Gujarat reports 2,410 new #Covid19 cases

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India on Wednesday recorded 72,223 new Covid-19 cases, the highest single-day rise since October 10.  The country is ramping up vaccination drive, as it starts to inoculate individuals above 45 years of age from today. France is all set to undergo a third lockdown, President Emmanuel Macron announced on Wednesday.  The World Health Organization report on the origins of Covid-19 was 14 countries including the US, the UK, Australia, Japan, South Korea and Norway was criticised for a lack of access to “complete, original data and samples. ” The report detailed four possible scenarios for the outbreak, one of which, the theory of the virus leaking from a lab in Wuhan, was criticised by WHO's director general. Follow all the updates here:3,187 more Covid-19 cases reported from PunjabPunjab on Thursday reported 3,187 fresh Covid-19 cases, the highest single-day spike so far, and 60 more fatalities due to it.  On March 26, the state had seen the maximum daily surge of 3,176 infections. Telangana health minister reviews rising Covid-19 cases, vaccinationWith the state witnessing a gradual rise in Covid-19 cases, Telangana health minister Eatala Rajender on Thursday asked health department officials to once again work in a warlike mode to contain the spread of the virus and ensure that necessary medicines and equipment are available in all hospitals, reported news agency PTI. Rajasthan's tally climbs to 3,34,499 with 1,350 new Covid-19 casesRajasthan's Covid-19 caseload climbed to 3,34,499 on Thursday with 1,350 fresh cases, while the death toll mounted to 28,222 as four more people succumbed to the disease, according to an official report cited by news agency PTI. India says WHO report on Covid-19 origins an ‘important first step’The ministry of external affairs on Thursday said the World Health Organization-convened global study represents an important first step in establishing the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic. Mumbai logs more than 8,600 new Covid-19 cases, 18 fatalitiesMumbai reports 8,646 new Covid-19 cases, 5,031 recoveries and 18 deaths on Thursday. Gujarat reports 2,410 new Covid-19 casesGujarat reports 2,410 fresh Covid cases, 2,015 recoveries, and 9 deaths in the last 24 hours, reports ANI. Delhi reports 2,790 new Covid-19 cases in last 24 hoursDelhi reports 2,790 fresh Covid-19 cases (out of 78,073 tests), 1,121 recoveries, and 9 deaths in the last 24 hoursGoa logs 265 new Covid-19 cases, one death in last 24 hoursGoa reports 265 new Covid-19 cases, one fatality.  Infection tally rises to 58,304, death toll 831.  There are 1,716 active cases in the state at present, reported PTI. PM Boris Johnson says France Covid-19 situation sad and can hit UKPrime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday that the Covid-19 situation in France was very sad and experience had shown that the disease usually hit the United Kingdom a few weeks after it hurt France, reports Reuters. Kerala reports 2,798 new Covid-19 casesKerala reports 2798 new Covid-19 cases.  Number of active cases now at 26,201; so far 10,96,239 persons have recovered from the disease. Uttarakhand reports 500 new Covid-19 casesUttarakhand reports 500 new Covid-19 positive cases including 236 cases in Dehradun and 149 cases in Haridwar today, taking the total number of cases to 1,00,911. Union minister Anurag Thakur receives first dose of Covid-19 vaccineUnion Minister Anurag Thakur receives the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine at Parliament House Annexe in New Delhi.  pic. twitter. com/2V76i6ihObSweden reports over 8,300 Covid-19 casesSweden, which has shunned lockdowns throughout the pandemic, registered 8,304 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, health agency statistics showed, reports Reuters. Maharashtra: Nagpur registers 3,630 new Covid-19 casesNagpur District reported 3,630 new Covid-19 cases, 2,928 recoveries and 60 Death, in the last 24 hours, as per Civil Surgeon, Nagpur, reports ANI. Odisha logs 394 new Covid-19 casesOdisha's Covid-19 tally mounted to 3,41,311 on Thursday as 394 more people tested positive for the infection, the highest single-day rise so far this year, a health department official said, reports PTI. Pfizer-BioNTech say Covid-19 vaccine 91% effectivePfizer Inc and BioNTech said on Thursday their Covid-19 vaccine is around 91% effective at preventing the disease, citing updated trial data that included participants inoculated for up to six months, reported Reuters. Biden unveils community corps to promote Covid-19 vaccinationSeeking to overcome vaccine hesitancy, the Biden administration is unveiling a coalition of community, religious and celebrity partners to promote Covid-19 shots, reported AP. Sweden to vaccinate adults with first Covid-19 shot by Aug 15 instead of JuneSweden will start vaccinating its adult population by August 15 and not June, due to a shortage in vaccine doses, reported Reuters.  "As the delivery forecast looks today, everyone over 18 should be able to have their first dose of the vaccine at the latest by August 15," Marie Morell, health care chief of the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions told Reuters. Scientists develop new test to detect Covid-19 quickly and track variantsScientists have developed a new test named NIRVANA to test and track for new Covid-19 variants in less amount of time, reported PTI.  Adding that within fifteen minutes the test effictively detects if the samples are negative or positive. Covid-19 vaccination drive to be carried out on all days of AprilCovid-19 vaccination drive in India will be held on all days of April, including on gazetted holidays, the government announced on Thursday.  This has been done to amp up the ongoing country wide inoculation drive. Andhra Pradesh chief minister, wife get vaccinated against Covid-19Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy and his wife YS Bharati take their first dose of the #COVID19 vaccine in Guntur.  pic. twitter. com/ySxODENYjgAndhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy and his wife YS Bharati got vaccinated against Covid-19 in Guntur, reported ANI. 8 states account for over 84% of new Covid-19 cases#Unite2FightCoronaMaharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Punjab, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh continue to report steep rise in Daily New Cases; account for 84. 61% of new cases registered in the last 24 hours. https://t. co/zQSwBwxU93 pic. twitter. com/GxW5EwHf7gUnion minister Piyush Goyal inoculated with first dose of Covid-19 vaccineUnion Minister Piyush Goyal takes his first dose of the #COVID19 vaccine at AIIMS Delhi.  pic. twitter. com/6SqIgYm3ecIndia records 72,330 new cases of Covid-19, 459 deathsIndia recorded 72,330 new Covid-19 infections on Thursday, taking the country's total case load to 12. 22 million.  459 fatalities were also recorded in the last 24 hours, the death toll now stands at 162,927. China reports 6 more Covid-19 cases in Yunnan provinceChina reported 6 more cases of Covid-19 infections in a southwestern city of Ruili in the Yunan province, which shares a border with Myanmar, reported the Associated Press.  This takes the total tally of cases in the province to 15. Bappi Lahiri tests positive for Covid-19Singer Bappi Lahiri tested positive for Covid-19 and has been admitted to Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai for observation.  Read MoreMadras HC orders exhumation and re-burial of Covid-19 victimMadras High Court on Wednesday ordered the exhumation and re-burial of the body of Dr Simon Hercules, who died from Covid-19 while treating patients.  Read MoreGet our daily newsletter Get free access to newsletters, alerts and recommendations


West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee attend a West Bengal Police and Kolkata Police event. Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar also present. https://t.co/zyFgfzJwHa

Sometime between 4 and 5 am on Monday morning, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee stepped off the stage and left Esplanade, where she’s holding a protest against the CBI, to freshen up.  About three hours later, she was back to resume her protest which began around 8. 30pm on Sunday evening. The firebrand leader, who turned 64 on January 5 this year, clad in a thin elaborately embroidered kantha shawl to protect herself from the winter chill, kept herself busy through the night holding telephonic conversations with various political leaders who kept calling her to extend their support to her, and checking her messages and news sites, all the while intermittently interacting with Firhad Hakim, the Kolkata Mayor and the state’s urban development minister and Arup Biswas, minister for north Bengal affairs.  Sipping water off and on, and brimming with energy, the Trinamool Congress chief stayed up as she pulled an all nighter, after asking her supporters gathered at Esplanade to go home with the assurance that she would hold fort herself and that they would find her there in the morning when they returned.  A few dozen policemen stayed by her side to ensure her security through the night. Watch: Mamata Banerjee’s dharna continues, Opposition signs memorandum to give to EC Early in the morning, instead of heading to her home about 3 kilometres away, Mamata left the stage and headed to a traffic police outpost to freshen up and presumably to have a cup of tea and a bite to eat. Click here for live updates on Mamata Banerjee’s protestShe returned to the protest venue around 7 am, even as Esplanade, in the heart of Kolkata, began filling up with her supporters from all over the city as well as nearby towns.  Back at the protest site and still brimming with energy, Mamata paced the stage restlessly, all the while keeping an eye on her supporters as well as interacting with the mediapersons gathered there. Mamata was scheduled to address a gathering at a stadium close to Esplanade where she’s holding her protest.  With her protest continuing, arrangements are being made for her to address the farmers’ gathering via video conferencing. Some political leaders who attended her United India rally are also expected to arrive at the protest venue, or send emissaries, to personally express their support to Mamata’s protest.  The West Bengal chief minister began her protest against the CBI action in Kolkata around 8:45 pm on Sunday night.  She was protesting the CBI’s attempt to question Kolkata police chief Rajeev Kumar in connection with the chit fund scams.  Beginning her protest, she said she would continue her ‘Satyagraha’ till the country and its Constitution are saved. “This is a Satyagraha and I will continue till the country is saved,” Banerjee told reporters who had accompanied on Sunday evening. During the course of her protest, she received calls from politicians including former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamalnath, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Gujarat MLA and Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani. Late on Sunday evening, a CBI team which had arrived at Kumar’s residence in Kolkata’s Loudon Street area was denied permission and bundled into jeeps and taken to a police station from where they were released later. The CBI wants to quiz Kumar, who led a Special Investigation Team of West Bengal police probing the scams, regarding missing documents and files. Also read | ‘Will continue Satyagraha till country is saved’, says Mamata Banerjee as dharna enters day 2


