Nearly a year before his letter telling lawmakers he did not believe President Trump committed obstruction of justice, Attorney General William Barr authored a memo saying he thought the obstruction investigation was "fatally misconceived." https://t.co/2rdY8ftDxM https://t.co/TgN3EHjAIn

The letter said Mueller's report did not identify "obstructive conduct. "SPECIAL REPORT: Attorney General Barr delivers Mueller report's main conclusions to CongressThis is the letter sent to Congress from Attorney General William Barr summarizing Robert Mueller's report. Dear Chairman Graham, Chairman Nadler, Ranking Member Feinstein, and Ranking Member Collins:As a supplement to the notification provided on Friday, March 22, 2019, I am writing today to advise you of the principal conclusions reached by Special Counsel Robert S.  Mueller III and to inform you about the status of my initial review of the report he has prepared. On Friday, the Special Counsel submitted to me a "confidential report explaining the prosecution or declination decisions" he has reached, as required by 28 C. F. R.  § 600. 8(c).  This report is entitled "Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election. " Although my review is ongoing, I believe that it is in the public interest to describe the report and to summarize the principal conclusions reached by the Special Counsel and the results of his investigation. The report explains that the· Special Counsel and his staff thoroughly investigated allegations that members of the presidential campaign of Donald J.  Trump, and others associated with it, conspired with the Russian government in its efforts to interfere in the 2016 U. S.  presidential election, or sought to obstruct the related federal investigations.  In the report, the Special Counsel noted that, in completing his investigation, he employed 19 lawyers who were assisted by a team of approximately 40 FBI agents, intelligence analysts, forensic accountants, and other professional staff.  The Special Counsel issued more than 2,800 subpoenas, executed nearly 500 search warrants, obtained more than 230 orders for communication records, issued almost 50 orders authorizing use of pen registers, made 13 requests to foreign governments for evidence, and interviewed approximately 500 witnesses. The Special Counsel obtained a number of indictments and convictions of individuals and entities in connection with his investigation, all of which have been publicly disclosed.  During the course of his investigation, the Special Counsel also referred several matters to other offices for further action.  The report does not recommend any further indictments, nor did the Special Counsel obtain any sealed indictments that have yet to be made public.  Below, I summarize the principal conclusions set out in the Special Counsel's report.  AG March 24 2019 Letter to House and Senate Judiciary Committees by ABC News Politics on ScribdRussian Interference in the 2016 U. S.  Presidential Election.  The Special Counsel's report is divided into two parts.  The first describes the results of the Special Counsel's investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 U. S.  presidential election.  The report outlines the Russian effort to influence the election and documents crimes committed by persons associated with the Russian government in connection with those efforts.  The report further explains that a primary consideration for the Special Counsel's investigation was whether any Americans -including individuals associated with the Trump campaign - joined the Russian conspiracies to influence the election, which would be a federal crime.  The Special Counsel's investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 U. S.  presidential election.  As the report states: "[T]he investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities. "[Footnote from letter: In assessing potential conspiracy charges, the Special Counsel also considered whether members of the Trump campaign "coordinated" with Russian election interference activities.  The Special Counsel defined "coordination" as an "agreement-tacit or express-between the Trump Campaign and the Russian government on election interference. "]The Special Counsel's investigation determined that there were two main Russian efforts to influence the 2016 election.  The first involved attempts by a Russian organization, the Internet Research Agency (IRA), to conduct disinformation and social media operations in the United States designed to sow social discord, eventually with the aim of interfering with the election.  As noted above, the Special Counsel did not find that any U. S.  person or Trump campaign official or associate conspired or knowingly coordinated with the IRA in its efforts, although the Special Counsel brought criminal charges against a number of Russian nationals and entities in connection with these activities. The second element involved the Russian government's efforts to conduct computer hacking operations designed to gather and disseminate information to influence the election.  The Special Counsel found that Russian government actors successfully hacked into computers and obtained emails from persons affiliated with the Clinton campaign and Democratic Party organizations, and publicly disseminated those materials through various intermediaries, including WikiLeaks.  Based on these activities, the Special Counsel brought criminal charges against a number of Russian military officers for conspiring to hack into computers in the United States for purposes of influencing the election.  But as noted above, 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, despite multiple.  offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign. Obstruction of Justice.  The report's second part addresses a number of actions by the President - most of which have been the subject of public reporting - that the Special Counsel investigated as potentially raising obstruction-of-justice concerns.  After making a "thorough factual investigation" into these matters, the Special Counsel considered whether to evaluate the conduct under Department standards governing prosecution and declination decisions but ultimately determined not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgment.  The Special Counsel therefore did not draw a conclusion - one way or the other - as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction.  Instead, for each of the relevant actions investigated, the report sets out evidence on both sides of the question and leaves unresolved what the Special Counsel views as "difficult issues" of law and fact concerning whether the President's actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction . .  The Special Counsel states that "while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. "The Special Counsel's decision to describe the facts of his obstruction investigation without reaching any legal conclusions leaves itto the Attorney General to determine whether the conduct described in the report constitutes a crime.  Over the course of the investigation, the Special Counsel's office engaged in discussions with certain Department officials regarding many of the legal and factual matters at issue in the Special Counsel's obstruction investigation.  After reviewing the Special Counsel's final report on these issues; consulting with Department officials, including the Office of Legal Counsel; and applying the principles of federal prosecution that guide our charging decisions, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and I have concluded that the evidence developed during the Special Counsel's investigation is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense.  Our determination was made without regard to, and is not based on, the constitutional considerations that surround the indictment and criminal prosecution of a sitting president. [Footnote from letter:  See A Sitting President's Amenability to Indictment and Criminal Prosecution, 24 Op.  O. L. C.  222 (2000). ]In making this determination, we noted that the Special Counsel recognized that "the evidence does not establish that the President was involved in an underlying crime related to Russian election interference," and that, while not determinative, the absence of such evidence bears upon the President's intent with respect to obstruction.  Generally speaking, to obtain and sustain an obstruction conviction, the government would need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a person, acting with corrupt intent, engaged in obstructive conduct with a sufficient nexus to a pending or contemplated proceeding.  In cataloguing the President's actions, many of which took place in public view, the report identifies 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. 37,040-41 (July 9, 1999).  As I have previously stated, however, I am mindful of the public interest in this matter.  For that reason, my goal and intent is to release as much of the Special Counsel's report as I can consistent with applicable law, regulations, and Departmental policies. Based on my discussions with the Special Counsel and my initial review, it is apparent that the report contains material that is or could be subject to Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 6( e ), which imposes restrictions on the use and disclosure of information relating to "matter[ s] occurring before [a] grand jury. " Fed.  R.  Crim.  P.  6(e)(2)(B).  Rule 6(e) generally limits disclosure of certain grand jury information in a criminal investigation and prosecution.  Id.  Disclosure of 6( e) material beyond the strict limits set forth in the rule is a crime in certain circumstances.  See, e. g. , 18 U. S. C.  § 401(3).  This restriction protects the integrity of grand jury proceedings and ensures that the unique and invaluable investigative powers of a grand jury are used strictly for their intended criminal justice function. Given these restrictions, the schedule for processing the report depends in part on how quickly the Department can identify the 6( e) material that by law cannot be made public.  I have requested the assistance of the Special Counsel in identifying all 6( e) information contained in the report as quickly as possible.  Separately, I also must identify any information that could impact other ongoing matters, including those that the Special Counsel has referred to other offices.  As soon as that process is complete, I will be in a position to move forward expeditiously in determining what can be released in light of applicable law, regulations, and Departmental policies. As I observed in my initial notification, the Special Counsel regulations provide that "the Attorney General may determine that public release of' notifications to your respective Committees "would be in the public interest. " 28 C. F. R.  § 600. 9(c).  I have so determined, and I will disclose this letter to the public after delivering it to you. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


A freshly-made bowl of smoothie caused quite a stir on Twitter, as Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut shared an image of it on Thursday, 4 March.  Soon after, several social media users falsely alleged that she had passed off an image from a recipe site as 'self-made food’.  However, we found that the image shared by these users of search results on Google were in fact photoshopped to make false claims.  Ranaut had posted a picture of a fruit smoothie with the caption, “There is nothing I appreciate more than self made food, here’s my very own personal recipe a summer smoothie for breakfast with lots of organic honey nuts and fruits (sic)” CLAIM Social media users shared a Google reverse image search result, showing that the same picture could be seen on a website called, Kuvings.  The claim also went viral on Facebook.  WHAT WE FOUND OUT A reverse image search of Ranaut’s picture gave us similar results, which showed an image of the ‘spring acai bowl recipe’ on Kuvings, an Australian site for kitchenware and recipes.  However, the image was different from what Ranaut had shared.  Clearly, Ranaut’s image was morphed onto the Google reverse image search results.  A comparison of the two can be seen below.  Looking through the images on the Kuvings’ website, we didn’t find an image identical to the one the actor had shared.  Further, Ranaut had also shared more pictures of the bowl, one of which shows her holding the bowl.  With a keyword search, we also found the image of ‘smoothie recipes’ on Taste of Home, a website on food and recipes.  The comparison of the morphed photo shared by users with the original one can be seen below.  The actor also shared another picture of the table on which she had placed the bowl of smoothie, with a glass on it.  Evidently, social media users have falsely claimed that Ranaut took pictures from Google and passed them off as her own.


