#JammuAndKashmir | Locals arrive at a mosque in Srinagar to offer Friday prayers.

Track updates here: https://t.co/v4hv4Wezii

(News agency ANI) https://t.co/QojUjji3Zx

President Ram Nath Koving gave his nod to The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 on Friday evening, ending the special status of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).  Article 370 and Article 35A, cleared in the parliament earlier this week, have defined the state’s relationship with the Union for seven decades now, were effectively rendered null and void. Jammu and Kashmir remained on high alert today though restrictions were lifted in the Valley to allow people to offer Friday prayers in local mosques.  However, they won’t be allowed to congregate at Srinagar’s historic Jama Masjid.  The Kashmir valley has been under lockdown since Sunday midnight, a day before the government moved to divide the state into two Union Territories and also scrapped Articles that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.  The President okayed the move soon after both houses of Parliament passed it. The Centre is monitoring the situation and on Thursday, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval reviewed the situation in a meeting held in the Police Control Room of the J&K Police.  Highlights:PM Modi’s speech had a calming effect: J&K GovernorJammu and Kashmir Governor, Satya Pal Malik told ANI that PM Modi’s address to the nation on Thursday night had a calming effect.  “The situation is peaceful.  Relaxations will be given before and on Eid.  The festival will be celebrated in a proper manner.  He added that 1600 employees are on duty to ensure essential services like power supply, water and sanitation.  “10,000 people in Kashmir are reporting for their duties.  Most bank ATMs are operational.  We’ve released advance salary for August of daily wage workers,” the Governor said. Round the clock services available for people in Kashmir: J&K GuvJammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik has said that he visited the Lalla Ded Hospital and GB Pant Children Hospital today.  “There are round the clock services at hospitals.  Cash has been disbursed for medicines, patient welfare and for fuel for ambulances.  ‘Langars’ are operating at TRC, hospitals &other public places in Srinagar.  For Eid, 2. 5 lakh sheeps and goats have been arranged.  30 lakh poultry has also been arranged.  We have two months stock of ration.  There is sufficient stock of petrol, diesel and regular supply for LPG,” he said.  Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh to come into existence on October 31Two new UTs -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh -- will come into existence on October 31: MHAPresident Kovind signs on The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019President Ram Nath Kovind gives his assent to The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, reported ANI. Jammu schools, colleges reopen tomorrow, 144 removedProhibitory orders banning congregation of more than 4 people under Section-144 has been removed from Jammu paving the way for reopening of schools and colleges in the region from tomorrow as per the order released by the Deputy Magistrate of Jammu district on Friday.  Relaxation for Jammu follows an assessment that situation in the region was normal.  Read full story here. Section 144 withdrawn from Jammu municipal limits: OfficialsSection 144 restricting gathering of more than 4 people has been withdrawn from Jammu Municipal limits, said Sushma Chauhan, Deputy Magistrate (DM) of Jammu District.  “All school, and colleges will be open tomorrow i. e.  August 10,” Chauhan told ANI. Situation in Kashmir is under control, normal in Jammu: ADGPMuneer Khan, additional director general of police, law and order in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir has said that the situation in Jammu is normal.  While in Kashmir, the situation is under control.  “All steps necessary to maintain law and order will be taken,” Khan told ANI. ‘Pak trying to project panic-like situation’: Raveesh Kumar“On their side, they (Pakistan) would like to project a panic situation, but that is not the situation So, it is time for Pak to stop interfering in other nation’s affairs: Raveesh Kumar. He says, “we can only request Pakistan to re-consider its unilateral steps and we can only regret (what Pak has done). ” ‘Pak efforts to link peace deal with Kashmir hasn’t worked’MEA spokesperson says, “Pakistan’s efforts to link peace deal with Kashmir issue have not worked”. On being asked about Indian high commissioner to Pakistan, Raveesh Kumar said that the high commissioner to Pakistan is not yet back in Delhi.  We have requested Pakistan for review of their decision.  The timing of his return will be determined later. ”‘Steps taken keeping in mind best interests of J-K’On steps taken by Centre in Jammu and Kashmir, Raveesh Kumar said, “We feel steps have been taken keeping in mind the best interests of Jammu and Kashmir”. He added, “Pakistan thinks it will not be able to mislead people if there is development in Jammu and Kashmir. ”‘Time for Pak to stop interfering in internal matter of other countries’It is time for Pakistan to accept reality and stop interfering in internal matters of other countries: MEA spokesperson. He adds, we hope Pakistan reconsiders its unilateral decisions and address the core issues.  We can only urge them to re-consider those steps.  Raveesh Kumar said, “Actions taken by Pakistan unilateral. This has been done without consulting us. We’ve urged them to reconsider their decision. Our sense is that whatever is being done by Pakistan is to present an alarming picture of bilateral relationship. ”Samjhauta Express a ‘unilateral decision’ by PakAirspace has not be closed, but there has been some re-routing.  On Samjhauta Express, it is a unilateral decision, we never asked for it.  We regret Pakistan’s decision: Raveesh KumarPM has articulated his vision of J-K and LadakhPM has very clearly articulated his vision of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh yesterday in his address.  Now there will be more opportunities. : Raveesh Kumar, MEA spokesperson, addressing media. Pakistan suspends Thar Express servicePakistan on Friday suspended the Thar Express - the last rail link with India - a day after Islamabad stopped the Samjhauta Express service between the two neighbours, reports Reuters. “We have decided to shut down the Thar Express as well,” Reuters quoted Pakistan’s railways minster Sheikh Rasheed as saying. Watch: Locals at a mosque in Srinagar to offer prayers#WATCH Jammu and Kashmir: Locals arrive at a mosque in Srinagar to offer Friday prayers.  pic. twitter. com/HRzWkULtfYPeople arrive at mosques to offer Friday prayersPeople are arriving at their local mosques to offer Friday prayers after restrictions in the Kashmir Valley were eased earlier in the day.  Sitaram Yechury being sent back to DelhiCPI(M) general secretary, Sitaram Yechury is being sent back to Delhi, reports PTI quoting party sources.  He, along with CPI leader D Raja, were detained at the Srinagar airport earlier in the morning.  The duo had gone there to meet their party colleagues.  Yechury, D Raja detention ‘anti-democratic’: CPMThe CPI(M) hit out at the Centre for detaining its general secretary Sitaram Yechury and CPI leader D Raja at Srinagar airport, saying it was an “anti-democratic” act, which showed the ruling BJP’s “authoritarian face”. “The politburo calls upon the people to protest this anti-democratic act of the BJP government,” the statement said. “This shows the authoritarian face of the BJP government,” it added. Schools re-open in KathuaAs with Udhampur and Samba districts, schools in Kathua, too, have reopened on Friday.  All three districts fall under the Jammu division.  Situation in Jammu division under control: Divisional CommissionerDivisional Commissioner Jammu, Sanjeev Verma, says the current situation in Jammu Division is under control and there is peace.  Talking to reporters, Verma said, “rumors regarding removal of some district is totally baseless and one FIR regarding this is being registered in Samba District. ”NSA Ajit Doval visits downtown SrinagarNational Security Advisor Ajit Doval visited downtown Srinagar today and spent over 2 hours in the area, reports ANI.  He interacted with troops and locals and also had lunch with CRPF personnel. ‘Trying to negotiate with them’: YechuryYechury said he and CPI leader D Raja were detained at Srinagar airport and denied entry into the city.  The Left leaders had gone there to meet their party colleagues.  Talking to PTI over phone, Yechury said, “They showed us a legal order which did not allow any entry into Srinagar.  It stated that even escorted movement int the city was not permitted due to security reasons.  We are still trying to negotiate with them. ” Earlier in the day, he had tweeted about his visit (see below). Com D Raja and I are on our way to Srinagar on the 9. 55 am Indigo flight to meet Com Yousuf Tarigami and our other comrades in Jammu & Kashmir pic. twitter. com/axRKZkLbV6CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury stopped at Srinagar airportCPI(M) General Secretary, Sitaram Yechury has been stopped at Srinagar Airport.  He had arrived in J&K to meet members of his party’s unit, there. Srinagar residents move about for their workFollowing easing of restrictions, people were seen moving about in Srinagar, taking care of their daily chores.  #WATCH Jammu and Kashmir: Latest visuals from Srinagar as people move about for their work.  pic. twitter. com/UYlI6cTSMKSchools reopen in UdhampurSchools reopened in Udhampur on Friday, reports news agency ANI.  Deputy Commissioner of Udhampur Piyush Singla says,“Section 144 is still imposed, but with some exceptions in certain areas.  Security plan is in place.  Vulnerable areas are being monitored closely.  Markets are also open from 11 AM to 5 PM”. Schools reopen in SambaSchools reopened in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, reports ANI.  Restrictions to be eased in Kashmir Valley to allow Friday prayersRestrictions will be eased to allow people in the Kashmir Valley to offer Friday prayers in local mosques, officials said.  However, there will be no Friday congregation at the historic Jama Masjid, reports PTI.  The decision was taken as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order, a day after restrictions in some parts of the civil lines areas of the city and Dal Lake were eased to allow free movement of people, they said.


