Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi writes to PM Narendra Modi over rising fuel prices. "I urge you to roll back these increases and pass on the benefit to our middle & salaried class, our farmers & poor and our fellow citizens," she writes. https://t.co/Mtbtg5sHwZ

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the record-breaking prices of fuel being sold in the country and accused the government of profiting from people's misery and suffering. The letter from the Congress chief comes a day after petrol price reached an all-time high of ₹97 in Mumbai, while diesel was selling at ₹88. 06 in the country's financial capital.  The fuel prices have been rising in the city for the last 12 days.  Petrol was sold for ₹96 per litre on Wednesday and diesel ₹87 on Thursday. Petrol prices have already touched ₹100 in two states of the country - Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.  The petrol price touched ₹100 a litre in Rajasthan's Sri Ganganagar district and rose to record highs elsewhere on Wednesday. Drawing parallels with the UPA government, Gandhi said, "What baffles most citizens, is that these prices have been increased despite moderate prices of International crude oil.  To put it in context, the crude oil price is nearly half of what it was during the UPA Government’s tenure. "Here is the full text of the letter written by Sonia Gandhi:Dear Prime Minister,I hope this letter finds you well. I write to you to convey every citizen’s anguish & deep distress regarding the spiralling fuel & gas prices.  On one hand, India is witnessing systematic erosion of jobs, wages and household income.  The middle class and those at the margins of our society are struggling.  These challenges have been compounded by run away inflation and an unprecedented rise in price of almost all household items and essential commodities.  Sadly, in these distressing times, the Government has chosen to profiteer off people’s misery & suffering. Fuel prices are at an historic and unsustainable high.  In fact, Petrol has breached the ₹100/litre mark in many parts of the country.  The surging price of Diesel has added to the escalating woes of millions of farmers.  What baffles most citizens, is that these prices have been increased despite moderate prices of International crude oil.  To put it in context, the crude oil price is nearly half of what it was during the UPA Government’s tenure.  Therefore, your Government’s act of raising prices (continuously for 12 days till February 20th) is little less than a brazen act of profiteering. I fail to understand how any government can justify such thoughtless and insensitive measures directly at the cost of our people.  Your Government has increased excise duty on Diesel by 820% & on Petrol by 258% over and collected upwards of ₹21 lakh crore in the last six and a half years.  This unaccounted-for windfall is yet to be passed to the people for whose benefit it was ostensibly collected. As I had expressed earlier, it was cruel on the Government’s part to refuse to reduce fuel prices even when global crude oil had crashed to $20/barrel last year.  The whole principle of deregulation & dynamic pricing is predicated on the principle that reductions in crude oil prices will proportionately benefit the end consumers.  The fact that your Government fails to do so implies a deliberate and conscious decision to deny the common man his legitimate due. Instead, ironically, your Government has been unreasonably over-zealous in levying excessive excise duty on Petrol and Diesel, i. e. , ₹33 on every litre of Petrol and ₹32 on every litre of Diesel, which is higher than the base price of these fuels.  This is nothing short of extortion to cover up economic mismanagement.  As the principal party in opposition, I urge upon you to follow ‘Raj Dharma’ and reduce fuel prices by partially rolling back excise duty. The astronomical rise in domestic non-subsidised LPG Gas cylinder to ₹769 in Delhi (and over ₹800 in many states like Uttar Pradesh) is even more cruel and has impacted every household.  Can there be any justification for the Government increasing the price of a cylinder by ₹175 in two and a half months since December 2020? The truth is that as GDP nose dives, the prices of Gas, Diesel & Petrol continue to rise unchecked. What is equally distressing is that despite being in power for almost 7-years now, your government continues to blame previous regimes for its own economic mismanagement.  To set the record straight, domestic crude oil production has fallen to an 18-year low in the year 2020. Governments are elected to ease the burden of our people and at the very least, not work directly contrary to their interests.  I urge you to roll back these increases and pass on the benefit to our middle & salaried class, our farmers & poor and our fellow citizens.  It is they who are battling an unprecedented economic slowdown, widespread unemployment, wage reductions & job losses, high prices and erosion of income. I hope you will agree that it is time for your Government to focus on solutions instead of looking for excuses.  India deserves better. With good wishes,Yours Sincerely,Sonia Gandhi


A relative called police to a Florida home after finding three women shot dead and a one-week-old baby missing this week, authorities said. https://t.co/uZzLIHPc3Y

He was found inside a van that had been described as a vehicle of interest. Father found dead after abducting newbornThe father of a missing Florida newborn was found dead in his vehicle on Wednesday, a day after he allegedly abducted the 1-week-old baby boy and fled nearly 300 miles. Ernesto Caballeiro, 49, was found dead inside his vehicle on Wednesday afternoon with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound from a riffle, according to police.  But his 7-day-old son, Andrew, was no where to be found. Caballeiro was discovered in Central Florida inside a white van that had been described as a vehicle of interest in the baby's abduction.  Police had previously said that the baby might be with his father and in danger. Police said they found a pacifier in the car, but saw no sign of the baby in the surrounding wooded area. The Pasco Sheriff's Office shared images of the vehicle to its Facebook page on Wednesday, asking residents to reach out if they had seen the vehicle within the last 36 hours.  The vehicle was found in rural Blanton, Florida, more than 300 miles north of where the baby went missing. "We had the bloodhounds out there searching and the bloodhounds found nothing.  There was no indication that the child was in the area," Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco told reporters after the discovery.  "As many people as we can [get] are out there right now searching.  … We're looking for any signs of this little baby. "Nocco said a witness reported that they saw a blonde-haired woman sitting in the vehicle.  He said detectives were speaking with the witness to "try to get a composite to push out there. ""I sit here and pray to God that that is true and that she has the baby," Nocco said.  "If that is a true fact and that woman is out there, please come forward.  I promise you, all we care about is that little Andrew is OK. "He said his office is working closely with investigators in Miami-Dade County, where the infant was reported missing by family members. Law enforcement officers with knowledge of the investigation told the Tampa Bay Times that Caballeiro was a suspect in the death of baby Andrew's mother as well as two other women. Family members notified police on Tuesday night, saying they were unable to get in contact with child’s mother, the Tampa Bay Times reported.  When police got to the home they found the three women dead, according to the report. The Miami-Dade Police Department has not publicly referred to Caballeiro as a suspect in the murders.  It did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment Wednesday night. ABC News' Darren Reynolds contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


After Justice Department shifted its position and agreed with a lower court that Obamacare should be struck down, Pres. Trump tells @marykbruce, "The Republican Party will soon be known as the party of health care, you watch." https://t.co/JyfpwNJfxE https://t.co/4Yu3cn57Zl

  The Trump administration on Monday said the entire Affordable Care Act should be struck down, in a dramatic reversal.

  In a filing with a federal appeals court, the Justice Department said it agreed with the ruling of a federal judge in Texas that invalidated the Obama-era health care law.

  In a letter Monday night, the administration said “it is not urging that any portion of the district court’s judgment be reversed. ”

  “The Department of Justice has determined that the district court’s comprehensive opinion came to the correct conclusion and will support it on appeal,” said Kerri Kupec, spokesperson for the Justice Department.

  It’s a major shift for the Justice Department from when Jeff Sessions was attorney general.  At the time, the administration argued that the community rating rule and the guaranteed issue requirement – protections for people with pre-existing conditions – could not be defended but the rest of the law could stand.

  After the Justice Department took that position, federal District Judge Reed O’Connor struck down the entire law and the case is currently before a federal appeals court.

  Trump and the administration repeatedly promised – particularly leading up to the midterm election – to protect people with less-than-perfect medical histories.

  But this shift in the Justice Department’s stance doubles down on stripping away all the protections that were a hallmark of the landmark heath reform law.

  The administration’s move didn’t only startle supporters of the law.  One former official who worked under Sessions told CNN Monday night that he, too, was surprised by the new position.

  Because the case is before one of the most conservative appellate courts in the country, it almost guarantees that the issue will return to the newly solidified conservative Supreme Court at some point.  President Barack Obama’s former solicitor general, Donald Verrilli – who once defended the law before the Supreme Court – is now defending the law on behalf of the Democratic-led House.

  Overturning the law would have far-reaching consequences – way beyond disrupting coverage for the millions of people who get their health insurance on the exchanges or through Medicaid expansion.

  Obamacare saves senior citizens money on their Medicare coverage and prescription drugs.  It lets many Americans obtain free birth control, mammograms and cholesterol tests.  And it allows children to stay on their parents’ health insurance plans until they turn 26.

  And, even the Trump administration is using the landmark health reform law to try to lower prescription drug prices.

  The Trump administration would not defend the law in court so a coalition of 21 Democratic states led by California stepped in.

  “This lawsuit is as dangerous as it is reckless.  It threatens the healthcare of tens of millions of Americans across the country – from California to Kentucky and all the way to Maine,” said California Attorney General Xavier Becerra in a statement.  “The Affordable Care Act is an integral part of our healthcare system.  … Because no American should fear losing healthcare, we will defend the ACA every step of the way. ”

The inside story of how John Roberts negotiated to save Obamacare

  After November’s midterm elections, the Democratic-led House of Representatives also joined in.  In briefs filed with the appellate court, House lawyers said that if O’Connor’s ruling were upheld “the consequences will be devastating. ”

  “Millions of Americans will be denied affordable health care,” the House lawyers wrote.  They added that “insurance costs will skyrocket” and “Medicare recipients will face steep increases in the price of drugs and other services. ”

  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the administration’s stance amounted to “all-out war on the health care of the American people. ”

  “On the very first day that the Democratic Majority held the gavel, the House of Representatives voted to intervene against Republicans’ monstrous health care lawsuit to defend people with pre-existing conditions and the health care of all Americans,” Pelosi said in a statement.  “While the Trump Administration broadens its monstrous ambitions from destroying protections for pre-existing conditions to tearing down every last benefit and protection the Affordable Care Act provides, Democrats are fiercely defending the law of the land and protecting all Americans’ health care. ”

  Sen.  Kamala Harris, a California Democrat, became the first 2020 candidate to weigh in on the filing with her criticism Monday night.  During Attorney General William Barr’s confirmation hearing in January, Harris asked him whether he was open to reconsidering the department’s position.  He replied: “Yes. ”

  “Trump and his administration are trying to take health care away from tens of millions of Americans — again,” Harris wrote in a tweet.  “We must fight back again with everything we’ve got.  And in 2020, we need to elect a president who will make health care a right. ”

This story has been updated.
© 2021 Cable News Network.  A Warner Media Company.  All Rights Reserved.   CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network.