President Trump has confirmed that top aide Hope Hicks has tested positive for coronavirus and said he and first lady Melania Trump were tested this evening https://t.co/YRbuG0xIo8

Hicks traveled with the president to and from Tuesday's first debate. President, first lady isolate after testing positive for COVID-19Hope Hicks, one of President Donald Trump's closest advisers, has tested positive for the coronavirus, ABC News has confirmed. Hicks, who serves as counselor to the president and is among a tight group of advisers to the president, tested positive this week after traveling with the president on Tuesday to and from the first presidential debate on Air Force One.  The president tweeted late Thursday he would go into quarantine, though it's unclear how that will affect his upcoming schedule.  The White House declined to comment late Thursday. "The First Lady and I are waiting for our test results," he wrote.  "In the meantime, we will begin our quarantine process! "Hicks was also on Marine One, the president's helicopter, when it left the White House to fly to Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday.  She was seen walking to the helicopter with fellow top presidential advisers, such as Stephen Miller, Dan Scavino and Jared Kushner.  None of them were wearing masks. "The President takes the health and safety of himself and everyone who works in support of him and the American people very seriously," White House spokesperson Judd Deere told ABC News Thursday night.  "White House Operations collaborates with the Physician to the President and the White House Military Office to ensure all plans and procedures incorporate current CDC guidance and best practices for limiting COVID-19 exposure to the greatest extent possible both on complex and when the President is traveling. "Sources told ABC News that Hicks is experiencing symptoms and that she tested positive on Wednesday. Trump spoke about the news in an interview Thursday night with Sean Hannity on Fox News, saying, "She did test positive, I just heard about this. ""And I just went out with a test, I'll see -- you know, 'cause we spend a lot of time -- and the first lady just went out with a test also," Trump added.  "So whether we quarantine, or whether we have it, we don't know. "He said that he would get the results "either tonight or tomorrow morning. "The White House had earlier declined to comment Thursday on when Hicks and Trump were in contact over the past week, when she found out about the positive diagnosis or whether the president has been tested since she found out.  The White House also declined to comment on when the president was last tested. A White House official told ABC News that they did not anticipate the positive diagnosis impacting the president's upcoming travel.  He is scheduled to travel to a rally in Sanford, Florida, on Friday night.  He has two on Saturday in Wisconsin and ones on Monday and Tuesday in Arizona as well.  ABC News has reached out for comment on whether they will proceed. Asked if the president would quarantine as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines suggest for Americans who come into contact with a person who has tested positive, the official said "contract tracing has been done and the appropriate notifications and recommendations have been made. "Hicks has been one of the closest advisers to Trump since the 2016 presidential campaign.  She followed the president into the White House and rose to White House communications director before departing in March 2018.  She took a job as head of communications for Fox Corporation, the parent company of Fox News, but the absence did not last long. She returned to the president's side in February to be counselor to the president.  She reports to Kushner, the president's son-in-law and senior adviser. Hicks, then just 26, was chosen by Trump to be press secretary in January 2015 as he began his presidential campaign.  She had been working in the press office for the Trump Corporation with Ivanka Trump at the time. ABC News' Ben Gittleson, Will Steakin and Mark Osborne contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Assam: Union Home Minister Amit Shah visits Maha Mrityunjay Temple in Nagaon for the 'Pran Pratishtha Mahotsav'. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and state minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also present with him. https://t.co/ehHTds5Xay

North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convener Himanta Biswa Sarma was on Sunday named the next chief minister of Assam, pipping incumbent Sarbananda Sonowal to the top post, after being elected unanimously as the leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislature party. The chief minister-designate later called on governor Jagdish Mukhi at the Raj Bhawan and staked claim to form government.  The governor will administer him the oath of office on Monday, people aware of the developments said. The decision to pick Sarma as the Assam CM was taken at the first legislature party meeting of the 60 newly elected MLAs of the BJP held at the state assembly after days of backroom lobbying in Guwahati and official meetings in Delhi following the announcement of assembly poll results on May 2. Sarma’s name as the BJP’s legislature party leader was announced by Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar who, along with the party’s national general secretary Arun Singh, was the central observer for the meeting. “I asked other MLAs if they had any other names in mind.  No other name was suggested.  Since the name of Sarma, a senior minister in our state government was the only one that was proposed, he is unanimously chosen as the legislature party leader,” Tomar said after the meeting. Sarma’s name for the post was proposed by Sonowal and seconded by BJP state president Ranjeet Kumar Dass.  It was also supported by newly elected MLA from Halflong, Nandita Golosa. Also read | Assam's new cabinet to take oath at noon tomorrow, says Himanta Biswa SarmaOn Saturday, the two main claimants to the top post, Sonowal and senior minister Sarma, were summoned by the party leadership to Delhi, where they held several rounds of meetings with BJP national president JP Nadda and others.  Both leaders returned to Guwahati late on Saturday night in the same flight. BJP office bearers in the know of the developments said the leadership decided in Sarma’s favour after the discussions in the Capital.  Sonowal, who was part of the first Narendra Modi government at the Centre, is likely to be accommodated in the Union Cabinet again at a later date, they said on condition of anonymity. “With fragrance of Assam in my heart and love of my wonderful people in my veins, I offer my deepest gratitude to you all.  I would have not been what I am had it not been for your pious faith in me.  On this day, I vow to work with and for each one of you with greater passion,” Sarma tweeted after the formal announcement on Sunday. At the BJP legislature party meeting, Sarma praised Sonowal for proposing his name for the CM post and thanked him for giving him several important responsibilities that allowed him to work for the people of Assam. “I am confident Sarma will lead the state efficiently.  I am also sure that with his long political expertise, in the coming days, he will be able to make Assam one of the leading states in India,” Sonowal said at the meeting. Both Sarma and Sonowal later went together to the Raj Bhawan where the former formally staked his claim to form the next government.  The oath-taking ceremony will be held at noon on Monday in which few ministers from allies Asom Gana Parishad and United Peoples’ Party Liberal are also expected to be sworn in, people aware of the developments said. “Many congratulations to Himanta Biswa Sarma on being elected as the next chief minister of Assam.  Our only vision must be to work in tandem to make Assam one of the most developed states in India,” Assam Congress president Ripun Bora tweeted. Earlier on Sunday morning, Sonowal went to the Raj Bhawan, where he submitted his resignation to the governor before proceeding with Sarma in the same vehicle to take part in the meeting of the newly elected legislators. Sunday’s development marks a major landmark in Sarma’s sharp rise within the BJP, a party which he joined in 2015 after parting ways with then Congress chief minister Tarun Gogoi, in whose cabinet he was a minister for three consecutive terms since 2001. Watch | BJP ends suspense, announces Assam CM name; Himanta Sarma gets top jobSarma played a crucial role in the BJP forming its first government in Assam in 2016 and was allotted four important ministries -- finance, health, education and public works department (PWD) -- in the Sonowal cabinet. As convener of NEDA, the conglomeration of anti-Congress regional parties in the Northeast, Sarma was also responsible for the BJP forming governments in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Tripura, and becoming part of the ruling coalition in Nagaland and Meghalaya in the past few years. Despite criticism from some, Sarma earned mass support with the way he handled the Covid-19 crisis, visiting patients in hospitals, overseeing setting up of Covid care centres and ensuring proper care for those infected. He carried forward that goodwill during the assembly election campaign, addressing rallies in all parts of the state and conducting road shows where thousands turned up to watch him. Sarma also exercised influence in the selection of candidates and actively campaigned for most, ensuring another return to power for the BJP.  People aware of the matter said he enjoys the support of at least 40 of the new MLAs, a big reason that tilted the balance in his favour for the CM’s post. “Sarma is the most aggressive voice of Hindutva in Assam politics.  He helped in polarisation of votes in this election by targeting Badruddin Ajmal’s party All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) and Congress for their poll tie-up.  Sarma was also the one who conceptualised and implemented competitive populist schemes that helped the BJP reach out to all sections of voters,” said Akhil Ranjan Dutta, professor of political science, Gauhati University. “Sarma’s elevation to the CM’s post shows the BJP leadership is keeping an eye on the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.  As convener of NEDA, he would play a crucial role in the BJP’s fortunes in Assam and all other states in the Northeast,” he added. The delay in the announcement of the CM’s name and formation of the next government despite a clear mandate at a time when the state is witnessing a rapid rise in new Covid-19 cases and deaths had led to criticism of the BJP by opposition parties. The Assam assembly has a total of 126 seats.  While the BJP got 60 seat this time, same as its figure in 2016, its allies Asom Gana Parishad and United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) won 9 and 6 seats, respectively, taking the alliance’s total to 75 seats.


