The recent agricultural reforms face protests from farmers across the nation who fear that the legislation will not ensure Minimum Support Price (MSP) on agricultural produce.  On September 24, the official account of the Indian National Congress (INC) tweeted a 46-second video questioning Prime Minister Modi’s policies and broken promises. सपने कुछ यूं दिखाये थे, वादों के पूरा हो जाने का, विश्वास जादूगर के जादू सा लगा था। प्रधानमंत्री ने झूठे वादों से, देश के हर वर्ग को ठगा था।। pic. twitter. com/1MrNklHzhi— Congress (@INCIndia) September 24, 2020That same day, Congress tweeted a graphic that showed an image of women from rural India.  The tweet said, “The government gets revenue from the market.  With that revenue, the government carries development work in rural areas.  The BJP government is threatening the development of rural India by shutting down the mandi system. ” This was shared by other Twitter users as well. सरकार को मंडी से राजस्व मिलता है, उस राजस्व से सरकार ग्रामीण क्षेत्रों में विकास कार्य करवाती है। भाजपा सरकार मंडी प्रणाली को बंद करके ग्रामीण भारत के विकास को खतरे में डाल रही है।#DeshKiBaat pic. twitter. com/lJunnOJ8Q5— Congress (@INCIndia) September 24, 2020On September 25, Priyanka Gandhi, general secretary of the All India Congress Committee in charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, tweeted a picture of a farmer and wrote, “Before the BJP’s agriculture bill, MSP = Minimum Support Price for Farmers.  After the bill is passed, MSP = Maximum Support in Profit for Capitalists.  Where will the farmer go? ”.  Her tweet gained over 3,000 retweets.  This image was posted by several other users on Twitter. भाजपा के कृषि बिल के पहले-MSP = किसानों के लिए न्यूनतम समर्थन मूल्य (Minimum Support Price)बिल पास हो जाने के बाद-MSP = पूंजीपतियों के लिए मैक्सिमम सपोर्ट इन प्रॉफिट (Maximum Support in Profit)किसान कहां जाएगा?  pic. twitter. com/EKWMzWIYRg— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) September 24, 2020While the images used in these posts were clearly representational in nature, some of them were shot during UPA rule.  This was also pointed out by numerous social media users.  A simple reverse-image search reveals that multiple images from Congress posts were taken prior to 2014. At the 30-second mark in the video uploaded by Congress, the audio sarcastically states that the Ganga river has been cleaned by the BJP.  The corresponding image was found on Getty Images, uploaded in 2013.  Its caption reads, “Devotees cross the polluted waters of the Ganga River to take a holy dip at Sangam in Allahabad on April 14, 2013. ” At the time, the Samajwadi Party formed the Uttar Pradesh government and the Congress was ruling at the center. This slideshow requires JavaScript. Similarly, the image used by Congress in a graphic on the farm bill affecting rural women was published in a 2012 article by The Economist.
A similar pattern was observed in Priyanka Gandhi’s tweet.  The image of a farmer was published by The Hindu in their article in 2013.  This is a PTI image.  However, this article was updated in 2016.  In order to verify that the image was published in 2013 and not added later in 2016, Alt News accessed the archived link of the article on Wayback Machine.  This confirmed that the image was indeed published in 2013.
Therefore, Congress used pictures from the time the party was in power to depict the plight of farmers under the Modi government.  The party could have used recent images of the ongoing farmer protests but ironically posted photographs taken prior to 2014. Donate NowArchit is a graduate in English Literature from The MS University of Baroda.  He also holds a post-graduation diploma in journalism from the Asian College of Journalism.  Since then he has worked at Essel Group's English news channel at WION as a trainee journalist, at S3IDF as a fundraising & communications officer and at The Hindu as a reporter.  At Alt News, he works as a fact-checking journalist. A picture of Tej Pratap Yadav has been making the rounds on social media recently…. A video of police tying a rope around an elderly person’s wrists has been circulating…A photo of a man being flogged with his hands tied has been gathering a…A set of two images, an alleged tweet and a video has been shared on…A photo of an idol of Hindu deity Nandi found buried in the ground has…


Former House Speaker Paul Ryan referred to women using contraception as "murder."

In March 2017, claims appeared that former House Speaker Paul Ryan said women using birth control was akin to committing murder first appeared, racing around the internet at its usual pace.  The story appeared at the now-defunct hoax and satire site USPOLN, under the headline, “Paul Ryan: ‘If There Was A Legitimate Way To Have Intercourse And Not Get Pregnant, God Would Have Included It In His Holy Books. '” The report began: House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) on Sunday refused to say if some women would lose access to birth control benefits after Republicans repeal President Barack Obama’s health care reform law.  The Wisconsin Republican promised during an interview on CNN that the repeal of Obamacare would lower the costs of health care by providing “vouchers” to poor Americans.  CNN host Jake Tapper noted that many women were paying nothing for birth control thanks to an Affordable Care Act mandate.  “Is that going to end? ” he wondered.  “Look, I’m not going to get into all the nitty-gritty details of these things,” Ryan replied curly.  “I’m not a preacher, nor am I a holy man, but the fact to the matter is that Obamacare is bad for our economy, it’s bad for Americans, both poor ones and ones who aren’t, overall, it’s a bad program and a bad piece of legislation and that’s why it’s gotta go,” Ryan argued stubbornly, all the while ignoring the question.  “And if our biology allowed for a safe way to have intercourse, if we were meant to have intercourse completely naturally and not get pregnant because of it, then God would have included something about it in one of his Holy Books.  Now, I haven’t found anything on the subject – and not for lack of looking, Jake – have you, perhaps? ” The story circulated quickly, and many who commented didn’t take time to read the disclaimer on USPOLN’s “contact” page that reads: USPOLN is a US Political News and hybrid News/Satire platform on the web. ” The report followed Paul Ryan’s release of House Republicans’ proposal to repeal and replace Obamacare, the American Health Care Act.  The failed bill would have defunded Planned Parenthood, which uses federal funds to administer a variety of women’s health services, including birth control and cervical health screenings (no federal funds can be used to support abortions via the Hyde Amendment. ) The Republican bill would also have prevented low-income women who are on Medicaid from receiving healthcare from Planned Parenthood — including birth control.  The “hybrid” USPOLN story blended factual news reports that some women would lose access to birth control under the American Health Care Act — and satirized it by reporting that Paul Ryan compared birth control to murder.  Excerpts of the story were decoupled from their original publication and embedded in other stories and displayed on sites that did not offer a visible (or any) disclaimer.  However, the story is not true.  Article Sources +Hyde AmendmentContextualizing the first-round failure of the AHCA: down but not outThe American Health Care Act


ITBP troops guard booths and help senior citizens in Tamluk, East Medinipur, during second phase of West Bengal Assembly polls: ITBP https://t.co/Q6w71d0tKq