Migrant workers stranded in the state amid #COVID19 lockdown, today protested at the Central Railway Station in Mangalore, Karnataka

The workers demand the state government to send them back to their native places

(pics: ANI)

Follow updates: https://t.co/NHv505S1rA https://t.co/swOOR3qnM5

Sep 05, 2021-Sunday

Metro cities -  Delhi, Mumbai,
											Chennai,
											Kolkata

Other cities -  Noida,
											Gurgaon,
											Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Bhopal
											, Chandigarh , Dehradun,
											Indore,
											Jaipur,
											Lucknow,
											Patna,
											Ranchi

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'We may be talking about 95,000 deaths or more from Covid-19': TrumpAssam increases excise duty on liquor by 25%Delhi's Covid-19 tally goes up to 6,318Karnataka allows clubs, bars, restaurants to sell liquor in takeaway form till May 17Rajasthan's Covid-19 death toll crosses 100-mark15 more SRPF jawans of SPRF Group7 tested positive for Covid-19 in Pune's DaundMumbai's tally of Covid-19 patients grows to 11,967 with 748 new casesPM Modi conveyed his condolences for loss of lives in Italy due to Covid-19With 1089 new cases, Maharashtra's tally crosses 19,000No success yet in breaking coronavirus `chain': Uddhav ThackerayMaharashtra govt may deploy central forces to allow police force to rest: CM'You and I are soldiers in coronavirus fight': Mahararashtra CM tells citizensAir India flight reaches San Francisco airport25 new Covid-19 cases reported in Mumbai's DharaviHimachal Cabinet okays increasing curfew relaxation from 5 to 7 hrsCoronavirus disease has not only become a health emergency that has left people locked inside but has also blocked economic growth for almost all countries of the planet.  With close to 40 lakh infected around the world, Covid-19 infections continue to grow across nations as they look to gradually reopen. Click here for the complete coverage of the Covid-19 pandemicRussia overtook France and Germany to be the fifth worst-affected country.  Brazil President Bolsonaro’s spokesman tests positive as the nation becomes a hotspot.  In India, Maharashtra and Delhi record a huge spike as cases recorded reach 56,342 with 1,886 deaths nationwide. 'We may be talking about 95,000 deaths or more from Covid-19': TrumpUS President Trump says, "we may be talking about 95,000 deaths ultimately or more from coronavirus," reports Reuters. Assam increases excise duty on liquor by 25%The Assam government has increased the excise duty on liquor by 25%, Assam Industries and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said on Friday: ANIDelhi's Covid-19 tally goes up to 6,318Covid-19 cases in Delhi climbed to 6,318 on Friday while the death toll rose to 68, said ANI quoting Delhi health department.  These included 338 new Covid-19 positive cases, 2020 recovered patients, 4230 active cases and 68 deaths: Delhi Health Department338 new COVID19 positive cases reported in Delhi today, taking the total number of cases to 6318 including 2020 recovered, 4230 active cases and 68 deaths: Delhi Health Department pic. twitter. com/szQ79YmybcKarnataka allows clubs, bars, restaurants to sell liquor in takeaway form till May 17Karnataka government allows clubs, bars and restaurants to sell liquor in takeaway form at maximum retail price till May 17 to clear their existing stock, according to an official order, reports PTI. Rajasthan's Covid-19 death toll crosses 100-markRajasthan reported 152 new Covid-19 positive cases today; the total number of cases in the state is now 3579, death toll 103: Rajasthan Health Department15 more SRPF jawans of SPRF Group7 tested positive for Covid-19 in Pune's Daund15 more SRPF jawans of SPRF Group7 tested positive for Covid-19 in Pune's Daund.  There are total 27 positive cases in SRPF Group 7 and 160 other jawans have been kept under quarantine.  They were all posted in Mumbai on Covid-19 duty: Commandant, State Police Reserve Force, Group 7Mumbai's tally of Covid-19 patients grows to 11,967 with 748 new casesMumbai's tally of Covid-19 patients grows to 11,967 with 748 new cases; death toll reaches 462 with 25 more fatalities: BMC, reports PTI. PM Modi conveyed his condolences for loss of lives in Italy due to Covid-19Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a phone call today with Italian PM Giuseppe Conte.  He conveyed his condolences for the loss of lives in Italy caused by the COVID-19 pandemic: Prime Minister's OfficeWith 1089 new cases, Maharashtra's tally crosses 19,000Maharashtra's Covid-19 count jumps to 19,063 as 1,089 new cases registered on Friday: State health department. 37 people have died from the disease in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 731 in the state.  Number of recovered/discharged patients stands at 3470: Maharashtra Health DepartmentNo success yet in breaking coronavirus `chain': Uddhav ThackerayNo success yet in breaking virus `chain', admits Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray: PTIMaharashtra govt may deploy central forces to allow police force to rest: CMMaharashtra Government may seek deployment of Central forces, if needed, to allow police personnel to take rest in phases, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said on Friday, reports PTI. 'You and I are soldiers in coronavirus fight': Mahararashtra CM tells citizensMaharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray denied reports that the army will be deployed in Mumbai amid the lockdown. "There have been rumours since a few days that army will be deployed in Mumbai and all shops will be shut.  Till now whatever I have done, I have taken you all in confidence and done it.  Army will not be deployed.  You and I are the soldiers in the fight against Coronavirus," he said. Air India flight reaches San Francisco airportAir India flight AI 173 with 80 passengers from India reached San Francisco airport today.  : ANI. #VandeBharatMission: Air India flight AI173 with 80 passengers from India lands at San Francisco airport, United States of America.  This is the first flight to land in the US today after 48 days.  #COVID19 pic. twitter. com/FfKeMU5WiO25 new Covid-19 cases reported in Mumbai's DharaviTwenty five new Covid-19 positive cases were reported in Mumbai's Dharavi today, taking the total number of cases in the area to 808, death toll to 26, according to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC): ANIHimachal Cabinet okays increasing curfew relaxation from 5 to 7 hrsHimachal Pradesh Cabinet has also given nod to increase the curfew relaxation to 7 hours from 5 hours every day. : ANIFirst published: May 08, 2020 06:09 IST


A post is being shared on social media claiming it as the video of a young Muslim woman assaulted by a French Policeman.  In the video, we could see a policeman slamming a handcuffed woman to the floor and forcefully taking off her headscarf.  Let’s verify the claim made in the post. Claim:  Video of  French police assaulting a Muslim woman. Fact:  This incident took place in Calgary city in Canada, not in France.  In 2017, a Calgary cop slammed a handcuffed black woman to the floor while she resisted him taking off her headscarf.  This incident in the video is old and has nothing to do with the recent turn of events in France.  Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE. On reverse image search of screenshots in the video, similar visuals were found in an article published by the Daily Mail.  In the article, it is mentioned that a Calgary cop forcefully hurled a handcuffed black woman to the floor after she resisted him to take off her headscarf.  This incident reportedly took place in Calgary city of Canada during 2017.  It is mentioned in the article that the Calgary constable Alex Dunn was charged with assault causing bodily harm over the incident during the arrest of Dalia Kafi in 2017.  This assault footage was shown to the court recently at Dunn’s trial.  Kafi is arrested on the charges of breaching court-ordered curfew in 2017.  The black woman’s nose bones cracked as her face hit the ground. Sharing the same visuals, ‘Global News’ and ‘CBC’ news websites also published articles about this incident.  They can be read here and here. To sum it up, 2017 video of Calgary police assaulting a black woman is now being shared now as a Muslim woman assaulted by French Police.


J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha has announced Rs 50 lakh as the first instalment of the untied grant to all Deputy Commissioners across J&K for meeting public demands of urgent nature and accentuating the overall developmental ecosystem in the UT: Govt of Jammu & Kashmir https://t.co/4veDdaMpCO

Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday recorded 163 fresh Covid-19 infections, taking the total number of cases in the Union territory to 5,041, officials said. The UT has crossed the 5,000 mark in 98 days. Of the new cases, 28 are from Jammu division and 135 from Kashmir.  Among these 32 patients have a travel history.  The active cases stand at 2,593 and 2,389 people have recovered from the disease. Four more fatalities were also reported in the UT—one in Jammu and three in Kashmir—since Saturday with which the death toll has risen to 59, officials said. Two patients, including a 60-year-old man from Srinagar and a 75-year-old resident of Baramulla died on Saturday at the two branches of Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences. A 69-year-old businessman has also died due to the virus at the Government Medical College and Hospital in Jammu.  Dr Dara Singh, medical superintendent, said, “He had returned from Delhi and was admitted on May 29 at the Chest Diseases Hospital and subsequently shifted to GMCH on May 31.  He was suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), severe sepsis, asthma and acute respiratory distress syndrome. ” The fourth patient who succumbed to the virus was 85-year-old man from Kupwara.  He died at the Chest Diseases Hospital in Srinagar.  A doctor said he was suffering from chronic kidney disease. The highest jump in cases from Kashmir division was in Shopian where 45 more people tested positive for the disease followed by 33 in Pulwama, 16 in Kulgam, 11 in Budgam and 10 in Srinagar.  The other districts saw single digit increase in cases. In Jammu division, fresh cases were recorded in six of the 10 districts taking the division tally to 1163.  All the districts with positive cases in the Jammu division reported single digit increase. Also, 120 more patients were discharged on Sunday.  “23 patients were discharged in Jammu division and 135 in Kashmir,” a government spokesperson said. Till date, 2. 35 lakh people in contact with suspected cases have been put under surveillance — 40,634 in home quarantine, 31 in hospital quarantine and 52,682 under home surveillance.  Besides these, 139,201 people have completed their 28-day surveillance period.