CLAIM With the ongoing protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, a video is being shared with the claim that it shows police beating Jamia Millia Islamia students.  The caption along with the video reads, “जामिया क्षेत्र में असामाजिक तत्वों को कुछ नृत्य मुद्राएं सिखाते हुए दिल्ली पुलिस कानून व्यवस्था के साथ कोई समझौता नही। साधुवाद @DelhiPolice (Translated: There is no compromise with Delhi Police law and order, teaching some dance postures to anti-social elements in Jamia region.  Thank you. )” An archived version of the tweet can be seen here.  TRUE OR FALSE?  The claim is false.  The video shared is old and is not related to the ongoing protests against CAA.  It dates back to 12 January 2014.  The video was released by the Aam Aadmi Party on its official Facebook page which eventually led to the suspension of these cops.  WHAT WE FOUND OUT On conducting a reverse image search by fragmenting the video, we found an article by India Today, dated 24 January, 2014 with the headline, “Three cops suspended after AAP video shows Delhi Police brutality”.  According to the news article, the video was shot on 12 January, 2014.  The video surfaced days after AAP’s dharna against the Delhi police at Rail Bhavan.  The constables were suspended soon after Aam Aadmi Party released the video on their Facebook page in which the cops were seen brutally beating a man and also taking out some money from his wallet, the report added.  We also found the video uploaded on the official Facebook page of AAP.  According to AAP, the video was shot by a “vigilante near Lal Quila”.  We also found multiple news reports corroborating the details of this incident.  Evidently, the video is not from the ongoing protest in the national capital and the video shared is old.


Home-isolation of #COVID19 patients to continue now; LG's apprehensions regarding it were resolved in the SDMA meeting. We thank LG for this: Manish Sisodia, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister (File Photo) https://t.co/sS3y3PIbZx https://t.co/VpXDFZU9vv

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has ordered a mandatory five-day institutional quarantine for all Covid-19 cases, including asymptomatic patients and those with mild signs of the infection.  The move could strain the Capital’s health infrastructure, which is already stretched; result in a shortage of health care workers; militate against people getting tested; hamper the detection rate; and throw Delhi’s long-term plan out of gear at a time when infections continue to rise.  We look at five principal reasons why it may not be a good idea:1) Overrun health care infrastructureAdding thousands of people in institutional quarantine – 10,490 people were in home quarantine as of Friday night – will require a sudden and steep ramping up of the Capital’s health care infrastructure, increasing the risk of the system being overwhelmed by those being admitted.  According to the government’s June 19 bulletin, 5,078 of its 10,961 Covid-19 beds were vacant, and 5,036 beds were available (out of 6,318) in Covid care and health centres.  A senior Delhi government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that this availability of resources was mainly because of the success of the home quarantine scheme. Click here for complete coronavirus coverage Experts feel that home isolation of asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients is a crucial strategy in the fight against the highly infectious disease.  “Why unnecessarily burden the health infrastructure that anyway gets overwhelmed when there is surge in cases?  Medical beds should be kept for serious patients needing specialised care, otherwise where will you keep your serious patients whose lives we have to save?  Home can be the best isolation facility so long as all protocols are followed,” said T Jacob John, the former head of virology at CMC, Vellore. 2) Spark a severe staff shortageIf all cases are to be admitted to institutional facilities in the Capital, the authorities will have to find additional doctors, nurses and health workers.  HT reported on Wednesday that the plan to add 23,800 beds this month for Covid-19 patients will require roughly 2,000 doctors and 3,000 nursing staff – resources that it has not been able to secure so far.  To add to the shortfall, several health care workers testing positive are going into quarantine on coming in direct contact with Covid-19 patients.  The government will also find it difficult to draw doctors, nurses and staff from its smaller non-Covid-19 hospitals. The challenge to secure more people has been intensified by the fact that some health workers fear getting infected.  “Most of our nurses put down their papers when we were asked to earmark beds for Covid-19.  Several other demanded higher salaries, it is not possible to do so in this economy,” said a doctor at a private hospital, asking not to be named.  In a statement, the Delhi government said: “Entire manpower of the Delhi government is already stretched.  Now, large quarantine centres would need to be made to house thousands of asymptomatic people. ”Also read: Delhi health minister Satyendra Jain administered plasma therapy, health condition stable3) People may stop getting testedThe move is also likely to discourage asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic people from undergoing tests.  Some feel that moving to institutional quarantine amid a shortage of beds and support staff will mean that the facilities are not up to the mark; they fear this will prompt people to avoid getting tested.  Atishi, a legislator from the Kalkaji constituency and a spokesperson of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) who tested positive for Covid-19 two days ago and is currently under home isolation, said it has emotional and psychological benefits.  “There is a lot of comfort attached to home isolation compared to institutional quarantine because you have your own room and most importantly, your own washrooms. . .  In home isolation, you have your family to look after you. ” She added that if institutional quarantine is made mandatory, then fewer people will opt for testing of Covid-19.  “Police, along with medical staff, will come to pick even asymptomatic people up and take them to quarantine centres.  People will be scared with all this and many will fear themselves from getting tested,” she said. 4) Cases may go undetectedIf fewer people are willing to get tested, the undetected spread from such patients is likely to grow in the Capital.  With the detection rate dipping, more people are likely to reach hospitals after their infection has advanced, which could possibly also impact the recovery rate.  Experts also point to the risks of infections from crowded quarantine facilities. Home quarantine for patients has been approved by the Union government as an effective way to preserve health care infrastructure for future challenges, under certain guidelines.  DDMA, however, said in its order on Friday that it fears “home isolation without physical contact to monitor the patients may be a reason for the increase in the spread of Covid-19 infections in Delhi”. Also read: Kejriwal opposes L-G’s 5-day mandatory institutional quarantine order, says ‘will lead to evasions’5) Long-term strategy takes a hitTo meet the need for around 150,000 beds by the end of July, the Delhi government has planned to use stadiums as makeshift hospitals.  It has also identified neighbourhood facilities to meet the need for the beds, according to its prediction of the infection’s peak in the Capital.  This strategy, however, was devised on the model which included mild cases being quarantined at home.  With the latest guidelines, this plan stands compromised.  A member of a committee created to look into the augmentation of Delhi’s health infrastructure previously told HT that the panel’s calculations, based on the Capital’s population and the current model, may have to be reworked and a new strategy may have to be devised.  Experts insist that if the guidelines are changed on a regular basis, the projections and modelling of the scenarios will repeatedly need to be revised, creating a challenge for the long-term strategy.  They also say that most countries in the world recommend home isolation for mild cases and the latest move by DDMA should be rethought.


Picture collage shows victims of riots that broke out in the Swedish town of Malmo on August 28.

Riots erupted in the Swedish city of Malmo on August 28 after members of a far-right organisation reportedly set the Quran on fire and stamped on it.  A far-right Danish politician, Rasmus Paludan, was to speak at the Quran-burning event on 'Islamisation of Nordic countries', but he was arrested and banned from Sweden for two years. Malmo went up in smoke, literally, as hundreds of protesters set fire to vehicles and fought pitched battles with police.  Amid this, a collage of 16 pictures showing badly injured faces of some women is circulating on Twitter with the claim that this is what the immigrants did to Swedish women during the riots. BJP leader Gaurav Goel posted the collage on Twitter and tweeted, "Tolerance of Sweden has paved a way for them to be killed.  Sweden allowed Jihadis to come and now the citizens of Sweden are brutally killed or injured, that is not an accident. . . It is a choice they have made. "India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found that the women's mugshots are not related to the Sweden riots.  The pictures seen in the collage are years old and from different countries.  These women have been victims of domestic abuse, police violence or other attacks. The disturbing photo collage is being widely shared on social media linking it to the Sweden riots.  Actor Kangana Ranaut had also retweeted one such misleading tweet. What is happening in Sweden is extremely sad, my heart goes out to all the natives who believed that being secular made them better people, wake up call for Bharat, don’t be ashamed of protecting your civilization, protecting your Dharma.  https://t. co/fErxr1o8GB— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) August 29, 2020
What is happening in Sweden is extremely sad, my heart goes out to all the natives who believed that being secular made them better people, wake up call for Bharat, don’t be ashamed of protecting your civilization, protecting your Dharma.  https://t. co/fErxr1o8GBAFWA investigationUsing Google reverse image search, we found the viral collage was used in a report by The Observers in 2018.  The article was about fake images used to spread "racist stereotypes" against migrants. Describing the picture collage, the article cited a report by Austrian fact-check website Mimikama, which tracked down the original sources of most of the pictures in 2017. The collage was made using pictures of victims of various attacks from different countries.  The Mimikama report details the names, country, incident, year and source for most of the mugshots. This proves the viral picture collage has been available on the Internet for almost three years and has nothing to do with the recent rioting and arson in Sweden.  As per reports, some policemen were injured in the violence.  No death was reported till the filing of this story. This is not the first time Sweden has seen rioting by immigrants.  In 2017, riots erupted in a migrant neighbourhood of Stockholm after United States President Donald Trump referred to Sweden while speaking on problems caused by immigration.  In 2010, rioters torched a school in a migrant-dominated area in the Swedish capital. The number of crows determines the intensity of the lie.


Actor Amitabh Bachchan lent his shoulder to the stretcher carrying his domestic help’s body.