Voting across 30 assembly constituencies of West Bengal and 39 constituencies in Assam was conducted in the second phase of assembly elections on Thursday.  Over 11 hours into polling, the states recorded a voting percentage of 80. 43% and 77. 21% respectively, so far. The Election Commission notified on Thursday evening the second phase was conducted peacefully across 21,212 polling stations which were spread over the total 69 constituencies.  The second phase of polls in Bengal witnessed a crucial battle for the Nandigram assembly seat, from where chief minister Mamata Banerjee is contesting for the first time instead of her traditional Bhawanipore seat.  While Banerjee seeks to retain the chief minister’s post for the third term, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded her former aide Suvendu Adhikari against her from Nandigram. Click here for full assembly election 2021 coverageSoon after Banerjee reached a polling booth in the constituency, sloganeering was reported from the station, following which she spoke with the state governor Jagdeep Dhankar to look into the matter.  She also alleged that several voters were not being allowed to cast their ballot.  The governor has assured her that the issue has been flagged to concerned officials. Meanwhile, in Assam, over 7. 3 million voters decided the fate of 345 candidates.  The main electoral battle in the northeastern state is between BJP and Congress.  The BJP this time as teamed up with Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) while the Congress as a part of the Grand Alliance is fighting the election with the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), the Communist Party of India, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation, the Anchalik Gana Marcha (AGM) and the Bodoland Peoples' Front (BPF). Follow latest updates on Phase 2 voting hereFollow all the updates here:Cong seeks candidature disqualification of Assam minister Pijush HazarikaAs voting concluded for the second phase of the assembly election in Assam, the Congress Party on Thursday submitted a memorandum to the state's Chief Electoral Officer, seeking candidature disqualification of Assam minister Pijush Hazarika for allegedly threatening journalist, according to news agency ANI.  After Mahua Moitra’s ‘Chotiwala’ barb, Giriraj Singh reactsAs the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have engaged in a squabble over the ‘chotiwala’ jibe, Union fisheries minister and BJP leader Giriaj Singh on Thursday reacted sharply towards TMC MP Mahua Moitra’s recent tweet where she said, “There are chotiwalas and then there are chotiwala rakshasas who refers to gotra of Rohingyas as if it were a term of abuse.  Modiji should ask his cabinet minister to refrain from such filth. ” Read more90% of votes have gone to BJP in Nandigram, says Suvendu AdhikariExpressing confidence that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would emerge victorious in West Bengal's Nandigram constituency, party leader Suvendu Adhikari said on Thursday that 90% of the votes in Nandigram have gone to the BJP.  Polling across assembly constituencies done under strict security cover: Election CommissionThe EC added that polling across all assembly constituencies in Phase 2 was conducted under strict security arrangements.  "Central Armed Police Forces(CAPFs) along with the local police force have been deployed to ensure peaceful, intimidation free and conducive atmosphere for the smooth conduct of elections in a free, fair, inclusive and accessible manner," a statement from the Commission read.  Phase-2 of Assam, Bengal assembly polls conducted peacefully, says ECThe Election Commission said on Thursday that the second phase of the assembly elections in Assam and Bengal conducted peacefully across 21,212 polling stations which were spread over 69 assembly seats, ANI reports. Voter turnout in Bengal goes over 80%, Assam sees 73. 09% turnoutThe latest update by the Election Commission at 6. 06 pm showed that West Bengal recorded a voter turnout of 80. 43% while Assam saw a turnout of 73. 09%.  Worried about democracy, not Nandigram, says Bengal CM BanerjeeWe have already lodged 63 complaints with Election Commission.  I am not worried about Nandigram, but I am worried about democracy.  I will win Nandigram with the blessings of 'Maa Maati Manush': West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee pic. twitter. com/QD81ZMOahOWest Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday hit out at the Election Commission (EC) and said, "Whatever you (Election Commission) try, BJP will not win.  In Nandigram, 90% of the votes will to TMC. " Banerjee also said that the TMC had already lodged 63 complaints with the commission adding that she was not worried about her constituency Nandigram but was worried about democracy.  "I will win Nandigram with the blessings of 'Maa Maati Manush,' the Bengal CM added. East Mednipur: ITBP personnel help senior citizens cast vote during second phase of pollingITBP troops guard booths and help senior citizens in Tamluk, East Medinipur, during second phase of West Bengal Assembly polls: ITBP pic. twitter. com/Q6w71d0tKqITBP personnel helps senior citizen to reach a polling booth in West Bengal's BankuraA personnel from of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) was seen helping a senior citizen to reach a polling booth in West Bengal's Bankura to exercise his franchise.  West Bengal records over 71% voter turnout so far, Assam sees 63. 04%Latest updates by the Election Commission at 4. 12 pm showed that Bengal has recorded a voter turnout of 71. 07% while Assam has seen a turnout of 63. 04%.  Voters queue up at poll booth in MayongPhotos from polling stationsA look at Phase 2 Bengal, Assam voting in photos68. 81% voter turnout recorded in Bengal so far, Assam sees 61. 86% turnoutAs of 3. 17 pm, 68. 81% voter turnout has been recorded in West Bengal while Assam sees a voter turnout of 61. 86%, according to the Election Commission. TMC acting desperately due to fear of losing, says BJP's Suvendu AdhikariWith polling currently on for the second phase of the assembly election in West Bengal, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikrai said on Thursday that the rival Trinamool Congres (TMC) was acting desperately due to the the fear of losing this year's election.  "They (TMC) tried to capture two booths but the police observer caught them.  They tried to use fake IDs at other booths and now three people have been held," Adhikari said while speaking to reporters, according to news agency ANI. Locals not being allowed to vote in Nandigram, Bengal CM tells Governor Dhankar#WATCH: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee speaks to Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar over the phone at a polling booth in Nandigram.  She says, ". . . They didn't allow the local people to cast their vote.  From morning I am campaigning. . . Now I am appealing to you, please see. . . " pic. twitter. com/mjsNQx38BBWest Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday phoned state governor Jagdeep Dhankar where she alleged that local people are not being allowed to exercise their franchise in Nandigram, reports ANI.  Read more58. 15% voter turnout recorded so far in Bengal, Assam sees 48. 26% turnoutAs voting for the second phase of assembly elections in West Bengal and Assam continues, 58. 15% voter turnout was recorded in Bengal till 1. 30 pm in 30 constituencies while Assam saw a turnout of 48. 26% till 1 pm in 39 constituencies. Assam sees peaceful polling in phase twoThe situation in Assam was peaceful with a significant number of voters turning up during the morning hours to exercise their franchise in the 39 seats where voting was underway in the second phase on Thursday. There were reports of EVM glitches from some polling stations and upon their immediate replacement voting continued uninterrupted, an election official said. 29. 27% voter turnout recorded till so far in Bengal, Assam sees 21. 71%21. 71% and 29. 27% voter turnout recorded till 11. 17 am in the second phase of polling in Assam and West Bengal, respectively: Election Commission of IndiaAssam polls: Women turn out in large numbers in morning hours, overall situation peacefulLong queues were seen outside most of the booths as women stepped out in large numbers during the early hours of polling at 39 seats in the second phase of the assembly elections in Assam. Though there were reports of EVM glitches from some polling stations, the exact figure was yet to be ascertained, an official said. No reports of violence so farThere have been no reports of violence or clashes among political activists in the constituency, barring an incident in the Bhimkata area in Nandigram where the BJP candidate faced an agitation by a group of TMC workers who shouted slogans against him, an Election Commission official said. Mamata to stay for whole day, TMC complains agents not allowed in several boothsWest Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee decided to stay at her war room in the Reyapara area during the polls on Thursday in the Nandigram assembly constituency where she is locked in a fierce prestige battle with confidante-turned-adversary Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP. She is monitoring the situation in the high-profile constituency where polling began at 7 am as local TMC leaders complained of their election agents not being allowed to enter several booths, according to the party sources. 10. 51% and 13. 14% voter turnout recorded till 9 amA voter turnout of 13. 14 per cent was recorded till 9 am on Thursday in the second phase of the assembly elections in West Bengal. Paschim Medinipur recorded the highest turnout among districts, while among constituencies, Indus reported the maximum voter turnout. Suvendu Adhikari appeals people to voteBJP candidate and Mamata Banerjee's rival stepped out to vote and said,"I appeal to people to come out in large numbers to cast their vote as the whole country is looking at Nandigram.  People are waiting to see if development or politics of appeasement will win here. "Voting begins in Bengal#WestBengalElections2021 | Polling begins at booth number 137 in Bankura, in the second phase of voting for Assembly elections pic. twitter. com/BrcmczzsJZPolling begins at booth number 137 in Bankura, in the second phase of voting for Assembly electionsPM Modi urges West Bengal to vote in 'record numbers'PM Modi also voted for West Bengal and asked people to vote in record numbers.  "Urging the people of West Bengal in whose seats there is polling taking place today to vote in record numbers," PM Modi said in a tweet. 'Festival of democracy': PM Modi tweets ahead of votingAhead of the voting, PM Modi urged voters to go out and vote.  "Second phase of the Assam polls takes place today.  Requesting all eligible voters of this phase to strengthen the festival of democracy by exercising their franchise," PM Modi said in a tweet. Voting begins in 39 seats in Assam, 30 seats in West Bengal in phase 2 of Assembly electionsGet our daily newsletter Get free access to newsletters, alerts and recommendations


New Jersey has become the eighth jurisdiction to allow for terminally ill patients to end their own lives. https://t.co/U6E3qiqyBS

    Terminally ill adults in New Jersey will now be able to ask for medical help to end their lives.

    In April, Gov.  Phil Murphy signed the Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act.  It goes into effect Thursday.

    It allows adults with a prognosis of six months or less to live to get a prescription for life-ending medication.

    Other jurisdictions that allow physician-assisted suicide are: California, Colorado, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Hawaii, Montana and the District of Columbia.

    The law requires either a psychiatrist or psychologist determine that the patient has the mental capacity to make the decision.  The prescription is a series of self-administered pills that can be taken at home.

    “Allowing residents with terminal illnesses to make end-of-life choices for themselves is the right thing to do,” Murphy said in a statement.

    The bill narrowly passed in the Senate, and some who voted against it are apprehensive about its effects.

    “The bill has lasting ramifications and lots of loopholes,” said Republican Sen.  Robert Singer.  “We are so concerned about opioids, and not trusting doctors with opioids.  But now we are willing to trust them with this. ”

    New Jersey legislators have tried passing versions of this bill since 2014, but this was the first time the bill went to a vote in the Senate.

    At least 19 other states are considering physician-assisted suicide bills.
  © 2021 Cable News Network.  A Warner Media Company.  All Rights Reserved.   CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network.


Sen. Elizabeth Warren talked the most during the #DemDebate, followed by Joe Biden ⏱ https://t.co/VP8CFQg7ot https://t.co/Le0WwyXHQo

Elizabeth Warren had more airtime than any of her Democratic counterparts. Moments that mattered from 4th Democratic debateMassachusetts Sen.  Elizabeth Warren led Tuesday night's Democratic debate in terms of speaking time, fielding harsh criticism from rivals and marking her onstage debut as the presumed front-runner. Warren, who now leads a number of national and early-state polls, spoke for 22:32 through the three-hour debate.  She took more heat from her counterparts than anyone else, including former Vice President Joe Biden, who previously had been put under the spotlight by fellow candidates. Biden had the second-highest speaking time, at 17:30.  He finished the night by closing the gap on Warren after the first hour, when it was estimated she spoke for nearly twice as long -- 10:50 to Biden's 5:21. Minnesota Sen.  Amy Klobuchar ranked third overall, at 13:53. Businessman Tom Steyer spoke the least, clocking in at 7:20. The rest of the candidates' speaking times are as follows:• Vermont Sen.  Bernie Sanders: 13:20• South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg: 13:04• Former Texas Rep.  Beto O’Rourke: 13:02• California Sen.  Kamala Harris: 12:24• New Jersey Sen.  Cory Booker: 11:19• Entrepreneur Andrew Yang: 8:54• Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro: 8:39• Hawaii Rep.  Tulsi Gabbard: 8:09The speaking-time estimations are calculated using multiple stopwatches. ABC News' Rick Klein contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


WHO has released “protocols and procedures” of lockdown periods to fight Covid-19.

At a time Indians are anxious about the government’s next move on the coronavirus lockdown, a message attributed to World Health Organization (WHO) is doing the rounds on social media.  The message says India is following the four-phase lockdown endorsed by WHO to control the spread of coronavirus.  India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found the claim to be false. What is the message? The message is viral on Facebook.  The archived versions can be seen here. The message is about protocols and procedures of lockdown periods said to be released by WHO.  It says the WHO has divided the lockdown period into four stages and the Indian government is also following the same. According to the message, in the first step, a one-day lockdown will be observed, followed by a 21-day lockdown in phase 2.  This will be followed by a relaxation period of five days. After five days, the stage 3 of the lockdown will be enforced, which will last for 28 days.  This again will be followed by a relaxation period of five days.  The final lockdown will be of 15 days. AFWA probeTo verify the claim, AFWA reached out to a representative of WHO in India, who clarified that the message is false and the organisation has not released any such protocol for lockdown periods. No country in the world is following the lockdown pattern as seen in the viral message.  Each country has its own rules and regulations for lockdown that can be seen in a report by Business Insider. It is true that India was under lockdown (janta curfew) for a day on March 22 and then for another 21 days which will end on April 14 as said in the viral message.  But cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba had recently said that as of now, there is no plan of extending the lockdown.  However, it is difficult to say what further steps the government will take. READ | China reports 30 new coronavirus cases, 9 districts in Wuhan classified as low-riskALSO READ | Brazil lawmakers pass 'war budget' as coronavirus cases top 10,000WATCH | Coronavirus-induced global decline way worse than financial crisis: IMFThe number of crows determines the intensity of the lie.