Video Called Martinelli Will Be Release On WhatsApp Which Is A Virus

A forward has been making rounds on WhatsApp claiming to say that a video will be released on WhatsApp tomorrow called Martinelli which is a virus.  It further claims that once it enters your phone, nothing you do will fix it.  The message also warns the reader about the seriousness of the virus and also claims that nobody will be able to do anything once it enters one’s phone.    Today the radio was talking about WhatsApp Gold and it is true.  If you receive a message to update Whatsapp Gold * Do not open it!  They just announced that the virus is serious.  Send it to everyone.  — Angela Thran (@AngelaThran) November 18, 2018 BOOM received the WhatsApp forward on its helpline number (+91 7700906111) where readers asked if the forwarded message holds any credibility or not.  The forward claims, "Today the radio was talking about WhatsApp Gold and it is true.  There is a video that will be released tomorrow on WhatsApp and is called Martinelli.  Do not open it.  Enter your phone and nothing you do will fix it.  Spread the message if you know someone.  If you receive a message to update Whatsapp Gold * Do not open it!  They just announced that the virus is serious.  Send it to everyone. " The forward is actually a mix of two messages - One talking about the Martinelli video and the other one talking about WhatsApp Gold.  While the message about Martinelli video is false as reported by Factchecking website Snopes, it so turns out that the message about WhatsApp Gold is true.   A Google search of the words ‘Martinelli’ and ‘WhatsApp’ listed a whole lot of factchecks done by various factchecking website all over the world.  Snopes wrote a factcheck in April, 2018.  The report mentioned Spain's Police and cited their tweet about the same.  Spain’s Policía Nacional asks people not to share the message any further.    Circula por #WhatsApp📱 este mensaje advirtiendo sobre el "vídeo de Martinelli"👉🏻#Stopbulos, ✋🏻no lo compartas https://t. co/TtAb0aYNUE pic. twitter. com/R4aOovWAo3 — Policía Nacional (@policia) July 29, 2017 With the increase in the circulation of fake news, WhatsApp's website mentions how one can know if it is a hoax.   WhatsApp Gold  The forward also talks about WhatsApp Gold saying, "Today the radio was talking about WhatsApp Gold and it is true. " The messages regarding WhatsApp Gold went around claiming that the users will get premium services if they download it.  When users clicked on it, they were not directed to the official WhatsApp website.  Instead, they were taken to an unrelated web address, where they were instructed to download a malicious piece of software nicknamed “WhatsApp Gold,” mentioned Snopes citing Independent report.


Members of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee block Amritsar-Delhi highway as part of their protest against the farm laws. https://t.co/Pn8tGezOfU https://t.co/QLLaKuHDcZ

A delegation of opposition parties on Wednesday met President Ram Nath Kovind to seek repeal of the three new farm laws enacted in September, alleging that the government had “insulted” the farmers by getting these passed in Parliament in an “undemocratic” manner without discussion and consultation. The meeting came a day after a Bharat Bandh called by farmers’ unions in protest against these laws.  Thousands of farmers are currently protesting at Delhi’s borders after they were denied entry into the Capital.  Odisha cabinet passes resolution urging Centre to implement MSPs for all cropsThe five-member delegation of opposition leaders included former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, Communist Party of India general secretary D Raja and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader TKS Elangovan.  The delegation was limited to five because of the Covid-19 pandemic.  Farmers’ protest: Centre sends proposal to farmers “We urge upon you, as the custodian of the Indian Constitution, to persuade your government not to be obdurate and accept the demands raised by India’s annadatas,” the opposition leaders said in a memorandum submitted to the President.  “The new agri laws, passed in Parliament in an anti-democratic manner preventing a structured discussion and voting, threaten India’s food security, destroy Indian agriculture and our farmers, lay the basis for the abolishment of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and mortgage Indian agriculture and our markets to the caprices of multi-national agri-business corporates and domestic corporate,” it added.  The memorandum said over 20 political parties, including those running states, extended their solidarity with the farmers over their struggle and supported their bandh call on December 8, demanding the repeal of the agri laws and the electricity amendment bill.  “We met the President and informed him of our views regarding the three farm laws.  We have asked for their repeal.  We informed him that it is critical that they are taken back,” Gandhi told reporters after the meeting.  “The way the farm laws were passed in Parliament, we feel it was an insult to farmers and that is why they are protesting in the cold weather against them.  They will not relent and will continue their peaceful agitation till the laws are taken back,” he said.  The former Congress chief claimed that the new laws were aimed at handing over the farm sector to the “friends” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.  “But the farmers are fearless and will not back off.  They have lost faith in the government,” he added.  Pawar said various political parties requested the President that these farm laws should be repealed as they were not discussed with either stakeholders or in a select committee of Parliament.  “Not a single suggestion offered by opposition leaders in Parliament was accepted by the government and all these bills were passed in haste,” he said.  “In this cold, the farmers are on the streets protesting peacefully, expressing their unhappiness.  It is the duty of the government to resolve this issue,” Pawar added.  His views were echoed by Yechury.  “We told the President that the three farm laws were passed undemocratically in Parliament and have sought the repeal of these laws,” he said.  The CPI(M) leader said the government should repeal the acts in view of the widespread protests by farmers.  “The Prime Minister has been saying that these laws are in the interest of farmers, but the question is if these laws are in their favour then why are they protesting out in the cold,” he said.


A fake letter is being circulated to claim that it was written by actor Sean Connery, best known for his big screen portrayal of James Bond, and is addressed to late Apple Co-founder Steve Jobs wherein Connery refused to be associated with Apple.  However, the letter was published in 2011 on a satirical website called Scoopertino and carries no truth.  This comes in the backdrop of the actor’s death at the age of 90 on Saturday, 31 October.  CLAIM A portion of the letter allegedly signed in December 1998 reads: “I will say this one more time.  You do understand English, don’t you?  I do not sell my soul for Apple or any other company.  I have no interest in ‘changing the world’ as you suggest.  You have nothing that I need or want.  You are a computer salesman — I am **** JAMES BOND! ” The letter has been circulated on Twitter and Facebook far and wide.  WHAT WE FOUND OUT We searched on Google using keywords “sean connery jobs apple” and found an article published in 2011 on a website called Scoopertino that had carried the viral image.  The article is titled as “EXPOSED: The iMac disaster that almost was. ” The viral image is placed in the article that mentioned an excerpt from a book ‘iMaculate Conception: How Apple’s iMac Was Born’ (no such book exists).  “Steve Jobs, a lifelong fan of James Bond (he’d originally wanted to name the revolutionary computer “Double-O-Mac”), instructed his agency to begin work on a special celebrity Christmas ad featuring 007 himself, Sean Connery — even though Connery had yet to be signed,” the article read.  The website describes itself as “an imaginary news organisation devoted to ferreting out the most relevant stories in the world of Apple, whether or not they actually occurred. ” “All the news that’s fit to fabricate,” is the tagline of Scoopertino.  In 2011, regarding the fake letter, Washington Post had reported “Wishful thinkers have been delighting in actor Sean Connery’s pointed refusal to be Apple’s iMac spokesman. ” Further, fact-checking website Snopes had debunked the letter in 2011.  Evidently, a fake letter that was doing the rounds in 2011 has been revived in the light of the Sean Connery’s death.


Joe Biden is set to hold the first rally of his presidential campaign at a union hall in Pittsburgh https://t.co/SYFPytT6Fa https://t.co/3mA1JbazVI

Trump and Biden have a war of words over union endorsement. Trump takes aim at 2020 democratic frontrunnersAs former Vice President Joe Biden prepares for his first rally as a 2020 candidate, the Deleware native is locked in a war of words with President Donald Trump. On Monday, Biden received a key endorsement from the International Association of Fire Fighters an organization comprised of over 300,000 members.  Biden is a familiar face to the IAFF, he addressed the group last month, and in the video touting the announcement, Biden was showcased at several IAFF events over the years. In 2016, the organization choose not to endorse a candidate for president, however, the group endorsed former President Barack Obama in  2008 and 2012. IAFF president Harold Schaitberger said, "Biden through civility and decency will enhance the political discourse that our country needs right now. "In a series of tweets Monday morning, the president railed against the Biden and the union describing the organization's leaders as "Dues Crazy. " Trump went on to say despite the snub, "the members love Trump.  They look at our record economy, tax & reg cuts, military etc.  WIN! "Biden responded to Trump's attack tweeting "I'm sick of this President badmouthing unions.  Labor built the middle class in this country.  Minimum wage, overtime pay, the 40-hour week: they exist for all of us because unions fought for those rights. "He added, "We need a President who honors them and their work. "For Trump, unions are a critical voting constituency that helped him win critical swing states such as Michigan and Ohio and Pennsylvania in 2016.  Biden announced his plans to run for president, is a familiar face among labor groups having protested with labor organizations for decades. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


A Brooklyn man convicted of brutally killing a jogger in Howard Beach, Queens, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole https://t.co/KHObODCCm3 https://t.co/F9IZSgDQC0

