Gulam Nabi Azad, Leader of Opposition in Rajyasabha writes to Rajya Sabha Chairman, M. Venkaiah Naidu with the demand to convene Parliament session. (File photos) https://t.co/RXkGxXIjYL

A total of 2,072 Indian nationals died of Covid-19 in countries around the world, with a majority of the deaths reported in West Asian countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kuwait. Responding to a question from Loktantrik Janata Dal MP MV Shreyams Kumar in Rajya Sabha, minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan provided figures that showed 906 Indians had died of Coronavirus infections in Saudi Arabia while 375 more had died in the UAE. A total of 369 Indians died in Kuwait, while 166 deaths were recorded in Oman and 48 in Bahrain.  The statistics provided by Muraleedharan covered deaths due to Covid-19 till December 31 last year. Nearly nine million Indian nationals live and work in West Asia, a majority of them in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.  Hundreds of thousands of them returned to India during the pandemic. According to the figures provided by the minister, 34 Indians died in Qatar and 23 each in Sudan and Nigeria.  Fifteen Indians died in Italy, nine in Nepal, seven each in Iraq and France, and six in Iran, the figures showed. Muraleedharan also said a little more than four million Indian nationals had been repatriated to the country from around the world by air, land and sea till January 20.  More than 3. 61 million people were repatriated by air. The largest number – 1. 56 million – returned from the UAE.  Other countries from which significant numbers of Indians were repatriated were Bahrain (56,532), Canada (61,504), Bangladesh (26,560), France (54,246), Germany (65,260), Kuwait (170,595), the Maldives (52,248), Oman (216,910), Qatar (226,660), Saudi Arabia (365,929), and the US (250,937).


India in Milan: 211 students & 7 compassionate cases departed by Air India flight from Milan, in Italy.  #CoronaVirus https://t.co/OQ0O70qY89

The Chhattisgarh government is preparing to evacuate students from the state stranded in Kota in Rajasthan due to the lockdown to check the spread of coronavirus, a senior minister said Saturday.  A day after Uttar Pradesh evacuated 7,500 medical and engineering aspirants from Kota, the Chhattisgarh government has asked parents of the stranded students to contact their respective collectors and furnish all details and said it is making all preparations to bring back the student in next few days. All collectors of the state have been asked to make lists of students stranded in Kota, a hub of coaching centres for competitive examinations. Follow coronavirus latest updates here. “At the meeting with chief minister Bhupesh Baghel on Friday, officers were instructed to make a list of students who are stranded in Kota.  We are very serious about the stranded students.  I appeal the parents of such students to furnish all details to the collectors,” said Chatttisgrah Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Jai Singh Agarwal.  The government was getting hundreds of requests from the parents of these students, he said. “Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel spoke to the Rajasthan Chief Minister about this issue and decided to bring back the students as soon as possible.  We are yet to decide how to bring them back to Chhattisgarh but we have informed Kota district administration also and urged them to provide a list of Chhattisgarh students stranded in Kota,” Agarwal said. On Friday, Uttar Pradesh government sent about 250 buses to bring back its students from Kota.


A Trump supporter who spent 10 minutes inside the US Capitol during the January 6 insurrection has been sentenced to probation, avoiding jail, and becoming the first rioter to learn their punishment in the riot investigation https://t.co/SsTW1JfMr3

It's the first guilty plea in the DOJ's conspiracy case against the group. Examining extremism in the militaryA member of the Oath Keepers charged in the Justice Department's sprawling conspiracy case targeting the group for its alleged coordination during the Jan.  6 insurrection pleaded guilty Wednesday to two counts of conspiracy and obstruction of an official proceeding for his participation in the Capitol riot with other members of the far-right militia group. Graydon Young of Florida was among the first members of the Oath Keepers charged following the insurrection and was accused of being part of that military-style "stack" formation the militia members formed as they walked up the Capitol steps before breaching the building. According to D. C.  District Judge Amit Mehta, Young's deal with the government includes a promise to provide cooperation in the government's conspiracy case against 15 fellow members of the Oath Keepers, including testimony before a grand jury and at trial, in addition to an agreement to sit for interviews with law enforcement in their investigation into the group's activities. Judge Mehta told Young during the hearing that the estimated sentencing guidelines for his plea range from 63 to 78 months in prison, but that those figures don't include any potential reductions he could get if the government were to recommend a lighter sentence following his cooperation. Young is the first Oath Keeper to plead guilty of the 16 charged in what is so far the most extensive conspiracy case brought by the Justice Department in relation to the Jan.  6 insurrection.  In April, Oath Keeper and heavy metal guitarist Jon Schaffer pleaded guilty for his participation in the Capitol riot, but was not charged as part of the government's broader conspiracy case. Young, 54, previously served in the U. S.  Army Reserve and U. S.  Navy Reserve.  Prosecutors say he appears to have first expressed interest in joining the Oath Keepers in early December of last year when he allegedly emailed the Florida chapter of the militia group a membership application. Later that month, according to charging documents, Young emailed a Florida company that conducts firearms and combat training, and expressed interest in scheduling a rifle training session for himself and other members of the group. Prosecutors say that after arriving in D. C. , Young and others "prepared themselves for battle before heading to the Capitol by equipping themselves with communication devices and donning reinforced vests, helmets and goggles. "After breaching the building, Young joined other members of the group in the Capitol rotunda.  He is not accused of bringing in weapons or attacking members of law enforcement who were protecting the building. In a separate case, accused Capitol rioter Robert Reeder on Wednesday pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor charge as part of an agreement with the government.  Reeder, 55, pleaded guilty to one charge of parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a capitol building, which carries a maximum sentence of six months in prison. Reeder, who said during the hearing that he was "very appreciative" that he was offered a plea deal, will be sentenced on August 18. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Several users shared the video with the caption, “14 Feb Black Day” and “Say no to Valentine’s Day.”

On the two-year anniversary of the Pulwama terror attack, CCTV footage of a bombing in Iraq has been revived on social media with the claim that it shows the 2019 explosion, which took the lives of 40 CRPF jawans in Jammu and Kashmir.  The video could be traced back to September 2007, when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) was set off in Iraq.  CLAIM Several users shared the video with the caption, “14 Feb Black Day” and “Say no to Valentine’s Day. ” WHAT WE FOUND  A reverse image search led us to a video uploaded on YouTube on March 2008, stating that it is from Iraq.  We also found the video on Reddit, where a user ‘WhiteSix’ claimed that a VBIED had been detonated outside “Camp Taji/Camp Cooke 45 minutes north of Baghdad on Highway 1. ” Taking hints from this we performed a keyword search and came across the same video uploaded by a user Brian Spalding on YouTube, dated December 2008.  The user claimed to be at camp Taji at the time of the incident, which he stated took place on 2 September 2007.  Camp Taji is also known as Camp Cooke and is used as a military base by the Iraqi army and coalition forces.  We found the earliest version of the video dated 1 November 2007 on the website, military. com.  The video was also used as archival footage in a news report by AP, credited to Tencate, a company that makes armor for military vehicles, dated 25 October 2013, much before the Pulwama attack took place.  We also found a news report by California-based publishers, McClatchy, dated 2 September 2007, which states that “a suicide car bomb targeted the first gate of the Iraqi Army Taji base,” which killed two soldiers and injured eight others.  Further, the National Investigation Agency had found CCTV footage of the explosive-laden Murti Eeco car being driven by suicide bomber Aadil Dar on the day of the attack, in the area near Awantipora.  However, we found no credible news reports on CCTV footage of the attack itself.  The Quint’s WebQoof team had also debunked the same claim in 2019.


#Bihar: CPI candidate from Begusarai, Kanhaiya Kumar after casting his vote at a polling centre in Begusarai. #LokSabhaElections2019 https://t.co/zL57N8dUDB

Former JNU students’ union leader Kanhaiya Kumar had a message for his opponents in Begusarai after he cast his vote in the parliamentary constituency in Bihar, which is polling in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha election. Kanhaiya Kumar is making his electoral debut as the Communist Party of India (CPI) candidate for Begusarai, where the left party was once dominant.  He is contesting against BJP leader Giriraj Singh in Begusarai. Follow live updates here“Begusarai ko badnam karne wali takton ko Begusarai mein muh ki khani padegi (Those who maligned Begusarai will be defeated here),” Kanhaiya Kumar said after voting. WATCH| Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Watch out for these big fights in Phase 4 The CPI dominated the area politics from 1956 to 1996 during which it won multiple times from Lok Sabha constituencies of Begusarai and erstwhile Balia, whose five assembly seats fell into Begusarai district and has been since broken up and merged with adjoining Lok Sabha constituencies. Now, the party is battling for survival, having lost the 2014 parliamentary elections and failed to win any of the seven assembly seats in the Begusarai Lok Sabha seat in 2015. “… Here helplessness crept among the cadre due to global unacceptability of the Left.  It is a ‘dhakkosla’ (sham) that some attribute the decline of the Left to caste-based politics, which existed even earlier as well.  However, things are different now.  Globally, there has now been a new Left emergence,” Kanhaiya Kumar said while speaking to HT earlier. Begusarai is among the five parliamentary constituencies in Bihar, which are polling in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha election 2019.  The votes will be counted on May 23.   table,th,td {font-size: auto; font-family: "Open Sans"; color:#242424; border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid #CCC; text-decoration:none} table{width:100%; text-decoration:none; color:#242424} th,td{width:auto; text-align:left; padding:5px; text-decoration:none; color:#242424; list-style:none}th. center{text-align:center; text-decoration:none}tr:nth-child(odd) {background-color: #fff; text-decoration:none} tr:nth-child(even) {background-color:#efefef; text-decoration:none} th {width:auto; background-color:#dedede; color: #242424; font-weight: bold} . sportshead {width:100%; background-color:#1f77b4; color:#FFF; padding:5px; font-size:140%; font-weight:bold; float:left}. sportssubhead {width:100%; font-size:110%; font-weight:normal; float:left}. base a {color:#242424; text-decoration:none}. base {width:100%; color:#242424; text-decoration:none; display:inline-block;}. cont1 {width:49%; float:left}. cont2 {width:49%; float:right}. divider {width:100%;}@media only screen and (max-width:480px) {. cont1 {width:auto; float:left}. cont2 {width:auto; margin:0; float:left}}