Karnataka: State Minister for Health and Family Welfare B Sriramulu and Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar initiated phase 1 clinical trials to use Convalescent Plasma Therapy for severe #COVID19 patients, at BMC Victoria hospital today in Bengaluru. https://t.co/UC9UFORanx

Sep 08, 2021-Wednesday

Metro cities -  Delhi, Mumbai,
											Chennai,
											Kolkata

Other cities -  Noida,
											Gurgaon,
											Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Bhopal
											, Chandigarh , Dehradun,
											Indore,
											Jaipur,
											Lucknow,
											Patna,
											Ranchi

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As per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare the total number of Covid-19 cases in India has climbed to 2,547 and the death toll stands at 62. Premier League to return 'when it is safe and appropriate' ₹50 Lakh to be given to the kin of any police officer that may die while discharging duties during lockdown: Maha Govt217 Indians evacuated from Italy test negative after a fortnight UK PM Boris Johnson staying in coronavirus isolation with mild symptomsAntibody test guidelines likely to be released SaturdayBookings closed for domestic, international travel till Apr 30: Air IndiaOf total coronavirus cases in Delhi, 259 from Nizamuddin Markaz, says state health dept67 new coronavirus cases reported in Maharashtra, death toll at 26243 Tablighi Jamaat members quarantined in HaridwarIndia reports 62 deaths, 2,547 cases due to coronavirusWorse yet to come for countries in conflict, says UN chiefGovt to give  ₹11,092 cr to states to combat coronavirusPoland calls for 2-Year Presidential term extension due to coronavirusMHA contributes  ₹205 crores to PM-CARES FundNo coronavirus case reported in Sikkim so far: ReportThe Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has said guidelines for rapid antibody tests (or blood tests) are likely to be released on Saturday.  “The modalities on which we are working on include how to deploy the test in high-risk areas, low-risk areas, hot spots. . . ," ICMR's Manoj Murhekar said at a press briefing on Friday. India has allowed faster and cheaper antibody tests to check for the coronavirus disease in so-called hot spots, of which there are 20 in the country.  The test used now PCR (polymerase chain reaction) identifies the Sars-CoV-2 virus from throat or nasal swab samples of people with symptoms or high-risk individuals (health workers and family members) who might have come in contact with a Covid-19 patient. The number of coronavirus deaths in country stand at 62, while the cases have touched 2,547. Here are the major highlights of the day on coronavirus pandemic:Premier League to return 'when it is safe and appropriate'As coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc all across the globe, Premier League on Friday announced that the 2019-20 season will only return 'when it is safe and appropriate to do so, reports ANI.   ₹50 Lakh to be given to the kin of any police officer that may die while discharging duties during lockdown: Maha GovtMaharashtra Government has announced a compensation of  ₹50 Lakh to the next of the kin of any Police officer who may die while discharging their duty during amid the coronavirus pandemic and nationwide lockdown, reports ANI.  217 Indians evacuated from Italy test negative after a fortnight 217 Indians evacuated from Italy and housed at ITBP quarantine centre test negative for coronavirus after a fortnight, officials said, reports PTI.  UK PM Boris Johnson staying in coronavirus isolation with mild symptomsBritish Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was remaining in isolation on Friday as he still had mild symptoms of the coronavirus including a high temperature seven days after he tested positive for the virus, reports Reuters. Antibody test guidelines likely to be released SaturdayThe Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has said guidelines for rapid antibody tests (or blood tests) are likely to be released on Saturday. Bookings closed for domestic, international travel till Apr 30: Air IndiaAir India said that bookings for all domestic and international routes are closed till 30th April, reports ANI.  Of total coronavirus cases in Delhi, 259 from Nizamuddin Markaz, says state health deptThe Delhi Health Department said that out of the total 386 coronavirus cases in the capital city, 259 are from from Nizamuddin Markaz, reports PTI.  67 new coronavirus cases reported in Maharashtra, death toll at 26The state health department of Maharashtra said that 67 new coronavirus positive cases have been reported today.  The total number of positive cases in the state stands at 490.  The death toll in the state jumped to 26, reports ANI. 243 Tablighi Jamaat members quarantined in HaridwarA total of 377 members of the Tablighi Jamaat have returned to Haridwar from outside the state since March 1, of which 243 have been quarantined, reports PTI.  India reports 62 deaths, 2,547 cases due to coronavirusThe Ministry of Health and Family welfare said that there are 2,547 confirmed cases and 62 deaths due to the novel coronavirus. Worse yet to come for countries in conflict, says UN chiefAmid the coronavirus outbreak, United Nations Chief António Guterres said that Worst yet to come' for countries in conflict.  He urged all parties to lay down arms, reports AFP. #BREAKING Coronavirus: 'Worst yet to come' for countries in conflict, says UN Secretary-General Guterres, urging all parties to lay down arms pic. twitter. com/Qs1TervPK4Govt to give  ₹11,092 cr to states to combat coronavirusUnion Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday approved release of  ₹11,092 crore to all states under the State Disaster Risk Management Fund (SDRMF) for setting up quarantine facilities and arranging other facilities for checking the spread of coronavirus.  The Home Ministry said the fund has been approved following assurance given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to chief ministers during his video conference on Thursday, reports PTI. Poland calls for 2-Year Presidential term extension due to coronavirusPoland’s government called for extending President Andrzej Duda’s term by two years to avoid having to hold a May 10 election during the coronavirus crisis.  After angering the opposition by refusing to call off the vote, Deputy Prime Minister Jaroslaw Gowin said Friday the election should be postponed until 2022, reports Bloomberg. MHA contributes  ₹205 crores to PM-CARES FundThe Ministry of Home Affairs has contributed  ₹205 crore, drawn from one day's salary of staffers under its command, to the PM-CARES Fund to combat the coronavirus outbreak in the country, reports PTI. No coronavirus case reported in Sikkim so far: ReportSikkim has not reported any COVID-19 case so far, a senior health official said on Friday.  The authorities have collected samples of 35 people, but their reports have come out negative, Director General (Health Services) P T Bhutia said, reports PTI. First published: Apr 03, 2020 05:13 IST


‘Hope they will be executed on March 3’: Delhi gang rape case victim’s mother on fresh death warrant for convicts

https://t.co/AnbnVMqNLM https://t.co/dAS66Iz9oT

The mother of the December 2012 Delhi gang-rape victim said on Monday her family had complete faith in the judiciary after a local court issued a fresh and the third death warrant for the four convicts in the case and hoped they would be executed on March 3. Her reaction came minutes after the court ordered that the four men, convicted of rape and murder of her 23-year-old daughter, be hanged at 6am on March 3. Judge Dharmender Rana was hearing the petition filed by the woman’s parents for issuance of a fresh death warrant.  He had reserved his order after arguments by both sides earlier in the day. “We have complete faith in the judiciary.  But our real victory would be when the convicts are actually hanged,” she said. However, she also said that she was not very happy because this was the third time that the death warrant had been issued.  “We have struggled so much.  So I am satisfied that the death warrant has been issued finally.  I hope they (convicts) will be executed on March 3,” she was also quoted as saying by news agency ANI. The parents had moved the court after Delhi High Court had given seven days to the convicts to exhaust their legal remedies and which ended on February 12. Through their lawyer, they had told the court during the hearing last Thursday that patience of the society is being tested by this case. The date of execution for Mukesh Kumar Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Kumar Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar (31) was first fixed for January 22 in Tihar jail, and then deferred for 6am on February 1 by a January 17 court order. The physiotherapy intern was gang-raped and assaulted by six men on the night of December 16, 2012, in a moving bus in south Delhi.  She died of her injuries a fortnight later in a hospital in Singapore after she was airlifted for better medical care. The six people - the four convicts, Ram Singh and a juvenile - were named as accused. The trial of the five adult men began in a special fast-track court in March 2013. Ram Singh, the prime accused, committed suicide by hanging himself in Tihar jail days after the trial began.  The juvenile, who was said to be the most brutal of the attackers, was put in a correctional home for three years. He was released in 2015 and sent to an undisclosed location amid concerns over a threat to his life.  He was released when he turned 20 years old. The four other convicts were sentenced to death in September 2013 by the trial court.


A Senate Republican ally of President Trump said he has no concerns about the President's alleged efforts to obstruct the investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller, saying "it's time to move on" from the two-year-old probe https://t.co/V9GrMf5VIt https://t.co/8uSnKB6CUL

More than $5. 6 million of that has gone to Don McGahn's law firm. Special counsel report delivered, focus shifts to attorney generalSince President Donald Trump took office in 2017, his re-election campaign has spent more than $8 million in legal fees, according to ABC News' analysis of campaign finance records through last month, with record-breaking quarterly expenditures doled out in the last three months of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling during the 2016 presidential campaign. Between January and March 2019 alone the Trump campaign spent nearly $1. 7 million on legal expenses – more than $1. 2 million of which went to former White House Counsel Donald McGahn's firm, Jones Day, which has represented Trump and the Trump campaign since his first presidential campaign in 2015. Even after McGahn left for the White House gig in 2017, McGahn’s firm remained as the biggest recipient of the Trump campaign's legal expenses, earning more than $5. 6 million. Payments to Jones Day, however, are expected to drop moving forward as the Trump campaign recently hired a new in-house legal team for its 2020 reelection bid, as first reported by Politico and confirmed by ABC News. The Trump campaign has helped pay legal bills for a number of current and former Trump associates caught up in various investigations and lawsuits, including the president's son Donald Trump Jr.  and son-in-law Jared Kushner. For a time, the Trump campaign also paid portions of Michael Cohen's legal fees, as ABC News has previously reported, before the relationship between the president and his former longtime personal attorney went south late last year, thus dissolving their joint defense agreement. Another notable legal expense went to Belkin Burden Wenig & Goldman, which was paid $76,415 in the first three months of 2019.  The firm was paid just $55,668 throughout 2018. Belkin Burden Wenig & Goldman is the same firm that represented the Trump Organization in 2016 in the Trump University lawsuit which resulted in the organization being ordered to pay a $25 million settlement to attendees of the now-defunct real estate seminar. “It’s sad that campaign resources have had to be devoted to defending ourselves against the baseless Russia hoax and endless witch hunt,” Trump campaign's deputy communications director Erin Perrine told ABC News. To put the Trump campaign's more than $8 million in legal expenditures into perspective, former President Barack Obama's re-election campaign, over the same period of time, spent only about $2. 7 million in legal fees, according to campaign finance reports. Former President George W.  Bush's re-election campaign, for its part, spent only about $260,000 in legal fees in the first two years of his presidency, records show. It's hard to compare how much in legal fees were paid by the re-election campaign of former President Bill Clinton, who was buried in various investigations during the course of his presidency, because of the changes in the way campaign expenditure are reported to the FEC as well as the timeline and the nature of the legal battles Clinton was involved in.  But for a general comparison, Clinton told NBC's Craig Melvin in June last year that he "left the White House $16 million in debt" because of attorney fees incurred by scandal investigations and the impeachment proceedings. In addition to the $8 million spent by the Trump campaign, other political sources have chipped in to share the campaign’s burden. The Republican National Committee, for example, has helped pay legal bills for various Trump's associates, including at least about $200,000 for Trump Jr.  and more than $589,000 for former White House Communications Director Hope Hicks. A separate legal defense fund, dubbed the Patriot Legal Expense Fund Trust, reported raising more than $853,000 from top Trump donors – including $500,000 from Las Vegas casino mogul Sheldon Adelson and his wife and $150,000 from New York waste management executive and Mar-a-Lago member Anthony Lomangino. The Patriot Legal Expense Fund Trust, which assists current and former campaign and administration volunteers and staffers caught up in the special counsel’s investigation –excluding Trump’s relatives-- shelled out a total of about $457,000 in legal bills through December, according to disclosure reports. The identities of those supported by the fund remain under wraps. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Pink is definitely in at the 2019 #Oscars. https://t.co/EWyP2dKvX0 https://t.co/RKBg4uOFiH

By Brian Lowry, CNNUpdated 0424 GMT (1224 HKT) February 26, 2019  (CNN)"Green Book" won best picture at the Oscars, marking the final twist on a night of historic firsts, filled with suspense until the final prize.