Rajasthan reports 7680 new #COVID19 cases, 16,705 recoveries and 127 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Total cases 8,97,193
Total recoveries 7,45,873
Death toll 7346

Active cases 1,43,974 https://t.co/8M21PeBMNH

Maharashtra on Thursday reported a further dip in the number of new coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases as 29,911 registered as infected with the virus in the last 24 hours.  The state reported 738 mortalities, pushing the death toll to 85,355, according to the state health bulletin.  On Wednesday, Maharashtra saw a rise of 34,031 new cases in the tally. Thursday's additional cases took the coronavirus tally of the state to 54,97,448.  Presently, 3,83,253 infections are active across the state, according to the bulletin. Also read: Shortage of black fungus drug Amphotericin B to be resolved soon, says CentreMaharashtra reported the highest recoveries in the country on Thursday, as 47,371 patients recovered from the disease.  The number of fresh discharged decreased in a day, as on Wednesday 51,457 patients recovered. Testing for coronavirus plunged in the last 24 hours by over 5,000.  On Thursday 2,79,911 samples were tested for the virus in contrast to 285,647 samples on Wednesday.  The total number of tests done so far in the state amounts to 3,21,54275, the bulletin showed. Mumbai found 1,433 people infected with the deadly virus in the last 24 hours, as compared to 1,329 on Wednesday.  The state capital saw a rise of 104 cases. The casualties from the virus in Mumbai amounted to 59 on Thursday, an incline of two from the previous day when 57 died from the illness, according to the data. Click here for complete coverage of Covid-19The total caseload of Mumbai currently stands at 6,92,785, with the new deaths taking the toll to 14,410, the data showed. The Union health ministry recognized Maharashtra as one of the states showing a declining trend in the number of Covid-19 cases and positivity rate in the last three weeks.  The state reported the highest decline in active caseload in the last 24 hours, as it reduced by over 18, 000, according to the ministry's data.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday also commended the efforts undertaken by the authorities in the Ahmednagar district of the state to control the spread of the virus.


Sen. Ted Cruz and his family flew to Cancun, Mexico, as a winter disaster in his home state of Texas left millions without power or water, according to photos posted on social media and confirmed to CNN by a person familiar with the travel itinerary. https://t.co/KJ9W9bcwKW

"Our girls asked to take a trip with friends," Cruz said. Ted Cruz responds to Mexico trip backlashSen.  Ted Cruz returned to Texas Thursday evening a day after flying to Mexico with his family even as his state reels from a historic storm that has left hundreds of thousands of people without power and safe drinking water. Several airport employees and fellow passengers told ABC News the Republican lawmaker went out a back exit escorted by officers after arriving at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Cruz faced backlash after initial reports emerged on social media that he had jet-setted to Cancun despite the widespread crisis in Texas.  Speaking with reporters outside his home upon his return Thursday evening, Cruz said in hindsight, "I wouldn't have done it. ""I have to admit, I started having second thoughts almost the moment I sat down on the plane," Cruz said.  "On the one hand, all of us who are parents have a responsibility to take care of our kids.  . . .  But I also have a responsibility that I take very seriously of fighting for the state of Texas. ""I understand why people are upset," he later said, adding he found some of the criticism "unfortunate. " "My intention was to take care of my family. "Cruz reiterated his regret over the trip in an interview at his home with ABC's KTRK Thursday night, saying it was not his intention to "somehow diminish all the Texans that were going through real hardship" by flying off to Mexico with his family during the state's crisis. The senator was initially scheduled to return to Texas on Saturday with his family, but changed his reservation in the morning to return Thursday evening, according to a source familiar with his travel schedule. Cruz's office told ABC News the senator was tested Thursday morning for COVID-19 to comply with the new mandate requiring citizens to present a negative test before traveling to the United States. "Leaving when so many Texans were hurting didn't feel right, and so I changed my return flight and flew back on the first available flight I could take," Cruz told reporters. In a statement Thursday afternoon, Cruz said the trip was for his two daughters, Caroline and Catherine, and their friends. "This has been an infuriating week for Texans . . .  Like millions of Texans, our family lost heat and power, too," Cruz said in a statement with ABC News. "With school canceled for the week, our girls asked to take a trip with friends.  Wanting to be a good dad, I flew down with them last night and am flying back this afternoon," he said. "My staff and I are in constant communication with state and local leaders to get to the bottom of what happened in Texas.  We want our power back, our water on, and our homes warm.  My team and I will continue using all our resources to keep Texans informed and safe," Cruz added. Cruz headed to Cancun for a long-planned family vacation, various media outlets had reported, including The Associated Press, CNN and Fox News. The Houston Police Department confirmed to ABC News that Cruz's staff contacted police personnel on Wednesday requesting assistance upon the senator's arrival at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport, though they did not specify what type of assistance. Police said he arrived at Terminal E and officers "monitored his movements" through the terminal. Critics slammed the senator on Twitter after photos emerged on social media of a man who appears to be Cruz aboard a plane. The Lone Star state is in the midst of a crisis in the wake of a powerful storm that started Sunday, creating widespread power outages and burst pipes.  Nearly 500,000 customers in Texas remained without power Thursday morning. Gov.  Greg Abbott avoided commenting on Cruz's trip, saying, "I haven't been following people's vacation plans. "Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said, "Well it's certainly much warmer where he's going" when asked about Cruz's trip during a press conference Thursday. "My job is to stay here until the situation is resolved so that's it you know, I'm gonna let the senator speak for the senator," he added. "That's something that he has to answer to his constituents about," state Republican Party Chairman Allen West told the AP about Cruz's travel.  "I'm here trying to take care of my family and look after my friends and others that are still without power. "Texas Democrats called on Cruz to resign for seemingly abandoning his constituents in the midst of the storm. Texas Democratic Party chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said, "Ted Cruz jetting off to Mexico while Texans remain dying in the cold isn't surprising, but it is deeply disturbing and disappointing. ""The Texas Democratic Party calls on Ted Cruz to resign or be expelled from office… We must restore ethics, competence, and a government that works for the people," the group said in a statement. Just on Monday, Cruz had urged residents to stay home in a radio interview that was shared on YouTube by his office in which he said: "So don't risk it.  Keep your family safe and just stay home and hug your kids. "One day later, Cruz issued a public apology on Twitter after an old tweet of his from August resurfaced, in which he castigated California's "failed energy policies" and mocked their power grid system. This week's winter storm has also pushed Texas' grid system to the limit and resulted in millions being left without power on Wednesday. "I have no defense," he wrote apologetically.  "A blizzard strikes Texas & our state shuts down.  Not good. "In December, Cruz eviscerated Austin Mayor Steve Adler as a "hypocrite" for vacationing in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, during the pandemic after telling residents to stay home. ABC News' Meredith Deliso and Frank Elaridi contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


A couple of images are being shared on social media with the claim that they are related to ‘Special Frontier Force (SFF)’.  It was reported by multiple news agencies that the SFF has played a crucial role in the recent clash between India and China in Eastern Ladakh.  Let’s fact-check whether the images are related to SFF. Claim: Photos of ‘Special Frontier Force (SFF)’. Fact: Both the images are not related to ‘Special Frontier Force (SFF)’.  While one of the photos is related to National Security Guard (NSG) commandos marching in the 2017 Republic Day Parade, the other photo shows Indo-Tibetan Border Force (ITBP).  Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE. Photo 1: (Archived)When the image was run through Google Reverse Image Search, the same photo was found in the ‘Hindustan Times’ article.  The article was published in January 2017.  The photo has the following description – “NSG commandos march for the first time at the Republic Day parade in New Delhi on Thursday (Mohd Zakir/ HT Photo)”.  So, when searched with the related keywords, we found other related photos clicked by the same photographer on the ‘Getty Images’ website.  In one photo, it can be clearly seen that it is written ‘NSG’ on the uniform.  Information regarding the NSG can be found here. Photo 2: (Archived)When the image was run through Google Reverse Image Search, the same photo was found to be uploaded by the official Twitter handle of ‘Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)’.  The photo was taken in Ladakh on the occasion of Independence Day in 2020.  The personnel in the photo belongs to ITBP. जय मां भारती! ITBP salutes the Nation on #IndependenceDayIndia. #IndependenceDay2020#Himveers#Ladakh pic. twitter. com/0133BhRzYwThe Special Frontier Force (SFF) was formed post Indo-China war of 1962 as an elite guerrilla force composed mainly of Tibetan refugees.  Its main goal was to conduct covert operations behind Chinese lines in the event of another Indo-China war. To sum it up, unrelated photos are being falsely shared as the photos of ‘Special Frontier Force (SFF)’. Did you watch our new video?


Haryana reports 604 new #COVID19 cases taking the total number of cases in the State to 27,462 including 20,952 discharges/recoveries. The death toll stands at 364: State Health Department https://t.co/D6hOXccty5

With the highest single-day spike on Saturday, Chhattisgarh recorded total 208 deaths in last 29 days out of 262 deaths reported in the state till now.  The state capital witnessed highest toll of 139 deaths so far, as per figures provided by the health department. On Saturday, Chhattisgarh reported 1,157 new coronavirus cases and eight fatalities, taking the count to 28,390 and death toll to 262. “On July 30, the total deaths reported in the state were 54 and on August 29, total deaths in the state increased to 262.  More than 200 people died in this is period which is concerning for the health department, “said an official.  Also read: Unlock 4 from September 1 - What changes, what remains the sameThe state, at present, has 12,313 active cases, as many as 15,818 people have recovered from the disease.  As per Saturday’s tally, worst-hit Raipur district reported 630 new cases which took the total case tally in the district to 10,078. On Saturday, other districts where fresh cases were detected were Durg (172), Rajnandgaon (66), Bilaspur (66), Bastar (59), Dhamtari (44), Sukma (43), Janjgir-Champa (41), Raigarh (40), Mahasamund (27), Kanker (27), Narayanpur (23), Kabirdham (21), Bijapur (21), Gariaband (18), Balod (15), Koriya (15), Balodabazar (14), Surguja (9) and Bemetara (8). Seven cases each were reported from Mungeli and Jashpur districts, four each from Korba and Dantewada, three from Surajpur and two from Kondagaon, the official said. “Among the eight fatalities, two patients were from Raigarh district while one each was from Raipur, Durg, Balod, Mahasamund and Rajnandgaon districts.  Besides, a person from Nuapada district of neighbouring Odisha died at a private hospital,” he said. Five of these deaths took place on Saturday while died in the last three days.