Delhi: COP26 president Alok Sharma met PM Narendra Modi today. Discussions on India-UK cooperation on climate change agenda and COP26 were held. PM Modi conveyed best wishes to the UK for the successful organisation of the climate summit. https://t.co/GjkYuXonpw

The UK will require travelers from coronavirus hot spots to quarantine starting February 15, the government said, adding flesh to a policy first announced last month. Arrivals from countries on the UK’s travel ban list will be required to isolate for 10 days after arrival in government-approved accommodation, the Department for Health and Social Care said Thursday in a statement.  The government said it’s seeking bids from hotels near airports and ports to support the program. The announcement comes after days of confusion over how soon the government would implement a policy it announced last month as a key tool to stop mutations of the coronavirus that may be more resistant to vaccines from entering the country. “In the face of new variants, it is important that the government continues to take the necessary steps to protect people and save lives,” the government said in the statement.  “With increased police presence at airports and more physical checks at addresses to make sure people are self-isolating, we are taking decisive action. ”At present, 30 countries including the whole of South America, a swath of southern Africa and Portugal are on the travel ban list after new variants that emerged in Brazil and South Africa in recent weeks heightened concerns. ‘Too little, too late’The opposition Labour Party’s home affairs spokesman, Nick Thomas-Symonds, criticized the announcement as “too little, too late. ”“It is beyond comprehension that these measures won’t even start until 15 February,” he said.  “We are in a race against time to protect our borders against new Covid strains.  Yet hotel quarantine will come in to force more than 50 days after the South African strain was discovered. ”Prime Minister Boris Johnson is hoping to use the country’s so-far successful vaccination program as a springboard to reopen the country from its third lockdown, which started last month.  He has said schools will open from March 8 at the earliest, and has promised to publish a plan for easing the restrictions in the week of Feb.  22.  Keeping out vaccine-resistant strains of Covid-19 is crucial to that effort. The Times late Thursday reported that ministers are also considering a certification system for Britons, to allow them to travel to countries that may require proof of inoculation upon entry. Australian adviceHealth officials have held a series of meetings with more than 60 companies and industry representatives in the aviation, maritime and hospitality industries.  Formal contracts will be awarded to hotels, with former Vice Chief of Defence Staff, General Gordon Messenger, advising the government on the delivery of the program, according to the statement. “We are now working at pace to secure the facilities we need to roll out managed quarantine for British nationals returning home from the most high risk countries,” the government said.  Further details will be set out next week. The Telegraph on Friday reported that ministers aim to secure 28,000 hotel rooms for the program. Health Secretary Matt Hancock earlier said he’d spoken with his Australian counterpart to seek advice about how to quarantine travelers in hotels.  His officials are also liaising with New Zealand authorities.  Both nations have had mandatory quarantine for months. Stronger measures“We’ve strengthened measures at the border and we’re clear that there’s more that needs to be done,” Hancock told broadcasters.  “We will be bringing forward further measures, but we’ve got to get this right. ”More than 110,000 people in the UK have died from coronavirus, compared to 909 in Australia. Johnson said last month that ministers were exploring compulsory quarantine in hotels for all arrivals, before the government announced a plan limited to people coming from regions designated as high risk. Arrivals in the UK are already required to show a negative Covid-19 test and isolate for 10 days, but there’s no set location, making enforcement difficult.  They face fines if they are caught not complying.  Critics point out that people are allowed to use public transport to reach the place they plan to self-isolate. Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter


A picture of several foreigners participating in a protest march holding banners that purportedly say ‘Justice for Sushant’ has gone viral on social media.  A vehicle parked in the background reads ‘Nigeria Police’.  While sharing this picture, users are demanding justice for Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput who died by suicide on June 14.  A Twitter user with the display name ‘Sushant in our hearts forever (SSRF)’ tweeted the photo while thanking Nigeria.  (archived link)
Twitter user @FanofSSR2 also tweeted the picture with the same claim.  (archived link)
Another Twitter user shared the photo.  Since then, it has also gone viral on Facebook with the accompanying claim.
Performing a simple reverse image search establishes that the picture being circulated on social media is morphed.  The original photo had been published in a CNN report dated October 13, 2020.  In this photo, people can be seen carrying placards and banners with slogans that have nothing to do with the late actor.  Their posters originally read ‘Reform Police’, ‘Disband Sars’, and ‘Sars Authorized Criminals’ as shown below.
According to the CNN report, this picture was taken during a protest of the ‘END SARS’ movement against police brutality in Nigeria.  The demonstration was being held by young people protesting against the Police Unit Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Nigeria over certain violent incidents.  The Nigerian people have accused the squad of kidnapping, police brutality, harassment, and extortion.  The report also mentioned that several well-known international singers and actors tweeted in support of the movement
Therefore, photographs of a protest against police brutality in Nigeria were edited and circulated on social media.  While sharing the viral image, users claimed that the Nigerian people were demanding justice for late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput. Donate NowA picture of Tej Pratap Yadav has been making the rounds on social media recently…. A video of police tying a rope around an elderly person’s wrists has been circulating…A photo of a man being flogged with his hands tied has been gathering a…A set of two images, an alleged tweet and a video has been shared on…A photo of an idol of Hindu deity Nandi found buried in the ground has…


NEW: Joe Biden says athletes who refused to play over Jacob Blake shooting "answered by standing up, speaking out, and using their platform for good. Now is not the time for silence." https://t.co/Auz0NPnQpW https://t.co/QiclA2397D

By Ray Sanchez, David Close and Jill Martin, CNNUpdated 10:10 PM ET, Thu August 27, 2020  (CNN)NBA players have decided to resume the playoffs, according to multiple reports.  CNN's Ben Morse, Allie Malloy and Dan Kamal contributed to this report.


Democrats want Attorney General Barr to testify before Congress on Mueller report: "The American people are entitled to a full accounting of the president's misconduct referenced by the special counsel." https://t.co/486q2krtmG https://t.co/gikOIamTfw

  Attorney General William Barr on Sunday released his summary of the main conclusions from special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.

  Here are the top takeaways:

  President Donald Trump has been saying – and tweeting – a similar refrain for two years now: “NO COLLUSION! ”

  Trump says Barr’s summary proves him right.  “(T)he investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities,” the letter states.

  Trump and his allies are already seizing on that line of the summary released Sunday, and it’s undoubtedly a major headline pushing back on two years of Democrats claiming they had evidence of collusion.

Mueller did not find Trump or his campaign conspired with Russia, also did not exonerate him on obstruction

  Of course, numerous Trump world contacts with Russians during the campaign and transition have already been established.  So what does it mean that Mueller didn’t find conspiracy or coordination?

  Barr’s summary includes a footnote that explains how Mueller defined coordination: an “agreement – tacit or express – between the Trump Campaign and the Russian government on election interference. ”

  In addition, Barr wrote that no Trump associate conspired or coordinated “despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign. ”

  The Justice Department decided not to prosecute the President for obstructing justice with his behavior – both public and in private – but Trump isn’t fully cleared.  He is likely to still face a hailstorm of political criticism for his actions after taking office, when more of Mueller’s investigation is revealed.

  Mueller said he thoroughly investigated the obstruction question, though he didn’t interview Trump.  Ultimately he left the question to the President’s political appointees, Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, to decide what to do.

  Barr and Rosenstein chose not to prosecute.  They decided that they couldn’t press a case against Trump because they didn’t have evidence of an underlying crime, Barr’s letter said Sunday.

  Barr also said the President’s actions did not “constitute obstructive conduct” and were not “done with corrupt intent. ” (His and Rosenstein’s decision hadn’t factored in the constitutional briar patch of indicting a sitting president. )

  “While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him,” Mueller wrote in his report, as Barr quoted him on Sunday.

Read: Justice Department summary of Mueller report

  Perhaps without collusion, there could be no obstruction, Shan Wu, a CNN contributor who previously represented Rick Gates in the investigation, said on Sunday.  It’s possible Barr didn’t want to indict the President because an obstruction charge wouldn’t stand without an underlying collusion case.

  Notably, Barr has always been opposed to an obstruction case against the President.  Before he was attorney general under Trump, Barr wrote a memo in June 2018 to top Justice Department officials, saying he believed an obstruction case against Trump was “fatally misconceived. ”

  Trump’s other big win during the Mueller probe was that he never sat for an interview.

  His personal legal team had long been opposed to what they believed could be a perjury trap and Mueller never put the President in that position, in either a private interview or in testimony under oath.

  Barr’s letter on Sunday suggests Mueller never needed that interview.

  Mueller appears not to have gotten there because the Russian collusion case hadn’t materialized.  But he did consider forcing an interview with the President.  CNN reported Sunday that Mueller had deliberated at length about subpoenaing Trump before deciding not to make a formal request within the Justice Department.

Investigations will continue despite submission of the Mueller report

  Barr previously told Congress that Mueller never split with his bosses about steps to take in the investigation.

  Ultimately, Mueller was left with a set of written answers from Trump about questions of collusion and contact with Russians.  These were heavily vetted by Trump’s lawyers, and because of the President’s legal team’s negotiations and lack of pressure from Mueller, didn’t touch on obstruction of justice.

  Congressional Democrats are ready to pick up the torch of the Mueller investigation.