Did Amitabh Bachchan lend a hand to the stretcher carrying the body of domestic help who worked with him for 40 years? A viral post on social media claims, Amitabh’s servant who was working with him for the last 40 years died.  Amitabh lent his shoulder to the body.  Great man.  Everyone has money but few people have humanity.  Hats off to Amitabh. India Today’s Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found the claim to be misleading.  The viral image is true, but Bachchan did not lose his domestic help.  It was his secretary and manager Sheetal Jain who passed away earlier this month. Facebook user Ashutosh Mehta uploaded the post on June 22, claiming that Bachchan lost his servant’ the day before.  A photo of Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan holding a stretcher carrying a body was also posted along with the claim. Some Facebook users have shared the post.  The archived version can be seen here. Another Facebook user, Kalale Purushotham shared the same photo with the same claim on June 23.  The archived version can be seen here. AFWA found that Big B had himself written a blog about his associate of 40 years passing away on June 8.  Bachchan had uploaded the picture that has been going viral and eulogised his secretary and manager Sheetal Jain in the blog. In the blog Bachchan has written that Jain planned and sorted my schedules, films and important meetings with producers.  It was him that we asked to represent us when it was not possible for the family to attend an occasion. So it is clear that it was not a domestic help, but Bachchan’s secretary and manager Sheetal Jain whose funeral the megastar attended. Also read: Fact Check: Viral post warning Mumbai residents of robbers is a hoaxAlso read: Fact Check: Truth behind the viral video of Hindu girl set ablaze in Madhya PradeshThe number of crows determines the intensity of the lie.


Video of Yogi Adityanath using an expletive word is fake

A video showing Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath lashing out at a camera person from news wire ANI (Asian News International ) has gone viral with claims that the chief minister was caught on camera using an expletive.   The viral clip shows the chief minister giving a sound byte to an ANI journalist after the former received his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine COVAXIN on Monday morning.   In the video, Adityanath thanks the country's scientists before getting distracted by a disturbance in the background.  The UP chief minister then lowers his voice and can be heard allegedly saying, "kya karte ho ch*tiyapane ka. . . " with the words trailing off.    ये है मुख्यमंत्री योगी आदित्यनाथ का असली चेहरा।ANI के कैमरामैन को ज़रा सी आवाज पर 'चूतिया कहीं के' कह कर संबोधित कर रहे हैं।खैर ANI के साथ यही होना चाहिए, देश की सबसे बड़ी एजेंसी जब सरकारी प्रवक्ता से भी बदतर चाटुकारिता करने लगे तब यह होना लाज़मी है।संत की भाषा सुनिए। pic. twitter. com/bWY1J1gCCR The clip was also picked up by the Aam Aadami Party's Twitter handle.    ⚠WARNING: Fake Yogi's non-sanskari language ahead.  pic. twitter. com/JHHJBhjQrY  Several right wing users retorted claiming the video is "fake", "dubbed over" and "edited".  A website named BreakingTube. com was one of the first to call the video fake.  A video uploaded to ANI's official YouTube feed does not contain the alleged abusive word.   Right wing website OpIndia relied on a tweet by NewsNation TV anchor Deepak Chaurasia who in turn called the video 'edited' and said the last three seconds of the clip were tampered with.  Fact check: Did UP CM Yogi Adityanath use abusive words as claimed in viral video https://t. co/J7WiqwjJF6 Click here to view an archive of OpIndia's story.  सीएम योगी के आपत्तिजनक शब्द बोलने का मामला। एडिटेड निकला सीएम योगी का Video, वीडियो के आखिरी 3 सेकेंड में जोड़े गए आपत्तिजनक शब्द। @shalabhmani Another right wing social media outlet Social Tamasha created a two-window comparison of the viral video with the video shared by ANI UP and claimed it was fake.  However, the Twitter users who shared the earlier video pointed out that the two videos show different angles, different sentences spoken by the CM and therefore is not the same.  दोनों वीडियो में कैमरा ऐंगल अलग है, शब्द अलग हैं और कांटेंट अलग है। तो पहले वीडियो Edited कैसे हुआ? मतलब पहले योगी जी ने गलती की, फिर गलती को सुधारने के लिए दूसरा वीडियो बनाया और उसमें भी शब्द बदलने की गलती कर दी।अब कहाँ गए @DChaurasia2312?  एक निम्न स्तर के ट्रोल बन गए तुम तो। pic. twitter. com/G6C9SiUEnC Also Read: Old Video Of Yogi Adityanath Announcing Lockdown In 15 Districts Revived ANI UP Tweets Video With Editor's Note BOOM found a tweet by ANI UP which had the UP CM's byte along with an Editor's note saying, "Earlier issued Live Sound byte is retracted. " However, the agency did not clarify what exactly was retracted.   Video byte of UP CM Yogi Adityanath on Covid vaccination(Editors note: Earlier issued Live Sound byte is retracted) pic. twitter. com/td9qQHSnrX We reached out to Ishaan Prakash, Editor at ANI, about the viral video.  Prakash directed us to ANI UP's tweet and declined to comment further.  "See the tweet we put out from ANI UP.  I'm not making any more comments," Ishaan Prakash told BOOM.  Sources At Three News Channels Confirm Video Is Not Fake BOOM spoke to sources at three news channels who confirmed that they did receive the retracted ANI video in the morning after 8 am.  But ANI later sent them a note retracting the video and provided a revised video carrying the chief minister's statement that is now playing on all the channels.  The individuals spoke on condition of anonymity.  Live Feed On YouTube Shows Video Is Not Fake BOOM went through the live feeds of several news channels on YouTube and found that the viral clip had indeed been played out.   A live feed of ABP Ganga which is the Uttar Pradesh outlet of ABP News played the now viral video.   The channel played the video even while its reporter was speaking.  Watch the live feed below at 8:09 am on the channel's clock.   The channel hits black as the video is cut abruptly.  Live feeds on YouTube that are still playing LIVE cannot be edited.    One can view the same at the 6. 00 minutes timestamp in the video below which was uploaded later on the ABP Ganga channel.  We also found another live feed by News 18 UP Uttarakhand channel, where the video was also played.  Watch the live feed below at 8:10:40 am on the channel's clock.    Another video by First India News Rajasthan shows the same clip at the 2. 10 YouTube counter.   BOOM found no evidence to suggest the viral clip has been tampered with and the subsequent byte played by news channels without the word appear to be a retake.   We also found that the 'fact-checks' by OpIndia and BreakingTube. com to be incorrect and false.   Note: Following the publication of BOOM's story ABP Ganga made its YouTube video private.  The story has been updated to replace deleted videos and include News18 UP Uttarakhand's video.   Also Read: Fake Letter Claims PM Wrote To Yogi Adityanath About A Hindu Rashtra


Delhi: Fire broke out at the office of Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in Pandit Deendayal Antyodaya Bhawan, at CGO Complex, today; 24 fire tenders present at the spot. #Delhi https://t.co/epcfEpr7eN

A CISF sub-inspector died in a major fire which broke out on the fifth floor of Pandit Deendayal Antyodaya Bhawan at the CGO Complex in the national capital Wednesday morning.  The fire department rushed 24 fire engines to the spot to fight the blaze.  Delhi’s chief fire officer Atul Garg said the fire started at the Pandit Deendayal Antyodaya Bhawan in the CGO complex around 8. 30am in the morning.  The building houses several government offices and is located near Lodhi Road. CISF sub-inspector M P Godra who fell unconscious after inhaling smoke was taken to the All India Institute of Medical sciences (AIIMS) where he was pronounced dead, officials said.  Godra was 53. Officials said the fire was brought under control and cooling operation is underway.  They said a short circuit could be the probable cause of the fire. Many central government offices, including a branch of the Indian Air Force, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, and Ministry of Forest operate out of the building.  Earlier it was known as the Paryavaran Bhawan.


A Republican congressman tweeted an attack on Michael Cohen ahead of the longtime Trump fixer’s public congressional testimony. https://t.co/u2Ufw4ZBdf https://t.co/Ymwip6fWVw

Analysis by Stephen Collinson, CNNUpdated 1338 GMT (2138 HKT) February 27, 2019  (CNN)President Donald Trump's ex-lawyer Michael Cohen will unleash a stunning indictment of his former client Wednesday that will amount to one of the strongest rebukes of a sitting President in living memory. CNN's Manu Raju contributed to this report.


As tensions between India and China elevate, Times Now while reporting on the same aired footage that allegedly shows the said border conflict between the soldiers of both the countries.  The entire news package aired on May 26th can be viewed here and screenshots of the same are as follows:  Over the course of the entire package, Times Now had played three different videos depicting the aggressive tension between the two countries at the borders.  The same video was shared by a channel that goes by the name of Public News live on May 27th captioning it as, “China India Conflict at Border…” A screenshot of the same is as follows:  Post Archive The anchor is heard stating the following lines at the 48th second in the video.  “…And in fact these are  the visuals we are getting for you” However, viewers noticed the word ‘File’ popping in between the visuals.  This means that Times Now has in fact used old file footage to depict the recent stand-offs.   A Google Reverse Image search of a screenshot of the video in question led to a tweet that was tweeted on August 19,2017 by Shiv Aroor, a senior editor at India Today with the caption, “BREAKING: Video of violent confrontation between Indian & Chinese troops at Pangong Tso, Ladakh on Aug 15.  No official comment on it yet. ” The tweet is as follows: BREAKING: Video of violent confrontation between Indian & Chinese troops at Pangong Tso, Ladakh on Aug 15.  No official comment on it yet.  pic. twitter. com/b1amMZfJ6t — Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) August 19, 2017  The second footage was reported to be a Times Now Exclusive footage however, ironically reported that the channel “does not vouch for the authencity of the video”.  A Google Reverse Image search directed to a YouTube channel by the name of  Polimer News that had aired  the same footage on 26th June 2017.  The footage, according to the channel indicated India-China border tensions.  It was posted  with the caption: ” China violates ceasefire – Indian Army clashes with Chinese Army | Polimer News”.  A screenshot of the same is as follows:    A Google Reverse Image search showed the same footage being used as a part of a news package put out by Times Now on 31st July 2017 to show Chinese soldiers transgressing into Uttarakhand’s Barahoti.  The entire video can be viewed here and a screenshot of the same is as follows:       The third video used  in the news package was debunked by SM Hoaxslayer on May 21st.  Video showing an argument between Chinese and Indian troops is old  The oldest upload of the footage was found on a YouTube channel called ‘YB Blog’ on January 13, 2o2o.  The video can be viewed here.  This video clarifies that the Chinese army got into an argument with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police in Arunachal Pradesh.    Therefore the footages aired on Times Now are not of the current border tensions between India and China.


