"You really are an example as to what can happen with good thinking": Pres. Trump told Vietnamese Pres. Nguyen Phu Trong as the two leaders held meetings ahead of Trump's summit with Kim Jong Un. https://t.co/VxuJLdTxov https://t.co/f1zxPS1CAC

By Ben Westcott, James Griffiths, Meg Wagner and Veronica Rocha, CNNFrom CNN's Ben WestcottPresident Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un are heading into their first rounds of denuclearization talks. Sitting with President Trump, Kim told reporters many people had been "skeptical" about the two leaders meeting. "I'm sure all of them will be watching the moment we are sitting together, side-by-side, as if they are watching a fantasy movie," he said. Both leaders are expected to hold meetings throughout the morning local time, before sitting down for a working lunch. From CNN's Jeremy DiamondSitting beside North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, President Trump said he wasn't in a rush to clinch a deal with Pyongyang. "I've been saying very much from the beginning that speed is not that important to me," Trump said.  "Speed is not important to me.  What is important is that we do the right deal. "Trump said that while the two sides were going to have "fantastic success," he couldn't speak to what the results of Thursday's summit might be. "I'm sure over the years we’ll be together a lot," Trump said. From CNN's Ben WestcottPresident Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have met for the second day at the Hotel Metropole in Hanoi. Trump, speaking to reporters, said North Korea could be an "economic powerhouse" and that he was looking forward to helping make it happen. "I think it's going to be something very special," he said, as he sat next to Kim. Through a translator, Kim said the whole world was looking at the meeting right now, adding he looked forward to a "wonderful dialogue. "From CNN's Jeremy DiamondAs President Trump awoke in Hanoi on Thursday morning, the Wednesday evening US prime-time newscasts continued to pick through the unsparing allegations his longtime former attorney and adviser Michael Cohen had leveled against Trump during his testimony before the House Oversight Committee. During his seven hours of testimony, Cohen accused Trump of being a "racist," a "conman" and a "cheat. " He claimed that Trump was aware during the 2016 campaign of his longtime political adviser Roger Stone's communications with WikilLeaks about the release of hacked Democratic emails.  And once again -- this time before the cameras -- he implicated Trump in federal crimes. During his full day of meetings with Kim, Trump is looking to refocus attention on his high-stakes diplomatic gambit with North Korea, even though it's Cohen's testimony that will surely be a focus of questioning during a news conference later on Thursday. From CNN's Samantha BeechPresident Trump and his team have arrived at the Hotel Metropole in Hanoi to begin the day of talks with North Korea's Kim Jong Un. Kim is still en route to the summit location. As the two motorcades passed through the streets of Hanoi, locals snapped photos and waved flags from the sidewalks. From CNN's Ben WestcottPresident Donald Trump has left the JW Marriott hotel in Hanoi and is on his way to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Thursday's events are expected to be held entirely at the Hotel Metropole in Hanoi. The two men will spend most of the day in negotiations before a signing ceremony at about 2 p. m.  local time (2 a. m.  ET). From CNN's Ben WestcottNorth Korea experts say whatever Kim Jong Un and President Trump agree to at their signing ceremony Thursday afternoon, no one should expect any major concessions. Among the likely outcomes are a mutual exchange of liaison officers for the first time and the announcement of a peace agreement signifying the official end of the Korean War. "(It) sets into place the idea that this is a new era that we're entering into," says John Park, director of the Korea Working Group at Harvard Kennedy School. US negotiators already appear to have dropped earlier requests for a full accounting of North Korea's nuclear program as part of a second summit agreement. Park said the Thursday agreement might be "incremental" but both sides were focusing on producing "tangible outcomes. "From CNN's Kevin Liptak and Jeremy DiamondPresident Trump and Kim Jong Un will sign a joint agreement on Thursday, according to the White House, and the President's daily schedule lists a signing ceremony after a day of meetings with Kim. They've been working on an agreement: US officials had been working to draft an agreement with their North Korean counterparts ahead of Trump's arrival but it's not yet known what is contained in the document. Teams from both countries had arrived earlier in Hanoi to negotiate an agreement for the two leaders to sign at the conclusion of their summit. But it remained unclear what steps Kim was willing to take toward eliminating his nuclear arsenal or what concessions the US might offer in exchange. From CNN's Stello KoNorth Korean state media KCNA has published its first take on the dinner between leader Kim Jong Un and President Trump. According to state media, Kim told Trump the two leaders had overcome "mistrust, misunderstanding, hostility and old practices. ""He added that this period required lots of deep thinking, effort and patience than ever before," KCNA said. Please enable JavaScript for a better experience.


Earthquake tremors felt in Kashmir, more details awaited. https://t.co/RqHXqSF0JF

Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh are likely to receive “heavy to very heavy snowfall” later this week, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday, issuing a red-category warning for civic agencies and people in affected areas to be cautious. The warning is due to a new “intense western disturbance” approaching the region, the IMD said, referring to winds from over the Arabian Sea region that bring in moisture and cause rain and snow.  While snowfall in the upper Himalayan region in February and March is not uncommon, the influence of the western disturbances is unusually prolonged this time due to another factor: the Siberian High weather pattern — a collection of cold, dry air that accumulates around northeastern Siberia in the winter months. “The arctic air outflow is dominating towards the south causing freezing temperatures in North America and parts of Europe.  Further, mid-level westerlies are weakening, which causes an increased outflow from the Siberian High.  This cold air is pushing towards tropical Asia including north India,” said Charan Singh, scientist at IMD, explaining why the winter chill has lasted longer this year.  Uttarakhand has received the highest snowfall in five years this January, while Jammu and Kashmir region has received 47% excess rainfall.  IMD scientists said these figures will change vastly by the end of February if there are more western disturbances. Till January 31 this year, there have been eight western disturbances (WDs) influencing snowfall and rainfall pattern and temperature in north India.  This week’s will western disturbance will make it a total of nine, as against the normal of 5-6 each year.  “The mid-latitude westerlies are weaker than normal for more than a month now across the globe due to weakening of polar vortex.  This causes westerly waves to form which leads to formation of WDs.  These WDs are also affecting northern India and bringing colder air from the north,” said DS Pai, head of climate research at Pune.  Krishna Achuta Rao, climate scientist from IIT Delhi, described the number of WDs as “quite high” but said the link between polar vortex and WDs need to be understood better. As a result of the snow in the four states, all of north-western India will experience the chill.  Hailstorm and rain is expected in Delhi and NCR during February 5 and 7.  The effects will stretch to Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and as far as north Madhya Pradesh, north Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim.  The national capital has seen the longest cold spell in at least 13 years, and, according to the World Meteorological Organization, this has been in keeping with a global weather anomaly.  The month of January, the WMO said, has been a period of extremes, with unusually cold temperatures in the northern hemisphere and warm temperatures in the southern.


Manohar Parrikar’s New Year: A visit to his office after five months
https://t.co/3qHoymvmxq https://t.co/DzM01pK4cR

A frail-looking Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar chose to begin the New Year on a positive note as he paid a surprise visit to his office in Panaji on Tuesday, for the first time in five months.  Manohar Parrikar, who is suffering from a pancreatic ailment detected nearly 11 months ago and has not been to his office since August last year, was taken in his official vehicle to the state secretariat at around 10:30am.  According to a statement by the chief minister’s office, Parrikar was accorded “a warm welcome at the secretariat by his cabinet colleagues. ” The 63-year-old also “held meetings with his Cabinet colleagues and officials at the Secretariat”, the statement said.  Parrikar, who appeared relatively healthier than a few months ago, nonetheless remains weak and in need of assistance.  He was also seen with a feeder tube protruding from one of his nostrils. He was discharged from New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences on October 15 and remained confined to his private residence until he visited the site of an under-construction bridge on the Mandovi River near Panaji in mid-December. Also read: With one photo, Parrikar cools speculation about his immediate futureDespite being confined to his home, Parrikar held sporadic meetings, including those of the cabinet, summoning ministers, officials and others to his residence.  The opposition Congress, as well as the civil society, has condemned the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for using Parrikar as a “doll” to prop up their falling fortunes.  Despite being confined to his home, Parrikar held sporadic meetings, including those of the cabinet, summoning ministers, officials and others to his residence.  The opposition Congress, as well as the civil society, has condemned the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for using Parrikar as a “doll” to prop up their falling fortunes.  Late last month, the Bombay High Court at Goa dismissed a petition filed by a local politician seeking “a medical evaluation of the chief minister by a team of expert doctors” and the release of the medical reports to the public citing overriding public interest and stakes in Parrikar’s health.  The high court called the request a “violent invasion of the right of privacy of the chief minister. ”.  Parrikar’s improving health has put paid to the talk of a change in leadership as well as demands from opposition and allies that the chief minister redistribute a bulk of the 40-odd portfolios that he holds to arrest the “administrative paralysis. ” Also read: BJP showing Manohar Parrikar as ‘Superman, He-man’ in staged photo-shoots: Congress


Kerala: A landslide occurred in Puthumala, Wayanad, yesterday. Rescue operations underway. More details awaited. #KeralaRain https://t.co/zafdjYrujz

