#KeralaFloods | Army personnel continue rescue operations in flood-hit Wayanad

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

(📸: ANI) https://t.co/0evRpN7TTu

The current flood situation in different parts of the country and the preparedness of central ministries and agencies to deal with it was reviewed at a high-level meeting chaired by Union minister of state for home Nityanand Rai. Floods and landslides caused by incessant rains have claimed 87 lives in India in the past few days.  The places affected are Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.  Kerala and Maharashtra were the worst-hit. In the past week, rail and air services were hit and authorities scrambled to rescue people from low-lying and submerged areas.  At least 411,537 persons have been displaced in these regions after needing rescue and relief, officials said. Also read: Flood-hit Kerala braces for more trouble, death toll rises to 42The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warning of heavy to very heavy rains in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Kerala over the next two days. Also read: Rain and flood leave trail of destruction across four states, dozens deadNDRF personnel to carry out rescue operations in Hasur village, KolhapurNational Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel carry out rescue and relief operations in Hasur village of Kolhapur. ‘There should be no need of pictures of any political party or person on flood relief material’ FadnavisMaharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on reports that stickers of CM and other leaders were put on flood relief material says that nobody should do it and it is the work of government.  There should be no need of pictures of any political party or person. IMD issued Red Alert for 8 districts and Orange Alert for 6 districts in KeralaIndia Meteorological Dept (IMD) issued Red Alert for 8 districts and Orange Alert for 6 districts in Kerala for today.  Red Alert has been issued for 3 districts and Orange Alert for 6 districts of the state for tomorrow (August 11). Areas in Kolhapur district, Maharashtra submerged in floodAreas in Hasur and Nrusinhwadi, in Kolhapur district, Maharashtra inundated due to flood water.  #Maharashtra: Areas in Hasur and Nrusinhwadi, in Kolhapur district inundated due to flood water.  pic. twitter. com/yenpptQQYIRescue operations by teams from Goa Naval Area underwaRescue operations by teams from Goa Naval Area underway in Kolhapur (Maharashtra) & Uttar Kannada (Karnataka) district.  Rescue operations by teams from Goa Naval Area underway in Kolhapur (Maharashtra) & Uttar Kannada (Karnataka) district.  Today's rescue effort involved evacuation of 1016 persons by Navy teams in various parts of Maharashtra, Goa&Karnataka which included 602 women & 193 children pic. twitter. com/s6A2yimRZ1‘As flood water recedes, will focus on providing drinking water and restoring power’ Fadnavis‘As flood water recedes, we will focus on providing drinking water and restoring power,’ Maharashtra CM, Devendra Fadnavis. Flight operations in Cochin international airport to resume on SundayFlight operations in Cochin international airport will resume on Sunday afternoon.  In central kerala rains subsided a bit. ‘100 doctors being sent to Kolhapur and Sangli.  No lack of medicines’: Fadnavis‘A team of 100 doctors is being sent to Kolhapur and Sangli.  There is no lack of medicines,’ Maharashtra CM, Devendra Fadnavis. ‘Indian Navy teams from Vishakhapatanam arriving today, 95 boats operating in Sangli’: Fadnavis‘Indian Navy teams from Vishakhapatanam are arriving today as Shirol area in Kolhapur is severely affected; 95 boats are operating in Sangli,’ Maharashtra CM, Devendra Fadnavis. Flooding in the area near Vishwamitri River, Gujrat as water level risesFlooding in the area near Vishwamitri River, Gujrat, as water level in the river has increased due to heavy rainfall. Heavy rainfall continues to lash Rajkot, Gujrat. Heavy rainfall continues to lash Rajkot, Gujrat. 10 trains operating on Hassan-Mangaluru section of Mysuru division cancelled10 trains operating on Hassan-Mangaluru section of Mysuru division cancelled, due to landslides in the area. Water from overflowing Tunga river enters residential areasWater from overflowing Tunga river enters residential areas in Vidya Nagar in Shivamogga district, Karnataka.  Fire Department engaged in the evacuation of people from the area.  Karnataka: Water from overflowing Tunga river enters residential areas in Vidya Nagar in Shivamogga district.  Fire Department engaged in the evacuation of people from the area.  pic. twitter. com/JOWM8fO3WUIncessant rainfall in Wayanad causes landslide at Puthumala village in KeralaIncessant rainfall in Wayanad causes landslide at Puthumala village in Meppadi Panchayat; National Disaster Response Force, Fire and Rescue Department and Forest Department officials engaged in search and rescue operation.  #Kerala: Incessant rainfall in Wayanad causes landslide at Puthumala village in Meppadi Panchayat; National Disaster Response Force, Fire and Rescue Department and Forest Department officials engaged in search and rescue operation.  pic. twitter. com/oouHhnwGaUNDRF provides relief material to flood-affected people in Maharashtra’s SangliNational Disaster Response Force (NDRF) provides relief material to flood-affected people in Sangli, Maharashtra.  #WATCH: National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) provides relief material to flood-affected people in Sangli.  #maharashtrafloods pic. twitter. com/45CCi5O8XYPregnant woman was rescued over Bhawani river in KeralaA 8. 5 month old pregnant woman was rescued over Bhawani river by rescue personnel in a daredevil operation.  She will be shifted to hospital.  Baby rescued by rescue personnel crossing the swollen river on ropesOne and a half year old baby rescued in a gargantuan task by rescue personnel crossing the swollen river on ropes in attapady in Palakkad, Kerala. 24 lives are lost in Karnataka floods and 9 are missing24 lives are lost in Karnataka floods and 9 are missing.  17 districts and 80 Taluks of the 179 are affected.  2. 43 lakh people have been evacuated and 1. 61 lakh people have been moved to 664 Relief Camps.  ‘We have sought the help of Air Force, Army, Navy, and NDRF’: CM Yediyurappa‘We have sought the help of Air Force, Army, Navy, and NDRF.  In addition to my visits we have formed five teams of MLAs and MPs to tour the areas.  We have already released Rs 100 crore.  I appeal to corporate houses and philanthropists to pledge support.  I am also hopeful that centre will release funds generously,’ says CM Yediyurappa. ‘Initial estimates suggest loss will be above Rs 6,000 crore’: Yediyurappa‘Initial estimates suggest loss will be above Rs 6,000 crore.  16 of the 30 districts are suffering from heavy rains.  1,024 villages are facing floods.  This is the first time such a situation has occurred in the past 44 years,’ says Yediyurappa. ‘Government employees to give one day’s salary to the CM relief fund’: Yediyurappa‘Government employees have pledged to give one day’s salary to the CM relief fund and that will come up to Rs 150 crore, they have also pledged to give Rs 50 crore.  Sudha Murthy of Infosys Foundation has pledged to give Rs 10 crore,’ says Yediyurappa. ‘No matter how much it costs we will rebuild your houses and lives’: Yediyurappa‘I appeal to the affected persons to face this with strength, there is no need to lose hope because the state government will be with you.  No matter how much it costs we will rebuild your houses and lives,’ says YediyurappaNirmala Sitharaman visited flood-affected areas in Belgaum, KarnatakaUnion Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Nirmala Sitharaman visited flood-affected areas in Belgaum, today.  Karnataka: Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Nirmala Sitharaman visited flood-affected areas in Belgaum, today.  pic. twitter. com/qUq7pFMQ0V‘We released Rs 100 crore yesterday, will provide additional rescue personnel and funds’: Yediyurappa‘We released Rs 100 crore yesterday.  We will provide additional rescue personnel and funds if needed.  All the MLAs and MPs are helping in the relief efforts,’ says Karnataka CM Yediyurappa. ‘Huge inflow into all the dams in the state of Karnataka’: Yediyurappa‘There has been huge inflow into all the dams in the state of Karnataka,’ says Karnataka CM B.  S.  Yediyurappa B.  S.  Yediyurappa address a press conferenceKarnataka CM B.  S.  Yediyurappa address a press conference. ‘I am in constant touch with the centre.  Army, navy, air force helping the flood hit state’: CM Pinarayi Vijayan‘I am in constant touch with the centre.  Army, navy and air force helping the flood hit state,’ said CM Pinarayi Vijayan. Several areas around the Netravathi river in Mangaluru floodedSeveral areas around the Netravathi river in Mangaluru flooded due to increase in water level in the river. Rahul Gandhi to visit his Lok Sabha constituency Wayanad in Kerala, tomorrowRahul Gandhi to visit his Lok Sabha constituency Wayanad in Kerala, tomorrow. ‘Obey instructions of rescue officials’: CM VijayanCM Pinarayi Vijayan reiterates people to obey instructions of rescue officials. ‘Air force to drop food packets to stranded places in Wayanad and other areas’: CM VijayanAir force to drop food packets to stranded places in Wayanad and other areas in Kerala, said CM Pinarayi Vijayan. ‘Red alert in 8 districts.  Shutters of Banasurasagar to be opened in the afternoon’: CM Pinarayi VijayanRed alert in 8 districts.  Shutters of Banasurasagar in Wayanad will be opened in the afternoon, CM Pinarayi Vijayan said. ‘42 deaths have been reported till 10am,’ CM Pinarayi Vijayan42 deaths have been reported till 10am.  One lakh eight thousand people are in relief camps.  11 deaths in Wayanad just today, said the chief ministerKerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan paid rich tributes to SEB engineer who lost his lifeKerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan paid rich tributes to SEB engineer who lost his life while restoring power in kozhikkode. ‘At Wayanad, rescue operations affected due to bad weather’: CM Vijayan‘All are working hard to minimize damage.  Destruction is beyond our calculations.  In some places at Wayanad, rescue operations affected due to bad weather,’ says CM Pinarayi Vijayan. ‘80 landslides in all in last three days.  The state is undergoing a severe calamity’: CM Pinarayi Vijayan80 landslides in all in last three days.  The state is undergoing a severe calamity.  Situation is grave indeed,’ Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan addressing press meet. Army personnel have rescued a new born baby, from flood hit Wayanad. Army personnel have rescued a new born baby, from flood hit Wayanad, Kerala. NDRF continues rescue operations in Sangli, Maharashtra. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) continues rescue operations in Sangli, Maharashtra.  Rescue teams reach Malappuram, 30 people feared missingRescue teams reach Kavalappara in Malappuram where more than 30 people are feared missing after a landslide hit the area on August 8.  Rescue operations being hampered due to bad weather. Flooding in Kottayam after incessant rainfallFlooding in Kottayam after incessant rainfall in the region.  42 people have died in Kerala so far this monsoon, due to floods. Two gates of Bhopal’s Bhadbhada Dam have been opened due to heavy rainTwo gates of Bhadbhada Dam in Bhopal have been opened following heavy rain in the area. ‘Floods causing severe disruption to daily lives’: Nirmala Sitharaman‘On my way to North Karnataka.  Floods are causing severe disruption to our daily lives,’ says Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. ‘14 Navy teams in Kolhapur have proceeded for rescue operations’: Defence PRO‘All 14 Navy teams in Kolhapur have proceeded for rescue operations at Shiroli village (Shirol block) near Kolhapur from 6 am today,’ says Defence PRO. Quick Reaction Team carried out rescue operations in Karnataka’s Holealur villageState Civil Defence QRT(Quick Reaction Team) carried out rescue operations in flood hit Holealur village in Gadag district yesterdayCloud-seeding test-flight to induce rain was flown near Aurangabad,yesterdayA cloud-seeding test-flight to induce rain was flown near Aurangabad,yesterday.  Cloud Seeding Mission Director says “There were less favorable clouds.  Test-flight was flown 40km west of Aurangabad. We’re yet to receive data to ascertain the level of induced rain”6000 people rescued, more than 15000 evacuated from flood-affected areas: the Indian Army‘Around 6000 persons have been rescued and more than 15000 have been evacuated from flood-affected areas in Maharashtra,Karnataka,Northern Kerala,& Tamil Nadu.  123 rescue teams have been deployed in 16 districts across the 4 affected states for relief & rescue operations,’ says the Indian Army. Public requested to move to the nearest relief camps due to rising water level of Tunga river‘In view of rising water level of Tunga river, the public is requested to move over from their houses to nearest relief camps’:Charulata Somal, Shimoga City Corporation Commissioner


