Photographs of Bollywood actor Kareena Kapoor Khan, from the time she was actually pregnant, are being shared on social media platforms with the claim of she being pregnant again, and with derogatory captions

âAfter Taimur, it is now turn of Khilji to come out, It is not just a womb, but a Mughal kingdom production factoryâ, a close translation of one of the tweets that also had a photo of Kapoor, who is apparently âpregnant againâ.  à¤¤à¥à¤®à¥à¤° à¤à¥ à¤¬à¤¾à¤¦ à¤à¤¬ à¤à¤¿à¤²à¤à¥à¥¤ coming soon. . . ðð à¤¸à¤¾à¤²à¤¾ à¤ªà¥à¤ à¤¨ à¤¹à¥à¤ à¤®à¥à¤à¤¼à¤²à¤¿à¤¯à¤¾ à¤¸à¤²à¥à¤¤à¤¨à¤¤ à¤¹à¥ à¤à¤¯à¤¾____ ðððð Good night friends. . . . . . . ! !  https://t. co/PIX0r3HM5Y— Anil Kumar Ray (@AnilKum60052141) 1541261835000There was another similar tweet.  à¤¤à¥à¤®à¥à¤° à¤à¥ à¤¸à¤«à¤² à¤ªà¥à¤°à¥à¤¡à¤à¥à¤¶à¤¨ à¤à¥ à¤¬à¤¾à¤¦ à¤à¤¬ à¤à¤à¤à¥à¤ à¤à¤¾à¤¨ à¤à¤¨à¥ à¤µà¤¾à¤²à¤¾ à¤¹à¥ à¤¯à¤¾ à¤¬à¤¾à¤¬à¤° ?  https://t. co/7zLXTz1Phw— ð©Ashutosh Snehsagar ð© (@MishraSnehsagar) 1541654073000Another Twitter user said that, in Hindi, what translates closely to - âIs she a woman or a Rafale factory?  Appreciating her courage.  The clan of Nawabs is ever-growing.  Taimur, Aurangzeb, Ghenghiz Khan, Babar. â On searching with keywords on Facebook, viral posts with similar claims were found.  TRUTHThe photos being shared are over two years old and were taken when Kapoor was expecting Taimur.  VERIFICATIONThe rumour of Kapoor being pregnant again is hitting social media a second time this year.  Earlier, in September, the same rumour had stormed social media platforms after a promo of a chat show, in which Kapoor was seen saying that the family would think of a second child after two years, went viral.  Websites exploited the information and reported it with headlines like, âSecond Child?  Kareena Kapoor Khan is planning to have 2nd baby after Taimur and we know the details! â METHODOLOGYWe took the photographs shared by Twitter users making the claim of Kapoorâs pregnancy and searched these on Google.  We found that the photos were clicked two years ago, when Kareena was pregnant with Taimur.  She gave birth to her son Taimur Ali Khan on December 20, 2016.  One of the photos being shared, where a pregnant Kapoor can be seen with sister Karishma Kapoor and actor and friend Amrita Arora, was taken in November 2016, when she was stepping out of a restaurant in Mumbai.  It was reported by Asian Age.  Other photo, where Kapoor is seen wearing a white dress with heavy pregnancy bulge, was also taken in November 2016, when she was coming out of Mehboob Studio in Bandra.  The incident was reported by Times of India. When Kapoor was asked by host Komal Nahta, in his show Starry Nights, if she was planning a second child, she quipped, âafter two yearsâ.  The episode was aired in September this year.  Here is the promo of the episode that had gone viral: We also could not find any authentic news report that suggested Kapoor is pregnant again.  The family has not made any official announcement either.


Read the entire letter Attorney General William Barr sent to Congress on the Mueller report: https://t.co/x25DR9lBkU https://t.co/qo0TsykPby

  Though President Donald Trump has claimed “complete and total exoneration” based on Attorney General William Barr’s summary of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report on Russian interference in the 2016 election, the American public disagrees, according to a new CNN Poll conducted by SSRS.

  A majority (56%) says the President and his campaign have not been exonerated of collusion, but that what they’ve heard or read about the report shows collusion could not be proven.  Fewer, 43%, say Trump and his team have been exonerated of collusion.

  Although Mueller could not establish Trump or his campaign “conspired or coordinated with” the Russian government, according to Barr’s letter, the poll finds the American people continue to view the issue through partisan lenses.

RELATED: Full poll results

  Republicans and Democrats are on opposite sides of this question: 77% of Republicans say the President has been exonerated, 80% of Democrats say he has not.  Independents break against exoneration – 58% say the President and his campaign were not exonerated.

  Those who say they have heard or read “a great deal” about the report (about 23% of the public), however, are more apt to say the President has been cleared: 56% in that group say Trump and his campaign have been exonerated of any collusion, while 44% say it wasn’t exoneration but that collusion could not be proven.

  The 43% overall in the new poll saying the President has been exonerated is about the same as the 42% who said in a CNN poll earlier this year that Trump’s campaign did not collude with the Russian government to help get Trump elected.  That suggests the summary letter released Sunday did little to move public opinion on this matter.

  And most feel the investigation ought not to end with that letter.

  Nearly 6 in 10 Americans want to see Congress continue to pursue hearings into the findings of Mueller’s report.  Just 43% feel Congress ought to end the investigation completely following the release of Barr’s summary of Mueller’s findings.

  Here too, partisan divides are deep.  Nearly 9 in 10 Democrats (88%) say Congress ought to hold hearings, while just 17% of Republicans agree.

Democrats turn attention to defending Obamacare as Congress waits for Mueller report

  A CNN Poll conducted before the report was final found that nearly 9 in 10 Americans thought there should be a full, public report on the investigation’s findings, while just 9% felt that was unnecessary.  Barr’s letter said his plan was “to release as much of the special counsel’s report as I can” within legal limits.  The Department of Justice has said that release will come in weeks, not months.

