Alfonso Cuarón wins best director for “Roma” #Oscars https://t.co/m7s9FsLySr https://t.co/VoD5wTNE9u

There was glitz, glamour and so much more! Gaga, J. Lo, Glenn Close: Here's our round up of the best red carpet looks of the 2019 OscarsThe 2019 Oscars are officially here, and the red carpet is full of celebrities who have waited for this moment to bring their fashion A-game. We've rounded up some of our favorite looks of the night. Lady GagaConstance WuAngela BassettBilly PorterDiane WarrenStephen JamesRegina KingAshley GrahamAmandla StenbergSpike LeeYalitza AparicioCharlize TheronAdam LambertMelissa McCarthyEmilie ClarkeAwkwafinaGlenn CloseJennifer HudsonMichelle YeohHelen MirrenEmma StoneMaya RudolphTina FeyBrie LarsonTessa ThompsonSarah Paulson24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Delhi: Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs, G Kishan Reddy arrives at Ministry of Home Affairs to take charge. https://t.co/BN9StoiEX2

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah on Saturday took charge as the 30th Union Home Minister at a time when the country is facing terrorism, secessionism and Maoist insurgency challenges.  The 55-year-old BJP leader assumed charge a day after he was assigned the crucial Home portfolio, succeeding Rajnath Singh, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government returned for a second term.  The leadership change in the high-profile ministry is expected to usher in a certain decisiveness and an iron-handed approach to terror, insurgency and secessionism. However, former Home Minister Rajnath Singh had given a free hand to security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, leading to heavy casualties among terrorists, Shah is expected to be more proactive and lead from the front. WATCH: Opinion | Home Minister Amit Shah’s focus: J&K integration, Assam immigrationHe was welcomed by Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba and IB chief Rajiv Jain soon after he reached his North Block office(The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text, only the headline has been changed)


President Trump's abortion comments in context https://t.co/OHkrXnPnKt https://t.co/icBLOP3z4d

Iran lashed out at the U. S.  for supporting "dictators, butchers and extremists. "Breaking down Trump's 2nd State of the Union key moments, surprisesLONDON -- U. S.  President Donald Trump's Sate of the Union speech received mixed reactions from world leaders. Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif took to Twitter on Wednesday morning to lash out at Trump for making "accusations against us" during his speech the previous night. "US hostility has led it to support dictators, butchers & extremists, who've only brought ruin to our region," Zarif wrote in his tweet. While delivering his State of the Union address before members of Congress on Tuesday night, Trump called Iran "the world's leading state sponsor of terror" and pledged to continue to confront its "radical regime. ""They do bad, bad things," the U. S.  president said of Iran.  "We will not avert our eyes from a regime that chants 'death to America' and threatens genocide against the Jewish people. "But Zarif tweeted that "Iranians — and their Jewish compatriots — are commemorating 40 [years] of progress despite US pressure," as the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution approaches on Feb.  11. Meanwhile, South Korea applauded Trump's announcement during his speech that he will attend a second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Vietnam later this month. "We welcome that President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un confirmed the date and venue of their second summit," South Korean presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said at press briefing in Seoul on Wednesday.  "The two leaders have already taken their first step for finishing their 70-year-long history of hostility.  We hope that the two leaders take more specific and practical actions in Vietnam. "Japan also welcomed the announcement of a second meeting with North Korea and urged for the "complete and prompt implementation" of efforts toward full denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, referring to the vague agreement Trump and Kim signed during their first summit in Singapore last June. "Japan hopes the second U. S. -North Korea summit planned late this month will become a meaningful one and we hope to continue to cooperate with the United States so that we can coordinate our policies," Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a press briefing Wednesday. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


"It was such a positive meeting," says Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms of Joe Biden's virtual gathering with US mayors.

"To have President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris speak to us about understanding the needs of our cities... was really inspiring." https://t.co/dydX5aE67g

Blinken's years of experience have brought bipartisan praise. Secretary of State nominee Anthony Blinken speaks In Tony Blinken, Joe Biden has said he has a "superstar. "The president-elect's pick to be secretary of state is not a household name.  But his years of experience in Washington's foreign policy circles and near-two decades of working closely with Biden have brought bipartisan praise for his forthcoming nomination. Biden will appear alongside Blinken and other key members of his national security cabinet Tuesday, as he continues to try to project calm competence during a rocky transition log-jammed by President Donald Trump's refusal to concede. In selecting Blinken, a close confidant who served as the State Department's number two under President Barack Obama, Biden said he is looking for a team to hit the ground running.  That's contingent on Blinken clearing Senate confirmation, where Republicans may put up a fight, while some progressives who view him as a centrist, status-quo figure oppose the selection, too. If he is sworn in as the 71st secretary of state, Blinken has a long list of foreign policy challenges that his boss wants to tackle.  But several former State Department officials say he has the key ingredients to be successful as the top U. S.  diplomat -- a deep trust and tight bond with the president, an understanding of the agency and its byzantine structure, and the support of its rank and file. "He is a superb choice.  He is an accomplished and experienced foreign policy expert," said Colin Powell, President George W.  Bush's secretary of state who endorsed Biden in the 2020 campaign.  "I know him well.  He is a balanced diplomat with a superb reputation and will represent the United States with skill and professionalism. "Blinken, 58, has been a loyal foreign policy aide to Biden since he served as Democratic staff director on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee while Biden was the chair.  He went with Biden to the White House as his national security adviser, before serving as Obama's deputy national security adviser and then deputy secretary of state. His experience as the second highest-ranking U. S.  diplomat makes him a known quantity in foreign capitals, especially for his work building the international coalition to defeat the Islamic State and pressing for international sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin's inner circle for the illegal occupation of Crimea.  It could also make him a Republican target, with senators looking to sink his nomination by tying him to Obama-era policies like the Iran nuclear deal. During the 2020 campaign, the mild-mannered Blinken said a Biden presidency would focus on strengthening those alliances, blaming Trump and his hard-charging Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for alienating U. S.  allies and weakening U. S.  standing. "The first step is actually revitalizing these alliances, revitalizing these partnerships, reasserting that America values them and that we want to be engaged in them or with them to work together to tackle these hard problems," he told the Hudson Institute in July. Fluent in French and known for his guitar skills, the Harvard College and Columbia Law School graduate spent his teenage years living with his mother Judith Pisar and stepfather Samuel Pisar in Paris after Judith and his father Donald Blinken divorced.  The elder Blinken is a wealthy financier who served as President Bill Clinton's ambassador to Hungary, while his uncle Alan served as ambassador to Belgium. His mother is a well-known patron of the arts and his stepfather is a famed lawyer and author, who survived the horrors of Auschwitz and Dachau, but lost his family.  It's an experience that left a deep impression on a young Blinken, according to Pisar. "It gave him another dimension, another look at the world and what can happen here," Pisar told The Washington Post in 2013, two years before his death in 2015.  "When he has to worry today about poison gas in Syria, he almost inevitably thinks about the gas with which my entire family was eliminated. "That compassion has become a calling card, according to Blinken's supporters, who describe him as kind and thoughtful -- qualities on display during a segment with Sesame Street's Grover about refugees that was filmed in September 2016, but went viral again after news of his selection broke Sunday night. "Can you imagine how difficult it would be to have to leave your home? " Blinken asked Grover, who said he never wanted to leave Sesame Street.  "Sadly, refugees have to leave everything behind. ""Even though they come from many different places, they're just like you and me," Blinken added in the video.  "We all have something to learn and gain from one another, even when it doesn't seem at first like we have much in common. "Supporters hope that means Blinken will take a tougher stance on human rights, especially against China for its assault on Uighurs and other Muslim ethnic minorities or Hong Kong and its democracy -- something Trump refused to do, even as Pompeo made China a frequent target of his withering criticism. That empathy also seems to be behind Blinken's push for U. S.  interventions during the Obama years, including supporting U. S.  airstrikes against Muammar Gaddafi's forces in Libya and greater American involvement in Syria's long, bloody war -- two instances where he was on the opposite end of the argument as his boss Biden. But it's those very policies that have now engendered opposition from some liberal groups, as well as the isolationist streak of Republicans that backed Trump and his call to "end endless wars" and stop America's role as the "world's policeman. ""Blinken has agreed with some of the biggest foreign policy mistakes that Biden and Obama made, and he has tended to be more of an interventionist than both of them," wrote Daniel Larison, senior editor of The American Conservative -- while Cindy Wiesner, executive director of Grassroots Global Justice Alliance, said he "reflects the status quo of the Obama era: pro-war, pro-US intervention, and pro-military agenda. "There is one other quality that supporters say will make Blinken a distinctive voice: He's a new father to two young children with his wife Evan Ryan, a former assistant secretary of state. "It will be inspiring for working parents everywhere to see America's top diplomat in action as he also helps raise two toddlers," tweeted his former colleague Samantha Power, Obama's U. N.  ambassador.  "Thanks to Tony & the incomparable Evan Ryan for their family sacrifice. "This report was featured in the Tuesday, Nov.  24, 2020, episode of “Start Here,” ABC News’ daily news podcast. "Start Here" offers a straightforward look at the day's top stories in 20 minutes.  Listen for free every weekday on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, the ABC News app or wherever you get your podcasts. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Tamil Nadu: People staged protest against Citizenship Amendment Act, National Register of Citizens and National Population Register in Coimbatore, yesterday. https://t.co/lp07VIPm06