Tesla Inc. shares tumbled Wednesday morning after the company cut vehicle prices by $2,000 and announced fourth-quarter sales figures that fell short of Wall Street estimates. https://t.co/IyfQyJvikr https://t.co/IOa6ZKVW0p

                Everything you need to know about bitcoin, blockchain, NFTs and more

  Tesla is cutting its car prices in the United States by $2,000 to combat a cut in a federal tax credit for its buyers.

  Tesla triggered the tax credit phase-out in July when it became the first car maker in the United States to sell more than 200,000 plug-in vehicles.  The government designed the credit to be phased out for each automaker once it reaches that milestone.

  Before that benchmark, Tesla buyers were entitled to a tax credit of $7,500 for purchasing a plug-in electric car.

  But as of January 1, Tesla buyers will only get half that credit, or $3,750, for the next six months.  The credit falls to $1,875 in July, and then disappears in 2020.

  “We are taking steps to partially absorb the reduction of the federal [electric vehicle] tax credit,” Tesla said in a statement.

2019 will be the year of the electric luxury car

  The price cut might be good news for Tesla buyers, but it was bad news for investors.  The price cut could lead to a decline of about $180 million in revenue every quarter, based on Tesla’s fourth-quarter sales.  Tesla’s (TSLA) stock fell 8% on the news.

  The tax credit phase-out comes just as Tesla was preparing to sell a $35,000 version of its Model 3 sedan, the first time it will be taking aim at the price-conscious mass market.

  CEO Elon Musk said in an interview on “60 Minutes” that he expects the lower-priced version of the Model 3 to be available in five to six months.

  Tesla also reported strong production and sales for the just completed fourth quarter.  Total sales were up 8% and Model 3 sales were up even more, about 13%, to 63,150 vehicles.

  That works out to an average of about 4,900 Model 3s per week in the quarter, putting it in range of its goal of 5,000 Model 3’s a week.

  But sales came in about 1,750 below Wall Street estimates for the fourth quarter, according to data from FactSet.  The slight miss added to investors’ concerns.

  Analysts had been expecting that the last-minute rush of buyers seeking to get the full tax credit would be a bigger boost to fourth-quarter sales said Daniel Ives of Wedbush Securities.  But he said the bigger concern was the price cut, which he said came as a complete surprise.

  The price cut would be “a potential positive for demand but not what the bulls wanted to hear on the impact to profitability and ultimately the bottom line,” he wrote in a note to clients.

  Tesla said sold a total of 245,240 cars in 2018, nearly as many cars as it sold every year before last year, combined.

  Tesla said most of its cars went to US customers in the fourth quarter, because it was rushing to fill sales and keep the full tax credit in effect.

  It anticipates selling more vehicles to international customers in 2019.  It expects to start selling the Model 3 in Europe and China in February and will expand Model 3 sales to other markets, including countries where drivers sit on the right side, later in 2019.

  Tesla faces increased competition from other luxury automakers who will be rolling out their own electric vehicles in the United States later this year.
All Content by CompareCardsMost stock quote data provided by BATS.  Market indices are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes.  All times are ET.  Disclaimer.  Morningstar: Copyright 2018 Morningstar, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.  Factset: FactSet Research Systems Inc. 2018.  All rights reserved.  Chicago Mercantile Association: Certain market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc.  and its licensors.  All rights reserved.  Dow Jones: The Dow Jones branded indices are proprietary to and are calculated, distributed and marketed by DJI Opco, a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and have been licensed for use to S&P Opco, LLC and CNN.  Standard & Poor’s and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC.  All content of the Dow Jones branded indices Copyright S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC 2018 and/or its affiliates. © 2021 Cable News Network.  A Warner Media Company.  All Rights Reserved.   CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network.


A video of army personnel attending to soldiers who seem to have collapsed has been widely shared on social networking platforms.  It has been claimed that the soldiers collapsed due to taking the COVID-19 vaccine. देश के फौजियों ने वैक्सीन लगवाई ओर जब वो दौड़ रहे थे तो बहुत लोग बेहोश हो गए हैं और कइयों को भयंकर बीमारी दिल का दौरा पड़ा अब बताओ वैक्सीन सही है ?  pic. twitter. com/PKYjsrSvhy— sc st obc एकता मंच (@Gautam71210943) August 27, 2021The video is circulating on Facebook and Alt News has also received verification requests on WhatsApp and the official Alt News mobile application. This slideshow requires JavaScript. An army man could be spotted wearing a t-shirt that said ‘XV’ which stands for XV Corps or Chinar Corps of the Indian Army located in Srinagar which is responsible for military operations in Kashmir Valley.
A reverse-image search of the video’s keyframes with the keyword ‘Kashmir army collapse’ took us to the same video uploaded by Instagram page Defence Squad on August 21.  “In an organised & supervised training activity near Pathankot, due to severe weather conditions, there has been one fatal casualty & few individuals admitted in MH Pathankot,” read the description.   A post shared by Defence Squad™ | YouTube (@defencesquad)The page has carried the statement of the Indian army on the training during the 9 Corps Recce Troop Competition. Army statement on 9 Corps Recce Troop Competition: In an organised, supervised and monitored training activity near Pathankot, due to severe weather conditions, there has been one fatal casualty & few individuals admitted in MH Pathankot.  Requisite medical care being provided.  pic. twitter. com/f8dliitjoB— Man Aman Singh Chhina (@manaman_chhina) August 21, 2021The video was similarly reported by Editorji.  It said that an army man passed away and a few others collapsed due to the heat during training near Pathankot.
The incident was also reported by English media.  “A soldier died and four others had to be hospitalised after nearly three dozen soldiers collapsed due to heat and exhaustion during an endurance run conducted at Mamun military station near Pathankot on Saturday,” reported The Indian Express adding, “It was learnt that the endurance competition was already going on for 72 hours and a 10-km leg with full load and weapon was undertaken at a relatively late hour — around 9 am — when the weather was not conducive. ”The video has therefore been shared with a false anti-vaccine narrative. Donate NowPooja Chaudhuri is a senior editor at Alt News. Assam-based media outlets DY365, Asom Live 24, and NorthEast Now reported that 26 Rohingya Muslims…Actor Amitabh Bachchan tweeted a video on September 8, 2021, as the first unveiling of…In a recent ‘breaking news’ segment, India Today claimed that Ahmad Massoud, head of the…A video is viral on social media with the claim that the police in Ahmednagar,…On September 2, TV actor Sidharth Shukla died of a heart attack.  His fans expressed…


Outgoing US President Donald J Trump paid tribute to singer Madonna instead of Argentinian footballer Diego Maradona.

While the world is still reeling under the loss of loved ones in the year 2020, Wednesday (November 25) proved to be a rather sad day for football lovers and the sports fraternity at large. Tributes poured in from all over the world as legendary Argentinian footballer Diego Maradona breathed his last (Football legend Maradona passes away at 60 due to cardiac arrest) on Wednesday.  Maradona died due to a heart attack, according to various media reports. Amidst it, a screenshot of US President Donald Trump’s tweet for Maradona has set the internet ablaze.  According to the screenshot, Trump allegedly confused the Argentinian footballer Maradona for the American singer - Madonna. The tweet reads, “Very sad to hear about the death of Maradona.  A great person.  Her music was wonderful.  I remember listening to her albums in the early 1980s.  Rest In Peace! ”A user shared this screenshot with the caption, “Donald Trump is still in his delusional state of mind after losing the US president election.  He's so confused not only on the election result but also the death of Diego Maradona that he thought it was Madonna the American singer and songwriter! ” The archived version of this post can be seen hereIndia Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found that the viral screenshot is morphed.  Donald Trump has not made any such statement.  This claim is quite viral on Facebook. A user shared the viral tweet with the caption, “Ok Trump for your info. . . Maradona was a legend - one of the best soccer players.  Not a she - Madonna - the 80’s singer. ” Another wrote, “Hello, Maradona the football player passed on and not Madonna the singer. ”AFWA PROBEAs a matter of fact, we did not find any tweet by Donald J Trump’s verified Twitter account in which he had mistakenly offered a tribute to Madonna instead of Diego Maradona. Even after Diego Maradona’s death was announced, Donald Trump’s Twitter account only had tweets focusing on the news about the results of the US Presidential elections. DIGITAL FORENSICS OF THE VIRAL TWEETWhile comparing the viral screenshot with Trump’s original tweets, we found several discrepancies like-1.  Unlike in original tweets, in the viral tweet, the handle @realDonaldTrump is not visible and appears to be hidden.  2. There is no date and time stamp in the viral tweet.  3. The font of the viral tweet is different from the original Twitter font.  4. The place where ‘Twitter for iPhone’/ ‘Twitter for Android’/ ‘Twitter for Windows’ label appears is also vacant in the viral tweet.  5. The terms ‘Retweets’, ‘Quote Tweets’ and ‘Likes’ - which represent the number of times a certain tweet is reposted or liked by people - is also missing in the viral tweet. MARADONA REFUSED ENTRY INTO THE USMaradona tested positive for using banned drug ephedrine in the 1994 World Cup in the US.  Subsequently, he lost his visa and never set foot in the United States again.  While giving an interview to a Venezuelan TV channel TeleSur, Maradona called Donald Trump a ‘chirolita’ - slang for dummy/puppet.  The Mirror had reported about this interview on February 2018. Following this comment, Maradona was refused entry to the US, as reported by ‘The Sun’However, the viral tweet allegedly a tribute to Maradona by Trump is a morphed screenshot.  Trump did not make any such statement after Maradona passed away. The number of crows determines the intensity of the lie.