  At this point, without the full report having been released, just 13% say that Mueller’s findings will sway their decision about whom to support in 2020 either way, with 7% saying it makes them more apt to back the President, and 6% less likely to do so.  A combined 86% say that they had already figured out whether they would vote for or against Trump, or that the investigation won’t matter to them even though they are undecided now.

  The CNN Poll was conducted by SSRS March 25 through 26 among a random national sample of 701 adults interviewed online after being recruited using probability-based methods.  Results for the full sample have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 5. 4 percentage points, it is larger for subgroups.
© 2021 Cable News Network.  A Warner Media Company.  All Rights Reserved.   CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network.


Pres. Trump impeachment trial complicates 2020 Democrats' time on campaign trail. https://t.co/suSN0jB16N

By Jeremy Herb, Phil Mattingly and Manu Raju, CNNUpdated 7:28 AM ET, Wed January 22, 2020  (CNN)The Senate early Wednesday morning approved rules for the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump on a party-line vote that delays the question of whether the Senate should subpoena witnesses and documents until later in the trial. CNN's Ted Barrett, Lauren Fox, Ellie Kaufman and Haley Byrd contributed to this report.


Bhutan & Israel established formal diplomatic relations with effect from today. Establishment of diplomatic relations wouldn't only build existing close ties but open path to greater cooperation & further strengthen relations between two countries & peoples: Joint Press Statement https://t.co/H0620l0iju

Bhutan and Israel established formal diplomatic relations on Saturday, and the tiny Himalayan nation now has diplomatic ties with 54 countries and the European Union.  Notes verbale on the establishment of diplomatic relations were exchanged by Bhutan’s ambassador Vetsop Namgyel and his Israeli counterpart Ron Malka during a ceremony held at the Israeli embassy in New Delhi.  “The establishment of diplomatic relations would not only build upon the existing close ties but open the path to greater cooperation and further strengthen relations between the two countries and peoples,” said a joint statement issued by the two countries.  The development came a little more than a fortnight after Bhutan established full-fledged diplomatic relations with Germany on November 25.  It also came against the backdrop of fresh Chinese claims on parts of Bhutan’s territory near the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.  During Saturday’s ceremony, the envoys of the two countries “recognised the growing engagements between Bhutan and Israel and welcomed the establishment of diplomatic relations”, according to the statement.  Namgyel and Malka reiterated the shared desire of the two countries to further strengthen bilateral cooperation for the benefit of their people.  “In addition to deepening cooperation in areas including economic, technological and agriculture development, the two ambassadors highlighted that the ties between the peoples through cultural exchanges and tourism would also be further enhanced,” the statement said.  Following the ceremony, Bhutan foreign minister Tandi Dorji and his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi sent mutual congratulations.  Israel and Bhutan have “enjoyed cordial relations marked by friendship and cooperation, even in the absence of diplomatic relations”, the statement said.  Israel supported Bhutan’s human resource development since 1982, especially in agriculture development that has benefitted hundreds of Bhutanese youth.  The establishment of diplomatic relations will create new avenues for cooperation between the two countries in water management, technology, human resource development, agricultural sciences and other areas.  The statement didn’t say whether the two countries will open embassies in each other’s capital.  Bhutan’s capital Thimphu hosts only three foreign missions – those of India, Bangladesh and Kuwait.  As part of domestic reforms introduced by late King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, who ruled from 1952 to 1972, Bhutan gradually established relations with a small number of countries and joined the UN in 1971.  There was no formal reaction from the Indian side to Saturday’s development.  However, India welcomed the establishment of full-fledged diplomatic ties between Germany and Bhutan last month.


Germany approves AstraZeneca #Covid19 vaccine for people over 65 years of age

https://t.co/cWMVOLRJPv https://t.co/FJ7Xv6Hpls

Germany's vaccination authority has approved the use of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine on the over-65s, the Health Ministry said on Thursday, in a step that should help accelerate the country's faltering vaccination drive. It added that the Permanent Vaccination Authority had recommended extending to a maximum 12 weeks the period between receiving the first and second doses of the AstraZeneca shot on the back of studies showing a longer gap improved its efficacy. "This is good news for older people who are waiting for a vaccine.  They can now be vaccinated more quickly," the ministry said.  "We will shortly issue a regulation implementing both recommendations. "Germany declined initially to authorise AstraZeneca's vaccine for those aged above 65, saying there was a lack of evidence from clinical trials confirming its effectiveness on that age cohort. But growing data showing the AstraZeneca shot's efficacy among the elderly in Britain has led to a change of heart in Berlin, while France has also eased a ban on administering the shot to people over the age of 65. The German decision was in line with recommendations by the European Union's health regulator that the second shot of AstraZeneca's vaccine be administered between four and 12 weeks after the first. There was no mention in the health ministry statement of the other main vaccine being administered in Germany, from a partnership between Pfizer and BioNTech . Health Minister Jens Spahn has called for the gap between administering the two shots to be extended to six weeks to stretch supply. Current guidance from the European Union's health regulator is for the Pfizer shot to be administered at three-week intervals in line with the company's own guidance. Politicians have faced growing criticism for the slow pace of vaccination in Germany, which is lagging well behind pack leaders Britain, Israel and the United States.