  Lawmakers are already raising questions about Barr making the prosecution decision on obstruction of justice, and House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler says he will call on the attorney general to testify “in the near future. ”

  “In light of the very concerning discrepancies and final decision making at the Justice Department following the Special Counsel report, where Mueller did not exonerate the President, we will be calling Attorney General Barr in to testify before @HouseJudiciary in the near future,” the New York Democrat tweeted Sunday.

  Republicans, meanwhile, are joining Trump in claiming vindication for the President — and they’re going on offense to criticize Democrats over collusion.

  “For years, high-ranking Democrats in leadership positions in Congress claimed the special counsel’s report would provide definitive proof of collusion, and today’s report has proven that to be an outright lie once and for all,” said House Minority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana.

  It’s a political fight of competing narratives that will surely spill into the 2020 presidential election.

  The four-page summary Barr released on Sunday is written in a lawyerly way in many cases, especially when it comes to the decisions made over the probe into obstruction of justice.

  And the letter – in addition to Barr’s previously expressed opposition to an obstruction probe into Trump in the first place – is fueling Democratic demands that Mueller’s full report be released.

  “Given Mr.  Barr’s public record of bias against the Special Counsel’s inquiry, he is not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement Sunday.

  Of course, Republicans have also said they want Mueller’s report to be released and several have said the report should be out so that Democrats cannot claim the Justice Department is hiding anything.

  Documents from Mueller.  Internal Justice Department discussions.  Witness interview memos.  Thousands of court records.

  There are still many pages of documentation of Mueller’s work – plus discussions of his and the attorney general’s decisions and findings – that aren’t yet public.  But those documents could be available in the future, even soon, and would fill out even more pieces of the puzzle about what Mueller learned.

  Parts of Mueller’s original report could still become public, Barr said on Sunday, and the attorney general promised Congress he’d work “expeditiously” and is working with Mueller “as quickly as possible” on a public release.

  Barr wrote that Mueller will be involved in scrubbing the report to remove secret grand jury information and any content related to ongoing investigations before it could be made public.  (The ongoing investigations are “several” and other prosecutorial offices will be considering “further action,” Barr wrote. )

  Separately, Barr alludes to internal discussions that may have be documented, thus making it possible those papers could someday see the light of day.  Barr cited instances during the obstruction of justice review when he and Rosenstein consulted with the Office of Legal Counsel.  Mueller also considered subpoenaing Trump for an interview over several months, CNN reports, and Barr says in his letter Mueller spoke with other department officials in weighing obstruction case decisions, potentially creating even more of a paper trail.

  Separately, the release of documentation of court action will be largely out of Barr’s hands – and that ream of filings is massive.

  Federal judges will likely be asked to decide how and when to release the mostly still-confidential 500 search warrants, almost 300 warrants for electronic data and 13 requests to foreign government Barr said Mueller used to gather evidence.  So far, only a few dozen warrants related to the cases of Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen are available publicly.

  Mueller also interviewed about 500 witnesses, Barr said, meaning there are that many more files from those discussions kept by the Justice Department and FBI.
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Sudanese model Ayuol Manyok got married to herself since she got fed up with men.

The latest story that has left netizens amused is about a Sudanese model named Ayuol Manyok who apparently “got married to herself”.  As per some social media posts and websites, Ayuol was so fed up with the phenomenon of men breaking her heart and lying to her that she decided to tie the knot with herself. Sharing a picture of the Sudanese model in a white bridal gown, and holding a bouquet of flowers, a Facebook user wrote, “A South Sudanese lady based in Australia, Anyuol Manyok, has married herself claiming she is tired of men. ”The archived version of the post can be seen here. India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found the claim to be false.  The viral image is from a bridal photo shoot and was originally shared by Ayuol on Twitter with a witty caption.  Some people misinterpreted it and began spreading stories about her getting married to herself. Several websites such as “Hot In Juba” and “Medium” have also published articles based on the claim.  The archived versions of these articles can be seen here and here. On December 1, Ayuol had tweeted the picture with the caption, “Sick of these niggas, so I made my own vows to myself”. Sick of these niggas, so I made my own vows to myself pic. twitter. com/xvBufz4OzdThe archived version of the tweet can be seen here. After Ayuok posted this tweet, many people interpreted that she married herself as she was sick of other people.  Later on, replying to a response by a Twitter user, she clarified that the picture was from a bridal photoshoot and the caption was “supposed to be witty”. Girl, this is a bridal photoshoot I did, the caption is supposed to be wittySpeaking to the Australian fact check website AAP, Ayuok said, “I’m a model and fortunately model beautiful clothing.  This was my first bridal wear shoot and the caption was an ode to choosing self, and self-love”. However, she said that one aspect of the viral post is true.  She explained, “I am tired of men though, the system that is patriarchy, and I’m tired of girls and women getting killed, subjugated and oppressed at the hands of men. ”There have, however, been several instances of people getting married to themselves.  As per an Australian news website, the first person who became widely known for being engaged in the act of solo marriage was an American woman named Linda Barker.  She tied the knot with herself in 1993.  Similarly, Linda Doktar, a 35-year-old “self-connection coach” in Bali married herself on the Gold Coast in 2017. Thus, it is clear that the claims of the Sudanese model Ayuol Manyok getting married to herself are false. The number of crows determines the intensity of the lie.


CNN PROJECTION: Joe Biden wins Minnesota https://t.co/5Ybs409Ny2 #CNNElection https://t.co/fsfaHxCQpk

The president-elect emphasized how he would handle the pandemic response. Joe Biden, Kamala Harris deliver 1st message of unity after historic winJoe Biden is set to become the 46th president of the United States, capping a tumultuous and tension-filled campaign during a historic pandemic against President Donald Trump.  ABC News characterized Joe Biden as the apparent winner of his home state of Pennsylvania, putting him over the 270 vote threshold needed to capture the presidency. The hard-fought battle against the president was set against the backdrop of racial unrest and the coronavirus pandemic and bitter divisions among the electorate. Trump had falsely declared on election night, when he held a lead in several key states, that he won the contest and alleged without evidence, after the count started to swing the other way, that the election was being stolen from him and that fraud had been committed. Painting the election as a "battle for the soul of the nation," Biden won on a message of unity over division, compassion over anger, and reality over what he called Trump's "wishful thinking" as the coronavirus pandemic cast a heavy shadow over the campaign. The 2020 election has shattered voting records with votes totaling 147 million and counting, surpassing the 138 million who voted in 2016. A Justice Department official confirmed Monday evening that Richard Pilger, a career official who was serving as director of the Elections Crimes Branch, has resigned from his role in the division because of the attorney general's memo authorizing U. S.  attorneys to "pursue substantial allegations of voting and vote tabulation irregularities," despite little evidence surfacing thus far of any widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election. Pilger has stepped back into a role in the DOJ's Public Integrity Section. The New York Times reported that Pilger wrote to colleagues in an email this evening, "Having familiarized myself with the new policy and its ramifications, I must regretfully resign from my role as director of the Election Crimes Branch. ”A DOJ spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on Pilger's resignation. When ABC News sought a response from Pilger, an automatic reply to the email said, "I am no longer the Director of the Election Crimes Branch, and have stepped back to the line at the Public Integrity Section. "-ABC News' Alexander MallinThe Biden transition team will not receive full intelligence briefings until the General Services Administration officially "ascertains" the former vice president to be winner of the presidential election, according to a statement from the Office of Director of National Intelligence on Monday. "ODNI follows the statutory direction provided in the Presidential Transition Act, which requires ascertainment of the candidate by the administrator of GSA prior to supporting a potential presidential transition.  ODNI would not have contact with any transition team until notified by the GSA Administrator," an ODNI spokesperson said in a statement. Meanwhile, outside government watchdogs are already warning that a continued delay in briefings could carry grave national security implications for the incoming administration. Aaron Scherb, the legal director at Common Cause, told ABC News on Monday that the "petty and unproductive" decision by GSA to withhold key resources to the Biden transition could have the "potential for catastrophic results. " "By GSA not signing off on this, there is certainly some classified intelligence information that the incoming administration would not have access to -- and would potentially not be fully prepared on day one to be able to counteract ongoing efforts from our adversaries like all previous incoming administrations have," Scherb said. "If the Biden transition team doesn't have access to some of the documents and information," he continued, "there are national security concerns. "-ABC News' Molly Nagle and Lucien BruggemanAttorney General William Barr sent a memo to U. S.  attorneys Monday evening authorizing them to "pursue substantial allegations of voting and vote tabulation irregularities," despite little evidence surfacing thus far of any widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election. In the memo Barr says that such inquiries "may be conducted if there are clear and apparently-credible allegations of irregularities that, if true, could potentially impact the outcome of a federal election in an individual State. "But Barr emphasized in the letter that this should not be taken as the DOJ believing there was widespread fraud -- a baseless claim being made by attorneys for Trump and the RNC.  Rather, he's doling authority out to U. S.  attorneys in the event they might uncover any such credible evidence of a fraud conspiracy that might affect vote tabulations before election results are certified. "Nothing here should be taken as any indication that the Department has concluded that voting irregularities have impacted the outcome of any election," Barr wrote.  "Rather, I provide this authority and guidance to emphasize the need to timely and appropriately address allegations of voting irregularities so that all of the American people, regardless of their preferred candidate or party, can have full confidence in the results of our elections. ""While it is imperative that credible allegations be addressed in a timely and effective manner, it is equally imperative that Department personnel exercise appropriate caution and maintain the Department's absolute commitment to fairness, neutrality and non-partisanship," Barr said in the memo.  "While serious allegations should be handled with great care, specious, speculative, fanciful or far-fetched claims should not be a basis for initiating federal inquiries. "-ABC News' Alexander MallinBiden is slated to give remarks focused on the Affordable Care Act and the Trump administration's lawsuit to overturn it.  Biden will talk about his own plan "to expand access to quality, affordable health care. "The event in Wilmington, Delaware, is slated for 2 p. m. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments at 10 a. m.  in the case brought by Trump and 18 Republican-led states asking that the Affordable Care Act be eliminated in its entirety.