Dow futures tumble after Apple warns about China sales https://t.co/Ukr4O34fs6 https://t.co/JSMwjkWUN8

Japanese shares sink, Shanghai surges as Asia steady following Wall Street sell-offApple stock tumbles after surprise announcement SINGAPORE -- Japanese shares tumbled and Shanghai's benchmark surged Friday as Asian markets steadied following a technology-led sell-off on Wall Street. The Nikkei 225 index started its first trading day of 2019 by falling more than 3 percent.  By midday, it was trading 2. 8 percent lower at 19,465. 36 as technology and electronics makers slumped. But Hong Kong's Hang Seng jumped 1. 3 percent to 25,380. 37.  The Shanghai Composite rebounded 1. 8 percent to 2,509. 02. Traders cheered a private survey released Friday showing that China's services sector expanded in December.  China's Caixin Services PMI, a survey of service industry purchasing managers, had a reading of 53. 9 in December, a six-month high.  This was slightly higher than November's reading of 53. 8.  The survey comes on the back of weak manufacturing data earlier in the week. Investors also were encouraged by news that the U. S.  and China will hold trade talks in Beijing on Jan.  7 and 8.  The U. S.  delegation will be led by Deputy U. S.  Trade Representative Jeffrey Gerrish, a Commerce Ministry statement said Friday. U. S.  shares fell after Apple CEO Tim Cook told shareholders after markets closed Wednesday that Chinese iPhone sales were slipping.  Cook said the company expects revenue of $84 billion in the last quarter of 2018, $7 billion less than analysts had forecast. Apple's report startled investors who fear a slowdown of the world's second largest economy amid pressure from a trade dispute between Washington and Beijing. The broad S&P 500 index gave up 2. 5 percent to 2,447. 89 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 2. 8 percent to 22,868. 22.  The Nasdaq composite, which has a high concentration of tech stocks, declined 3 percent to 6,463. 50. A report suggesting that U. S.  manufacturing had slowed also weighed on sentiment.  IHS Markit's U. S.  manufacturing purchasing managers' index was 53. 8 in December, the lowest reading in more than two years, and down from 55. 3 in the previous month.  The index is on a 100-point scale, with 50 separating contraction from growth. "Concerns on global growth intensified," Zhu Huani of Mizuho Bank said in a commentary.  "As growths in China and Eurozone have been clearly slowing, investor fears that moderating global demand will start to dampen U. S.  growth momentum," she added. On Friday, South Korea's Kospi, which has a high number of technology stocks, added 0. 5 percent to 2,003. 99.  Australia's S&P-ASX 200 shed 0. 6 percent to 5,600. 10.  Shares fell in Taiwan and Thailand, but rose in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. The rebound in equities suggests that "Asian investors shrugged off bearish news surrounding Apple, and took this as a buying opportunity as the valuation of (Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore) markets are close to four-year lows," Margaret Yang, market analyst at CMC Markets, said in an interview. In other trading, U. S.  crude oil added 17 cents to $47. 26 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.  The contract rose 55 cents to $47. 09 per barrel on Thursday. Brent crude, used to price international oils, rose 11 cents to $56. 06 per barrel.  It gained $1. 04 to $55. 95 per barrel in London. The dollar strengthened to 108. 37 yen from 107. 67 yen.  The euro slipped to $1. 1393 from $1. 1394. ———AP Markets Writer Marley Jay in New York contributed. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Dem @RepJayapal on wanting to see the full Mueller report: “Remember, a big piece of this report does not exonerate the President, a sitting president, on an extremely serious charge of obstruction of justice. So yeah, we've got to make that determination for ourselves.” https://t.co/YZzDD29ZNu

Vladimir Putin's spokesman again denied Russia meddled in the 2016 election. Russia reacts cautiously to Mueller report findingsMOSCOW -- The Kremlin has responded cautiously to the conclusion of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation that found no evidence of a conspiracy by Donald Trump's presidential campaign to help Russia interfere in the 2016 U. S.  election. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday he couldn't comment on Mueller's findings since no one had seen the report in full, and he denied again that Russia had meddled in 2016. "We haven’t seen the report itself," Peskov said in a daily briefing call with reporters.  "We have seen a certain condensed version, a summary, which, moreover, tells nothing new, except the acknowledgment of the absence of any conspiracy. "Reiterating Russia's long-standing blanket denial that it had interfered in the 2016 election, Peskov said of Mueller's investigation, "It's hard to find a black cat in a dark room, especially if it's not there. "Attorney General William Barr on Sunday released a summary of the key findings of Mueller’s 22-month investigation into Russia's effort to influence the 2016 election.  In a letter to Congress, Barr quoted from Mueller's own report that the special counsel had found no evidence that Trump or anyone associated with his campaign had conspired with Russia, "despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign. "Peskov denied that Russia had sought to aid Trump or meddled in 2016 in any way.  He also rejected Mueller's finding that Moscow mounted a two-pronged influence operation targeting American social media and a hacking attack that stole and then leaked documents from the Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton's campaign. Other Russian officials' reactions were far more strident, however. Russia's foreign ministry criticized Mueller’s investigation in a Monday statement as a waste of time and resources, and said the accusation of Russian meddling was an "obvious fake. ""The long-awaited Mueller report has proved what we in Russia knew from the very beginning: there was no conspiracy between Trump and someone from his team with the Kremlin," Kostantin Kosachev, a prominent senator who chairs Russia's senate committee on foreign affairs, wrote on his Facebook page, condemning what he said had been "two years of ceaseless lies. "Meanwhile, anchors on the main state news channel, Russia 24,  mocked how much time and space American media had given to what they called a "fake. "Mueller’s investigation saw 34 people charged, among them six Trump aides and advisers.  Twenty-five Russians, many of them military intelligence officers, were indicted for their role in the hack of Democratic party institutions, or for taking part in the social media campaign.  In those indictments, Mueller laid out how the Russia’s intelligence services and a so-called "troll factory" in Saint Petersburg had sought to influence the U. S.  electorate. Russian officials and state media for two years have insisted the accusations of election meddling are fantasies invented by the Democrats to be used as a pretext to sanction Moscow.  Despite Barr's letter stating the opposite, Russian officials on Monday portrayed Trump's clearing of collusion as also proving there had been no Russian interference of any kind. The Russian foreign ministry on Monday attacked the Obama administration, accusing it of trying "to discredit Trump" in 2016 by making "unfounded accusations of 'hacking attacks. '"The Obama administration in 2016 agonized over how to make Russia's election operations public, worrying over just such an accusation of partisan bias, former administration officials have since said.  After Republican leaders rejected a request to make a partisan statement calling out the Russian campaign, in the end, the Department of Homeland Security and the Office of the Director of National intelligence released a joint statement in October 2016 noting the Russian efforts, but leaving out whether the Russians had sought to help a particular candidate. With Mueller's investigation now over, some Russian senators said they hoped Trump might now try to improve relations with Russia, but they expressed doubts, saying they feared instead fresh sanctions were more likely to follow. "We in Russia have little to celebrate," Kosachev wrote, saying he believed Congress would now argue that even without a conspiracy it was necessary to strengthen sanctions against Russia. "There is a chance to reset much in our relations, but whether Trump will risk it remains an open question.  We, obviously, are ready," Kosachev wrote, adding Trump should use the moment to begin negotiations on two key arms agreements, the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces and the START treaties. Russia and the U. S.  in any case are at loggerheads in many areas unrelated to the 2016 election-- from Syria to Venezuela. Maria Lipman, a veteran Russian journalist and editor of the Counterpoint journal, agreed it was unlikely that Mueller's conclusion would ease the confrontation.  Having used Russia as "a battering ram against Trump" for the past two years, she said, it would be hard for Democrats to now put it aside and that the portrayal of one another in both countries was so negative that little could change in the short term. "The antagonism between Russia and the U. S.  has become so deep that I don't think there can be any improvement.  I don't think we should expect any change," she said. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Voting for the eighth and final phase of #WestBengalPolls is underway. Visuals from a polling booth in Murshidabad. https://t.co/YCFYEP3yGq