West Bengal: Members of LGBT community, Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee and students of Jadavpur University hold protest against #CitizenshipAmendmentAct & NRC, in Kolkata. https://t.co/yG46vndHRu

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee hit out at the government for the Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA, saying she will not allow them (the BJP government) take away their rights. “If we raise the issue of joblessness and hunger, they say go to Pakistan,” Banerjee said while addressing a rally in Siliguri.  “I won’t let them take rights,” she said. “It’s a shame that even after 70 years of Independence, we have to prove our citizenship,” Banerjee added. They are dividing the country in the name of religion, she further said adding, “India a big country with rich culture and heritage; why do you regularly compare our nation with Pakistan? ”She also took on Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying he behaves like an ambassador of Pakistan.  “Are you prime minister of India or ambassador of Pakistan; why do you glorify Pakistan on every issue? ” Banerjee said. PM Modi had attacked the Congress party and those who are protesting against the CAA, questioning why they are not exposing Pakistan.  “Pakistan was formed on the basis of religion, religious minorities were being persecuted there.  The persecuted were forced to come to India as refugees.  But Congress and its allies don’t speak against Pakistan, instead they are taking out rallies against these refugees,” PM Modi said in Karnataka’s Tumakuru on Thursday. “Has prime minister forgotten about India that he needs to talk about Pakistan at regular intervals? ” said Banerjee. Banerjee also urged other political parties to join her in opposing the CAA.  “I am fighting against National Register of Citizens and CAA, join hands with me.  I am requesting all people to come forward to save our democracy,” said Banerjee.


A photograph of a father being taken away in a police van consoling his son through the grilled window has been linked to CAA-NRC.  It has been shared with the claim that the man is being taken away to a detention camp built by the BJP.  “My father is going to a detention camp.  A detention camp made by the BJP.  We don’t know how 12 lakh Hindus, 2 lakh Gorkhas, 5 lakh Muslims are alive in these detention camps.  This is what BJP will do in West Bengal if they win.  Do not fall for their false speeches.  They will separate mothers, fathers, daughters and sons.  Bengalis beware,” reads the complete message.
A newspaper clipping has also been shared along with the image.  It says that Bengali Hindus in Assam were in a state of panic as soon as polling ended.  The clipping is dated ‘2019/05/11’ thus the article may have been published during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.  (1, 2)This slideshow requires JavaScript. The images are viral on Facebook.
A simple reverse image search takes one to a report on NCB where the photograph has been captioned, “A convict consoles his son while being taken to prison after a court verdict in a 2002 religious violence case, in Ahmadabad, India, Aug.  29, 2012.  The court in western India found 32 people guilty of charges ranging from murder to rioting for their part in the deadly religious violence.  The religious violence began following a train fire on Feb.  27, 2002, that killed 60 Hindu pilgrims.  Muslims were blamed for the fire, leading to weeks of rioting in which Hindu mobs rampaged through towns and villages burning Muslim homes and businesses. ” The image is credited to Associated Press (AP) and was found on its website.  It was taken on August 29, 2012.
Alt News found the exact article viral with the above image published on a Bengali blog named ‘Banglar Chokh’ (Bengal’s Eyes) in May 2019.  It states that several Assamese Bengalis were deemed ‘foreigners’ and sent to Bangladesh or detention camps before the end of the 2019 elections.  Twenty people, including six Bengali Hindus were sent to Bangladesh, says the report.  While we were unable to find other reports stating that people deemed ‘foreigners’ were sent to Bangladesh, there are ample reports from May 2019 on the Assam police detaining over 125 people and taking them to detention camps.  A retired army officer, who served for three decades, was also sent to a detention camp.  “The acceleration in arrests coincided with Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi’s statement that many who had been declared foreigners were still free,” reported Scroll.  “Why are there not thousands” housed in detention centres, he had questioned Assam’s SG. The photograph of the father consoling his son, however, is unrelated to the National Register of Citizens (NRC) updated in Assam or the Foreigners Tribunals declaring Assamese Bengalis ‘foreigners.  The image shows a man convicted in the 2002 Gujarat riots case being taken to prison. Donate NowPooja Chaudhuri is a senior editor at Alt News. A picture of Tej Pratap Yadav has been making the rounds on social media recently…. A video of police tying a rope around an elderly person’s wrists has been circulating…A photo of a man being flogged with his hands tied has been gathering a…A set of two images, an alleged tweet and a video has been shared on…A photo of an idol of Hindu deity Nandi found buried in the ground has…


Amy Coney Barrett is preparing to join the Supreme Court as the justices are ready to take action on a number of important petitions before them, including several related to next week's election.

Here's a look at the major petitions awaiting Barrett. https://t.co/nDfYejA6ue

Barrett will replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Judge Amy Coney Barrett confirmed as Supreme Court justiceFollowing the Senate's confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, the White House hosted a ceremony where Justice Clarence Thomas administered the official constitutional oath to Barrett. Supreme Court justices are required to take two oaths before they may execute the duties of their appointed office: the constitutional oath and the judicial oath. Barrett will take the judicial oath on Tuesday in a private ceremony at the Supreme Court.  Following that oath, she will officially become an active participant in court proceedings. After taking the constitutional oath, Barrett used her brief remarks at the White House ceremony tonight to speak about the need for a federal judge to case aside her policy preferences in her decision-making. "The confirmation process has made ever clearer to me one of the fundamental differences between the federal judiciary and the United States Senate.  And perhaps the most acute is the role of policy preferences," Barrett said.  "It is the job of a senator to pursue her policy preferences.  In fact, it would be a dereliction of duty for her to put policy goals aside.  By contrast, it is the job of a judge to resist her policy preferences.  It would be a dereliction of duty for her to give into them.  Federal judges don't stand for election.  Thus, they have no basis for claiming that their preferences reflect those of the people.  This separation of duty from political preference is what makes the judiciary distinct among the three branches of government. "As Barrett gets ready to join the court just one week before the election -- and Democrats fear she’ll intervene in any disputes arising from the vote -- Barrett added, “A judge declares independence not only from Congress and the president but also from the private beliefs that might otherwise move her. ”"The oath that I have solemnly taken tonight means at its core that I will do my job without any fear or favor, and that I will do so independently of both the political branches and of my own preferences," said said. In his opening remarks, Trump called it a momentous day for America, the Constitution and the fair and impartial rule of law. "The Constitution is the ultimate defense of American liberty, the faithful application of the law is the cornerstone of our republic.  That is why as president I have no more solemn obligation of no greater honor than to appoint Supreme Court justices," President Donald Trump said at the beginning of the ceremony on the South Lawn. "It is highly fitting that Justice Barrett fills the seat of a true pioneer for women, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg," Trump continued.  "Tonight, Justice Barrett becomes not only the fifth woman to serve on our nation's highest court, but the very first mother of school-aged children to become a Supreme Court justice.  Very important. "Face coverings were required for all those attending, a senior White House official said in a statement, and the seated audience was socially distanced on the South Lawn.  People "in close proximity" to the president were to be tested in advance. The White House declined to comment on the number of attendees, but a pool report indicated there were about 200 chairs set up on the lawn. Sen.  Mike Lee, who tested positive six days after attending Barrett's Sept.  26 nominating event in the Rose Garden, attended Monday night's ceremony clad in a face mask.  He was seen talking to national security adviser Robert O'Brien ahead of the event.  O'Brien, also wearing a mask, tested positive for COVID-19 in July. After the ceremony concluded, Barrett and Trump walked up to the South Portico and posed for cameras before being joined by their respective spouses.  All were mask-less.  The four of them, joined by a mask-less Thomas, proceeded into the White House. The Senate floor vote began shortly before 8 p. m.  and was completed in minutes.  The vote was 52-48.  Sen.  Susan Collins, R-Maine, was the lone Republican to join the Democrats who unanimously voted against the confirmation.  It was one of the narrowest Supreme Court confirmation votes in American history. The count was the same as the confirmation vote for Thomas in 1991.  Justice Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed by a vote of 50-48 in 2018.  Ginsburg was confirmed 96-3 in 1993. It's "the most conservative court in 100 years," Kate Shaw, Cardozo School of Law professor and ABC News Contributor, said on ABC News Live Prime. At 48, Barrett becomes the youngest member of the court and will be there for generations.  She's made history as the 115th justice -- and just the 5th woman to serve.  She is the first mother of school-aged children and the only member of the court who did not graduate from the Ivy League. On Sunday, senators voted along party lines to quash a Democratic filibuster of Barrett to replace the late liberal icon, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.  Collins, R-Maine, and Sen.  Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, joined Democrats in the vote. Murkowski had initially opposed moving a nominee so close to the election, saying "fair is fair" given that her own party had blockaded President Barack Obama's pick in 2016 to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia eight months before the election, but with Republicans securing the necessary votes for confirmation, Murkowski has changed course. "While I oppose the process that has led us to this point," Murkowski said in a Saturday floor speech.  "I do not hold it against her as an individual who has navigated the gauntlet with grace, skill and humility. "That move left Collins alone among the GOP opposition who voted against Barrett on Monday.  Collins is in an extremely difficult fight for reelection in a moderate state where she has been lambasted for her past support of conservative jurists, including Trump's highly contentious nominee, Justice Brett Kavanaugh. ABC News' John Santucci, Katherine Faulders and Lauren King contributed to this report. This report was featured in the Tuesday, Oct.  27, 2020, episode of “Start Here,” ABC News’ daily news podcast. "Start Here" offers a straightforward look at the day's top stories in 20 minutes.  Listen for free every weekday on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, the ABC News app or wherever you get your podcasts. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


The stunning reversal in the Jussie Smollett case leaves many unanswered questions https://t.co/MMeq8kNsA8 https://t.co/NxANIS9Faw