No social distancing is planned for the event at Mt. Rushmore despite record-high new coronavirus cases in the US. It also takes place amid environmental concerns over the use of fireworks in the dry land as well as a reckoning over US monuments. https://t.co/4sJWEoGWzx

He's expected to address thousands at Mount Rushmore with no social distancing. President Trump set to hold Independence Day celebrationWhile President Donald Trump hopes to portray an American comeback with a big fireworks display at Mount Rushmore and a July Fourth celebration on the South Lawn of the White House complete with military flyovers, the festivities are being held despite risks posed by the resurgence of the coronavirus. The president’s plan to address a crowd of thousands at Mount Rushmore on Friday, where the state’s Republican governor says social distancing will not be enforced, comes against the backdrop of the U. S.  hitting a new single-day record of 50,000 new cases reported on Wednesday. The new record-setting case count was on the same day that the president repeated that he thought the virus will "just disappear" eventually, even though public health officials have made clear it will not simply go away. "I think we're going to be very good with the coronavirus," he said Wednesday in an interview with the Fox Business network.  "I think that at some point that's going to sort of just disappear, I hope. "After months of declining to wear a mask in public and mocking those who did, including the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden -- Trump seemed to change his tune on Wednesday. "I'm all for masks," he said, adding he "would have no problem wearing one in public. "But Trump has still yet to wear one in public.  His comments came after a sudden, recent shift in recent days in which Republican lawmakers and governors have begun strongly encouraging mask wearing -- including urging the president to don one to set an example for Americans. Trump has continued putting a positive spin on the pandemic even as Dr.  Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, warned of "an even greater outbreak. "On Tuesday, Fauci told Congress that he would not be surprised if the number of new COVID-19 cases surpassed 100,000 per day and warned that surges in some areas were putting the entire country at risk. "What we’ve seen over the last several days is a spike in cases that are well beyond the worst spikes that we’ve seen," he said Thursday in an interview with BBC Radio 4.  "That is not good news.  We’ve got to get that under control, or we risk an even greater outbreak in the United States. "Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the United States' limited closures and social distancing measures fell far behind the near totality of European nations' lockdowns. "That allowed the perpetuation of the outbreak that we never did get under very good control," he said.  "And now all you have to do is take a look at the news at night and you see people congregating at bars without masks, congregating in different types of groups that are well beyond the recommended number of people.  What happens when you do that and you don't wear a mask?  You get the kind of outbreaks we're seeing. "Two days after visiting another hotspot, Arizona, Vice President Mike Pence traveled to Tampa Thursday as Florida grabbed with a record-setting pace of new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations over the last few weeks. Before departing, Pence told CNBC that he and Trump support Florida Gov.  Ron DeSantis's decision to reinstate certain restrictions, like ordering bars to stop serving alcohol. The vice president planned to meet with DeSantis, a Republican whose response Trump has praised, about Florida's worsening situation.  Six weeks earlier, the two shared a photo op lunch inside a restaurant -- sans masks -- and DeSantis chided reporters for warning about the threat of the virus to his state. "You got a lot of people in your profession who waxed poetically for weeks and weeks about how Florida was going to be just like New York," DeSantis said then.  “'Wait two weeks, Florida is going to be next, just like Italy.  Wait two weeks. ' Well, hell, we’re eight weeks away from that, and it hasn’t happened. "But even as parts of the country are seeing a setback in efforts to bring the virus under control,  that hasn’t stopped the president from moving ahead with plans to celebrate the Independence Day. Friday’s much-anticipated fireworks display at Mt Rushmore is the first of its kind in a decade, breaking a ban on such displays at the iconic location due to concerns about wildfires. But in teasing forward to the display that he has long pushed for as president, the president seemed unaware of the environmental risks. “They've been wanting to do that for years, fireworks,” Trump said Thursday.  “They used to do it many years ago.  And for some reason, they were unable or unallowed to do it. ”But on top of the environmental concerns, is the risk to the thousands who are expected to attend.  Public health experts have raised alarm about such a large-scale event amid the pandemic. Rather than follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines that recommend social distancing, the state’s Republican governor has said that those with health concerns can simply not participate. "We told those folks that have concerns that they can stay home, but those who want to come and join us, we'll be giving out free face masks, if they choose to wear one.  But we won't be social distancing.  We’re asking them to come, be ready to celebrate, to enjoy the freedoms and the liberties that we have in this country,” Gov.  Kristi Noem said in an interview with Fox News on Monday. Questioned about health concerns related to the event, White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere referred questions to the South Dakota governor’s office, as it is not a White House organized event, but said in a written statement that “the President takes the health and safety of everyone traveling in support of himself and all White House operations very seriously. ”“The President looks forward to taking part in the Independence Day festivities, hosted by Governor Noem, and celebrating the greatest country the world has ever known capped off with a magnificent fireworks display above the great faces of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln,” Deere said. The president will return to the White House for a scaled-down July Fourth celebration on the White House South Lawn.  While the president had previously expressed his intention to hold a large-scale event on the National Mall with military displays as he did last year, the White House said this year’s celebration was modified because of coronavirus concerns. "It will have a different look than 2019 to ensure the health and safety of those attending," spokesperson Deere said in a statement.  "The American people have shown tremendous courage and spirit, particularly our amazing frontline workers, in the fight against this global pandemic just as our forefathers did in the fight to secure our independence, and both deserve celebration on America’s birthday this year. ”While the president traditionally plays host to military families at the Independence Day event, this year the White House has also extended an invitation to front line workers and their families, to include law enforcement, doctors, nurses, and others. Deere said that the event will include measures to promote social distancing and said the White House will also provide facial covering to attendees. ABC News' Stephanie Ebbs, Anne Flaherty and Libby Cathey contributed reporting. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Video shows a self-driving smart bicycle developed by the American tech giant Google.

A futuristic mode of transport is just around the corner if a recent online claim is to be believed.  A video of a "self-driving" bicycle passing through the roads of the city is viral on social media with the claim that it is a revolution in cycle invention by the American tech giant Google. In the one-minute 54-seconds video, children and young people can be seen safely navigating through the city of Amsterdam on a self-driving cycle that picks you up from where you are once you give a pickup request via a mobile application. The caption to one such video reads, "Google self-driving smart bicycle!  Revolution in cycle innovation! "India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found that the claim is misleading.  The viral video is, in fact, an April fool's video created by the special effects team of Google in the year 2016. Similar claims were also viral in 2020. The archived versions of similar posts can be seen here, here and here. When we did a keyword search on the internet, we couldn't find any report on Google introducing a self-driving bicycle in the market.  However, we found the video in question uploaded on the official YouTube channel of Google Nederland (Netherlands) on March 31, 2016, the eve of April Fool's Day.  At the end of the video, we also noticed the text "Only available on April 1st" appearing on the screen. The description of the video titled, "Introducing the self-driving bicycle in The Netherlands" read, "This spring, Google is introducing the self-driving bicycle in Amsterdam, the world's premier cycling city.  The Dutch cycle more than any other nation in the world, almost 900 kilometres per year per person, amounting to over 15 billion kilometres annually.  The self-driving bicycle enables safe navigation through the city for Amsterdam residents and furthers Google's ambition to improve urban mobility with technology.  Google Netherlands takes enormous pride in the fact that a Dutch team worked on this innovation that will have a great impact in their home country. "However, along with this description, Google has also provided a link to another video titled, "The making of. . .  Introducing the self-driving bicycle in the Netherlands"This follow-up video clearly shows how the Google team made the video in question using special effects. Here are two comparisons between the viral video and the making video by Google Netherlands. Even in 2016, this "self-driving bike" video of Google had confused many and Snopes had debunked the claims then. We also found a 2016 article by The Quint  that confirms the viral video of the self-driving bicycle was a spoof by Google. Hence, it is clear that the claim Google has developed a self-driving bicycle is false.  The video in question was a spoof developed by the special effects team of Google in 2016. The number of crows determines the intensity of the lie.