A Paris chaplain who tended to victims of the 2015 terror attack in the city has been hailed as a hero once again, after he reportedly entered the burning Notre Dame cathedral to rescue priceless relics from the blaze https://t.co/3ZLlrEbXxN https://t.co/aToC2REyUC

The flames caused a 315-foot spire to topple over.  Fire nearly destroys Notre Dame CathedralA fire has engulfed the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, one of the city's most iconic sights. The fire began at 6:50 p. m.  local time Monday, the Paris fire department said, and continued to burn hours later. A French firefighter official told reporters the main structure of the cathedral has been saved and the two iconic main towers are intact and have been saved as well. French Mayor Anne Hidalgo said that authorities were evacuating people from buildings in the area -- including homes close to the cathedral. A spokesperson for the cathedral described the damage to French media as "colossal. ""Everything is burning, nothing will remain from the frame," the spokesperson said. First responders are currently trying to salvage priceless art stored inside the cathedral, said Paris Deputy Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire.  Last week, the statues of the apostles were removed for restoration, The Associated Press reported. Images on social media show smoke and flames shooting from the top of Notre Dame as massive plumes of smoke billow into the sky above. One video shows a spire toppling over as a result of the flames. The fire may be connected to the recent restoration of the church, officials said.  The restoration work costs 120 million euros, the Notre Dame Paris office told ABC News, adding that a fire alarm test conducted last week went well. The roof has completely collapsed, witness John Dickas, an American professor living in Paris, told ABC News. Large crowds have begun to gather around the scene.  Some members of the crowd began to sing hymns as the cathedral burned. The cathedral was built around 1260 AD and towered over the city of Paris for centuries.  Much of the facade and interior are true to their original designs. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed sadness at the sight of the historic building's demise, saying it captures the "emotion of an entire nation. ""Thinking of all the Catholics and all the French people," Macron wrote.  "Like all of our countrymen, I am sad tonight to see part of us burning. "Monday is the start of Holy Week, the busiest and most important period of the liturgical year.  Easter is on Sunday. American Kelly Weymouth, who is currently studying abroad in Paris, said she was taking a sunset cruise on the Seine river with her mother when the fire broke out. At one point, as the traffic on the river was stopped, Weymouth and about 40 fellow passengers from all over the world watched in horror for about 45 minutes as the fire destroyed the cathedral, she said. The Frenchmen who were on the boat began to sob and embrace each other, Weymouth said, describing the moment as "very intense. ""We express our closeness to French Catholics and the Parisians and assure them of our prayers for the firefighters and all those that are doing everything possible to fight this dramatic situation," the statement read. "If it collapses, you can imagine how important the damage will be," Gallet said. Around 500 firefighters were involved in helping to put out the fire, Macron said. "The worst was avoided even if the battle has not been completely won," Macron said, vowing to rebuild the historic structure by utilizing "the best talents. "ABC News' Ben Gittleson and Kirit Radia contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


#Covid19 death toll reaches 25 in Bihar; cases soar to 4,326

https://t.co/Yzq37ft55h https://t.co/Ktu6e9vUUj

A 64-year-old man died of Covid-19 in Bihar while 230 more tested positive for the infection, taking the death toll in the state to 25 and total cases to 4,326 on Wednesday, the Health department said.  According to Health Secretary Lokesh Kumar Singh, the man hailing from Jamui district became the 25th pandemic victim in the state.  Singh, however, did not provide any detail like travel history or co-morbidities of the patient.  He did not tell whether the man died before or after testing positive. Click here for full Covid-19 coverage Of the 25 casualties, Khagaria district accounts for three followed by Patna, Vaishali, Begusarai, Siwan, Bhojpur and Sitamarhi (two each) and Munger, Rohtas, East Champaran, Nalanda, Samastipur, Saran, Bhagalpur, Jehanabad, Madhepura and Jamui (one each). Of the 230 cases reported on Wednesday, 177 cases are those of Tuesday (June 2), the test results of which were received on Wednesday morning.  Besides, 53 fresh cases were reported on Wednesday.  Districts which have reported the highest number of Covid-19 cases are Patna (263), Khagaria (256), Begusarai (250), Rohtas (208), Madhubani (201), Bhagalpur (195), Jehanabad (163), Munger (158), Katihar (156).  Cases have been reported from all the 38 districts in the state.  Sheohar has the least number of positive cases of 11.  Of the total 4,326 Covid-19 cases in the state, 25 have died, 2,025 have recovered and 2,276 are active cases.  The number of samples tested till date is 84,729.  According to data released by the Health Department, the number of migrants who have tested positive since May 3 is 3,079.


"I've been praying for him."

Sister of victim in 1973 cold case murder speaks out after suspect was arrested through DNA. https://t.co/pw2AUlyT2g https://t.co/yOF9QDAgPi

  Police in Florida are looking for the vandal who painted “#MeToo” on the leg of the nurse in the “Unconditional Surrender” statue.

  The statue is modeled after an iconic photo taken in Times Square in 1945, showing a woman dressed in a white uniform being embraced and kissed by a sailor to celebrate the end of World War II.

  The woman, identified as Greta Friedman, was 21 at the time, and she didn’t know the sailor, who has been identified as George Mendonsa.  He passed away on Sunday at the age of 95.

Nurse kissed in iconic V-J Day photo dead at 92

  Looking back on the moment later on, Freidman described a kiss that wasn’t consensual.  “Suddenly, I was grabbed by a sailor,” she told Veterans History Project in 2005.  “It wasn’t that much of a kiss.  It was more of a jubilant act that he didn’t have to go back. ”

  The sailor was “very strong,” she told the Veterans History Project.

  “He was just holding me tight.  I’m not sure about the kiss… It was just somebody celebrating.  It wasn’t a romantic event.  It was just … ‘Thank God, the war is over. ’”

'Kissing Sailor' relives this famous moment

  Mendonsa’s recollection was similar.  “So we get into Times Square and the war ends and I see the nurse,” he told CNN in 2015.  “I had a few drinks, and it was just plain instinct, I guess.  I just grabbed her. ”

  On Tuesday morning, police discovered that someone had used red spray paint and wrote the words “#MeToo” on the statue in Sarasota, Florida.

  Police believe the vandalism occurred sometime on Monday afternoon or evening – just one day after Mendonsa passed away.

Man identified as kissing sailor in WWII Times Square photo dies at 95

  Officers have not been able to locate any evidence in the area or surveillance video capturing the incident.

  “The approximate damage is estimated to be more than $1,000 due to the large area that the graffiti covers, and the resources needed to repair it,” police said in a statement.

  The graffiti has since been removed from the statue.  Police are asking for anyone with information to call 941-954-7025.
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Mumbai: Protesters(protesting against #JNUViolence) at Gateway of India evicted by Police and relocated to Azad Maidan. (earlier visuals) https://t.co/tSTB9rXiXb

Organisers on Tuesday called off the ‘Occupy Gateway’ protest in Mumbai against the mob attack in Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) hours after they were shifted to Azad Maidan by the police but said their agitation will continue.  The Occupy Gateway protest at the iconic Gateway of India had kicked off hours after students and teachers were attacked in JNU on Sunday night by a masked mob, which went on a rampaging spree for more than two hours. “Our two-day protests have sent the required message across the country on our resistance towards the current situation in the country.  It is unprecedented that we were able to occupy Gateway for 40 hours and we were successful,” they said in a statement. “We (protesters) do not intend to get back to Gateway and will adhere to police orders.  We request other protesters not to go to Gateway.  We will follow constitutional, democratic methods of peaceful protest until CAA, NRC, NPR are withdrawn,” they said. However, they said they will continue the protests at other locations in the city. Also Watch l JNU: Anurag Kashyap slams Centre; Zoya Akhtar, Taapsee Pannu & others protest Around 50 people, taking part in the Occupy Gateway protest, were pushed into three police vans from outside the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai earlier in the day and taken to Azad Maidan, which is the default protest area for Mumbai, two kilometres away. “It is our request that you move to Azad Maidan from Gateway of India because the crowd thronging at this location is causing unrest on the roads leading to traffic and issues to the common man,” deputy commissioner of police (Zone VI), Sangramsing Pratapsinh Nishandar, said. “We had already informed your organisers that as per high court guidelines there cannot be any agitation outside Azad Maidan.  We are in no way against your peaceful protest.  We just want to relocate the movement to Azad Maidan,” Nishandar said. When asked whether the protesters will be allowed to go back to Gateway of India, Nishandar did not respond. The protesters were kept at Azad Maidan with a ring of police personnel around them. Some of them said they were manhandled by the police. “We had formed a core committee to streamline the protests at Gateway and the committee has been present at the spot since January 6 midnight.  The police refused to discuss when we resisted moving to Azad Maidan, dragged some of us by our foot into the police van,” Urvashi Chudawalla, a student at Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), said. “I personally was hit on my leg and back by a lathi because the policewomen were not able to physically lift me,” the 22-year-old said.  Another protester, Varsha Rohani, said she was lifted inappropriately by the policewomen. “My clothes were lifted while being pushed into the van and no dignity was maintained.  Protesters were peacefully listening to the police,” the 24-year-old advertising professional said. “We were just trying to convey to the force that Gateway of India has more power to mobilise the movement and get the right attention to trigger action as compared to Azad Maidan, which is a closed restricted premise,” she said. Students, teachers, researchers, celebrities, activists and citizens took to the streets in Mumbai, condemning the attack on JNU.  There were flash protests at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) and a candle-lit vigil was also announced at Gateway.  Hundreds gathered at Gateway, including a group of students from TISS and a few celebrities like actor-director Konkona Sen Sharma and former JNU student leader Umar Khalid. The protesters’ demands include an independent and immediate inquiry into the attacks in JNU, strict action against those found guilty and resignations of JNU vice-chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar and the Union home minister Amit Shah.