I am astounded by the government’s recent arguments in support of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).  Not only is its logic factually flawed, but it’s also deeply disturbing.  Now, governments the world over distort facts, and the outcome can be disillusioning.  But in this case, it has possibly gone further.  It is, arguably, self-contradictory. Let’s start with the home minister’s statement last week: “Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist and Christian refugees from Pakistan have as much right over India as you and I.  They are the sons and daughters of India.  The country will embrace them. ” This is based on the fact we were one country before 1947.  But then what about the Muslims of Pakistan?  Weren’t they part of the same country too? Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of our Nation, opposed partition on the grounds all Indians, including Muslims, were one people.  Is Amit Shah refuting or turning his back on the Mahatma’s belief? In 2015, Ram Madhav, a general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), told Al Jazeera he believes “India, Pakistan and Bangladesh will reunite to form ‘Akhand Bharat’ ”.  Even though his party claimed this is his personal view — it was, however, part of the BJP’s manifesto in 1952 — read carefully what he actually said: “The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) still believes that one day these parts, which have for historical reasons separated only 60 years ago, will again, through popular goodwill, come together and Akhand Bharat will be created.  As a RSS member I also hold on to that view. ” Now, tell me, if Akhand Bharat ever came to be, what would happen to the Muslims of Pakistan?  In Amit Shah’s eyes, they are not “the sons and daughters of India”.  They do not have “as much right over this country as you and I”.  So, would we push them into the sea? Next is the argument made by the prime minister that CAA will expose Pakistan’s persecution of minorities.  As he put it: “It’s the result of our initiative that Pakistan will now have to answer why they have been persecuting minorities for the last 70 years… (otherwise) the world would not have known about the kind of atrocities that were perpetrated on minorities in Pakistan. ”Actually, the world is only too aware of how deplorably Pakistan’s minorities are treated.  Asia Bibi was an international cause célèbre but only the most recent.  The ill-treatment of Abdus Salam, the country’s first Nobel laureate, was perhaps the earliest.  In fact, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom never fails to castigate Pakistan.  In 2019, it was designated as a “country of particular concern”.  Actually, the Commission has come to that conclusion every year since 2002.  In 2018, the State Department concurred.  So, clearly, India’s discriminatory CAA is not needed to draw attention to Pakistan’s ill-treatment of its religious minorities. Finally, has the number of Hindus in Pakistan reduced in recent years?  And, are they the worst-suffering religious minority?  On both counts the answer is no.  According to Pakistan’s census, in West Pakistan, in 1951 — after partition migrations — 3. 44% of the country’s population was Hindu.  In 1961, that reduced to 2. 83.  Thereafter, it’s risen — 3. 25 in 1972, 3. 30 in 1981, and 3. 70 in 1998. While Pakistani Hindus are undeniably ill-treated, there are reasons to believe the treatment of other religious minorities is worse.  The BBC’s Reality Check team says, “the majority of blasphemy cases up to 2018” were filed against Ahmadiyas or other Muslims, not Christians and Hindus.  Perhaps the worst sufferers are the four million Ahmadiyas.  In 1974, they were declared non-Muslim.  General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq’s 1984 ordinance forbade community worship or calling their places of worship mosques.  While Hindus have risen to be chief justices, ministers and members of parliament, that’s been denied to Ahmadiyas for over 45 years. Now, remember, the Ahmadiya faith originated in Qadian, in the Gurdaspur district of our Punjab.  Doesn’t that make them “sons and daughters of India”?  Don’t they have “as much right over India as you and I”? Karan Thapar is the author of Devil’s Advocate: The Untold StoryThe views expressed are personal


With very little information coming out from Kashmir, social media is full of speculations and fake news claiming to portray the situation in the Valley. A disturbing video, in which a woman is seen bleeding profusely, is doing the rounds on social media with the claim that Indian Army shot down a Kashmiri student.  The video shows a semi-conscious girl in a pool of blood while people surrounding her are heard asking each other to call the ambulance and police. Facebook page Free Kashmir’ shared the video with the caption, Indian army shot down a Kashmiri student.  If world cannot resist on such brutalities, it's better to close UNO and all the other organisations made to bring justice and peace.  (The video not attached as it shows grim violence towards a minor)India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found that the video has nothing to do with Kashmir.  The video is from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh where a jilted lover shot a school girl in her legs in December last year. The post, shared by Free Kashmir’ on Sunday, has been shared more than 600 times till the time of filing this story.  This page is followed by almost 4,500 Facebook users. With a combination of InVID tool and keyword search, we found the viral video in a Zee News report.  As per the report, on December 3, 2018, a jilted lover named Jitu fired four bullets in the legs of a Class 9 girl in Qutub Sher area of Saharanpur. Jitu was arrested on December 7 and he reportedly told police that he was having an affair with the girl but her family had arranged her marriage with someone else.  This made him angry and he shot four bullets at the girl’s leg so that she becomes disabled and her marriage is cancelled. We also found a Dainik Bhaskar report describing the same incident. Therefore, it can be concluded that an old video from UP has been passed off with the misleading claim that Indian Army shot down a Kashmiri student. The number of crows determines the intensity of the lie.


Pictures from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public rallies in West Bengal

#WestBengalElections2021 https://t.co/gnuIFixA85

In a speech punctuated with several Bengali phrases, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the second phase polling in Nandigram has confirmed the final outcome in West Bengal and once the BJP government is formed, he will come to the state to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the new chief minister who will be from the BJP. "The two phases have sealed the outcome of the election.  The more we will proceed into future phases of the elections, I am sure Didi will appear more and more annoyed.  Didi, you are facing a defeat.  It is time to accept," PM Modi said adding that election and democracy are not games, in a spin to Trinamool Congress's election slogan of khyala hobe (the game is on). Full coverage of West Bengal Assembly Election 2021The first thing the BJP government in West Bengal will do will ensure farmers' welfare.  The first cabinet will implement PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, PM Modi said. "As I will attend the oath-taking ceremony of the BJP chief minister of Bengal, I will tell the CM that I have to send money from Delhi.  Please implement this scheme as soon as possible.  Also, I will ensure that farmers get their arrears which Didi stalled.  Every farmer will get ₹18,000 in your account before Durga Puja," the prime minister said asking party workers to start documenting the details of the farmers where polling has been complete. Addressing people attending the Saturday rally, PM Modi said Mamata has hurt the pride of Bengalis by saying that people come to my rallies for money.  "Are you standing here in this scorching heat because of money? " PM Modi asked. The state will go to the third phase polls on April 6.


Nepal: Flooding & landslide in parts of Nepal following heavy rainfall; visuals from Chitwan area.

132 people dead,128 injured, 53 missing&998 families affected due to rainfall, landslides&floods in the country as of 23rd July: Nepal Disaster Risk Reduction&Management Authority https://t.co/X4yetUwBJW

At least 132 people lost their lives as a result of heavy rains triggering landslides, and flash floods in Nepal. “132 people dead, 128 injured, 53 missing and 998 families affected due to rainfall, landslides and floods in the country as of 23rd July,” Nepal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said. Within the last two weeks, the Myagdi district of western Nepal was the worst affected with 27 reported deaths. Search and rescue operations are being conducted continuously with officials and police personnel who are looking through the debris to find missing people. Monsoon-induced disasters are common in Nepal owing to the country’s mountainous topography.  Hundreds have been displaced as landslides have swept away their homes.  They ended up taking refuge in local schools and community centers. Nepal’s Meteorological Forecasting Division earlier last week had predicted heavy downpour across the country.  The Division had warned of monsoon winds being near the low-pressure line in the Terai belt, which would consequently cause more rainfall.


California city to pay $21 million settlement to man who spent 39 years in prison for crime he didn't commit. https://t.co/c3AXvNaLHB https://t.co/4vQ0QTPhXk

  Craig Coley never should have spent 39 years in prison.  On this, everyone seems to agree.  They also concur the 71-year-old should spend the rest of his life as a wealthy man.

  Simi Valley announced Saturday it would settle a federal lawsuit, giving Coley $21 million for his almost four decades of wrongful incarceration in the 1978 murders of Rhonda Wicht and her 4-year-old son, Donald.  Thirty-nine years is the longest prison term overturned in California, the city says.

  “While no amount of money can make up for what happened to Mr.  Coley, settling this case is the right thing to do for Mr.  Coley and our community,” City Manager Eric Levitt said in a statement, adding that going to trial would be costly and irresponsible.

  Often, the wrongfully convicted face lengthy battles over how they should be compensated for their imprisonment as localities blame previous administrations and squabble over what monetary sum amounts to atonement.

  Not here.  In Coley’s case, every level of government appears on board.  The Simi Valley Police Department reopened the case, drawing the support of Ventura County District Attorney Gregory Totten.

  Then-Gov.  Jerry Brown pardoned the Navy veteran in 2017, and the California Victim Compensation Board last year awarded him almost $2 million in compensation – $140 for each of the 13,991 days Coley was held “illegally behind bars, away from society, employment, and (his) loved ones. ” Months later, Coley filed a federal civil rights lawsuit, and now the city is handing over millions more.