Kerala’s Wayanad is one of the worst-hit districts as incessant rains clobber the state with the district reporting 14 deaths and several missing in multiple landslides.  Large tracts of human habitation and forests are reported to have washed away in land slips amid heart rending scenes of people searching for kin in hospitals. The southern state is witnessing floods for the second straight year.  Last year more than 450 people had died in flood devastation that left damages amounting to hundreds of crores. In Wayanad’s Puthumala, which witnessed a major landslide yesterday, local people said more than 40 were missing as a a land slip washed away a housing colony of plantation labourers.  Rescue teams from National Disaster Response Force were struggling to reach the affected areas as roads in some areas have caved.  The team, however, managed to rescue nearly 50 people from the area. “I came out of my house hearing a startling sound from the hills.  It was shocking to see a huge mound of earth caving in and big boulders coming down along with water gushing from above.  I don’t remember anything other than that,” a local woman, who is yet to come to terms with the tragedy, said, reports PTI. She was one among several people who escaped unhurt from Puthumala and was later shifted to a make-shift relief camp in Meppadi in the district. A house collapsing in Kalpetta, Wayanad due to #KeralaRain #KeralaFloods #KeralaFloodRelief pic. twitter. com/CwVvlMatQHt was a scenic tea plantation village with green pastures, lofty hills and plunging valleys till Thursday evening. But, incessant rains and massive landslides have turned Puthumala at Meppadi ,into a pool of mud and filth, flattening the hilly curves, uprooting trees and washing away all signs of an inhabited village. Located over 20 kmsfrom district headquarters of Kalpetta here,Puthumala was rocked by a series of massive landslides following unprecedented rains last evening. Photos and videos shared on social media show gushing swollen rivers washing away everything and houses giving in to the force of water.  Rain water can be seen flowing on the roads with cars and other vehicles being washed away in Wayanad, a hill station in the Western Ghats. Massive landslide in Chooramala, Wayanad.  More than 40 people believed to be trapped and 3 has been rescued.  One temple and a mosque has been buried under.  Rescue work are on.  pic. twitter. com/VYNpptAbC7A portion of a towering hill came down completely and huge mound of earth between two hills caved in,grounding every structure in the valley, eyewitnesses said. There seems to be no relief in sight as the Met office has issued Code Red for the entire west coast and warned of very heavy rainfall in the next 24 hours, including in Wayanad known for its plantations, forests and wildlife. In view of incessant rains revenue authorities have advised tourists to avoid Wayanad and Idukki districts till August 15.  “Some areas like Nilambur, Iritty, Kottiyur and hill destination Munnar received 18-20 cms rainfall in last 24 hours”, the met office said. The toll in floods in the state has touched 25 as water-logging forced the closure of Kochi international airport till Sunday.  All educational institutes have been ordered shut for today and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has sought Army and Air Force help as weathermen predicted more rains in the next two days. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who represents Wayanad in Lok Sabha, spoke to Prime Minister Modi seeking help for the state.  He later tweeted that the Prime Minsiter had assured all help.


Pres. Trump slams Spike Lee, calling the director's speech at the #Oscars a "racist hit on your President."

"The 2020 presidential election is around the corner," Lee said last night. "Let's all mobilize...Let's do the right thing!" https://t.co/aoHCsiKBmp https://t.co/hI2Un41Yns

  Before Spike Lee became an Oscar winner on Sunday night, he had a prediction that now seems eerily prescient.

  “All I know is, if things don’t work out a certain type of way, black Twitter is going to be on fire,” the director told CNN on the red carpet.

  Oh, if Lee only knew how right he’d be.

  By the end of the ceremony, Lee would win for best adapted screenplay, lose in the best director category, and see his film snubbed in best picture category.

  Before the latter two results, Lee was in good spirits, having earned his first-ever Oscar for best adapted screenplay for “BlacKkKlansman. ”

  “BlacKkKlansman” tells the story of a black detective who, in addition to breaking down boundaries at his Colorado police department, infiltrates the KKK.

  “Before the world tonight, I give praise for our ancestors who helped build this country,” he said in his acceptance speech.

  Heading into the ceremony, all eyes had been on Lee to pick up the best director award, but it ended up going to “Roma” director Alfonso Cuarón.

  If Lee had won, he would have been the first black filmmaker to earn the honor in the event’s 91-year history.  Only six black directors have been nominated in the category.

  In the best picture competition, “BlackKklansman” lost to controversy-plagued “Green Book,” which has been blasted by some critics for advancing the so-called “white savior” narrative.

  Backstage at the Oscars, Lee called “Green Book’s” win a “bad call. ”

  Online, people agreed.
Remember when Green Book won Best Picture?  Man, that choice did not age well. Some of Green Book’s best friends are black movies.
  Not since 1998, when his documentary feature “4 Little Girls” was nominated, has one of Lee’s films been in the running for an Oscar.

  In 2016, Lee was the recipient of an honorary award, which was his first Oscar statue, but considering his body of work, his lack of recognition in the directing category has long been thought of as a great oversight.

  “Do the Right Thing,” which this year celebrates its 30th anniversary, was Lee’s first Oscar-nominated film but not for best picture, a snub that earned the Academy criticism at the time.  That year, “Driving Miss Daisy” won best picture.

  “Everytime somebody’s driving somebody, I lose,” Lee added backstage.

  There had been concern from those who saw Lee’s accolades as overdue that this year might produce similarly disappointing results, but Lee told CNN recently it was “out of my hands. ”

  “I’m telling people now, win or lose, ‘BlacKkKlansman’ will be on the right side of history,” he said.

  Lee ended his speech on Sunday with a call to action.

  “If we all connect with our ancestors, we will have love, wisdom, we will regain our humanity.  It will be a powerful moment.  The 2020 presidential election is around the corner.  Let’s all mobilize.  Let’s all be on the right side of history,” he said.  “Make the moral choice between love versus hate.  Let’s do the right thing!  You know I had to get that in there! ”

  CNN’s Melissah Yang contributed to this report
© 2021 Cable News Network.  A Warner Media Company.  All Rights Reserved.   CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network.


UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will visit India at the end of April in what will be his first major international trip after Britain’s exit from the European Union as part of efforts to boost UK opportunities in the region, his office said on Monday: Reuters https://t.co/tvbxccjLDD

Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday will unveil plans to shift Britain’s foreign policy focus toward India and the Pacific as the country adjusts to life after Brexit and a world in which China and Russia present an increasing threat to the nation’s security. As part of the new policy, Britain is applying for partner status in the Association of South East Asian Nations, and Johnson will travel to India next month for his first major international visit since the UK left the European Union.  The Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth will be sent to region later this year for its first operational deployment. Also read: Johnson says UK will become a global activist after BrexitThe government also says it will make climate change and preserving biodiversity its top priority over the next decade.  The new priorities are the result of a year-long review of Britain’s security, defense, international development and foreign policy. While the government’s advance statement on the policy shift doesn’t mention China and Russia by name, Johnson says Britain must protect ideas like democracy and free speech on the world stage. “So under this integrated review we will work ever harder, and give ourselves all the tools we need, to coordinate with like-minded democracies in the US, in Europe and around the world to protect and advance those ideas and beliefs against those who oppose them,” Johnson wrote Tuesday in the Times of London.


A video in which kids, both boys and girls, twerking and grinding while wearing school uniform, is going viral on social media platforms

In the video, many boys and girls wearing white and maroon uniform, not older than 10, could be seen dancing and twerking mostly.  Kids could be seen changing partners, with one of the girls giving a lap dance.  Twerking is a famous dance form that originated in New Orleans in 1980s.  Twerking is a part of a unique New Orleans style of hip-hop called âbounceâ.  It is considered a dance form that is sexually-provocative and involves thrusting hip movements.  With the advent of social media platforms, twerking became an online sensation.  Grinding is also a dance form considered âobsceneâ by many, and involves partners dancing close and rubbing and bumping their bodies against each other.  Social media users sharing the video, however, blame âconvent educationâ for the kids twerking and grinding.  Sample these - Hereâs a close translation of what is being claimed in these posts - âSee how our kids are being raised as characterless human beings in these convent schools.  Do we laugh or cry at the stupidity of parents who send their kids to such schools?  What will such parents expect from their kids? â VIRALITYThe video is being widely shared on social media platforms, with some posts garnering over a lakh views.  It is to be noted that these videos are being uploaded by different users, using more or less the same caption or similar captions holding âconvent schoolsâ responsible.  Search âconvent schoolâ, typed in Hindi, on your Facebook search bar and you can see how many users have shared the same video with similar captions.  See here - The video is being shared by many Twitter users as well.  VERIFICATION AND METHODOLOGYA simple Google search with keywords âobscene dance by kids in informâ will take you to the truth about this video.  Once you have searched using the above keywords, go to the videos tab on Google, and you can see the same video uploaded by Liveleak. com in July, 2016 and Daily Star in April, 2016.  We found news articles from 2016 on different publications including Daily Mail, Mirror and Deccan Chronicle.  Reports confirm that the video was uploaded on Facebook in 2016 from Cuba.  The video is said to have been uploaded by the father of one of the kids seen dancing in the video.  The man who uploaded the video faced a lot of heat in 2016 and the Cuban education system was slammed by many people across the world.