An avowed racist who orchestrated one of the most gruesome hate crimes in US history has been executed in Texas for the dragging death of a black manDriver arrested after allegedly dragging a state trooper for a mileHUNTSVILLE, Texas -- An avowed racist who orchestrated one of the most gruesome hate crimes in U. S.  history was executed Wednesday in Texas for the dragging death of a black man. John William King, who was white, received lethal injection for the slaying nearly 21 years ago of James Byrd Jr. , who was chained to the back of a truck and dragged for nearly 3 miles (5 kilometers) along a secluded road in the piney woods outside Jasper, Texas.  The 49-year-old Byrd was alive for at least 2 miles (3 kilometers) before his body was ripped to pieces in the early morning hours of June 7, 1998. Prosecutors said Byrd was targeted because he was black.  King was openly racist and had offensive tattoos on his body, including one of a black man with a noose around his neck hanging from a tree, according to authorities. King, 44, was put to death at the state penitentiary in Huntsville, Texas.  He was the fourth inmate executed this year in the U. S.  and the third in Texas, the nation's busiest capital punishment state. King kept his eyes closed as witnesses arrived in the death chamber and never turned his head toward relatives of his victim.  Asked by Warden Bill Lewis if he had a final statement, King replied: "No. "Within seconds, the lethal dose of the sedative pentobarbital began taking effect.  He took a few barely audible breaths and had no other movement.  He was pronounced dead at 7:08 p. m.  CDT, 12 minutes after the drug began. In a statement released after his execution, King said: "Capital punishment: them without the capital get the punishment. "Byrd's sister, Clara Taylor, who watched King die, said he "showed no remorse then and showed no remorse tonight. ""The execution for his crime was just punishment," she said.  "I felt nothing — no sense of relief, no sense of happy this is over with. "As witnesses emerged from the prison, about two dozen people standing down the street began to cheer. The killing of Byrd was a hate crime that put a         national spotlight on Jasper, a town of about 7,600 residents near the Texas-Louisiana border that was branded with a racist stigma it has tried to shake off ever since.  Local officials say the reputation is undeserved. King's appellate lawyers had tried to stop his execution, arguing King's constitutional rights were violated because his trial attorneys didn't present his claims of innocence and conceded his guilt. The U. S.  Supreme Court rejected King's last-minute appeal. "From the time of indictment through his trial, Mr.  King maintained his absolute innocence, claiming that he had left his co-defendants and Mr.  Byrd sometime prior to his death and was not present at the scene of his murder.  Mr.  King repeatedly expressed to defense counsel that he wanted to present his innocence claim at trial," A.  Richard Ellis, one of King's attorneys, wrote in his petition to the Supreme Court. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles also turned down King's request for either a commutation of his sentence or a 120-day reprieve. Over the years, King had also suggested the brutal slaying was not a hate crime, but a drug deal gone bad involving his co-defendants. King, who grew up in Jasper and was known as "Bill," was the second man executed for Byrd's killing.  Lawrence Russell Brewer was executed in 2011.  The third participant, Shawn Allen Berry, was sentenced to life in prison. King declined an interview request from The Associated Press in the weeks leading up to his execution. In a 2001 interview with the AP, King said he was an "avowed racist" but wasn't "a hate-monger murderer. "Louvon Byrd Harris said earlier this month that King's execution for her brother's slaying would send a "message to the world that when you do something horrible like that, that you have to pay the high penalty. "King and Brewer got "an easy way out" compared to "all the suffering" that Byrd faced, Harris said. Billy Rowles, who led the investigation into Byrd's death when he was sheriff in Jasper County, said after King was taken to death row in 1999, he offered to detail the crime as soon as his co-defendants were convicted.  When Rowles returned, all King would say was, "I wasn't there. ""He played us like a fiddle, getting us to go over there and thinking we're going to get the rest of the story," said Rowles, who now is sheriff of Newton County. A week before Brewer was executed in 2011, Rowles said he visited Brewer, who confirmed "the whole thing was Bill King's idea. "Mylinda Byrd Washington, another of Byrd's sisters, said earlier this month that the family will work through the Byrd Foundation for Racial Healing to ensure her brother's death continues to combat hate everywhere. "I hope people remember him not as a hate crime statistic.  This was a real person.  A family man, a father, a brother and a son," she said. ———Lozano reported from Houston. ———Follow Juan A.  Lozano on Twitter:         https://twitter. com/juanlozano7024/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


"I'm sure all of them will be watching the moment we are sitting together, side-by-side, as if they are watching a fantasy movie," North Korean leader Kim Jong Un told reporters about his meeting with President Trump https://t.co/vbr9oaZ3qv https://t.co/bWTzw6RjVH

The president has a history of siding with foreign leaders accused of murders. Kim Jong Un 'felt badly' about Otto Warmbier, Trump saysBarely two months before this week's Trump-Kim summit in Vietnam, the family of Otto Warmbier sat in a Washington, D. C. , courtroom and relived, with details painful even to those who never knew him, the moment they saw their once healthy, jovial young son as he returned home from almost 18 months imprisoned in North Korea, a shell of his former self. Seeking justice for the pain and suffering, the Warmbiers sued the North Korean government for more than a $1 billion late last year, saying U. S.  officials had publicly confirmed that North Korea tortured their 21-year-old son, who died just six days after being brought back to the U. S. The University of Virginia student had been on a tour when he was arrested for tearing down a poster. On Thursday in Hanoi, despite having publicly supported the Warmbier family, President Trump struck a much different tone, saying he believed the dictator who runs North Korea's ruthless regime when he said he didn't know Warmbier was being tortured. "I don't believe that he would have allowed that to happen," Trump said of Kim Jong Un.  The president relayed what he said Kim had told him -- that he "didn't know about it" -- and said he would "take [Kim] at his word. ""He felt badly about it," the president said at a post-summit news conference.  He knew the case very well, but he knew it later," Trump added. The attorney for Warmbier's parents said they were unlikely to respond to Trump. On Thursday, members of Congress began to react, but some Republicans, facing new pressure to condemn North Korea's involvement in Warmbier's death, did so without openly criticizing the president. "Americans know the cruelty that was placed on Otto Warmbier by the North Korean regime.  Our hearts are with the Warmbier family for their strength and courage.  We will never forget Otto," tweeted Trump's former U. S.  Ambassador to the U. N.  Nikki Haley, who served during negotiations over Warmbier's imprisonment and release. Sen.  Rob Portman, a Republican from Warmbier's home state of Ohio, issued a simple statement. "We must remember Otto, and we should never let North Korea off the hook for what they did to him," Portman said. Speaking to reporters later on the Hill, Portman grew more emotional and said the U. S.  shouldn't be "naive" about the North Korean regime, the way they "mistreat their own people, and certainly the way they mistreated Otto Warmbier. ""I have no questions about who we are dealing with here," Porter said. The other senator from Ohio, Democratic Sen.  Sherrod Brown blasted the president for not showing more concern about Warmbier. "You never should go meet with the North Korean dictator without bringing up the name of Otto Warmbier and bring up the whole issue of human rights over and over -- that's who we are as a country.  President Bush would do it.  President Clinton did it.  President Obama did it.  President Reagan did it and it's -- it just makes me sad,” Brown said. Brown declined to speak on behalf of the family, saying he knows Otto's parents "and they speak for themselves. "When the Warmbier's testified in federal court in December, it was about six months after Trump's first summit with North Korea's Kim.  The family had, at that point, established a close relationship with the president, who was adamant that Otto "did not die in vain. " About a month later, Otto's parents Cindy and Fred attended Trump's 2018 State of the Union address and stood, rife with grief, to a standing ovation as the president denounced North Korea's brutal treatment of their son. “We need only look at the depraved character of the North Korean regime to understand the nature of the nuclear threat,” Trump said at the time. According to the lawsuit, Otto returned to the U. S.  "blind and deaf," with a shaved head and "a feeding tube coming out of his nose. " He was "jerking violently and howling, and was completely unresponsive to any of [the Warmbiers] efforts to comfort him.  They also noticed that his once straight teeth were now misaligned and had been forced into abnormal positions, particularly in the front of his mouth," the lawsuit said. It's not the first time the president has gone against the consensus of U. S.  government officials and sided instead with foreign leaders accused of crimes. After CIA director Gina Haspel briefed Republican lawmakers on the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Republican senators said there was "zero question" the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the brutal murder. South Carolina Republican Sen.  Lindsey Graham, who has a close relationship with the president, said there wasn't just a "smoking gun," but a "smoking saw," referencing the bone saw believed to have been used to dismember Khashoggi's body. Trump, however, repeated the denials of Saudi officials.  “King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman vigorously deny any knowledge of the planning or execution of the murder of Mr.  Khashoggi,” the president said in a statement. And at a summit in Helsinki, Finland, last summer, Trump said he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin's denial of meddling in the 2016 U. S.  election.  The U. S.  intelligence community found that Russia did, in fact, interfere in the election -- even indicting 12 Russian government agents for hacking the Democratic Party during the 2016 election -- but Trump couched those findings with his face-to-face meeting with Putin, who human rights organizations blame for a long list of abusive acts taking place under Russia's oppressive government. "I have President Putin, he just said it's not Russia.  I will say this.  I don't see any reason why it would be," Trump said, standing next to the Russian president in Helsinki.  “So I have great confidence in my intelligence people, but I will tell you that President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today. ”24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Photo shows "Hellman's Chunky Mayonnaise" on store shelves.

On June 1 2021, a Facebook user shared what appeared to be a photograph of a product called “Hellman’s Chunky Mayonnaise” on a store shelf: A caption read: Who in Caucasia decided this was okay ?  Based on the image’s formatting, it looked like a screenshot captured from elsewhere.  But we were unable to locate any other iterations of the image through reverse image search or text search.  Even non-chunky mayonnaise is a divisive condiment.  Food-centric websites have endeavored to explain why people “hate mayo,” echoing a contemporaneous Huffington Post itemclaiming that mayonnaise (among other things) reminded people of bodily fluids, plural: “Its texture is what makes it most repulsive,” [author Rachel] Herz told HuffPost.  “It has the ability to wobble and does not sit inert, even though it is not animate.  The inert taking on qualities of an animate object can create feelings of disgust.  Its moving implies a living thing, and living things can contaminate you. ” [. . . ] “I suppose people are disgusted with mayo because it has the consistency of pus,” [author William Ian] Miller told HuffPost.  “Some things are more likely to generate disgust than others, and bodily fluids and rot are two of those things. ” Semen, pus, fat: Mayonnaise doesn’t not resemble these substances, and that might not be what you want to be thinking of at mealtime.  Some people are disgusted by bodily fluids subconsciously as a result of the fear of contamination.  Similar articles claimed that “science” had reached a consensus decreeing mayonnaise to be “disgusting,” and a BuzzFeed listicle offered up 24 reasons that mayonnaise is “the devil’s condiment. ” Although mayonnaise retained a place in mainstream cuisine, that position was constantly challenged by its haters.  Google Trends data indicated “Breakout” levels of interest in “Hellman’s chunky mayonnaise” as of the morning of June 3 2021.  Prior to that point the line of interest was nearly flat, but a small number of searches occurred on May 31 2021: An image implying the existence of a chunky mayonnaise was more than likely to create a significant measure of discomfort among those who already eschew mayonnaise in its “smooth” form.  Moreover, our initial search for Hellman’s chunky mayonnaise turned up an actual condiment on the brand’s UK site, Hellman’s Chunky Burger Sauce.  That page didn’t explain what the horribly-named Hellman’s Chunky Burger Sauce was, but a UK supermarket site indicated that it was similar to “Big Mac” sauce.  In that context, “chunky” means “diced onion and pickle”: With a deliciously creamy texture, this Burger sauce with a signature flavour and real chunks of onion and gherkin will give your BBQ the twist it needs.  Ideal with all meats and burgers – the perfect partner for any BBQ occasion.  Our Chunky Burger sauce is part of Grilltopia: our mission to get you grilling and discovering BBQ ideas on a mouth-watering journey around the world.  Due to the uptick in Hellman’s chunky mayonnaise discourse, we decided to check the brand’s official social media accounts for information about the jarring condiment.  Twitter asked — and Hellman’s answered: Not at all us.  But judging whoever needed to make this.  🤢 https://t. co/3v9jlli1mY — Hellmann's (@Hellmanns) June 2, 2021 Hellman’s chunky mayonnaise was, per the brand, not a real product — and not one it showed any interest in bringing to supermarket shelves.  The UK’s Hellman’s Chunky Burger Sauce may have served as inspiration for some digital creativity, but the claim was not true.  Article Sources +Hellman's Chunky MayonnaiseThis Is Why People Are So Grossed Out By MayoExperts Explain Why People Are Disgusted By MayonnaiseMayonnaise is disgusting, and science agrees24 Reasons Mayonnaise Is The Devil's CondimentHellman's Chunky Mayonnaise | Google TrendsHELLMANN'S CHUNKY BURGER SAUCEHellmann's Chunky Burger Sauce 250ml