Delhi: 1 more death at Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital, taking the total deaths to 28 in the city, including 2 deaths at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) hospital. #DelhiViolence https://t.co/gKrt6XnJUX

The number of deaths in Delhi violence rose to 34 on Thursday after one of the injured at Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital succumbed to injuries, reported news agency ANI.  Two people had earlier died at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital. There is relative calm in Jafrabad, Maujpur, Chand Bagh and other areas of Northeast Delhi, where violence broke out on Monday and continued till Tuesday evening.  Delhi Police and security forces are conducting flag marches in the area to monitor the situation. All the security personnel are equipped with riot gears and batons during the march.  The area is under prohibitory orders till March 24. Watch | Delhi violence: Death toll rises to 34; police conducts flag march in NE areas This comes after newly appointed Delhi Police Special Commissioner (Law and Order) SN Shrivastava late on Wednesday took stock of the situation in violence-affected areas in North-East district. Delhi Police have registered 18 FIRs and 106 people have been arrested in connection with the violence in North-East Delhi, reported ANI. This week’s battles have seen mobs armed with swords, guns and acid raze parts of Northeast Delhi.  The clashes, which also left more than 250 injured, were triggered by protests over Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA. They exploded into brutal violence on Monday and Tuesday, with residents forced to flee their homes after seeing dwellings destroyed and a tyre market set ablaze. “I appeal to my sisters and brothers of Delhi to maintain peace and brotherhood at all times.  It is important. . .  calm and normalcy is restored at the earliest,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted on Wednesday. Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, meanwhile, called for the army to be deployed in the city.  The US embassy issued a travel warning advising citizens to exercise caution. The latest flare-up in violence occurred as US President Donald Trump held talks with PM Modi in Delhi on Tuesday.  The visit was not visibly interrupted.


Madhya Pradesh: A person who was sent to Gwalior Central Jail on charges of theft had tested positive for #COVID19. He managed to escape from hospital by dodging guards. Manoj Sahu, Superintendent said,"Two police guards who were on duty have been suspended for negligence." (7.7) https://t.co/SuiHHeA7OR

Vikas Dubey, the Uttar Pradesh gangster accused of killing eight policemen last week, was on Friday hit by four bullets in the retaliatory firing by members of the Special Task Force (STF) who tried stop him from escaping near Kanpur city, news agency ANI reported. The 48-year-old gangster was shot at by the police team when he tried to escape after the vehicle he was travelling in met with an accident amid heavy rain in the region.  The STF team was bringing him back to Kanpur from Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain city. He was arrested outside the Mahakal Temple in Ujjain on Thursday and was being brought to Kanpur. ALSO WATCH | Uttar Pradesh gangster Vikas Dubey shot dead in encounter “Vikas Dubey had three bullet injuries on the chest and one on his arm,” Dr RB Kamal, the principal of Kanpur’s LLR Hospital, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. Dr Kamal said the condition of the three injured police personnel is stable and that bullets brushed by two of them. Also read | Gangster Vikas Dubey killed: The sequence of events in past weekAccording to a police statement, there was an encounter as Vikas Dubey tried to escape when the sports utility vehicle (SUV) overturned early in the morning. Vikas Dubey, it said, snatched a pistol from one of the policemen after the accident and tried to run away.  He reached a nearby field, was surrounded and asked to surrender.  When he refused to surrender and fired at the team, police personnel shot at the gangster in self-defence, the statement in Hindi said. Prashant Kumar, UP additional director general of police (law and order) said three sub-inspector, a constable and two STF commandos were injured during the incident.  Kumar said three people have been arrested, six accused killed, seven people sent to jail under section 120B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 12 wanted criminals still absconding. Dubey’s death in a police encounter triggered sharp attacks from opposition parties who alleged that the gangster had been killed to shield the people who had protected him.  Several opposition leaders, who had demanded a thorough probe to unravel the gangster’s political nexus, claimed that the encounter was engineered to bury the facts. Dubey was on the run since July 3 after he and his men ambushed and killed the eight policemen out to arrest him in his Bikru village.


What's at stake protests continue in Hong Kong over extradition bill: https://t.co/8J3cvlVawG

By James Griffiths, Helen Regan, Ben Westcott, Steve George and Julia Hollingsworth, CNNAt least two people are in serious condition in Hong Kong hospitals after a long day and night of violence between police and protesters.  An estimated 5,000 riot police fired tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets and bean bags at tens of thousands of protesters as they forcibly cleared streets around the city's Legislative Council in Admiralty.  Confrontations went late into the night as crowds of mostly young, college-aged protesters were pushed back from the Legislative Council complex towards the city's Central district. At least 79 people were injured in the violence, with two remaining in serious condition, according to a spokesman for Hong Kong's information bureau.  There was an extremely heavy police presence around the Legislative Council building and the city's Admiralty area Thursday morning.  It remained unclear whether lawmakers would attempt to restart a second reading of a hugely controversial extradition bill with China that sparked the protests, amid rumors the debate may be suspended.  Central government offices next door to the legislature were closed Thursday and Friday, according to a statement. READ OUR CONTINUING COVERAGE OF THE HONG KONG PROTESTS HEREPolice fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters in Hong Kong on Wednesday, hours after tens of thousands of mostly young people surrounded the city's government headquarters and postponed the debate over a controversial bill that would allow fugitives to be extradited to China. We're wrapping up our live coverage for the day, but keep reading CNN for more on the protests. Here's what happened Wednesday in Hong Kong:From CNN's Maegan VazquezPresident Donald Trump said Wednesday that he hopes things work out between the Chinese central government and Hong Kong demonstrators protesting changes to an extradition bill. “I looked today and that really is a million people.  A lot of times people talk about, they had 2,000 people but it was really 1,000 or it was 200.  I see it all the time … but when you look at this demonstration, they said it was a million people.  That was a million people,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. Asked if protesters are sending a message to China with these demonstrations, Trump said, “I don’t know what they’re sending them.  That’s a demonstration that they’re having.  I understand the reason for the demonstration, but I’m sure they’ll be able to work it out.  I hope they’ll be able to work it out with China. "At least 72 people have been injured in Hong Kong protests over the bill. The proposed law would allow Hong Kong to extradite fugitives to territories where it doesn't have formal extradition deals, including mainland China, Taiwan and Macau. Opponents of the bill say it could mean democracy activists, journalists and foreign business owners could be surrendered to mainland China. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam is standing firm in her support for the proposed extradition bill despite mounting pressure and death threats. A little about Lam: Lam was chosen as the fourth Hong Kong chief executive in 2017 by a tiny election committee, becoming the city's first female leader.   Following the election, however, protestors argued the decision saying it was a "selection rather than an election. "Why she supports the bill: Now, amid more turmoil, Lam admits that the new bill is controversial, but said safeguards have been added to the bill to protect human rights.   These comments have done nothing to quell opposition.   Lam said the bill is needed to plug legal loopholes and prevent Hong Kong from becoming a haven for fugitives.  Critics of the bill fear it will allow China to extradite to the mainland to face trial.   The bill is expected to get a final vote as early as next Thursday. Lam addressed citizens in a pre-recorded address Wednesday, where she "condemned" the actions of protesters and defended the actions of the police.  Lam and the Hong Kong government had not acknowledged the divided opinion of amendments to the extradition bill until today.  But, Lam did say she understood "the bill has aroused strong opinions from both sides. " From CNN’s Ben WestcottAt least 72 people have been treated at hospitals for injuries sustained in the Hong Kong protests, a spokesperson for the Hong Kong Information Bureau tells CNN. The ages of the injured range from 15 to 66 years old. Of the 72 injured, 50 are male and 22 are female.  Injury breakdown: There have not been any deaths, the spokesperson said.  It is unknown if any of the injured are police. Amnesty International said police's use of forces against protesters in Hong Kong is "a violation of international law," adding that officers have "taken advantage of the violent acts of a small minority as a pretext to use excessive force against the vast majority. "Earlier today, police used tear gas and rubber bullets to push back against protesters rallying against a controversial extradition bill.  “The ugly scenes of police using tear gas and pepper spray against overwhelmingly peaceful protesters is a violation of international law.  Police have a duty to maintain public order, but in doing so they may use force only when strictly necessary.  Hong Kong’s police have today failed to live up to this standard," Man-Kei Tam, Director of Amnesty International Hong Kong, said in a statement. The statement continued: The massive protests in Hong Kong have centered on a controversial extradition bill.  The proposed law would allow Hong Kong to extradite fugitives to territories where it doesn't have formal extradition deals — including mainland China.  Critics believe the bill would will leave anyone on Hong Kong soil vulnerable to being grabbed by Chinese authorities.  But supporters said it will prevent the city from becoming a haven for mainland fugitives. Here's a look at the parties on both sides:Who's against the billAnd who's for itProtesters in Hong Kong have spent days demonstrating against a proposed extradition law.  Here's what you need to know about the bill:From CNN's Kristi Lu StoutProminent Chinese artist Ai Weiwei said he totally opposes the controversial Hong Kong extradition bill and said he has no confidence in Hong Kong’s government.  "We have seen the Hong Kong people, young people mostly defending their rights.  But this has to happen because no body trusts China’s judicial system," he said. About the bill: The proposed law would allow Hong Kong to extradite fugitives to territories where it doesn't have formal extradition deals, including mainland China.  Opponents of the bill say it could mean democracy activists, journalists and foreign business owners could be surrendered to mainland China.  Ai criticized the Hong Kong government, saying it has sided with the Chinese government.  Here's how he put it: Please enable JavaScript for a better experience.


Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Secretary of Defence Lloyd James Austin III hold delegation-level talks at Vigyan Bhawan.

CDS General Bipin Rawat and the three Services Chiefs are also present at the meeting. https://t.co/zZ7coe9g4Z

In their seventh attempt to end the logjam over the three farm laws, ministers representing the central government and 40 farm union leaders held talks in Delhi on Monday.  Two key demands of the farmers are expected to be on the table for consideration by the government. Upping the ante, Samyukt Kisan Morcha, the platform of farm unions, has said that thousands of farmers will drive into the Capital on their tractors to hold their own Republic Day parade if their demands are not met by January 26.  The Republic Day – an event of global importance – is scheduled to be attended by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Meanwhile, a 70-year-old farmer, who was part of the agitation against the farm laws at UP Gate in Ghaziabad, allegedly died by suicide in a portable toilet near the protest site on Saturday.  Forty-seven people have died so far at various protest sites since the farmers began their agitation against three contentious farm laws passed by Parliament in September last year, national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union Rakesh Tikait has said. Despite rains and the ongoing cold wave across North India, farmers agitating against the Centre’s farm laws stood strong at the borders of the national capital and continued their protest for the last 39 days. Why are the farmers protesting? In one of the largest strikes in decades witnessed by India, the farmers are demanding that the Centre revokes the three contentious laws.  The laws essentially change the way India’s farmers do business by creating free markets, as opposed to a network of decades-old, government marketplaces, allowing traders to stockpile essential commodities for future sales and laying down a national framework for contract farming. These laws are the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020. Here are the latest updates:8:30pm: Assembly session to be convened to pass resolution against farm laws: Bengal CM West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said arrangements would soon be made to convene an assembly session to pass a resolution against the contentious legislations. 7:01pm: We will not go home until the laws are withdrawn: Farmers’ union“Discussion took place on our demands -- repeal of the three laws and MSP. . .  Kannon wapasi nahi, to ghar wapasi nahi (We will not go home until the laws are withdrawn),” Rakesh Tikait, spokesperson of Bharatiya Kisan Union said after the meeting. 6:29 pm: Hope we will reach conclusion in next round of talks: Tomar“Looking at today’s discussion, I hope that we will have a meaningful discussion during our next meeting and we will come to a conclusion,” said Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar. 6:00 pm: Talks with farmers end; no breakthroughThe seventh round of talks ended without any conclusion.  Next meeting is scheduled for January 8. 4: 44 pm: Govt rules out rollback of farm laws, no breakthrough in 7th round of talks with farmersThe government remained firm on their stand on farm laws as it refused to take back contentious farm laws.  Instead, the union minister asked the union leaders to point out what they considered objectionable in the legislation. 3:58: SC accepts petition against Haryana police for using water cannons on farmersThe Supreme Court accepted a letter petition sent to Chief Justice of India SA Bobde by a group of students from Punjab seeking an inquiry against Haryana Police for using water cannons, tear gases shells on farmers to stop them from proceeding to Delhi.  The students wrote an open letter to the CJI and urged that Haryana and Delhi police withdraw all the cases against farmers which were registered under alleged political vendetta. 3:01 pm: Meeting begins with two minute silence for protesters who died during agitationUnion ministers and farmers observed a two minute silence to mark their tributes to the 50 farmers who died during the demonstration against the contentious farm laws. 2:39 pm:Seventh round of talks between the Centre and farmers’ representatives beginsThree union ministers including Narendra Singh Tomar, Piyush Goyal and Som Parkash arrived at Vigyan Bhawan for the talks.  Farmers are being represented by a team of 41 union leaders.  Delhi: Seventh round of meeting between Central Government & farmers' representatives begins at Vigyan Bhawan. #FarmLaws pic. twitter. com/5eO8bGjwzQ2:15 pm: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal tweets in favour of farmers ठंड और बारिश के बीच सड़कों पर डटे हमारे किसानों के हौंसले को सलाम। मेरी केंद्र सरकार से अपील है कि आज की बैठक में किसानों की सारी मांगें मानते हुए तीनों काले कानून वापस लिए जाएं।12:49 pm: Farm leaders reach Vigyan Bhawan to meet ministers, talks begin shortlyDelhi: A delegation of farmer leaders arrive at Vigyan Bhawan for talks with Union Government on the three Farm Laws"We hope there is a breakthrough in this meeting in the new year," says a farmer leader pic. twitter. com/oFG4ERdzFO11:58 am: Hope govt takes human approach, says farm union leaderHannan Mollah,general secretary of All India Kisan Sabha ahead of today’s talks with govt said, “It is up to the government whether it wants to solve the farmers’ problems or conspire against the farmers to fizzle out their struggle.  We hope government will take a human approach towards the farmers. ”11. 26 am: Farmers unions reiterate demand for repeal of farm lawsLeaders of farmers unions on Monday reiterated that nothing less than the repeal of Central farm laws will be acceptable to them.  Ahead of the eighth-round of talks with the Central government over the issue, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson, Rakesh Tikait said, “Many issues are to be discussed today.  The government must understand, the farmer has taken this movement to his heart and won’t consider less than the repeal of these laws.  The government should implement Swaminathan’s report and make law on MSP. ”Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee’s Joint Secretary Sukhwinder S Sabra also threatened to hold a tractor march if the demands of the unions weren’t met. 10:55 am: Reliance Jio to move Punjab and Haryana HCReliance Industries Limited (RIL), through its subsidiary Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, in a petition mentioned to be filed in Punjab and Haryana High Court today, has sought urgent intervention of Government authorities to bring a complete stop to illegal acts of vandalism by miscreants, said RIL. These acts of violence have endangered the lives of thousands of its employees and caused damage and disruption to the vital communications infrastructure, sales and service outlets run by its subsidiaries in the two states, RIL said in a media statement.  10:45 am: Govt likely to discuss farm laws ‘clause by clause’ with farmers’ yet againWith the eighth-round of meeting between farmers’ unions and the Central government scheduled to take place today, the ‘clause by clause’ discussion on three farm laws is expected to take place between the two if farmers remain adamant on their demand to repeal the laws. Sources in the government said that with two demands of farmers’ unions -- Repeal of the three farm laws and legalisation of Minimum Support Price (MSP) -- left unresolved, the Centre is likely to discuss farm laws clause by clause as it did initially before the MSP issue.  The exercise was done by the government earlier to understand the objections of farmers against the laws.  10:11am: Delhi’s Chilla, Ghazipur borders remain partially closedThe Ghazipur and Chilla borders connecting Delhi to Ghaziabad and Noida continue to remain partially blocked on Monday with only one carriageway open for those leaving Delhi.  At both the borders, traffic going towards Delhi was diverted, with farmers blocking one carriageway as their agitation against three new farm bills continue


The Democratic National Convention kicks off Monday with a two-hour virtual event built on a theme of unity.

Top speakers of the opening night include former first lady Michelle Obama, Sen. Bernie Sanders and a Republican — former Ohio Gov. John Kasich. https://t.co/hP5GCdwzIn

Biden will appear in a series of videos throughout the week as well. DNC 2020: Night 1 key momentsThe Democratic National Convention will officially kick off on Monday with a focus on the three major crises that continue to grip the nation ahead of the 2020 election: the coronavirus pandemic, the ongoing economic downturn the virus has sparked and the national reckoning over racial injustice. Monday night, which features the theme "We the People," will showcase a slate of speakers tailored to address each of those three crises, according to a Democratic official involved in convention planning. New York Gov.  Andrew Cuomo and Michigan Gov.  Gretchen Whitmer, who have both gained national attention as they have guided their states through the COVID-19 crisis, will focus their speeches on overcoming a pandemic that continues to claim thousands of American lives every week. Whitmer, who was among the women seriously considered to be Joe Biden's running mate, praised the former vice president's call for mask mandates nationwide earlier this week. "Today, @JoeBiden called for a national mask mandate.  I couldn't agree more.  It would save many lives -- and save the economy, too," Whitmer, who instituted a mask mandate in the state of Michigan nearly a month ago, tweeted on Thursday. Washington, D. C. , Mayor Muriel Bowser, whose city became a flashpoint of unrest during the protests in the wake of George Floyd's death in police custody, will speak as part of a segment of the program that addresses the nationwide calls for racial justice and reform.  Bowser publicly clashed with President Donald Trump after peaceful protesters were forcibly removed from Lafayette Square to allow for a photo-op in front of St.  John's Church in early June.  Days later she renamed the street leading up to Lafayette Square "Black Lives Matter Plaza. "Biden himself will also appear in a short video on Monday that features a conversation with racial justice leaders, the first of a series of videos the presumptive Democratic nominee will appear in throughout the week that planners say emphasizes his commitment to engaging real Americans on key issues and contrasts his leadership style with that of Trump. "On night one, we are confronting head on the trio of crises facing the country -- a pandemic spiraling out of control, an economy in tatters and a society infected with systemic racism that has plagued us for generations.  Donald Trump has failed the American people on all three.  Tomorrow night, 'We the People' will see what real leadership -- that puts American families first -- really looks like," Biden campaign spokesman T. J.  Ducklo wrote in a statement provided to ABC News. Convention planners also said they plan to highlight every day Americans' experiences throughout the week in speeches, crowdsourced videos and other unconventional methods as they attempt to pull off an almost entirely virtual event that was fundamentally reshaped by the coronavirus pandemic. Sen.  Bernie Sanders, Biden's former rival for the nomination, and Louisiana Rep.  Cedric Richmond will give remarks during a section of the program focused on the economy, workers and fairness, according to convention planners. On Sunday, in an interview on ABC's "This Week," Sanders acknowledged his disagreements with Biden over policy, but expressed his belief that his supporters will ultimately back his former rival because they see the threat that Trump poses to American democracy. "Obviously, there may be disagreement," Sanders told ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos.  "A lot of my supporters are not enthusiastic about Joe Biden.  You know why?  I ran against Joe Biden.  But I think there's an overwhelming understanding that Donald Trump must be defeated, Biden must be elected, and that the day after he is elected, we're going to do everything we can to create a government that works for all of us. "Monday's speeches culminate in a keynote address from former first lady Michelle Obama, who has opted to remain mostly on the sidelines throughout the 2020 political season, aside from the launch of an initiative focused on voting rights. Other speakers expected to address the convention on Monday span a wide ideological spectrum and include former Republican presidential candidate and Ohio Gov.  John Kasich, Sen.  Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. , Sen.  Doug Jones, D-Ala. , Sen.  Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev.  and House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, D-S. C. Biden and his running mate Sen.  Kamala Harris, D-Calif, will address the convention from the former vice president's home state of Delaware on Thursday and Wednesday respectively. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