  The city will pay about $4. 9 million, with the rest coming from insurance and other sources, according to a news release.

  Totten’s office in November 2017 announced that the prosecutor and Simi Valley Police Chief David Livingstone were supporting Coley’s bid for clemency.  Investigators in Simi Valley, located about 40 miles northwest of Los Angeles, had found “biological samples” – which the trial court had ordered destroyed following Coley’s January 1980 conviction – at a private laboratory, the district attorney’s office said in a statement.

  “A key piece of evidence used to convict (the) defendant was found to not contain his DNA, but to instead contain the DNA of other individuals,” it said.

  The investigation – which also included interviewing witnesses and re-creating the Coley case file from documents retained by his family and other sources – led Totten to believe “the evidence, as we now know it, would meet the legal standard for a finding of factual innocence. ”

  On November 22, 2017, Brown pardoned Coley, making him a free man, and a week later, the Ventura County Superior Court not only vacated Coley’s convictions but declared him innocent, paving the way for state compensation.

  In issuing the pardon, Brown said he had requested in 2015 that the state Board of Parole Hearings investigate the case, and the board heard from at least three law enforcement officers who opined that a detective in 1978 “mishandled the case. ”

  Coley had no prior criminal record before the murders, Brown noted, and he was a model prisoner, dedicating himself to religion.  He also earned two degrees and began work on a master’s, according to the state Victim Compensation Board.

  “The grace with which Mr.  Coley has endured this lengthy and unjust incarceration is extraordinary,” the governor wrote.

  While the settlement brings some sense of justice to Coley and his family, it also means that Rhonda and Donald Wicht’s killer or killers escaped arrest.  Police said last year they were hoping the Golden State Killer might help them solve the case, but he, too, was cleared by DNA, the Ventura County Star reported.

  According to the National Registry of Exonerations, Wicht and her son were found murdered on November 11, 1978.  Donald had been smothered, Wicht had been strangled with a macrame cord and it appeared someone had staged the scene to look like a burglary.  Wicht, 24, had also been raped, a physician later determined.

  Neighbors told police the sound of a struggle had awoken them about 5:30 a. m.  that morning, and one neighbor said she had looked outside and seen Coley’s truck.  Coley, a restaurant manager and son of a retired Los Angeles detective, was in the process of breaking up with Wicht at the time, according to the registry’s synopsis.

  Coley, 31 at the time, told police he had been socializing at a restaurant until 4:30 a. m. , had dropped off a friend at about 4:45 and gone home himself.  Police searched Coley’s home and found a child’s T-shirt and a bloody towel, which they believed had been used in the murders, the synopsis said.

  Coley was charged with first-degree murder and prosecutors announced they would seek the death penalty.

  At trial, police testified that there were no signs of forced entry at Wicht’s home and that a key to an inside door lock had been found on the floor of her apartment.  A doctor told jurors Coley had numerous injuries, including an abrasion on his penis, the registry said.

  As he would for the next four decades, Coley denied committing the crimes, taking the stand in his own defense.  Coworkers backed his story that he was at the restaurant until the early morning of the murder, and his defense team disputed the prosecution’s characterization of Coley’s injuries, according to the synopsis.

  The jury was hung 10-2, and the judge declared a mistrial.  Coley was found guilty in a second trial and sentenced to life in prison without parole.  The California Court of Appeal upheld his conviction a decade later.

  Simi Valley police detective Michael Bender eventually examined the case file and became convinced of Coley’s innocence.  In his 2013 petition for clemency, Bender said that another detective had destroyed evidence that may have vindicated Coley, the registry said.

  “There was nobody else there to fight for the guy, so I just continued the fight,” Bender told CNN last year.  “It was the right thing to do. ”

  Boxes of evidence once thought destroyed were found in a storage unit, and the company that had tested Coley’s biological samples had been bought by a private company, which retained the samples.

  The sheet on which Wicht’s body was found did not contain Coley’s DNA, but it contained sperm and possibly saliva from an unidentified man, and the child’s T-shirt did not contain Coley’s DNA, the registry said.

  As part of the new investigation, police also went to the apartment building where the neighbors lived and determined it would’ve been difficult to make out any details of a vehicle and impossible to identify anyone inside.  When Brown officially exonerated Coley, he flatly stated, “I grant this pardon because Mr.  Coley did not commit these crimes. ”

  Coley spent his first Thanksgiving out of prison with Bender and his family.

  Following news of Saturday’s settlement, attorney Ron Kaye said Coley “now can live the rest of his life, which we hope will be really well into the future, with the security he deserves,” according to the Los Angeles Times.
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Spike Lee predicted Twitter outrage if the Oscars results didn't "work out a certain type of way" https://t.co/eTofTNkfkP https://t.co/khMGvfT36B

"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


Jammu and Kashmir: Polling parties assemble at Electronic Voting Machine (EVMs) distribution centre in Pulwama. Polling will be held in Shopian and Pulwama districts for Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency tomorrow. #LokSabhaElections2019 https://t.co/G3MPmfXhac

The Arambagh Lok Sabha seat is one of 42 parliamentary constituencies in West Bengal and is reserved for members of Scheduled Castes. A former pocket borough of the Communist Party of India(Marxist), the Arambagh Lok Sabha seat comprises seven legislative assembly segments and is in Hooghly district.  Read: All you need to know about West BengalThe CPI(M)’s Anil Basu won the seat seven times consecutively from 1984 to 2004.  His party colleague Saktimohan Malik won the seat in the 2009 Lok Sabha election.  The Trinamool Congress’ Aparupa Poddar broke into the left party’s bastion in the 2014 election. West Bengal will see polling on April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19 during all the seven phases of the Lok Sabha election.  Votes will be counted on May 23. Here are a few details about the Arambagh Lok Sabha seat:State: West BengalName of the Lok Sabha constituency: ArambaghPolling date: May 62019 candidates: Aparupa Poddar (Trinamool), Saktimohan Malik (CPI-M), Tapan Roy (BJP), Sitting MP, party: Aparupa Poddar, TrinamoolWinning margin in 2014: 346,845Runner up name, party: Saktimohan Malik, CPI(M)Number of voters in 2014: 1,361,934Percentage of votes polled in 2014: 85. 11%Number of women voters in 2014: 766,664Number of polling booths in 2014: 2,053


The FBI has just announced the DNA is not a match for the teen who identified himself as missing Illinois boy Timmothy Pitzen. Child Advocate Callahan Walsh of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children joins Full Circle to discuss the case. https://t.co/8Yjs9X7o3Q https://t.co/O8LfuSHY30

Police say the individual was actually a 23-year-old man from Ohio. Person claiming to be missing child Timmothy Pitzen is not him: FBIThe FBI announced today that DNA testing confirms that the person found in Kentucky on Wednesday who claimed to be a missing child is not him. The man reportedly told authorities that he was Timmothy Pitzen, who was last seen when he was 6 years old and his mother took him out of school early in 2011, days before dying by suicide. FBI Louisville, FBI Cincinnati, Aurora Police Department, Newport Police Department, Cincinnati Police Department and Hamilton County Sheriff's Office have been working together on confirming the individual's identity and they announced Thursday that the DNA results indicate that the teen is not Timmothy Pitzen. "To be clear, law enforcement has not and will not forget Timmothy, and we hope to one day reunite him with his family.  Unfortunately, that day will not be today," said FBI Louisville Supervisory Special Agent Timothy Beam in a statement. According to the chief of police of Newport, Kentucky, the individual has been identified as Brian Michael Rini, who is a 23-year-old from Ohio. On Wednesday, what was then-thought to be a teenager allegedly told police that he was Timmothy Pitzen, who had been  been reported missing in 2011, when he was last seen being checked out of his Aurora, Illinois, school by his mother, Amy Fry-Pitzen. Timmothy was 6 years old at the time, and the search for him and his mother spanned the region before she was found dead by suicide in a motel room in Rockford, Illinois. On Thursday, in the wake of the DNA test results, Pitzen's maternal grandmother, Alana Anderson, spoke about the devastation that their family is feeling. "It's been awful.  We've been on tenterhooks," Anderson said to reporters, adding that the family has been "alternatively hopeful and frightened. ""It's devastating," Timmothy's aunt, Kara Jacobs, said.  "It's like reliving the day all over again.  Timmothy's father is devastated once again. "When asked about the person who claimed to be Timmothy, Anderson said that she thinks the man "obviously had a horrible time and felt the need to say he was someone else, and [I] hope that they can find his family. "They are not giving up hope that their real relative is found. "My prayer has always been that when he is old enough, he would find us if we couldn't find him," Anderson said. The case has been of national interest for years as relatives held out hope he was still alive.  And they had reason to believe he may still be alive: his mother left notes saying Timmothy was safe but would never be found. Days after his disappearance, Timmothy's father, Jim Pitzen, told ABC News he was convinced his son was still alive. "He's out there somewhere, and I know he's OK.  I just want him to come home to his family," Pitzen said. Jim Pitzen later spoke to Crime Watch Daily in 2017, where he talked about the last time he said he saw his son. "I said 'I love you buddy,' and he said 'I love you too, Dad, and I'll see you later,' and I'm like 'OK,' and I watched him run off to class," Pitzen told the channel about the last morning he dropped his son off at school. Timmothy is fine.  Timmothy belongs to me.  Timmothy and I will be fine.  Timmothy is safeThe elder Pitzen said he returned to the school that afternoon, only to find the boy's mother had picked him up about an hour after he was dropped off, allegedly citing a family emergency. Pitzen said he called relatives -- including his in-laws -- before deciding to wait. "I was like, 'OK, she's upset at me for some reason so she'll need to cool down. ' So the next morning comes around and they're still not home so I call the police department and report Amy and Timmothy missing," he told Crime Watch Daily. Jim Pitzen said Amy Pitzen called his brother, which seemed odd to him.  His brother told him he could hear Timmothy "in the background playing or hanging out," Pitzen said. Pitzen told Crime Watch Daily his brother also noted that Amy Pitzen said, "'Timmothy is fine.  Timmothy belongs to me.  Timmothy and I will be fine.  Timmothy is safe. '"Pitzen said he heard from police three days later that Amy Pitzen was found dead in a motel room without Timmothy, but with a suicide note. John Bischoff, an executive director at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, told ABC News that while every case is unique, there are a number of cases where children are found years after disappearing. The center has been involved in 50,000 to 60,000 cases in the past five years, and over 3,000 of those saw children recovered after being missing for six months or longer, he said. "In that same time-frame, we've had over 150 cases where the children were recovered after being missing for more than a decade," Bischoff said. Bischoff said that while a possible discovery is a windfall for the family, it can also be "an emotional roller coaster" for other parents whose children are missing. "I say it's a double-edged sword because yes they're excited . . .  but there's always some form of self-reflection where they say, 'Where's my child? ' So it's a difficult road for all searching parents out there," he said. But a discovery can have positive ripple effects. "Any public engagement in any of these cases will drive additional tips and leads on cases across the board," he said.  "Someone out there knows something, so it's just a matter of getting the right person to view the right image at the right time. "ABC News' Katie Conway contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Former President Trump's second impeachment trial kicks off Tuesday afternoon. Here's what we know about what will take place. | Analysis by @zbyronwolf https://t.co/qgt3tnLqJi