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


Dehli Police Arrested Kashmiri Leader And Former JNU President Shehla Rashid

An old video of Shehla Rashid being detained by the Delhi Police is being shared on social media with the false claim that she has been arrested recently.       In the the video one can spot Rashid being dragged by lady police constables as she shouts, "Find Najeeb" as she is being taken away.    Facebook post    Click here to view the post and here for an archive.     The video was shared by a Facebook page named Jammu Kashmir TV with the caption, "Dehli Police arrested Kashmiri leader and Former JNU president Shehla Rashid.  Shehla Rashid, and gen.  sect.  Jammu Kashmir People's Movement arrested for speaking up against repression and brutal practices of BJP government in Kashmir. "     The post had gained around 11 thousand views and was shared by 1,306 users.     The page later updated its caption to say that the video was old.     Rashid who is part of the Jammu and Kashmir People's Movement political (JKPM) party has been in the news recently after she had alleged on Twitter that Indian Army personnel tortured four men in Shopian district of Kashmir.   A charge, the Indian Army denied.     Indian Army: Allegations levelled by Shehla Rashid are baseless and rejected.  Such unverified & fake news are spread by inimical elements and organisations to incite unsuspecting population.  pic. twitter. com/m6CPzSXZmJ    Viral on Twitter    Dehli Police arrested Kashmiri leader and Former JNU president Shehla Rashid. @Shehla_RashidShehla Rashid, and gen.  sect Jammu Kashmir People's Movement arrested for speaking up against repression and brutal practices of BJP government in Kashmir@peaceforchange @VichlayZaraye pic. twitter. com/3brkpWEW3C    Click here to view, and here for an archive.              Najeeb Ahmed who's name one can hear Rashid shouting in the video was a first-year MSC Biotechnology student in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), who went missing on October 15, 2016.      Several users on Facebook pointed out that the video is old and it is from protests organised after the disappearance of Ahmed.     We searched with the keywords 'Shehla Rashid arrested' and 'Najeeb protest' and found the same video uploaded by The Indian Express on YouTube on October 21, 2016.        According to a PTI report republished by The Times of India, JNU students had staged a protest outside the Home Ministry alleging inaction by government agencies in tracing Ahmed.    Times of India article on the incident     Additionally there are no news reports of Rashid being arrested, and we checked her timeline and found that she has been active on Twitter on August 22, 2019.    Rashind Twitter timeline


"Unlike their first debate last month, the two candidates actually engaged one another (generally speaking) on issues," writes @CillizzaCNN | Analysis #Debates2020 https://t.co/JgqQalXsx3

President Donald Trump and Joe Biden faced off for the final time Thursday. Trump vs.  Biden: Key moments from the 2nd presidential debate After the second presidential debate was canceled following President Donald Trump's coronavirus diagnosis and subsequent hospitalization, both he and Democratic nominee Joe Biden returned to the stage Thursday night for their final opportunity to draw direct contrasts with one another before Election Day. For 90 relatively-civil minutes, the pair sparred over a range of topics including the pandemic, health care, election security, immigration, their personal financial entanglements and climate change, among other things, guided by moderator Kristen Welker of NBC News. The closing arguments arrived, however, on a day in which the number of early votes cast this year eclipsed the number of early votes total in 2016 -- with still 12 days to go until Election Day.  Over 48. 5 million Americans have already voted, which leaves a winnowing group of persuadable individuals for Trump and Biden to win over. Though there was some doubt about whether the event would take place after Trump repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with the non-partisan Commission on Presidential Debate's attempt to hold a virtual second debate prior to its eventual cancelation -- and later their decision to mute the candidates' microphones during portions of Thursday's discussion -- the debate moved forward without delay and largely absent of the repeated interruptions that marred the first. Here are five key takeaways from the final presidential debate:As it turns out, when only one person can be heard at a time, only one person speaks at a time -- and the nation has a much better chance of hearing that one person speak. The mics, which were muted for two minutes at a time while each candidate gave his opening response to debate questions, created a much more substantive debate that was far easier to follow than the first, in which Trump interrupted around 70 times and Biden was consistently thrown off track. At the beginning, the president reigned in his disruptive behavior.  During a discussion on opening schools during the COVID-19 pandemic -- which Trump advocates strongly for, often regardless of case counts -- the president asked Welker if he could respond to Biden. "Please.  Then I have a follow-up," Welker said.  "Thank you.  And I appreciate that," Trump said. "And by the way, so far, I respect very much the way you're handling this, I have to say," he said about 40 minutes later. In the end, however, the president's behavior changed, and he went back to interrupting both Biden and the moderator. Biden was also more focused than at the first debate, and directly demanded that Trump release his tax returns if he plans to accuse Biden of corruption. That didn't mean discussions didn't disintegrate into overtalking, interrupting, awkward quips and hits below the belt on health care, children separated at the border and minimum wage, but Welker largely kept the two men on track and pushed through a series of key topics that yielded substantial answers from each candidate. The two candidates began the debate by laying out the biggest, most prominent contrast between their visions for the country's most pressing crisis: the coronavirus.  It was also a big portion of the last debate, unsurprisingly, and it's the foundation of the 2020 campaign, which has become a referendum on Trump's handling of the virus. Trump said life must go on despite the virus, used his own coronavirus diagnosis as an example and promised a vaccine on an earlier timeline than experts have offered. "I say we're learning to live with it.  We have no choice.  We can't lock ourselves up in a basement like Joe does," Trump said. Biden said life can't go on until we stop the virus, and did not let viewers forget who was in charge while 220,000 people died from the virus. "No.  1, he says that we're, you know, we're learning to live with it," Biden said of Trump and the coronavirus.  "People are learning to die with it. "Trump's argument consistently painted a picture of an America that had done its best against the virus and had to uphold the economy, despite a rising death toll and 70,000 cases per day. "Excuse me, I take, I take full responsibility.  It's not my fault that it came here.  It's China's fault.  And you know what?  It's not Joe's fault that it came here either.  It's China's fault," Trump insisted. The president listed off the actions he has taken against the coronavirus, like closing down partial travel from China in January and making PPE and ventilators available around the country. Biden criticized Trump for allowing the U. S.  to become the hardest-hit nation in the world and laid out his plan: a national mask mandate, more rapid tests, federal standards for reopening and funding for small businesses and schools to adhere to public health guidelines. "You folks home who have an empty chair at the kitchen table this morning, that man and wife going to bed and reaching over to try to touch out of habit where their wife or husband was is gone.  Learning to live with it?  Come on.  We're dying with it," Biden said. Following the lead section on the pandemic, Welker attempted to navigate the candidates toward national security.  However, upon the first mention of foreign adversaries -- in a question about Iranian and Russian interference in the election -- each took the opportunity to level accusations of corruption. Trump shared misleading claims that the Biden family received improper payments from Russian associates and referred to unsubstantiated allegations that the former vice president's son, Hunter Biden, attempted to profit off access to his father. "I think you owe an explanation to the American people," Trump goaded. Biden highlighted reports that Trump paid little or nothing in federal income taxes for years leading up to, and during the start of, his presidency.  Biden then said he has released his own tax returns because they show no impropriety, and questioned why the president still hasn't released his. "Go look at them: 22 years of my tax returns," Biden said.  "You have not released a single solitary year of your tax return.  What are you hiding?  Why are you unwilling? "But while the disputes over entanglements and ethics carried on for well over 10 minutes, the audience on social media noted that it was time lost for conversations on issues more impactful upon the average American.  The extended exchange arrived before conversations about health care, climate change and immigration -- something viewers noted was a potential disservice to casual political observers seeking more substance. While a candidate's character will likely always register as a consideration for voters, in the midst of the pandemic, with COVID-19 cases again rising and an unstable economy threatening the livelihoods of millions of Americans, continued focus on the uncorroborated claims against Biden may rob some of the issue-based information they need to make an educated choice. Trump claimed Biden wants to ban fracking and supports Medicare for All. Biden, who blatantly said he doesn't oppose fracking (to the dismay of progressive voters), and who supports improvements to Obamacare over an overhaul of the system (also to the disappointment of further-left Democrats), told Trump he was confused. "He's a very confused guy.  He thinks he's running against somebody else.  He's running against Joe Biden.  I beat all those other people because I disagreed with them.  Joe Biden, he's running against," Biden said, referring to Sen.  Elizabeth Warren, Sen.  Bernie Sanders and other more progressive Democrats who ran in the primaries on platforms including the Green New Deal and government-run health care that would eventually do away with private options. It's a distinction Biden has continued to make, a calculated call that progressive Democrats are so invested in ousting Trump that they will settle for a moderate Democrat and still turn out to vote, while undecided voters may be convinced by a more middle-of-the-road approach. As the final debate question, Biden was asked what he'd say at his inaugural speech if he wins the presidency.  In his response, Biden highlighted his devotion to all Americans, including those who don't vote for him. "I will say I'm an American president," Biden said.  "I represent all of you, whether you voted for me or against me, and I'm going to make sure you're represented.  I'm going to give you hope. "With a Supreme Court case threatening to overturn the Affordable Care Act looming on the high court's docket, and Judge Amy Coney Barrett -- who could cast the deciding vote on the suit -- heading toward confirmation, the future of the nation's health care system will be among the top agenda items, regardless of who wins the election. So when the debate turned to health care -- the issue 2018 voters rated as the most important -- both Trump and Biden delivered pitches likely to trail them as Americans gauge the winner's promise-keeping. Trump touted his administration's effort to roll back the ACA's individual insurance mandate and labeled the act as a whole "no good," despite pledging to protect its popular coverage guarantees for people with preexisting conditions.  He then falsely accused Biden of wanting to eliminate private insurance -- attempting to link him to the universal, single-payer proposals offered by other Democrats. Instead, Biden noted that his plan maintains private insurance and builds upon the ACA, by offering a public health care option. "It'll become Bidencare," the former vice president said.  "Not one single person with private insurance would lose their insurance under my plan. "Trump spent much of the 2016 campaign stating he would "repeal and replace" Obamacare.  But for now -- and until the potential Supreme Court decision -- the repeal has fallen flat and a potential replacement failed in the Senate. The president has also spent much of his tenure in the White House pledging a new health care plan, but has yet to offer concrete details, leaving voters with the choice to either embrace and expand the signature accomplishment of Trump's predecessor or be willing to follow him down a path of unknowns. This report was featured in the Friday, Oct.  23, 2020, episode of “Start Here,” ABC News’ daily news podcast. "Start Here" offers a straightforward look at the day's top stories in 20 minutes.  Listen for free every weekday on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, the ABC News app or wherever you get your podcasts. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Weekend lockdown empties streets & markets in Chandigarh, to curb the spread of #COVID19 infection