President Trump now says Robert Mueller acted honorably in the Russia investigation -- a change of tune from the man who had at one time called the special counsel disgraced and discredited https://t.co/vCbORO1iou https://t.co/3j1pT47STP

White House officials were out in force Monday spinning the Mueller report.  Trump: 'We can never let this happen to another president again'In his first remarks on special counsel Robert Mueller since his report was turned in Friday, President Donald Trump on Monday offered an opinion in sharp contrast to the past two years of insults he's hurled at both the special counsel and his investigation. "Do you think Robert Mueller acted honorably? ” ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Jon Karl asked the president during an event with Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu.  "Yes, he did," Trump responded.  Trump has previously described Mueller as “conflicted,” “disgraced” and a “liar. ”Asked at an Oval Office photo-op a few minutes later if he still believed the investigation was a witch hunt, Trump said it ended the way it should have but went on for far too long.  Trump added that no other president should have to face an investigation like it ever again. "It's 100 percent the way it should have been.  I wish it could have gone a lot sooner, a lot quicker.  There are a lot of people out there that have done some very, very evil things, very bad things, I would say treasonous things against our country," Trump said.  "Those people will certainly be looked at.  I've been looking at them for a long time and I'm saying 'why haven't they been looked at? ' Congress, many of them you know who they are.  They've done so many evil things," Trump said. "I will tell you I love this country.  I love this country as much as I can anything -- my family, my country, my God, but what they did was a false narrative.  It was a terrible thing.  We can never let this happen to another president again.  I can tell you that.  Very few people I know could have handled it.  We can never, ever let this happen to another president again. "Trump also reiterated his view Attorney General William Barr should decide whether to make the full report becomes public. "Up to the attorney general, wouldn't bother me at all," Trump said, referring to a public release.  Trump also said he isn't thinking about pardoning anyone sentenced during the probe. The summary of the report, submitted to Congress Sunday by Barr, said there was no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.  Mueller did not come to a conclusion on obstruction of justice, according to Barr's summary, so Barr took that on himself, concluding that the evidence Muller found didn't support a charge, although Barr didn't reveal all that Mueller discovered. Congressional Democrats continue to demand the full report from Mueller. Last week, the president told reporters at the White House, "let it come out, let people see it. "The president has claimed "complete and total exoneration" from the report, which White House press secretary Sarah Sanders insisted was justified despite Mueller stating, according to Barr, that his not making a decision on the question did not amount to an exoneration on the matter of obstruction. Sanders was asked on NBC Monday morning to acknowledge that it was incorrect to say the report is a full vindication for the president. "Not at all.  It is," she said. "It is a complete and total exoneration, and here's why, because the special counsel, they said they couldn't make a decision one way or the other.  The way the process works is then they leave that up to the attorney general.  The attorney general and the deputy attorney general went through and based their decision on Mueller's investigation.  This wasn't based on just their own ideas and their own thinking.  It was based on Mueller's investigation," Sanders said. Critics, however, rejected Trump's claims of exoneration -- and rejected the notion that Barr was objective in his summary. "Given Mr.  Barr’s public record of bias against the Special Counsel’s inquiry, he is not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report," Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement over the weekend. Democratic Rep.  Jerry Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, criticized Barr's quick turnover of a summary on an investigation that took almost two years and said Barr is likely to be subpoenaed to explain his actions and conclusions. "We will ask the attorney general to testify before the House Judiciary Committee.  We will demand the release of the full report.  The American people are entitled to a full accounting of the president's misconduct referenced by the special counsel," Nadler said at a press conference over the weekend in New York district. . In a tweet over the weekend, Nadler described "very concerning discrepancies" within the report and "final decision making at the Justice Department. " The report "did not exonerate the President," Nadler tweeted. Former U. S.  attorney for the Southern District of New York, Preet Bharara, said that while the case on collusion "is closed," on the issue of obstruction of justice, "we're sort of not done. ""It seems to me it was a very close case.  Bob Mueller decided not to make a determination about whether or not a charge can be brought, and you only do that if there is substantial evidence of obstruction," Bharara said on ABC's "Good Morning America" Monday. While it's clear Congress will continue to investigate the questions around obstruction of justice, it remains to be seen whether the president will be receptive to those questions. Asked on "Good Morning America" if the president was prepared to cooperate with any continuing investigations in the House, one of the president's lawyers, Jay Sekulow, said it would be a waste of taxpayer money, listing off all of the evidence Mueller obtained in the probe that lasted the past 22 months. “I think the reality is that Congress is wasting the taxpayers' money, frankly, and they should be going about legislating and governing rather than continuing this that is a prerogative they have,” Sekulow said.  “I think at this point it’s ridiculous to put people through this. ”Trump went as far as to call the entire investigation an "“illegal takedown that failed" on Sunday.  Trump made the claim despite Mueller having been appointed as special counsel by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein after the president's own decision to fire then-FBI Director James Comey, who was leading an investigation into possible Trump campaign's ties to Russia.  Trump and congressional Republicans have claimed that there was wrongdoing in the way the investigation was carried out. Counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway aired those grievances Monday morning, sharing sharp criticism of those who "let this lie fly for two years, hanging and harrassing and trying to embarass -- and worse -- those of us connected to the 2016 campaign. " Those critics now owe Trump, his family and the country an apology, Conway said on Fox News. Conway specifically called out Rep.  Adam Schiff, a critic of the president and a Democrat who heads the House Intelligence Committee. "He ought to resign today," Conway said.  "He has been on every TV show 50 times a day for practically the last two years promising Americans that the president would either be impeached or indicted. "Conway also previewed the way the administration will seek to use the Mueller report in the face of upcoming Congressional investigations, despite almost two years spent escalating attacks on the investigation and Mueller as biased and a witch hunt. "Bob Mueller already ran the fair and the full investigation.  And any partisan, politicized investigation from here on in will never have the credibility of the Mueller investigation, and the credibility of Attorney General Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein -- what they have done here," Conway said. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


We're going through distinct times. I can't see young children in front of me today (at Red Fort). Corona has stopped everyone. In these times of COVID, Corona warriors have lived the mantra of 'Seva Parmo Dharma' and served the people of India. I express my gratitude to them: PM https://t.co/X3HO2qu6n3