For Trump to be convicted, all Democrats and 17 Republicans must vote yes.  2nd Impeachment Trial: What this could mean for TrumpFormer President Donald Trump's historic second impeachment trial is set to begin Tuesday afternoon and will focus on his alleged role in inciting the deadly Capitol insurrection on Jan.  6. Despite Trump being out of office, some Congress members are determined to hold him accountable and stop him from holding future office, which senators could also vote for if he's convicted. As a result, House Democrats and Trump's lawyers -- David Schoen and Bruce Castor -- have prepared their cases to present to the Senate, where Sen.  Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. , will preside over the trial. Here's what you need to know before the impeachment trial begins:Do members of the GOP support Trump's impeachment? On Jan.  13, 10 Republicans joined House Democrats to charge Trump with a single article of impeachment.  The final vote was 232-197. However, the majority of Republican senators are likely to vote for an acquittal, as they did during Trump's first impeachment.  On Jan.  26, in a 55-45 vote, most Republicans voted that the trial was unconstitutional.  For Trump to be convicted, all Democrats and 17 Republicans must vote yes. What evidence are Democrats using to support the article of impeachment? House Democrats filed an 80-page brief, detailing Trump's "unmistakable" role in influencing his supporters' actions at the Capitol.  House impeachment managers argue the Jan.  6 riot was a final attempt to overturn the presidential election results that were certified later that evening.  Democrats plan to use Trump's action leading up to the deadly insurrection to prove the events that transpired were calculated and promoted by the former president, sources told ABC News. While it is unclear if both sides will call witnesses, House impeachment managers have requested that Trump testify under oath.  Trump's defense team quickly rejected the idea and called the request a "public relations stunt. "Rep.  Jamie Raskin D-Md. , will serve as the primary prosecutor for the trial among other House managers, including Rep.  Madeleine Dean D-Pa. , Rep.  Diana DeGette D-Colo. , Rep.  Ted Lieu D-Calif. , Rep.  Stacey Plaskett D-Virgin Islands, Rep.  David Cicilline D-R. I. , Rep.  Joaquin Castro D-Texas, Rep.  Joe Neguse D-Colo. , and Rep.  Eric Swalwell D-Calif. What is Trump's defense? Trump's newly appointed legal team also submitted its brief on Feb.  2, stating the trial is unconstitutional because Trump is no longer in office.  The trial's legality has been called into question since the beginning but the Senate voted to proceed. Trump's team is denying he violated the oath of office.  Its brief argues that Trump's use of social media and comments made on Jan.  6 are protected by the First Amendment.  There is a possibility that Trump's defense may contend there was election fraud despite Trump and his allies losing multiple court cases making that argument and the 2020 election results being certified by Congress. Trump's lawyers filed another brief on Feb. 8, further elaborating their argument against the trial's constitutionality and asking the Senate to dismiss the charges.  House impeachment managers followed with a five-page response to Trump's legal team.  Their response is not considered a rebuttal, but one is expected to be filed before the trial starts. Will there be an increase in security? Washington, D. C. , Mayor Muriel Bowser, in a press conference on Jan.  28, said there would be additional security in the district during Trump's impeachment trial.  Approximately 7,000 National Guardsmen remain in Washington for an extra measure of precaution following the Capitol riot that left five dead. Here's how you can watch Trump's 2nd impeachment trial:Tune in to "ABC News Live. " starting at 1 p. m.  for full coverage and analysis of Trump's second impeachment trial. Once the Senate floor is opened, there will be four hours of debate on constitutionality followed by a vote.  Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has determined opening arguments will begin on Wednesday with House impeachment managers; each side will have 16 hours.  Questions and answers will follow opening arguments.  The trial's length is still unknown, but ABC News' sources believe the trial could be over early next week. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Tonight’s presidential debate made for a chaotic first foray between Joe Biden and Donald Trump since the start of the general election race.

In case you missed tonight's debate, here are four key moments. #Debates2020 https://t.co/u3dRLeyNO5 https://t.co/YUdonZs1uO

Celebrities and pundits took to Twitter to decry the haphazard 90 minutes. Trump vs.  Biden 1st presidential debate key momentsViewers from across the country let out their frustrations on social media while watching the first presidential debate as the face-off between President Trump and former Vice President Biden was marked by interruptions, name-calling and shouting from both candidates and moderator Chris Wallace. Many Twitter users were critical of Wallace for his moderating skills and blamed him for not doing a good job keeping order during the 90 minutes. Some called for moderators to have the option to silence the microphones after Trump repeatedly ignored calls to stop interrupting Biden during his turn to speak. "I thought this debate was going to have a moderator," Jane Lynch tweeted. The Daily Show Twitter account, however, took some pity on Wallace. "Chris Wallace's debate performance tonight is a great reminder that kindergarten teachers are underpaid," The Daily Show tweeted. Others noted that Trump spent as much time going back and forth with Wallace as he did with his opponent. "Somehow Trump is getting 3rd place in this 2 person debate," comedian Jim Gaffigan tweeted. Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang brought up his universal basic income idea to poke fun at the chaos. "Everyone who watched that debate deserves $1,000 a month," he tweetedLongtime news anchor Dan Rather gave viewers a colorful take on the night's events as the debate ended. "All across America, people are ready to take a shower," he tweeted. This report was featured in the Wednesday, Sept.  30, 2020, episode of “Start Here,” ABC News’ daily news podcast. "Start Here" offers a straightforward look at the day's top stories in 20 minutes.  Listen for free every weekday on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, the ABC News app or wherever you get your podcasts. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Fact-checking Pres. Trump's accusations against the Ukraine whistleblower and the Bidens. https://t.co/P1kY2qk1HS

  At least four national security officials were so concerned by the Trump administration’s efforts to pressure Ukraine for political purposes that they shared their discontent with a White House lawyer both before and after President Donald Trump’s July phone call with Ukraine’s President, The Washington Post reported Thursday, citing US officials and other people familiar with the matter.

  The revelation of the discussions with National Security Council legal adviser John Eisenberg establish that US officials had delivered notable warnings through official White House channels even before Trump’s July phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that set off a whistleblower complaint.

CNN previously reported that unsettled aides also immediately began quizzing each other about whether they should alert senior officials who were not on the call – mainly those at the Justice Department, since Trump had invoked the agency’s boss, Attorney General Bill Barr, multiple times during the 30-minute talk.

  According to the Post, officials were alarmed by the removal of then-US Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch in May, the promotion of Ukraine-related conspiracies from Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and indications in White House meetings that Trump wanted the Ukrainian government to deliver politically damaging information on former Vice President Joe Biden.

  These concerns, the Post said, were amplified after Trump’s call with Zelensky.  A transcript of their conversation released by the White House last month shows Trump repeatedly pushed Zelensky to investigate Biden and his son, Hunter.  There is no evidence of wrongdoing by either Joe or Hunter Biden.

  Officials told the Post that shortly after the call took place, national security adviser John Bolton and other senior officials were being contacted by subordinates with problems about what Trump had said to Zelensky.

  “When people were listening to this in real time there were significant concerns about what was going on — alarm bells were kind of ringing,” one person familiar with the sequence of events told the paper.  “People were trying to figure out what to do, how to get a grasp on the situation. ”

  Bolton – who was fired last month – was among the officials who moved to obtain a rough transcript of the call that was already being “locked down” on a highly classified network, officials told The Post.