Delhi: 1056 ventilators and 43 oxygen concentrators arrived from Australia today https://t.co/j1eR38hl1g

India's coronavirus caseload topped 20 million as the crisis finally forced the suspension of the nation's lucrative cricket competition Indian Premier League (IPL) after several players tested positive. As of Tuesday morning, the country's total caseload stood at 20,665,148 while the death toll has been increased to 226,188.  According to research, the deaths from Covid-19 in India may double from current levels in the coming months. In the United States, the country is set to inoculate teens, while many experts argued that it is a serious mistake to use the world's limited supply of doses on a low-risk population while the pandemic surges in countries like India and Brazil. Click here for complete Covid-19 coverageAn emergency use authorization is expected in the coming days, and US President Joe Biden told White House reporters Tuesday that "if that announcement comes, we are ready to move immediately. "UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the country is on course to scrap lockdown rules.  Meanwhile, Singapore is cracking down in response to a flareup linked to the variant first identified in India, a setback for one of the most successful virus-containment regimes. According to Bloomberg's tally, the total number of Covid-19 cases across the globe has increased to 153. 8 million.  The death toll exceeds 3. 22 millionFollow all the updates here:Nagaland's Covid-19 caseload breaches 15,000-markNagaland's caseload of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) breached the 15,000-mark on Wednesday after 287 new cases were recorded, the highest single-day spike, a health department official told news agency PTI.  Maharashtra's Nashik reports 4,110 new Covid-19 cases, 47 more deathsNashik district's caseload of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) climbed to 342,091 after 4,110 fresh cases were reported on Wednesday.  As many as 47 people succumbed to the disease on Wednesday taking the district's toll to 3,692.  UP sees biggest single-day jump in Covid deaths at 357; 31,165 fresh cases addedUttar Pradesh on Wednesday recorded the biggest single-day jump of 357 Covid-19 deaths that took the toll to 14,151 while 31,165 fresh cases pushed the infection tally to 13,99,294.  Read moreWest Bengal reports 18,102 new Covid-19 cases, 103 deaths#COVID19 | West Bengal records 18,102 new cases, 17,073 discharges and 103 deaths in the last 24 hoursTotal cases: 9,16,635Total recoveries: 7,82,916Active cases: 1,21,872 Death toll: 11,847 pic. twitter. com/1we4Fze5h0Himachal Pradesh log 3,842 fresh Covid-19 cases#COVID19 | Himachal Pradesh reports 3,842 new positive cases, 1,480 recoveries and 32 deaths in the last 24 hours.  Total active cases: 25,902Total cases: 1,14,787 pic. twitter. com/DetdixrtMuMadhya Pradesh reports 12,319 new Covid-19 cases, 71 deathsMadhya Pradesh on Wednesday reported 12,319 new Covid-19 cases, 71 deaths and 9,643 recoveries in the last 24 hours. Gujarat reports nearly 13,000 new Covid-19 casesGujarat reported 12,955 new Covid-19 positive cases, 12,995 recoveries and 133 deaths in the last 24 hours, reported ANI. Rajasthan reports 16,815 new Covid-19 casesRajasthan reports 16,815 new #COVID19 cases, 17,022 dishcrges and 155 deathsTotal active cases:1,96,683Death toll: 5,021 pic. twitter. com/D221v4VOknMaharashtra: Nagpur logs nearly 4,400 new Covid-19 casesNagpur in Maharashtra on Wednesday reported 4,399 fresh Covid-19 cases and 82 deaths in the last 24 hours. Uttarakhand reports 7,783 new Covid-19 cases#COVID19 | Uttarakhand reports 7,783 new cases and 127 deaths today; active cases is at 59,526 pic. twitter. com/OlEXSHWs3WKerala reports highest single-day spike of nearly 42,000 new Covid-19 casesKerala reported the highest single-day rise of 41,953 new Covid-19 cases and 58 deaths in the last 24 hours on Wednesday, said chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, reported ANI. Over 40% of US adults received Covid-19 vaccine: CDC chiefOver 40 per cent of adults in the US have received a Covid-19 vaccine so far, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky told MSNBC on Wednesday, reported Reuters. Himachal Pradesh imposes 10-day lockdown till May 16 to contain Covid spreadThe Himachal Pradesh government on Wednesday announced to impose a ten-day lockdown in the state from May 7 to May 16 to contain the spread of Covid-19, PTI reported an official as saying. Maharashtra: 11 districts show continuous decline in Covid-19 cases, says health ministry11 districts in Maharashtra showing continuous decline in #COVID cases since last 14 days - JS, @MoHFW_INDIA Live Now https://t. co/Y5o0YwhUF4 pic. twitter. com/EgrqZhPpdk24 states with more than 15% Covid-19 positivity rate, says health ministry24 States/UTs show more than 15% COVID positivity rateMaharashtra's #COVID19 positivity rate - 24% - JS, @MoHFW_INDIA pic. twitter. com/MM3mVPldfETen states account for over 70% of new Covid-19 cases: Health ministryMaharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Haryana, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan accounted for 70. 91 per cent of the new Covid-19 cases reported in the last 24 hours, according to the health ministry. Mamata writes to PM Modi, requests oxygen supply, beds, free Covid-19 vaccine for allOn COVID management, I request for adequate vaccines as well as oxygen supply, hospital beds, essential drugs and free vaccination for all.  We require at least 10,000 doses of Remdesivir &1000 vials of Tocilizumab every day: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee in a letter to PM Modi pic. twitter. com/KEvPm2qmNkIndia accounted for quarter of global Covid-19 deaths in past week: WHOThe WHO in its weekly epidemiological report said that India accounted for 25% of global deaths due to Covid-19 reported in the past week, reported Reuters. Russia reports 7,975 fresh Covid-19 cases, tally over 4. 8 millionRussia reported 7,975 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, including 2,432 in Moscow, pushing the official case tally to 4,847,489, reported Reuters. Puducherry reports highest single-day rise, logs 1,819 new Covid-19 casesPuducherry reported 1,819 fresh cases of coronavirus disease, its highest single-day spike, taking the aggregate to 65,117, reported PTI. China administers over 284 million Covid-19 vaccine doses so farChina has administered 284. 6 million Covid-19 vaccine doses in the country as of Tuesday, Reuters reported the National Health Commission as saying. Over 94 lakh Covid-19 vaccine doses available with states, UTs: Health ministryThe health ministry on Wednesday said more than 94. 47 lakh Covid-19 vaccine doses are available with states and Union territories and will receive over 36 lakh more doses in the next three days. Telangana reports 6,361 new Covid cases in a dayTelangana on Wednesday reported 6,361 new Covid cases, 8,126 recoveries and 51 deaths.  The number of total cases in the state now stands at 4,69,722 and the death toll increased to 2,527. RBI asks banks to build Covid loan book for vaccine makers, hospitalsReserve Bank of India governor Shaktikanta Das on Wednesday announced immediate liquidity of ₹50,000 crore for a tenure of three years for banks to be able to extend Covid loans for all healthcare entities.  Read MoreRBI monitoring Covid-19 situation: Shaktikanta DasThe Reserve Bank of India will continue to monitor the Covid-19 situation in the country, said Governor Shaktikanta Das in briefing today.  "We will deploy all resources and instruments at its command especially for the citizens, business entities, and institutions beleaguered by the second wave," he also said. India adds fresh 382,315 cases of infection to its tallyIndia on Wednesday added 382,315 fresh cases of Covid-19, pushing the overall caseload to 20,665,148, according to the health ministry's website. Thane's Covid-19 tally rises by 2,190With the addition of 2,190 new cases of coronavirus, the infection count in Thane district of Maharashtra has gone up to 4,77,177, an official said on Wednesday. Police arrest one in Indore for selling empty packets of vaccineOne person arrested in Madhya Pradesh for selling empty packets of Covid-19 vaccine in Indore, news agency ANI reported. Over 180 cryogenic oxygen containers transported by IAFAmid the devastating Covid-19 crisis in the country, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has transported as many as 180 empty cryogenic oxygen containers and other relief material like oxygen cylinders, oxygen plant equipment, essential medicines and hospital equipment. US administers 247. 8 million doses of Covid-19 vaccineThe United States has administered 247,769,049 doses of Covid-19 vaccines in the country as of Tuesday morning and distributed 318,474,035 doses, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Tuesday. Get our daily newsletter Get free access to newsletters, alerts and recommendations


The tornadoes touched down early Tuesday morning, ripping through Nashville and other cities in Tennessee. The twisters took down power lines and wiped out dozens of homes, businesses and other buildings, killing at least two dozen people. https://t.co/HYxH1G65yZ

By Judson Jones, CNN MeteorologistUpdated 7:16 PM ET, Wed March 4, 2020 (CNN)Before and after images give a small glimpse of the strength of the tornadoes that moved through Nashville and the surrounding communities early Tuesday morning.