The union territory reported 431 new cases yesterday, taking the case tally to 33,309 https://t.co/QgCvcJS7P1

Maharashtra on Thursday recorded as many as 35,952 fresh coronavirus (Covid-19) cases, breaching the 35,000-mark for the first time ever since March last year.  With this, the state's total infection tally went up to 26,00,833 while the toll reached 53,796 with 111 fresh deaths, according to the state health department.  The state has added over one lakh cases in the last four days. Mumbai, too, reported its highest-ever spike of 5,504 new infections, breaking its Wednesday's record of 5,185 fresh infections. Meanwhile, Aurangabad reported 1,380 cases while 958 cases were detected in Nanded district.  Nagpur city and Nagpur district added 2,656 and 1,014 cases, respectively. These numbers came in the backdrop of speculation over whether a lockdown is required to be put in place in more districts of the state.  While Nagpur, Nanded, Beed and Parbhani districts are under strict restrictions in view of the rising cases, state deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar will hold a meeting to review the situation in Pune district.  Pawar is also the guardian minister of the district.  Click here for full Covid-19 coverageOn Thursday, Pune city reported 3,340 new cases while as many as 1,340 cases were reported in other areas of the district. “I am meeting public representatives and officials in Pune tomorrow to review the Covid situation there.  We all know that cases are continuously rising in Pune.  However, there is a difference of opinion among public representatives on a complete lockdown,” said Pawar in Mumbai on Thursday afternoon. The state saw 20,444 patients being discharged from hospitals as its recovery count increased to 22,83,037.  As many as 1,53,447 coronavirus tests were carried out on Thursday, taking the total to 1,88,78,754, the health ministry said. (with PTI inputs)


Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó acknowledged by Pres. Trump during his the State of the Union address.

"Joining us in the gallery is the true and legitimate President of Venezuela, Juan Guaidó," Trump said. https://t.co/ovRJLEscmc https://t.co/Wf8Ds77FLE

By Veronica Stracqualursi and Marcelo Garate, CNNUpdated 11:33 AM ET, Wed February 5, 2020 Washington (CNN)Fred Guttenberg, the father of a victim in the 2018 mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, was escorted from President Donald Trump's State of the Union address Tuesday night while the President defended the Second Amendment.


Video shows Amit Shah fell off a stage while running after seeing farmers in a Kolkata rally

A viral clip showing Amit Shah, Minister of Home Affairs, falling off a stage in Madhya Pradesh is circulating on social media with a false claim that the incident took place at a rally held in West Bengal.   The clip is viral in the backdrop of Shah's visit to Kolkata on February 18.  On his two-day visit to Bengal, Amit Shah flagged off the final leg of the five phases of Rath Yatra.  He also paid a visit to the Kapil Muni ashram and addressed the poribartan yatra at Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas.    The viral video shows a public gathering where Amit Shah slips on a stage and people rush to pick him up.   The caption of the video refers to the ongoing farmers' protest and takes a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party after the protesting farmers and the Center reached a deadlock about meeting the former's demands.  The caption  reads, ''Amit Shah fell off the stage while running after seeing farmers in Kolkata rally. '' Archive can be seen here.   It is also viral on Facebook with Marathi and Punjabi captions that read, ''Amit Shah fell off the stage while running after seeing the farmers in the Calcutta rally.  Sources are the news. ''  Archive of such posts can be seen here and here.   Also read: Viral Graphic Shares 2019 Lok Sabha Schedule As West Bengal Poll Dates BOOM ran a keyword search with the words "Amit Shah falls off a stage" and found a number of news reports and videos on the incident.  A report by Times of India published on November 24, 2018 carries the same video with a title, "BJP President Amit Shah falls off stage during a rally in Madhya Pradesh".  According to the report, the then BJP president Shah slipped from a chariot during an election rally in Madhya Pradesh on November 24 which went viral on social media.  The incident took place during a rally in Ashok Nagar where Shah was campaigning for BJP party for the upcoming assembly elections.   India Today also reported on the incident from 2018 that took place in Madhya Pradesh.    Also read: Image Of Bangladesh Housing Project Shared As West Bengal Scheme


Actress Kelly Preston has died after losing her battle with breast cancer, her husband John Travolta said in a post on Instagram on Sunday. She was 57 years old. https://t.co/iWJDNtTlV1 https://t.co/uEHE6DFQqn

The actress’ husband, John Travolta, made the announcement. Kelly Preston dies of breast cancer at 57Hollywood is mourning the loss of actress Kelly Preston, who died at the age of 57 after a silent battle with breast cancer.  Her husband of 28 years, John Travolta, confirmed the heartbreaking news early Monday. "It is with a very heavy heart that I inform you that my beautiful wife Kelly has lost her two-year battle with breast cancer," Travolta wrote on Instagram.   "She fought a courageous fight with the love and support of so many. ""My family and I will forever be grateful to her doctors and nurses at MD Anderson Cancer Center, all the medical centers that have helped, as well as her many friends and loved ones who have been by her side," he continued.  "Kelly’s love and life will always be remembered. "The “Grease” star announced that he will be stepping away from social media during this difficult time to "be there for my children who have lost their mother" and asked fans for their patience.  "Forgive me in advance if you don’t hear from us for a while," Travolta requested.  "But please know that I will feel your outpouring of love in the weeks and months ahead as we heal. "Preston appeared in over 60 productions, but is best known for her roles on “Jerry Maguire,” “Twins” and “Mischief. ” She also starred in Maroon 5's music video "She Will Be Loved. "She is survived by her husband, whom she married in 1991, and their children Ella and Benjamin Travolta, 20 and nine years old, respectively. Preston and Travolta were also the parents to Jett, who died in 2009 at the age of 16 after suffering a seizure.  He would have turned 28 in April. A representative for the couple confirmed to People that Preston chose to keep her illness a secret, saying "she had been undergoing medical treatment for some time. "24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


IMD-Earthquake: Earthquake of magnitude 6.3 on the Richter Scale hit Pakistan - India (J&K) Border region at 4:31 pm today. https://t.co/tKPY2lK3dk

An earthquake of 6 magnitude struck the Pakistan-India border region at about 4:31 pm on Tuesday, according to the Indian Meteorological Department. Four persons were killed and 76 others sustained injuries in Mirpur and other parts of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) .  The tremors that lasted for 8-10 seconds were felt in north India including Punjab and Haryana, Seismology Department officials said as well as major cities of Pakistan, including Islamabad, Peshawar, Rawalpindi and Lahore. What is an earthquake and what causes them to happen? An earthquake is caused by a sudden slip on a fault.  Stresses in the earth’s outer layer push the sides of the fault together.  Stress builds up and the rocks slips suddenly, releasing energy in waves that travel through the earth’s crust and cause the shaking that we feel during an earthquake.  An earthquake occurs when plates grind and scrape against each other. Also Read | ‘Scariest 10 seconds: PoK’s Mirpur bears the brunt of 6. 3 magnitude earthquakeWhat is a fault? Faults are fractures in Earth’s crust where rocks on either side of the crack have slid past each other.  Sometimes the cracks are tiny, as thin as hair, with barely noticeable movement between the rock layers.  But faults can also be hundreds of miles long. At what depth do earthquakes occur? Earthquakes occur in the crust or upper mantle, which ranges from the earth’s surface to about 800 kilometers deep (about 500 miles). What is “surface rupture” in an earthquake? Surface rupture occurs when movement on a fault deep within the earth breaks through to the surface.  Not all earthquakes result in surface rupture. How are earthquakes measured? The familiar Richter scale (which is not a physical device but rather a mathematical formula) is no longer widely used by scientists to report an earthquake’s size.  Today, an earthquake’s size is typically reported simply by its magnitude, which is a measure of the size of the earthquake’s source, where the ground began shaking.  While there are many modern scales used to calculate the magnitude, the most common is the moment magnitude, which allows for more precise measurements of large earthquakes than the Richter scale.  A network of geological monitoring stations, each with instruments that measure how much the ground shakes over time called seismographs allow scientists to calculate an earthquake’s time, location and magnitude.  Seismographs record a zigzag trace that shows how the ground shakes beneath the instrument.  Sensitive seismographs, which greatly magnify these ground motions, can detect strong earthquakes from sources anywhere in the world. How are quakes classified? Based on their magnitude, quakes are assigned to a class.  An increase in one number, say from 5. 5 to 6. 5, means that a quake’s magnitude is 10 times as great.  The classes are as follows:Great: Magnitude is greater than or equal to 8. 0.  A magnitude-8. 0 earthquake is capable of tremendous damage. Major: Magnitude in the rage of 7. 0 to 7. 9.  A magnitude-7. 0 earthquake is a major earthquake that is capable of widespread, heavy damage. Strong: Magnitude in the rage of 6. 0 to 6. 9.  A magnitude-6. 0 quake can cause severe damage. Moderate: Magnitude in the rage of 5. 0 to 5. 9.  A magnitude-5. 0 quake can cause considerable damage. Light: Magnitude in the rage of 4. 0 to 4. 9.  A magnitude-4. 0 quake is capable of moderate damage. Minor: Magnitude in the rage of 3. 0 to 3. 9. Micro: Magnitude less than-3. 0.  Quakes between 2. 5 and 3. 0 are the smallest generally felt by people. After an earthquake strikes, its magnitude is continuously revised as time passes and more stations report their seismic readings.  Several days can pass before a final number is agreed upon. What are the seismic zones of India? The Geological Survey of India (GSI. ) first published the seismic zoning map of the country in the year 1935.  With numerous modifications made afterwards, this map was initially based on the amount of damage suffered by the different regions of India because of earthquakes.  Color coded in different shades of the color red, this map shows the four distinct seismic zones of India.  Following are the varied seismic zones of the nation, which are prominently shown in the map:Zone - II: This is said to be the least active seismic zoneZone - III: It is included in the moderate seismic zoneZone - IV: This is considered to be the high seismic zoneZone - V: It is the highest seismic zone