"This was not an exoneration," said the Cook County assistant state attorney. Chicago mayor and top cop irate over prosecutors' deal with Jussie SmollettProsecutors dropped all charges against "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett, despite acknowledging that Smollett fabricated a street attack on himself, in order to focus resources on violent crimes, Cook County first assistant state attorney Joe Magats said in an interview Tuesday with ABC Chicago station WLS. In addition, since Smollett had no prior felony background, no history of violence and was charged with felony disorderly conduct, a "low-level felony," Magats felt that the case could be resolved by an "alternative disposition" that included the actor performing community service and forfeiting the remainder of his $10,000 bond to Cook County.  Prosecutors also asked a judge to immediately seal the case. Magats said both the decision to indict Smollett and then later drop the charges in favor of the alternative resolution was "the right thing to do in the case" after "looking at all the facts and circumstances. ""People lying to police is certainly important and deserves accountability," he said. The decision was not solely resource-based, Magats said, but he said that the state attorney's office is trying to focus its resources on Chicago's violence and gun crimes, as well as other "drivers of violence. " About 5,700 criminal cases in the past two years, most of them non-violent and many in which the defendant was guilty, have been resolved in a similar fashion, Magats said. "I do not believe Mr.  Smollett is a driver of violence," he said. These types of deals are made "every day," and the reasons Magats gave for his decision "aren't unusual," said ABC News senior legal correspondent and analyst Sunny Hostin. Although the charges were dropped, Magats made clear that "this was not an exoneration. " When asked whether he believes Smollett fabricated the incident, Magats replied, "yes. ""To say that he was exonerated by us or anyone is not true," he said. The sole decision for the alternative disposition was made by Magats, he said.  Magats took over the case when his boss, Cook County State Attorney Kim Foxx, recused herself from the investigation after it surfaced that she had been in touch with Smollett's family. The decision prompted angry reactions from Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson, who both reiterated in a press conference Tuesday that they believe the incident was a hoax engineered by Smollett "in the name of self-promotion. "Magats said that he understands why the mayor and police superintendent "feel the way they do," but defended his decision, saying it was "the right disposition in the case. "Hostin said it is "odd" that the police department was seemingly "blindsided" by the state attorney's decision to drop the charges, especially considering how many hours the police department and other law enforcement officials devoted to conducting the investigation. "To me, it's clear that some sort of deal was made between the defense and the government, but without the knowledge and acquiescence of the police department," Hostin said. In addition, Hostin theorized that the state attorney's office may have decided not to move forward with the case due to the "show" the police department put on after announcing the charges against Smollett last month, which was essentially "trying the case in the court of public opinion" for "any potential juror or defense attorney to see. "During that Feb.  21 news conference, an emotional Johnson accused Smollett of taking "advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career. ""I've never quite seen anything like that," Hostin said. Another perplexing factor in such a high-profile case is that all sides are claiming victory -- with law enforcement standing by their decision to press charges and Smollett continuing to proclaim his innocence, Hostin said. Following an emergency court hearing in Chicago Tuesday, Smollett maintained his innocence, saying he's "been truthful and consistent on every single level since day one. ""This has been an incredibly difficult time," he said.  "Honestly, one of the worst of my entire life.  But I am a man of faith and I'm a man that has knowledge of my history and I would not bring my family, our lives, or the movement into a fire like this.  I just wouldn't.  Now I'd like nothing more than to just get back to work and move on with my life.  But make no mistake I will always continue to fight for justice, equality and betterment of marginalized people everywhere. "ABC News' Chris Francescani and Bill Hutchinson contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


The carpet may be red, but pink was the color of the night at the #Oscars https://t.co/Ux9FoNTd0K https://t.co/ALsASvrX32

There was glitz, glamour and so much more! Gaga, J. Lo, Glenn Close: Here's our round up of the best red carpet looks of the 2019 OscarsThe 2019 Oscars are officially here, and the red carpet is full of celebrities who have waited for this moment to bring their fashion A-game. We've rounded up some of our favorite looks of the night. Lady GagaConstance WuAngela BassettBilly PorterDiane WarrenStephen JamesRegina KingAshley GrahamAmandla StenbergSpike LeeYalitza AparicioCharlize TheronAdam LambertMelissa McCarthyEmilie ClarkeAwkwafinaGlenn CloseJennifer HudsonMichelle YeohHelen MirrenEmma StoneMaya RudolphTina FeyBrie LarsonTessa ThompsonSarah Paulson24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


A team of researchers at IIT Hyderabad claims to have developed a #COVID19 test kit that can deliver results within 20 minutes

https://t.co/k9RgqAeDt9

A team of researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Hyderabad claims to have developed a first-of-its kind COVID-19 test kit that can deliver results within 20 minutes.  The researchers claimed that the alternative test method is not based on the Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) -- the method currently being used for COVID-19 testing.  The test kit has been developed at a cost of Rs 550 and it can be reduced to up to Rs 350 when taken to mass production, they said.  While a patent has been filed for the test kit, the team has conducted clinical trials at ESIC Medical College and Hospital in Hyderabad and sought an approval from the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR).  “We have developed a COVID-19 testing kit which can deliver the results in 20 minutes for symptomatic and asymptomatic patients.  The uniqueness of this test kit is that it functions sans the Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR),” Shiv Govind Singh, the professor at IIT-Hyderabad’s Electrical Engineering department, told PTI.  “The low-cost test kit is easy to carry around and tests can be done at point of care.  The testing method used is an alternative to the currently used method.  We identified a unique sequence of conserved regions of COVID-19 genome,” Singh, who led the three-member team, said.  IIT-Hyderabad is the second academic institution in the country to come up with a testing kit for novel coronavirus.  IIT-Delhi became the first academic institute to have obtained the ICMR approval for a real-time PCR-based diagnostic assay.  It had claimed that the current testing methods available were “probe-based” while the one developed by its students was a “probe-free” method, which reduces the testing cost without compromising on accuracy.  India on Saturday went past Italy to become the sixth worst-hit nation by COVID-19, with the country registering a record single-day spike of 9,887 cases which pushed the nationwide tally to 2,36,657.  The country’s death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 6,642, with a record increase of 294 deaths in the last 24 hours till Saturday 8 am.


MA Facebook user Shashikant Awate posted three photos to a public Facebook group by the name of "We Support Narendra Modi Ji" along with a caption in Hindi that closely translates to, "See, you blind followers, Make In India initiative's invention

Modi Ji's miracle is being sent to Australia.  Rail coach.  Namo again.  My PM, my pride.  This is the proof of my "pradhan sevak's" success. " Here is the Facebook post: On searching Facebook with the content in Awate's post, we found that many other users are sharing the same images with exactly the same claims.  The same content and photos are being shared widely on Twitter as well.  #à¤à¤¨à¥à¤§à¥_à¤à¤®à¤à¥ à¤¦à¥à¤ à¤²à¥ #à¤®à¥à¤_à¤à¤¨_à¤à¤à¤¡à¤¿à¤¯à¤¾ à¤à¤¾ à¤à¤µà¤¿à¤·à¥à¤à¤¾à¤°, à¤®à¥à¤¦à¥à¤à¥ à¤à¤¾ #à¤à¤®à¤¤à¥à¤à¤¾à¤° #à¤à¤¸à¥à¤à¥à¤°à¥à¤²à¤¿à¤¯à¤¾ à¤à¥à¤à¤¾ à¤à¤¾ à¤°à¤¹à¤¾ à¤¹à¥! (#à¤°à¥à¤²_à¤à¥à¤)â¦ https://t. co/RSJcYnadTX— ð®ð³Mr. Aryan (@Mr_Aryan_Dalmau) 1548254047000à¤à¤¨à¥à¤§à¥ à¤à¤®à¤à¥ à¤¦à¥à¤ à¤²à¥ à¤®à¥à¤ à¤à¤¨ à¤à¤à¤¡à¤¿à¤¯à¤¾ à¤à¤¾ à¤à¤µà¤¿à¤·à¥à¤à¤¾à¤°,,, à¤®à¥à¤¦à¥à¤à¥ à¤à¤¾ à¤à¤®à¤¤à¥à¤à¤¾à¤° à¤à¤¸à¥à¤à¥à¤°à¥à¤²à¤¿à¤¯à¤¾ à¤à¥à¤à¤¾ à¤à¤¾ à¤°à¤¹à¤¾ à¤¹à¥,,,à¤°à¥à¤² à¤à¥à¤ Namo again ð©â¦ https://t. co/twaB1NKf26— Kala Chaturvedi (@kala_chaturvedi) 1548294789000à¤à¤¨à¥à¤§à¥ à¤à¤®à¤à¥ à¤¦à¥à¤ à¤²à¥ à¤®à¥à¤ à¤à¤¨ à¤à¤à¤¡à¤¿à¤¯à¤¾ à¤à¤¾ à¤à¤µà¤¿à¤·à¥à¤à¤¾à¤°, à¤®à¥à¤¦à¥à¤à¥ à¤à¤¾ à¤à¤®à¤¤à¥à¤à¤¾à¤°. .  à¤à¤¸à¥à¤à¥à¤°à¥à¤²à¤¿à¤¯à¤¾ à¤à¥à¤à¤¾ à¤à¤¾ à¤°à¤¹à¤¾ à¤¹à¥ à¤°à¥à¤² à¤à¥à¤. . ð #NamoAgainâ¦ https://t. co/UrTmNsi6YR— ð¥. . à¤¶à¤¿à¤µà¤®. . ð¥ (@prem_aaru) 1548250837000TRUTHThe train coaches seen in the posts are not the ones made under Centre's Make In India initiative.  These are old photos taken from the internet and are being shared with the claim that these are the coaches exported to Australia from our country.  The claim, however, is not incorrect.  We found a TOI report from January 30, 2016, titled, "In a first, desi rail coaches exported to Australia" that talks about how six Indian-manufactured Metro rail coaches were exported to Australia and how some 450 such coaches will be exported to Australia by 2019.  VERIFICATION AND METHODOLOGYTimes Fact Check found where the three photos are originally from, and all it took were simple reverse-image searches on Google.  First image:A reverse-image search on the above image will lead you to a page with results saying "Mumbai Metro" and a website "www. reliancemumbaimetro. com".  If you dig deeper, you will find an article on a website that goes by the name "Team BHP" that has the photo above and many other photos of the same coach under the title, "PICS: Mumbai Metro / Monorail".  It is clear from these pictures that this particular coach was not among the ones exported to Australia from India.  Second image:A reverse-image search on this photo will lead you to a gallery on "Imgur" on Antonov AN-225, a gigantic cargo plane.  We then found an article published on a website called www. newfoxy. com with the title, "Watch: The world's largest cargo plane can swallow a 737 whole" that used the exact photo above.  The clearer picture in the article shows there is "Antonov" written on the part above the train coach.  It is clear that this image, shared with the claim that the train coach seen in it is one among those exported to Australia from India, is actually of Antonov AN-225, the huge cargo plane.  Here's a video of the plane: Third image:A reverse-image search on the photo above will lead you to results that talk about China's largest high-speed train maker CRRC Corporation bagging the contract to supply coaches to Nagpur metro.  We found such an article published on a blog www. metrorailnewsindia. wordpress. com but we also found another article on a blog www. irctcnewsgroup. blogspot. com that used the same image and claimed that CRCC Corporation bagged an order to supply 76 coaches for Noida Metro.  It is certain that this is not one of the coaches that were made in India and then exported to Australia, but it's true that many publications, including India Times, used this image in stories with a clear disclaimer that it's a "Representational image".  Fourth image:There is a fourth image that is being shared in some of the posts.  This one - If you look carefully, you can make out from what is written on banner that this coach is part of the first shipment for Hyderabad Metro.