Gujarat: Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad, where US President Donald Trump's 'Namaste Trump' will be held today. https://t.co/a3mM7GhWFv

Sep 05, 2021-Sunday

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Talks with PM Modi, state banquet on Prez Trump's Tuesday schedule'President and First Lady have promised to visit again': Taj Mahal guideTrumps lands in New DelhiYogi Adityanath presents Taj Mahal portrait to the Trumps'In America and India, we fight for the citizens we proudly serve'Trumps leave after visiting the Taj Mahal'Timeless testament of Indian culture': Trump on Taj MahalIvanka Trump, Jared Kushner pose at Taj MahalUS president, First lady visit Taj MahalPresidential cavalcade moving towards the Taj Mahal'India and US will make their future brighter than ever before': TrumpTrumps welcomed at airport with cultural programmeUS President lands at Agra airportArtists wait in Agra to welcome Trump25,000 students will line up on Trump's Agra routeUnited States president Donald Trump began his maiden two-day India visit on Monday.  Trump, accompanied by first lady Melania, daughter Ivanka, son-in-law Jared Kushner and top brass of his administration, arrived in Ahmedabad around 11. 40 am for the first-leg of his trip. Prime Minister Narendra Modi received the US president at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel international airport in Ahmedabad.  The leaders then participated in ‘Namaste Trump’ rally at the Motera Stadium. After attending the rally, Trump flew to Agra where he and the First Lady Melania Trump spent about an hour at the Taj Mahal before sunset.  The delegation arrived in Delhi in the evening where Trump and PM Modi will hold talks on Tuesday. Talks with PM Modi, state banquet on Prez Trump's Tuesday scheduleUS President Donald Trump has a slew of official engagements in New Delhi on Tuesday, the second and last day of his India visit.  After a ceremonial reception at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhawan, the US president will visit the Rajghat, followed by a meeting with PM and signing of agreements at the Hyderabad.  The last official engagement will be a state banquet for the visiting president at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.  'President and First Lady have promised to visit again': Taj Mahal guideNitin Kumar Singh, president Trump's  tour guide at the Taj Mahal says that the president and the first lady  have promised to visit the monument again, reports ANI . "I gave every minute detail of the Taj Mahal to US President Donald Trump and the First Lady.  'Incredible' was the first word they uttered after seeing the Taj Mahal.  President and the First Lady have promised to visit once again," said Singh.  Trumps lands in New DelhiPresident Trump, accompanied by his wife Melania Trump, arrives in New Delhi. Yogi Adityanath presents Taj Mahal portrait to the TrumpsUttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath presented a large portrait of Taj Mahal to US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump as they left Agra for Delhi. 'In America and India, we fight for the citizens we proudly serve'Comparing the Constitutions of India and the US, President Trump said in a tweet that in America and India alike, "we honor, respect, trust, empower and fight for the citizens we proudly serve! "Our two national constitutions both begin with the same three beautiful words: “We the people. ” That means that in America and India alike, we honor, respect, trust, empower, and fight for the citizens we proudly serve!  🇺🇸🇮🇳 pic. twitter. com/hfKKSqlVfeTrumps leave after visiting the Taj MahalPresident Trump and others leave after visiting the Taj Mahal and are now on their way to the Agra air base. 'Timeless testament of Indian culture': Trump on Taj MahalDonald Trump says the Taj Mahal "inspires awe".  Writing in the visitors' book at the monument, Trump said, 'The Taj Mahal Inspires Awe, A Timeless Testament to the Rich And Diverse Beauty of Indian Culture"Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner pose at Taj MahalPresident Trump's daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner also looked around the Taj Mahal and posed for photos. Uttar Pradesh: US President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner at the Taj Mahal in Agra.  pic. twitter. com/z1LtpUQJjeUS president, First lady visit Taj MahalUS President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visited the Taj Mahal in Agra.  Thep president later wrote in visitor's book. Agra: US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at the Taj Mahal.  pic. twitter. com/DOd4tu8iOQPresidential cavalcade moving towards the Taj MahalThe cavalcade of President Trump is moving towards the Taj Mahal.  Cultural events have been organised at stages created on crossings along the 14 km route. Agra: Artists perform, students line the streets as US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump head to the Taj Mahal.  pic. twitter. com/ezHd5pf2Vq'India and US will make their future brighter than ever before': TrumpPresident Trump says that India and the US will make their future brighter than eve before.  In a tweet in Hindi, the US president said, "India and the US will make their nations stronger, their citizens more affluent, give wings to people who dream big and their future brighter than ever before. . . and that is just the beginning. "अमेरिका और भारत अपने देशों को मजबूत बनाएँगे, अपने लोगों को सम्पन्न बनाएँगे, बड़े सपने देखने वालों को और बड़ा बनाएँगे और अपना भविष्य पहले से कहीं अधिक उज्जवल बनाएँगे. . .  और यह तो शुरुआत ही है।Trumps welcomed at airport with cultural programmeUttar Pradesh governor Anandiben Patel and CM Yogi Adityanath welcomed President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump at the airport.  A cultural programme was presented for the guests who included the president's daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner. Trump applauded the cultural event by clapping for the artistsUS President lands at Agra airportUS President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have landed at Agra airport.  They will visit the Taj Mahal shortly. Artists wait in Agra to welcome TrumpThe UP government and the Agra administration have made preparations to welcome President Trump and First Lady when they arrive in Agrra.  Artists are waiting at Phool Sayyad crossing in Agra on route to Taj Mahal25,000 students will line up on Trump's Agra routeAbout 25,000 school students will welcome US President Donald Trump along his 13 km long route in Agra, officials said on Monday, reports news agency IANS. A senior UP government official told IANS, "Over 25,000 students from government as well as private schools will welcome President Trump here. "He said, besides the government school students, about 500 women associated with self help groups will also welcome Trump in the historic city. The official further said that the students will be holding Indian and US national flags in their hands and they will wave the US President. First published: Feb 24, 2020 08:36 IST


GOP @RepMarkMeadows: “I don’t think the Mueller report should have been really something we’re discussing today. I don’t think there should have been a special prosecutor … We need to go after the bad guys, which is Russia, and not the President of the United States." #CNNSOTU https://t.co/zf2qfYfsEj