A video is doing the rounds on Facebook claiming that ‘British Airways’ is shutting down its flight operations.  In the video, the narrator can be heard bidding ‘Goodbye’ and saying ‘Thank You’ to all the customers of British Airways across the world.  Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post. Claim: British Airways’ is shutting down its flight operationsFact: ‘British Airways’ hasn’t said anywhere that it is shutting down its flight operations.  Recently, British Airways has also said that it is looking forward to welcoming customers back on board.  Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE. When we searched for the video in the post, it wasn’t found on any of the official social media accounts of ‘British Airways’.  When we visited the website of ‘British Airways’ to check if it has issued any notice or press release regarding the shutting down of operations, we found nothing on the website. The video in the post was uploaded by a YouTube channel ‘Unite the Union Yout’ on ‘13 June 2020’ and it had the title ‘Thank You and Goodbye from the staff of British Airways’.  The video had the description ‘British Airways’ has applied to dismiss all of its staff from 15 June 2020.  As per a report of ‘BBC’ published on ‘13 June 2020’, British Airways planned a major restructuring of the company and it meant up to 12,000 redundancies and changes to the terms and conditions of the remaining staff.  As per the news report of ‘The Sun’ published on ‘27 June 2020’, the Airlines had sacked 350 pilots and put 300 in ‘pool’ for rehire when needed.  Not just British Airways, Dubai-based airlines ‘Emirates’ had also fired its 600 pilots and Germany’s Lufthansa Group has announced up to 22,000 job cuts.  So, the job cuts is not confined to British Airways, but a global phenomenon across Airlines around the world. In fact, British Airways has recently uploaded a video on ‘20 June 2020’ saying that the Airways is looking forward to welcoming customers back on board after the COVID-19 induced lockdowns. On the British Airways website, the option to make bookings of flights is still available.  Recently, the airlines even took delivery of two ‘Boeing 787-10’ aircrafts in a week.  Based on these findings, it can be concluded that ‘British Airlines’ is not shutting down its operations. To sum it up, ‘British Airways’ hasn’t said that it is shutting down its flight operations. Did you watch our new video?


Former VP Joe Biden Saturday surged to a strong victory in the South Carolina primary, revitalizing a stalled presidential bid and establishing himself as the main moderate rival to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the race for the Democratic nomination. https://t.co/ZD9HzCLctA

He "best understands the concerns of racial and ethnic minorities," voters said. Joe Biden makes comeback with victory in South CarolinaPersonal popularity, a large black electorate, fewer liberals and a fondness for Obama-era policies threw a lifeline to former Vice President Joe Biden in South Carolina -- while exit poll results found Vermont Sen.  Bernie Sanders lagging in favorability and perceived sensitivity to racial issues alike. In handing Biden his first victory, Democratic primary voters also tossed a stink bomb to billionaire Mike Bloomberg. While he wasn’t on the ballot, a broad 66% expressed an unfavorable opinion of him overall, far more than any of the other six candidates tested.  Just 26% saw Bloomberg favorably. A remarkable 78%, by contrast, expressed a favorable opinion of Biden, including 85% among blacks.  Favorability ratings were 55% for businessman Tom Steyer, who spent heavily in the state; 51% for Sanders and Massachusetts Sen.  Elizabeth Warren; 48% former South Bend, Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg; and 40% for Minnesota Sen.  Amy Klobuchar. Fifty-four percent said the next president should return to former President Barack Obama’s policies as opposed to a more liberal, 26%, or more conservative, 16%, approach.  That was a boon for Biden; 65% of those who preferred Obama-era policies backed the former vice president.  Sanders won those favoring more liberal policies, but by less of a margin. That result marked a contrast with the previous primary in New Hampshire -- where Biden struggled -- when just 40% favored a return to Obama administration policies.  But the biggest contrast with previous contests was in the participation of blacks: they accounted for 57% of South Carolina voters in preliminary exit poll results.  While a bit below their 2016 turnout, they were still vastly higher than their share of voters in Nevada, 11%, or Iowa and New Hampshire, 3% apiece. Biden won South Carolina blacks by a smashing 4-1 over Sanders, 64-15% (and 13% for Steyer), far above Biden’s 10-point margin among blacks in Nevada.  His support among blacks also trumped Sanders’ customary strength among younger and liberal voters: Blacks under 45 and liberal blacks -- including those who said they’re very liberal -- all backed the former vice president over the Vermont independent.  The result was a Biden win even among strong liberals overall. Notably, too, 47% of all voters in the state, and 58% of blacks, picked Biden as the candidate who "best understands the concerns of racial and ethnic minorities. "Two-in-10 overall picked Sanders on this measure, while 1-in-10 picked Steyer. Sanders may have also suffered from a dearth of Hispanics in the state.  They account for only 3% of South Carolina voters in exit poll results, compared with 17% in Nevada, where he won them resoundingly, 50-17% over Biden. Meanwhile Biden, while overwhelmingly winning blacks, also ran ahead of Sanders among whites, 34-25%, in the Palmetto State.  That was far better for Biden than his previous results among whites -- 16% in Iowa, 8% in New Hampshire and 15% in Nevada. There were also fewer liberals in the primary than in the earlier contests; they made up 49% of South Carolina voters -- vs.  an average of 64% in the three previous states. Conservative Democratic voters, by contrast, made up 9% in South Carolina, up from 3% in previous states this year. To Sanders’ disadvantage, race mattered more than age: He won 46% of whites age 17-44, compared with 14% for Biden.  But among blacks younger than 45, Biden’s support grew to 44%, and Sanders’ dropped back to 27%.  Biden’s support also grew with age, topping out at 66% among all seniors, a vast tally in a seven-person contest. A large share of voters were mainline Democrats -- 70% -- rather than independents, and this, too, added to Biden's score, with a vast margin for Biden among Democrats, 57-18%.  Biden also prevailed among independents, albeit by far less of a margin, 37-24%. Another, issue-focused result marked Biden’s dominating performance.  Half of South Carolina voters said they supported a government-run single-payer health care system -- a Sanders and Warren signature issue.  Sanders won single-payer voters by a wide margin previously, but here Biden, even while not a proponent of a single-payer system, won those voters by 46-28% over Sanders. Among other exit poll results, 41% called health care the top issue in deciding their vote -- similar to the previous three contests. That was trailed by income inequality, 21%; race relations, a new item replacing foreign policy in the previous surveys, 16%; and climate change, 14%. Fifty-three percent prioritized beating President Donald Trump over choosing the candidate who agrees with them on major issues -- 10 points lower than an average of 63% in the previous contests. On the other hand, 53% also said the U. S.  economic system needs "a complete overhaul," vs.  36% who think it needs "minor changes. " Biden won similar support in both groups. While Party loyalty was substantial, if not complete, 8-in-10 said they will still vote for the Democratic nominee "regardless of who it is," while 17% said they wouldn't.  That includes more than 8-in-10 Biden and Steyer supporters, slipping to 72% of those who voted for Sanders. Back to Bloomberg, who makes his first ballot appearances on Super Tuesday: Just  20% of very liberal voters saw him favorably, as did 27% of somewhat liberals and 32% of moderate voters.  His favorability ratings were a bit better among whites than blacks, 31% vs.  22%, albeit weak in both groups, and were similar among men and women. Lastly, impacts of endorsements can be difficult to pin down, but backing for Biden from Rep.  Jim Clyburn, the senior House Democrat in the state, was called "the most important factor" by 28% of voters and "one of several important factors" by an additional 22%. That said, 64% also said they decided on their vote more than a few days ago -- that is, before the Clyburn endorsement. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


WB: BJP's East Midnapore dist secy Pabitra Das suffered bullet injuries y'day during an alleged attack on villagers in his area, he was later taken to hospital. He says, "At the behest of TMC MLA of Khejuri constituency & TMC Block President some armed goons attacked our village" https://t.co/gC7koOUxgV

BJP’s East Midnapore district secretary Pabitra Das suffered bullet injuries on Sunday during an alleged attack on villagers in his area. He was later taken to Tamluk Hospital. Das alleged, “At the behest of TMC MLA of Khejuri constituency and TMC Block President some armed goons attacked our village. ”BJP National Secretary Rahul Sinha said, “There is nexus between police and TMC goons, I demand investigation and action against accused TMC goons and police officers. ”


Prime Minister @narendramodi at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the new Parliament building.