PM Modi chaired a meeting to review steps taken to boost oxygen availability in the country. He emphasised that there was an immediate need to augment the supply of medical-grade oxygen as well as equipment required for patient care both at home and in hospitals: Govt of India https://t.co/DUtIQDj7sy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday held a high-level meeting with senior officials to review coronavirus disease (Covid-19) related issues and the vaccination process.  People familiar with the development said the senior officers participating in the meeting include Rajiv Gauba, the cabinet secretary; Pramod Kumar Mishra, the principal secretary to the Prime Minister; Rajesh Bhushan, the health secretary, and Dr Vinod Paul, NITI Aayog member. India reported 93,249 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday, the biggest one-day surge since September 19 last year, according to the Union ministry of health and family welfare’s data.  The country's tally has now shot past the 12. 48 million mark and the ministry's dashboard displayed 12,485,509 cases at 8am.  With 513 new Covid-19 related fatalities, the death toll has risen to 164,623.  According to the health ministry, a total of 7,59,79,651 people have been vaccinated across the country against Covid-19 till now. Also Read: India reports 93,249 Covid-19 cases, highest daily spike in over 6 monthsIndia is currently the third-worst country hit by the pandemic, just behind the United States of America and Brazil, as per the John Hopkins University's global Covid-19 tracker.  The number of new cases being reported in India is more than any other country, and is higher, on average, than the number of new infections in the United States.  India's curve is set to overtake Brazil to become the country with the worst outbreak in the world amid a raging second national wave. Also Read: India Covid-19 curve beats US, set to surpass BrazilOn Saturday, the health ministry had said that eight states, including Maharashtra, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh, have shown a steep rise in the daily cases of Covid-19 and account for 81. 42% of all new cases reported in India.  Maharashtra reported the highest daily cases, accounting alone for nearly 60% (59. 36%) of the total active caseload of the country, followed by Karnataka and Chhattisgarh, the ministry added. Authorities in several states have clamped stringent restrictions, including night curfews to shutting schools and other educational institutions, to battle the surge during the ongoing second wave of the pandemic.  In Maharashtra, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has warned of a lockdown if the Covid-19 cases continued to rise.


#KanganaRanaut reached Raj Bhavan in Mumbai to meet Maharashtra Governor amid row over the demolition of her office by BMC.

https://t.co/bck9hLYv6p

Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut said on Sunday she told Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari about the “unjust treatment” she has received during their meeting amid her war of words with the state’s ruling Shiv Sena. Ranaut, who was wearing a beige sari, met Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhavan along with her sister, Rangoli Chandel. “I told him about the unjust treatment I have received.  I hope justice will be given to me so that the faith of all citizens, including young girls, is restored in the system.  I am fortunate that the governor listened to me like his own daughter,” she was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. Ranaut’s meeting comes in the backdrop of her tiff with the Shiv Sena over her comments on Mumbai’s tackling of the Sushant Singh Rajput death case. The 33-year-old actor has alleged that she received threats from Shiv Sena leaders after she compared Mumbai with Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir in one her tweets regarding Rajput’s death probe, following which she was provided Y plus security. Ranaut arrived in Mumbai on September 9, the day the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) razed the ‘illegally’ built portions of her office in the city. She will leave for her hometown of Manali in Himachal Pradesh on September 14. Earlier in the day, in an apparent reference to political criticism over his party’s tussle with Ranaut, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said he was ready to face all political storms. “I will have to remove the mask of the chief minister to respond to politics.  I don’t speak, it doesn’t mean I don’t have answers,” he said without naming anyone.


a tongue exercise (stretching out the tongue and moving it to the right then to the left 10 times) can protect you from getting Alzheimer’s. It also helps in reducing/improving the body weight, hypertension, blood clot in brain, asthma, far-sightedness, ear buzzing, throat infection, shoulder/neck infection, insomnia.

The viral message claiming that Jio is giving free recharge for Rs 401 and free Disney + Hotstar subscription as special offer is fake.
New Delhi (Vishvas News).  A viral message is shared with a link to avail Jio’s free recharge of Rs 401 and Disney-Hotstar subscription as special offer ahead of Diwali festival.  Vishvas News has received this claim on its fact checking WhatsApp chatbot (+91 95992 99372).  Vishvas News investigation revealed the claim is fake.  Cyber experts warn that clicking on any random links may lead to personal data theft and financial loss.  ClaimA viral post with Ambani’s picture is shared with a claim that Jio Digital Life is providing free recharge for Rs 401 along with free Disney-Hotstar subscription as Special Diwali Offer.  The message informs that the offer is available only till 31 October 2020.  The screenshot of this message can be seen below. InvestigationWe clicked on the link in the viral message to investigate the claim.  It leads to a website operating in Jio’s name that collects the user’s name and JIO number to avail free Recharge and free Disney + Hotstar subscription for up to 3GB data per day.  Further to avail the special offer, the user is asked to share with at least 10 people on WhatsApp.  We could confirm the link is fake. We noticed that the link has been collecting personal information of the user, which may lead to financial loss in worst cases.  Vishvas News has already investigated fake claims of free recharge in the name of Jio earlier.  The fact check article can be read below. Vishvas News contacted Jio spokesperson to verify the claim.  “Jio Care had asked users to avoid messages and calls from such fraudulent sources.  The official website of Jio is Jio. com and people can know about new offers and plans in there,” he said.  @JioCare Hi, this site (https://t. co/yXypPSpECM) is offering free Rs 401 recharge for all Jio users.  They are asking personal information (like phone number etc. ) from users.  I think this is clickbait or spam.  Could you please confirm?  @reliancejio pic. twitter. com/mcY1dmyJdW


A “Capitol Invasion” Lego set that showed several well-publicized members of the Jan. 6, 2021, pro-Trump mob was released months ahead of the riots in the District of Columbia.

In the days following the Jan.  6, 2021, insurrection at the U. S.  Capitol in the District of Columbia, some social media users posited that the coup was not only a plotted obe but had been worked out by unidentified nefarious actors months in advance.  A graphic of a “Capitol Invasion” Lego set, for example was claimed by some social media users to have been released “two months” prior to the riot, which suggested a much deeper plot at work than a loose, uncoordinated uprising: The purported Lego set’s packaging boasted with “10621 pieces,” representative of the date of the riots, and suggested the toy for children aged six and older.  An image on the cover of the box showed a handful of the notorious now-viral rioters, including Adam Johnson, the man accused of stealing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s lectern, a man dressed in horns and furs, and Richard Barnett, who was photographed sitting at a desk in Pelosi’s office.  The Lego-replicated characters were gathered together in what looked to be a section of the Capitol.  A hand-held sign that appeared on the box read “Trump, Keep America Great 2020. ” The supposed children’s toy quickly went viral when alt-right Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio shared the fabricated image on the social media website Parler.  A reverse image search found that the supposed Lego set had appeared at least 37 times on other social media platforms, including Imgur and Reddit, the latter of which had removed the picture.  But the Lego set does not exist and as such, it had never been released to the public.  “This set is obviously not a LEGO® product and the social media post has nothing to do with the LEGO Group,” wrote the LEGO Press Office in an email to Snopes.  “As a company dedicated to inspiring and developing children, we would never make a product like this. ” The supposed toy first appeared in a Jan.  7, 2021, Facebook post shared by Adam The Creator, a self-described artist and original content creator whose “about section” described his page as featuring “daily memes and fake products from the mind of Adam Padilla. ” In a message to Snopes, Padilla confirmed that he had created the image and that he had done so in jest.   In fact, a close-up look at the supposed Lego box shows “adam. the. creator” written in a faint grey color near the top center of the image:


Goa: Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and her son and party leader Rahul Gandhi arrive in Panaji.

Doctors had earlier advised Sonia Gandhi to spend time in a less polluted place: Sources https://t.co/zxThQR20mH

Congress president Sonia Gandhi along with her son Rahul Gandhi arrived in Goa on Friday in what is expected to be a brief private visit to help her recuperate and escape from the toxic Delhi air, Congress party sources have confirmed.  The former UPA chairperson is believed to have made the trip on doctors’ advice and will remain at a resort in South Goa, people familiar with the matter have said.  Also read | Sonia Gandhi forms panels on economy, foreign affairs, national security; former PM to head all 3The Gandhis were last here on a private visit prior to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections which was largely a private affair with the family not entertaining guests politically or otherwise.  Sonia Gandhi has been suffering from a recurring chest infection and has been in and out of hospitals for much of this year besides also keeping her public engagements to a minimum.  She was discharged from hospital in August 2 this year after also having to travel abroad for medical reasons in May this year.


Egypt prepares for move to 'high-tech' new capital, away from the chaos of Cairo

https://t.co/Jxe47ui59Z https://t.co/AdQN1apYY4

Egypt is racing to prepare a grandiose new capital city in the desert east of Cairo before the first civil servants move in this summer and ahead of the delayed official opening of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's flagship project. At the heart of the city, workers are putting finishing touches to an avenue of ministries that echo the architecture of pharaonic temples and adjoin a raised Islamic complex, two domed parliament buildings and a sprawling presidential compound. There will be a monorail passing through a business district where a 385-metre central tower is close to completion.  Beyond, the contours of a 10km park stretching to a giant mosque are taking shape. The city, known simply as the New Administrative Capital, is designed to operate with smart technology on virgin land away from the clutter and chaos of Cairo.  It will boast universities, leisure facilities and a diplomatic quarter. But it has made halting progress, and after Emirati funding fell through shortly after it was announced in 2015, the military and government took on the estimated $25 billion cost of the first phase, injecting off-budget investment. Some foreign loans and financing have been secured. The coronavirus pandemic also slowed progress, and the first of three planned phases, covering 168 square kilometres, will not be completed when the government begins to move in. "The rate of completion of the first phase has passed 60% across all projects," said Khaled el-Husseiny, spokesman for the new capital. He added that the delayed transfer of civil servants would begin in July, ahead of an official opening planned for the end of 2021. Hi-TechThe city is being designed as a high-tech model for Egypt's future. Control centres will monitor infrastructure and security electronically, roofs will be covered in solar panels, payments will be cashless and 15 square metres of green space are allocated per inhabitant, officials said. "We are trying to solve all the problems we had in the past in the new capital," said Husseiny. The finished city is expected to house at least 6 million residents, its second and third phases largely residential. That will take decades to complete, although the government will be able to function normally while construction goes on, said Amr Khattab, spokesman for the Housing Ministry which is responsible for executing parts of the city. How far and how fast Egypt's centre of gravity shifts away from Cairo to the new capital 45 km from the Nile is unclear.  For now, thousands of residential blocks stand empty either side of a highway leading into the new city. The completion of the business district, yet to be marketed, is set for 2023. Electric train and monorail links are under construction.  The first 50,000 civil servants expected to relocate to the new capital from this summer will be offered shuttle buses to get there. Around 5,000 out of 20,000 housing units have been sold in the first residential district expected to open in May, said Khattab. On Monday, Sisi's office announced 1. 5 billion Egyptian pounds ($96 million) in incentives for civil servants selected to move to the city. Land SalesOfficials say the city will eventually include social housing and is meant to finance itself through land sales, though it is unclear how much revenue these have generated. Of the $25 billion cost for the first phase, about $3 billion is being spent on the government district, said Husseiny. Some international financing has been secured for rail links, and a $3 billion Chinese loan has helped fund the business district, built by China State Construction Engineering Corp (CSCEC). Sisi, who has embarked on multiple infrastructure mega-projects and national development schemes, says other regions will not be neglected. "We are not leaving Cairo, or Alexandria or Port Said or other provinces.  We are moving forward with the old and the new together," the president said last week.  The capital's opening would mark the "birth of a new state", he added. Though there is support for the government's argument that the new capital can reduce congestion in Cairo, there is also concern that it will be unaffordable and inaccessible to many. "Some classes will be able to live there, others won't," said Alaa Ibrahim, a 39-year-old electrician in Cairo's impoverished Imbaba district.