The baby of Heidi Broussard, a mother from Austin who was found dead a week after she went missing earlier this month, has been reunited with her family https://t.co/UKI59L9E7M

An Austin mom was found strangled to death last week.  Her baby was found alive. Vigil for murdered Texas mom as her baby safely returns homeAfter tragedy, a Christmas reunion. Margot, the baby daughter of slain Austin mom Heidi Broussard, has been brought home to her father, days after the young mom's body was found and her friend was arrested for kidnapping. Broussard's fiance and Margot's father, Shane Carey, took a selfie of their reunion and posted it to social media Tuesday, saying: "Baby Margot is home. "Broussard and Margot had been missing since Dec.  12 when Broussard was discovered strangled to death near Houston on Dec.  19, according to officials. A 3-week-old girl was found alive and healthy at the scene.  Child Protective Services said on Monday that the baby was reunited with her family. "I wish both of them could've came back," Broussard's friend, Katrina Collicott, told ABC News at a Monday night vigil.  "I hope she looks like Heidi when she grows up. "Broussard, 33, also leaves behind a 6-year-old son. Broussard's friend, Magen Fieramusca, has been arrested for kidnapping.  According to an official briefed on the probe, police are investigating whether Fieramusca, 33, plotted to take Margot as her own child. Collicott said Broussard and Fieramusca met at church camp and "had been friends since they were young," calling Fieramusca's arrest "the biggest surprise of my life. ""You call someone a friend for so long, then this happens . . .  it's disgusting," she said. "I want to know why she did that to her closest friend," Broussard's friend, Carli Laughlin, told ABC News.  "I want to know, why her. ""I'm glad that everyone came out," Laughlin said at the vigil.  "For [Broussard] and her family, especially her children. "Fieramusca had allegedly been acting like she was pregnant and telling people that she was expecting a child, the official briefed on the probe told ABC News.  Authorities are now trying to determine whether she was, in fact, pregnant, the official said.  Baby registries allegedly connected to the suspect were found online, the official said. Fieramusca was booked at the Travis County Jail Friday on two charges of kidnapping and one charge of tampering with evidence with intent to impair a human corpse. Additional charges are possible, police said Friday. ABC News' Kaylee Hartung and Josh Margolin contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Preparations underway at a polling station in Nandigram constituency ahead of voting for the second phase of #WestBengalElections2021 today

CM @MamataOfficial is contesting against her protégé-turned-adversary @SuvenduWB from the assembly seat

For more: https://t.co/ysX2hTD0VH https://t.co/Jnd14XQY7N

Get free access to newsletters, alerts and recommendations


NEW: Illinois governor issues disaster proclamation "ahead of a severe winter storm that will blanket the state with life-threatening wind chills for several days." https://t.co/yBGQcjswLu https://t.co/m3KVdmCU9Y

  The New York State Legislature passed a bill on Monday that will increase the statute of limitations for cases of child sexual abuse.

  The Child Victims Act will allow child victims to seek prosecution against their abuser until the age of 55 in civil cases, a significant increase from the previous limit of age 23.   For criminal cases, victims can seek prosecution until they turn 28.   The bill also includes a one-year window during which victims of any age or time limit can come forward to prosecute.

  “New York has just gone from being one of the worst states in the country to being one of the best,” in terms of the statute of limitations for child sex abuse cases, said Marci Hamilton, CEO of Child USA and a professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

  Hamilton said the bill “represents over 15 years of work by survivors and advocates trying to get around the stiff opposition from the Catholic bishops and the insurance industry” and is a step forward in the national conversation.   There are eight other states considering similar legislation.

  Many other states allow victims to sue their abusers for decades after their abuse.   Oklahoma, for example, allows victims to come forward until age 45 in both civil and criminal cases.

  “The fact that New York has stepped up and vastly improved its statute of limitations, it helps to pave the way for other states who haven’t yet taken steps to improve their statute of limitations,” said Stephen Forrester, director of government relations and administration at the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

  Forrester stressed the significance of the one-year window in the bill that will allow victims of all ages and time scales to come forward.   “That’s an aspect that really goes a long way at restoring justice,” he said, and it is less common nationally.   According to advocacy group Child USA, nine states have no statute of limitations for civil cases, which would allow child sex abuse victims to come forward at any point in their life – as they will be able to during the one-year window.

  New York’s law will also give victims significantly more time to disclose their histories of abuse.  Experts, including Forrester, say there is a need for a long statute of limitations in cases of child sexual abuse because it can take victims years to come forward.  “For many different reasons, victims need time to come forward to report their abuse,” Forrester said.   Victims can often suffer from prolonged or delayed trauma.

How sex abuse victims are changing state laws

  According to statistics from Child USA, the majority of child sexual abuse victims do not choose to disclose, if they do at all, until the average age of 52.

  Child USA’s Hamilton said that extending the statute of limitation for civil litigation will help expand the public knowledge of how widespread child sexual abuse is.  She said it is often during civil cases that experts learn about how patterns of abuse operate.

  “We have this silent pandemic in this country,” she said.  “We didn’t really understand that this was everywhere. ”

  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 1 in 7 children have experienced child abuse and/or neglect in the last year.

  Monday’s bill passage comes after more than a decade of opposition from the Catholic Church in New York.   In a news conference on Monday, Gov.  Andrew Cuomo, who is a Roman Catholic, blamed the church directly for preventing the bill’s passage.

  Speaking about why the bill took years to pass, Cuomo said, “I believe it was the conservatives in the Senate who were threatened by the Catholic Church. ”  The bill passed the Senate unanimously on Monday.   In November 2018, Democrats took over the Republican-held Senate.

  Cuomo also referenced Pope Francis, who has spoken about the Catholic Church’s need to confront its history of child sexual abuse.   “I don’t think I’m against the Catholic Church,” Cuomo said, “I think the bishops may have a different position than the Pope, and I’m with the Pope,” he said.

NY attorney general subpoenas state's Catholic dioceses in connection with sex abuse investigation

  New York’s Catholic Conference previously opposed the bill but dropped its opposition after the bill was amended to allow prosecution of both private and public institutions.

  Attorney Mitchell Garabedian has prosecuted thousands of clergy abuse cases over the past 25 years, including those stemming from the Boston Globe’s investigation of the Archdiocese of Boston.

  In an interview Monday, Garabedian told CNN this legislation will be hugely significant.   “I think there will be a flood of litigation,” he said, adding that he has more than 100 cases waiting to be filed.

  “It’s a model for many, many states in the United States for them to follow,” Garabedian said.   In a statement, he added, “There is now hope for justice, respect and validation for thousands of sexual abuse victims sexually abused in New York. ”

  Cuomo’s office said he is expected to sign the bill into law soon.
© 2021 Cable News Network.  A Warner Media Company.  All Rights Reserved.   CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network.


COVID-19 vaccine doses allegedly stolen, two children wrongly vaccinated in Tennessee county. https://t.co/PQ7hNd6eIW

By Hollie Silverman, Susannah Cullinane and Rebekah Riess, CNNUpdated 10:50 PM ET, Fri February 26, 2021  (CNN)The health director in Tennessee's largest county resigned Friday after the state health department found that 2,500 Covid-19 vaccine were either wasted or expired and two children were "inappropriately vaccinated" at a county vaccination site.


Corpse of an elephant found today morning in the Karanjawar forest of Pratappur forest range in Surajpur district. On the information of the villagers, forest staff reached the spot. Cause of the death unknown: JR Bhagat, Divisional Forest Officer, Surajpur District #Chhattisgarh https://t.co/fbI9WJRZVy

The carcass of a wild elephant was found in the jungles of Surajpur district in Chhattisgarh on Sunday, a forest official said.  “The villagers have spotted the body of tusker in Pratapur forest range of Surajpur forest division.  Experts and senior forest officials have been sent to the spot and an investigation has started,” additional principal chief conservator (APCF), wildlife, Arun Kumar Pandey told Hindustan Times.  The officer added that the body has been sent for autopsy.  “The cause of death is yet to be known and we will be able to tell anything only after an autopsy report,” said Pandey.  This is the eighth elephant death in the state in the last three months. In June, six elephants died in four districts of the state.  While the carcasses of two tuskers were recovered from the Pratappur forest range in Surajpur district, another elephant was found dead in neighbouring Balrampur district.  Two elephants were electrocuted in Dharamjaigarh under Raigarh district and a calf died after getting stuck in a marshland in Dhamtari district.  One elephant died in July in Jashpur district of the state.  Following the fatalities, the state forest department in July issued orders to divisional forest officer (DFO) of Dharamjaigarh in Raigarh district, where maximum elephants were electrocuted in the last ten years, to take necessary steps to contain such incidents.  The order said that the forest department should ensure that the 11 KV electric line, which has been instrumental in causing the deaths, should be 7. 5 meters above the ground-level and insulated electric wires should be used in these areas.  The department also directed the forest officers to coordinate with Chhattisgarh State Power Corporation and find out each and every illegal connection or live wire in these areas.  As per the Chhattisgarh forest department, in the last decade the state has recorded an increase in the wildlife population including elephants, whose number rose from 225 to 290.  Chief minister Bhupesh Baghel recently issued necessary guidelines for the monitoring of wild animals in the state forests and improving measures for their conservation.  North Chhattisgarh is home to around 240 wild elephants, which roam in plains of the state.  Several reports of human-elephant conflicts have surfaced in the last few years in the region.  A Union environment ministry report released last week said at least 500 people and 100 elephants die in India due to human-elephant conflict annually.