(ANI)

Track LIVE Updates: https://t.co/AojcDB6Y4j https://t.co/oYDz8MKI6V

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the new building of Parliament on Thursday.  The ceremony was attended by Union home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh, Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, foreign envoys and Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla.  The ceremony was followed by a ‘sarva dharma prarthana’ (multi-faith prayer).  The Prime Minister delivered his address at 2:15 pm. The new Parliament building will cost Rs 971 crore and is estimated to be completed by 2022.  Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla said that the new building will be a prime example of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.  The current Parliament building was constructed by the British and its foundation stone was laid on February 12, 1921. The new building will also have a grand Constitution Hall to showcase India’s democratic heritage, a lounge for members of Parliament, a library, multiple committee rooms, dining areas and ample parking space.  The Lok Sabha chamber will have a seating capacity for 888 members, while Rajya Sabha will have 384 seats, keeping in mind the future increase in the number of members for the two houses. Follow all live updates here: PM Modi: We will have to take the pledge of ‘India First’ The Prime Minister urged citizens to take decisions that would improve the welfare of the country and that their efforts must be towards how India stands in 2047, the centenary year of Independence.  PM Modi: There can be differences, but disconnect should not be allowedThe PM said that differences in a democracy were normal but any type of disconnect was not and that democracy in India has always been about sorting out differences and contradictions.  The PM also said that despite differences in policies and political ideologies, the ultimate goal should be to serve people.  PM Modi: Day will soon come when out countries will say ‘India is mother of democracy’The Prime Minister praised India’s spirit of democracy, saying that it has been sacred and a way of life in the country that has been developed based on centuries of experience.  He said that other countries discuss elections and other administrative issues when speaking about democracy and that a day would soon come when out countries will say ‘India is mother of democracy’.  PM Modi: Future generations will feel proud of a Parliament building made in independent India The PM said that future generations would feel proud to see the new Parliament complex that is made in independent India, and that they need to understand why democracy is successful in India.  PM Modi: New Parliament building will fulfill the country’s aspirations The Prime Minister said that the need was felt for a new Parliament building for years.  21st century India needs a new Parliament complex.  The old building fulfilled the needs of the country, the new Parliament building will fulfill the country’s aspirations, he continued.  PM Modi: New building to do away with space crunch, will have additional space for visitors People who come to meet public representatives in Parliament face many difficulties, there was space crunch.  The new building will have additional space to allow people to meet the representatives.  PM Modi: New Parliament building is an example of the co-existence of the new and the old The Prime Minister said that the new Parliament building is an example of the co-existence of the new and the old and that it was an effort to make changes within oneself in accordance with the time and needs.  PM Modi: Ceremony important milestone in historyThe Prime Minister, in his address, called the foundation stone laying ceremony a historic event and an important milestone in India’s history.  Union Minister HS Puri delivers welcome addressUnion Minister HS Puri delivered the welcome address in which he praised the PM for laying the foundation of a modern, strong, prosperous & self-reliant India with the inclusion of our proud history.   In the last 6 yrs PM Modi laid the foundation of a modern, strong, prosperous & self-reliant India with the inclusion of our proud history.  In this continuation, today is a very important day: Union Minister HS Puri at foundation stone laying ceremony of new Parliament building pic. twitter. com/ITTwcbBjauMulti-faith prayer underwayPM Modi, foreign envoys and other ministers attend the ‘sarva dharma prarthana’ (multi-faith prayer) at the foundation stone laying ceremony.   Delhi: The various religious leaders at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the new Parliament building perform 'Sarva Dharma Prarthana'.  pic. twitter. com/YsdS3n9JIDPM Modi unveils plaque to mark foundation stone laying ceremony of new Parliament buildingPrime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a plaque to mark the foundation stone laying ceremony of the new Parliament building.    Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveils a plaque to mark the foundation stone laying ceremony of New Parliament Building in Delhi pic. twitter. com/k7eYzd0ceyMinisters and foreign envoys present at ceremonyUnion Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, foreign Envoys and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla also present at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the new Parliament building.  Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, foreign Envoys and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla also present at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the new Parliament building.  pic. twitter. com/DnkranVSuYPM Modi lays foundation stone of new Parliament building Prime Minister Narendra Modi lays the foundation stone for the new Parliament building in the Parliament House Complex.  Tata Trusts’ Chairman Ratan Tata, Union Minister HS Puri, Dy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh & various religious leaders present at ceremony.   #WATCH Prime Minister Narendra Modi lays foundation stone of New Parliament Building in Delhi pic. twitter. com/gF3w7ivTDe PM Modi to lay foundation to new Parliament buildingPrime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone to the new Parliament building at 1pm, followed by an inter faith prayer at 1:30pm and his address at 2:15pm.  The new building will cost Rs 971 crores and is estimated to be completed by 2022.


Assam: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates and lays the foundation stone of various projects in Silapathar, Dhemaji https://t.co/ooWMf1RATB

West Bengal 2021 is as thrilling as it gets as far as elections in India go… There are big stars, action, drama and emotions thrown into this political pot-boiler that has all of us on the edge of our seats every minute. In the latest, speculation is flying thick and fast that Mamata may well contest against PM Modi from Varanasi in 2024. The buzz ties up beautifully with perceptions of Mamata Banerjee’s national ambitions.  There is no doubt that if Mamata Banerjee wins this high octane election - and if she wins comfortably - she could emerge as the most powerful leader in the Opposition camp that has mostly been rudderless over the last several years. For now, the Mamata vs Modi face-off in Varanasi is just a social media virtual thought and not an on-ground reality.  But what if…. HOW THE VARANASI CHATTER BEGANA seemingly humble, retaliatory Twitter post by the Trinamool Congress on Thursday night set the cat among the pigeons.  The post, which was uploaded late Thursday night from Trinamool’s official handle, was a comeback to PM Modi’s claim at a rally in Bengal that there were rumours that Mamata Banerjee may contest from another seat in the last phase. “Is there any truth in the rumour that you (Mamata) are going to file your nomination from another constituency?  First, you went to Nandigram and people gave you an answer.  Go somewhere else and the people of Bengal will give you the right answer," PM Modi said on Thursday while campaigning in South 24 Paraganas. The TMC delivered its counter on Twitter: “Didi is winning Nandigram.  The question of her fighting from another seat doesn't arise. ” The tweet also cautioned PM Modi to “look for a safer seat in 2024, as you (Modi) will be challenged in Varanasi. ”The cryptic reference to Varanasi came not just from Trinamool’s official Twitter handle but also echoed by another firebrand TMC MP Mahua Moitra.  In a tweet, she categorically asked the PM to don his “armour” as Mamata Banerjee will run from Varanasi in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Varanasi has been PM Modi's constituency since 2014 when he first came to power at the Centre following the BJP's landslide victory in the national elections. MAMATA’S NATIONAL AMBITIONSNow just five days ago – and smack in the middle of a do-or-die assembly election - the Bengal chief minister wrote a letter to at least a dozen opposition leaders – Sonia Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, MK Stalin, Akhilesh Yadav, Uddhav Thackeray, Hemant Soren, Arvind Kejriwal - calling for a united and effective struggle against the BJP. In the letter, she made a clarion call to all opposition parties to come together and offer a credible alternative to what she dubbed was BJP’s “one-party authoritarian rule” in India.  The Trinamool supremo had suggested that a meeting of all leaders be held to chart out a plan of action after these assembly elections. Several opposition leaders have accused the BJP of aspiring to rule all the states.  No doubt that a democracy is defined not only by the government, but also by the dynamism of its Opposition.  And by all accounts, India’s opposition has never been as weak as it is today.  So if India seems to be veering towards a one-party rule, many analysts have argued the opposition is also to be blamed. Mamata Banerjee’s letter is seen as significant in this context.  Several political analysts in Bengal and outside have interpreted the letter to signal that Mamata Banerjee wants to focus on national politics once the assembly polls are over. And if Mamata wins Bengal in 2021 – many opinion polls did make this prediction before the election process was formally kickstarted – she might just acquire the necessary heft among opposition parties to become the face of the anti-BJP front that she has outlined in her letter. Mamata Banerjee did play a key role in trying to forge an anti-BJP coalition of parties ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections too.  She had organised a massive rally in Kolkata’s Brigade Parade Ground in January 2019 attended by almost all leaders of regional parties opposed to the BJP. But that initiative fell flat owing to differences between various parties over seat-sharing. THE 2024 POLL BUGLEWest Bengal 2021, and the chatter about Mamata contesting against Prime Minister Modi from Varanasi, has certainly blown the poll bugle for 2024. When Arvind Kejriwal picked up the cudgels in Varanasi in 2014, many dubbed it the proverbial David vs Goliath battle.  PM Modi had won Varanasi by a massive margin of 3. 37 lakh votes. If Mamata Banerjee goes up against the PM in 2024 – the ‘Khela’ in Varanasi will be worth a seat in the front row with popcorn to match.