NEW: NTSB officials say they are asking the public to email them “photos of the weather in the area” of Sunday's helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and eight others. https://t.co/l0p1EWZRGM https://t.co/vhNEzRr0H2

By Christina Maxouris, Holly Yan and Darran Simon, CNNUpdated 0948 GMT (1748 HKT) January 29, 2020  (CNN)The helicopter that crashed over the weekend in California killing nine people, including NBA legend Kobe Bryant, dropped more than 2,000 feet a minute and was in one piece until impact into a hillside, a National Transportation Safety Board member said Tuesday. Live updatesWhat we know about the other victimsKobe's daughter, Gianna, was the heir apparent to his legacy A lookback at his lifeHonor Kobe's legacy through the charities he supportedHis greatest moments in his 20-year NBA careerA country pays tributeWhy he was called the 'Black Mamba'Kobe, in his own words, on leadership, failure, critics and moreThe making of a global superstarCNN's Sarah Moon, Netctar Gan, Emiko Jozuka, Wayne Sterling, Sara Loaiza and Alexandra Meeks contributed to this report.


US President @realDonaldTrump and First Lady Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) land in Ahmedabad, Gujarat

In the first leg of their two-day visit, they will participate in #NamasteyTrump event at Motera Stadium today

Follow live updates here: https://t.co/hyA9uYtr5m

#TrumpInIndia https://t.co/tgZFd1oNF2

Sep 05, 2021-Sunday

Metro cities -  Delhi, Mumbai,
											Chennai,
											Kolkata

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

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


Severe storms and at least one tornado slammed through central Tennessee, killing 25 people and wrecking hundreds of buildings hours before dawn on Tuesday https://t.co/bzd6rNKYOk

A state of emergency has been declared in Tennessee.  Tennessee tornadoes kill at least 25Twenty-four people are dead after devastating tornadoes ripped through Nashville and other areas of Tennessee, flattening homes, tossing airplanes and downing power lines, according to the governor. The tornado in Nashville was just one of three to hit Tennessee early Tuesday.  Eighteen people died in Putnam County, Tennessee, officials said Tuesday night, after earlier in the day reporting that 19 had died there. Fatalities were also reported in Wilson, Davidson and Benton counties. A state of emergency was declared in Tennessee as a result of the damage. Two of those killed were Michael Dolfini, 36, and Albree Sexton, 33, according to Nashville police. About 47,000 are without power and dozens of building have collapsed, officials said. Winds reached at least 155 mph -- EF-3 tornado level -- in Mount Juliet and Donelson. Some Super Tuesday polling stations were impacted, officials said.  Alternative locations will be offered for voters.  Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett said residents can call the Division of Elections toll-free at 1-877-850-4959. A judge ruled that all Tennessee polling stations would have to extend Super Tuesday hours, a Democratic Party spokeswoman told The Associated Press. Nashville resident James Duncan said sirens started in the middle of the night before "howling" winds moved in. "Things started hitting the window, and my girlfriend and I shot out of bed and darted for the bathroom.  We could hear objects slamming against the building . . .  it was terrifying," Duncan told ABC News.  "They say tornadoes sound like a train . . .  they were not lying.  The feeling in my head from the pressure was insane.  I've never felt anything like it.  We were shaking. ""Then the power cut out and the noise started to fade," he continued, but he smelled a gas leak and first responders quickly evacuated the apartment to investigate the suspected leak. "Downed power lines were everywhere," Duncan added.  "We had to walk roughly a mile through the debris and wreckage 'til we could get to a zone where a friend could pick us up.  I was trying to reach out to friends in the area to see if they were OK.  It was chaos.  It felt like we were in a bad dream. "Jeremy Vaughn said he spotted "the funnel cloud" and heard what sounded like a train. He told ABC News he ran down to the first floor of his apartment building, where he huddled with his neighbors, who "were crying and screaming -- we didn't know what was going on. "Outside, Vaughn added, it "looked like a war zone," with the apartment building's roof on the ground, the street littered with insulation and pieces of wood. In hard-hit Mt.  Juliet, 7-year-old Brock Maxwell was rescued by Mt.  Juliet Fire chief Jamie Luffman in the aftermath of the twister. Brock's family took video of the moment Luffman carried him to safety across live wires in the middle of the night. The twisters left planes decimated at the John C.  Tune Airport in West Nashville.  No one there was injured and crews from Nashville International Airport will help rebuild, said Doug Kreulen, Nashville International Airport president and CEO. President Donald Trump in a tweet pledged the federal government's support.  Trump said he will travel to Tennessee on Friday. While the "damage is devastating," residents are already stepping up to help their community, according to Nashville Mayor John Cooper. He said the website for Nashville volunteer organization Hands On Nashville has crashed three times from so many people trying to sign up to volunteer.  More than 5,000 people signed up by Tuesday afternoon, he said. The damage and power outages shuttered Nashville schools Tuesday and Wednesday. The mayor posted photos of himself assessing the severe damaging at one Nashville elementary school. Nashville is the capital of country music and stars have spoken out in the wake of the destruction. Country music singer Maren Morris tweeted that "the tornado must have missed our block by an inch. ""I am so depleted looking at the damage that has happened to our beautiful city.  There are so many people in the streets helping already, though,” she said.  “Thinking of those who lost their loved ones + homes. "ABC News' Max Golembo, Rachel Katz, Jordyn Phelps, Erin Calabrese, Victor Oquendo, Christopher Lumsden and Meg Cunningham contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Delhi: Newly-elected AAP MLA Manish Sisodia holds 'Dhanyawad Roadshow' in Jawahar Mohalla in Patparganj constituency. He says, "I have constructed roads and sewers here in the past 5 years. I'll continue to work in welfare of the people". https://t.co/u1gGJtCAjW

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj, who has begun organising monthly recitation of ‘Sundar Kand’ in his constituency, has now suggested that a grand statue of lord Hanuman is built at the Ram Temple premises. “I think a grand statue of Hanuman Ji should be built in the Ram Temple premises as Hanuman Ji was Lord Ram’s favourite.  Hanuman Ji is a symbol of selfless service,” Bharadwaj said on Thursday without naming Ayodhya. Bharadwaj’s party often invoked lord Hanuman’s name during campaigning for the recently concluded Delhi assembly elections, which was swept by the AAP. AAP convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had recited ‘Hanuman Chaalisa’ at several events before the elections and visited a famous temple dedicated to lord Hanuman on the eve of the voting. Two days ago, Bharadwaj, as promised, organised the recitation of ‘Sundar Kand’ at a Hanuman temple in south Delhi’s Chirag Dilli area, which falls under his constituency of Greater Kailash.  Both AAP and the BJP had sparred over related issues during the poll campaign.  While the BJP accused Kejriwal’s party of supporting Shaheen Bagh protestors by feeding them ‘Biryani’ and speaking in Pakistan’s language, Kejriwal had termed the BJP leaders “pseudo Hindus”. Bharadwaj’s suggestion for a Hanuman statue in the premises of the Ram Temple comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s former principal secretary Nripendra Misra was appointed the head of the Ram Temple trust formed to oversee the construction of the temple in Ayodhya.  The trust also indicated yesterday that the temple construction could start within 6 months’ time and take over two years to complete. It is expected that the temple at Ayodhya will be built on the lines of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)’s model.