66 civilians wounded in multiple blasts in Jalalabad city of Nangarhar province on Afghanistan Independence day: Pajhwok Afghan News (Pic courtesy - Reuters) https://t.co/cRnaBuMBY7

A series of bombings struck restaurants and public squares on Monday in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad, wounding at least 34 people, officials said, as the country marked the 100th anniversary of its independence. No group claimed responsibility for the 10 bombs but both Islamic State (IS) and the Taliban militants operate in the area. IS claimed responsibility for a weekend bomb attack on a wedding reception in the capital, Kabul, in which 63 people were killed and nearly 200 wounded. The Jalalabad bombs were planted near a market where hundreds of people had congregated after attending Independence Day events.  Senior health official Fahim Bashari said at least 34 people were wounded. President Ashraf Ghani, in an Independence Day address in Kabul, called on the international community to stand with Afghanistan to eradicate the militants’ “nests”. “Our fight against the Daesh will continue,” he said, referring to IS. “The Taliban have laid the foundation for such brutal killings. ”Ghani did not refer in his speech to negotiations between the United States and the Taliban on a deal by which U. S.  troops can withdraw in exchange for Taliban security guarantees. The United States also wants a Taliban commitment on power-sharing talks with Ghani’s government and a ceasefire.  The Taliban have refused to talk to the government. But there are concerns among Afghan officials and U. S.  national security aides about a U. S.  withdrawal, with fears Afghanistan could be plunged into a new civil war that could herald a return of Taliban rule and international militants, including Islamic State, finding a refuge. U. S.  President Donald Trump is hoping to withdraw all U. S.  troops from Afghanistan before the 2020 presidential election. Trump on Sunday called the Kabul bomb attack horrible and expressed optimism about the talks. He said the United States would seek to get troop levels below 13,000 but leave “very significant” intelligence capabilities behind. The U. S.  troops in Afghanistan train and advise Afghan security forces and conduct counter-insurgency operations.  The Taliban said in an Independence Day statement they were looking forward to the departure of all foreign forces. “The day approaches closer when these invaders shall completely leave our country, akin to the British and Soviets before them,” they said. While never part of the British empire, Afghanistan gained complete independence from Britain on Aug.  19, 1919. Independence Day ceremonies in Kabul were curtailed out of respect for those who died in the Saturday night bomb, the government said.


India's cumulative Positivity Rate is 7.81% and the daily figure is 3.8%. Several states/UTs are exhibiting Positivity Rate higher than the national average indicating a need for aggressive and widespread testing: Ministry of Health https://t.co/nEEz9uYGfY

Sep 08, 2021-Wednesday

Metro cities -  Delhi, Mumbai,
											Chennai,
											Kolkata

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

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Maharashtra reports 7,347 new Covid-19 cases, 184 deathsTamil Nadu reports 3,057 new cases of Covid-19Kerala reports 8,511 new Covid-19 casesPuducherry reports 158 new Covid-19 casesEurope’s economy risks new contraction from virus curbsAsymptomatic children have low coronavirus levels compared to those with symptoms: StudyPhilippine Covid-19 cases drop as testing falls below targetAs Covid-19 cases spike, pneumonia vaccine demand rockets in EuropeBihar CM thanks PM Modi for Centre's assistance in fighting Covid-19Germany's confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 11,242Jharkhand reports 549 fresh Covid-19 casesIndia's caseload mounts to 7. 76 mn, recoveries over 6. 94 mnCovid-19 vaccine ready, coming within weeks: TrumpFrance extends curfew as Covid-19 second wave surges in EuropeEurope daily coronavirus cases double in 10 daysThe number of cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) has surpassed 7. 76 million in India with 695,509 active cases while the toll from the infection has gone up to 117,306, according to the Union ministry of health and family welfare as on Friday. The recovery figures, however, continue to bind hopes of the nation.  As many as 6,948,497 people have recovered from Covid-19 in home isolation or have been discharged from the hospital. Click here for complete coronavirus coverageMeanwhile, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI’s) Expert Committee has recommended granting permission to conduct Phase III clinical trials for Bharat Biotech’s Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin.  The panel added that the recommendation is after assessing data from Phase I & II as well as animal challenge study. The global infection tally has reached 41,595,980 while 1,135,880 people have died of the disease. Follow highlights on coronavirus here:Maharashtra reports 7,347 new Covid-19 cases, 184 deathsMaharashtra reports 7,347 new Covid-19 cases, 184 deaths and 13,247 discharges in the last 24 hours, as per the state's Public Health Department. Total cases in the state rise to 16,32,544, with 43,015 deaths and 14,45,103 recovered patients.  Active cases stand at 1,43,922. Tamil Nadu reports 3,057 new cases of Covid-193,057 new infections and 33 deaths reported in Tamil NaduTotal cases in the state are now 7,03,250 out of which 32,960 are active cases.  6,59,432 patients have discharged while the death toll stands at 10,858. Kerala reports 8,511 new Covid-19 casesKerala reports 8,511 new Covid-19 cases, active cases now stand at 95,657. Puducherry reports 158 new Covid-19 casesPuducherry reported 158 new Covid-19 cases, 216 discharges and 2 deaths today. Total positive cases in the Union Territory rise to 33,986 till date, including 3,975 active cases, 29,427 recoveries & 584 deaths. Europe’s economy risks new contraction from virus curbsThe resurgence of the coronavirus has knocked Europe’s economic recovery back a step and raised the possibility of another contraction. IHS Markit’s monthly measure of business activity fell to a four-month low of 49. 4 in October from 50. 4 in September.  Within the report is a clear, divergent trend of manufacturing strength being offset by damage to services from the second wave of the pandemic. Asymptomatic children have low coronavirus levels compared to those with symptoms: StudyAn analysis of over 800 pediatric cases of the novel coronavirus infection has revealed that most asymptomatic children have significantly low levels of the virus compared to those who experience symptoms, findings which raise concern about the use of low sensitivity diagnostic tests for screening the pediatric population. Philippine Covid-19 cases drop as testing falls below targetThe Philippines reported fewer coronavirus cases this week amid a slowdown in testing, with the Red Cross suspending most of its Covid-19 operations after it wasn’t paid by the state health insurer. Authorities reported nearly 1,500 new cases on Wednesday --- the lowest since 1,442 on July 20 -- with the daily tally below 2,000 in the past three days, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. As Covid-19 cases spike, pneumonia vaccine demand rockets in EuropeWith Covid-19 cases on the rise, people seeking to avoid one lung disease compounding another are queuing up to get inoculated against bacterial pneumonia, causing shortages of a Merck & Co vaccine in parts of Europe. Demand for Merck's Pneumovax 23, which is used to prevent pneumococcal lung infections, has hit record highs across the world, the firm was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters. Bihar CM thanks PM Modi for Centre's assistance in fighting Covid-19During an election rally in the poll-bound state, chief minister Nitish Kumar thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the assistance provide to the state during the Covid-19 pandemic. Germany's confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 11,242The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 11,242 to 403,291, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Friday.  The death toll rose by 49 to 9,954, the tally showed. Jharkhand reports 549 fresh Covid-19 casesCovid-19 cases in Jharkhand have risen to 98,610 as 549 more people tested positive, while 8 fatalities pushed the death toll to 859, a health official said on Friday.  Ranchi district reported the highest number of new cases at 151, followed by West Singhbhum (61) and Dhanbad (60). India's caseload mounts to 7. 76 mn, recoveries over 6. 94 mnThe cases of coronavirus disease in India reached 7,761,312 on Friday.  A total of 54,366 cases and 690 fatalities were reported in the last 24 hours.  Recoveries from the infection are nearing seven million. Covid-19 vaccine ready, coming within weeks: TrumpUS president Donald Trump on Thursday said that a Covid-19 vaccine is "ready" and going to be announced "within weeks" He was speaking at the final presidential debate against his opponent Joe Biden. France extends curfew as Covid-19 second wave surges in EuropeFrance extended curfews to around two thirds of its population on Thursday and Belgium's foreign minister was taken into intensive care with COVID-19, as the second wave of the pandemic surged across Europe, according to news agency Reuters. Europe daily coronavirus cases double in 10 daysEurope's reported coronavirus cases more than doubled in 10 days, crossing 200,000 daily infections for the first time on Thursday, according to a Reuters tally, with many Southern European countries reporting their highest single-day cases this week. First published: Oct 23, 2020 08:28 IST


Mumbai: Comedian Bharti Singh & her husband Haarsh Limbachiyaa being taken to hospital for medical examination. They have been arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). #Maharashtra https://t.co/vutDGJ6NsS https://t.co/EuSYkGovpq