#WATCH Vayu Shakti 2019, firepower demonstration of the Indian Air Force at Pokhran Range in Rajasthan. https://t.co/sdSV5ZxC2n

The Indian Air Force Saturday carried out a mega exercise here involving around 140 fighter jets and attack helicopters, in a fire power demonstration close to the border with Pakistan that came two days after the Pulwama attack. As India’s military establishment mulls options to avenge the strike by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group, Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa said the IAF was prepared to deliver “appropriate response” as assigned by India’s political leadership. Speaking at the inauguration of the day and night Vayu Shakti exercise, he, however, did not either mention Pakistan or the Pulwama attack. “I wish to assure the nation of the IAF’s capability and commitment in meeting national security challenges and defending sovereignty of our country,” he said. Top IAF sources said though the Vayu Shakti was planned in advance, the drill was a demonstration of the force’s capability to hit targets with “pinpoint accuracy” and carry out missions at short notice. Forty CRPF personnel were killed in a suicide attack in Kashmir’s Pulwama district by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed on Thursday.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi said security forces have been given full freedom to retaliate against the attack.  India has also said it will ensure “complete isolation” of Pakistan internationally for its support to terror groups. “While wars are fought few and far between, we have an ever present sub-conventional threat as the enemy knows it cannot defeat us in a conventional conflict,” the IAF chief said, in a clear reference to Pakistan. “So, today we showcase our ability to punish, our ability to insert and extricate troops from hostile territories,” Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa said. In the Vayu Shakti exercise, the IAF showcased fire power capability of indigenously-developed platforms like Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and efficacy of Akash surface-to-air missile and Astra air-to-air missile. “We are showcasing our ability to hit hard, hit fast and hit with precision, hit during day, hit during night and hit under adverse weather conditions,” the IAF Chief said. Fighter jets and helicopters hit targets during day and night.  It was for the first time, the ALH and the Akash were deployed in a military exercise. The IAF also deployed the upgraded MiG-29 fighter jet in an air-to-ground role during the exercise.  A total of 137 aircraft including Su-30s, Mirage 2000s, Jaguars, Mig-21 Bison, Mig-27, Mig-29, IL78, Hercules, AN-32 aircraft participated.  Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat, defence attaches of several countries and top officials of defence ministry also witnessed the exercise.  Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, who is an honorary group captain of the IAF, was also present.


‘Bangladeshi Muslims’ in Assam are demanding a separate country and CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has taken action against them by getting them beaten up by the police.

A video of a group of protesters getting thrashed by the police is going viral on social media with the claim that the demonstrators are 'Bangladeshi Muslims' in Assam who are demanding a separate country.  The claim further says that Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has taken action against them by getting them beaten up by the police. Multiple Facebook users have posted this one minute and 30 seconds-long video with a graphic in Hindi superimposed that says, “In Assam, Bangladeshi Muslims have demanded a separate country” with an angry emoji.  The caption reads out that “Himanta Biswa Sarma has given a perfect beating to these protesters. ”India Today Anti-Fake News has found that this is a 2017 video of a demonstration carried out by locals in Goalpara district of Assam.  These men were protesting against the alleged harassment of Muslims by the state by listing them as illegal migrants, or 'D voters' (doubtful voters). These viral posts are archived here and here. Using a combination of reverse image and keyword search, we found a longer version of the same viral video that was uploaded on YouTube on July 2, 2017 by a user called ‘Times of Dhubri’. The title reads, “GOALPARA INCIDENT- POLICE KILLED A YOUNG PROTESTER IYAQUB ALI".  As per the details given by the user, the protesters were “demanding lifting of 'doubtful citizen and voters tag' imposed by the govt.  against many genuine Indians” in Assam. Taking this as the cue with the help of keyword search, we found an article published on Scroll. in on July 3, 2017. As per this article, a Muslim protester died during police firing in Goalpara on June 30, 2017, after a protest turned violent.  The protest was against the "alleged harassment of Muslims by the state by falsely accusing them of being illegal migrants or D voters as they call them in Khutamari. ”Scroll. in quoted a Facebook user, Hussain Ali Madani, who had recorded the video and posted it on the social media site on June 30, 2017. The caption of the post in Assamese reads, “Tension in Goalpara as one person was killed, and another was injured in a gunfight between the protesters and the police. ”A similar report was published on a news website called Newsclick with the screenshot of the protest poster on July 2, 2017. The rough translation of the Assamese text written on the protest banner confirms that the protest was about the issue of ‘D voters’ and the demonstrators were demanding that genuine citizens should not be harassed by being listed as D voters.  They had called to block National Highway 37 on June 30, 2017 as a mark of protest. Doubtful voter is a category of voters in Assam who are disenfranchised by the government on account of their alleged lack of proper citizenship credentials.  Some cases of persons declared D voters are pending with the foreign tribunals. As per the Assam government website, D voters can apply for inclusion of their names in the updated NRC.  However, a D voter’s name will only be included in NRC after getting clearance from the foreigners' tribunals and on the removal of their names as D voters from the electoral roll. Hence, it is misleading to say that this viral video is of 'Bangladeshi Muslims' who are demanding a separate country.  The incident took place in 2017 when Himanta Biswa Sarma was not the chief minister of Assam. ALSO READ: Fact Check: Gripping story of Israeli soldier’s conversion to Islam goes viral, but it’s fakeALSO READ: Fact Check: Lessons in classroom teaching from Thailand?  No, this image is one year oldThe number of crows determines the intensity of the lie.


A viral social media post which details the price buildup of per liter petrol, mentions that state governments are collecting way more in the form of taxes than the central government.  Through this article, let’s fact-check the veracity of the price buildup. Claim: State government is collecting more tax than central government on petrol. Fact: For every liter sale of petrol in the country, the central government receives Rs.  32. 31 (cess + central share of BED).  Whereas for every liter sale in the state the Telangana, government will receive Rs.  26. 78 (State tax + state’s share of BED).  Which implies central government tax is more compared to the state.  Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE. As per the latest information available on PPAC (Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell) regarding the price buildup of liter petrol in any HPCL Petrol bunks in Delhi, the price of liter petrol to dealers as of 01 July 2021 was Rs.  39. 33 and the dealer commission was Rs.  3. 82 per liter.  While the central excise duty stands at Rs.  32. 90, the state tax, which is 30% in Delhi amounts to Rs.  22. 82. Central Govt Tax:The central government levies excise duty on petrol in the form of Basic Excise Duty (BED), Special Additional Excise Duty (SAED), Additional Excise Duty (Road & Infrastructure) (AED), and the newly introduced Agriculture & Infrastructure Development Cess (AIDC). Of these, Special Additional Excise Duty (SAED) was introduced by the Finance Act 2002.  However, as per the act, the amount of excise duty levied under SAED is levied in the form of surcharge and the amount levied goes to the centre and not distributed to the states.  In other words, the amount collected through this Special Additional Excise Duty (SAED) is not included in the divisible pool and hance the states would not have any share in it. Additional Excise Duty (AED) on petrol was introduced by the Finance Act 1998, also known as Road & Infrastructure Cess.  The amount collected through additional excise duty under the Finance Act 1998 also goes entirely to the Central Government as it is levied for a pre-determined purpose in the form of Cess.  So states will not have any share in AED.  Similarly, AED was introduced on diesel through the Finance Act 1999.  The states do not have a share even in this. The Agriculture & Infrastructure Development Cess (AIDC) which was recently introduced in the 2021-22 budget is collected in the form of a cess for a pre-determined purpose (Agricultural Infrastructure) and hence states won’t be entitled to any share in the amount collected in the form of AIDC. As a result, only the Basic Excise Duty (BED), is included in the divisible pool of which states have a share.  The current rate of taxes through these forms can be viewed in the below table. From the above table, we can infer that the sum of Rs.  31. 50, which is collected in the form of Special Additional Excise Duty (SAED, Additional Excise Duty (Road & Infrastructure) (AED), and Agriculture & Infrastructure Development Cess (AIDC) per liter petrol are entirely retained by the central government and the states do not have any share in it.  On the other hand, the amount Rs.  1. 40, which is collected in the form of Basic Excise Duty is the only component that falls under the divisible pool, wherein the states get a share. The 15th Finance Commission recommended that states should get 41% out of the divisible pool of taxes that the central government collects.   This means the states receive 41% (i. e.  Rs.  0. 59) of the Rs.  1. 40 Basic Excise Duty and the remaining 59% (i. e.  Rs.  0. 81) will reach the central exchequer.  The sum of the total quantum of tax which central government receives per liter petrol is Rs.  32. 31 (Rs.  31. 5 + Rs.  0. 81).  This is static and the same for every state.  i. e for every liter sale of petrol in the country, the central government receives Rs.  32. 31 as central excise duty. State Govt Tax:Each state follows its own formula to levy a state tax on the sale of petrol and diesel in their respective states.  For example, states like Telangana, Karnataka, Odisha, etc.  just levy VAT on petrol & diesel, whereas few states collect cess, fixed charges, additional charges along with the VAT. As far as Telangana is concerned, the state government levies 35. 20% VAT on liter petrol.  According to the price buildup mentioned at the beginning of the article, Telangana state’s 35. 20% VAT would amount to Rs.  26. 77.  In addition to this, the state government would receive its share from the divisible pool of central taxes.  In this case, the state government receives its share out of the basic excise duty. As per the 15th Finance Commission recommendations, states would receive 41% out of the divisible pool.  However, each state does not receive 41%, but they receive their respective proportion out of the 41% as recommended by the Finance commission.  The commission has recommended 2. 13% as Telangana’s share, which means Telangana government would receive 2. 13% of Rs.  0. 59, which amounts to Rs.  0. 01 (one paisa) on liter petrol as their share of basic excise duty.  This sums up the total quantum of tax which the state government receives on per liter petrol to Rs.  26. 78 (Rs.  26. 77 + Rs.  0. 01). To sum it up, the central government collects more tax on petrol than the state government.