How does Joe Biden motivate progressives?

"Run against Donald Trump," @matthewjdowd says. https://t.co/ox37AApufY https://t.co/tvaBE1HbOs

Analysis by Maeve Reston, CNNUpdated 9:21 AM ET, Tue August 18, 2020  (CNN)Former first lady Michelle Obama's speech at the Democratic National Convention was not just a powerful condemnation of President Donald Trump's record and handling of the pandemic, it was an appeal aimed at the heart and conscience of every American who has watched the chaos of the last four years and yearned to make things right.


‘No question of mediation in Kashmir issue’: @rajnathsingh clarifies on Trump claim

https://t.co/IbKxMabw1P https://t.co/pm7s5blKiR

Defence minister Rajnath Singh said in Parliament on Wednesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi didn’t discuss Kashmir with US president Donald Trump and ruled out any possibility of mediation on the issue.  “As S Jaishankar ji (External Affairs Minister) said Kashmir issue was not discussed in President Trump and PM Modi meeting.  There is no question of mediation in Kashmir issue as it will be against the Simla agreement,” Rajnath Singh said in Lok Sabha.  “Kashmir is an issue of national pride for us.  We can never compromise with it. . .  if there would be any talks with Pakistan over Kashmir, it will also include Pakistan-occupied Kashmir,” Singh said.  Watch | Uproar in LS: Oppn insists PM Modi must clarify on Trump’s Kashmir remarkTrump, speaking to reporters during Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s US visit, had claimed that PM Modi had asked him to mediate on the Kashmir issue.  India was quick to rebut the US president’s claim with external affairs minister S Jaishankar confirming that no such request was made.  Click here for live updatesThe US did backtrack later, saying that it would assist in talks between India and Pakistan and that Kashmir is a bilateral issue. When asked about Trump’s claim on Wednesday, a top advisor said the president “does not make up things”.  “The President does not make anything up.  That’s a very rude question in my opinion.  I am going to stay out of that.  It’s outside of my lane.  It’s for Mr (National Security Advisor John) Bolton, Mr (Secretary of State Mike) Pompeo and President,” Trump’s Chief Economic Advisor Larry Kudlow said. Both houses of Indian Parliament —Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha—witnessed protests over Trump’s stunning claim.  The opposition, led by the Congress, demanded a statement by PM Modi.  The opposition continued its demand on Wednesday and staged a walkout in the Lok Sabha. Rahul Gandhi tweeted that PM Modi must “must tell the nation what transpired” in his meeting with Donald Trump.  “President Trump says PM Modi asked him to mediate between India & Pakistan on Kashmir!  If true, PM Modi has betrayed India’s interests & 1972 Simla Agreement.  A weak Foreign Ministry denial won’t do,” Rahul Gandhi tweeted.


One color is dominating the #Oscars red carpet -- follow the best photos here: https://t.co/fcpihQY7tq https://t.co/VKXcLuGRPJ


MDMK leader Vaiko in Rajya Sabha: You have played with the sentiments of people of Kashmir. When additional army personnel were deployed there, I was worried. Kashmir should not become Kosovo, East Timor and South Sudan. https://t.co/JNeIZYTGwn

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s party and BJP ally Janata Dal-United on Thursday said it will not support the BJP-led NDA government at the centre on the issue of Triple Talaq in the Rajya Sabha. Senior JD-U leader and Bihar minister Shayam Razak said: “JD-U is opposed to it and we will continue to stand against it. ” The JD-U leader said Triple Talaq is a social issue and it should be resolved by the society at the social level.  Razak said it was the JD-U that voted against the Triple Talaq Bill in the Rajya Sabha. Earlier, Nitish Kumar had publicly opposed the Triple Talaq Bill.  Early this week, the Bihar Chief Minister reiterated his stand that the proposals to remove Article 370, impose a Uniform Civil Code and construct a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya either be settled through dialogue or court ruling.  “It has been our view that Article 370 should not be removed.  Similarly, Uniform Civil Code should not be imposed on anyone and the issue of Ram temple in Ayodhya be either resolved through dialogue or court order,” Nitish Kumar said. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.  Only the headline has been changed. )


The Florida Bar is investigating Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz after his threatening tweet last night about President Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen https://t.co/Mfmh5349xI https://t.co/A9eiMPk6OC

The president's former attorney says Trump knew Stone was talking to Assange. Michael Cohen's statement: Trump is 'a racist,' aware of email leaksMichael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer and fixer, intends to tell the House Oversight Committee today that President Donald Trump is "a racist," "a conman" and "a cheat. "Cohen, according to a copy of his intended remarks obtained by ABC News, also plans to divulge that Trump, as a candidate, knew Roger Stone was talking with Julian Assange about WikiLeaks' revealing of emails from the Democratic National Committee. The comments obtained by ABC News and media outlets including The New York Times could very well change during today's testimony. "I am ashamed of my own failings, and I publicly accepted responsibility for them by pleading guilty in the Southern District of New York," Cohen writes in his intended remarks.  "I am ashamed of my weakness and misplaced loyalty -- of the things I did for Mr.  Trump in an effort to protect and promote him. "I am ashamed that I chose to take part in concealing Mr.  Trump's illicit acts rather than listening to my own conscience.  I am ashamed because I know what Mr.  Trump is.  He is a racist.  He is a conman.  He is a cheat. "According to the copy of Cohen's prepared remarks, he'll be presenting evidence including: a copy of a check Trump allegedly wrote, after taking office, to reimburse Cohen for hush-money paid to an adult-film star; copies of letters written by Cohen threatening Trump's high school, colleges and the College Board not to release his grades or SAT scores; and copies of financial statements from 2011 to 2013. Cohen plans to show an image of a March 2017 check, obtained by ABC News, he claims was signed by Donald Trump Jr.  and Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg on the elder Donald Trump’s trust account in his House testimony, sources close to Cohen say. "Questions have been raised about whether I know of direct evidence that Mr.  Trump or his campaign colluded with Russia.  I do not.  I want to be clear," Cohen's prepared remarks state.  "But, I have my suspicions. "Cohen's statement also includes an apology to lawmakers. "I want to apologize to each of you and to Congress as a whole," the intended remarks state.  "The last time I appeared before Congress, I came to protect Mr.  Trump.  Today, I'm here to tell the truth about Mr.  Trump.  I lied to Congress about when Mr.  Trump stopped negotiating the Moscow Tower project in Russia.  I stated that we stopped negotiating in January 2016.  That was false -- our negotiations continued for months later during the campaign. "Cohen's statement goes on to say, "Mr.  Trump did not directly tell me to lie to Congress.  That's not how he operates.  In conversations we had during the campaign, at the same time I was actively negotiating in Russia for him, he would look me in the eye and tell me there's no business in Russia and then go out and lie to the American people by saying the same thing.  In his way, he was telling me to lie. "He lied about it because he never expected to win the election. At least a half dozen times between January 2016 and the end of June, Cohen's remarks state, Trump asked Cohen about the project in Moscow. "To be clear: Mr.  Trump knew of and directed the Trump Moscow negotiations throughout the campaign and lied about it.  He lied about it because he never expected to win the election.  He also lied about it because he stood to make hundreds of millions of dollars on the Moscow real estate project. "And so I lied about it, too -- because Mr.  Trump had made clear to me, through his personal statements to me that we both knew were false and through his lies to the country, that he wanted me to lie.  And he made it clear to me because his personal attorneys reviewed my statement before I gave it to Congress. "Sarah Sanders, the White House press secretary, said in statement on Tuesday: "Disgraced felon Michael Cohen is going to prison for lying to Congress and making other false statements.  Sadly, he will go before Congress this week and we can expect more of the same.  It's laughable that anyone would take a convicted liar like Cohen at his word, and pathetic to see him given yet another opportunity to spread his lies. "Cohen in December was sentenced to three years in prison for crimes including lying to Congress. Judge William Pauley said at the time that "Cohen pled guilty to a veritable smorgasbord of fraudulent conduct" and "lost his moral compass. "Cohen also was ordered to pay $1. 39 million in restitution, forfeit $500,000 tied to financial crimes and pay $50,000 for lying to Congress.  He was disbarred in New York on Tuesday. "Donald Trump," Cohen's prepared statement continued, "is a man who ran for office to make his brand great, not to make our country great.  He had no desire or intention to lead this nation -- only to market himself and to build his wealth and power.  Mr.  Trump would often say, this campaign was going to be the 'greatest infomercial in political history. '"24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


#BiharElections2020 | Shiv Sena to contest 40-50 seats in Bihar polls, no alliance talks yet, says @rautsanjay61

https://t.co/12Z9TcZsZ7 https://t.co/POijLSlyGc

The Shiv Sena will contest close to 50 seats in the upcoming Bihar assembly elections slated for late October and November this year, party leader Sanjay Raut said on Tuesday. When asked if Sena will tie up with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), its partner in Maharashtra, Raut clarified that the party will fight from 40-50 seats but no seat-sharing deal has been finalised, according to news agency ANI.  Raut said he will be visiting Patna next week, and added that several local parties including Pappu Yadav’s Jan Adhikar Party-Loktantrik (JAP) have reached out to Sena for a tie-up.  The JAP has already forged an alliance with three parties - Azad Samaj Party of Chandrashekhar Azad, the Social Democratic Party of MK Faizi and Bahujan Mukti Party - for the upcoming polls.  Yadav, has also contacted the Congress leadership to facilitate his party’s entry into the Grand Alliance (GA), which will take on the chief minister Nitish Kumar-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).  In the run-up to Bihar elections, Maharashtra environment and tourism minister Aaditya Thackeray, who is among Sena’s star campaigners, is likely to hold virtual rallies along with chief minister Uddhav Thackeray.  Raut, Rajya Sabha MPs Anil Desai and Priyanka Chaturvedi are among other star campaigners who will lead poll rallies in Bihar.  Lok Sabha MPs Arvind Sawant, Krupal Tumane and Vinayak Raut along with former MP Chandrakant Khaire, and state ministers Subhash Desai, Gulabrao Patil are on the list. The state goes to polls in three phases on October 28, November 3, and November 7 and the results will be declared on November 10.