A court in Mumbai sent comedian Bharti Singh and her husband Harsh Limbachiyaa to judicial custody till December 4 in connection with the seizure of ganja from their residence. The couple was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).  While Bharti was arrested on Saturday, her husband was placed under arrest on Sunday after being questioned for 12 hours. They were arrested after seizure of ganja (cannabis) from her house in suburban Andheri by NCB sleuths.  Both Singh and her husband are accused of consuming ganja, an NCB official said. They have been booked under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Also Read: What we know about the case so farActing on a tip-off, the NCB had on Saturday conducted search at Singh’s office and residence as part of its probe into the alleged drug use in the entertainment industry, and seized 86. 5 gm of cannabis during the search. “Both Ms Bharti Singh and her husband Harsh Limbachiya accepted consumption of ganja,” a statement from the NCB said. The quantity allegedly seized from Singh’s possession is considered as “small quantity” under the NDPS Act, as against “commercial quantity”, an NCB official said. Up to 1,000 gm of ganja is considered small quantity, which attracts jail term up to six months and/or fine of Rs 10,000.  Possession of commercial quantity - 20 kg or more - can attract up to 20 years in jail.  For the quantity in between, the punishment can be as much as 10 years in jail. Bharti Singh has appeared in a number of comedy and reality shows on TV and also hosted a few such shows. The NCB has been probing the alleged drug use in Bollywood after the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in June this year on the basis of WhatsApp chats involving drugs. The central agency earlier arrested Rajput’s girlfriend, actress Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik, some employees of the late film star and a few others under various sections of the NDPS Act. Rhea Chakraborty and some other accused are currently out on bail. (With inputs from agencies)


Sen. Elizabeth Warren to @TheView on escalating tensions with Iran: "It is the responsibility of the commander in chief not to ask our military to solve problems that cannot be solved militarily." https://t.co/ulC7OobgIL https://t.co/hmT1JrJA96

Opinion by Eric Swalwell Updated 8:32 PM ET, Mon January 6, 2020 Rep.  Eric Swalwell, D-Calif. , serves on the House Intelligence and Judiciary Committees and co-chairs the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee.  Follow him on Twitter at @RepSwalwell.  The views expressed in this commentary are his own.  View more opinion at CNN.  (CNN)The US airstrike that killed Iranian Maj.  Gen.  Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad lacked two key elements that any American military strategy must have: the trust of the American people and allies to back us up. Soleimani killing: What happens next? Iran conflict confirms Trump is who Dems think he isTrump threatens the stability of the worldTrump's America stands utterly aloneTrump's Michael Corleone moment'World War III' was trendingTrump created his biggest foreign policy crisis Sign up for CNN Opinion's new newsletter. Join us on Twitter and Facebook


#InPics | Voting for phase 2 in Assam and West Bengal underway

Till 3pm, voter turnout in Assam recorded at 48.49%, and in West Bengal 58.15%

https://t.co/SepCkQtDLn

Track LIVE updates: https://t.co/Ibc8uGUTQK
#ElectionsWithHT https://t.co/x8cOjIlheG

Long queues greeted poll officials in Assam and West Bengal on Thursday where more than 7. 3 million voters are exercising their franchise in the second phase of assembly elections.  Most of the 10,592 polling stations across the 13 districts in the Assam's Barak Valley, the Hill region and parts of Central and Lower Assam saw voters lined up at polling booths since early morning. Witnessing a fierce battle, Bengal's Nandigram is slated to pick between state chief minister Mamata Banerjee and her protege-turned-rival Suvendhu Adhikari who are competing from the constituency. The state saw 58. 15 voter turnout till 1. 29pm amid allegations of booth capturing and violence. In a comparatively active polling day, Assam recorded a voter turnout of 38. 08% till 1. 10 pm across 39 constituencies in 13 districts during the second phase of the state assembly polls, the Election Commission said. The Nowgowg constituency in the state has witnessed the highest voting percentage with a voter turnout of 54. 10% till 1. 10 pm, while the Jagiroad constituency witnessed the lowest voting percentage with a voter turnout of just 18. 20%, reported PTI. The situation in Assam was peaceful with a significant number of voters turning up during the morning hours to exercise their franchise in the 39 seats where voting was underway in the second phase on Thursday. Reports of EVM glitches surfaced from some polling stations in Assam but this had no impact on voting as they were immediately replaced, a poll official told PTI.


Queen Elizabeth is celebrating her 95th birthday, her first in more than 70 years without her husband Prince Philip by her side. https://t.co/SMo5LOwc0i

By Lianne Kolirin, CNNUpdated 1255 GMT (2055 HKT) April 21, 2021 London (CNN)Queen Elizabeth II is marking her 95th birthday in a low-key fashion at Windsor Castle, just days after the funeral of Prince Philip, her husband of 73 years.  Today is The Queen's 95th birthday.  HM was born on 21 April 1926 at 17 Bruton Street in London, the first child of The Duke and Duchess of York.  This year The Queen remains at Windsor Castle during a period of Royal Mourning following the death of The Duke of Edinburgh.  pic. twitter. com/kOeH399Ndp


Many Facebook users are sharing a post with a set of photos cautioning the public not to consume cool drinks as they are contaminated with HTC poison.  Let’s try to analyze the claims made in the post. Claim: Cool drinks were contaminated with HTC poison and their consumption led to the death of people    Fact: Few of the photos posted are the ones taken when District Food Authority officials raided a fake soft drinks factory in Gujranwala of Pakistan in 2015.  Hence, the claim made in the post stands FALSE.     When the photos in the post are run through Google Reverse Image Search, few of them were found to be taken when District Food Authority officials raided a fake soft drinks factory in Gujranwala of Pakistan in 2015.  In 2017, when these photos were circulated with the narration that cool drinks were contaminated with the Ebola virus, Check4spam had written a fact-check article on it.  These images were also circulated as the poisonous drinks in Nigeria, South Africa and other countries. A video of a bleeding woman is also being circulated, suggesting it as the effect of consuming cool drinks mixed with HTC poison.  But the video is from Telangana State wherein a woman was beaten by his husband for questioning him over his extra-marital affair. To sum it up, photos of the raid on a counterfeit soft drink factory in Pakistan are circulated as public affected due to the consumption of contaminated cool drinks. Did you watch our Facebook live on Fake News (Misinformation)


Former Vice President Joe Biden calls on governors to mandate masks for the next three months. https://t.co/TqOMLHRotj

Analysis by Maeve Reston, CNNUpdated 8:27 AM ET, Thu August 13, 2020  (CNN)When Kamala Harris appeared with Joe Biden on Wednesday as his running mate for the first time, she showed why he had chosen her.


The White House and Senate Republicans are working on a $1 trillion economic stimulus package — the third infusion of emergency spending to help the U.S. economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The measure would include direct payments to Americans. https://t.co/kXG7uAtqem

By Katie Lobosco, CNNUpdated 8:24 AM ET, Wed March 18, 2020 Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump last week announced a student loan interest waiver -- but the policy change would do little to immediately help those struggling to pay their bills because of the coronavirus pandemic.


Prince Harry follows in the footsteps of his mom, the late Princess Diana, visiting the southern African nation of Angola to put a spotlight on de-mining. https://t.co/mBnWfMLoAO https://t.co/h55RyDGQDD

By Max Foster, Brent Swails and Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNNUpdated 1341 GMT (2141 HKT) September 27, 2019 Huambo, Angola (CNN)Britain's Duke of Sussex has made "a particularly significant and poignant journey" during his 10-day tour of southern Africa, when he honored his mother's legacy on Friday by returning to the exact site of his mother's famous minefield walk.


House Speaker Nancy Pelosi joins @JakeTapper for a live CNN Town Hall tonight at 9 p.m. ET to discuss what happens next in the impeachment process and more. #PelosiTownHall https://t.co/gSOro9KCd9 https://t.co/oOefD2alxz

Her move comes a day after the first House Judiciary Committee hearing.  Nancy Pelosi asks to ‘proceed with articles of impeachment’House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Thursday that she has instructed House Democrats to draw up articles of impeachment of President Donald Trump, saying he had abused his power. "Sadly, but with confidence and humility . . .  today I am asking our chairmen to proceed with articles of impeachment," Pelosi said. "The facts are uncontested," she said.  "The president abused his power for his own personal political benefit at the expense of our national security by withholding military aid and a crucial Oval Office meeting in exchange for an announcement of an investigation into his political rival. ""His wrongdoing strikes at the very heart of our Constitution," she added.  "Our democracy is what is at stake.  The president leaves us no choice but to act. ""If we allow a president to be above the law, we do so at the peril of our republic," she said. The announcement tees up a House floor vote in the coming weeks that would make Trump just the fourth president in American history to face an impeachment vote, and the third to be impeached by the House of Representatives. "In America, no one is above the law," Pelosi said. "The president has engaged in abuse of power undermining our national security and jeopardizing the integrity of our elections.  His actions are in defiance of the vision of our Founders and the oath of office that he takes to preserve, protect and defend the constitution of the United States," she said. About an hour later, Trump tweeted his first reaction, saying that Democrats are focused on impeachment after they "gave up on the ridiculous Mueller 'stuff. '" He said that impeachment is rarely used and suggested impeaching him will set a bad precedent for future presidents. She declined to say whether any aspects of the Mueller investigation should be included in the articles of impeachment, saying she would wait for the recommendations from the chairs of the six committee chairs who have investigated Trump.  "I'm not going to talk about that," she said. She added, "This isn't about Ukraine.  This is about Russia," asking "Who benefits . . .  from that withholding of military assistance? ""All roads lead to Putin.  Understand that," she said, as she has previously. And she pushed back on criticism that Democrats are rushing to judgment -- that a decision on impeachment should wait until all potential witnesses are subpoenaed and court challenges resolved. She said the White House blocking key witnesses from testifying amounted to obstruction of justice and Congress. Asked about whether there was a timetable to have a House floor vote on impeachment before Christmas, she said, "We are proceeding in a manner worthy of the Constitution. "And when asked whether she was concerned such a vote would divide the country, Pelosi answered, "We don't take any glee in this.  It's heartbreaking. "Referring to Trump, she said, "He's the one dividing the country.  We are honoring the Constitution. "As Pelosi spoke, the Judiciary Committee announced it would meet Monday to "receive counsel presentations of evidence" from the House Intelligence Committee. Pelosi's announcement comes after several constitutional law experts told lawmakers that the president had abused his power by pressuring Ukraine to open investigations that could benefit him politically. On Wednesday, three constitutional law professors selected by Democrats told the House Judiciary Committee that Trump's conduct towards Ukraine warranted impeachment.  A law professor chosen by Republicans argued that there wasn't yet sufficient evidence to meet the constitutional standard and that Democrats were rushing to judgment. After the hearing, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N. Y. , said he believed the conditions for impeaching Trump had been met. Pelosi delivered the statement from the same spot where she first announced the start of the Ukraine impeachment inquiry in September.  She privately discussed moving impeachment with her caucus and leadership team on Wednesday. There were no objections in the room, when Pelosi asked Democrats "are you ready? " to move forward with proceedings, according to sources familiar with the meeting. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md. , defended Democrats' deliberations, and pushed back on the suggestion from Republicans that a vote would be premature. "This is not rush to judgment," he said.  "We've got a lot of information over two and a half years from a lot of different sources, including the Mueller report. "While Democrats are still divided over the nature and scope of possible charges against Trump, House Judiciary Committee Democrats suggested they could pursue articles on abuse of power and bribery, obstruction of justice and obstruction of Congress. On Monday, attorneys with the House Judiciary Committee and House Intelligence Committee will present evidence for impeachment before Judiciary Committee members, suggesting that elements of the Ukraine and Mueller investigations will be taken into account in the drafting of articles of impeachment. Members of the House Judiciary Committee have advocated adding elements of the Mueller investigation to the impeachment probe, though it's unclear if it would form the basis of a single article, or buttress a broader obstruction charge. "It is that it's the pattern, a repeated pattern of conduct of obstructing justice, of obstructing Congress, of witness tampering of abuse of power, and typically an article is not around a topic area like Ukraine, it's around the high crime and misdemeanor," Rep.  Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash. , a member of the committee, told ABC News.  "So you could imagine, potentially, bringing in things from the Muller report that are the same pattern. "Other members of the caucus, including many of the moderate freshmen from districts formerly represented by Republicans, said impeachment should remain focused on the Ukraine episode. "My thoughts on that haven't changed.  The fact that this was a potential abuse of power by the president related to national security and foreign assistance funds during an active war in Europe … was unprecedented and remains very shocking," said Rep.  Jason Crow, D-Colo. , a former Army Ranger. Crow, along with six other freshman Democrats with national security backgrounds, wrote a Washington Post op-ed in September warning of the national security implications of Trump's actions towards Ukraine that led, in part, to Pelosi's decision to open the inquiry. "That is the thrust of the inquiry and it should remain the focus of the articles," he said. Rep.  Kurt Schrader, D-Ore. , another moderate Democrat, said keeping the articles of impeachment focused on Ukraine would help clarify proceedings for the American people. "I just think it makes it confusing to the public," he said.  "It looks like an expansive witch hunt on the part of Democrats because you're bringing up the old stuff that didn't have any water.  Just keep it real tight, I think that's more convincing to the American people and people back home. "For Rep.  Mark Pocan, D-Wis. , a co-chair of the House Progressive Caucus, said the Ukraine charges are a "slam dunk," and could be voted on quickly while the committees continuing investigating elements of the Mueller report and seeking access to documents and witnesses in court. "You'll still have the committees doing their due diligence on lots of other things that the president's done that many of us truly believe is illegal, but this one is just so clear cut there's no reason to hold off on dealing with it," he said. Rep.  Jeff Van Drew, D-N. J. , one of two Democrats to vote against the resolution launching the Ukraine impeachment probe, said Thursday that "nothing's changed" for him, and he anticipates voting against what Democrats bring forward. "If there was something new or different that I felt was truly impeachable, that would be a different situation.  I have not come to that point," he said. ABC News' Ben Gittleson, Sarah Kolinovsky and Katherine Faulders contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Michael Cohen says Pres. Trump's tweets about him were meant to intimidate him from testifying.