Mehbooba Mufti released after 14 months in detention

(reports @aashiqbhatt)

https://t.co/Hqns0NuI9Z https://t.co/wik8KjxshB

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti was released on Tuesday, more than 14 months after being detained along with several other top leaders of the state hours ahead of the Centre’s move to scrap Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in 2019. Mufti, who became the first woman chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir in 2016, was detained along with other former CMs Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah and other regional leaders as the Centre moved to bifurcate the state into two Union Territories and effectively scrap Article 370 on August 5. “After more than a year of detention, our party president Mehbooba Mufti released today,” said Najmu Saqib, PDP spokesperson.  J&K government spokesperson Rohit Kansal earlier announced the decision about the release on Twitter.  Mufti’s party said that she was likely to address a press conference on Friday.  The deputy commissioner ordered that Public Safety Act charges against her be revoked with immediate effect.  Her detention period was extended for a period of three months on July 31 this year. The former CM was first detained from her official residence and lodged at Cheshmashahi huts.  She was moved to a government building close to the MLA hostel, where other detainees were held, in November.  In April this year, she was shifted to her official residence at Fairview on Gupkar Road. Mufti’s release came two weeks after the Supreme Court asked the Jammu and Kashmir administration if the former chief minister’s detention under PSA can be extended beyond a year and, if so, “how long do you propose to extend it? ” The bench fixed the next date of hearing on Thursday.  Iltija Mufti, Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter who has been handling her mother’s Twitter handle since the detention, expressed her gratitude to those who supported her.  “As Ms Mufti’s illegal detention finally comes to an end, Id like to thank everybody who supported me in these tough times.  I owe a debt of gratitude to you all.  This is Iltija signing off.  May allah protect you,” she wrote. Iltija Mufti moved the Supreme Court in September, seeking to modify her petition challenging her mother’s continued detention under the Public Safety Act (PSA from February 5 and two subsequent extensions). Mufti was initially put under preventive detention under Section 107 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and then just before her detention was to expire in February 2020, the government invoked the Public Safety Act on February 5.  This law empowers authorities to hold any person from three months to two years without any trial. The administration extended her detention by three months on July 31, 2020, even as it released People’s Conference chief Sajjad Gani Lone. Nearly all of Kashmir’s mainstream political leaders were detained hours before the central government nullified Article 370 of the Constitution, which accorded special status to the region, and bifurcated the state into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir with a legislature and Ladakh without one. Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah, two other former chief ministers, were released on March 13 and March 24, 2020 respectively after their detentions.  Mufti’s released on Tuesday was widely welcomed. “I’m pleased to hear that MehboobaMufti Sahiba has been released after more than a year in detention.  Her continued detention was a travesty & was against the basic tenets of democracy.  Welcome out Mehbooba,” NC vice-president Omar Abdullah said on Twitter. Peoples’ Conference chairman Sajad Lone said: “MehboobaMufti has apparently been released.  Great news.  She has been through a very tough time.  Wishing her all the best. ”


Teen accused of taunting Native American protesters in viral video says he's receiving death threats. https://t.co/tFl0Tg6Cq7

By Emanuella Grinberg, CNNUpdated 0605 GMT (1405 HKT) January 23, 2019  (CNN)A video that shows white high school students in Make America Great Again hats and shirts mocking a Native American elder shocked the country, leading to widespread denunciations of the teens' behavior.


A shooting at a synagogue in Poway, California, leaves at least 1 person dead and several others wounded, according to the city's mayor.

Follow for live updates: https://t.co/J1B6zhXHLE https://t.co/ClEwKAJCc9

The incident occurred at the Chabad of Poway synagogue. 1 dead, 3 injured in synagogue shootingA woman was fatally shot and three others were injured in a shooting during a Passover celebration at a San Diego synagogue Saturday, officials said. The shooting happened about 11:30 a. m.  local time at the  Chabad of Poway synagogue. The suspect, identified as 19-year-old John Earnest of San Diego, appeared to fire more than 10 rounds before leaving the synagogue, a law enforcement source told ABC News, noting that it all happened very quickly. "[We were] outside in front of our house and heard about six gunshots, a pause, some yelling and then another six or seven gunshots," neighbor Chris Folts said, adding that he went inside to call 911. During a news conference, San Diego Sheriff Bill Gore said that the shooter had an AR-15 style assault weapon. The four victims were transported to Palomar Medical Center, where one of them, a 60-year-old woman, died.  She was identified by the synagogue as Lori Gilbert Kaye. The three others, including a 1-year-old girl, are in stable condition, said Dr.  Michael Katz, a trauma doctor where the victims were taken. The sheriff said “some digital evidence” possibly ties Earnest to last month's mosque arson in Escondido, California, but would not elaborate.  While authorities are reviewing writings Earnest allegedly posted online, they have confirmed he has no known connection to white supremacist groups. Minoo Anvari, whose husband was inside the synagogue, said that she was with a customer when he called her. Anvari said that he told her, "One of my friends . . .  is down.  They took her to [the] hospital.  The rabbi lost two fingers.  But in spite of bleeding, he was trying to finish his speech.  He was telling all the people who know him, 'Be strong.  . . .  God helps us, God helps [our] country. '"Katz said the rabbi and the deceased woman were hit by "shrapnel from bullets. "An off-duty border patrol agent was inside the synagogue during the shooting.  The agent chased Earnest outside as he attempted to flee and fired at the alleged gunman, striking his vehicle, Gore said. Earnest was taken into custody after a K-9 officer saw him on the freeway, after which he jumped out of his car and put his hands up, San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit said during the conference. Officers saw a rifle in the front seat of the Earnest's vehicle, he added. The mayor of Poway tweeted Saturday afternoon, saying "hate has no place in ANY community. . . least of all Poway. ""The Poway I know comes together as we did just a few weeks ago. . .  We always walk with our arms around each other and we will walk through this tragedy with our arms around each other," Mayor Pete Vaus said during the news conference.  "We will get through this. "President Donald Trump also tweeted about the incident, praising law enforcement for their "outstanding job. "Relatives looking for their loved ones and synagogue-goers who were separated from the shooting were advised to go to Poway High School at 15500 Espola Road. The shooting comes six months to the day that 11 people were killed in a shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh.  It also occurred on the last day of Passover in a synagogue whose members are part of one of the largest and most widely known Orthodox Jewish communities in the world. With the Chabad movement based in Brooklyn, New York, the New York Police Department said it was "closely monitoring" the situation and increasing patrols and presence at houses of worship out of an abundance of caution. ABC News' Christopher Donato contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


BREAKING: Joe Biden will win the state of Massachusetts, @ABC News projects based on analysis of exit polls. https://t.co/dLsdw4OWS6 #ElectionNight https://t.co/Eyt4SW23H8

By Meg Wagner, Melissa Macaya, Veronica Rocha, Melissa Mahtani and Amanda Wills, CNNOur live coverage has moved.  Go here for the latest results and news from the election. From CNN's Allison GordonResults from Milwaukee have flipped Wisconsin to Joe Biden, who has a lead in the state right now, CNN's Phil Mattingly says. Earlier, the city of Milwaukee's absentee ballot information was delivered with a police escort, CNN's Ryan Young reported. "When they have those three officers walking with them, you understand the importance of the event," Young told CNN's Chris Cuomo. The election is far from over with millions of votes still outstanding in key states, including in battleground Wisconsin. Joe Biden will win Hawaii, CNN projects. There are four electoral votes at stake in Hawaii.  It takes 270 electoral votes to win the 2020 presidential election. Who won in 2016: Former Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton carried the state, and President Trump won the general election. From CNN's Josiah Ryan Republican insiders are crediting a $300 million get-out-out the vote effort organized by the Trump campaign and allies for narrowing the gap in many states, CNN's Ryan Nobles reported early this morning.  "Republicans are talking about. . .  the ground game that the Republican National Committee and the Trump Victory Organization put into place shortly after President Trump was inaugurated," said Nobles. Nobles reported on Friday that the campaign had spent more than $300 million on a data and ground operation and less on television and digital advertising in the final leg of the campaign.  "They firmly believe that that ground game was going to be a big part in narrowing the gap, in many of these key states and they're now saying that we're seeing that play out in realtime as these votes come," added Nobles.  From CNN's MJ LeeJoe Biden's campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon issued a strongly worded statement following President Trump's White House speech, calling it "outrageous, unprecedented, and incorrect. " O’Malley Dillon went on to say that "the counting will not stop. ”From CNN's Maeve Reston and Stephen CollinsonVotes are still being counted in several key states across the US, and no winner has been determined in the presidential election. If you're just reading in, here's what you need to know about the race:From CNN's Leinz ValesBenjamin L.  Ginsberg, a longtime Republican election lawyer who co-chaired the Presidential Commission on Election Administration, said Wednesday that President Trump should “let all the votes be counted,” following his attacks on legitimate vote counting efforts. “If you have objections to either the particular ballots or to the process, then you have remedies after the fact from each state individual contests laws or recount laws if the margins are close enough,” Ginsberg told CNN’s Jake Tapper during CNN’s special election coverage.  Hear Ginsberg explain: From CNN’s Mark MoralesPhiladelphia won’t have an updated number on mail-in ballots until 9 a. m.  on Wednesday, said Lisa Deeley, head of the Philadelphia City Commissioners, which is a bipartisan board of elected officials in charge of elections and voter registration. Election officials are waiting on in-person voting numbers to be reported by some individual precincts and ingested into their system before they can report the number of mail-in ballots, Deeley said.  “That’s just the configuration of our system,” said Deeley, adding that it was a reporting issue, not mechanical. The delay in in-person results from the field are slowing down the reports, particularly in West Philadelphia, Deeley said “We are counting, we have been counting, we are going to continue counting until it's done,” Deeley said.  “We’re just waiting for the rest of the in-person results to come in from voting machines. ”Another update with mail-in votes will come at 9 a. m. , Deeley said. As of 1:10 a. m.  ET, with 1,598 of 1,703 divisions reporting, former Vice President Joe Biden has received 73. 3% of the city’s votes, and President Trump has received 25. 67% of the city’s vote. From CNN's Allison GordonBased on CNN's current projections, Joe Biden has 220 electoral votes while Donald Trump has 213 electoral votes. Here's the latest look at where things stand:Reminder: Each candidate needs 270 electoral votes to win the presidency. Please enable JavaScript for a better experience.