Picture of woman cycling with a baby tied on her back shows the plight of migrants during the lockdown.

Migrant labourers have been among the worst affected sections in India due to the lockdown.  With production and construction activities halted, lack of money and food has forced lakhs of desperate migrants across India to reach for their homes on foot in the absence of proper transportation. Internet is full of videos and images showing the plight of migrants in these trying times.  One such picture of a woman cycling with a baby tied on her back is also going viral, with social media users claiming this is how hard life is for migrants during lockdown. Vinod Jakhar, who claims to be the national secretary of Congress’ students’ wing NSUI, tweeted this picture with a caption in Hindi that translates to, “Rise above politics.  Do not be insensitive.  See and feel the pain of these migrants. ”India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found the claim along with the photo to be misleading.  The photo is at least six years old and has nothing to do with the lockdown and subsequent migrant crisis. Among others, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala also tweeted the photo with the caption “New India ka sach (Truth of New India)”.  He later deleted the tweet after social media users pointed out that the photo is old. This picture with the misleading caption is being widely on Facebook too.  The archive version of the post can be seen here. AFWA investigationUsing a combination of reverse search and Google advance search, we found that a Facebook user had posted this picture on July 1, 2014.  This proves that the picture has no relation with the lockdown.  According to image sharing service Pinterest, this picture is from Nepalgunj in Nepal.  India Today could not independently verify the location of the picture but it is certain that the picture has been available on the Internet for many years. Tragic condition of migrants in IndiaThough this particular picture is old and misrepresented, but the condition of migrants during lockdown is indeed appalling.  Migrants have been walking for hundreds of kilometres with little food and water for days to reach their homes. Patna: Migrant workers seen walking on foot towards their homes in different districts of Bihar amid #CoronavirusLockdown.  A worker says, "I started walking from Delhi 20 days ago for my home in Katihar district".  pic. twitter. com/ZQ7ynow2I5Many have also lost their lives in accidents.  At Auraiya in Uttar Pradesh, 27 migrant workers were killed in a trailer-truck collision, while in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, 16 migrants were run over by a goods train, outlining the tragedy and scale of India’s migrant crisis. See | Migrants on the move: A crisis in photosRead | Coronavirus numbers soaring, new plan in place to contain large outbreakWatch | Coronavirus hits Maharashtra Police department| Here's how cops are dealing with crisisThe number of crows determines the intensity of the lie.


"This country is a constant work in progress," Pres. Barack Obama says. "What gives each new generation purpose it to take up the unfinished work of the last."

John Lewis "not only embraced that responsibility—but he made it his life's work." https://t.co/sVteeuYRLu https://t.co/seemVXDXwi

By Clare Foran and Devan Cole, CNNUpdated 3:14 PM ET, Thu July 30, 2020 Washington (CNN)Former President Barack Obama eulogized civil rights icon John Lewis on Thursday before the late congressman's body is laid to rest in Atlanta, drawing a comparison between the battles Lewis participated in during the Civil Rights Movement and the current protests for racial justice happening across America.  CNN's Kevin Liptak, Caroline Kelly and Faith Karimi contributed to this report.


R. Kelly left Chicago's Cook County Jail after posting bail in his sexual abuse case https://t.co/ebqT1vgRL1 https://t.co/5nXGMzHGAe

He has been locked up all weekend on sex abuse charges. R.  Kelly pleads not guilty to sex assault chargesR&B singer R.  Kelly was released from a Chicago jail after $100,000 bail was posted on Monday. Kelly, who has pleaded not guilty to multiple sexual assault counts, including charges he preyed on underage girls, surrendered to police last Friday. Kelly was instructed by Judge Lawrence Flood of the Circuit Court of Cook County to refrain from contacting the victims or witnesses in the case and staying away from anyone under the age of 18. He was ordered to return to court on March 22. His lawyer, Steve Greenberg, informed the judge that Kelly turned over his passport to the court clerk on Saturday. "No one wants to be in jail.  But he's strong . . .  he knows what kind of fight he's in for," Greenberg told reporters outside the courtroom, adding that Kelly was being held in a jail hospital for his own safety. Some of R.  Kelly's female fans have been calling Chicago's Cook County courthouse clerk to inquire about helping to pay the $100,000 Kelly needs to meet his $1 million bond and be released, according to Chicago Tribune reporter Will Lee. Attorney Michael Avenatti, who is representing six people related to the case, said he met with prosecutors Monday and turned over a video his legal team says it obtained during a 10-month investigation and that he claims shows R.  Kelly engaged in the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl. "This man deserves to be locked up for the rest of his life," Avenatti said of Kelly.  "And the fact of the matter is, and I'm going to call it like I see it, had these victims not been black and had they not come from, in many cases, disadvantaged households or households of lower socioeconomic status, this guy would not be walking free today. "He blasted Greenberg for calling the victims in the case liars. "All of these young girls are not lying, ladies and gentlemen," Avenatti said during a news conference at the Chicago courthouse on Monday.  "It is impossible and it is outrageous for Mr.  Greenberg and other enablers of Mr.  Kelly to suggest that all of these young ladies . . .  are lying about this conduct. "Greenberg bristled at Avenatti's statements about him and his client. "I don't know why someone is attacking me, they don't know me they don't know my work," Greenberg said.  "It's not about me.  It's about the evidence.  It's about the facts.  And because someone stands in front of all of you and says, 'I know someone should be locked up. . . ' that's not how our system works.  Let us let the system work and an attorney, of all people, should be waiting. "He said he has not seen any of the videotapes involved in the case, and suggested that Avenatti should be investigated for viewing purported child pornography, saying that under Illinois law, "each instance of that is in fact, in my opinion, a criminal act. "Greenberg told the judge on Saturday that his client's finances are "a mess. "Even if Kelly wrote a $100,000 check, it could take considerable time before his bank can satisfy court officials that he has those funds available, Chicago-area defense attorney Joseph Lopez told the Associated Press. On Saturday, a Chicago judge ordered $1 million bond for Kelly after the singer surrendered on Friday night and was charged with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sex abuse. Kelly was indicted on Friday for sexual assault and abuse against four victims, three of whom were under the age of 17 over the course of a decade.  Bail was set for $250,000 for each case. Kelly did not react during the hearing on Saturday.  He sat with a straight look on his face, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with his hands crossed behind his back throughout the hearing.  Kelly only spoke with his lawyer while Cook County Judge John Lyke Jr.  reviewed the charges, calling the prosecutors' claims “disturbing. ”Greenberg told the judge his client wasn’t a flight risk because “contrary to the song ['I Believe I Can Fly'], he doesn’t like to fly. ”Greenberg added: “He can’t go anywhere anyways.  He’s a recognizable person. ”The 52-year-old embattled star, whose given name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, had turned himself into Chicago police late Friday.  A booking photo showed Kelly in a black hooded sweatshirt sporting a salt-and-pepper beard. Prosecutors on Saturday released documents outlining the allegations against Kelly. The singer met a girl at her 16th birthday party in 1998, according to prosecutors, who say his manager gave the teen Kelly’s business card and suggested she contact him.  The girl’s mother overheard the conversation and took the card, but her daughter later retrieved it from her mother’s purse, according to the documents, which say that the teen contacted Kelly, and the two allegedly got together periodically and had sex for a year. Another accuser was 16 when she met Kelly during his 2008 child pornography trial and he gave her an autograph, according to the documents.  The pair later met at the artist’s Chicago apartment where they allegedly had sex and Kelly allegedly choking her and spitting on her. In 2003, a 24-year-old hairdresser intended to braid the singer’s hair, but instead the R & B star allegedly tried to force her to perform oral sex on him and allegedly spit in her face, according to prosecutors. Kelly's supporters Joycelyn Savage and Azriel Clary, who are living with the singer, attended the hearing on Saturday.  Parents of both women claimed in the Lifetime series "Surviving R.  Kelly,” that Kelly is holding their daughters against the women's wills.  The three-part documentary chronicled decades of troubling allegations and brought renewed media attention and scrutiny on the singer. The women initially sat one row in front of Azriel’s father, Angelo Clary, who tried to speak with them.  They both ignored him, never acknowledging him or even turning around.  Then they changed seats, moving one row ahead to avoid him.  Avenatti comforted Azriel’s mother after they were rejected by their daughter. Several other people — men and women — stood in the last two rows in support of Kelly. Jerhonda Pace — one of Kelly's accusers — was also in attendance. The alleged criminal behavior dates back to May 1998 and continued until January 2010, said Cook County State's Attorney Kimberly M.  Foxx announced at a press conference on Friday.  The indictment details accounts of vaginal and oral penetration of and ejaculation onto the victims by the singer. "Aggravated criminal sexual abuse is a Class 2 felony with a sentencing range of 3-7 years and is probationable," Foxx's office wrote in a statement. Greenberg also said that in indicting Kelly, Foxx caved into public pressure. "I had a discussion with the state's attorney’s office earlier this week [and] we were supposed to meet next week and have a discussion about what they had," he said.  "I was gonna be allowed to address what they had, then they just decided to indict him today for whatever reason.  I suspect this is succumbing to public pressure. "Greenberg also claimed one of the victims is the same person in a 2003 child pornography case in which Kelly was acquitted in 2008. "One of the cases seems to be a rehash he was acquitted for.  Double jeopardy should apply to everyone," Greenberg said. During Saturday's hearing, prosecutors told the judge there is no case of double jeopardy involving the victim from Kelly’s previous acquittal because "it is not the same video. "Kelly is also facing at least three different federal investigations including at least one focusing on his alleged relationships with underage girls, who may have been trafficked, multiple law enforcement sources told ABC News. Sources told ABC News that the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the IRS have opened investigations after  “Surviving R.  Kelly,” which aired on Lifetime starting Jan.  3. All three agencies declined to comment. HSI is looking at potential crimes involving sex trafficking and child exploitation.  The investigations were first reported by The New Yorker, by Jim DeRogatis, who has been reporting on R.  Kelly for almost 20 years. On Thursday, two more women, Latresa Scaff and Rochelle Washington, said they were victims of R.  Kelly.  Their attorney, Gloria Allred, said the women spoke with federal prosecutors. "Yesterday, I indicated that my two clients who held a press conference here in New York would be speaking to law enforcement, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, and they did in fact have that interview," Allred told WABC. 'No question'In addition, Avenatti, who is representing two alleged victims of Kelly, said he gave Cook County prosecutors a video depicting the singer allegedly sexually assaulting a 14-year-old. "Earlier this month we uncovered and recovered a video tape of over 40 minutes in length," Avenatti said at a press conference Friday.  "We promptly brought it to the attention of Ms.  Foxx and others in her office.  This tape leaves no question as to whether R.  Kelly is guilty of multiple sexual illegal acts against a 14-year-old girl.  The tape was shot in the late '90s, approximately 1999, [and] it depicts two separate scenes shot on two separate days within Mr.  Kelly's residence at the time. ""Repeatedly on the video both the victim and Mr.  Kelly refer to the victim's age as being 14," Avenatti said.  "That occurs in excess of 10 separate times on the video, both the victim and Mr.  Kelly can be heard referencing her age. "Greenberg said he hadn't seen the video, but denied the allegation. "Unfortunately, the state's attorney now succumbed to public pressure, to pressure from grandstanders like Michael Avenatti," Greenberg said. ABC News' Ahmad Hemingway, Stephanie Wash and Aaron Katersky contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