When Trump said "I can shoot somebody on 5th Ave. and get away with it," Cohen says, "he's not joking. He's telling you the truth. You don't know him. I do." https://t.co/wO4lFFkNhD https://t.co/WMRRgOVt2m

Don Lemon Tonight


Muslim refugee from Algeria spits in pizza  while preparing it at a restaurant in London

A disturbing video from 2018 showing a man spitting in a pizza while preparing it is viral on social media with a false caption claiming that the man is a Muslim refugee from Algeria working in a London restaurant.  BOOM tracked the video to Detroit, US and found that the man seen in the video - Jaylon Kerley - had been fired and was facing 'one felony count and one misdemeanor count of food law violations'.  The religion of the accused has not been mentioned in any of the news reports published after the incident Also read Explained: Why This Photo Of Students Bowing To Manipur CM Biren Singh Caused An Uproar The stomach churning video shows a man spit in a pizza dough and then cover the saliva with sauce.  The video is distressing in nature, viewers' discretion is advised.  Watch the video here and check its archived version here.  A Hindi caption with the video translates to 'A scene from a restaurant in London.  The messenger of peace is a refugee from Algeria.  It's simple, leave the moment you know it's their shop or else eat food contaminated with their saliva'.   (Hindi: #लंदन के एक रेस्टोरेंट का दृश्य शांतिदूत अल्जीरिया से आया हुआ एक शरणार्थी है सीधी सी बात है जैसे ही पता चले इनकी #दुकान है चुपचाप कट लो वरना इनका थूक वाला खाओ) Also read Fake, Communal Claim Targets Aamir Khan's Daughter Ira Khan The video has been shared from several Twitter handles with similar claim.  यह लंदन का दृश्य है और यह शांतिदूत अल्जीरिया से आया हुआ एक शरणार्थी है सीधी सी बात है जैसे ही पता चले कि इनकी दुकान है चुपचाप कट लो वरना इनका थूक वाला खाओ pic. twitter. com/vKa9nTSM2z Fact Check BOOM did a keyword search with 'video of man spitting in pizza' and found several reports and YouTube videos of the same incident.   A report published in CBS Sports on September 25, 2018 states that the incident is from a food stand at Detroit Tigers Stadium, US.  According to news reports, the 21-year-old man seen in the viral video is Jaylon Kerley, who was fired soon after the video became viral.  As to why was Jaylon Kerley spitting in the pizza, the person recording the video, a former coworker of Kerley, had told CBS Sports that 'the man was just "mad and having a bad day'.  According to a report published in The Detroit News on November 15, 2018 , Kerley was placed on 18-months probation.   Also read 2020 Video Of Police Thrashing Lockdown Violators In Amravati Revived None of the reports, however, mention that Kerley was a Muslim refugee from Algeria as claimed in the viral posts.


The father of a 6-year-old girl killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre was found dead Monday morning from an apparent suicide, police said. His death is the third suicide in the past week related to school massacres. https://t.co/252QL1KfHi https://t.co/caoPMVD4iq

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School student was found dead Saturday night. A second student from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High has died in apparent suicide The second Parkland, Florida, teenager to die from an apparent suicide within one week has been identified as 16-year-old Calvin Desir, the Coral Springs police said Tuesday. Desir was enrolled as a sophomore at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School this year, police said.  He was a freshman when 17 students and staff were killed on the campus on Feb.  14, 2018. On Saturday evening, Coral Springs officers responding to a shooting and found Desir dead from an apparent suicide, police said. The Medical Examiner’s officer has not ruled on the official cause of death, police added. If you are in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741-741. Desir's death was the second apparent suicide to hit the Parkland community in less than one week. On March 17, Sydney Aiello, 19, who was a Stoneman Douglas student during the school shooting, died at her home from a gunshot wound to the head, according to the Broward County medical examiner's office. Aiello was close friends with 18-year-old Meadow Pollack, who was killed in the school massacre. Aiello's mother told CBS Miami station WFOR that she suffered from survivor's guilt and had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. "The tragedy that took place at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is something that we as a community will struggle with for years to come," the Coral Springs Police Department said in a Tuesday statement.  "We are working with community leaders and mental health professionals to address this serious life-safety issue and encourage all parents to speak to their children about this important topic. ""City of Coral Springs recognizes the anxiety and suffering continues for students, teachers and families who have experienced such violence and devastating loss," the police department continued.  "As a City we are committed to shining a light on those who suffer in the darkness.  The mental health of our children and all those who have been affected by the MSD [Marjory Stoneman Douglas] tragedy must be made a priority. "The will host a Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Town Hall on Wednesday from 6-8 p. m. , police saidABC News' Emily Shapiro contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Till now, total 66 persons (including 25 active cases, 4-migrated, 35-recovered, 2-deaths) have tested positive for COVID19 in the state: Himachal Pradesh Health Department https://t.co/QPPZGzUIbe

One more person from Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 67.  Active cases stand at 26 now.  The 29-year-old man hails from Kakrail village of Sulah block in Palampur sub-division, deputy commissioner Rakesh Kumar Prajapati said. He returned home from Gurugram on April 28 along with two others in a taxi and was under home quarantine.  The DC said the taxi driver had taken four rounds of the state while ferrying passengers from other states. Authorities have started contact mapping and the village where the patient belongs is being sealed.  Himachal Pradesh has witnessed a spurt in coronavirus cases with a total of 27 people testing positive in the last 10 days.  Kangra has reported 11 cases in the corresponding period.  So far, thirty-five people have recovered in the state. Una is the worst-hit district with a total of 17 cases followed by Kangra with 16 cases and Chamba 12. Nine cases have been reported in Solan, six in Hamirpur, three in Mandi, and two each in Sirmaur and Bilaspur.


Delhi: People queue outside a liquor shop in Laxmi Nagar area. Positions of people in the queue have been written on their hands. #CoronaLockdown https://t.co/6zIZ6dLQbb

A day after allowing services to resume under relaxations provided during Covid-19 lockdown, the government offered a list of dos and dont’s. Titled ‘COVID Appropriate Behaviours’, the list was posted on Union health ministry’s Twitter feed. From following social distancing to avoding spitting in public places, it gives a long list of things to follow:• Greet without physical contact• Maintain a distance of six feet in public places• Wear reusable handmade masks/face cover all the time• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth• Cover nose and mouth while coughing and sneezing• Wash hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser• Do not chew tobacco, khaini etc or spit in public places• Regularly clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces• Avoid unnecessary travel• Do not discriminate against people affected by Covid-19, their caregivers or anyone supporting the fight against Covid-19• Keep the number of guests to the minimum if social event cannot be postponed• Do not visit crowded places and avoid mass gatherings #IndiaFightsCorona:Practise these COVID Appropriate Behaviours to protect yourself and others from #COVID19.  #BadalkarApnaVyavaharKareinCoronaParVaar #SwasthaBharat #HealthForAll @PMOIndia @drharshvardhan @AshwiniKChoubey @PIB_India @CovidIndiaSeva @COVIDNewsByMIB pic. twitter. com/1VtOdRoH1AIndia on Tuesday reported another surge in the number coronavirus disease cases.  The country recorded 9,987 cases in the last 24 hours, which took the overall tally to 2,66,598, according to the Union health ministry. The number of active cases in the country is 1,29,917, while 1,29,214 have been cured or discharged, the health ministry update at 8 am showed. The number of those killed by the disease reached 7,466 on Tuesday after 266 fatalities were reported in the last 24 hours.