  The order to move the transcript came from the White House’s national security lawyers to prevent more people from seeing it, people familiar with the situation previously told CNN.  It also came after recognition the document would need to be preserved for legal reasons.

  According to the Post, one official said Eisenberg would “follow-up” on the warnings he received, but it remains unclear if he took any action.

  One person familiar with the matter told CNN it was possible Eisenberg ordered the call transcript placed into the codeword system after his initial call with the CIA’s top lawyer to “preserve” the record since he realized it could become a matter of a legal issue.  But others familiar with the matter said the move came after officials became aware of the internal concerns and wanted to prevent additional people from reading the document.

  CNN’s Pamela Brown, Jeremy Diamond, Kaitlan Collins and Kevin Liptak contributed to this report.
© 2021 Cable News Network.  A Warner Media Company.  All Rights Reserved.   CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network.


Hollywood's cutest partners hit the red carpet together at the #Oscars. https://t.co/YJYz1jTWjb https://t.co/mMQUlQuj3G

By Chloe Melas, CNNUpdated 0909 GMT (1709 HKT) February 25, 2019  (CNN)The 91st Academy Awards was a night marked by historic firsts, inclusiveness and a final twist.


"It is a matter of immense joy that Thalaiva has been conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award," Prime Minister @narendramodi tweets

Rajinikanth to receive the 51st Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest award in Indian cinema

https://t.co/yuwbJHlRgx https://t.co/uRfb9EedTM

Actor Rajinikanth will receive the 51st Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest award in Indian cinema, Union minister Prakash Javadekar announced on Twitter on Thursday. "Happy to announce #Dadasaheb Phalke award for 2019 to one of the greatest actors in history of Indian cinema Rajnikant ji.  His contribution as actor, producer and screenwriter has been iconic," Javadekar tweeted. Happy to announce #Dadasaheb Phalke award for 2019 to one of the greatest actors in history of Indian cinema Rajnikant jiHis contribution as actor, producer and screenwriter has been iconicI thank Jury @ashabhosle @SubhashGhai1 @Mohanlal@Shankar_Live #BiswajeetChatterjee pic. twitter. com/b17qv6D6BPThe prestigious award is named after the father of Indian cinema, Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, and was instituted in 1969.  The award is conferred by the government for outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian Cinema. The award is comprised of a Golden Lotus and a cash prize of ₹10 lakh. "India every year gives Dada Saheb Phalke award to a film personality.  This year this selection has been made by a jury comprising Asha Bhonsle, Mohanlal, Biswajit Chatterjee, Shankar Mahadevan and Subhash Ghai," Javadekar was quoted as saying by PTI. "They unanimously recommended that superstar Rajinikanth be conferred with Dada Saheb Phalke award and we accepted it," the Union minister said. The south Indian superstar, who was earlier expected to launch a political party in January 2021, announced his decision to abandon his plan to foray into politics.  On December 29 last year, Rajinikanth, citing his health condition vis-a-vis the coronavirus pandemic announced that he would not join politics.  He had undergone a renal transplant in 2016 and is on immuno-suppressants. The 70-year-old, who has more than 160 films to his credit, was given the Padma Bhushan in 2000 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2016 by the government.  He has also received several state and international accolades for his work as a south Indian icon. Many people hoped to see Rajinikanth contest the ongoing Assembly elections.  A large number of the actor's fans gathered in Chennai urging him to join politics in January this year. Appealing to his fans, Rajinikanth said, "Some of my fans along with expelled cadres of Rajini Makkal Mandram have protested in Chennai against my decision of not entering politics.  I have taken my decision, I appeal to everyone to not indulge in such things (protest) as it pains me. "Rajinikanth, who completed 45 years in the film industry in August last year, will soon resume shooting for the upcoming Tamil film Annaatthe.


Never met Sushant Singh Rajput, saw Rhea Chakraborty in 2017, claims Goa hotelier Gaurav Arya

https://t.co/fsfR9b5Nl7 https://t.co/UGp9x2eJZy

Hotelier Gaurav Arya, who has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a parallel probe into allegations of money laundering in the Sushant Singh Rajput case, on Sunday claimed he had never met the actor. ED officials have called Arya, who runs Hotel Tamarind and Café Cotinga in Goa, for questioning on Monday. “I have no connection with the case.  I never met Sushant Singh Rajput.  I met her (Rhea) in 2017,” the Goa-based hotelier was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. ALSO WATCH | Sushant death case: Congress questions Sandeep Singh’s link to BJP leadersArya has also been linked to the drugs angle in connection with Rajput’s death at his Mumbai apartment on June 14.  His name sprang up in Chakraborty’s WhatsApp conversations related to drugs.  Investigators believe he used to supply drugs to Chakraborty. He has been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and is being investigated by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).  The bureau had on Wednesday registered a first information report (FIR) against Chakraborty, her brother Showik, talent manager Jaya Saha, Rajput’s former manager Shruti Modi and Arya under sections 20, 22, 27 and 29 of the NDPS act. Also read: Drivers explain why two ambulances were present at Sushant Singh Rajput’s houseED officials had also visited Hotel Tamarind run by Arya at Anjuna, a coastal village in north Goa, but found the property to be shut.  They stuck a notice on the door of the hotel stating that Arya must meet Rajiv Kumar, assistant director, ED, at 11am on Monday in connection with a case filed under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. According to officials, the hotel has been shut since the lockdown restrictions were enforced in March to contain the spread of the Covid-19 outbreak. Also read: Here are the 14 people facing probe in Sushant Singh Rajput caseThe Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is probing Rajput’s death case and has so far questioned Chakraborty, Showik, Rajput’s manager Samual Miranda, domestic help Keshav, cook Neeraj Singh, flatmate and friend Siddharth Pithani and accountant Rajat Mewati.


.@MamataOfficial gives reason why ‘no migrant worker left Bengal’. It’s a dig at Centre

https://t.co/CpWolPLjZe https://t.co/ATA4dPBsac

No migrant labour left West Bengal because the state government cares for its people, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said during an event on Wednesday.  “Show me any state that gives 100% free ration for a year,” she said.  The chief minister took a dig at the ruling party at the Centre and said that it didn’t come to any aid when its South Kolkata president and his mother tested positive for coronavirus recently.  “The BJP office didn’t help even when he asked.  I took the initiative and got them admitted to the hospital,” the chief minister said.   No migrant labour left West Bengal.  Why?  Because we care for people.  Show me any state that gives 100% free ration for a year. . . BJP South Kolkata president & his mother were affected by COVID.  BJP office didn’t help even when he asked.  I took initiative & got them admitted: WB CM https://t. co/3nPYcoYgc9 pic. twitter. com/1bmfMZMnclBanerjee drew a comparison between Prime Minister’s flagship Ayushman Bharat scheme and state government-led Swasthya Sathi scheme.  “In Ayushman Bharat, they (Centre) will give only 40 percent, and take the whole credit.  Swasthya Sathi is giving 100 percent help to people,” she said.  On Saturday, Banerjee tweeted saying the state government has implemented a robust economic strategy to tackle the Covid-19 crisis and the devastation caused by super cyclone Amphan.  “Proof lies in West Bengal’s unemployment rate for the month of June 2020 which stands at 6. 5%, far better than that of India at 11%, UP at 9. 6% & Haryana at 33. 6%, as per CMIE,” her tweet read.  West Bengal is among the top ten states in the country affected by coronavirus.  As of June 8, the state has reported a total of 23,837 coronavirus cases of which 15,790 patients have recovered.  The number of Covid-19 fatalities i West Bengal stand at 804.


Haryana: A group of protesting farmers from Punjab reach Bahadurgarh

Farmers are headed to Delhi as part of their protest march against Centre's Farm laws. https://t.co/4alBIPIWzK

Thousands of farmers from Punjab and Haryana gathered at Panipat on Friday and jointly resumed their march to the national capital on the Dilli Chalo call given by farm unions for an indefinite protest against the Centre’s new farm laws.  After a day of clashes with the police, the farmers from Haryana stopped their tractor-trailers for a night halt at Panipat toll plaza, where farmers from Punjab joined them.  Several farmers from Punjab, who braved water cannons and tear gas before breaking through barricades put up by Haryana Police on the state’s border, reached Panipat late on Thursday night.  Some of them continued their journey and reached Sonepat district, where the police have also put up barricades to stop them.  Also read: Why angry farmers want to storm New DelhiIT’S NOW A JAN ANDOLAN: BKU (RAJEWAL) Bharti Kisan Union (Rajewal) Balbir Singh Rajewal and Haryana’s BKU leader Gurnam Singh Charuni along with their supporters decided to jointly make a progress from Panipat toll plaza.  “This has now become a jan andolan (mass agitation).  Lakhs of farmers from Punjab are entering Haryana from 10 routes.  We are united against the anti-farmer laws,” Rajewal said.  “Not only the farmers but every section of society is with farmers and only the BJP is in favour of these laws.  If the police stop us on the border we will sit there and stage an indefinite protest.  There were many barriers on the way and farmers have crossed all of them.  I’m confident we will take the matter to a logical conclusion,” Rajewal said. HIGHWAY DUG UP TO STOP FARMERS Police have put up barricades near Samalkha town of Panipat district and even dug up holes on National Highway 44 to stop the farmers.  But the farmer leaders reiterated that they will continue their journey and will cross all hurdles at any cost.  Haryana BKU president Charuni urged farmers en route to come out join the protest.  MANSA FARMER KILLED AS TRUCK HITS TRACTORA 40-year-old farmer, Tanna Singh of Mansa district, was killed and two others were injured when a speeding truck hit their tractor-trolley at Bhiwani’s Mundhal village at 5. 30am on Friday, police said. The farmers were headed for Delhi to protest against the new farm laws. The farmers refused to hand over the victim’s body to the police, while the injured farmers were admitted to a hospital.