The United States has 22 percent of the world's prison population or inmates.

On April 8 2021, Imgur user “superscout0233” shared the following meme with a fakeout ending, initially stating that “under [Joseph] Stalin,” the Soviet Union’s gulags held 22 percent of the world’s prison population — before adding text indicating that statistic was not about the Soviet Union but was, in fact, true for the United States in 2021: The Post.  Above and beneath a propaganda-poster style image of Stalin, text read: Under Stalin, repression was so severe that Soviet Gulags held 22% of the world’s entire prison population Just kidding, that’s in the United States today That post was simply titled “Oppression,” and it did not include any contextual information about Stalin-era Soviet gulags or the United States’ rate of incarceration in 2021.  The discussion in the comments took issue with its perceived faint praise of Stalin in comparison, with some claiming that Soviet gulags and American prisons were “apples and oranges. ” Who is Stalin?  Joseph Stalin was a Soviet Union leader who remains commonly referenced in political contexts, generally in the context of his dictatorship.  He also forms the basis for several persistent memes.  In August 2019, we fact-checked a meme comparing Stalin’s historical legacy with American democratic socialism: Was Dictator Joseph Stalin Once a Hip, Young Democratic Socialist?  Comparisons with Stalin are commonplace to the level of a being a trope; Stalin is mentioned on TV Tropes’ entry for “Godwin’s Law” for this reason: Godwin’s Law, also known as “Godwin’s Rule of Nazi Analogies,” is an “Internet law” describing the tendency of people on the Internet to say outrageous things to win arguments.  Originated by Richard Sexton, it’s named after Mike Godwin, longtime attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation (and at one time for the Wikimedia Foundation as well), who popularized the law in 1990 in this form: As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one.  [. . . ] The original “Godwin’s Law” only spoke of Internet users’ tendency to make frivolous Nazi comparisons, but the utter failure of those comparisons to work is now also enshrined in “Internet law” . . .  The Internet being a place where no one is allowed to concede an argument, users have tried to find various workarounds where they can use their desperate rhetorical devices without violating Godwin’s Law.  They’ve tried: Not mentioning Hitler or Nazis directly (e. g.  “you know who else got rejected by an art school? ”), thinking the law is about invoking Nazis’ names rather than their ideas.  Referencing other mass-murdering dictators, often Communists like Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, or Pol Pot.  This doesn’t even really avoid a Nazi comparison because the thinking is the same that leads to the Commie Nazis trope.  In fact, the invocation of a communist leader in this sense is itself worthy of a Nazi comparison, given how right-wing extremists are very prone to comparing their opponents to evil communists in a technique known as “red-baiting”.  If you don’t want communists, you could try terrorists like al-Qaeda or Daesh.  The axiom does not apply to actual Nazis or literal Nazi ideology.  What Is a Gulag?  First, “Gulag” is an acronym: Gulag, acronym of Glavnoye Upravleniye Ispravitelno-Trudovykh Lagerey, (Russian: “Chief Administration of Corrective Labour Camps”), system of Soviet labour camps and accompanying detention and transit camps and prisons that from the 1920s to the mid-1950s housed the political prisoners and criminals of the Soviet Union.  At its height, the Gulag imprisoned millions of people.  The name Gulag had been largely unknown in the West until the publication of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s The Gulag Archipelago, 1918–1956 (1973), whose title likens the labour camps scattered through the Soviet Union to an island chain.  A system of forced-labour camps was first inaugurated by a Soviet decree of April 15, 1919, and underwent a series of administrative and organizational changes in the 1920s, ending with the founding of the Gulag in 1930 under the control of the secret police, OGPU (later, the NKVD and the KGB).  The Gulag had a total inmate population of about 100,000 in the late 1920s, when it underwent an enormous expansion coinciding with the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin’s collectivization of agriculture.  By 1936 the Gulag held a total of 5,000,000 prisoners, a number that was probably equaled or exceeded every subsequent year until Stalin died in 1953.  Besides rich or resistant peasants arrested during collectivization, persons sent to the Gulag included purged Communist Party members and military officers, German and other Axis prisoners of war (during World War II), members of ethnic groups suspected of disloyalty, Soviet soldiers and other citizens who had been taken prisoner or used as slave labourers by the Germans during the war, suspected saboteurs and traitors, dissident intellectuals, ordinary criminals, and many utterly innocent people who were hapless victims of Stalin’s purges.  History. com maintained an entry on Gulags, explaining: . . .  The notorious prisons, which incarcerated about 18 million people throughout their history, operated from the 1920s until shortly after Stalin’s death in 1953.  At its height, the Gulag network included hundreds of labor camps that held anywhere from 2,000 to 10,000 people each.  Conditions at the Gulag were brutal: Prisoners could be required to work up to 14 hours a day, often in extreme weather.  Many died of starvation, disease or exhaustion—others were simply executed.  The atrocities of the Gulag system have had a long-lasting impact that still permeates Russian society today.  After the Russian Revolution of 1917, Vladimir Lenin, founder of the Russian Communist Party, took control of the Soviet Union.  When Lenin died of a stroke in 1924, Joseph Stalin propelled his way to power and became dictator.  The Gulag was first established in 1919, and by 1921 the Gulag system had 84 camps.  But it wasn’t until Stalin’s rule that the prison population reached significant numbers.  From 1929 until Stalin’s death, the Gulag went through a period of rapid expansion.  Stalin viewed the camps as an efficient way to boost industrialization in the Soviet Union and access valuable natural resources such as timber, coal and other minerals . . .  The Gulag started to weaken immediately after Stalin’s death in 1953.  Within days, millions of prisoners were released.  On NPS. gov, the National Parks Service for some reason offers a “Gulag Fact Sheet” [PDF], which provided figures about the Soviet prison population under Lenin and Stalin: The camp population grew from 179,000 in 1929 to 2,468,524 in 1953 (reaching its height in 1950 with 2,525,146 inmates).  Perhaps 18 million persons in total were incarcerated in the Gulag in this period.  While numbers are sketchy, of the much larger number of gulag inmates plus exiled “special settlers” and labor colonists (often youth detention facilities) that totaled 26 million in these years, perhaps 1. 5 million perished.  It is important to remember, however, that in most years more people were amnestied from the Gulag than died in it.  Excepting the brutal war years, the most common experience of the Gulag was surviving it.  At the end of the short document, a section indicated that the “inefficiency of the Gulag and the resistance of its inmates convinced Stalin’s successors to scale it back dramatically following the dictator’s death. ” In July 2018, the BBC reported the death of a “rare [surviving] witness” to the Gulags, and included some of the man’s firsthand experience in their article.  Because of this history, the term “gulag” in modern parlance has come to be used to describe widespread incarceration and poor conditions within said system.  The United States Prison Population in 2021.  In the meme referenced here, the initial mention of Stalin and gulags was a red herring or misdirection.  The actual emphasis of the meme was a claim about the U. S.  prison population: That 22 percent of the world’s prisoners were incarcerated in the United States.  As noted in previous fact-checks, the United States accounts for about four percent of the world’s population in total.  For every 100 people of Earth, four are American — if 22 percent (or nearly a quarter and more than a fifth) of the world’s prisoners were imprisoned in the United States, that particular proportion suggested that Americans were incarcerated at a far higher pace than citizens of peer nations.  Locating the “22 percent of the world’s prison population” statistic’s source was fairly straightforward — the figure appeared in a Google “featured snippet” in April 2021: Anyone who searched the Imgur meme’s claims was likely to come across the precise cited figure emphasized by Google.  However, the linked citation was a Wikipedia entry, “United States incarceration rate,” which began (as of April 9 2021): In September 2013, the incarceration rate of the United States of America was the highest in the world at 716 per 100,000 of the national population.  While the United States represents about 4. 4 percent of the world’s population, it houses around 22 percent of the world’s prisoners.  Corrections (which includes prisons, jails, probation, and parole) cost around $74 billion in 2007 according to the U. S.  Bureau of Justice Statistics.  At the end of 2016, the Prison Policy Initiative, a non-profit organization for decarceration, estimated that in the United States, about 2,298,300 people were incarcerated out of a population of 324. 2 million.  This means that 0. 7% of the population was imprisoned.  Of those who were incarcerated, about 1,316,000 people were in state prison, 615,000 in local jails, 225,000 in federal prisons, 48,000 in youth correctional facilities, 34,000 in immigration detention camps, 22,000 in involuntary commitment, 11,000 in territorial prisons, 2,500 in Indian Country jails, and 1,300 in United States military. . .