#ElectionsWithHT | #Covid19 protocols being maintained at various polling stations across West Bengal

Voting across 35 constituencies in the final phase of #WestBengalPolls underway

Track LIVE updates https://t.co/DnA2VwFJBt https://t.co/KADajfKym8

Voting for the eighth and final phase of the ongoing West Bengal assembly elections concluded on Thursday.  Votes were cast at polling stations across the last 35 assembly constituencies going to the polls in this phase.  Later in the day, after 7:30pm, news channels and poll agencies came out with their exit polls for the five assembly elections held recently, including the one in Bengal.  The first round of the polling took place on March 27, followed by the subsequent phases on April 1, 6, 10, 17, 22 and 26 respectively.  Counting of votes and declaration of results for all 294 constituencies in the eastern state, as well as the four other assembly elections, will take place on May 2. For the counting day, the Election Commission of India (ECI), under fire for scheduling the elections in eight phases amid the current second wave of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), has banned victory processions on or after the counting of votes on May 2.  The ECI earlier said the final few phases of the voting will not be merged. The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and its supremo, chief minister Mamata Banerjee, are facing a stiff challenge from the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).  While the TMC and Banerjee are looking at a third straight term in office, the BJP is aiming at forming its first government in Bengal.  The Congress, meanwhile, contested these polls in an alliance with the Left and the recently-formed Indian Secular Front (ISF). Follow all the updates here:Nearly 80% voter turnout recordedAccording to EC sources, 76. 07 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 5pm in 35 constituencies where polling was conducted on Thursday and is expected to go up further after the polling ends at 6. 30pm68. 46% voter turnout recorded till 3. 37pm68. 46% voter turnout recorded till 3. 37pm in West Bengal Assembly elections: Election Commission of IndiaFirecrackers mistaken as bomb, says Election CommissionFirecrackers were set off outside Mahajati Sadan in central Kolkata on Thursday morning, which were initially alleged to be crude bombs, an official said.  The incident, which happened on Central Avenue in the heart of the city soon after polling began in the area, triggered panic among the people.  "Preliminary probe revealed that banned firecrackers were set off and not bombs," the official at the Chief Electoral Officer's office said. West Bengal polls: 56. 28% voter turnout recorded till 2. 30 pmAn approximate 56. 28 per cent voter turnout has been recorded till 2:30 pm as the eighth and the final phase of West Bengal assembly elections is underway on Thursday, according to the Election Commission (EC).  Voting for the the last phase of West Bengal assembly elections began at 7am and will continue till 6. 30am. TMC seeks Covid-19 testing for polling agents/forcesWe've submitted a memorandum to the EC that they've said that all counting agents and candidates should be tested for Covid-19 but no such instructions are there for polling agents/central forces.  So we pointed that out: TMC MP Sougata RoyStray violence during eighth phase of polling in BengalStray incidents of violence mark the last day of the polling in West Bengal.  “Polls are being held by and large peacefully with no major incidents of violence," a senior EC official said. Also Read | Final phase of polling kicks off in Bengal amid sporadic violenceExcellent work done by EC, forces, says governor DhankharElection is the greatest festival in democracy, we both voted.  Covid-19 protocol being followed 100%.  I'm very happy with the arrangements.  Excellent work done by EC and CAPF.  Democracy is powered only by your votes.  Anyone who doesn't vote loses the right to grievance: Jagdeep Dhankhar, Bengal governor. Bengal governor, wife cast their votesWest Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar and his wife Sudesh Dhankhar cast their votes at a polling booth in Chowringhee, Kolkata.  #WestBengalElections2021 pic. twitter. com/QpM5BcyS73West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, wife Sudesh, cast their votes at a booth in Kolkata's Chowringhee. Polling underway in final phase in BengalVoting for the eighth and final phase of the West Bengal assembly elections underway in 35 assembly constituencies voting in this phase.  The polling exercise commenced at 7:30am on Thursday. Turnout of 16. 04% recorded till 9:31am#WestBengalElections2021 | 16. 04% voter turnout recorded till 9:31 am.  pic. twitter. com/vlBswY3tLfVoter turnout of 16. 04% recorded till 9:31am in the final phase of the polling in West Bengal, according to EC's voter turnout app. EC seeks details as bomb hurled in north KolkataWest Bengal: A bomb was hurled near Mahajati Sadan Auditorium in north Kolkata today.  Election Commission has sought details of the incident.  Details awaited.  pic. twitter. com/hbhikPorZoBomb hurled near Mahajati Sadan Auditorium in north Kolkata.  EC seeks details of the incident as more information awaited. "Jungle raj" in Bengal, says BJP candidate after casting vote"There was a public rally on April 18 in Sahapur where I was shot and taken to hospital.  It was done by either TMC or Congress goons.  There is 'jungle raj' here," says BJP candidate from Malda, Gopal Chandra Saha, after casting vote. Specially abled voters cast votesWest Bengal: Specially abled voters cast their votes at a polling booth in Bolpur, Birbhum.  #WestBengalPolls pic. twitter. com/GtlZReAu8fSpecially abled voters cast their votes at a polling booth in Bolpur, Birbhum, in the eighth and final phase of the West Bengal assembly elections. "Glitch" reported in EVM in polling booth in BirbhumVoting began with a half an hour delay, at 7:30am, due to a "glitch" in the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), at polling booth number 188 in Birbhum, in the eighth and final phase of polling in West Bengal. BJP leader and actor Mithun Chakraborty casts voteActor and BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty cast his vote for the final phase of #WestBengalPolls, at a polling station in Kashipur-Belgachia, North KolkataHe says, "I had never voted so peacefully ever before.  I must congratulate all the security personnel. " pic. twitter. com/3nXS3UvkDIBJP leader and actor Mithun Chakraborty cast his vote for the final phase of West Bengal polls, at a polling station in Kashipur-Belgachia, north Kolkata. PM Modi urges voters to cast votes in compliance with Covid-19 protocolsLast phase of the 2021 West Bengal elections takes place today.  In line with the COVID-19 protocols, I call upon people to cast their vote and enrich the festival of democracy. "Last phase of the 2021 West Bengal elections takes place today.  In line with the Covid-19 protocols, I call upon people to cast their vote and enrich the festival of democracy," tweets Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Voting begins for eighth and final phase in BengalVoting across 35 seats in the eighth and final phase of West Bengal assembly elections begins. Officials conduct "mock polling" in MaldaWest Bengal: Election officials conduct a mock poll at polling booth number 23/24 in Malda. Voting for the eighth and last phase of Assembly elections will start at 7 am.  pic. twitter. com/eqD9rBUoGGElection officials conduct a mock poll at polling booth number 23/24 in Malda. Exit polls to be announced after 7:30pmAfter 7:30pm, news channels and polling agencies will reveal their exit polls for the recently held five assembly elections, including in Bengal.  Earlier, the ECI banned exit polls from 7am on March 27 to 7:30pm on April 29. Eighth and final phase of polling in Bengal todayThe eighth and final phase of the polling in the ongoing West Bengal assembly elections will begin at 7am on Thursday in the remaining 35 of the 294 assembly constituencies in the state. Get our daily newsletter Get free access to newsletters, alerts and recommendations


West Bengal: Actor Mithun Chakraborty joins Bharatiya Janata Party at PM's rally at Brigade Parade Ground, Kolkata https://t.co/fj7bB5EQzb

Actor Mithun Chakraborty ended all speculation on Sunday as he reached Brigade Parade ground in Kolkata where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a mega rally.  The actor joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the rally which is scheduled to start at 2 pm. BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya met Chakraborty on Saturday evening at his Kolkata residence and announced that the actor will attend PM Modi's rally.  He was present on stage with Chakraborty on Sunday and welcomed him to the party. Chakraborty has been a successful actor, and was even sent to the Rajya Sabha by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in 2014 after it stormed to power in state in 2011.  His political sting was, however, short-lived, as Chakraborty resigned citing health reasons in 2016. Also Watch | Mithun Chakraborty to join BJP?  Leader clarifies ahead of West Bengal pollsHe was embroiled in the Saradha scam controversy as he was the brand ambassador of the group that ran a ponzi scam in Bengal.  Many other TMC leaders were associated with the group. Following this, he distanced himself from both politics and the public eye and was believed to have undergone treatment abroad for his chronic back problem. Visuals tweeted by news agency ANI showed a decent crowd at Brigade Parade Ground.  The BJP has claimed that 10 lakh people will attend PM Modi's rally. The Prime Minister will be addressing the mega poll rally as West Bengal heads for an eight-phase assembly election starting March 27.  This is one of his many rallies planned by the BJP which is aiming to utilise PM Modi's star power to intensify its campaign against the TMC. Many BJP leaders have announced that they will dislodge the Mamata Banerjee government in this election.  However, the TMC has rubbished all the claims saying that it will come to power once again. A number of TMC leaders have joined the BJP in the run-up to elections, the most high profile being Suvendu Adhikari.  He has been named as a contestant from Nandigram and will face the chief minister herself who has left her Bhawanipore constituency to take on Adhikari.  While the BJP leader has vowed to defeat Banerjee, the chief minister has called it a "smiley contest" that she will win easily.


The administration is proposing zeroing out funding for coronavirus testing and contact tracing, as well as funds for the CDC and the NIH in a coronavirus relief package, as an opening offer in negotiations over the forthcoming relief package. https://t.co/rg5fxJj6qf

By Evan Perez and Geneva Sands, CNNUpdated 11:03 PM ET, Mon July 20, 2020  (CNN)The Trump administration is preparing to send federal agents to Chicago this week, two law enforcement officials tell CNN, as President Donald Trump and top officials are promising to crack down on what they say are violence and the increase in crime in major cities. CNN's Jason Hoffman contributed to this story.