A video of a lions pride roaming on the roads of a street is being shared with the claim that the lions were spotted at Ghodbunder road Thane, Maharashtra.  Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post.   Claim: Video of a pride of lions spotted in the residential areas is from Thane, Maharashtra. Fact: The video shows lions spotted in the residential area of ‘Bhavanath’ in Junagadh of Gujarat state.  Hence, the claim is FALSE.    When one goes through the comments section of the post, a few of them have commented that the incident is from Gujarat.  So, when searched on YouTube with relevant keywords, many search results were obtained.  ‘The Times of India’ search result had the same video on its YouTube channel and the video had the following description – “A pride of Asiatic lions was recently spotted at Gujarat’s Junagadh.  In this video taken by a resident of Bharti Ashram of Bhavnath area, the pride of lions can be seen strolling through the residential area on a rainy night.  The pride is reportedly made up of seven Asiatic lions.  Residents have also reported that such sightings of the pride have become regular in recent times”.    Hence we can conclude that the lions were actually spotted in Gujarat not Thane, Maharashtra.  Did you watch our new Episode of the DECODE series on Indian Rivers?


Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets top economists of the country, at Niti Aayog, ahead of the Union Budget. Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Ministers Piyush Goyal and Nitin Gadkari also present https://t.co/fFqqTRqmtQ

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is meeting economists and experts at the Niti Aayog to discuss the state of economy and steps to be taken to revive growth which is estimated to drop to 5 per cent during the current fiscal.  Among others, the meeting is being attended by Home Minister Amit Shah and other cabinet ministers, besides Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar, CEO Amitabh Kant and other senior officials of the think-tank.  Bibek Debroy, chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, too is present at the high-level meeting which began Thursday morning here.  The meeting assumes significance as the government is in the process of formulating Budget proposals for 2020-21 the focus of which is likely to be on accelerating economic growth which is estimated to slip to an 11-year low of 5 per cent during 2019-20.  The Prime Minister on Monday interacted with top business tycoons to discuss the issues facing the economy and measures needed to boost growth and create jobs.  Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will be presenting her second Union Budget on February 1.


About a tenth of global trade passes through the Suez Canal, and it could be facing a weeks-long blockage. https://t.co/WTPsf3XlE5

A maritime traffic jam grew to more than 200 vessels outside the Suez Canal and others began changing course as dredgers worked frantically to free a giant container ship that has been stuck sideways in the waterway and disrupted global shippingOn Location: September 6, 2021SUEZ, Egypt -- A maritime traffic jam grew to more than 200 vessels Friday outside the Suez Canal and some vessels began changing course as dredgers worked frantically to free a giant container ship that is stuck sideways in the waterway and disrupting global shipping. One salvage expert said freeing the cargo ship, the Ever Given, could take up to a week in the best-case scenario and warned of possible structural problems on the vessel as it remains wedged. The Suez Canal Authority said it welcomed international offers of help, including one from the United States, although it did not say what was offered. The Ever Given, owned by the Japanese firm Shoei Kisen KK, got wedged Tuesday in a single-lane stretch of the canal, about 6 kilometers (3. 7 miles) north of the southern entrance, near the city of Suez. A team from Boskalis, a Dutch firm specializing in salvaging, is working with the canal authority.  using tugboats and a specialized suction dredger that is trying to remove sand and mud from around the port side of the bow.  Egyptian authorities have prohibited media access to the site. An attempt Friday to free it failed, said Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, the technical manager of the Ever Given.  Plans are in the works to pump water from interior spaces of the vessel, and two more tugs should arrive by Sunday, the company said. The canal authority released a video showing Lt.  Gen.  Osama Rabei inspecting efforts to free the Ever Given and telling workers: “Good luck, God willing. ”An initial investigation showed the vessel ran aground due to strong winds and ruled out mechanical or engine failure as a cause, the company said.  GAC, a global shipping and logistics company, had previously said the ship had experienced a power blackout, but it did not elaborate. Bernhard Schulte said two canal pilots had been aboard the ship when it got stuck.  Such an arrangement is customary, but the ship’s captain retains ultimate authority over the vessel, according to shipping experts. In addition to the over 200 vessels waiting near the canal, more than 100 ships were en route to the waterway, according to the data firm Refinitiv. Apparently anticipating long delays, the owners of the stuck vessel diverted a sister ship, the Ever Greet, to head around Africa instead, according to satellite data. Others also are being diverted to avoid the canal.  The liquid natural gas carrier Pan Americas changed course in the mid-Atlantic, now aiming south to go around the southern tip of Africa, according to satellite data from MarineTraffic. com. About 10% of world trade flows through the canal, which is particularly crucial for the transport of oil.  The closure also could affect oil and gas shipments to Europe from the Middle East. Freeing the Ever Given is “quite a challenge” and could take five days to a week, . Capt.  Nick Sloane, a maritime salvage expert who led the high-profile effort to salvage the cruise ship Costa Concordia in 2012 told The Associated Press. The Ever Given’s location, size and large amount of cargo make the operation more complex, Sloane said.  The operation should focus initially on dredging the bank and sea floor around it to get it floating again, rather than unloading its cargo, which could take weeks. That’s because the clock is also ticking structurally for the vessel, he added. “The longer it takes, the worse the condition of the ship will become, because she’s slowly sagging,” said Sloane, vice president of the International Salvage Union.  “So ships are designed to flex, but not to be kept at that position with a full load of cargo for weeks at a time.  So it’s not an easy situation. ”International companies are preparing for the effect that the canal’s blockage will have on supply chains that rely on precise deliveries of goods.  Singapore’s Minister of Transport Ong Ye Kung said the country’s port should expect disruptions. “Should that happen, some draw down on inventories will become necessary,” he said on Facebook. The backlog of vessels could stress European ports and the international supply of containers, already strained by the coronavirus pandemic, according to IHS Markit, a business research group.  It said 49 container ships were scheduled to pass through the canal in the week since the Ever Given became lodged. The delay could also result in huge insurance claims by companies, according to Marcus Baker, global head of Marine & Cargo at the insurance broker Marsh, with a ship like the Ever Given usually covered at between $100 million to $200 million. Those trying to free the vessel want to avoid complications that could extend the canal closure, according to an Egyptian official at the canal authority.  The official spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to talk to journalists. Satellite and photos distributed by the canal authority show Ever Given’s bow touching the eastern wall, while its stern appeared lodged against the western wall. The Ever Given was involved in an accident in northern Germany in 2019, when it ran into a small ferry moored on the Elbe River in Hamburg.  No passengers were on the ferry at the time and there were no injuries, but it was seriously damaged. Hamburg prosecutors opened an investigation of the Ever Given’s captain and pilot on suspicion of endangering shipping traffic, but shelved it in 2020 for lack of evidence, spokeswoman Liddy Oechtering told The Associated Press. Oechtering also could not say what the investigation had determined the cause of the crash was, but officials at the time suggested that strong winds may have blown the slow moving cargo ship into the ferry. —-Associated Press writers David Rising in Berlin and Pan Pylas in London contributed. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Video shows pigs being burnt alive by Chinese government to control outbreak of Corona virus

Disturbing old footage of mass culling of pigs is doing the rounds on social media with false claims that they were buried alive and burnt to prevent the spread of the novel Coronavirus in China.  BOOM found that the videos are at least two years old and relate to measures taken in China to prevent the spread of African swine fever, a disease that does not harm humans but is fatal for pigs.  The videos feature a compilation of multiple clips - hogs closely packed in trucks, the animals being dumped alive in a pit and another clip where the animals are set on fire.   The first footage, of 46 second duration shows numerous pigs piled on top of each other in stationed trucks.  It then shows a huge pit, where squealing pigs are pushed into with an excavator.  Below is a screenshot of the video viral on Facebook.  The same was sent to BOOM's helpline number for verification.    Another footage of 1 minute 24 second duration documents the setting of fire to a mound of living pigs lying in the pit.   Both the videos are doing the rounds on Facebook with a similar caption, "Pigs  been destroyed by Chinese government to control the sickness may be Corona or  any other sickness. "  The posts are archived here and here.  BOOM has chosen not to include the videos due to its disturbing nature.  The screenshots of the video which show pigs in a truck and a pit where they were thrown later, could be traced to a news article after reverse image search on its key frames.  The article was published on January 1, 2019.  The article linked to a Facebook post that was published on December 29, 2018 and its links to the outbreak of African swine fever in mainland China.  Below is a screenshot of the article.      A tweet featuring the same video was uploaded on December 29, 2018.  An article published on a blog on November 13, 2018 featured a screenshot from the video showing pigs being transported in a truck.  An excerpt from the article when translated in English, reads, "Recently, after a swine fever outbreak in a large pig farm in Putian, Fujian, the boss sold a large number of live pigs and fled.  Hundreds of pigs died when farmers in neighboring counties bought it back.  The outflow of sick pigs caused panic among the locals, but officials said nothing.  On November 8, the news office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the Communist Party of China announced that the African swine fever epidemic was found on the farm of Haixing Breeding Co Ltd, Lingchuan Town, Putian City, Fujian. " A news report by Epochtimes corroborated the information about the outbreak of African swine fever in northern China, the world's largest pork market, on August 1, 2018.  Hundreds of thousands of pigs were slaughtered in the second half o 2018 as the outbreak spread to other provinces.   Video 2 The video which shows pigs being pushed into a pit and set afire could be traced to a Facebook post from December, 2018.  The caption of the post relates the burning of the animals to a 'plague. ' We also came across videos of live pigs being culled by setting them on fire, from as early as November, 2018.     Another news report from December, 2018 corroborated the outbreak of swine fever from pig farms and the subsequent burning and burying of live animals.


