that looked like a flare was thrown onto the field

“I understand why the Argentine athletes might have been concerned,” stated Bruno Le Ray, the security director for the organizing committee. The absence of barriers separating the stands from the field is a well-known feature of Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. No firecrackers were ever shot, as far as we know. Undoubtedly, there has been an incident, but not in the sense of security. “I deplore the attitude of certain supporters during the match, which tarnished the image of our loyal fans,” Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi said on X. Football is not the venue for such behavior. Amidst the chaos, players went to their locker rooms, and spectators were instructed to vacate the stadium, leading some to believe that the final whistle had been blown. The official FIFA website announced the outcome as 2-2. However, it was subsequently revealed that Medina’s goal was being reviewed and that the game had been halted with only a few minutes left to play.
After nearly two hours, the players returned to warm up in an empty stadium, and referee Glenn Nyberg said he was watching the goal on the touchline monitor. Then he affirmed that it would be thrown out for being offside. The teams played the final three minutes with Morocco holding on for the victory. Security caused the game to be halted. Mascherano stated, “They never discussed any change (of the play) with us. It’s unclear, of course, but we must proceed. It’s over; it already happened. The two games that are left must be our key priorities. Hold in your rage until the next games, when you may unleash it all. Argentina, the two-time gold medalist, was among the pre-tournament favorites and was looking to add to its collection of medals after taking home the World Cup in 2022 and the Copa Americas in a row.

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