CLAIM A video showing a woman in a burqa chanting slogans of ‘azaadi’ is doing the rounds on social media with a claim that people need freedom from Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders.  The Hindi caption reads, “Now a new thing has happened that the people want freedom from Rahul Gandhi and that help should be provided to them. ” The women in the video can be heard saying “Bharat mata ki Jai, we will take freedom, freedom from Rahul Gandhi, freedom from Akhilesh, freedom from Maya (Mayawati) didi. . . . . ” An archived version of the video can be accessed here.  The aforementioned post on Facebook had garnered over 7,75,000 views at the time of writing this story.  The video has also been shared by multiple other users on the social networking site.  The same video was also viral in May 2019.  TRUE OR FALSE?  The video hasn’t been doctored in anyway, but the political affiliation of the person, Nighat Abbas, who can be seen raising the slogans, has been concealed to insinuate that Muslims in India are raising slogans against the Opposition leaders.  Abbas identifies herself as a media panelist for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).  Further, the video is old and was shot in May 2019 and uploaded by Abbas herself.  The caption with which the video was uploaded read: “With me, the Muslim society raised the voice to demand independence from Congress and Kejriwal”.  WHAT WE FOUND We looked up the same video on Twitter and found out that it was uploaded by multiple users in May, 2019.  From one such tweet which was uploaded by a user called ‘Laxman Bhati’ we found out that the woman in the video could be Nighat Abbas.  Further, Abbas had responded to the tweet saying that the video is of 2019 Lok Sabha elections where she raised slogans against the Opposition leaders.  We also found a video of Abbas with BJP MP Manoj Tiwari where the leader introduced her as the party’s TV Spokesperson.  Not only this but previously Abbas has slammed Kejriwal for talking about religion and caste in the video which was posted in May 2019.  The archived version of the video can be accessed here.


Three Air India Express flights have been sent to #Kozhikode in Kerala to assist passengers and family members of those affected by the plane crash last evening

#KozhikodeAirCrash
#AirIndia

Updates: https://t.co/FN1GvrrYEL https://t.co/VTeomKEqw1

Sep 08, 2021-Wednesday

Metro cities -  Delhi, Mumbai,
											Chennai,
											Kolkata

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

											Powered by
Aviation minister warns against 'speculating' on air disaster causeFindings of probe in plane accident will be made public: Hardeep Singh Puri ₹10 lakh as interim relief to families of deceased: aviation ministerCISF to award 3 officers for rescue efforts at Kozhikode International AirportRefrain from speculative observations bordering on irresponsible: Aviation MinisterEnquiry into accident ordered under Aircraft Act: Hardeep Singh Puri'Aircraft involved in accident NOT a wide body aircraft': Hardeep Singh PuriHardeep Singh Puri chairs meet to take stock of situation after Kozhikode accidentMizoram's Lengpui airport safe for landing: OfficialFelt like a 'nightmare', says plane crash survivorAI mourns Kerala plane crash with ‘black’ logo on social media handlesState will bear treatment expense of all injured in crash: Kerala CMMetal cutters used to rescue passengers, says CISF IGRussian President Vladimir Putin condoles plane crashA 'back home' last selfie of passenger who died in crash goes viralDay after an Air India Express plane overshot and fell 50 metres off the end of the runway at the airport, Union minister of civil aviation Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday reached the crash site to take stock if the situation. Puri said that 18 people died in the tragedy while 149 are being treated at the hospital.  He also announced  ₹10 lakh assistance for the next of kin of the deceased. Two black boxes have been recovered from the Calicut bound flight from Dubai that crashed with 190 people onboard on Friday, the minister said. Here are the live updates on Kerala plane crashAviation minister warns against 'speculating' on air disaster causeIndia's civil aviation minister on Saturday warned against speculation over the cause of a disaster in which at least 18 people died after an Air India Express jet overshot a runway in a storm and plunged down a bank.  Critics have raised questions about potentially dangerous conditions at Kozhikode airport in the southern state of Kerala, where the Boeing 737 crash-landed with 190 passengers and crew aboard, reports AFP. Findings of probe in plane accident will be made public: Hardeep Singh PuriUnion Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has said that findings of the investigation into the accident of Air India Express plane in Kozhikode on Friday will be made public.  The minister said in a tweet on Saturday that black boxes of the flight, which came from Dubai and skidded off the runway, have been recovered, reports ANI.  ₹10 lakh as interim relief to families of deceased: aviation ministerCivil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that the ministry has announced an interim relief of Rs10 lakhs to the families of those who have lost their lives in Kozhikode air accident,  ₹2 lakh to the seriously injured &  ₹50,000 to people with minor injuries. We have announced an interim relief of  ₹10 lakhs to the families of those who have lost their lives in Kozhikode air accident,  ₹2 lakh to the seriously injured &  ₹50,000 to people with minor injuries. @PMOIndia @AmitShah @MoCA_GoI @PIB_India @FlyWithIX @AAI_OfficialCISF to award 3 officers for rescue efforts at Kozhikode International AirportCentral Industrial Security Force (CISF) on Saturday announced awarding the Director General (DG) commendation DISC to three officers for their outstanding efforts during the rescue operations at Kozhikode airport, reports ANI. Refrain from speculative observations bordering on irresponsible: Aviation MinisterEncourage all to exercise patience, refrain from speculative observations bordering on irresponsible, said Aviation Minister on Kerala plane crash. Enquiry into accident ordered under Aircraft Act: Hardeep Singh PuriIn case of Kozhikode accident, an enquiry has been ordered under Aircraft Act, black boxes of flight IX-1344 have been recovered.  Findings of this investigation will be made public, tweeted Hardeep Singh Puri. 'Aircraft involved in accident NOT a wide body aircraft': Hardeep Singh Puri"I would like to remind my colleagues that the aircraft involved in the incident at Kozhikode was a B-737-800 which is NOT a wide body aircraft.  As far as wide body aircraft are concerned, DGCA had carried out a thorough assessment & prescribed comprehensive mitigation measures," Civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri tweeted. Hardeep Singh Puri chairs meet to take stock of situation after Kozhikode accident"Resuming discussions from where we left off late last night. Joined by senior officials including Secy @MoCA_GoI, Chairman @AAI_Official, DG @DGCAIndia & AAIB among others to take stock of the situation arising due to the accident in Kozhikode," Hardeep Singh Puri tweeted. Mizoram's Lengpui airport safe for landing: OfficialAmong five airports in the country having tabletop runways, Mizoram's Lengpui airport is safe for landing of passengers flights upto Airbus 320 and cargo flights, an official said on Saturday. Felt like a 'nightmare', says plane crash survivor"I thought it was a nightmare.  I could see heaps of twisted metal spread around when I opened my eyes after the initial shock of the impact,” said Vijayamohan, a resident of nearby Malaparamba.  His wife Jameema is admitted in the ICU.  The couple had gone to Dubai in December to join their son but got held up due to the Covid-19 induced lockdown. AI mourns Kerala plane crash with ‘black’ logo on social media handlesThe logo of Air India has turned black on social media for offering condolences to the families of the demised during the Kozhikode plane crash. State will bear treatment expense of all injured in crash: Kerala CM"Apart from the solatium for the victims, the state government would bear the treatment expenses of all those injured in this unfortunate plane crash irrespective of the hospitals they are in.  The Civil Aviation Ministry and other Central Government agencies are expected to announce compensation for the air passengers.  If any further assistance is required, the State Government will take an appropriate decision at that time to support them to get back to a normal life," Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan said. Metal cutters used to rescue passengers, says CISF IGThe front and last rows of the plane were badly damaged and metal cutters were used to evacuate the passengers from the Air India Express flight that crashed at Kozhikode airport on Friday night, said the Central Industrial Security Force IG CV Anand. Russian President Vladimir Putin condoles plane crashRussian President Vladimir Putin has sent his condolences to President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the tragic plane crash at Kozhikode. A 'back home' last selfie of passenger who died in crash goes viralA selfie taken by Sharufudheen Pillassery, along with his wife and three-year-old daughter in PPE kits inside the Air India Express flight from Dubai that crashed here, has gone viral as reports emerged that the journey turned out to be his last trip. First published: Aug 08, 2020 06:18 IST


New Indian Passport  Concept Of Future Is Here

A viral message on social media claiming that a new debit card shaped smart passport will soon be launched in India is false.  The images have been taken from a blog is a concept created by a designer.  The WhatsApp message is accompanied with an image of a black colour credit card with details similar to on an India passport.  The message reads, "The New Smart Passport  Concept of future is here.  The elegant All-In-One Identity solution for every Indian Citizen very soon.  There won't be any stamp.  It will be like debit/credit card.  Swipe it and move out. " BOOM did a Facebook search with the same caption and found that the post had been shared widely on Facebook.  Click here to view the post and here to view an archive.  FACT-CHECK BOOM ran a reverse image search on the photo and found that the image of the credit card shaped passport was picked up from a Medium blog.   The Medium blog  published on February 17, 2017, titled 'The Passport — Concept' written by Siddhant Gupta, a Designer and Engineer, goes on to propose a 'All-In-One Identity' solution for every citizen by using a 'Passport Booklet'.  The writer envisions an Indian Passport concept design which he has designed that would be a single smart card to replace all cards (bank, license, registrations, national ID, Voter ID).  One can spot the same images and photo the strap that it is a concept design.  (Read more here)


Identities released of 23 people, including four young children, who were killed when powerful tornadoes ripped through Lee County, Alabama. https://t.co/PbppnKiDc1 https://t.co/7dBQ5FLLAB

    Crews are narrowing down the search areas for people still missing after a string of tornadoes swept through southeastern Alabama over the weekend.

    At this time, officials said Tuesday, the number of missing is seven or eight.

    “Hopefully that number will continue to decrease as the day goes on,” Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones told reporters on Tuesday.

    He said heavy equipment is being used to clear debris and that the search and rescue mission will soon move to a recovery status.
  So many people have been bringing clothes, food and other goods for tornado victims to Providence Baptist Church in Opelika that they just announced they can’t bring anything else into the community center or it will be deemed a fire hazard.  pic. twitter. com/k6P1gPJPd2
    President Trump said he plans to visit Alabama on Friday.

    “It’s a tragic situation but a lot of work is getting done” in tackling the storm damage, he said Tuesday at the White House. .