The report doesn't conclude Trump committed a crime and doesn't exonerate him.  Special counsel report delivered, focus shifts to attorney generalSpecial counsel Robert Mueller's report into the Kremlin's interference in the 2016 presidential election  did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia, according to a letter to Congress from Attorney General William Barr. The letter describes "two main" Russian efforts to influence the election  including “attempts by a Russian organization… to conduct disinformation and social media operations in the United States” and “the Russian government’s efforts to conduct computer hacking operations” targeting former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and the Democratic Party. In both circumstances, the “Special Counsel did not find that the Trump campaign, or anyone associated with it, conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in these efforts. ”The special counsel’s office made no conclusion on the matter of possible obstruction of justice by President Donald Trump. "The Special Counsel, therefore, did not draw a conclusion – one way or the other – as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction," the letter read.  "Instead, for each of the relevant actions investigated, the report sets out 'difficult issues' of law and fact concerning whether the President's actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction. "In his communique to lawmakers, Barr underscored that the special counsel states that “while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. ”While Mueller’s report did not reach a conclusion as to whether obstruction of justice occurred, Attorney General Barr’s letter said he determined a case for obstruction was not warranted. “In cataloging the President’s actions many of which took place in public view, the report identities no actions that, in our judgment, constitute obstructive conduct, had a nexus to a pending or contemplated proceeding, and were done with corrupt intent, each of which, under the Department's principles of federal prosecution guiding charging decisions, would need to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt to establish an obstruction-of-justice offense. "Barr said his intent is to release as much as possible but there are grand jury secrecy concerns with some portions. The White House celebrated the news, with President Donald Trump hailing the report on Twitter and, later in comments to reporters, as an "exoneration. ""This was an illegal takedown that failed and hopefully, someone is going to be looking at the other side," Trump told reporters on Sunday. He tweeted: "No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION.  KEEP AMERICA GREAT! ""The Special Counsel did not find any collusion and did not find any obstruction," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement.  "Attorney General Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein further determined there was no obstruction.  The findings of the Department of Justice are a total and complete exoneration of the President of the United States. ”Jay Sekulow, one of President Trump’s lawyers, told ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos that the report was a "complete win for the president and the American people. ""Not just a win. " Sekulow said.  "The entire basis upon which this inquiry was instituted was a concern over collusion between the Russian government and the trump campaign, Bob Mueller and the Department of Justice could not be clearer.  To have the obstruction issue even as a viable one, which it was not, there would have to be an underlying crime, which there wasn't. "House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N. Y. , questioned the timing of the letter tweeting "Special Counsel Mueller worked for 22 months to determine the extent to which President Trump obstructed justice.  Attorney General Barr took 2 days to tell the American people that while the President is not exonerated, there will be no action by DOJ. " He later tweeted that "in light of the very concerning discrepancies and final decision making at the Justice Department following the Special Counsel report," the House Judiciary Committee will be calling Barr in to testify in the near future. In his letter to members of Congress on Sunday, Barr described the breadth of the special counsel’s extensive and exhaustive probe.  Mueller’s 19 prosecutors and 40 FBI agents issued more than 2,800 subpoenas, executed nearly 500 search warrants, and interviewed approximately 500 witnesses, Barr wrote, the results of which amounted to 37 indictments and six guilty pleas to date. The news comes amid Democrats continued calls for the full release of the findings. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in a joint letter, seemed to sum up the sentiment of many congressional Democrats in saying that Barr's letter "raises as many questions as it answers" and that Congress "requires the full report and the underlying documents. ""The fact that Special Counsel Mueller’s report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay," they wrote.  "Given Mr.  Barr’s public record of bias against the Special Counsel’s inquiry, he is not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report. "The congressional leaders also took issues with the president's claims of being "exonerated. "On the campaign trail and on the Hill, Democrats made clear they are going to want every detail and document about the investigation and some have said they are willing to use their subpoena power in order to get it. "It means make the request, if the request is denied subpoena, if the subpoenas are denied we will hold people before the Congress and yes, we will prosecute in court as necessary to get this information," House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep.  Adam Schiff, D-Calif. , said Sunday on "This Week". Democratic candidates running to unseat President Donald Trump in 2020 reacted quickly to the news that Mueller delivered his report to DOJ with one consistent message: Make it public. "The Mueller report must be made public — all of it," Sen.  Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY said in a presidential campaign speech outside the Trump International Hotel and Tower in New York City. She added: "It is not often that I agree with Richard Nixon, but he was right to say that the American people have a right to know whether their president is a crook. "The much-awaited report was handed to the Justice Department for Barr’s review, and Congress was notified of the transfer late Friday afternoon, according to a Justice Department spokeswoman. After reviewing Mueller's report, Barr will then send what he has described as his own "report" on the Mueller investigation to the top Democrats and Republicans on the House and Senate Judiciary committees.  Barr has promised to be as transparent as possible, but it's unclear how extensive or detailed Barr's own "report" to Congress will be. In a letter to the leaders of the House and Senate Judiciary committees, Barr wrote that he intends to "consult with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Special Counsel Mueller to determine what other information from the report can be released to Congress and the public consistent with the law. "A senior Department of Justice official told ABC News on Friday that the report would not include any further indictments. Mueller and his team investigated how far the Kremlin went to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, including trying to determine whether any Americans may have helped those efforts. At the heart of Mueller’s probe were two Russian operations: the spread of disinformation on social media, and the release of thousands of sensitive emails stolen by hackers from the Democratic National Committee and other Democratic targets.  Mueller’s team has charged 25 Russian nationals and three foreign companies for their alleged role in those operations. In appointing a special counsel to investigate, however, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein also directed Mueller to look into “allegations” of possible “coordination” between Russian operatives and associates of President Donald Trump. Trump and his Republican allies have derided the investigation as a “witch hunt. ” But Rosenstein, FBI Director Chris Wray and Barr have each explicitly disputed that description. At least four Trump associates, including Trump’s former national security adviser Michael Flynn, have pleaded guilty to lying to federal agents during the Russia-related investigation. Another Trump associate, the president’s former attorney Michael Cohen, has pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about Trump’s business dealings in Moscow.  And former Trump adviser Roger Stone has been charged with lying to Congress about his alleged role in tracking information stolen from Democrats during the 2016 presidential campaign. Mueller’s investigation grew out of a probe the FBI launched in late July 2016. By then, the FBI was already scrutinizing Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort’s business dealings with pro-Russian officials in Ukraine – dealings that have since landed Manafort in jail.  And the FBI was keeping tabs on Trump adviser Carter Page, who was previously targeted for recruitment by Russian spies and had raised eyebrows with a trip to Moscow in mid-July 2016. But claims by Trump adviser George Papadopoulos – that the Russians were touting “dirt” on Clinton – really set off alarms inside the FBI. “If any Americans were part of helping the Russians [attack] us, that is a very big deal,” James Comey, who was FBI director at the time, later told lawmakers. Several weeks after formally launching the Russia probe, counterintelligence agents leading the investigation in Washington received a so-called “dossier,” which had been compiled at the behest of Democrats and detailed uncorroborated allegations of coordination between Trump’s campaign and the Kremlin. Some of the allegations involved Page, who was already on the FBI’s radar, so agents began secretly intercepting his communications.  Page has never been charged with any crimes. The wide-ranging investigation continued even after Trump took office.  After Jeff Sessions became attorney general, he recused himself from oversight of the FBI’s Russia-related probe, citing his previous advocacy for Trump on the campaign trail. Rosenstein subsequently assumed oversight of the investigation. And then Trump shocked the federal law enforcement community: He fired Comey. The move prompted Rosenstein to appoint Mueller to take over the whole matter, including a review of whether Comey's firing and other actions meant Trump improperly tried to obstruct the probe. Comey later alleged that in a private meeting with Trump before his removal, the president directed Comey to “let [Flynn] go. ”Mueller has not released any evidence suggesting Trump committed a crime related to Russian efforts. However, Mueller did uncover evidence of other possible crimes and referred those cases to other federal prosecutors. The U. S.  Attorney’s Office in Manhattan ended up tying Trump to federal campaign violations, alleging that – in the midst of the 2016 presidential campaign – Trump personally directed Cohen to silence two woman claiming affairs with Trump by making illegal payments to them; Trump has repeatedly denied the affairs. Cohen has pleaded guilty for his role in the matter, but no other charges have been filed. ABC News' Pierre Thomas, John Santucci and Kyra Phillips contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Number of active cases of #COVID19 rises to 322 in Kerala, with 53 more people testing positive today: Kerala Health Department https://t.co/X4VhmhbmCP

Kerala has reported another covid-19 death and 53 new cases on Sunday, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.  With latest case, death toll has gone up to 6 in the state.  Though the state maintained a healthy graph with lowest mortality and highest recovery rates cases shot up with the return of expatriates from the middle-eastern countries and people stranded in other parts of the country. A 53- year-old woman, a resident of Wayanad, who returned from Dubai last week died in the medical college hospital in Kozhikkode.  Doctors said she was suffering from cancer and diabetes and was on ventilator for last three days.  Her husband and other relatives are in quarantine. Among 53 new cases Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur (north Kerala) reported 12 cases each, said the CM adding 18 are foreign returnees, 30 came from other states and five contracted the disease from the infected.  Active cases went up to 322 and people under observation also rose to 90,000 after a gap of a month.  At least 90,000 people have returned to the state and more are expected in coming days. With more trains and opening of domestic air travel, the state has made it clear that entry passes will be must for all domestic passengers like rail travellers.  The government had opened a website for this two weeks back.  Those who come without this pass will have to undergo institutional quarantine.  Similarly it made home quarantine a must for those who stay in the state for a longer period.  For business travellers and others who come here for brief stopover it is not necessary, the CM had said two days back adding it can’t take chances.


India's total number of #Coronavirus positive cases rises to 24,942 (including 18,953 active cases, 5210 cured/discharged/migrated and 779 deaths): Ministry of Health and Family Welfare https://t.co/6sIlB91A2T

Parts of India have recorded dramatic falls in mortality rates after a nationwide lockdown was imposed to fight the new coronavirus, suggesting there has not been an undetected surge in virus-related deaths. All over the world, mortality rates are being scrutinised to determine the true impact of the coronavirus, which emerged in China late last year and is known to have infected more than 2. 7 million people globally, with nearly 190,000 deaths. While death rates in some countries have risen sharply in recent weeks, in India the opposite seems to be happening, at least in some places, leaving hospitals, funeral parlours and cremation sites wondering what is going on. Coronavirus outbreak: Full coverage“It’s very surprising for us,” said Shruthi Reddy, chief executive officer of Anthyesti Funeral Services, which operates in of Kolkata and the southern tech hub of Bengaluru. The company handled about five jobs a day in January but has only had about three a day this month. “We’ve declared employee pay cuts if revenue falls below a threshold,” Reddy said. Other numbers tell a similar story. Central Mumbai, home to some 12 million people, saw deaths fall by about 21% in March compared with the same month of 2019, according to municipal data.  Overall deaths plummeted 67% in Ahmedabad, the biggest city in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat, over the same period.  Data from at least two other cities, along with accounts from state health officials, show a similar pattern.  Half a dozen funeral businesses and crematoriums also reported slumps in business, especially in April. “If we’re not seeing an increase in deaths, the suspicion that there may be more COVID-19 fatalities out there is not true,” said Giridhar Babu, professor of epidemiology at the Public Health Foundation of India. FEWER ACCIDENTSModi imposed a lockdown of India’s 1. 3 billion people on March 25 in a bid to stop the spread of the coronavirus, which has infected some 23,077 people, killing 718 of them, according to the latest figures. India has tested about 525,000 people, meaning some 4% were positive.  In the United Sates, about 18% of tests are positive, according to the COVID Tracking project. India’s apparently lower death rates stands in contrast to what has been seen elsewhere. The Netherlands recorded about 2,000 more deaths than normal in the first week of April, for example, while in Indonesia’s capital of Jakarta the number of funerals rose sharply in March.  Some towns in Italy also saw a jump in recorded deaths.  Indian doctors, officials and crematorium employees suspect the lower death rate is in large part attributable to fewer road and rail accidents. “Road accident cases, and even patients with alcohol or drug abuse, stroke and heart attacks have been coming in fewer numbers,” said Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, health minister for Assam. Accidents on India’s chaotic roads killed more than 151,400 people in 2018, according to official data, the world’s highest absolute number.  The coronavirus lockdown, which is due to end on May 3, will cut road deaths by at least 15% this year compared with 2018, Paresh Kumar Goel, a director at the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, said.  With passenger trains halted, fatalities from all-too-common rail accidents have also plunged.  In Mumbai alone, for example, more than half a dozen people typically die every day on the rail network. FEWER MURDERS TOO? Neeraj Kumar, who is in charge of a crematorium on the banks of the holy Ganges river in Uttar Pradesh, said victims of crime were also not being brought in. “We used to get at least 10 accident-related bodies every day and many related to murder cases.  But after the lockdown we’re only receiving natural death cases,” Kumar said. The site used to perform up to 30 cremations a day but in the month since March 22, only 43 people had been cremated, Kumar said after leafing through the crematorium’s record book. But the lower rates might also reflect difficulties in reporting deaths during the lockdown, officials said.  “There could be an increase when the lockdown ends,” said Dr Bhavin Joshi, a senior health department official with the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. Requests for India-wide data from the national registrar went unanswered, while an official at the New Delhi Municipal Council said they could not provide numbers.  Reuters was also unable to obtain data for West Bengal, where some doctors have accused the government of understating coronavirus deaths.  Only a state-appointed committee is allowed to declare that a patient has died from the virus.