Rajasthan: Robert Vadra and his mother Maureen Vadra arrive in Jaipur for questioning in connection with a money-laundering case related to a land scam in Bikaner. https://t.co/SEyvFMVtfR

Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s brother-in-law Robert Vadra arrived in Jaipur on Monday for questioning by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an alleged land scam case involving 275 acres of land in the Kolayat sub-division of Bikaner district. Vadra was accompanied by his mother Maureen.  He will be questioned by the ED on Tuesday.  According to sources, he will have to answer 55 questions being drafted by the ED. Last week in Delhi, Vadra was subjected to intense interrogation by the ED in connection with a money laundering probe against him for his alleged role in procuring assets abroad in an illegal manner. Priyanka Gandhi, Vadra’s wife and Congress General Secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh East, is also expected to reach the Pink City by 8. 30 pm and will accompany her husband to the ED office on Tuesday, Congress sources said. Read more| ‘Please keep her safe’: Robert Vadra’s request for wife Priyanka Gandhi VadraThe fresh summon by the ED comes after the Rajasthan High Court directed Vadra and his mother to cooperate with the ED, as Vadra did not report to the agency even after being sent three summons in the land scam case earlier.  Vadra and his mother’s statements shall be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). A criminal case was registered by the ED in connection with the Bikaner land deal made in 2015 after studying FIRs and charge-sheets filed by the Rajasthan Police on complaints made by the Bikaner tehsil about alleged forgery in the land allotment. The ED, sources said, shall question Vadra about Skylight Hospitality Private Limited, a firm allegedly connected to him, which purchased the said land in the area.


BREAKING: Special counsel Robert Mueller has delivered his report to Attorney General William Barr, DOJ says. https://t.co/ON10Fxn4CA

    Robert Mueller is done.

    After a 22-month investigation, charges against 37 defendants, seven guilty pleas and one conviction at trial, the Justice Department announced Friday that the special counsel’s office has wrapped up its probe into Russian election interference, possible Trump campaign collusion with Moscow and obstruction of justice.

    A senior Justice Department official told CNN there are no more indictments coming from special counsel Robert Mueller.

    Mueller submitted a confidential report to Attorney General William Barr Friday detailing the decisions his team made to prosecute or not prosecute those who were investigated, Barr said in a letter to lawmakers.

    Barr wrote that he “may be in a position to advise you of the special counsel’s principal conclusions as soon as this weekend. ”

    The expectation is that lawmakers will receive the principal conclusions, in writing, from Barr this weekend, according to a Justice Department official.  That distillation from Barr will be made public.

Read: Attorney General William Barr's letter to judiciary committee leaders about the Mueller report

    President Donald Trump and the White House has not seen Mueller’s findings, press secretary Sarah Sanders said.

    “The next steps are up to Attorney General Barr, and we look forward to the process taking its course.  The White House has not received or been briefed on the Special Counsel’s report,” Sanders said in a statement.

    The completion of the special counsel’s investigation marks the end of one of the most dramatic chapters in Donald Trump’s presidency, one that led to numerous criminal charges against and guilty pleas by some of his closest associates.  The conclusion of the investigation, however, opens a new chapter into the fallout from the report, a potentially fraught political battle over the extent to which its contents are made public and further investigations from congressional Democrats.

    It’s too soon to say what Mueller’s report will ultimately mean for the President, but surviving the investigation without being subpoenaed for a sit down interview with the special counsel’s team is a significant triumph for Trump and his legal team.

    It’s not clear what Mueller uncovered about Trump’s involvement or advance knowledge, if any, of WikiLeaks release of damaging information about Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.  The special counsel’s findings on the question of obstruction of justice are also unknown, but Trump’s allies will likely argue anything short of a criminal indictment proves the President did nothing wrong.

    Barr wrote in his letter that Justice Department leaders never told the special counsel throughout the investigation a proposed action should not be pursued.

    The fight to make Mueller’s report public could be fierce and possibly spark a court battle between Congress and the executive branch.  Key House Democrats have said that the full report that Mueller submitted to Barr should be made public, and they intend to subpoena for the document – and Mueller’s underlying evidence – if it is not handed over to Congress.  White House lawyers, meanwhile, expect to have an opportunity to review whatever Barr intends to submit to Congress and the public.

    Congressional Democrats and Democratic presidential candidates issued a flurry of statements Friday demanding that Barr make Mueller’s full report public, along with Mueller’s evidence.

    “We look forward to getting the full Mueller report and related materials,” said House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler, a New York Democrat.  “Transparency and the public interest demand nothing less.  The need for public faith in the rule of law must be the priority. ”

    Republicans also said they wanted to see Mueller’s findings made public, though most included the caveat that Barr himself has stated publicly that the attorney general had to follow Justice Department guidelines.

    “I will work with ranking member (Dianne) Feinstein and our House Judiciary Committee colleagues to ensure as much transparency as possible, consistent with the law,” said Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham.

    Graham, a South Carolina Republican, also noted that Trump did not interfere in Mueller’s investigation, something Democrats expressed concerns about throughout the course of the investigation.  “I have always believed it was important that Mr.  Mueller be allowed to do his job without interference, and that has been accomplished,” Graham said.

    Mueller did not speak publicly during his nearly two-year investigation into Trump and his team.  Instead, his prosecutors largely used indictments and court filings to illustrate their sweeping investigation.  To announce charges against Russian operatives on two separate occasions in 2018, Mueller relied on Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller in 2017 and oversaw much of his work.

    The investigation revealed that Russia’s efforts to influence the 2016 election were far more extensive than previously known, and multiple Trump associates lied about their contacts with Russian officials and others with ties to Moscow.

    The list of officials in Trump’s orbit who have pleaded guilty in Mueller’s probe is lengthy, including former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, former Trump White House national security adviser Michael Flynn, former Trump personal attorney Michael Cohen, former Trump campaign deputy Rick Gates and former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos.  Longtime Trump confidant Roger Stone was charged in January with obstruction, false statements and witness tampering.  He has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.

    Mueller has not yet alleged a conspiracy to collude with Russians or detailed what he learned about the other key issue he investigated: whether the President obstructed justice, either by pressuring then-FBI Director James Comey in 2017 to go easy on Flynn or by later firing Comey – which is what prompted Mueller’s appointment in the first place.

Comey: 'No idea' what Mueller will conclude -- 'I also don't care'

    Trump had repeatedly attacked Mueller’s investigation as a “witch hunt” and a “hoax,” sending hundreds of tweets that have gone after Mueller and his team of prosecutors, as well as Cohen after he began cooperating with Mueller.  Earlier this month, Trump launched into a long broadside against the probe in a two-hour speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference, summing up the criticisms he’s launched throughout the Mueller probe.

    “You put the wrong people in a couple of positions, and they leave people for a long time that shouldn’t be there, and all of a sudden, they’re trying to take you out with bullshit, OK,” Trump said.

    But Trump has also signaled he isn’t opposed to Mueller’s report being released publicly.  Asked on Wednesday whether the public had a right to see the report, Trump said, “I don’t mind.  I mean, frankly, I told the House, if you want, let them see it. ”

    As of Friday, Robert Mueller is “still special counsel,” according to a Justice Department official.  But the investigation is unequivocally “complete,” the official said.

    Special counsel spokesman Peter Carr confirmed there were 10 remaining prosecutors under Mueller in the special counsel’s office as of Friday.  Carr said Mueller would be “concluding his service in the coming days,” and a small number of staff would remain to help close the office.

    While Mueller’s investigation is finished, the investigations into Trump, his business and his administration are far from over.  The new Democratic-controlled House has announced multiple investigations into all elements of Trump’s life, while Mueller’s team has farmed out some cases to other prosecutors across the Justice Department that will continue, such as the probe into the Trump inaugural committee’s donations and spending.

    Gates, a key Mueller witness, continues to cooperate in several ongoing investigations, prosecutors said this month.

    On Capitol Hill, Cohen testified publicly last month, accusing Trump of directing him to issue hush-money payments to two women alleging affairs, which Trump has denied, and alleging Trump committed financial fraud.  Multiple committees are now pursuing other Trump Organization associates for testimony, as well as Trump’s family members like Donald Trump Jr.

    But the biggest question for Congress may ultimately be tied to Mueller’s investigation, and whether his findings spark an effort in the House to begin impeachment proceedings against the President.

    House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said earlier this month that impeaching the President was “just not worth it. ” But Mueller’s findings could amplify the liberal voices in the House Democratic caucus already calling for Trump’s impeachment.

  CNN’s Manu Raju, Lauren Fox, Ted Barrett, Kristin Wilson, Katelyn Polantz and Betsy Klein contributed to this report.
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