    Lee County Coroner Bill Harris said that of the 23 people who died in the storms, four were children and seven were members of the same family by marriage.

Tornado survivor says she missed the onslaught 'by minutes. ' Not 'one chance' we would have survived

    Dozens of people were injured, with 77 patients from areas affected by the tornadoes hospitalized on Sunday.

    Six adult patients remain hospitalized at the University of Alabama at Birmingham hospital, spokeswoman Holly Gainer confirmed to CNN.

    Four other patients remain hospitalized at East Alabama Medical Center, according to hospital spokesman John Atkinson.

    Harris on Tuesday released the names and ages of the 23 victims.  The youngest was 6 and the oldest, 89.

    EMA director Kathy Carson told reporters at the Tuesday briefing that there has been an outpouring of offers of assistance.  She said authorities are organizing a volunteer reception area for those who want to help.

    Residents who’ve lost their homes can get shelter, food and medications, she said.

    “We’re here for the citizens.  We cannot emphasize enough that we want them to communicate and let us know what they need,” she said.

Alabama was hit by tornadoes.  Now the state has to deal with freeze warnings from an arctic blast

    The tornado that ripped through Lee County was an EF-4, carrying 170 mph winds.  It had nearly a mile-wide track and ground along for 65 miles.

    Two EF-1s also hit the area, one in Lee and Macon counties and another in Barbour County to the south.  Tornadoes are measured on the Enhanced Fujita scale – named for the weather researcher who developed it – from 0 to 5 based on intensity and damage caused.

    Gov.  Kay Ivey extended the state of emergency that had been issued last month due to tornadoes and severe weather and made a request for a federal major disaster declaration.

    Lashawn Wilson sat crammed between her 72-year-old mother, her son and her husband in the bathroom of her mom’s home.

Here's how you can help the Alabama tornado victims

    Her family barely had enough time to get to her mom’s brick house from their mobile home when the first alert sounded through the television, warning of 70 mph winds, Wilson told CNN’s Chris Cuomo.

    “We can make this,” she said she thought.  “We’ve been through hurricanes, we’ve been through strong winds before. ”

    Seconds after Wilson saw the first alert Sunday, the electricity went out.  She grabbed her mom’s portable oxygen tank and shut herself in the bathroom with her family.

    “I could hear the roaring coming, nearing,” she said.  “At that moment, that’s when (we) heard the house just being torn apart… second after that, everything started pressing in on us. ”
  Photos don’t really seem to tell the whole story of the EF-4 tornado that ripped through Lee County, Alabama.  pic. twitter. com/6oOxrIKmJ5
    “We all got pushed down flat, we were like dominoes on top of each other.  My son was on top of me and he said ‘Mom, I don’t want to die, I don’t want to die. ’”

    All around, Wilson could see nothing but debris, as the wind whipped through the home.

    “It’s just unreal,” Wilson said, still in disbelief.  Her life, and small Alabama community will never be the same.

    “It’s not anything I would have imagined for me and my family in a million years.  Not for our area, not for our community. ”

    A tornado destroyed more than 15 structures in neighboring Talbotton, Georgia, including multiple homes and an apartment building, the Talbot County emergency management director said.

    Vinton Copeland, pastor at Powell Baptist Church in Talbotton, told CNN people there did not expect a tornado to hit.

    “Complete apartments are gone and damaged.  We have a shelter at our county high school for those affected.  It’s devastating and houses are gone and there are power lines decimated.  Tough time,” he said.

Tornadoes in the Southeast are getting worse -- and they're often the deadliest

    Georgia Gov.  Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency in Grady, Harris and Talbot counties, in the southern part of the state.

    He said almost two dozen homes were completely destroyed, up to 40 homes sustained some sort of damage and a couple of  businesses were destroyed.  Georgia Emergency Management Director Homer Bryson is working with local officials to restore power to approximately 3,000 people in the region.

This story has been updated to reflect new information from Coroner Bill Harris that the oldest victim is 89.

  CNN’s Marlena Bardacci, Artemis Moshtaghian and Allie Malloy contributed to this report.
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Posters of Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Robert Vadra seen outside Congress party headquarters in Delhi https://t.co/iI1ytpiGbD

Congress president Rahul Gandhi has dismissed description of the mahagathbandhan (or grand alliance) versus the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as chaos versus (Narendra) Modi and said that while opposition parties are united, it is the BJP which is in chaos with senior party leaders not on the same page as the Prime Minister. In an interview, Gandhi said his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, recently named the party incharge for Uttar Pradesh (east), would play a role nationally as well.  “As general secretary, she has, by definition, a national role… I give a job, and then I give another job based on the success of the job,” Gandhi said. As Congress president, Gandhi said he was keen on strengthening the party and indicated that would drive his approach towards alliances.  In Uttar Pradesh, for instance, where the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) have left the Congress out of their grouping to take on the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he said that while the Congress would “work with the SP and the BSP because we have ideological agreement on a number of issues with them… we are not going to give up our right to push our ideology in Uttar Pradesh either”. The demand for a Ram temple is a hot button issue in Uttar Pradesh but Gandhi declined to commit himself one way or the other.  “It would not be fair for me to opine as the highest court in the country is deliberating on it,” he said.  “I would say that what the Supreme Court decides is what the Congress and everyone will accept. ”Read the full interview here: ‘Recent results were just the tip of the backlash’: Q & A with Rahul GandhiGandhi targeted Modi in the interview, and said in his “15 years of political career”, he has not seen “the type of Opposition unity” that exists today.  “If I [were to] speak to Mr [Nitin] Gadkari, Ms [Sushma] Swaraj, Rajnath Singh, their [the BJP’s] entire leadership, I wouldn’t be surprised to find absolute rejection of Mr Narendra Modi’s style of functioning.  So, the division is actually in the BJP and what is keeping that division publicly out of sight is fear… So, what Mr Modi has not understood is that Mr Modi is only Mr Modi’s leader. ”Also read: Modi nothing like Indira, comparisons are an insult, says Rahul GandhiGandhi elaborated that the opposition parties were absolutely united on three things.  One, the need to address the job crisis; two, the challenges posed by agrarian distress; and three, that “we are not going to let Mr Modi and the RSS [Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh] destroy India’s institutions”.  Every institution in India, Gandhi added, “is facing Mr Modi’s autocratic backlash.  Mr Modi believes that he is the Lord of India, just like the British believed. ” Gandhi also said he believes the anti-corruption image that Modi fought the 2014 elections has been completely eroded by the Rafale controversy.  “Mr Modi’s credibility is gone,” he said, adding that when he is driving around Delhi, he hears people say “chowkidar chor hai” (the watchman is a thief) to him.  The slogan, coined by the Congress, was used during the assembly elections late last year and is a riff on Modi’s comment in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections that he was a watchman who wouldn’t allow any corruption on his watch.  “I know that there is something wrong” about the Rafale deal, he said, adding that if his party came to power, it would ask experts on military aircraft, and defence purchases, to look into the deal and that “if they feel something needs to be done, it’ll be done”.  But “my understanding is that the Rafale is a good aircraft,” Gandhi added. Gandhi said that he and the Congress would fight for the rights of anyone to whom injustice was being done, including big businesses.  “If somebody is unfair to the biggest industrialists in the country, I will be the first person to try and make it fair… where I draw the line is when somebody in India is violent against somebody else.  That’s my main issue with the RSS - you are spreading hatred and violence… I will fight you for it. ” An aggressive Gandhi targeted the BJP for being soft on businessmen who run companies loaded with debt and ignoring the plight of farmers.  “How many farmers can walk into Mr Arun Jaitley’s office or to a resolution professional and seek a 60%-75% haircut?  That’s the crux of it,” he said.  Crony capitalism was one of the biggest charges against the Congress-led UPA that ruled India between 2004 and 2014, and Gandhi has now taken a similar tack to attack the government. In the hour-long interview, Gandhi also laid out his party’s strategy to take on the agrarian crisis and create jobs.  “Agriculture has no magic wand.  It needs a comprehensive and composite policy and strategic intervention. ” First generation Green Revolution policies don’t work anymore, especially because of globalisation, he explained.  On jobs, he said, “you are not going to get jobs from the 15-20 biggest industrialists in the country.  You will generate jobs from unleashing the huge potential of micro, small and medium businesses”.  His idea involves tapping local skills and abilities (Gandhi listed Moradabad, Kanpur, Sriperumbudur, Surat and Ludhiana as instances of districts that have expertise in metal working, leather manufacturing, mechanical work, textiles and gems, and hosiery).  “Give them access to banks, give them support, protect them and see what happens. ”


Ranchi municipality shut for 5 days as official, 3 workers test positive for #COVID19

(reports @bedanti_saran)

https://t.co/TQwnWM8bRB

The district administration on Saturday temporarily shut down Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) for the next five days till August 13 after one of its senior officials and three frontline workers were found infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Confirming the development, RMC commissioner Mukesh Kumar said, “A deputy municipal commissioner and three frontline workers have been tested positive for Covid-19.  Contact tracing exercise has been initiated to identify people who came in direct or indirect contact with these people and sampling will be done in the next couple of days. ”He added, “We have temporarily closed down the corporation for the next five days to carry out sanitization work and other procedure as per protocol.  However, people have been instructed to work from home and keep their mobile phones on. ”“The daily cleanliness work of the city would not be affected,” the commissioner said. Reportedly, the RMC officer, who tested positive on Saturday, had been on field duty for the last one week.  He had monitored the sanitization and other works at the chief minister’s house after 19 staff of the CM’s residence and office were found infected with coronavirus early this week.