Alfonso Cuarón wins best director for “Roma” #Oscars https://t.co/m7s9FsLySr https://t.co/VoD5wTNE9u

They set hearts aflutter. Lady Gaga is about to hit the red carpet at Sunday's Academy AwardsLady Gaga and Bradley Cooper set hearts aflutter with their emotional performance of the "A Star Is Born" duet "Shallow" at the 2019 Oscars on Sunday night. Instead of starting the performance onstage, the two walked to the stage from the audience and took their places in front of a grand piano.  The camera stayed behind them, showing the audience as they began to sing. Cooper kicked off the song, with Lady Gaga gazing at him lovingly as he sang the first verse sounding every bit as good as his character, Jackson Maine, in the film.  For her part, Gaga sat at the piano and began to play.  After belting the song's climactic moment to perfection, Cooper joined her at the piano and the two got close -- very close -- to sing the song's final bars into the same mic. They closed out the song cheek to cheek, seeming to encapsulate their characters' love story.  Once they finished, the two turned to look into each other's eyes and smiled. They received a standing ovation from the crowd. Shortly after the performance, “Shallow” nabbed the award for best original song.  Lady Gaga, co-writer Mark Ronson and others took the stage to accept the trophy. Through tears, Gaga thanked her family and co-stars. “This is hard work,” Gaga told viewers.  “I worked hard for a long time.  It’s not about winning but what it’s about is not giving up.  If you have a dream fight for it. ”Gaga was nominated for an Academy Award once before.  Her song "Til It Happens to You" from "The Hunting Ground" documentary was nominated for best original song in 2016. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Until yesterday we had tested 2,31,902 samples: Raman R Gangakhedkar, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) #Coronavirus https://t.co/cpMHLrDFkj

Researchers of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) have detected coronaviruses (CoVs) among two species of bats in the country, highlighting the need for continuous active surveillance in the mammal to identify the emerging strains of the viruses that can cause an epidemic. Bats are considered to be the natural reservoir for many viruses, of which some can potentially infect humans.  Many viruses have had their origin in bat species over the last two decades.  Bats have been recognised as the natural reservoirs of a variety of pathogenic viruses such as Rabies, Hendra, Marburg, Nipah, and Ebola.  Bats are known to harbour CoVs and serve as their reservoirs. In India, an association of Pteropus medius bats led to the Nipah virus disease outbreak in Kerala a couple of years ago.  It is suspected that the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes coronavirus disease (Covid-19), can also be traced to bats. Coronavirus outbreak: Full coverageIndia has a diverse population of bats.  Around 117 species of bats have been recorded in the country, with around 100 sub-species coming under 39 genera belonging to eight families of the mammal. “To assess the presence of CoVs in bats, we performed identification and characterisation of bat CoV (BtCoV) in P.  medius and Rousettus species from representative states in India collected during 2018 and 2019,” said the researchers in the paper published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research on April 13. The specimens were collected from Pteropus spp.  bats from Kerala, Karnataka, Chandigarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Puducherry, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, and Rousettus spp.  bats from Kerala, Karnataka, Chandigarh, Gujarat, Odisha, Punjab, and Telangana between 2018 and 2019. Rectal swab (RS) and throat swab specimens of Pteropus and Rousettus spp.  bats were screened for CoVs using a pan-CoV reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from the seven states in the country, where bats are commonly found.  Next-generation sequencing (NGS) was performed on a few representative bat specimens that were tested positive to know the whole gene sequence.  The match was found with coronaviruses between 93. 69 and 96. 9%.  The researchers screened 21 of the 508 RSs from Pteropus spp.  bats that tested positive for the BtCoV.  These positive bats belonged to Kerala (n=12), Himachal Pradesh (n=2), Puducherry (n=6), and Tamil Nadu (n=1), where n stands for the number of the samples tested.  Altogether, 25 bats from both the species were found positive. The BtCoV causing human infection belongs to α- and β-CoV genera of the coronaviridae family, according to the available information. β-CoV genus has five strains known to infect humans.  The two human-infecting strains (NL63 and 229E) from α-CoV genus, which causes mild-to-moderate respiratory infections, are believed to have originated in bats. Two members of the β-CoV genus (HCoV-OC43 and HCoV-HKU1) are known to cause the common cold and lower respiratory tract infections.  The other three are known to be pathogenic to humans (SARS-CoV-1, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2).  The SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 belong to L_B and MERS CoV belongs to L_C of β-CoV genus. “This study was a step towards understanding the CoV circulation among Indian bats.  Detection of potentially pathogenic CoVs in Indian bats stresses the need for enhanced screening for novel viruses in them. This would help in the development of diagnostic assays for novel viruses with outbreak potential and be useful in disease interventions.  Proactive surveillance remains crucial for identifying the emerging novel viruses with epidemic potential and measures for risk mitigation,” the researchers said. SARS-CoV-2 is reported to be 96% identical to BtCoV at the whole genome level. Most of the human CoVs are either zoonotic --- a disease that normally exists in animals but that can infect humans --- in origin or circulate in animals.  CoVs can cause a wide range of infections, including respiratory tract infections, gastroenteritis, hepatitis, and encephalomyelitis in their respective hosts. In India, parts of the Western Ghats, particularly in Kerala, are reported to be the habitat of diverse bat populations.  The reports of pathogenic human viruses from bat specimens demand enhanced methods to monitor the local population’s exposure to various bat species.  Investigations in unexplored regions/states should be focused on gaining further insights into CoV diversity within Indian bat populations, according to the researchers. In the present scenario of changing demography and ecological manipulations, it is challenging to have checks on the encounters of bats with other animals and humans.  Active and continuous surveillance remains crucial for outbreak alerts for bat-associated viral agents with epidemic potential, which would be helpful in timely interventions, they added. Experts said there is a need for proactive surveillance of zoonotic infections in bats.  Detection and identifications of such causative agents will provide leads for the development of diagnostic along with preparedness and readiness to deal with such emergent viruses in a bid to quickly contain them from spreading. “This is something we have been asking for a long time.  Bats and rodents harbour a number of pathogens that can cause possible harm to humans, and these also interact the most with humans.  Bats, rodents, and primates are key targets for pathogens of human concern,” said Dr Abi Tamim Vanak, a wildlife scientist and senior fellow, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, and fellow, department of biotechnology, Wellcome Trust India Alliance.


Bengaluru: Debate underway in #Karnataka Assembly on trust vote https://t.co/TBVZHtm3ft

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Thursday opened the debate on the trust vote that he had volunteered to face in the state assembly with stinging darts hurled at the BJP but the Congress leaders soon navigated the discussion away to the nuts and bolts of the process. Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah insisted that Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar should first clarify on the Supreme Court order that seemed to bar him from issuing a whip to his legislators to attend the session and support the party. “Our contention is simple.  The Supreme Court order is an infringement on the rights of the party.  It is our right to issue a whip.  Either the Speaker or the court must clarify the status of the MLAs,” he told Hindustan Times shortly after the assembly broke for lunch. Karnataka Assembly trust vote Live UpdatesInside, Siddaramaiah told the assembly speaker to put off the trust vote till the speaker gave a clear-cut ruling on their right to issue a whip.  Or, he added, till they head back to the Supreme Court for a review.  “My appeal to the speaker is that till this issue is sorted, postpone the trust vote,” he said. Ex-minister HK Patil, also of the Congress, supported him.  “The House cannot proceed without the speaker’s ruling on this matter,” he said, provoking loud protests from the BJP which cried foul. Right at the beginning, BJP’s BS Yeddyurappa had urged the assembly to set a time-limit for the debate so that the voting could take place.  That push for a deadline did prompt a comeback from HD Kumaraswamy, taunting him for being in too much of a hurry to pull down the government. Long before the assembly met earlier this morning, Congress leaders in Delhi and Bengaluru had made it clear that Kumaraswamy would only initiate the discussion on the floor test today, not complete it.  To be sure, the ruling Congress-Janata Dal Secular coalition had given a list of 26 speakers who wanted to speak on the trust vote. This gives the Kumaraswamy government time to continue efforts to reach out to the 16 rebel lawmakers from the two ruling parties who had sent their resignation letters to speaker KR Ramesh Kumar and triggered the crisis for the government. If the speaker were to accept all the 16 resignations, the assembly’s strength would dip to 209 and reduce the wobbly 15-month-old coalition to 101 seats.  The BJP’s strength would be 105, and it is expected to be backed by one independent who has withdrawn support to the coalition. Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar hasn’t accepted the resignations yet, prompting 15 of the rebel legislators to approach the Supreme Court.  In its interim ruling, the top court gave the speaker a free hand to decide on the resignations and the disqualification petitions filed by the ruling coalition.  But a bench led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi also ruled that the 15 rebel lawmakers could not be compelled to attend or vote in the floor test. It is this part of the order – also criticised by experts – that the Congress’ Siddaramaiah red-flagged in the state assembly.  As Kumaraswamy was still speaking, Siddaramaiah told the speaker that before the assembly got down to discussing the trust vote, it would have to be spelt out if he, as leader of the Congress legislature party, still had the right to issue a whip to order all his MLAs to be present and vote in the trust vote. From a legal perspective, Siddaramaiah stressed that the Supreme Court had infringed on the rights of the legislature party by issuing a directive which curtailed his powers though they were not parties in the case and hadn’t been heard. An MLA who violates the whip is liable to be disqualified by the speaker. The Congress has rested its hopes of getting the rebels to back the ruling coalition in the fear that if they are not allowed to resign but end up being disqualified under the anti-defection law, they cannot be ministers in the government during the tenure of the existing assembly. This bar was introduced in 2003 on the recommendations of the constitution review panel set up in the late nineties.  This panel felt a defector should be penalised by debarring him or her from holding any public office as a minister for at least the duration of the remaining term of the existing legislature or until, the next fresh elections.