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hailed people in the frontline of the battle against coronavirus, saying “corona warriors have lived the mantra of ‘Seva Parmo Dharma’ and served the people of the country. Addressing the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort on the 74th Independence Day, the Prime Minister said it is an occasion to remember freedom fighters who laid down their lives for the freedom of the country. “Congratulations and best wishes to all the countrymen on this festival of Independence Day.  The sacrifice and the resolve to free the country of lakhs of sons and daughters of Maa Bharati is the reason for us being able to breathe in independent India today.  This is a day to remember the sacrifices of our freedom fighters.  This is also a day to show gratitude to security personnel including that of Army, paramilitary and police ensuring our safety,” PM Modi said.  Also read| ‘Time to move away from ordinary’: 5 inspiring quotes from PM Modi’s Independence Day speechThe Prime Minister also remembered freedom fighter and spiritual guru Sri Aurbindo (Arvind Ghosh), on his birth anniversary. He referred to the restrictions due to Covid-19 and said that children, the future of the country, were not at present at the celebrations and recalled the tireless contributions of corona warriors. “We are going through distinct times.  I cannot see young children in front of me today (at Red Fort).  Corona has stopped everyone.  In these times of Covid, Corona warriors have lived the mantra of ‘seva parmo dharma’ (service is the main duty) and served the people of India.  I express my gratitude to them,” he said. Earlier, Prime Minister unfurled the national flag. On his arrival in front of the Lahore Gate of Red Fort, Prime Minister Modi was received by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar. The Defence Secretary introduced the General Officer Commanding (GoC), Delhi Area, Lieutenant General Vijay Kumar Mishra to the Prime Minister. The GoC Delhi Area then conducted the Prime Minister to the Saluting Base where a combined Inter-Services and Police Guards presented general salute to PM Modi.  The Prime Minister then inspected the Guard of Honour. Also read: ‘Mindset for free India should be vocal for local’: PM Modi pushes for self-reliance in Independence Day speechThe Guard of Honour contingent for the Prime Minister consisted of one officer and 24 men each from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Delhi Police.  The Guard of Honour was positioned directly in front of the national flag across the moat below the ramparts.


A tribal couple in Odisha’s Malkangiri district was hacked to death allegedly on the suspicion that it practised black magic

(report by @debabrata2008)

https://t.co/ycswgDSKn0

A tribal couple in Odisha’s Malkangiri district was hacked to death allegedly on Friday on the suspicion that it practised black magic that was causing diseases among their neighbours, police said.  Sama Madi, 45, and his 42-year-old wife Sukuri Madi of Pendalguda were found lying in a pool of blood when the police reached the village. “The couple was most likely hacked to death by their neighbour.  We have arrested two people in this connection and the hunt is on for more suspects,” said Malkangiri SP Khilari Rishikesh.  The officer added that the bodies had been sent for post-mortem. According to police, the murdered couple were blamed by one of their neighbours for a medical condition that he and his wife were suffering from and for the death of the neighbour’s 10-year-old daughter last year. There have been a number of killings in the state due to witch-hunting even though the government had enacted the ‘Odisha Prevention of Witch-hunting Act, 2013’ six years ago to tackle the issue.  The legislation aims at prohibiting witch-hunting and other similar practices. Last week, three people including a woman, were hacked to death and two others were assaulted over suspicions of practising black magic in three districts of the state.  A 30-year-old man beheaded a woman in Mayurbhanj district before walking into the police station with the severed head and in Rayagada district, a man hacked two elderly people to death. In another incident, a woman in Nayagarh district was molested in a kangaroo court while her husband was forced to put his hand in a can of boiling water as they were suspected of practising witchcraft. A 14-year-old boy in Malkangiri district was allegedly killed by a group of people earlier this month on the suspicion that he practised black magic that led to the death of 17 tribals over three months. Concerned at the rising number of witchcraft-related killings, state officials said an awareness campaign would soon be started in the district with the distribution of leaflets.


Glenn Close may not have won the 2019 Oscar for best actress, but the classy icon stole the show with her reactions to Broadway friend Billy Porter and Lady Gaga. #Oscars https://t.co/Kbwnz994dK https://t.co/oOyiUekpmf

  Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga: Is it hard keeping it so hardcore?

  Not only did Lady Gaga win an Oscar on Sunday night, but her performance with Bradley Cooper hit viewers right in the feels.

  Shot entirely from upstage, with the audience acting as a backdrop, the duo’s rendition of “Shallow” from their film “A Star Is Born” was as intimate as it was seeped in chemistry.

  The pair, who played lovers in the film, have a well-chronicled connection off screen, and it was on display while crooning the nominee for original song.

  Lady Gaga thanked Cooper in her acceptance speech.

  “There’s not a single person on the planet that could have sang this song with me but you. ”
Art is intimate.  Good art will get you pregnant.  Great art can change the world.  @ladygaga is a creative force, a soldier of epic proportions, and a goddess of authenticity #oscars  pic. twitter. com/CvU23ehcF7Raise your hand if you thought Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper were about to make out.  #Oscars  pic. twitter. com/PcJ41DpuPmOkay, Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s performance was gorgeous.  I’ve tried to resist the allure but god damn it.  That was HOT. Something major just happened.  After “Shallow” perf, @ladygaga & Bradley Cooper exited stage for commercial break.  During break, they came back to their seats from stage then audience gave them another standing o.  I’ve never seen that happen for any performers.  Cue embrace#Oscars pic. twitter. com/k9wNh66tn1
  The internet agrees.

© 2021 Cable News Network.  A Warner Media Company.  All Rights Reserved.   CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network.


Rashtriya Sikhshit Berojgar Yojna launched to pay Rs 50,000 to educated unemployed citizens.