In the viral video, a group of people are thrashing a man allegedly claimed to be BJP candidate Ramkishore Saini from Bandikui seat in Rajasthan’s Dausa district.

As election heat rises in Rajasthan, political leaders are sweating it out to reap maximum benefits before the D-Day.  Social media is also flooded with all sorts of political drama and disclosures. A video, which has caught the eyes of many on the internet, shows a motley group of people thrashing a man allegedly claimed to be a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Bandikui in Dausa district of Rajasthan.  The state goes to polls on December 7. In the video, which appears to be from a political party meeting, a scuffle breaks out among workers.  The fight soon turns violent and the workers can be seen thrashing a man clad in a white kurta-pyjama. The viral video was shared by a Facebook user, Shahid Hussain. He captioned it: "Rajasthan Bandikui Dausa se BJP pratyashi Ramkishore Saini ki jordaar kutaai. . .  jara sochiye voting vale din kya karne vali hai. "ENGLISH TRANSLATION: 'BJP candidate Ramkishore Saini from Bandikui, Dausa, beaten up black and blue.  Just think what will happen on the election day'. The video has been shared at least 4,000 times and has more than 40,000 views since Tuesday (November 27). India Today Fact Check team found that the man thrashed in the video is not BJP candidate Ramkishore Saini but the late Congress worker from Dausa, Vishwanath Saini.  The video dates back to October, 2015.  Vishwanath passed away two days ago. With the help of Intel Techniques, when we searched the video on the internet, it threw results referring the man in this video to Congress worker Vishwanath Saini. We also found a YouTube video of News18 Hindi where the entire incident was narrated.  According to News18 Hindi, some clashes had erupted during a meeting of Congress workers in Dausa in October, 2015 where Congress worker Vishwanath Saini was beaten up. India Today TV also contacted the BJP candidate from Bandikui assembly seat, Ramkishore Saini, on this matter.  Ramkishore told us that the claim in the video is totally false. Our local correspondent also confirmed us the same.  He further told us that the incident took place in Hotel Rawat Palace in Dausa.  We reached out to the hotel owner, Manohar Gupta, who confirmed us that the clash happened in his hotel a few years ago. (This story has been done as a part of Ekta News Coalition)The number of crows determines the intensity of the lie.


Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on #Budget2019 : Opposition has no issues to talk about, they are scared of Modi Ji’s welfare schemes.  We don’t do votebank politics, we do development politics. We are dedicated to take Indian farmers to new heights. https://t.co/S87aY4IVQt

Union minister Arun Jaitley on Friday hit out at the opposition Congress over its criticism on the budget and asked it not to shed crocodile tears for farmers. “Please don’t shed crocodile tears today for farmers.  If opposition also has several governments, let them announce similar schemes.  I’m sure other governments will also consider this,” Jaitley told news agency ANI in an interview in New York.  He was asked about the opposition’s criticism on budget announcement of Rs 6,000 per year for farmers having up to 2 hectares of land.  The scheme aims to support around 12 crore farmers in the country. Congress president Rahul Gandhi had earlier dubbed the announcement “an insult” to farmers. “Dear NoMo, 5 years of your incompetence and arrogance has destroyed the lives of our farmers.  Giving them Rs.  17 a day is an insult to everything they stand and work for,” Rahul wrote on Twitter. Jaitley pointed out that the Congress-led UPA had announced Rs 70,000 crores as farm loan waiver but had spent only Rs 52,000 crores.  He also noted that out of this Rs 52,000 crores, the CAG had found that a significant part of money went to traders and businessmen and not to farmers. “Now look at what we’ve been doing.  Rural roads — 91% completed.  Rural housing, by 2022, everyone will have a roof.  98. 7% people in rural areas now have sanitation.  Every willing home is having electricity.  Every man has switched over cooking methods,” he said. Finance minister Piyush Goyal did hit back with a veiled dig at Rahul.  “Never before has small farmers received such government assistance.  People belonging to dynasties and living in AC rooms don’t understand the suffering of a farmer who owns a small piece of land,” he said. On criticism on demonetization, Jaitley said there are more digital and recordable transactions.


NEW: Asked if he thinks Pres. Trump would pardon him if convicted, Roger Stone tells @TomLlamasABC, "The only person I have advocated a pardon for is Marcus Garvey." https://t.co/ipf6MXqI96 https://t.co/53pE8cgApo

  Former Secretary of State Colin Powell wrote on Thursday about receiving help changing his tire from a veteran who lost his leg in Afghanistan, writing that it “touched my soul. ”

  Powell, who’s also a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, wrote on Facebook that he had been on his way to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, driving along Interstate 495, when his left front tire blew out.

  “I am a car guy and knew I could change it but it was cold outside and the lug bolts were very tight,” Powell writes.  “I jacked the car up and got several of the bolts removed when a car suddenly pulled up in front of me. ”

Colin Powell Fast Facts

  While talking to the man who had pulled over to help, Powell wrote he learned the man had lost his leg in Afghanistan.  The man told Powell he had recognized him and wanted to help.

  “He grabbed the lug wrench and finished the job as I put the tools away,” Powell writes, and then they both headed off to appointments at Walter Reed.

  “I hadn’t gotten his name or address but he did ask for a ‘selfie,’ ” Powell writes, and posted the photo of them together.

  Powell wrote that the man messaged him the following on Wednesday night: “Gen.  Powell, I hope I never forget today because I’ll never forget reading your books.  You were always an inspiration, a leader and statesman.  After 33 years in the military you were the giant whose shoulders we stood upon to carry the torch to light the way and now it is tomorrow’s generation that must do the same.  Anthony Maggert”

  “Thanks, Anthony,” Powell writes.  “You touched my soul and reminded me about what this country is all about and why it is so great.  Let’s stop screaming at each other.  Let’s just take care of each other.  You made my day. ”
Yesterday was a reassuring day for me.   I was on my way to Walter Reed Military Hospital for an exam.   As I drove along. . .
  Maggert, who told CNN he served as a contracting officer in the Army and did three tours in Iraq and two in Afghanistan before leaving the military in June 2018 and obtaining the rank of major, said in a phone interview that he encountered Powell as he was headed to see the prosthetist for a routine appointment.

  “I was going down the road and I saw somebody on the side of the road and they looked like they were in need.  I didn’t know who it was but that didn’t matter to me.  The closer I got, I realized who it was,” Maggert told CNN.

  Powell “was always a hero of mine when I was a kid,” Maggert said.  He said he submitted the paragraph addressed to Powell through his website and then a member of Powell’s team reached out to him.

  Maggert told CNN he lost his leg due to flesh-eating bacteria, and said, “I was still in active duty and I still continued to serve.  I never left active duty as an amputee. ”

  He said he had served 23 years in the military, and after retiring last year went to culinary school.

  CNN’s Ashley Billings contributed to this report.
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JUST IN: Speaker Nancy Pelosi responds to Pres. Trump: "The House of Representatives will not consider a concurrent resolution authorizing the President’s State of the Union address in the House Chamber until government has opened." https://t.co/7kWcl49Gn1 https://t.co/ow6JcSXBIE

  President Donald Trump is still planning to deliver a “State of the Union” address one week from today – although where he will be speaking from remains very much a mystery.

  You’ll remember that Speaker Nancy Pelosi effectively disinvited Trump from addressing a bicameral session of Congress on January 29, citing security concerns tied to the ongoing government shutdown – now in its 32nd day.

  “She invited us.  We accepted,” explained a senior White House aide to CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on Tuesday.  “She cited security concerns.  DHS responded to those.  And we are moving forward. ”

  The thing about that is that Pelosi hasn’t re-invited Trump or, really, said anything since she asked him to postpone his SOTU address – or deliver a written version to Congress – earlier this month.

  If Pelosi refuses to blink, Trump will not be able to speak in the House.  It’s Pelosi’s right as speaker to invite (or not invite) the President to address the chamber.  As evidence, the House sergeant-at-arms turned down a request Monday from the White House for a walk-through in advance of the speech next Tuesday.

  So if Trump can’t speak to the House, where else could he deliver the “State of the Union? ” Here are a few ideas:

1) The Senate: The upper chamber is controlled by Republicans so, theoretically, his party could smooth the way for Trump to deliver his SOTU there.  And, as PBS’ Lisa Desjardins helpfully notes, nine presidents have given speeches in the Senate – although none of them were State of the Union addresses.  The problem, of course, is that the Senate chamber isn’t big enough to accommodate all 535 members of Congress – not to mention Trump’s Cabinet and all sorts of other dignitaries.

2) The border: Given that the shutdown fight revolves entirely around Trump’s demand for $5 billion to pay for a border wall, Trump could highlight the necessity of a wall by speaking at the border.  He’s already been there once during this shutdown – he traveled to McAllen, Texas earlier this month to meet with border officials, and could do so again.

3) A Trump/Democrat House district: There are 23 freshmen House Democrats who represents districts that Trump won in 2016.  If any Democrats are going to panic about the political impact of this ongoing shutdown over the border wall, it’s this group of almost two dozen.  Trump could have his pick in Iowa, with both freshmen Democratic Reps.  Abby Finkenauer and Cindy Axne holding seats he won three years ago.

4) The White House: There’s any number of places within 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue where Trump could deliver his SOTU speech.  While his Oval Office address earlier this month felt somewhat staid and flat, there are plenty of other options – like, say, the East Room, where Trump held a press conference the day after the 2018 election.