Taal Volcano in the Philippines has sent an eruption plume a kilometer above the crater, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology says. The agency says the volcano is showing a "fast escalation" in activity and could erupt lava within weeks. https://t.co/XWpgQ4ARCf https://t.co/E35f35WYW1

The eruption shut down the airport and caused thousands to flee. Lightning strikes inside spewing volcano in PhilippinesOfficials in the Philippines have warned residents of a possible "volcanic tsunami" following the eruption of a small volcano near the capital of Manila. The  main crater for the Taal Volcano in the Batangas province, about 55 miles south of Manila, was continuously erupting a stream of ash and pebbles up to 9 miles in the sky on Sunday afternoon, according to a bulletin by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. Volcanic tremors began around 11 a. m.  local time, followed by two volcanic earthquakes with magnitudes of 2. 5 and 3. 9, which were felt in the cities of Tagaytay City and Alitagtag, according to the institute. By Sunday evening, officials raised the alert level from 3 to 4, indicating that a "hazardous explosive eruption is possible within hours to days. " A Level 5 is the highest, meaning a hazardous eruption is underway and could affect a larger area, The Associated Press reported. The institute recommended a "total evacuation" of the Taal Volcano Island as well as additional evacuations in areas within an 8-mile radius of the volcano's main crater. Areas north of the volcano were also warned to expect heavy and prolonged ashfall and civil aviation authorities were instructed to avoid the airspace around the volcano. The eruption shut down Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport and forced thousands of people to flee the area.  The U. S.  Department of State warned Americans in the Philippines to "exercise caution" if traveling to the area. "Those planning travel to the Taal volcano region are encouraged to monitor current conditions, maintain active awareness of local conditions, and especially refrain from entering the Permanent Danger Zone and high-risk barangays," the State Department said. No injuries or damage have yet been reported. The Philippines is one of the most disaster-prone countries, with about 20 typhoons and other major storms hitting the islands each year, according to AP. ABC News' Alexandra Faul and Conor Finnegan contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Supreme Court refuses Prashant Bhushan's plea to defer the hearing on his sentence till his review petition against conviction for criminal contempt is filed and decided.

SC says the judgement is complete only after the sentence. https://t.co/cmFpI4Wm66

The Supreme Court will later on Thursday hear Prashant Bhushan before sentencing him days after the activist lawyer was held guilty of criminal contempt of court on August 14.  According to the Contempt of Courts Act, the offence carries a punishment of up to six months in prison or a fine up to Rs 2,000 or both. A three-judge bench of justice Arun Mishra is expected to commence the hearing after 11 am. Bhushan, on Wednesday, moved the Supreme Court seeking deferment of the proceedings till a review petition is filed and considered. The court on August 14 said Bhushan’s tweets dated June 27 and June 29, criticising Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde and raising questions about the conduct of former CJIs and the court, were based on distorted facts.  It added the tweets have the effect of destabilising the foundation of the Indian judiciary. “The Indian judiciary is not only one of pillars on which the Indian democracy stands but is the central pillar.  An attempt to shake the very foundation of constitutional democracy has to be dealt with an iron hand,” the three-judge bench said. In his defence to the court in an affidavit filed on August 2, Bhushan said: “I am entitled to form, hold, & express (opinion) under Article 19(1)(a)”. Also read: ‘Supreme Court remained a mute spectator when Delhi burnt’: Prashant Bhushan refuses to apologiseSome supported the court’s actions, pointing to Bhushan’s support for such actions in 2017 when the court took Calcutta high court judge justice CS Karnan to task for making allegations against Supreme Court judges.  Others said the court was being a tad touchy in seeing comments against judges as those against the court. In its judgment of August 14, the court said the allegations levelled in the tweets against the court and CJI are malicious in nature and have the tendency to scandalize the court and such conduct was not expected from Bhushan, who is a lawyer of 30 years standing at the Bar. The court observed that the Indian judiciary is considered by the citizens as the last resort when they fail to get justice elsewhere.  It added an attack on the Supreme Court will hamper not just the confidence that the public has in it but will also shake the confidence that judges of other courts in the country have in the Supreme Court. The court took cognizance of the tweets after a petition was filed by advocate Mehek Maheshwari. Bhushan’s first tweet, reproduced in the court order, said: “When historians in the future look back at the last six years to see how democracy has been destroyed in India even without a formal Emergency, they will particularly mark the role of the SC in this destruction, and more particularly the role of the last four CJIs. ”The second referred to the Bobde and was also cited in the order.  It said: “The CJI rides a Rs 50-lakh motorcycle belonging to a BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] leader at Raj Bhavan, Nagpur, without wearing a mask or helmet, at a time when he keeps the SC on lockdown mode denying citizens their fundamental right to access justice! ”Bhushan refused to apologise for his tweets, contending they are protected by the freedom of speech guaranteed under Article 19 of the Constitution.  He cited the speeches on dissent made by Supreme Court judges DY Chandrachud on February 15 and Deepak Gupta on February 24 to buttress his case. In defence of his perception that the Supreme Court aided in the destruction of democracy, Bhushan referred to the press conference held by four judges – justices Jasti Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan Lokur and Kurian Joseph -- of the Supreme Court in January 2018 against the manner in which cases in Supreme Court were being assigned to selected benches. Regarding the tweet of June 27, the apex court held that tweet is directed against the Supreme Court and gave an impression that the apex court and its four CJIs had a major role in the destruction of democracy in the last six years. “There is no doubt that the tweet tends to shake the public confidence in the institution of judiciary.  The tweet undermines the dignity and authority of the institution of the Supreme Court of India and the CJI,” the court said. Regarding the June 29 tweet, the court said that it was intended to give the impression that the CJI kept the Supreme Court shut denying fundamental rights to citizens even though the court was functioning through video conferencing. Another suo motu contempt petition is pending before the same bench against Bhushan for calling past chief justices corrupt in a 2009 interview to Tehelka magazine.


Ellen still wants Kevin Hart to host the Oscars https://t.co/o1UCKJVsfE https://t.co/BOwbDEe9z6

"I promise you I’m evaluating this conversation," Hart said. Hart rethinking Oscars decision after 'raw, honest' Ellen interviewActor and comedian Kevin Hart said he would re-evaluate his decision to step down as host of the 2019 Oscars after having a "raw/honest" interview with Ellen DeGeneres, who reached out to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on his behalf. Hart chose to step down in December after homophobic posts from nearly a decade ago resurfaced on social media, sparking calls for him to either apologize or resign. In an interview on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" set to air Friday, Hart said he doesn't have a "homophobic bone" in his body and claimed he had apologized for the comments in the past, according to preview clips posted by the show. He said he refused to apologize again because it would provide fodder for his critics. "It's tough for me because it was an attack, a malicious attack on my character, to end me," Hart said in in the interview.  "Leaving here, I promise you I'm evaluating this conversation.  Let me assess, just sit in the space and really think, and you and I will talk before anything else. "DeGeneres, who hosted the ceremony in the past, said Hart shouldn't let critics get in the way of his dream of hosting the awards. "They're gonna win if you don't host the Oscars," DeGeneres said, referring to "trolls" online.  "You can’t let them destroy you and they can't destroy you because you have too much talent. "That's why they [The Academy] haven’t found another host.  I think they were secretly hoping that you would come back,” she added. DeGeneres said she called the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Thursday to ask if Hart would be allowed to host this year's Oscars ceremony if he reversed his decision to step down. "They were like, 'Oh my God!  We want him to host . . .  whatever we can do, we would be thrilled, and he should host the Oscars," she said, recalling the Academy's reaction.  "The Academy is saying, 'What can we do to make this happen? '"In an Instagram post promoting his appearance on the show, Hart said the interview was "the most raw/honest" appearance he'd ever done. "I stopped by @theellenshow to do some promo for my new movie "The Upside" & ended up staying on for the entire hour.  Trust me when I tell you that you won't want to miss tomorrows episode," he wrote.  "This was by far the most raw/honest & authentic interview that I have ever done.  We talk about the Oscar controversy in depth.  Make sure you tune in! ! ! ! ! "24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


PM Modi reviews Covid-19 vaccine progress in Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Pune

https://t.co/FiSPZqliSN https://t.co/FdA3rw21xi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday visited Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Pune to review coronavirus vaccine development work there. The Prime Minister’s Office said the day-long visit was aimed at getting a first-hand perspective of the preparations, challenges and road map in India’s endeavour to vaccinate its citizens. Modi began by visiting pharma major Zydus Cadila’s manufacturing facility near Ahmedabad.  Wearing a PPE kit, he reviewed the vaccine development process at the company’s research centre, located over 20 km from Ahmedabad. Modi was extensively briefed about the vaccine work at the plant by the company officials.  He was briefed about the vaccine production procedure.  He interacted with scientists and vaccine developers, an official said. “Visited the Zydus Biotech Park in Ahmedabad to know more about the indigenous DNA based vaccine being developed by Zydus Cadila.  I compliment the team behind this effort for their work.  Government of India is actively working with them to support them in this journey,” Modi tweeted after the visit. Zydus Cadila chairman Pankaj Patel recently said the company is aiming to complete the vaccine trial by March 2021, and could produce up to 100 million doses a year. Modi, who landed at Ahmedabad at 9. 10 am, spent over an hour at the plant, before leaving for the airport, from where he left for Hyderabad at 11. 40 am. Modi landed at Hakimpet Air Force station near Hyderabad around 1 pm and proceeded to pharma major Bharat Biotech’s vaccine manufacturing facility at Genome valley, located around 20 km from the air station, by road. At the facility, he reviewed the progress of Covaxin, a vaccine candidate being developed by the company.  He also interacted with Bharat Biotech Chairman and Managing Director Krishna Ella, scientists and senior management. “At the Bharat Biotech facility in Hyderabad, was briefed about their indigenous COVID-19 vaccine.  Congratulated the scientists for their progress in the trials so far.  Their team is closely working with ICMR to facilitate speedy progress,” Modi tweeted after his hour-long visit there. After leaving the facility, Modi got down from his vehicle at the main gate and waved to media persons and the cheering crowd standing nearby. Covaxin, being developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research and National Institute of Virology, is undergoing phase-3 trials. At 3. 20 pm, Modi took off for Pune, where he landed at 4. 30 pm on the last leg of his three-city vaccine work review visit.  Modi then proceeded by helicopter to the campus of the Serum Institute of India (SII) at Manjari, located 17 km from the airport. At the Serum Institute of India, Modi reviewed the progress of the ‘Covishield’ vaccine being made there. Modi interacted with scientists at the Serum Institute and had a walkabout of the facility, taking stock of vaccine development work being carried out there. At the facility, Modi was received by Dr Cyrus Poonawalla, chairman of Poonwalla Group, and his son and SII CEO Adar Poonawalla.  They briefed Modi about the work being carried out at SII. Modi interacted with the Poonawallas, scientists and other executives, who briefed him on the vaccine’s progress. “Had a good interaction with the team at Serum Institute of India.  They shared details about their progress so far on how they plan to further ramp up vaccine manufacturing.  Also took a look at their manufacturing facility,” Modi tweeted after his SII visit. Serum Institute of India has partnered with global pharma giant AstraZeneca and Oxford University for the vaccine. Modi left from SII for Pune airport around 6 pm and took off for Delhi at 6. 25 pm, an official said.