A site named Rashtriya Sikhshit Berojgar Yojna, to help those who are educated and unemployed, is fake and a scam disguised as a fake government of India scheme.   BOOM found that there is no such scheme started by the government and the site is a phishing scheme to access people's details, documents and scam them into paying a fee.   The website (rsby. org) and Facebook page have since been taken down.  The Facebook page was created in February 2020 as the coronavirus began spreading throughout the world.  On March 24, 2020, PM Narendra Modi announced a 21-day lockdown to combat the spread of COVID-19 and the lockdown was extended for a further two weeks from May 4, 2020.  The archives of the website and Facebook page can be found here and here.    A Twitter user reached out to the Government asking whether the site was authentic.  Respect sir. . . . .  https://t. co/1mOtmH6anQ is govt website or Fraud website. . .  Because this website help bpl family financial help through world Bank and govt of India. . . .  And collection 250/- Charge and help 50000/- Please sir suggest me.  BOOM went through the site and found several discrepancies in the information.  An analysis showed that the website, while disguised as an authentic site, did not match with the other government sites.  We also looked at the official database of the government and found no such reports about a scheme called - 'Rashtriya Sikshit Berozgaar Yojana'.  Fact Check   The first discrepancy about the website was in the url.  All government-run websites have a gov. in or nic. in domain.  However, the website of the 'Rashtriya Sikhshit Berojgar Yojna' (www. rsby. org) has a . org domain.  Moreover, the website uses a . php language whereas government websites use . html language.    BOOM Live accessed the Government of India's web directory to search for any official records of a website under Rashtriya Sikhshit Berojgar Yojna.  BOOM ran searches with the keyword 'Rashtriya Sikhshit Berojgar Yojna' as well as the url 'rsby. org'.  The search came up with no results.  Below are the screenshots of the search.  The Facebook page of the site was created on February 16, 2020 and the Facebook page transparency option showed that the location of those who run the page as - Pakistan  Posts on the Facebook page state that the scheme is applicable only to 40,000 citizens on a first come first serve basis.  The government does not offer any scheme on a first come first serve basis.  We then looked through the site and found a section titled 'media' which features newspaper clippings about the scheme.  A close look at the clippings showed that the newspapers were not named, and the place where the name of the scheme appeared did not match with the rest of the newspaper layout. In most of the clippings, the words, Rashtriya Sikhshit Berojgar Yojna had been photoshopped, with the text of the article deliberately blurred, so a reader would be unable to read the contents.   The design and layout of logo and national emblem used on www. rsby. org don't follow the norms.  Government websites have the designated ministry's title written under the national emblem.  The www. rsby. org site only has a logo and a standalone national emblem.    The website seems to be a phishing site which requires users to pay a registration fee as well as upload Aadhar card and share their bank account details.  Once the applicant pays a fee of Rs 250 by transferring the money through online banking to a Syndicate Bank account, they would be required to post a copy of the receipt along with their bank account details, a scanned copy of their signature and a copy of their Aadhar card.     The website also has many inconsistencies with regards to language as well as information shared.  The image of the logo is compressed.      The url of the coronavirus information tab spells corona as 'carona'.  The website is also rife with grammatical errors like incorrect sentence structuring and basic spelling errors.  In the 'Contact Us' tab, the website offers 'Goverment Of India New Delhi – 110056' where 'government' is misspelled.  Moreover, the pin code is of Shakurbasti in New Delhi which does not house any central government office.   The website also states that it is maintained by the '@Computer Department,Rashtriya Sikshit Berojgar Yojna'.  Government websites are maintained by the National Informatics Centre.          The Press Information Bureau's factchecking team put out a tweet calling the website fake and clarified that there was no such scheme by the Government of India.  Claim: Govt has started a scheme named Rashtriya Sikshit Berojgar Yojana to provide relief package of Rs 50000 to all ration card holders#PIBFactCheck: No such scheme has been launched by Govt of India.  Beware of such fake and fraudulent sites collecting your personal info/fees pic. twitter. com/RTawkuzmDK


A video of a bus navigating through a flooded street as the water enters it is being falsely claimed to be from Delhi.  Delhi Congress vice president also shared the video taking a dig at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.  However, we found out that the video is from Jaipur, Rajasthan and not Delhi as claimed.  CLAIM In a tweet, the Vice President of Delhi Congress Abhishek Dutt shared the post taking a dig at Kejriwal.  The tweet had been retweeted 200 times at the time of writing the story.  It is being widely circulated on Twitter by several users.  WHAT WE FOUND OUT On conducting a reverse image search on Google along with keywords “Bus Paani (water)” we came across a report on Patrika published on 11 August which mentioned that the video was from Jaipur.  We further noticed a board at around 00:55 seconds of the video which read, “नसियां भट्टारकजी”.  We checked on Google and found that it is a temple in Jaipur’s Narayan Singh Circle.  We found another news report which mentioned that this video was from the same area.  While it is true that there were reports of water-logging in various parts of Delhi due to the rainfall, the video in question is not from Delhi, but Jaipur.