Delhi: Workers of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) protest against fuel price hikes in recent days. https://t.co/JMDdVRxBRA

The Rajasthan Congress called off its Monday protest in front of the Raj Bhawan, hours after the party gave a nationwide call for agitation to protect the Constitution and democracy.  State Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasara said in a tweet, “Tomorrow, Congress workers will protest in front of Raj Bhawans as part of ‘Save Democracy-Save Constitution’ agitation call.  But, in Rajasthan we will not do anything like that. ” Earlier in the day, Congress leader Ajay Maken said in a show of solidarity with the Rajasthan government, led by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, and for the protection of the Constitution and democracy, Congress workers will stage protests in a “Gandhian way” in front of Raj Bhawans across the country on Monday.  The Congress government in Rajasthan is facing a political crisis after a rebellion by the now sacked deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and 18 other MLAs.  Dotasara said, “We have sent a revised note of the state cabinet to the Governor and hope that he will soon give approval to call a session of the Assembly. ” The Congress government says it wants to hold the session so its majority can be proved.  On Friday, Governor Kalraj Mishra had sought clarifications on six points from the state government, after Congress MLAs held a five-hour dharna on the lawns of the Raj Bhawan pressing for an Assembly session.  The dharna was called off, according to the Congress, after Mishra said he would abide by the Constitution and not act under any pressure.  The Governor asked Gehlot to submit again, with the clarifications, his recommendation for calling a session.


Here is the transcript of CNN's interview with Native American elder Nathan Phillips, who made headlines everywhere after a video showed him in a face-off with a Catholic school student in front of the Lincoln Memorial https://t.co/4vr1V1ESsg https://t.co/RRTLWb9juy

The 64-year-old said he wants to use his sudden fame as a teaching tool. How viral moment of teen's confrontation with Native American elder unfoldedThe Native American elder at the center of a racially charged protest in Washington last week said the standoff between himself and a group of teens in red "Make America Great Again" hats that went viral should serve as lesson about racism and bigotry. Omaha Nation elder Nathan Phillips gained national attention on Friday when video surfaced of his intense confrontation with Nick Sandmann, a junior at Covington Catholic High School in Park Hills, Kentucky.  Now, the 64-year-old Vietnam veteran said he wants to use his "sudden and unwanted fame" as a teaching tool, according to the Indigenous Peoples Movement, the coalition behind the Indigenous Peoples March. Phillips offered to meet with Covington Catholic High School students and community leaders in Northern Kentucky on behalf of the Indigenous Peoples Movement, to "have a dialog about cultural appropriation, racism, and the importance of listening to and respecting diverse cultures," the organization said in a statement Monday. "Phillips and others were closing the Indigenous Peoples March with a prayer ceremony in their permitted area when, videos show, two groups without permits -- Black Hebrew Israelites and the high school students -- began arguing," the statement said.  "Phillips said he approached and stepped between the two groups in an effort to quell the burgeoning conflict through spiritual song. "The incident went viral as video circulated online that showed Phillips standing toe-to-toe with the teenager, singing and banging on a drum, as a predominantly white crowd of Sandmann's peers appeared to jeer at him. Phillips was criticized online for approaching Sandmann, and President Donald Trump lashed out via Twitter at members of the media for treating the teenager and his classmates "unfairly. ""Looking like Nick Sandman & Covington Catholic students were treated unfairly with early judgements proving out to be false - smeared by media.  Not good, but making big comeback!  'New footage shows that media was wrong about teen's encounter with Native American, @TuckerCarlson," the president wrote Monday night. Sandmann, who was in Washington for the March For Life protest, said he and his family received threats after the incident became public. "I never interacted with this protestor.  I did not speak to him.  I did not make any hand gestures or other aggressive moves.  To be honest, I was startled and confused as to why he had approached me," the teen said in a statement Sunday.  "I have received physical and death threats via social media, as well as hateful insults.  . . .  My parents are receiving death and professional threats because of the social media mob that has formed over this issue. "Sandmann also accused Phillips of targeting him without reason, but the Native American veteran defended his actions in an interview airing Tuesday on "Good Morning America," saying Sandmann's group had participated in a "vile" back-and-forth with a separate group of protesters earlier, which is why he stepped in. "This happened for two or three hours before I found myself in the middle of that," Phillips told "GMA. " "The reason I was in the middle of that was because it came to a point where somebody had to do something. "Video of the encounter showed members of a group calling itself the Black Hebrew Israelites taunting the students and other protesters, calling the Native Americans "Uncle Tomahawks" and "$5 Indians" and the high school students "crackers. "Phillips said the Covington students responded with hateful insults of their own. "I was seeing America be divided by hatred, and I wanted to turn away from this horrible site and I wanted to go away from it," he told "GMA. " "I wanted to just ignore it, but then that thought . . .  to my commitment to God, to a better future for all youth the next generation. "Phillips also accused the students of mocking Native American culture and yelling derogatory comments at him. "I wish those chaperones and those teachers would have said this is the wrong behavior for American students to be displaying in our nation's capitol," he added.  "Where were those teachers, those chaperones?  Those kids shouldn't have been exposed to this backlash. "Now, Phillips said he's looking to turn a negative moment into a positive one, according to the Indigenous Peoples Movement. "We feel that there is a distinct lack of understanding and appreciation of Native peoples and traditions worldwide.  It's time to address the indecency of culturally appropriating our ritual movements and songs for the enjoyment of non-Native peoples," Phillips said in an announcement about the proposed meeting at Covington Catholic High School.  "So, let's create space for the teaching of tolerance to happen. "The organization did not say as of late Monday whether school officials had responded to Phillips' offer. Covington Catholic High School did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment, but the Diocese of Covington and Covington Catholic School said in a statement over the weekend that they would investigate the incident. "We condemn the actions of the Covington Catholic High School students towards Nathan Phillips specifically, and Native Americans in general," the statement said.  "We extend our deepest apologies to Mr.  Phillips.  This behavior is opposed to the Church's teachings on the dignity and respect of the human person. "ABC News' Kieran McGirl and Henderson Hewes contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


READ: Attorney General William Barr’s full letter to Congress regarding special counsel Robert Mueller's report. https://t.co/6WhklvIom7 https://t.co/GIOvX1ICS5