#JammuAndKashmir : ITBP personnel participate in yoga practice session in Leh on #InternationalDayofYoga https://t.co/R3n20Fr2mb

Kick-starting the global celebrations marking International Yoga Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation by participating in a mega event in Ranchi on Friday.  Setting the stage for International Yoga Day, which is being celebrated on a global scale from 2015, PM Modi has been sharing an asan a day on social media urging people to join the movement. Home minister Amit Shah participated at an event in Rohtak and defence minister Rajnath Singh was seen in the national capital at a morning yoga session at Rajpath.  Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) working president J P Nadda performed yoga, along with other party leaders and workers, at a park opposite the headquarters of the saffron party on Deen Dayal Upadhyaya (DDU) Marg in the national capital. Highlights:Sri Lanka Prez praises Modi for bringing yoga to international stageOn the occasion of International Yoga Day, Sri Lankan President Maitripala Sirisena praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his efforts to bring the “common heritage” of India and Sri Lanka to the international stage. He also urged everyone to practice yoga.  “I compliment my friend @narendramodi for his efforts at bringing our common heritage of Yoga to the international stage.  I urge all to practice yoga like me,” he tweeted. Yoga is above everything, make it integral part of life: ModiPrime Minister Narendra Modi said yoga is above caste, religion, colour, gender and region as he meticulously performed various asanas with around 40,000 enthusiasts at the Prabhat Tara ground here to mark the fifth International Day of Yoga. Modi also urged people to make yoga an integral part of life. BSF’s equestrian team performs yoga on horsebacksBorder Security Force’s equestrian team performs yoga on horsebacks at the BSF camp in Gurugram.  #Haryana: Border Security Force's equestrian team performs Yoga on horsebacks at the BSF camp in Gurugram.  pic. twitter. com/Vp7ytXqDRgYoga practise at Victoria Memorial, Kolkata Yoga practise on 5th International Yoga Day in front of Victoria Memorial in Kolkata on Friday. Gautam Gambhir performs yoga in DelhiGautam Gambhir performs yoga on the occasion of international Yoga Day at Yamuna Sports Complex in New Delhi. Ram Madhav, BJP National General Secretary, performs yoga in Trivandrum Kerala: Ram Madhav, BJP National General Secretary, performs yoga at an event in Trivandrum.  #InternationalDayofYoga pic. twitter. com/DQCpOa4HZTIndo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel performed yoga at Rohtang PassIndo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel performed Yoga at Rohtang Pass on the occassion of #InternationalDayofYoga, today.  pic. twitter. com/Ekd8bvbqzsS Akbaruddin: Yoga will reinforce values of cleaner, greener & more sustainable futureS Akbaruddin, India’s Permanent Representative to UN Ambassador,in New York, says, “ I hope this indoor yoga session in Gen Assembly hall,the first of its kind, will reinforce values of cleaner,greener&more sustainable future that all of you yogis are committed to,” reports news agency ANI.  S Akbaruddin, India's Permanent Representative to UN Ambassador,in New York: I hope this indoor yoga session in Gen Assembly hall,the first of its kind, will reinforce values of cleaner,greener&more sustainable future that all of you yogis are committed to. #InternationalDayofYoga pic. twitter. com/CtigpecuGcHimachal governor, CM Jai Ram Thakur celebrate yoga day Himachal Pradesh: CM Jai Ram Thakur, Governor Acharya Devvrat and others observed two minutes of silence to pay last respects to the people who died in Kullu bus accident yesterday.  They are present at an event organised in Shimla on #InternationalDayofYoga.  pic. twitter. com/qgpzS8u3SfSmriti Irani celebrates yoga day in Delhi Celebrated #YogaDay2019 by performing Yoga with citizens of Bijwasan in Delhi.  pic. twitter. com/zjPqhKYnjGInternational Day of Yoga not just an event, says President KovindPresident Ram Nath Kovind says, “I’m happy that like previous years, we are celebrating Yoga Day this year too.  It’s not just an event, but a way to make yoga an integral part of our life,” reports news agency ANI. Pres Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan,Delhi:#InternationalDayofYoga is being celebrated at Rashtrapati Bhavan since 2015. I'm happy that like previous yrs,this yr too we're celebrating Yoga Day here.  It's not just an event, it's a way to make yoga an integral part of our life pic. twitter. com/Rcq9C4hcdoPM Modi interacts with people after performing yogaPrime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with people after performing yoga at Prabhat Tara ground in Ranchi on International Day of Yoga, reports news agency ANI. International Yoga Day celebrations at RajpathITBP personnel perform yoga in Ladakh in minus 20° CelsiusITBP personnel perform Yoga at an altitude of 18000 feet in northern Ladakh in minus 20 Degrees Celsius temperature, reports news agency ANI.  ITBP personnel perform Yoga at an altitude of 18000 feet in northern Ladakh in minus 20 Degrees Celsius temperature.  pic. twitter. com/csvfZNJc1tSchool children celebrate International yoga daySchool children celebrate International yoga day at Bandra reclamation in Mumbai. ITBP personnel of the 26th Battalion practice yoga in Ludhiana Punjab: ITBP personnel of 26th BN practice Yoga on #InternationalDayofYoga at Baddhowal Ludhiana pic. twitter. com/6ko85L2JbQLok Sabha Speaker Om Birla along with parliamentarians and parliament staff perform Yoga Lok sabha speaker Om Birla and Staff of Parliament house take part in 5th International Day of Yoga celebrations at Parliament house in New Delhi On Friday. Amit Shah and Haryana CM ML Khattar perform Yoga at Rohtak Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Haryana CM ML Khattar perform Yoga at Rohtak on #InternationalDayofYoga .  pic. twitter. com/Qidq9WV5RxActor Shilpa Shetty participates in celebrations in MumbaiMaharashtra: People perform Yoga at the Gateway of India in Mumbai, actor Shilpa Shetty also present, reports news agency ANI.  #Maharashtra: People perform Yoga at the Gateway of India in Mumbai; Actor Shilpa Shetty also present.  #InternationalDayofYoga pic. twitter. com/tRV1J1nTTMITBP personnel participate in yoga practice session in LehJammu & Kashmir: ITBP personnel participate in yoga practice session in Leh on International Day of Yoga, reports news agency ANI. Defence Minister’s tweet on Yoga Day On #YogaDay2019 I urge everyone to make Yoga an integral part of their lives.  Join us live from Rajpath, New Delhi on my YouTube channel : https://t. co/XkgAaG7EkfYoga being performed on-board INS Viraat at Western Naval Dockyard in Mumbai Indian Armed Forces personnel take part in a yoga sesssion to mark International Yoga Day on the Indian Navy aircraft carrier INS Viraat in Mumbai. We can see yoga from streets to wellness centres: PM Modi“We can say that today yoga has reached every corner, every class of India.  From drawing rooms to board rooms, from city parks to sports complexes.  We can see yoga from streets to wellness centres,” says PM Modi.  Modi performs yoga at Prabhat Tara ground in Ranchi Jharkhand: Prime Minister Narendra Modi performs yoga at Prabhat Tara ground in Ranchi on #InternationalDayofYoga pic. twitter. com/gUAEYg8Gr6I urge you all to embrace Yoga: PM Modi PM in Ranchi: I thank ppl across the world for joining #InternationalDayofYoga celebrations.  World over,the first rays of the Sun are being welcomed by dedicated Yoga practitioners, it's a beautiful sight.  I urge you all to embrace Yoga&make it integral part of your daily routine pic. twitter. com/yeyhGKTEYlI thank people across the world for joining International Day of Yoga celebrations: PM ModiPrime Minister Modi says, “I thank people across the world for joining International Day of Yoga celebrations.  World over,the first rays of the Sun are being welcomed by dedicated Yoga practitioners, it’s a beautiful sight.  I urge you all to embrace Yoga&make it integral part of your daily routine. ”PM Modi: Yoga is ancient and modernPrime Minister Narendra Modi says, “Yoga is ancient and modern.  It is constant and evolving.  For centuries, the essence of Yoga has remained the same: Healthy body, Stable mind, Spirit of oneness. ”“Yoga provides a perfect blend of knowledge, work and devotion,” he added. Yoga has always been an important part of our culture: PM ModiPM Modi says, “We all know the importance of Yoga very well.  It has always been an important part of our culture.  But now we all have to take the practice of Yoga to another level,” reports news agency ANI.  PM Narendra Modi at Prabhat Tara ground in Ranchi: We all know the importance of Yoga very well.  It has always been an important part of our culture.  But now we all have to take the practice of Yoga to another level.  #InternationalDayofYoga #Jharkhand pic. twitter. com/bPlcOBi5nsPM Narendra Modi addresses crowd at Prabhat Tara ground in Ranchi‘I extend my good wishes to all of you, in India & across the globe, on the occasion of International Day of Yoga ,’ PM Narendra Modi.  PM Narendra Modi at Prabhat Tara ground in Ranchi: I extend my good wishes to all of you, in India & across the globe, on the occasion of #InternationalDayofYoga .  Today, lakhs of people have gathered in different parts of the world to celebrate Yoga Day.  #Jharkhand pic. twitter. com/KzMhIEYVRVPM Narendra Modi all set for Yoga Day in RanchiPM Narendra Modi all set for the Yoga Day 2019 programme in Ranchi.  All set for the #YogaDay2019 programme in Ranchi.  pic. twitter. com/11kc1vFOo3Preparations galore at Prabhat Tara groundAll necessary arrangements have been made at the Prabhat Tara ground in Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand, amid tight security, ahead of PM Modi’s mega event.  Around 30,000 people are expected to participate in the event, for which security has been beefed up across the city.