Aajtak news channel shows lockdown is withdrawn at few places while India Today news channel shows it is extended till May 4.

Ever since the government announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, there has been speculation about it being extended further.  Some social media users have been sharing images of India Today and Aaj Tak news channels running claims that the prime minister has announced the extension of lockdown. The images being shared are manipulated. Neither has the prime minister made any such announcement nor have India Today or Aaj Tak broadcast any such news reports. The claimFacebook user 'Jo Moh' uploaded an image with the caption: "Ops this lockdown till the end of May 4. .  extend hogya re lockdown. " The photo uploaded with the post was an image of purported TV news channel broadcast.  The image had the logo of India Today.  In the image, there is a picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.  The picture is accompanied by this text: 'All India Lockdown increased till 4th May. ' A similar message is seen written near the bottom of the image.  The archived version of the post can be seen here. The TruthThe photo being shared is morphed.  The image seen in the post is from the day India Today broadcast Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address in which he announced the lockdown.  The text in the original image has been replaced with incorrect messages about the lockdown being extended.  The difference in fonts between the two images is easily discernible. Since PM Modi's address to the nation on March 24, he has not addressed the country again.  India Today news channel has at no point carried any news report claiming that the lockdown was being extended.  In fact, on the website there are articles about the government clarifying that there are no plans right now to extend the lockdown. Another similar photo has been going viral on WhatsApp.  This image is a collage of four photos and carries the Aaj Tak news channel's logo.  Out of the four photos, one image carries the claim that areas with no positive coronavirus cases will be brought out of the lockdown.  Another image claims that the lockdown will be lifted from April 5.  The third image claims that lockdown will be lifted in Rewari, Narnaul, Mahendragadh, Dadri, Bhiwani and Bahal areas of Haryana.  The last image displays a claim that shoot at sight orders have been issued in Gurgaon and Faridabad areas near national capital Delhi to crack down on lockdown violators. The images are accompanied by 'Breaking News' text in English.  The 'Breaking News' format seen in the images is not being used by Aaj Tak currently.  The format was changed some time ago.  The images in the viral WhatsApp forward are prepared using a software. ConclusionThe lockdown is neither being withdrawn right now nor are there any reports of it being extended.  The viral photographs carrying Aaj Tak and India Today logos and carrying such claims are fake. The number of crows determines the intensity of the lie.


Sources: Interim budget to be presented on February 1 during the budget session of the parliament. The budget session of the Parliament to be held from 31st January to 13th February. The decision was taken in the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs (CCPA) https://t.co/yVhacU9TCs

The Budget session of the Parliament will be held from January 31 to February 13.  Finance minister Arun Jaitley will present the interim Budget on February 1, news agency ANI reported. With this being the last Budget before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the government may announce sops to reach out to the electorate.  The decision on the Budget session was taken in the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs (CCPA). The Narendra Modi government had scrapped the colonial-era tradition of presenting the budget at the end of February.


CLAIM Amid the coronavirus outbreak, a tweet about actor Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter fame being the first ‘famous person’ diagnosed with novel coronavirus is doing the round on social media.  It was posted by a Twitter account named ‘BBC Breaking News’ with the handle name @BBCNewsTonight.  The tweet read, “BREAKING: Daniel Radcliffe tests positive for coronavirus.  The actor is said to be the first famous person to be publicly confirmed. ” TRUE OR FALSE?  The claim is false.  Firstly, the Twitter handle responsible for the viral post is not the official account of BBC News.  Secondly, Daniel Radcliffe’s publicist confirmed to Buzzfeed that the news was “not true. ” The fake BBC account has now been suspended by Twitter for violating the rules.  WHAT WE FOUND OUT Under their live reporting section, BBC called the account in question as “fake. ” On being questioned whether the actor had been tested coronavirus positive, Radcliffe’s publicist said, “Not true,” Buzzfeed News reported.  Further, the account in question didn’t possess a blue tick, which is a sign of a verified account.  On the contrary, the official account of BBC Breaking News does have a blue tick and the handle’s name is @BBCBreaking.  Moreover, according to the Buzzfeed article, the fake account had only 125 followers while the official handle of BBC News is followed by over 40 million people.  Evidently, a fake account of BBC Breaking News tried to spread misinformation that actor Daniel Radcliffe was tested coronavirus positive.  The fake account has now been suspended by Twitter for violating the rules.  You can read all our fact-check stories on coronavirus here.


8.84% and 7.72% voter turnout recorded till 9 am, in the first phase of polling in Assam and West Bengal Assembly elections, respectively: Election Commission of India

(Visuals from a polling centre in Patashpur, East Midnapore District, West Bengal) https://t.co/mi51MHElor

India’s Covid-19 tally has surpassed 11. 9 million with 62,258 fresh cases recorded on Saturday.  The toll from the coronavirus disease is also on the rise with 291 fatalities reported in a single day.  As the cases continue to witness a huge daily spike, with most cases coming from Maharashtra, the government has allowed all citizens above 45 years of age to take the vaccine from April 1 onwards. On Friday, as Maharashtra logged 36,902 new cases, highest single-day increase ever, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray announced a night curfew in the state from Sunday onwards in order to break chain of transmission. As more states witness resurgence of infections, the Centre has rushed two high-level multidisciplinary teams to Chhattisgarh and Chandigarh, areas that have both seen recent surge, to assist the local governments in managing the outbreak. The government has also told all states and Union territories (UTs) to regulate the crowd and ensure strict enforcement of protocols ahead of various festivals. Follow latest updates on Covid-19 hereFollow all the updates here:Yusuf Pathan tests positive for Covid-19Former Indian cricketer Yusuf Pathan has tested positive for Covid-19, the cricketer tweeted the news on Saturday.  Read MoreSlight dip in Maharashtra's daily Covid-19 tally with 35,726 cases; death toll highest in 5 monthsMaharashtra on Saturday recorded 35,726 new Covid-19 cases, taking the state-wide tally of infections to 2,673,461.  166 fatalities were also recorded in the same time frame, the death toll now stands at 54,073.  The city of Mumbai recorded its highest ever spike, recording 6,130 new cases, the total number of infections in the capital city now stands at 391,791. PM Modi hands over 1. 2 million doses of India manufactured Covid-19 vaccines to Sheikh HasinaShowing sincerity in keeping promises & proving earnestness in implementing neighbourhood-first policies, 1. 2 million doses of #MadeInIndia COVID vaccines were handed over by PM @narendramodi to his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina under the #VaccineMaitri initiative.  pic. twitter. com/noDEIWtMWRTamil Nadu records 1,971 new Covid-19 cases, and 9 deaths. Tamil Nadu reports 1,971 new #COVID19 cases, 1,131 discharges and 9 deaths.  Total cases: 8,75,190Total dishcarges: 8,51,222Death toll: 12,650Active cases: 11,318 pic. twitter. com/p4ymVYI91wTamil Nadu on Saturday recorded 1971 new cases of Covid-19, taking the state's total tally of cases to 8,75,190.  9 deaths were also recorded in the last 24 hours, the death toll now stands at 12,650. Kerala records 2,055 new Covid-19 cases, 14 fatalitiesKerala recorded 2,055 new cases of Covid-19 on Saturday, taking the state-wide tally of infections to 11,15,777.  14 fatalities were also reported in the last 24 hours, the death toll now stands at 4,567, reported news agency PTI. Delhi reports 1558 new Covid-19 cases, 10 deathsDelhi reports 1558 new #COVID19 cases, 974 recoveries and 10 deaths. Total cases: 6,55,834Total recoveries: 6,38,212Total deaths: 10,997Active cases: 6,625 pic. twitter. com/qeHcuqgnfbDelhi recorded 1558 new cases of Covid-19 on Saturday, pushing the toll to 6,55,834.  974 recoveries were also reported in the last 24 hours, along with 10 fatalities. Night curfew in Mumbai may start from 10pm on March 28, says MayorNight curfew in Mumbai city may start from 10pm on March 28.  During curfew hours only essential services to be allowed, Mayor Kishori Pednekar told news agency ANI.  Andhra Pradesh records 947 new cases of Covid-19Andhra Pradesh reports 947 new #COVID19 cases, taking the total number of cases to 8,97,810.  pic. twitter. com/1jswJaMRXvPhilippines imposes coronavirus lockdown in and around ManilaPhilippines on Saturday imposed a coronavirus lockdown in and around capital city of Manila, reported AFP. Scientists say vaccines may need to be updated as Covid-19 evolvesVirologists from from Charite -- Universitatsmedizin Berlin, Germany, published a study assessing the course of evolution of the SARS-CoV2 virus.  The study showed that vaccines will need to be updated as newer virus variants emerge, reported PTI. Delhi Police cautions against public gatherings on Holi due to rising cases of Covid-19Delhi Police on Saturday cautioned citizens against public gatherings on Holi in the wake of rising cases in the country, asking them to celebrate it at home instead, reported PTI.  They also warned of strict action against those who flouts rules on public gatherings. Telangana reports 495 new Covid-19 casesTelangana recorded 495 fresh coronavirus cases, taking the gross to 3. 05 lakh, while the toll rose to 1,685 with two more fatalities, reported PTI. Russia reports more than 8,800 new cases of Covid-19Russia on Saturday reported 8,885 new coronavirus cases occurring in the past 24 hours, including 1,551 new cases in Moscow, and 387 deaths nationwide, reported Reuters. Odisha reports 210 new Covid-19 casesOdisha reported 210 new Covid-19 cases, 73 recoveries and 1 death on March 26. Delhi health minister says ‘don't think lockdown is a solution’ as Covid-19 cases surgeAs of now, no possibility of lockdown.  First it was said that it's 14-day cycle b/w infection & recovery.  Experts said if all activities close for 21 days, it won't spread.  Lockdown was extended but it didn't stop completely.  So I don't think lockdown is solution, said health minister Satyendar Jain, reported ANI. Andaman and Nicobar Islands report one new case case of Covid-19The Covid-19 tally of Andaman and Nicobar Islands rose to 5,043 on Saturday as one more person tested positive for the infection, a health official said, reported PTI. Delhi health minister says Covid-19 testing increased amid surgeThere were fewer cases earlier but it has increased now.  So we have increased the number of testings and conducting 85,000-90,000 tests every day, which is more than 5% of the national average.  We are also doing contact tracing and isolation, said Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain, reported ANI. Bhutan begins Covid-19 vaccination driveBhutanese travelled to schools and public buildings for vaccination on Saturday as the Himalayan kingdom launched its biggest inoculation drive against Covid-19 with the AstraZeneca shots provided by India. Sachin Tendulkar tests positive for Covid-19Former Indian cricketer and legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar has tested positive for Covid-19. Supplied more vaccines globally than having vaccinated own people: India to UNIndia has supplied more Covid-19 vaccines globally than vaccinated its own people, the country has told the UN General Assembly and cautioned that vaccine inequity will defeat the collective global resolve to contain the coronavirus, according to news agency PTI.  India’s Covid-19 tally soars to 11. 9 millionIndia recorded a jump of 62,258 fresh cases in the last 24 hours taking the total infection tally past 11. 9 million.  As many as 291 people died during the same period due to the viral disease.  The toll from the disease has gone up to 161,240. France reports 41,869 new coronavirus casesWith 41,869 cases, France has reported over 40,000 Covid-19 cases for days in a row while the toll from the disease has gone up to 897, health authorities were quoted as saying by news agency ANI. Ensure strict enforcement of protocols: Centre to statesIn a letter to chief secretaries of all states and UTs, Union home secretary Ajay Bhalla called for necessary measures to prevent the spread of the virus and directed states and UTs to issue instructions to district administrations and police authorities to “scrupulously enforce Covid appropriate behaviour and SOPs in all public gatherings during the upcoming festivals. ”Get our daily newsletter Get free access to newsletters, alerts and recommendations