President Trump issued the second veto of his presidency, stopping a congressional resolution that would have sought to end US involvement in the Saudi-led war in Yemen https://t.co/6FiuxgPcug https://t.co/7PjiFDA0Av

Trump said it was a "dangerous attempt" to weaken his constitutional authoritiesTrump vetoes resolution to end US support in YemenPresident Donald Trump has vetoed a resolution to stop U. S.  military assistance to the Saudi- and Emirati-led campaign in Yemen. In issuing the veto, Trump said, "This resolution is an unnecessary, dangerous attempt to weaken my constitutional authorities. "Earlier this month, Congress passed the War Powers Resolution to stop U. S.  involvement in the foreign conflict, with several Republicans joining Democrats in large part to send a message about the Trump administration's unwavering support for the Saudis.  The House approved the resolution on April 4, and the Senate passed the measure on March 13. This is the second veto of Trump's presidency.  Congress does not have the two-thirds majority in the House or Senate to override Trump's veto. "The President has cynically chosen to contravene a bipartisan, bicameral vote of the Congress and perpetuate America’s shameful involvement in this heartbreaking crisis," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. , said in a statement Tuesday. Under the constitution, Congress has the authority to declare war, but it has never used the War Powers Act of 1973 to pull back American forces from a conflict.  Beginning under the Obama administration in 2015, the U. S.  has assisted the Saudis and Emiratis with midair refueling, reconnaissance and surveillance, and targeting. The Trump administration argued that the assistance did not constitute active engagement in the hostilities, which is why Trump called the resolution "unnecessary. " Trump's veto statement also blasted the resolution as "dangerous" for imposing an "arbitrary" timeline on U. S.  involvement and undermining his administration's "efforts to prevent civilian casualties and prevent the spread of terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and ISIS. "But the resolution explicitly provided a carve-out for U. S.  military action against those two terror groups, who operate in Yemen in the shadows of the civil war that has pitted the Saudi coalition-backed government against Houthi rebels, who have become increasingly supported by Iran. Supporters of the resolution also argued that after years of conflict, U. S.  withdrawal was not arbitrary, but a needed catalyst to push the Saudis to engage in peace talks. "The people of Yemen and the parties to the conflict are watching closely and the messages U. S.  leaders send have the power to save lives.  With a veto, they lose faith in the United States and see the end to their suffering a little further out of reach," said Scott Paul, humanitarian policy lead for Oxfam America, an NGO that works in Yemen. For years, Democrats in Congress had been joined by some Republicans in trying to pass a War Powers Resolution for Yemen, but similar measures were defeated in both chambers when Republicans were in charge.  After the murder of Washington Post columnist and Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi, however, Republicans have grown increasingly concerned about Trump's close relationship with Saudi Arabia. A broad bipartisan group passed the resolution for the first time in the Senate in December, with a vote again in this Congress once the measure passed the now-Democrat controlled House in February. The conflict in Yemen has been ongoing for five years, killing thousands and triggering a massive famine.  The United Nations has described the situation in Yemen as the world's most severe humanitarian crisis, with millions starving and facing diseases like cholera. Despite the veto, the resolution's authors vowed to carry on their mission to end U. S.  support for the Saudi- and Emirati-led coalition, and the veto could trigger more support for other legislation to penalize the Saudis for their role in the Yemen conflict and Khashoggi's murder. ABC News' Jordyn Phelps and Benjamin Siegel contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Photo shows Congress workers attacked while campaigning for Lok Sabha elections

An old image of a group of men attacking a motorcycle rally organised by the Punjab unit of  Congress party has gone viral with a misleading caption.   The caption with the photograph on Facebook suggests that locals attacked Congress leaders while they were campaigning for the Lok Sabha 2019 elections.  The text of the post claims, 'After coming to power in Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, with help of their fake poll promises, when the Congress candidates went seeking votes for Lok Sabha election, they were chased and thrashed. '  (Hindi: झूठे वादो के साथ पंजाब,मध्यप्रदेश,राजस्थान, छतीसगढ़ राज्यो की सत्ता मे आई काग्रेंस जब लोकसभा चुनावो के लिए वोट मांगने गए नेता तो जनता ने दौड़ा दौड़ा कर पीटा |) The 'post has gone viral from several Facebook pages.  When BOOM ran a reverse image search on the photograph, we found it was featured in several news reports published in 2016.   The incident took place in Ajnala, Punjab, on September 25, 2016, when a group of suspected Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) workers had attacked a bike rally taken out by Congress party members.  Back then, president of the district congress committee (rural), Gurjit Singh Aujla, had blamed the ruling party (SAD) for orchestrating the attack.  The news reports about the 2016 attack on Congress bike rally can be read here and here.


Madhya Pradesh by-polls: BJP ahead on 13 seats while Congress leads on 5

#ElectionsWithHT

https://t.co/1NBlX0Yzgm https://t.co/rcVkbgXloA

As per the Election Commission of India’s trends at around 10:05 am on Tuesday, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is ahead on 13 seats while the Indian National Congress (INC) is leading on five seats.  The counting of votes is underway at the centres across the state.  As the counting began the state looks on for the effect of BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia factor in the changed political scenario in Madhya Pradesh.  Meanwhile, the by-poll results are equally crucial for the former Chief Minister, Kamal Nath who lost power in the State when a group of Congress MLAs revolted against him after Scindia quit the party and joined the BJP. Click here to follow all the live updates of MP bypollsCounting of votes for by-polls held in 58 assembly constituencies across 11 states in the country began at 8 am on Tuesday.  This will be carried out along with the vote-counting process in Bihar where the first major electoral exercise was held amid the pandemic. The result of 28 assembly constituencies in Madhya Pradesh will decide the fate of Shivraj Singh Chouhan led-BJP government which requires at least eight more MLAs for a clear majority in the state assembly. By-polls were held in Joura, Sumaoli, Morena, Dimani, Ambah, Mehgaon, Gohad, Gwalior, Gwalior East, Dabra, Bhander, Karera, Pohari, Bamori, Ashok Nagar, Mungaoli, Surkhi, Malhara, Anuppur, Sanchi, Biaora, Agar, Hatpipliya, Mandhata, Nepanagar, Badnawar, Sanwer and Suwasra of Madhya Pradesh.  By-elections were held on 28 seats in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday.  The results will be declared on November 10.  (ANI)


The 2020 contenders meet on stage tonight with one final chance to halt the momentum of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, days before the South Carolina primary and exactly one week before voters go to the polls in Super Tuesday states https://t.co/rWat2MEpbJ

He's already opened attacks, including knocking Sanders' gun control record. How did Michael Bloomberg do in his 2nd debate? Former New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg is preparing to aggressively target Sen.  Bernie Sanders during Tuesday's primary debate in South Carolina -- an effort to dislodge the Democratic front-runner and steady his own half-a-billion-dollar campaign before he first appears on primary ballots next week. With aides warning that Sanders, who leads the Democratic field after the first three primary contests, could be on his way to an "insurmountable" delegate lead after Super Tuesday, Bloomberg has opened up several lines of attack on the Vermont independent, knocking his record on gun control and recent praise for elements of the late Cuban dictator Fidel Castro’s communist regime. "He needs to flip the argument and force Bernie on the defensive," Hank Sheinkopf, a Democratic consultant who has worked for and against Bloomberg in the past, told ABC News.  "The more blood on the stage from others and not Bloomberg, the better he’ll be. "In a call with reporters on Monday, Dan Kanninen, Bloomberg’s states director, said Sanders’ record on gun control was "disqualifying" and out of step with primary voters, warning that his nomination would be a "fatal error" that could hurt down-ballot Democrats who need the support of moderate and independent voters. In recent days, the campaign has also shifted strategy in its efforts to stall the senator’s momentum after his victory in Nevada.  ABC News reviewed a copy of its latest ammunition -- a poll conducted for the campaign -- with questions designed to emphasize to respondents an association between Sanders and socialism.  The campaign has been sharing the results, which ABC News does not consider airworthy, with House Democrats who are facing challenging re-election races in 2020. The line of questions follows a pattern of attacks the Bloomberg campaign has lobbed against Sanders, as they claim his nomination would negatively impact down-ballot races. In one line of questioning, respondents were asked to read a statement allegedly “made by opponents” of the senator before answering whether or not they’d lean in favor of Sanders or President Donald Trump. "It’s important for us to understand that if we choose a candidate in this critical election, who appeals to a small base, like Sen.  Sanders, it would be a fatal error against a candidate as strong as Donald Trump," Kanninen told reporters. The Bloomberg campaign also released a digital ad calling Sanders "beholden" to the National Rifle Association, which endorsed him in his 1990 House race. It criticized Sanders' votes against expanding background checks and waiting periods in the 1990s, and for a 2005 Senate proposal shielding gun manufacturers from lawsuits. Sanders has since toughened his positions on gun control, and more recently voted to expand background checks, ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Bloomberg, who has poured millions into gun control efforts in states across the country and launched nationwide advocacy groups Moms Demand Action and Everytown for Gun Safety, is aiming to distinguish himself from Sanders and the rest of the field on the topic, which did not come up during last week’s debate in Nevada. "They all talk about it," Bloomberg said about gun control in an interview with Rev.  Al Sharpton on MSNBC last week.  Talking about his campaign, he added, "We've actually done something about it. "Bloomberg, along with former Vice President Joe Biden, has also criticized Sanders for comments about Castro. On Monday, Sanders condemned Cuba’s "authoritarian" record, but also said "it’s unfair to simply say everything is bad," in an interview with CBS News’ "60 Minutes. ""When Fidel Castro came to office, you know what he did?  He had a massive literacy program.  Is that a bad thing?  Even though Fidel Castro did it? " he said, comments that Bloomberg quickly seized on. The former mayor tweeted out a list of things he called Fidel Castro's "dark legacy," adding "But sure, Bernie, let's talk about this literacy program. "His campaign also posted a series of satirical tweets featuring made-up quotes of Sanders praising autocrats and dictators, but quietly deleted the messages Monday night without explanation. Sanders defended his comments in a CNN town hall Monday evening, and his campaign compared the comments to remarks former President Obama gave in a 2016 speech in Havana about education and health care in communist Cuba. Bloomberg has spent the last few days getting ready for the debate, according to his campaign, who said they asked CNN to reschedule a Monday town hall to Wednesday night, leaving more time for his preparations. "We feel much more confident going into this next debate, having been through it," Kanninen told reporters on Monday’s call.  "You can’t overstate what it’s like to be on that stage, having not done that in quite some time. "He’s also taken other steps to respond to criticisms of last week’s performance. After facing attacks from Massachusetts Sen.  Elizabeth Warren about nondisclosure agreements signed by women at his company, Bloomberg said he would release women who signed three NDAs. He said in a statement that they were the only agreements over "30-plus years with women to address complaints about comments they said I had made. "24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events