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

Javier Bardem is living his best life. Oscars 2019: 'Bohemian Rhapsody,' 'Green Book' take home multiple awardsQueen will, Queen will -- rock you!  The legendary rock band and Adam Lambert had the Oscars audience on its feet Sunday night with their opening performance. No one was having more fun than Javier Bardem.  He was up out of his seat, dancing, clapping and yelling, "Woo! " A GIF of the excited reaction quickly made the rounds online. via GIPHYTwitter was loving his enthusiasm.  One Twitter user wrote, "Javier Bardem is living his best life right now at the #Oscars. "While another wrote, "Javier Bardem is such a Queen fanboy awwww. "Queen Latifah, who was right next to Bardem, was jamming out to the rousing medley of "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions" as well. Every time the cameras panned to the audience, you could see their pure joy.  Glenn Close, Christian Bale and Amy Adams were all bobbing along to the music, while Allison Janney pumped her fist to the beat. via GIPHY24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


A total of 23,680 additional vials of Amphotericin-B have been allocated to all States/UTs today. The Allocation has been made based on total number of patients which is approx. 8,848 across country: Sadananda Gowda, Union Minister for Chemicals & Fertilizers https://t.co/yAikWVkoU4

Union minister of chemicals and fertilizers DV Sadananda Gowda announced an allocation of 23,680 additional vials of Amphotericin- B, a key drug to treat raging Mucormycosis or 'black fungus', to various states and Union territories on Saturday. The allocation has been made based on the total number of patients, the minister informed in the official release. After a detailed review of rising no.  of cases of #Mucormycosis in various states, a total of 23680 additional vials of #Amphotericin- B have been allocated to all States/UTs today. The Allocation has been made based on total no.  of patients which is approx.  8848 across country.  pic. twitter. com/JPsdEHuz0WMucormycosis is a rare fungal disease commonly being detected in the Covid-19 patients who are in the recovery phase.  People get Mucormycosis, of which there are several types, by breathing in the fungal spores.  They can be spread in hospitals and homes by air humidifiers or oxygen tanks containing dirty water. The infection needs to be caught early as it is aggressive and has a high fatality rate.  It directly attacks the immune system of the patients and people with Covid-19 and along with comorbidity are in the most vulnerable category. Doctors are suspecting that the sudden surge in Mucormycosis may be linked to the rapid use of steroids to treat Covid-19 patients. The distribution of additional vials comes as several states are reeling under the fatal Mucormycosis epidemic.  With infection spreading rapidly in the country, it has led to the shortage of key medicines to treat the fungal infection.  On Friday the health ministry said that it was looking for more companies to produce the antifungal drug amphotericin B used to treat it and also increase imports of the medication. India has confirmed 8,848 confirmed cases of Mucormycosis, with Gujarat being the epicentre of the disease.  As per the figures mentioned in the release, Gujarat has the highest number of cases with 2,281 infected people.  It is followed by Maharashtra with 2000 cases of black fungus. Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Telangana have 910, 720, 700, 350 cases respectively, the ministry states in the release. In the national capital, 197 people have been infected with black fungus. On Friday, All India Institute of Medical Science (Aiims) director Randeep Guleria listed three factors important in the prevention of the Mucormycosis outbreak. "Three factors are very important: First, good control of blood sugar levels; second, those on steroids must monitor blood sugar levels regularly; and, third, be careful about when to give steroids and their dosage," news agency ANI quoted Guleria saying as the Covid-linked infection claimed more than 7,000 lives in the country so far. Guleria also acknowledged that steroid use has become much more prevalent during the ongoing second wave of Covid-19.  "Those given high doses of steroids when not indicated can lead to high blood sugar levels and a high chance of Mucormycosis," he said.  Guleria called for judicious use of steroids.


Vijay Mallya outside the London High Court where hearing on his plea against extradition is underway. https://t.co/fNbPgTEx9L

Controversial businessman Vijay Mallya was handed a lifeline by the England and Wales high court on Tuesday when it permitted him to appeal against the February 3 order of home secretary Sajid Javid to extradite him to India. Facing charges of financial offences running into over Rs 9,000 crore, Mallya, who lost in the Westminster Magistrates Court after a year-long trial in December 2018, will now not be immediately extradited but will be able to mount further legal challenges in the high court. Justice Leggatt and Justice Popplewell rejected four grounds put forth by Mallya’s defence team but upheld one that questioned the magistrates court’s findings on alleged misrepresentation by Mallya and his companies in securing loans from IDBI. The lower court had upheld India’s charges, but Justice Leggatt said: “We have been persuaded that there is a reasonably arguable case against the approach of the chief judge (of the magistrates court) on whether there is a prima facie case”. He said in his ruling that the charge of misrepresentation “is not what has been alleged in the extradition request…it is arguable that the findings of the chief judge (Emma Arbuthnot) are based on a misreading of evidence. ”Justice Leggatt rejected other grounds such as risk to human rights in the Arthur Road jail, inability to get a fair trial in India, Mallya’s claim that he is being punished for his opinions, and that there would be a ‘breach of specialty’ if he were sent to India. Mallya, who attended the hearing with his son Siddhartha Mallya and partner Pinki Lalwani, said after the ruling: “I always said there is no prima facie case against me.  I am still ready to return the money to the bank”.  “Airline business is fragile.  Every time an airline fails, the promoter is cornered, punished.  It is not a good policy of the government.  Who thought Jet will collapse. ” Under the India-UK extradition treaty, ‘specialty’ is a rule that the person sought will be tried only for those offences mentioned in the extradition request, and not for others. Mallya’s lawyer, Claire Montgomery, argued that there would be a ‘breach of specialty’ because over 40 case are ongoing against him in India, many with non-bailable warrants.  There is no assurance from New Delhi that the other cases would be dropped if he is extradited, she said. She also argued that India had submitted a fraction of relevant paperwork, adding that if the full material were submitted, the magistrates court would not have reached the conclusions it did.  India, she alleged, chose not to submit annexures included in loan applications that had details of Kingfisher Airlines . Montgomery reiterated the principal claim made previously in the magistrates court, that Mallya’s inability to repay the loans was a result of business failure, and not due to dishonesty or conspiracy to defraud banks. “There is no justification for her assertions (in the judgement) about misrepresentations about the financial position of the company.  The charge of misrepresentation is unsubstantiated in the ruling”, she asserted.


A video accompanied by a post is being widely shared on social media claiming that US President Joe Biden was sleeping during his meeting with Israel Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.  Let us fact-check the claim made in the post. Claim: Video of US President Joe Biden sleeping during his meeting with PM of Israel. Fact: The video was clipped from a larger video when for a few seconds Joe Biden had put his head down.  A closer look at Joe Biden’s hands shows him moving his thumbs while the Israeli Prime Minister spoke; also, Biden responds immediately after the Israeli PM ends his speech.  On 27 August 2021, Israel Prime Minister met US President Joe Biden in the Oval Office of the White House.  The video was taken from this meeting they had in the White House.  Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING. When reverse image search is done on the screenshots of the video, a larger YouTube video with similar visuals was found.  The YouTube video uploaded on 28 August 2021 by the Official White House YouTube channel was titled, ‘President Biden Holds a Bilateral Meeting with Naftali Bennett, Prime Minister of Israel’.  The 32-second viral video was clipped from 12:17 of the over-13-minute YouTube video.  Immediately after the Israeli Prime Minister ends his speech, one can see that Joe Biden responds to him from 12:49 of the YouTube video. A closer look at Joe Biden’s hands shows him moving his thumbs while the Israeli Prime Minister spoke, indicating that he was not sleeping when his head was down.  The same video of the meeting can be seen on the Israeli PM’s YouTube channel and on C-SPAN’s website. On 27 August 2021, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met US President Joe Biden in the Oval Office of the White House.  In the meeting, they have discussed Israel’s Iron Dome, starting booster shots for COVID-19 protection, the situation in Kabul, and Iran’s nuclear deal.  The viral video was taken from this meeting they had in the White House. To sum it up, a clipping from Joe Biden’s meeting with the Prime Minister of Israel is shared with a false narrative.


Ever since the lockdown with decrease in human outdoor activities various videos of animals out in the open have been going viral.  Claim: A video of a leopard on a road has been going viral stating that it is of a leopard spotted at Sion area in Mumbai midst the corona lockdown.    The claim has been shared on Facebook stating it is a scene from Sion area, Mumbai.  The videos have received over 7000 views.   Archive   The below video was shared on Facebook stating that a Cheetah was spotted in Mumbai, later the clarification was added in the caption along with a link to a TOI news article.   Archive     Indian actress, Raveena Tandon tweeted the video with the viral claim, tagging Praveen Kaswan (a forest official) in the tweet and asking it to be verified.  She also mentioned that she received the video via WhatsApp.  In Sion ,mumbai.  – via wassap.  @ParveenKaswan  can you verify this and what was the outcome ?  Any news,anyone has of this leopard?  pic. twitter. com/kockpS1F5S — Raveena Tandon (@TandonRaveena) May 15, 2020  Archive Few other accounts posted the claim on Twitter.  Sion bridge in Mumbai, leopard not concerned & feels its his territory.  Effect of lockdown of 2 legged animals.  pic. twitter. com/guBF7SuXKj — GpCaptJSMallhi-TRUE,Not 'FAKE' Nationalist;Secular (@malhijs) May 15, 2020  Archive   Leopard on roads in Mumbai.  pic. twitter. com/JFLx88CErN — JC  🇮🇳 (@jags1980) May 15, 2020  Archive     The video has also been widely circulated on WhatsApp.       The claim is false.  The video of leopard on the road is not from Sion.  Mumbai.  The incident took place in Hyderabad.  Praveen Kaswan, IFS (Indian Forest Service), a forest official replied to Raveena Tandon’s tweet stating the video is from Hyderabad and the leopard seems to be injured.  Upon doing a simple keyword search multiple reports by various news websites such as NDTV, Mumbai Mirror, Hindustan Times, Times of India,etc appeared that carried article about leopard being spotted in Hyderabad with videos and photos that looks similar to the viral video.  The incident occurred on a road at Mailardevpally on the outskirts of Hyderabad on Thursday.  The motorists passing through Katedan under-bridge were shocked to spot a leopard resting besides the road.   A rescue team from the forest department with the help of police rescued the leopard.    Attached below is the tweet by Praveen Kaswan as a reply to Raveena Tandon’s tweet.  This video was from Hyderabad.  Yesterday.  The leopard seems injured.  Ran away nearby farms later.  Hope it will find its way home soon.  https://t. co/aZFpfz0RcC — Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) May 15, 2020  Archive   This is the news video published by Hindustan Times.   Source: Hindustan Time   Given below is the screenshot and link of the news that Mumbai Mirror carried about the incident.   Source: Mumbai Mirror   Note the similarities between the screenshot from the viral video and the screenshot from the video Hindustan Times carried which proves that viral claim is false.  Screenshot from the viral video    Screenshot from the video Hindustan Times featured