West Bengal: Police have arrested a bike-borne man for breaching Tripura CM's security convoy. The bike-borne man had hit the CM's car on Diamond Harbour route between Shursha-Amtala today. No injuries have been reported. https://t.co/XF9ukIIeuS

A TikTok video showing a man performing dangerous stunts on a Delhi Police car went viral on social media on Wednesday. In the video, a shirtless man could be seen stepping out of the moving vehicle and doing push-ups atop the car in what seemed to be a deserted spot.  The car had a beacon light mounted on the top and had Delhi Police inscribed on the bonnet. A Twitter user, Saurabh Trivedi, also shared it on June 26.  “Official vehicle is used to perform stunt and make #tiktokindia video,” he wrote and tagged Delhi Police’s official Twitter handle.  Save driving, anyone?  @dtptraffic .  @DelhiPolice Official vehicle is used to perform stunt and make #tiktokindia video.  pic. twitter. com/H9ZCp6RTJSSoon, Delhi police replied to post stating that the vehicle belonged to a private contractor which was hired by the police for certain duties.  The department also tweeted this:Thanks, This complaint has already been forwarded to senior officers for taking necessary action in this regard. “The person in the video clip is not a policeman, but a friend of the private driver of the hired vehicle.  The private contractor has been issued a show cause notice for the violation and necessary legal action will be taken against him,” said a senior police officer.  The police later also said that the clip appeared to be of an older date.


Twitter says it has suspended more than 200,000 accounts that it believes were linked to the Chinese government and a disinformation campaign targeting the protests in Hong Kong. https://t.co/Uuii32QgiY

Editor’s Note: Frida Ghitis, a former CNN producer and correspondent, is a world affairs columnist.  She is a frequent opinion contributor to CNN, a contributing columnist to the Washington Post and a columnist for World Politics Review.  Follow her on Twitter @fridaghitis.  The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author.  Read more opinion on CNN.

The images made you catch your breath.  Under torrential rains and a canopy of umbrellas, thousands upon thousands of pro-democracy protesters defiantly – but peacefully – marched along the streets of Hong Kong on Sunday.  China’s regime has been trying to intimidate the protesters with credible, ominous threats that they could use brute force to put down the protests.  Still, pro-democracy marchers turned out in astonishing numbers for the 11th week in a row.

  To the rest of the world, and to many in America, the bravery of the people of Hong Kong comes with a message: Is this what you should be doing?

  Organizers claimed 1. 7 million marched.  Authorities gave a much lower estimate for the initial gathering, but didn’t update their figures.  In a city of about 7 million, the organizers’ estimate would amount to a huge segment of the population.  Americans and their friends took notice.

  Hearing that estimate on Sunday, I tweeted, “More than 20% of the population demonstrating in Hong Kong.  Astonishing. ” (I should have qualified in my tweet that it was the organizers’ figure. ) I was struck by the response.  Thousands retweeted it, but what caught my attention was how many people suggested Americans should do the same.  One after the other the comments came.  “Hey, America! ! !  Ever thought of doing this? ? ? ”; “We need to take a page from Hong Kong’s book”; “Our turn! ! ”; “Can we do this please? ”; “Imagine 80 million outside the WH“; “I wish Americans would take to the streets.  What will it take?  Shocking how much they are tolerating. ” And on and on it went.

China releases police training video amid HK protests

  Hong Kong, of course, is not the only place where pro-democracy demonstrators have taken to the streets, recently, challenging regimes with a history of violence, despite what look like dismal odds of success.  In Russia, the riot police have been beating and imprisoning protesters who have peacefully demonstrated to call for free and fair elections.

  Perhaps nowhere was the courage of everyday citizens more breathtaking and the odds more daunting than in Sudan.  There, demonstrators challenged a regime so brutal that its leader, Omar al-Bashir, was charged by the International Criminal Court with genocide and war crimes in 2008.  Security forces killed scores during nine months of pro-democracy protests.  (A CNN investigation discovered that Bashir’s brutal crackdown against peaceful protesters was designed by a Russian firm with ties to the Kremlin. )

  Incredibly, protesters managed to topple Bashir.  A new transitional government is now in place in Sudan, and Bashir went on trial on Monday.  There’s reason for some skepticism about whether democracy will follow, but there’s no question that without the protests, the dictator Bashir would still rule in Khartoum.

Hong Kong protests have reached a point of no return

  In Hong Kong, protests started as a pushback against a proposed law that would have allowed authorities to extradite people to China for trial.  The bill has been withdrawn, but demonstrators have expanded their demands against China’s steady erosion of their freedoms.  They want more democracy.  They are worried about what their future holds under Chinese rule.  We still don’t know how this will end.  After all, the regime responsible for the Tiananmen massacre is massing troops near the border.

  Hong Kong, Russia and Sudan are only three places where calls for democracy have roiled the status quo, challenging powerful autocrats.  But does that mean Americans, concerned about the authoritarian tendencies of a President who behaves dismissively toward democratic institutions, should emulate those tactics?

  To be sure, Trump’s attacks on the media, his dismissiveness of Russia’s interference in US elections, his jokes about staying in power indefinitely, his politicization of the judiciary, his relentless lying, all constitute a threat to democracy.

How Sudan targeted the women driving protests

  But there are enormous differences between what is happening in the United States and in Hong Kong, Russia and elsewhere.

  One of the crucial differences is that the United States is still a functioning democracy with a viable path, through existing institutions, to bring about change.  If Trump loses reelection, we expect that he will leave office under a system that guarantees that transfer of power.

  Mass protests have an important role to play in functioning democracies.  That’s why it was so significant that on the day after Trump took office, people across the United States staged one of the biggest demonstrations in the country’s history, the Women’s March.  Protests on that scale, or the scale of those in Hong Kong, help no matter what country they’re in to galvanize activists and spread their message, energize the population and send a powerful message that the public is paying attention.  It is a warning to the government, and a reminder to the population of its own power.  The strength is there, coiled, ready to be released with great force if needed.

  In Hong Kong, as in Russia and Sudan, the people felt they had no recourse.  That’s what happens when democratic freedoms vanish.

  For now, concerned Americans can channel their energy into helping turn out the vote, supporting candidates, working for change.  Massive marches can help, but real change is still possible through democratic means.  If that changes, if Russian interference or voter suppression undercut the legitimacy of the vote, people will think back to Hong Kong’s oceans of persistent protesters.
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