IMD:Expecting monsoon to arrive near Kerala around 6 June. At present Monsoon has covered some extreme southern part of Arabian Sea&parts of southwest-southeast-east central Bay of Bengal, Andaman sea&Andaman Nicobar islands. In next 2-3 days it'll cover more parts of Arabian sea https://t.co/g86QIk1WyE

India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday warned of a severe heat wave in the national capital and its adjoining states for the next few days.  Maximum temperature in the national capital will hover at 46 degree Celsius during the coming days. Speaking exclusively to ANI, M Mohapatra, Director General, IMD’s meteorology, said: “Severe heatwave condition is persisting in many parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Rajasthan, southern Uttar Pradesh, northern Madhya Pradesh and some parts of Jharkhand. ”“We are expecting this to continue for the next two days.  In Delhi, we are not expecting rain.  As per our forecast, the maximum temperature here can be as high as 46-degree.  It will gradually come down,” he said. Mahapatra also predicted that around June 6, monsoon will be hitting Kerala.  The southwest monsoon is expected to hit Odisha coast within two weeks after its onset in Kerala. Also read| Stay indoors: Mercury at 46. 6 deg, red alert sounded for scorching North India“Expecting monsoon to arrive near Kerala around June 6.  At present, monsoon has covered some extreme southern parts of the Arabian Sea and parts of southwest-southeast-east central Bay of Bengal, the Andaman sea, and Andaman Nicobar islands.  In the next 2-3 days it will cover more parts of Arabian Sea,” he said.


Thousands of participants gather in Washington, D.C. for the third annual Women's March, with events and marches planned across the country. https://t.co/dGWxljC3QE https://t.co/MvBDA6I6P6

    Thousands of demonstrators gathered Saturday for the Women’s March in Washington and related rallies across the country, with many looking to channel two years of momentum and common cause against President Donald Trump into progressive policies.

Why they marched: Participants reveal why they rallied across the nation

    The marches came as allegations of anti-Semitism against the leaders of the national Women’s March Inc.  and the main Washington march – which those leaders have denied – pushed some rally organizers in other cities to disassociate themselves from that group.

    In Washington, leaders of the national group addressed the controversy on stage at Freedom Plaza.

    “My sisters in Women’s March and I have faced accusations that have hurt my soul – charges of anti-Semitism and neglecting our LGBTQIA family,” co-chair Carmen Perez said.  “And I want to be unequivocal in affirming that Women’s March and I and my sisters condemn anti-Semitism and homophobia and transphobia in all forms.

    “I vow to anyone who doubts their place in the Women’s March: You are welcome here.  I vow to Jewish women: There is a place at the table for you. ”

    Now in their third year, the rallies appeared less star-studded than in 2017 or 2018.  But marchers still flocked to Washington, New York and elsewhere – with some of the events affiliated with Women’s March Inc.  and others not.

    Before the rally in Los Angeles, Yanti Palleschi sat at a table and joined others who were writing messages on placards.

    “I come every year.  I’m proud of the work (that) women have done in the last election, but we need more powerful women,” said Palleschi of Sherman Oaks, California, and a member of a non-profit for women.

    In Washington, Gina Lopez and her daughter, Leah, said they had booked their flights from Houston the day after Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation hearings ended.

    “We just had enough – the wall, Kavanaugh, the whole thing.  We just finally decided it’s time – it’s time to come here and march,” Lopez said.

    These marches stemmed from the ones that started in January 2017 as a display of resistance to Trump’s election.  In 2018, the movement shifted to focus on midterm elections.

The Women's March is evolving, but its enemies are the same

    This year, organizers say, was about not only commemorating victories such as unprecedented wins for the Democratic Party by women of color in the midterms, but also agitating for progressive laws and positions they say will benefit women across race, class, sexual orientation and other identities.

    That included pushing for a policy document they call the “Women’s Agenda,” addressing issues including immigrant rights, violence against women, civil rights and liberties and climate justice, among others.

    “The agenda is specifically focused on legislative and policy actions that are achievable by 2020,” Women’s March Chief Operating Officer Rachel Carmona said earlier.

    Jessica González-Rojas, executive director at the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, described the agenda as a policy tool that organizers in different cities can use to take on issues that matter to their communities.

    What makes it unique is how it takes typically gender-neutral issues such as immigration and offers policy solutions that specifically benefit women and families, she said.

    “It’s about looking at different identities among women and femmes and the policy solutions to address attacks on those identities,” she said.

No other Congress has ever looked like this

    At the Washington march Saturday, Perez pivoted toward the “Women’s Agenda” after addressing the bigotry allegations.

    She congratulated listeners for helping to “elect hundreds of women” and told members of the crowd to keep their eyes on 2020.

    “Women’s Agenda will give clear marching orders to every grassroots activist in this nation and establish a solid platform on which truly progressive candidates can run and win in 2020,” she said.

    In New York, demonstrators gathered for at least two separate events, including one at Foley Square for a “Women’s Unity Rally. ” Organizers there said they aimed “to demand equal justice for black women, immigrant women, women of color and gender nonconforming people. ”

    Rep.  Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the New York freshman whose following among progressives has made her one of the most high-profile House Democrats, attended both that event and a march near Central Park.

    At Foley Square, the 29-year-old lawmaker said marchers were picking up “where the civil rights movement left off. ”

    Discussions of racial and social justice are being extended to economic and environmental justice, Ocasio-Cortez said.

    “Justice is not a concept we read about in a book.  Justice is about the water we drink; justice is about the air we breathe; justice is about how easy it is to vote; justice is about how much ladies get paid,” she said.

    “Last year we took the power to the polls, and this year we’re taking power to the policy, because we have taken back the House of Representatives – and that’s just step one.

    “We’re going to keep pushing, because in 2018 we took the House of Representatives, and through 2020, we’re going to take the White House and the Senate, too. ”

    The marches came as concerns about diversity and inclusion have rattled groups across the country.  Allegations of bigotry against leaders of Women’s March Inc. , the national group formed by organizers of the 2017 march, threaten to overshadow the work of grassroots activists.

Here's what to know (and where to go) for the 2019 Women's Marches

    One of the national group’s leaders, co-chair Tamika Mallory, has been criticized in particular for her association with the Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.  Farrakhan, who has led the black nationalist group since 1977, is known for hyperbolic hate speech aimed at the Jewish community, and made remarks such as “the powerful Jews are my enemy” in February.

    Then, an article last month in the Jewish online magazine Tablet, citing unnamed sources, accused Mallory and Perez of making anti-Semitic comments to a Jewish woman who invited them to organize the march.

    The group has released numerous statements condemning anti-Semitism and vowing to learn from its missteps through training and discussions – pledges that people associated with the group say are underway.

    In Washington, marcher Carmella Ormando told CNN the controversy gave her no reservations about participating.

Gillibrand condemns anti-Semitism at Women's March

    “Because nothing is perfect,” the Arlington, Virginia, resident said, when asked why.  “Because they have worked to solve some of their problems and use it as an opportunity to make some changes.

    “And because we need to support each other, because the cause is much bigger. ”

    She and Marian Klymkowsky, also of Arlington, said they marched in 2017.  Klymkowsky said they were back because they’re dissatisfied with the President.

    “He’s not uniting the country.  He has pat solutions for problems of his own making,” she said.  “Why wouldn’t you be out here marching? ”

    Jarfa Ashrafi said she wanted to have her voice be heard on topics she is passionate about.

    “I thought a women’s march, it would be a great first march for me to attend,” she said.

  CNN’s Emanuella Grinberg, Madeline Holcombe, Stephanie Becker, Dakin Andone, Meg Wagner, Greg Clary and Jessica Dean contributed to this report.
© 2021 Cable News Network.  A Warner Media Company.  All Rights Reserved.   CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network.


JetBlue, which says they implemented their face covering for crew policy in mid-April, became the first major U.S. airline to announce it will require passengers wear a face covering during travel. https://t.co/gPjSWB3jYu

By Gregory Wallace and Brian Rokus, CNN BusinessUpdated 8:02 AM ET, Tue April 28, 2020 Washington (CNN Business)US airline JetBlue will require all passengers to wear a face covering during travel starting on May 4, according to a statement from the airline.