A video widely circulating across social media platforms show a massive supermoon uncomfortably close to the Earth.  Congress member Rukshmani Kumari shared the clip and claimed this was spotted at the Arctic, between Russin and Canada.  The video gained over 21,000 views as of this writing. This is a sight at Artic… between Russia and Canada.  The moon appears this big and then it disappears in about 30 seconds.  A sight to behold… ! !  #MoonLovers pic. twitter. com/LpJbxIRcwT— Rukshmanii kumari (@KumariRukshmani) May 27, 2021IPS officer Amitabh Thakur too shared the clip and later took it down after gaining over 1400 retweets.  Similarly, dozens of other Twitter, Facebook and Youtube users shared the clip.
It is noteworthy that the Earth witnessed two celestial events on May 26 – a total lunar eclipse and a supermoon.  The Indian Express explained, “NASA notes that a supermoon occurs when the Moon’s orbit is closest to the Earth at the same time that the Moon is full. ” However, the moon in the video is massive and is orbiting at high speed. Alt News has received several verification requests on its Whatsapp helpline number (7600011160) and mobile application.  (iOS, Android)This slideshow requires JavaScript. Alt News found a tweet by @hoaxeye which said that the video was made by TikTok user @Aleksey___nz.  We visited his profile and discovered that he posted the video on May 17, 2021.  Readers can watch the original TikTok video here (those in India are advised to use Tor browser).
Aleksey is a CGI and VFX artist and has posted similar work on his profile.  He has also made other celestial visual graphics that show the moon broken into pieces, Saturn close to the Sun, a video showing a UFO, etc.
He has shared a link to his website on his Instagram handle.
The first clue that gives away the fact that the video is not real is the moon orbiting at a high speed when it should appear still from the Earth.  Sapce. com explains, “The moon orbits the Earth once every 27. 322 days.  It also takes approximately 27 days for the moon to rotate once on its axis.  As a result, the moon does not seem to be spinning but appears to observers from Earth to be keeping almost perfectly still.  Scientists call this synchronous rotation. ”Donate NowA journalist and a dilettante person who always strives to learn new skills and meeting new people.  Either sketching or working. A video of a group of panellists claiming that the world is not facing a…Pharmaceutical manufacturer Zydus Cadila got the approval of DGCI (Drugs Controller General of India) for…A viral WhatsApp message claims Nobel laureate Luc Montagnier said that there is no chance…Several people have shared juxtaposed images of 3D CT scans of the lungs and claimed…A photograph of hundreds of dead birds has been shared with the claim that they…


Have you ever wondered about ads that promise to make you fairer, thinner, less bald and the 'success stories' these ads rely on as testimonials?  We stumbled across one such ad that promised to save you big bucks at the dermatologist by using a little known skin lightening product.  Neha claimed that she was 'utterly disappointed so many times before' but got 'fairer, glowing skin instantly' by using a product named Radyance.  Not one to give up a good deal, we decided to fact check Neha Pawan's story starting with Fit Daily's website.  WHAT THE HECK IS FITDAILY?  Along with Neha Pawan's story, Fit Daily’s page also has a testimonial of an individual named Rohan from Bangalore and how he got fairer using a product that was only available on the Internet, Radyance Instant Skin Brightener.  The page is also sprinkled with before and after pictures of people whose faces look unnaturally whiter and a bizarre video that shows you how to get five shades fairer in just two minutes.  But it didn’t take long to figure out that Fit Daily is not even a website.  It’s a marketing ploy that mimics a site and even fakes comments by what it claims are real people.   Clicking on any other category mentioned on the page takes you to an ad for Radyance.   The images are photoshopped, the success stories are concocted and the names are fictitious.  Worryingly, the images have been  stolen from bloggers and make-up tutorials .  Ankita Srivastava is one such woman whose picture has been misused and given a fake identity of Neha Pawan from Hyderabad.   “The company is using my images without my permission.  I have never endorsed their product,” Srivastava, whose make-up tutorial videos on You Tube are widely popular, told BOOM in an email.  We found another blogger whose real identity is Bhumika Thakkar and not Sadhana Malhotra as the ad states.  “Yes they have lifted images from my blog and using it for their fake ads.  Is there a way out? ,” Thakkar asked us in an email.  Buried at the bottom of Fit Daily's page is a disclaimer that states it's an advertisement and not a blog, news article or consumer protection update.  TRACING THE SOURCE  BOOM found the exact same images on a site called Eunoia Plus.  Eunoia Plus did not respond to an email from BOOM.  According to its website it is a digital marketing company based in Nagpur, Maharashtra.  Contact numbers listed were constantly busy and unreachable.  We also came across another website called Consumer’s Guide, a site dedicated to 'Skin Whitening Education. ' In its post titled ‘Skin Whitening Trick That Works’, the website ranked Radyance Skin Whitening Serum as its 'Top Choice. ' However, the post is authored by one Rishika Verma, who has used an image of actor Anushka Shetty, as her display picture.    RADYANCE:  SPOTTING THE BLEMISHES   At the time of writing this story over 220 complaints against Radyance were posted on the Indian Consumer Complaints Forum, a website not affiliated to any government body.  A summary of the complaints are listed below.  1.  Radyance: Skin Brightening Complex did not make people fairer.  2.  The maximum retail price (M. R. P) on the package stated Rs.  4,400 but the product was being sold for     Rs.  1,692.  3.  The contact numbers printed on the packaging were U. S.  based but the manufacturer's address either said Delhi, Gurgaon or Shimla.  4.  Some of the ads for Radyance showed a white bottle but customers received a black bottle.  5.  Several complainants stated that after placing an order, a representative named Neha Gupta would send them a text message saying that they(the customer) had accidentally ordered only 'Radyance Night Complex' without 'Radyance Day Elixir'.  Neha's text message explained how both creams were needed for the solution to work.  The company would then go ahead and order Radyance Day Elixir costing Rs.   1170 without seeking the customer’s permission.   Requests to cancel the second order were ignored.    Click here to go to Part 2


Major cities around the country are bracing for raids by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on thousands of undocumented immigrants. https://t.co/BxAE6CPGVx

  Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the nature of the raids.  Immigration authorities are expected to begin conducting raids targeting undocumented immigrants.

    Immigration authorities have begun conducting raids, a senior administration official said Sunday, in an operation expected to target about 2,000 undocumented immigrants ordered by courts to be removed from the country.

    The raids, which will focus on recent arrivals to the country, are slated for Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York and San Francisco, a senior immigration official said.  New Orleans is also on the list, but the city tweeted last week that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement said it would suspend operations through the weekend in areas hit by Tropical Storm Barry, which weakened to a tropical depression Sunday.

    As of early Sunday evening, there weren’t any confirmed reports of migrants being apprehended in Baltimore, Chicago or New York, immigrant advocacy groups in those cities told CNN.