We take samples from dead birds & send them to laboratories for examination. The staff wears PPE kits while burying the dead birds. We reach the spot immediately if any problem persists: Dr Arun Kumar, Animal Husbandry Dept on reports of dead ducks & crows in Sanjay Lake in Delhi https://t.co/wOj5naPXcB

Dharamshala/Shimla: The Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Jalandhar, has confirmed the presence of the H5N1 virus strain in crow carcasses found in the periphery of Pong Lake Wetlands, the epicentre of the bird flu outbreak in Himachal Pradesh.  The deputy director of the animal husbandry department, Kangra, Sanjeev Dhiman, said of the three crow samples sent to the Jalandhar lab.  two tested positive for avian flu.  “The samples will now be sent to the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory, Bhopal, for further verification,” Dhiman said.  He said that 119 samples of poultry birds will also be tested in the Bhopal lab.  The reports are expected by Tuesday.  More than 3,700 birds, most of them migratory, have been found dead due to the H5N1 virus in the Pong Wetland since December 31.  Seventy-six crows were also found dead in the Fatehpur subdivision adjoining Pong Lake.  The wildlife department has set up a control room in Nagrota Surian to disseminate information about bird flu.  The assistant conservator, wildlife, Chamba, has been posted at Nagrota Surian to assist the DFO, wildlife, Hamirpur, in containing the outbreak of the flu.  SCARE IN PAONTA SAHIB VILLAGE Panic gripped Kedarpur village in Paonta Sahib sub division of Sirmaur district after 61 crows were found dead in the area.  A team of officials from the forest department, comprising divisional forest officer (DFO) Kunal Angrish, accompanied by veterinary officials rushed to the spot.  Angrish said that samples of the dead crow have been to RRDL, Jalandhar.  The carcasses were were buried and the area was sanitised.  The sudden death of 61 crows at Kedarpur village in Paonta Sahib subdivision of Sirmaur district sparked fears of the flu outbreak.  A forest department team rushed to the spot.  The DFO said 61 crows were found dead on a private land having eucalyptus trees.  Samples of the dead crows have been sent to the Jalandhar-based lab to ascertain the cause.  The carcasses of remaining crows were buried and the area was sanitised.  DEAD CHICKENS DUMPED ALONG HIGHWAY IN SOLANMeanwhile, more than 200 dead chickens were found dumped on the Kalka-Shimla national highway in Solan district for the second consecutive day.  The animal husbandry department has sent samples of the chickens to the Jalandhar lab.  The dead birds were buried as per the protocol.  The police have increased patrolling on the highway to find out who is dumping the birds.


#Oscars flashback: Here is Sam Rockwell on the red carpet for the 2010 Oscars Governors Ball vs. tonight where he is nominated for best supporting actor for @vicemovie. https://t.co/1F5SFjWsFK https://t.co/lRE3EWpeIH

  Queen may have opened the Oscars, but Rami Malek is the real champion of the night.

  Malek on Sunday picked up the best actor award for playing Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in “Bohemian Rhapsody. ”

  In his acceptance speech, Malek reflected on his journey and the importance of immigrant stories.

  “I think about what it would have been like to tell little bubba Rami that one day this might happen to him and I think his curly-haired little mind would be blown,” he said.  “He was struggling with his identity, trying to figure himself out.  And I think to anyone struggling with theirs, and trying to discover their voice: Listen, we made a film about a gay man, an immigrant, who lived his life just unapologetically himself.  The fact that I’m celebrating him and this story with you tonight is proof that we’re longing for stories like this. ”

  In his speech, Malek pointed out that he is a first-generation American.  His parents are from Egypt.

  “Part of my story is being written right now.  And I could not be more grateful to each and every one of you, and everyone who believed in me for this moment,” he said.  “It’s something I will treasure for the rest of my life. ”

  Malek’s win was a big win for the film, which had a well-chronicled battle to the big screen, but not its only statue of the night.  “Bohemian Rhapsody” also picked up the awards for film editing, sound editing and sound mixing.
© 2021 Cable News Network.  A Warner Media Company.  All Rights Reserved.   CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network.


Rajdeep Sardesai heckled after recent interview with Rhea Chakraborty

A 6-year-old video of television anchor and journalist Rajdeep Sardesai being heckled by a crowd has been revived and shared on social media with false claims after the anchor's recent interview with bollywood actor Rhea Chakraborty.   BOOM found that the video was from 2014 when Sardesai was allegedly heckled by a group of NRIs who had turned up at the Madison Square, New York, on September 28 to hear Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech.  This was Modi's first trip to the United States after being elected as the Prime Minister in May of 2014.  ALSO READ: Times Now Links Rhea Chakraborty's 'Imma Bounce' Chat To Bounced Cheque  The video is viral in the backdrop of actor Rhea Chakraborty's exclusive interview to Sardesai on actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death.  Ever since the interview was aired on August 27, 2020, social media has been abuzz with criticism of Sardesai and TV channel Aaj Tak which even made the hashtag #ShameOnAajtak trend on Twitter.  The 68-second-long viral video shows Sardesai enter into a heated argument with a man while a huge crowd of onlookers surround them.  Moments later, the anchor pushes the other person and there is a brief altercation before they are separated.  A Hindi caption with the viral clip translates to 'Anchor Rajdeep Sardesai who interviewed Rhea Chakraborty thrashed by public'.  (Hindi: रिया चक्रवर्ती का इंटरव्यू लेने वाले आजतक के एंकर राजदीप को पब्लिक ने पीटा )   Click here for an archive of the post.  Archived versions of similar posts can be found here and here.   The video is viral on Twitter with similar captions.  An archive of the post is available here.  रिया चक्रवर्ती का इंटरव्यू लेने वाला #आजतक के एंकर राजदीप को पब्लिक ने पीटा@sardesairajdeep 😀 pic. twitter. com/By5PT8h7Xw Similar archived tweets can be found here and here.   ALSO READ: CBI To Probe Sushant Singh Rajput's Death: Supreme Court The video has recently been uploaded on YouTube with a similar caption.   Most of these posts have been shared on August 28, a day after the interview of Chakraborty with Sardesai was aired.   A reverse image search on a key frame of the clip led us to the same video uploaded on YouTube channel 'News Hour India' on September 29, 2014.  The video has been titled 'Rajdeep Sardesai fight: FULL VIDEO Rajdeep exposed New York. '  A keyword search with 'Rajdeep Sardesai' and 'New York' led us to articles that detailed the incident.   An NDTV article published on September 30, 2014, states that the incident took place before Prime Minister Narendra Modi was due to make an appearance at Madison Square on September 28, 2014.  According to the report, Sardesai was there to interview Indian diaspora about their sentiments on seeing Modi before the big event.   The report further mentions that the TV anchor was reportedly heckled by the people who had gathered to listen to Modi's speech.   More articles about the event can be found here and here.   Looking closely at the video, the words 'square' and 'garden' are visible in one of the frames, which is similar to the signboard for Madison Square Garden in New York, where the incident took place in 2014.   BOOM also compared a few frames from the viral and original video and it was clear that the videos are one and same.   ALSO READ: Rhea Chakraborty Moves SC Citing Media Trial: All You Need To Know This screenshot from the viral video is almost identical to the still from News Hour India's video uploaded in 2014.    ALSO READ: Aaditya Thackeray With Rhea Chakraborty?  No, That's Disha Patani


A third teen allegedly involved in the stabbing death of Barnard College student Tessa Majors turned himself in to authorities in New York, according to a law enforcement official https://t.co/K9MEPm6vSJ

Tessa Majors, 18, was stabbed to death while walking through a Manhattan park. Boy accused in Tessa Majors' slaying pleads not guiltyA third teenager surrendered Wednesday in the fatal stabbing of Barnard College first-year Tessa Majors, marking the arrest of the final teen suspected of involvement in her death. Luchiano Lewis, 14, turned himself in Wednesday and is being charged as an adult.  No additional arrests are expected in connection with the stabbing, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News. Another 14-year-old boy, Rashaun Weaver, was charged on Saturday as an adult in the killing. Weaver is charged with two counts of murder in the second degree -- including one count as intentional murder and one count as felony murder --and Lewis is charged with one count of murder in the second degree as felony murder.  Both are charged with first- and second-degree robbery. Weaver and Lewis both pleaded not guilty Wednesday. Majors, 18, was stabbed to death on Dec.  11 in upper Manhattan's Morningside Park, just off the campus of Columbia University, as three teenagers tried to rob her. When Majors tried to escape, Lewis allegedly stopped her, according to court documents and statements made on the record in court.  The college student then broke free and staggered up the stairs where she collapsed, according to documents and statements in court. Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance said Majors' last words were "Help me!  I'm being robbed. "Majors' father came to court as Weaver and Lewis were arraigned on Wednesday and remanded into custody. A 13-year-old was previously charged with aiding the attack and is awaiting a March trial in family court. DNA recovered from the Majors' nail matched Weaver's profile, according to court documents and court statements.  Weaver was also heard on an audio recording describing hitting the victim with a knife, according to court documents and court statements. Weaver is also charged with robbing a man at knife-point in Morningside Park days before Majors' death, according to court documents and court statements.  Weaver allegedly logged into the man's phone hours after it was stolen, according to iCloud records. Vance said in a statement Wednesday, "While a criminal process will never fully heal the unimaginable pain suffered by Tessa Majors’ family and friends, this indictment is a significant step forward on the path to justice. ""We are committed to holding these young people accountable, and equally committed to a fair process which safeguards their rights," Vance said.  "This is how we will achieve true justice for Tessa and her loved ones. "24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events