#INDvAUS: India defeat Australia by 8 runs to win the second ODI, lead the series 2-0 in 5 match series. https://t.co/8YevyiqXO3

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London: Fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya arrives for the second day of hearing at the UK High Court, where he has appealed against the extradition decision of Westminster Magistrates Court https://t.co/n2VyHfeMyY

Businessman Vijay Mallya’s return to India from the UK, inevitable now that he has exhausted his legal options against India’s extradition request, is set to provide impetus to a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) of a larger conspiracy involving public sector bankers who lent him money, two CBI officials said. Bankers cleared loans worth Rs. 6,027 crore to Mallya’s Kingfisher Airlines (KFA), ignoring false representations and the fact that the airline was in the red, said the officials, who requested anonymity.  Mallya fled to the UK in March 2016 as banks closed in on him to recover loans given to the company, which was grounded in 2012. CBI registered a separate case against Mallya and unknown others in August 2016 to probe the alleged conspiracy in the loans extended to Kingfisher by a consortium of 17 banks led by State Bank of India between 2005 and 2010.  A chargesheet is yet to be filed in the case because Mallya hasn’t yet been questioned in connection with the suspected conspiracy. On his return from the UK, the CBI may take Mallya into custody and interrogate him about the role played by senior bank executives who may have influenced the decision by banks to extend loans to Kingfisher Airlines, the two CBI officials cited above said.  Several managing directors and executive directors of the public sector banks, who approved these loans could face the heat, one of the officials said. Some of the MDs and senior officials from top banks – including SBI, Punjab National Bank (PNB) and Central Bank of India – were questioned by a CBI special investigation team (SIT) in mid-2018.  Kingfisher Airlines’ total outstanding loans, including interest that piled up, amounted to a little over Rs 10,000 crore. The first official cited above said Mallya had met one bank MD on a Sunday.  As banks are closed on Sundays, this is being seen as a move to influence the decision of loan approval.  Talking about the role of bankers, judge Emma Arbuthnot of the Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London, ordering Mallya’s extradition to India on December 11, 2018, said:“Conspiracies are very rarely proved with direct evidence and there is none in this case but there is evidence that the GOI [government of India] relies on from which it says the court can draw inferences that the bankers were involved in a conspiracy with KFA”. “If the criteria for lending to KFA had been applied, if the background checks had been carried out, the loans should not have been granted.  If the end-use certificates and all the other post sanction conditions applied, the loans would not have been misapplied in the way they were,” the judge noted. The UK high court on Thursday rejected Mallya’s plea to approach the UK Supreme Court for appealing against the extradition. Mallya’ extradition to India is based on a first information report filed by the CBI in July 2015 in connection with a Rs 900 crore loan sanctioned by IDBI Bank to KFA.  The Enforcement Directorate has charge-sheeted Mallya in both cases, alleging that he diverted most of the money into foreign assets, the Indian Premier League (IPL) team and F1 motorsport firm Formula One.  Mallya’s assets worth Rs 13,000 crore have already been attached by ED. The second CBI officer cited above said “documents pertaining to loans given by 17 banks have already been scrutinized and several bank officials have been examined in last four years.  A chargesheet will be filed soon”. Mallya has repeatedly said that he is ready to pay his creditors in full for the loans he owes. He tweeted on Thursday - “Congratulations to the government for a Covid-19 relief package.  They can print as much currency as they want BUT should a small contributor like me who offers 100 percent payback of state-owned bank loans be constantly ignored?  Please take my money unconditionally and close”.


An image of Google CEO Sundar Pichai's 2017 visit to IIT-Kharagpur has gone viral with the claim that he came down to India to cast his vote.   These images were tweeted by many users on Twitter, and more prominently TV9 Gujarati.    An archived version of this tweet can be found here.     This image was tweeted by Pichai in 2017 when he visited the campus of IIT Kharagpur, his alma mater, from where he graduated as an engineer.   Pichai had tweeted on January 7, 2017, about his visit to IIT Kharagpur.     More accurately, this was the image they were referring to.    Pichai is a US citizen.  He came to the US as a student,got an H1-B visa, then a Green Card eventually leading to citizenship.   This has been reported by NDTV, in the context of a hearing of Pichai before the US Congress in December 2018.  A certain Congresswoman Jayapal, who posed questions before him, had followed the same immigration pathway as taken by Pichai.  By virtue of him being a US citizen, he cannot vote in India


YouTube said it has started disabling comments on videos of minors following accusations that the platform aided pedophiles in finding clips of young children https://t.co/tmRuashwVZ https://t.co/Rwrh7dqc1h

The company's CEO said the move follows "some deeply concerning incidents. "YouTube disables comments on most videos with kidsYouTube said it will ban comments on virtually all videos featuring young minors amid concerns over child predators. The video-sharing platform, which is owned by Google parent company Alphabet, revealed in a blog post Thursday that in just the past week it's disabled the ability for viewers to leave comments on "tens of millions of videos that could be subject to predatory behavior. ""Over the next few months, we will be broadening this action to suspend comments on videos featuring young minors and videos featuring older minors that could be at risk of attracting predatory behavior," YouTube said in the blog post. A "small number of creators" with known YouTube channels will continue to have comments enabled on these types of videos, according to YouTube. "These channels will be required to actively moderate their comments, beyond just using our moderation tools, and demonstrate a low risk of predatory behavior," YouTube said in the blog post.  "We will work with them directly and our goal is to grow this number over time as our ability to catch violative comments continues to improve. "Meanwhile, "hundreds of millions" of inappropriate comments have been removed and certain channels that attempted "to endanger children in any way" have been terminated, according to YouTube. YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki said the move follows "some deeply concerning incidents regarding child safety on YouTube. ""Nothing is more important to us than ensuring the safety of young people on the platform," Wojcicki wrote on Twitter Thursday, linking to the company's blog post. The issues were exposed last week in an investigation by Wired and in a video posted by blogger Matt Watson.  Wired uncovered comments on "scores of videos" that appear to show pedophiles sharing timestamps for specific scenes that sexualize a minor who appears in the footage, with advertisements from major companies alongside the exploited content.  Watson's video outlined what he described as "a wormhole into a soft-core pedophilia ring on YouTube. "Several high-profile advertisers responded to the revelations by pulling ads. According to YouTube, the company has invested significantly over the past few years in improving its systems that prevent people from abusing its platform.  Disabling comments is part of that effort. "We recognize that comments are a core part of the YouTube experience and how you connect with and grow your audience," YouTube said in its blog post.  "At the same time, the important steps we're sharing today are critical for keeping young people safe. "24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


National security adviser Ajit Doval’s son files defamation

https://t.co/qGvlckd3Hy https://t.co/ZWCqIhZt1G

National security adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval’s son Vivek Doval on Monday filed a criminal defamation complaint against Congress leader Jairam Ramesh and The Caravan Magazine for claiming that he set up a hedge fund in Cayman Islands days after demonetisation and allegedly re-routed ~ 8,300 crore investments to India though it.  He denounced Ramesh for holding a subjective view on a matter of high domain expertise.  “Worse, he has tried to link a legitimate small business of mine with his grand conspiracy theory of thousands of crores coming to India from Caymans,” a statement quoting Vivek Doval said.  “If GNY Fund is Rs 77 crore, of which 14 crores is invested in India then how can ~ 8,300 crores come to India through it?  ,” Doval added.  He said he is also contemplating to file the complaint in the courts of Singapore and UK.  Ramesh accused Doval of money laundering at a press conference on January 17, a day after the magazine published an article.  Jairam Ramesh was not immediately available for comment.


People seen standing in a queue outside a liquor shop in Hubli, Karnataka, as state government permits sale of liquor between 9 am to 7 pm from today

(pics: ANI)

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Delhi govt imposes 70% tax on liquorCovid-19 cases in Delhi near 4,900 markBillions raised for Covid-19 vaccine, says WHO ChiefCovid-19 cases in Mumbai cross 9,000 mark, death toll at 361Bangladesh extends lockdown to May 16, eases restrictions gradually12 arrested, 248 vehicles fined for defying lockdown in NoidaIran reopens mosques, records almost 80,000 hospital recoveriesTotal Covid-19 cases in Mumbai’s Dharavi mount to 632Coronavirus cases in Netherlands reach 40,770Covid-19 infections surpass 145,000 in RussiaChandigarh reports 5 new virus cases, total cases in state at 102HC directs Delhi govt to ensure Covid results get declared within 48 hrsIndia to evacuate citizens stranded abroad from May 712, including CRPF personnel test positive for Covid in Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar DistrictTamil Nadu reports 527 new Covid-19 cases, total cases in state mount to 3,550In India, the third phase of ongoing nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus has begun from today with some relaxations in the restrictions.  States and Union Territories have drafted their own rules, mostly in line with the guidelines of the central government that have given area-specific relaxations in a graded approach to bring back normalcy amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Click here for complete coverage on coronavirusThe number of Covid-19 cases in India crossed 42,000 on Monday and the death toll stands at 1,389 as per the Union health ministry figures. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has said the United States will have a coronavirus vaccine by the end of this year. “We are very confident that we’re going to have a vaccine at the end of the year, by the end of the year,” Trump said Sunday in a Fox News “town hall” show broadcast from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. Here are the highlights on coronavirus from India and the world:Delhi govt imposes 70% tax on liquorThe Delhi government has imposed a special coronavirus fess, which is 70% tax on the maximu retail price of liquor that will be implemented from May 5, reports ANI. Covid-19 cases in Delhi near 4,900 markThe number of novel coronavirus cases in Delhi mounted to 4,898 on Monday with 349 new infections being reported in a day, according to the government authorities, reports PTI. Billions raised for Covid-19 vaccine, says WHO ChiefWorld Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that billions were raised for Covid-19 vaccine 'powerful' show of 'global solidarity', reports AFP. Covid-19 cases in Mumbai cross 9,000 mark, death toll at 361The tally of the coronavirus cases in Mumbai crossed the 9,000-mark and jumped to 9,123 on Monday with the addition of 510 new patients, while 18 more died due to the viral infection, the city civic body said, reports PTI. Bangladesh extends lockdown to May 16, eases restrictions graduallyBangladesh authorities said on Monday they will gradually open up more factories, as well as farms and logistics operations, as they try to diminish the economic impact of a coronavirus lockdown which they extended to May 16, reports Reuters. 12 arrested, 248 vehicles fined for defying lockdown in NoidaTwelve people were arrested and challans issued to owners of 248 vehicles across Noida and Greater Noida on Monday for allegedly defying curbs imposed due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown, police said, reports PTI. Iran reopens mosques, records almost 80,000 hospital recoveriesIran on Monday reopened mosques in parts of the country deemed at low risk from coronavirus, as it said almost 80,000 people hospitalised with the illness had recovered and been released, reports AFP. Total Covid-19 cases in Mumbai’s Dharavi mount to 63242 more test positive for coronavirus in Mumbai's slum colony Dharavi, taking tally of cases to 632, a BMC official said, reports PTI. Coronavirus cases in Netherlands reach 40,770The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Netherlands rose by 199 on Monday to 40,770, with 26 new deaths, health authorities said, reports Reuters. Covid-19 infections surpass 145,000 in RussiaRussia registered a near record in new daily coronavirus cases on Monday as total infections topped 145,000, cementing its position as the European country reporting the most new cases, reports AFP. Chandigarh reports 5 new virus cases, total cases in state at 102The number of coronavirus cases reached 102 in Chandigarh on Monday, with five more people testing positive for the disease in the Union territory, officials said here, reports PTI. HC directs Delhi govt to ensure Covid results get declared within 48 hrsThe Delhi High Court directed the AAP government here on Monday to ensure that coronavirus samples sent to the accredited labs are processed swiftly and the results declared within 24-48 hours, reports PTI. India to evacuate citizens stranded abroad from May 7The government of India will facilitate the return of Indian nationals stranded abroad on compelling grounds in a phased manner starting from May 7.  The travel arrangements will be made through air crafts and naval ships.        12, including CRPF personnel test positive for Covid in Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar DistrictTwelve people including a CISF personnel tested positive for coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar on Monday, taking the total number of Covid-19 cases in the district to 179, according to officials, reports PTI. Tamil Nadu reports 527 new Covid-19 cases, total cases in state mount to 3,550With the sharpest increase of 527 new positive Covid-19 cases and one death in the last 24 hours, the total number of coronavirus cases in Tamil Nadu on Monday climbed to 3,550, said the State Health Department, reports ANI. First published: May 04, 2020 06:39 IST


Punjab has become India’s first BJP-free state after all three of its MLAs joined Congress.