By Meg Wagner, Brian Ries, Amanda Wills and Veronica Rocha, CNNFrom CNN's Kaitlan CollinsThe White House has not received or been briefed on the Mueller report as of Sunday morning, a senior administration official tells CNN. President Donald Trump and the aides who traveled with him to Palm Beach, Florida, are still in wait-and-see mode like the rest of Washington. Over the weekend, Trump has voiced uncertainty over what Attorney General William Barr will do next, according to the people familiar with his reaction.   From CNN's Pam Brown Two sources close to President Donald Trump told CNN Saturday that he's happy special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation is over, adding that there is now a wait-and-see approach for what may come next.  One source said "no one is panicking," which was evidenced by the President casually going out to golf at Mar-a-Lago Saturday.  The source added that "we're letting it play out," and said there is no war room set up right now in anticipation of the findings of Mueller’s investigation, unlike the Clinton White House after former independent counsel Ken Starr finished his investigationAnother official said it wasn't a mistake White House lawyers Emmet Flood and Pat Cipillone are in Florida with Trump this weekend and that it could very well be that they are cautioning the President to lay low until they have a better understanding of what is in the report.  By CNN's Laura JarrettAttorney General William Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein are working together reviewing and analyzing special counsel Robert Mueller’s confidential report this weekend along with a select few advisers, according to a Justice Department official familiar with the process.   The official told CNN that Barr and Rosenstein are still at the Justice Department at this hour, and the “principal conclusions” that Barr promised lawmakers will be derived from the special counsel’s report.  The official said Barr has conveyed to his team that he still wants to get the conclusions to the Hill this weekend, though CNN reported that it's not happening today. The official also said the expectation continues to be that the document sent to Congress with the conclusions will be made public.  From CNN's Katelyn Polantz Former Trump campaign official Rick Gates’ case before Judge Amy Berman Jackson will be handed off to the DC US Attorney’s Office, special counsel Robert Mueller’s office said Saturday. Gates continues to cooperate with prosecutors in several investigations and his sentencing before Jackson has been put off for more than a year since he pleaded guilty to two charges. On Friday, Mueller handed his report on Russian interference in the 2016 election over to the Justice Department.  His office is not recommending any new indictments.   Two other pending court cases that Mueller’s team alone had handled -- the criminal prosecution of former national security adviser Michael Flynn and the pursuit of grand jury testimony from Andrew Miller, who is an associate of Roger Stone -- do not yet have hand-off plans finalized. The DC US Attorney’s Office is already involved in several of the other ongoing criminal cases brought by Mueller, including against Roger Stone, the accused Russian “troll farm” backer Concord Management and Consulting and a fight for subpoenaed documents from an unnamed foreign-owned company. Jessie Liu, the current DC US Attorney, is President Donald Trump’s pick to be the associate attorney general, the No.  3 position at the DOJ. From Manu Raju, Jeremy Herb and Laura JarrettAttorney General William Barr is not sending the “principal conclusions” of the special counsel's report to lawmakers today, multiple Congressional sources and a DOJ official tell CNN. In a letter to lawmakers yesterday, Barr wrote that he may be in a position to share them “this weekend. ”From CNN's Ted BarrettAn aide to Sen.  Dianne Feinstein, the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary committee, says her office doesn't expect to receive an oral briefing from Attorney General William Barr or the Justice Department on special counsel Robert Mueller's report findings, rather it would be provided in writing, perhaps via email.  From CNN's Laura JarrettAttorney General Bill Barr will continue reviewing special counsel Robert Mueller’s confidential report today at the Justice Department, according to a Justice official. Barr arrived at the Justice Department shortly before 10 a. m. , ET. In his letter to lawmakers on Friday, Barr wrote that he may be able to release the "principal conclusions" of the report as soon as this weekend.  Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein's motorcade arrived at the Justice Department shortly after Barr. Rep.  David Cicilline, a Democrat from Rhode Island, vowed to "argue vociferously" to have special counsel Robert Mueller testify before the House Judiciary Committee. Cicilline told CNN Mueller's testimony would be valuable because he'd able to "walk the country through the report, walk the country through the findings he made, the evidence he collected, the conclusions he came to. "Watch the moment:From CNN's Betsy KleinThe Republican National Committee is putting a positive spin on special counsel Robert Muller’s report Friday evening. In talking points provided to its lists of supporters and obtained by CNN, the RNC says, “After two years, millions of taxpayer dollars, and multiple Congressional investigations confirming there was no collusion, it’s good this report has finally concluded. ”Though the reports findings have yet to be made public, the RNC is emphasizing that Mueller is not recommending any new indictments.  Additionally, the talking points highlight that, “Since day one, the White House and Trump campaign have cooperated with investigators, turned over millions of pages of documents and participated in dozens of interviews. ”The talking points also slam the “dead wrong” speculation that there was interference with the special counsel during the investigation. The RNC also calls on Democrats to “drop their politically-motivated calls for never-ending investigations. ”Please enable JavaScript for a better experience.


Kerala: Police personnel check passes of people in Thiruvananthapuram, amid the complete lockdown that is being observed across the state today to contain the spread of #COVID19. https://t.co/CMkahgi8ZM

The total number of Covid-19 cases in the Maharashtra Police force stands at 9,566, informed the police on Sunday. Out of the total cases, 7,534 have recovered and 1,929 are active.  The death toll stands at 103.  Meanwhile, Maharashtra Police said that as many as 2,19,975 cases were registered under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), since March 22, for the violation of coronavirus guidelines and norms. India’s Covid-19 tally crossed the 17 lakh-mark with 54,736 positive cases and 853 deaths reported in the last 24 hours. “The total Covid-19 cases stand at 17,50,724 including 5,67,730 active cases, 11,45,630 cured/discharged/migrated and 37,364 deaths,” said the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry on Sunday.


In Kashmir's Dogripora village, a tree has been beautifully carved in the shape of a hand.

A magnificent picture of a tree carved in the shape of a hand is being circulating on social media.  It is being said that this tree is located at Dogripora village in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. The picture has been shared with the caption, "Tree Carving.  North Kashmir dogripora. . "India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found the claim to be misleading.  The viral picture is of "The Giant Hand of Vyrnwy" in Wales, United Kingdom. The archived version of the post can be seen here.  The claim is being shared by several Facebook users. Reverse-searching the viral picture, we found it was a tree once regarded as UK's tallest but which had to be felled due to safety reasons.  Located at the Lake Vyrnwy estate in Wales, it was later transformed into a beautiful sculpture of a hand by artist Simon O'Rourke. We found the viral image in a website where it has been shared with the title, "The Giant Hand of Vyrnwy.  Sculptured by Simon O'Rourke.  Standing 50ft or nearly 15. 5 meters. "With the help of keyword search, we found an article by BBC News about how the tree was converted into a beautiful sculpture.  According to the article, this tree was once taller than a 20-storey building with a height of around 209 feet. Simon O'Rourke, the artist who created the sculpture, has shared his experience on his website too.  There are several pictures of "The Giant Hand of Vyrnwy" in the "Alamy" stock photo website as well. We did not find any report about any such tree carved in the shape of a hand in Kashmir's Dogripora.  Thus, it is clear that the viral picture of a tree carved in the shape of a human hand is not from J&K but Lake Vyrnwy in Wales, UK. ALSO READ | Fact Check: Sitting in Pakistan, this fake China expert wants to 'shutdown' Indian Sukhoi! ALSO READ | Fact Check: Were Rahul and Priyanka caught joking on way to meet Hathras victim's kin? The number of crows determines the intensity of the lie.


A set of images showing men atop a Kolkata Police van has been revived amid reports of post-poll violence from West Bengal, with the claim that Kolkata Police is providing protection to Trinamool Congress workers.  However, we found that the images are not recent and date back to at least August 2020.  CLAIM Several social media users shared the image with the claim that “TMC leaders from a particular community” were using Kolkata Police to cause violence.  Several users on Twitter also shared the images with a similar claim and hashtags, ‘Bengal Violence’ and ‘Bengal Burning’, asking for the Home Minister to take cognizance of the situation.  Archived versions of the claim can be found here, here, here, and here.  WHAT WE FOUND OUT We performed a reverse image search on Yandex and came across a tweet from August 2020, carrying both the viral images.  Using a relevant keyword and advanced search on Twitter, we came across another tweet with more pictures.  The text on the police van suggests that it belongs to the Narkeldanga Police Station, which is in North Kolkata, near Rajabazar.  He also told The Quint’s WebQoof team that the images were taken during a communal clash on 5 August 2020, when the Ram Mandir Bhoomi Pujan had taken place.  People from two communities had blocked the road on either ends.  “The images were taken when the Kolkata Police was escorting a local Imam, Sarafat Ibrar, to help resolve the matter and convince those gathered to leave.  The men standing on the side of the vehicle were helping clear the crowd and make way for the car to pass through,” Sharma stated.  He added that they had also taken action against the man seen sitting on the bonnet of the vehicle.  A case was registered at the Narkeldanga Police Station under IPC sections 143 for unlawful assembly, 188 for disobedience and 203 for giving false information regarding an offence, along with 51(B) of the Disaster Management Act.  Three people were also arrested.  While we have not been able to independently find the original source of the image or a news report on the incident, it is evident that a set of old images has been revived to make false claims about the post-poll violence in West Bengal.


Home Minister Amit Shah in Lok Sabha on Delhi violence: All those who caused the violence will not be able to escape the law https://t.co/ZdpnH0jngB

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath tore into the Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday by trashing their charges against him on issues of crime and women empowerment.  Without naming his political rivals, the chief minister recalled how in the past the Samajwadi Party lawmakers “used to throw paper balls” at the podium during the governor’s customary address to the House, thereby denigrating the exalted constitutional post.  “Those (parties) who have been insulting the Constitution are today trying to preach us the Constitution.  Better they keep off or they will be badly exposed,” he warned. ALSO WATCH | Kejriwal reciting Hanuman Chalisa, Owaisi will do it soon: UP CM Yogi He made the hard-hitting remarks while wrapping up the discussion on the governor’s address to the joint sitting of the UP Legislature on the opening day of the budget session last Thursday.  In an apparent reference to former chief minister and SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, Adityanath recalled his “ladke, ladke hain” remarks and ridiculed his party for speaking about women empowerment.  While opposing capital punishment for rape, Mulayam had sparked an outrage by saying “ladke, ladke hain. . . galti ho jati hai (boys will be boys. . . they commit mistakes). ” He also cited the police firing on ‘karsevaks’ gathered in Ayodhya on October 30, 1990, when Mulayam was the chief minister.  The firing had earned him the nickname of ‘Mullah Mulayam’.  The chief minister then trained his guns at the Congress, referring to the infamous “tandoor case” in which former Youth Congress leader Sushil Sharma spent 23 years in the Tihar jail for killing his wife Naina Sahni and then trying to dispose of her body in a tandoor in 1995 on the roof of erstwhile 4-star hotel Ashok Yatri Niwas in New Delhi.  “These parties have the cheek to call themselves champions of women empowerment,” he said.  The chief minister said when the governor spoke on ‘Ram Rajya’ in her address, it did not have any religious connotations.  “It takes time to cleanse the system, age-old garbage cannot be removed overnight,” he said and listed the major achievements of his government during the past three years, especially in the areas of law and order, infrastructure, economy, agriculture, education and health.  Referring to the agitation against the amended citizenship law, Adityanath asserted that no trouble-maker died due to police bullet and claimed that they died in firing among themselves.  “Upadravi, upadravi ki goli se marey hain,” (the trouble-makers died from bullet of another trouble-maker),” he explained.  “Police should be appreciated.  If someone is coming to die, how can he be alive.  If someone comes out to kill an innocent person and he is challenged by police, then either he or the policemen has to die.  No one died of police bullet.  A big conspiracy was revealed behind anti-CAA protests,” he said.  “Terror funding of the PFI, which is another name of SIMI, came to the fore.  Any sympathy for them means, support to the PFI and SIMI.  Those who do ‘gaddari’ (treason) with country, will have ‘gumnam maut’,” he said.  Sharing data, he claimed that the crime rate has come down during his regime.  The 47-year-old saffron robed chief minister went hi-tech using his iPad to refer to the NCRB statistics on crime in UP.  PTI ABN SMI RDK RDK