    “For the most part, it’s quiet,” Cara Yi, a spokeswoman for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights said.  “We’ve been dispatching rapid response teams out to meet with people who have reported ICE activity over our hotline.  None have been confirmed as of yet. ”

    Most of the reports were about sightings of government vehicles, Yi said, but advocates had confirmed they were not ICE.

    The American Civil Liberties Union of New York said earlier on Twitter that it had received “some reports of ICE at subway stations, but none have been substantiated. ”

    Acting US Citizenship and Immigration Services director Ken Cuccinelli took issue with referring to the targets of the raids as undocumented.

Mayors ‘in the dark’ on raids

    “They’re not undocumented.  They’ve got a court order on a piece of paper – federal order – that says they’ve gotten due process, and (there are) over a million people with removal orders.  That’s the pool that ICE is drawing from,” he told CNN.

    ICE will not comment on operational details of the raids, Cuccinelli said, adding that the priority will be apprehending violent criminals and aggravated felons.  ICE agents are not “utilizing” allegations of crossing the border illegally, a misdemeanor, as cause for arrest in the raids, he said.

Explaining the raids

    Asked if children would be separated from their parents, Cuccinelli said that information constituted an operational detail.  But he did say families are among the 1 million people facing removal orders.

    News of the raids has left many undocumented immigrants frightened.  They’ve been stocking up on groceries and making plans to stay in their homes with the lights off and the blinds down.  Some are staying home from work.  Others are posting signs inside their homes reminding them what to do if ICE agents show up.  Unsure of where to turn, they’re flooding hotlines with calls.

    In some cities, local governments and advocacy groups were assisting the immigrants.  Supporters in the Chicago neighborhood of Pilsen were posting “know your rights” fliers and encouraging residents to post the fliers, which say, “The family that resides in this home knows their legal rights,” at their homes.

    Advocates with the Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights in Atlanta on Sunday were at a popular Latino shopping center, handing out fliers that read, “ICE free zone. ”

    The fliers also asked immigration authorities to present a signed warrant if they wanted to come inside, adding “This is OUR Constitutional Right! ”

    Rep.  Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas said Sunday that immigration law experts would be on hand at her office in Houston to provide legal resources to individuals looking for information regarding the raids, which she called “draconian. ”

    In New York City, staff members with the mayor’s office of immigrant affairs are also informing immigrants of their legal rights and of city resources that are available in the event they encounter an immigration enforcement official.

    “In the face of heartless raids that would tear families apart, we remain steadfast in our commitment to support and defend immigrant communities,” Bitta Mostofi, the office’s commissioner, said in a statement.

    Cuccinelli characterized the raids as normal ICE business and pointed to statistics showing ICE has deported fewer people under President Donald Trump than it did under President Barack Obama.

    “This is their job every day.  We’ve got compassionate, loyal ICE agents who are just doing their job,” he said.  “It shows you how far we’ve fallen in that it’s become news that they would actually go deport people who have removal orders. ”

ICE had planned to arrest and deport families with court-ordered removals in late June, according to the senior immigration official, but Trump delayed the raids to give Congress time to “work out a solution” on what he said were asylum and loophole problems with the country’s immigration policy.

    Mark Morgan, acting commissioner for US Customs and Border Protection who was acting ICE director at the time, said the raids were postponed because operations details had been leaked.  Former acting ICE director John Sandweg also expressed concern.

    “You never want the target to know you’re coming.  You want that element of surprise because it keeps you safe,” he said.  “From an effective perspective, that’s why you don’t announce these things. ”

    While Trump has repeatedly tweeted about the impending operation, he hasn’t jeopardized officer safety, Cuccinelli said, explaining that the situation in June was different than what is happening now.

    “The level of detail in the information that came out publicly (last month) was way beyond these general comments the President is making,” he said.

    In February, ICE sent around 2,000 letters to families who already had received final orders of removal by judges in absentia, asking them to self-report to ICE offices by March.  The upcoming operation is expected to target approximately 2,000 people, the senior immigration official said.

    Despite reports of overcrowding at some ICE detention facilities along the southern border, Cuccinelli said ICE has made preparations in anticipation of the raids.

    “ICE plans these things superbly,” he said.

    According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement statistics, 256,085 people were deported in fiscal year 2018, up from 226,119 removals in fiscal year 2017.

  CNN’s Jim Acosta, Priscilla Alvarez, Devan Cole, Kevin Liptak, Catherine E.  Shoichet, Taylor Romine, Rosa Flores and Jake Tapper contributed to this report.
© 2021 Cable News Network.  A Warner Media Company.  All Rights Reserved.   CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network.


The judge who oversaw Derek Chauvin's murder trial has ruled that there were four aggravating factors in the killing of George Floyd, a decision that allows the judge to give Chauvin a lengthier prison sentence. https://t.co/mdOSDh0uWB