The BJP, which has been facing criticism over the farm laws, particularly in Punjab, faced a huge setback in the recent local body elections in the state.  The ruling Congress made a clean sweep of Punjab’s seven municipal corporations, apart from bagging the lion’s share of panchayat seats. And now, a viral post on social media claims that Punjab has become a “BJP-free state” after “all three BJP MLAs” in the state joined the Congress.  “Punjab Assembly has become BJP mukt as all 3 MLA’s hv joined INC,” reads one such post on Facebook. India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found the claim to be false.  Punjab has two BJP MLAs at present, both of whom confirmed to us that they are still with the party. The archived versions of similar posts can be seen here and here. We could not find any credible media report on BJP MLAs in Punjab joining the Congress.  Also, according to the Punjab Legislative Assembly website, the state presently has two BJP MLAs Arun Narang from Abohar and Dinesh Singh from Sujanpur. We then reached out to Narang for better clarity on the matter. Refuting the viral claim, Narang said, “The viral claim is baseless.  First, BJP has two MLAs in Punjab and not three.  And we have not joined the Congress.  BJP had three MLAs in 2017, including Som Parkash, who was elected from Phagwara.  However, he later resigned and contested in the 2019 Lok Sabha election.  Parkash is now the Union minister of state for commerce and industry. ”The Phagwara seat that was earlier represented by BJP’s Som Parkash fell vacant after he was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2019.  However, in the by-election, BJP lost the seat to Congress and its strength in the House came down to two. AFWA also spoke to Dinesh Singh, the second BJP MLA in Punjab.  “I am a three-time MLA of BJP from Punjab and I am still with the party.  The claim that I have joined Congress is false,” Singh said. MLA and spokesperson of the Congress in Punjab, Raj Kumar Verka, also confirmed to us that the viral post is false, and no MLA from BJP has joined the Congress recently in the state. Hence, it is clear that the viral claim saying “all three BJP MLAs” in Punjab have joined the Congress is false.  BJP has only two MLAs in Punjab who are still with the party. The number of crows determines the intensity of the lie.


Uttarakhand: A wall near Har Ki Pauri collapsed in an incident of a lightning strike in Haridwar last night. No injuries reported. https://t.co/mXZAj7MgoN

A major portion of a Haridwar boundary wall built in the British era, separating the sanctum sanctorum Brahamkund at Har-Ki-Pauri with the remaining city, collapsed due to incessant rains accompanying lightning strikes in the wee hours of Tuesday. Built in 1935, the boundary wall was allegedly struck by lightning around 3 am, believed to have triggered the collapse that led to a scattering of debris at the ghats and up to the Ganga Sabha office. Local priests, police personnel, Ganga Sabha office bearers and residents arrived at the spot after hearing the explosive sound.  Ganga Sabha president Pradeep Jha said no one was near the spot at the time of the incident. Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad and Ganga Sabha have demanded an inquiry into this incident at this ancient religious place in the context of the structural strength of the wall housing a pilgrimage thronged by millions every day. Watch: Landslide in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli following heavy rain“Akhada Parishad demands an inquiry into this incident as Har-Ki-Pauri is a place where thousands of people arrive on a daily basis.  Mahakumbh is just five months away so construction of a stronger outer wall and related infrastructure works should be carried out in such a manner that safety of pilgrims and Har-Ki-Pauri personnel is ensured, “said Mahant Narendra Giri, president of Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad. Har-Ki-Pauri police station in-charge Amarjeet Singh said that the police personnel have cordoned off the whole area as the remaining portion of the wall, too, seemed vulnerable. Also Read: Uttarakhand HC upholds constitutional validity of Uttarakhand Char Dham Devasthanam Management ActFormer municipal chairperson Satpal Brahamchari alleged that the wall caved in due to pressure from rain water which had accumulated due to uncovered digging work currently being undertaken for the underground laying of power cables and piped natural gas lines.  A section of local traders seemed to agree with Brahamchari. Mayor Anita Sharma, too, weighed in and blamed the haphazard laying of underground power, piped natural gas lines and sewer lines for water logging and the subsequent caving in of the wall. District authorities said an expert opinion was needed to confirm if the collapse was indeed a result of lightning strike.  District disaster management officer Haridwar Meera Kainthura said the reason will be known after submission of a report by disaster management experts and geologists. Local priests have interpreted the collapse as “a bad omen” and an expression of “wrath” by Ganga Maa, upset at the move to not to allow devotees to take a holy dip and offer Ganga Jal at Shivalingams on the pious festive occasion of Shravan Shivratri and Somwati Amavasya.


5 jawans trapped after avalanche hit Himachal’s Kinnaur district
https://t.co/aiNvxTbWeV https://t.co/yrOwGDtWIl

One Army jawan died and five others are trapped under the snow after a massive avalanche hit the Shipka La sector of Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur district.  Sixteen jawans had gone towards the Shipki La border post from Namagya to repair a damaged water supply line when the avalanche hit them, burying six of them alive.  One of them was rescued, but he later died. A team of about 150 persons, including Army and ITBP personnel, is searching for the trapped jawans, along with the police.  The search was called off for the night and will resume Thursday morning.   An Army spokesperson said the search-and-rescue operation would go on till the last man was retrieved. The avalanche occurred at around 11 am near the Shipki La border post.  Kinnaur deputy commissioner Gopal Chand said the body of one Army jawan had been recovered but the other five were still missing. The jawan was identified as Rakesh Kumar, 41, of Ghumarpur village in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh, Kinnaur Superintendent of Police (SP) Sakshi Verma told PTI, adding that the jawans belonged to the 7 JAK Rifles unit of the Army. The avalanche was triggered by fierce snow blizzards in the area.  Shipki La is at a height of around 12,000 feet and is located around 300 km from state capital Shimla.


Instagram has a new influencer: Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II https://t.co/aHbSLWDAhr https://t.co/7kopmnIDDF

It all happened during a visit to London's Science Museum. Queen Elizabeth publishes 1st Instagram postQueen Elizabeth II was a vision in orange Thursday as she took a major step into the 21st century. The 92-year-old monarch published her first Instagram post while on a visit to London's Science Museum.  Buckingham Palace tweeted a photo of the queen publishing the post at the museum's Smith Centre, which she opened during her visit. Buckingham Palace opened its Instagram account, @theroyalfamily, in 2013 to share photos of the royals during official events.  The account now has more than four million followers. Queen Elizabeth's Instagram post is not her first foray into social media.  She sent her first tweet during a visit to the Science Museum in 2014 and sent her first email decades earlier, in 1976, according to Buckingham Palace. The royal family earlier this week announced new guidelines for its social media channels after reports of online abuse around Queen Elizabeth's granddaughters-in-law, Duchesses Kate and Meghan. The new guidelines issued by Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Kensington Palace say the palaces reserve the right to block users and send comments that breach the guidelines to the police. (MORE: 'Fab Four' join Queen Elizabeth to celebrate Prince Charles' anniversary)"We ask that anyone engaging with our social media channels shows courtesy, kindness and respect for all other members of our social media communities," read a statement issued Monday. The proactive step by the royals came just a few weeks after Hello!  magazine reported that Kensington Palace aides devote hours each week to moderating and deleting violent, sexist and racist comments on social media directed at Kate, the wife of Prince William, and Meghan, the wife of Prince Harry. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Kerala: Rescue workers at the landslide site in Rajamala, Idukki district shift bodies on make-shift slings.

Seven people have died in the incident. https://t.co/7nlte3EsGU https://t.co/Pu5khvkiH8

Rescuers retrieved at least 15 bodies and struggled to free around 50 others feared trapped under debris in Kerala’s Idduki district on Friday after torrential rains triggered a massive landslide in the area, officials said. Local authorities said the settlement of tea estate workers in Rajamalai of Idukki was hit by the landslide early on Friday. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that a team of the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) has been deployed in the rescue efforts. “An NDRF team has been deployed to rescue the landslide victims in Rajamalai, Idukki.  Police, Fire Force, Forest & Revenue officials have been instructed to join the rescue efforts.  Another team of NDRF, based in Thrissur, will soon reach Idukki,” Vijayan tweeted. Here is what we know so far:* The massive landslide hit the tea plantation workers’ settlement in Rajamalai, burying it under a mound of slush and rock. * The settlement is about 25km away from the hill resort of Munnar, which was ravaged by the flood in 2018. * Many of the residents were in deep sleep when the landslide hit the area and they couldn’t escape, officials said.  They added that at least 84 people lived in the settlement. * Idukki district collector H Dineshan said they were informed about the accident after one of the workers escaped and alerted forest officials at the Eravikulam national park. * Dineshan said heavy downpour and foggy climate in the area is hampering rescue operations. * Officials said at least 16 people were rescued and rushed to the hospital. * E Chandrasekharan, the state revenue minister, said they have sought the help of the Indian Air Force for airlifting the injured but were told it will be difficult in inclement weather. * Residents said the area has been witnessing heavy rains over the last three days and power and communication networks in the area were disrupted due to the downpour.  * According to reports, another landslide took place on the way to the Sabarimala hill temple in Pathanamthitta.  The famous Shiva temple in Ernakulam district was almost submerged as the water level in the Periyar River rose. * The India Metrological Department (IMD) has declared a red alert for extremely heavy rainfall in Idukki, Malappuram and Wayanad districts and orange alert in five other districts of the southern state.