#Analysis | "The fate of secular politics in India, today more than ever, depends on whether or not its practitioners can explain its raison d’être to the Hindus. None of the mainstream political players are even trying to do that," writes @Roshanjnu.

https://t.co/Ljnfco11TT

On August 5, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi set the process of the construction of a Ram temple at Ayodhya in motion.  This is a moment of political triumph for Hindutva politics.  And the euphoria in the Hindutva camp, especially the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its political affiliate, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is not surprising. What is disappointing, however, is the reaction of the secular camp.  Its response can be described as empty assertions against the victory of political Hindutva, wishful thinking about a closure of such politics, or, just opportunistic celebration.  Rahul Gandhi’s tweet trying to seek some sort of self-righteous, even metaphysical, solace by portraying Ram as opposed to the politics of hate and injustice fits the first category.  The Communist Party of India (Marxist)’s statement lamenting that the bhoomi pujan should not have been made into a political event fits the second category.  Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s statement, and the response of most other political leaders, which celebrated the act in the hope that it will be used as an occasion to promote harmony and cultural affinity, fits the third category. None of these positions will worry the BJP.  It will celebrate, and rightly so, the construction of the temple as the biggest political success of its larger ideological project.  It is also naive to expect that the BJP will not use the Ram temple issue for future political gains.  The BJP is not concerned about whether its opponents think of its actions as justifiable or not.  What matters for the BJP is the view of the majority, which as of now, appears firmly with the party. The fate of secular politics in India, today more than ever, depends on whether or not its practitioners can explain its raison d’être to the Hindus.  None of the mainstream political players are even trying to do that. To be sure, there has been a fourth kind of reaction as well; largely from civil society voices.  It paints August 5 as an apocalyptic event of sorts, when constitutional ideas have been destroyed forever.  Irrespective of whether one agrees or disagrees with this assessment, such a position necessarily entails an abdication of politics per se.  If there is nothing left to save, what’s the point of doing anything? The collective despondency, captured by all the positions described above, is an alibi for the lack of political imagination and will of those who claim to champion the politics of secularism. The Ram temple movement was the beginning of a political experiment to achieve a majoritarian political consolidation, which, in turn, was aimed at capturing power.  It brought immense dividends initially.  But it does not explain the current dominance of the BJP.  Nor will it guarantee that its fortunes remain intact.  Political Hindutva, like all political ideologies, will need to keep renewing its ideological hegemony.  It has so far managed this: The Ram temple movement in the 1990s, politicisation of the surgical strikes and Balakot attacks against Pakistan before the 2019 polls, the politics around the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, and annulment of Article 370 under the second Modi government are examples of continuous efforts to ensure this. This macro-politics is accompanied with a continuous simmering of religious polarisation, something Sajjan Kumar and Sudha Pai have described in detail in their book, Everyday Communalism: Riots in Contemporary Uttar Pradesh.  The BJP has been shrewd in utilising each of these issues to impart dynamism to political Hindutva, and prevent it from becoming an ossified project.  The so-called love jihad and cow vigilantism are good tools in rural and semi-urban centres.  The party believed that they need not be unleashed in more posh urban settings, lest the middle classes get alienated.  Even on the contentious issue of beef-eating, the BJP has shown remarkable tactical flexibility in states such as Kerala, where a large number of Hindus are beef-eaters. The Opposition, meanwhile, has singularly failed to counter this politics because its methods are confused and half-hearted.  For example, the secular camp could have resorted to an intelligent-yet-peaceful symbolism to organise a protest on August 5.  Those who oppose the BJP are not an insignificant number.  Contrast this with how the BJP cleverly called upon people to light lamps, which ensured mass participation even in the times of a pandemic.  Similarly, no mass campaign has ever been undertaken to counter cow vigilantes, even though it is common knowledge that even Hindus in the livestock economy have suffered due to this menace. It is easier to ascribe these problems to personality-centric deficiencies.  That, however, is only the surface of the problem.  At the root of the present crisis of secularism is a lack of conviction among its so-called vanguards about its political prospects itself.  This is what explains frequent “tactical” resorts of buying peace with Hindutva via the public display of Hindu beliefs by politicians.  It is these acts which have given legitimacy to assertions from the Right that the Nehruvian secular consensus, and not Hindutva, was the political fringe in India. Interestingly, Jawaharlal Nehru himself never took this consensus for granted.  In his preface to Ramdhari Singh Dinkar’s Sanskriti ke Char Adhyay, written in 1955, Nehru warns Indian intellectuals against aping their English counterparts.  He could see the former losing touch with the people, who were untouched by modern western ideas.  Secularism, especially the concept of separation of the State from religion, is one of the core ideas of western modernity. The prerequisite to strengthening any political project is to first identify its weaknesses, rather than pretend that all is well.  This intellectual integrity must be complemented with political conviction to address these weaknesses.  Secularism’s current defendants, unlike Nehru, have neither of these qualities.


‘Get vaccinated proactively’: VP Naidu receives first dose of #COVID19 vaccine

https://t.co/HZBUCchbl2 https://t.co/sGbNQSAa6J

Vice president M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday took his first vaccine shot against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) as India began Phase 2 of its immunisation drive.  According to a tweet by the vice president’s secretariat, Naidu was vaccinated at the Government Medical College in Chennai. “I took my first dose of COVID-19 vaccine at Government Medical College, Chennai today.  I will be taking the 2nd dose after 28 days.  I appeal to all the eligible people to get themselves vaccinated proactively and join in the fight against novel coronavirus,” the VP’s secretariat quoted Naidu as saying. I took my first dose of COVID-19 vaccine at Government Medical College, Chennai today.  I will be taking the 2nd dose after 28 days. I appeal to all the eligible people to get themselves vaccinated proactively and join in the fight against novel coronavirus.  pic. twitter. com/mfA1xJXiGgNaidu joins Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and Odisha chief minister Navin Patnaik among others who have taken their first jab against the viral disease.  Earlier in the day, PM Modi tweeted to announce that he had taken his first vaccine shot at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi.  According to officials, the Prime Minister was given a shot of Bharat Biotech International Limited’s Covaxin, the safety and efficacy of which has come under the scanner as the company is reportedly yet to complete phase 3 trials of the vaccine. Also Read | 'PM Modi gave a clear message to nation by taking Covaxin': Harsh VardhanIn the second phase of the vaccine drive, citizens above the age of 60, and those between 45-59 years of age but with comorbid conditions, are eligible to get inoculated.  In the first phase, which began on January 16, healthcare and frontline workers were vaccinated; the second half of the first phase commenced on February 13, with second vaccine doses being administered to the beneficiaries. Also Read | Inspired, humbled: Bharat Biotech tweets after PM Modi takes CovaxinPrivate hospitals are also taking part in phase 2 of the vaccination drive.  While vaccines will be administered for free in government hospitals, ₹250 will be charged in a private hospital. Besides Covaxin, Oxford University-AstraZeneca’s Covishield has been given emergency use authorisation (EUA) in India.  Both the vaccines were cleared by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) in January.  A third, Russia’s Sputnik-V, could also be cleared in the days to come.


ICICI Bank: Chanda Kochhar was in violation of ICICI Bank Code of Conduct, its framework for dealing with conflict of interest&fiduciary duties.Board of Directors has decided to treat separation of Chanda Kochhar from Bank as ‘Termination for Cause’ under Bank’s internal policies https://t.co/ODLpACrx9l

ICICI Bank Ltd said on Wednesday it would treat former chief executive Chanda Kochhar’s exit from the bank as a “termination for cause” after an enquiry report ruled that she had violated internal bank policies. The bank’s internal enquiry report said that Kochhar violated the code of conduct and framework dealing with conflict of interest.  ICICI Bank, India’s third biggest lender, said it will treat Kochhar’s resignation as “termination for cause” and will stop payment of unpaid benefits, including bonus. This means revocation of all her existing and future entitlements such as any unpaid amounts, unpaid bonuses or increments, unvested and vested & unexercised stock options, and medical benefits, and the clawback of all bonuses paid from April 2009 until March 2018.  Kochhar resigned in October after being mired in allegations that she favoured Videocon Group, a consumer electronics and oil and gas exploration company, in the bank’s lending practices. Videocon had got a loan of Rs 40,000 crore from a consortium of 20 banks led by the State Bank of India.  The Rs 3,250 crore loan from ICICI Bank was a part of that. ICICI has been in the grips of a controversy over allegations that Kochhar had favoured Videocon, a consumer electronics and oil and gas exploration company, in the bank’s lending practices.  Videocon’s founders had an investment in a renewable energy company founded by Kochhar’s husband, Deepak Kochhar.