The Point: It’s possible Pelosi acquiesces and Trump gets to speak on the House floor in seven days’ time.  But I doubt it.  I also doubt that Trump will simply let Pelosi dictate when and where he can address the country.  That’s not his style.  At all.
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If CBI registered FIR, then it's their compulsion. It comes under centre & govt has its own compulsions. Bihar govt made a recommendation when they've nothing to do with the matter. Mere angne mein tumhara kya kaam hai? Investigation is taking place here: Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena https://t.co/jFtvGtgFpZ

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Monday slammed Bihar government for its involvement in Sushant Singh Rajput’s death case, saying “they’ve got nothing to do with the matter”.  “Mere angne me tumhara kya kaam hai?  (What business you’ve got in my courtyard).  The investigation is taking place here in Maharashtra,” Raut said.  “If the CBI registered an FIR, then it’s their compulsion.  It comes under the centre and the government has its own compulsions.  Bihar government made a recommendation when they’ve nothing to do with the matter,” he said.  The Shiv Sena leader said the FIR has been registered in Mumbai and Mumbai Police is investigating the case.   Also read: Sushant Singh Rajput case: Rhea moves SC, alleges unfair media trialFIR is registered in Mumbai & is being investigated by Mumbai Police.  Suddenly FIR is registered in Bihar.  What's the need for it?  Have some trust in the Police.  Every Police holds a reputation in its state, if you interfere in that then matter gets worse: Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena https://t. co/PQdmXeC4nb“Suddenly an FIR is registered in Bihar.  What’s the need for it?  Have some trust in the Police.  Every Police holds a reputation in its state, if you interfere in that then matter gets worse,” the MP stated.  Earlier, in party’s editorial mouthpiece Saamna, Raut had said that Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput was not on good terms with his father KK Singh.  Also read: Sushant Singh Rajput’s family demands public apology from Sanjay Raut“It is true, how many times did Sushant go to Patna to meet his father?  I have sympathy for his father but there are many things that will come to surface,” Raut said in his article in Saamana. According to reports, the late actor’s family has now demanded an apology from Raut for his comments on the actor and is considering legal action.


Everything you need to know about Sen. Kamala Harris, the latest Democrat to run for president: https://t.co/SSruLLG7l2 https://t.co/2qUwMmRGXN

(This is the seventh edition of our monthly power rankings of Democrats most likely to get their party’s presidential nomination in 2020. )

    There’s been lots (and lots) of action in the 2020 Democratic primary race over the past month, but few actual changes.

    Sen.  Kamala Harris on Monday made official her long-anticipated announcement that she’s running for president.  A handful of other candidates have either announced exploratory committees (Elizabeth Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand) or have outright announced that they are running (Julian Castro).

    But aside from Harris and Warren (potentially), the candidates who comprise the top tier – at least at this early stage of the race – are still on the sidelines.  Former Vice President Joe Biden seems to be moving toward a candidacy, but has given no indication of when he might make a decision.  Former Texas Rep.  Beto O’Rourke is in soul-searching mode at the moment.

    Those decisions – we’d be surprised if either Biden or O’Rourke didn’t run – have the potential to shake up the race in a meaningful way.  At the moment, however, the movement in the 2020 field is all in the second tier.

    Speaking of which, here’s our latest look at the 10 men and women most likely to win the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, ranked.

10.  Julian Castro: To the credit of the former San Antonio mayor, he didn’t fiddle around much – he just got in, announcing his candidacy last weekend.  “I am not a frontrunner in this race, but I have not been a frontrunner at any time in my life,” he said in making his candidacy official.  The question now for Castro is how he stands out in the race – especially if fellow Texan O’Rourke gets in.  (Previous ranking: 9)

9.  Amy Klobuchar: The pitch from the senior senator from Minnesota to voters will come down to electability and pragmatism.  Klobuchar’s wide 2018 reelection margin in a state Trump nearly won may sell with voters who desperately want to beat Trump.  That, combined with a prosecutorial streak and a fairly moderate record (which may be rare among 2020 contenders), could give her a unique lane to the nomination.  (Previous ranking: 7)

8.  Kirsten Gillibrand: The New York Senator got into the race earlier this week – casting herself as a leading voice for women in national politics.  In the announcement of her exploratory committee, Gillibrand put her young family front and center – and noted that she was running to fight for them.  Speaking of fighting, her pledge that she is not afraid of Trump could win her some support among Democrats looking for a scrapper.  The problem?  She has a long voting record in the House that is considerably more conservative than her Senate votes.  (She’s already trying to clean up that record; she told MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow Wednesday night that her past positions on guns and immigration were wrong. ) (Previous ranking: 10)

7.  Bernie Sanders: The 2016 runner-up continues to place a (distant) second in 2020 primary polls behind Biden.  That, along with the growing liberalness of the Democratic base, is enough for him to still be a contender.  Make no mistake though: his stock has fallen.  Despite universal name recognition, he cannot break out of the teens in primary polling.  There will also be candidates like O’Rourke who can eat into Sanders’ base of young voters.  And the last few months have been especially harsh for the Vermont senator.  For example, he had to apologize to women who were “harassed or mistreated” during his 2016 campaign by male campaign workers.  (Previous ranking: 6)

6.  Sherrod Brown: If you’re looking for a credible dark horse, the Ohio senator is it.  Now Brown isn’t in the race yet, but his announcement this week that he is embarking on an early state listening tour suggests he is likely to be a candidate.  Brown has a proven record of winning votes in a swing state in the Midwest, a long record of liberal advocacy and an authentic populist streak.  But can he raise the money to compete with the big girls and boys?  (Previous ranking: 8)

5.  Cory Booker: Iowa and New Hampshire will play a big role in the 2020 nomination process.  That’s good news for the junior senator from New Jersey, who’s been working his butt off to build relationships in the two early states.  Booker, like others in the field, can point to a progressive Senate record.  He’s also one of only two black candidates in the field.  (Black voters make up around 20% of the Democratic primary electorate. ) Booker has two obvious potential flaws.  First, many Sanders supporters regard him as a “neoliberal” for his ties to Wall Street.  Second, Booker can be very energetic, but sometimes that may come across as insincere.  You may recall his “Spartacus moment. ” (Previous ranking: 4)

4.  Elizabeth Warren: After a very rocky run-up to her announcement, the Massachusetts senator had a nice rollout of her exploratory committee – which she announced somewhat surprisingly on December 31.  While Warren flubbed her attempt to put questions of her Native American heritage behind her, she remains a potent figure in the party.  She’s a liberal’s liberal with anti-corporatist cred and an ability to raise tens of millions of dollars.  (Previous ranking: 5)

3.  Joe Biden: The case for the former vice president is what it’s always been: he holds a clear lead in primary polls; his favorable ratings with Democrats are through the roof; he holds a substantial lead in early polls against Trump (which bolsters an electability argument); and he was second in command to the very popular President Barack Obama.  Additionally, it now seems like Biden wants to run, which obviously increases his chance of winning.  But Biden’s problems are clear too.  He’s an old white moderate man in a young diversifying party keen on electing progressives and women.  (Previous ranking: 3)

2.  Beto O’Rourke: The former Texas congressman is the buzziest potential candidate in the field – by a lot.  He’s being touted by many as the closest thing to Obama since, well, Obama.  And while O’Rourke hasn’t made his intentions clear, his solo road trip seems like the sort of thing someone who wants to run for president would do.  While O’Rourke still has some time to fix this problem, his fuzziness on issues could come back to bite him if he doesn’t get up to speed – and quickly.  (Previous ranking: 2)

1.  Kamala Harris: When you’re trying to think of who will win the nomination, you have a look at a checklist of attributes that play well within today’s Democratic Party.  The junior senator from California pretty much checks all of them.  Progressive?  Check.  Woman?  Check.  Black?  Check.  Can take it to Trump?  She’s the former attorney general of California.  Still, Harris is well back in the early polls, which keeps us from going all in on her.  (Previous ranking: 1)

This story has been updated.
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Number of COVID-19 cases reaches 1,656; active cases stand at 561: Himachal Pradesh Health Department https://t.co/FuKdXwInvH

A look at where some of the leading Covid-19 candidates stand, and what we know about them Get our daily newsletterGet free access to newsletters, alerts and recommendations


"Shallow," from the film "A Star Is Born," wins best original song #Oscars https://t.co/Z1AhMZjHwa https://t.co/WoaY9XRwaB

"Green Book" won best picture while Rami Malek took home best actor. The best moments from the 2019 OscarsThe 2019 Academy Awards were one for the books, with stars like Lady Gaga, Rami Malek and Spike Lee taking home an Oscar. Regina King won the Oscar for actress in a supporting role for "If Beale Street Could Talk" and Mahershala Ali won his second Oscar for best supporting actor in "Green Book. "Iconic director Spike Lee won his first Oscar for original screenplay for his work in "BlacKkKlansman. " Gaga took home her first award for her original song "Shallow," which she also performed alongside "A Star Is Born" co-star Bradley Cooper.  Olivia Colman won best actress for "The Favourite," beating out Glenn Close, who had seemed like a shoo-in heading into the show. Overall, "Bohemian Rhapsody" lead the way with four wins, including Malek for actor in a leading role.  "Black Panther," "Roma" and "Green Book" have all won three awards each.  The biggest award of the night, best picture, went to "Green Book. "Here are your 2019 Oscar winners:Best PictureActor in a Leading RoleActress in a Leading RoleBest DirectorActress in a Supporting RoleActor in a Supporting RoleDocumentary FeatureMakeup and HairstylingCostume DesignProduction DesignCinematographySound EditingSound MixingForeign Language FilmFilm EditingAnimated Feature FilmAnimated Short FilmDocumentary ShortVisual EffectsLive Action Short FilmOriginal ScreenplayAdapted ScreenplayOriginal ScoreOriginal Song24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events