A Minnesota judge has found aggravating factors in the death of George FloydDerek Chauvin requests new trial, alleging jury misconductMINNEAPOLIS -- A Minnesota judge has ruled that there were aggravating factors in the death of         George Floyd, paving the way for the possibility of a longer sentence for         Derek Chauvin, according to an order made public Wednesday. In his ruling dated Tuesday, Judge Peter Cahill found Chauvin abused his authority as a police officer when he restrained Floyd last year and that he treated Floyd with particular cruelty.  He also cited the presence of children and the fact Chauvin was part of a group with at least three other people. Cahill said Chauvin and two other officers held Floyd handcuffed, in a prone position on the street for an “inordinate amount of time” and that Chauvin knew the restraint was dangerous. “The prolonged use of this technique was particularly egregious in that George Floyd made it clear he was unable to breathe and expressed the view that he was dying as a result of the officers’ restraint,” Cahill wrote. Even with the aggravating factors, legal experts have said Chauvin, 45, is         unlikely to get more than 30 years when he is sentenced June 25. Ben Crump and the team of attorneys representing Floyd's family applauded the ruling, saying in a statement that it “offers hope that we will see real change in the relationship between police and people of color by holding officers properly accountable for egregious behavior and for failing to honor the sanctity of all lives. ”Chauvin, who is white,         was convicted in April  of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for pressing his knee against Floyd’s neck for about 9 1/2 minutes as the Black man said he couldn’t breathe and went motionless.  Floyd's death, captured on widely seen bystander video, set off demonstrations around the United States and beyond as          protesters demanded changes in policing. Even though Chauvin was found guilty of three counts, under Minnesota statutes he’ll only be sentenced on the most serious one — second-degree murder.  Under Minnesota sentencing guidelines, he would have faced a presumptive sentence of 12 1/2 years on that count, and Cahill could have sentenced him to as little as 10 years and eight months or as much as 15 years and still stayed within the guideline range. But         prosecutors asked for what is known as an upward departure — arguing that Floyd was particularly vulnerable with his hands cuffed behind his back as he was face-down on the ground.  They also said Chauvin treated Floyd with particular cruelty, saying Chauvin inflicted gratuitous pain and caused psychological distress to Floyd and to bystanders.  They also said Chauvin abused his position of authority as a police officer, committed his crime as part of a group of three or more people, and that he pinned Floyd down in the presence of children — including a 9-year-old girl who testified at trial that watching the restraint made her “sad and kind of mad. ”Cahill agreed with all but one of the prosecutors’ arguments.  He said prosecutors did not prove that Floyd was particularly vulnerable, noting that even though he was handcuffed, he was able to struggle with officers who were trying to put him in a squad car. Cahill said one of the other officers twice checked Floyd’s pulse and told Chauvin he detected none, while another officer suggested rolling Floyd to his side and said he was passing out.  Cahill said these officers let Chauvin know that asphyxia was actually happening — yet Chauvin held his position.  Cahill said when it became clear to bystanders that Floyd was in distress and stopped breathing, Chauvin continued to abuse his position of authority by not rendering aid. In finding that Chauvin treated Floyd with particular cruelty, Cahill wrote: “The slow death of George Floyd occurring over approximately six minutes of his positional asphyxia was particularly cruel in that Mr.  Floyd was begging for his life and obviously terrified by the knowledge that he was likely to die but during which the Defendant objectively remained indifferent to Mr.  Floyd’s pleas. ”With Tuesday's ruling, Cahill has given himself permission to sentence Chauvin above the guideline range, though he doesn't have to, said Mark Osler, professor at the University of St.  Thomas School of Law.  He said attorneys for both sides will argue whether an upward departure is appropriate and how long the sentence should be. A pre-sentence investigation report will also be conducted.  These are usually nonpublic and include highly personal information such as family history and mental health issues, as well as details of the offense and the harm it caused others and the community. Defense attorney Eric Nelson had argued there were no aggravating factors.  He said Chauvin had legal authority to assist in Floyd's arrest and was authorized to use reasonable force.  He also said Floyd was not particularly vulnerable, citing his large size and struggle with officers.  Nelson argued that there was no particular cruelty, saying there is no evidence that the assault perpetrated by Chauvin involved gratuitous pain that’s not usually associated with second-degree murder. No matter what sentence Chauvin gets, in Minnesota it’s presumed that a defendant with good behavior will serve two-thirds of the penalty in prison and the rest on supervised release, commonly known as parole. Chauvin has also been         indicted on federal charges alleging he violated Floyd's civil rights, as well as the civil rights of a 14-year-old he restrained in a 2017 arrest.  If convicted on those charges, which were unsealed Friday, a federal sentence would be served at the same time as Chauvin's state sentence.  The three other former officers involved in Floyd's death were also charged with federal civil rights violations; they await trial in state court on aiding and abetting counts. ——This story has been corrected to fix a typing error to note that Cahill will sentence Chauvin, not Floyd. ———Find AP’s full coverage of the death of George Floyd at:         https://apnews. com/hub/death-of-george-floyd24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


A photo of a building is being shared widely on social media with a claim that the Central Government is paying a monthly rent of Rs.  2 lakhs for Chidambaram’s rented flat in that building, since 2014.  It is also being claimed that the house owners are Nalini and Karti Chidambaram (P Chidambaram’ wife and son).  Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post.  Claim: Since 2014, the Central Government is paying a monthly rent of Rs.  2 lakhs for Chidambaram’s rented flat, which is owned by his wife and son (Nalini and Karti Chidambaram).       Fact: The Central Government allots houses to Rajya Sabha MPs.  It does not pay rent for private houses.  If a MP is living in a private house, other than the allotted house, he has to pay his rent.  The house in the photo is reportedly owned by Nalini and Karti Chidambaram in Jor Bagh area (Delhi).  If Chidambaram is paying rent for living in that flat, then it is his own money.  Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.    When the posted image was run through Google Reverse Image Search, it was found that the house is located in Delhi’s Jor Bagh area and is jointly owned by Nalini and Karti Chidambaram.  A person tweeted the same photo and wrote that while Chidambaram is getting arrested at Jor Bagh, Dr.  Singhvi is watching from inside the house.  The full photo of the house can be found in ‘News18’ article. On the ‘PGurus’ website, it was found that Chidambaram is staying in that house (owned by his wife and son) since 2014 and is paying a monthly rent of Rs.  2 lakhs.  But, nothing was mentioned on that website about Central Government paying the monthly rent. Rajya Sabha MPs are allotted houses by the Central Government.  The Central Government does not pay rents to the private houses if an MP chooses to reside in a private house.  Chidambaram was elected as a Rajya Sabha MP in 2016.  On the Rajya Sabha website, the address of the house allotted to him can be found.  So, the Central Government does not pay to his privately rented house in Jor Bagh. The procedure for house allotment to Rajya Sabha MPs can be read here and the form to be filled by MPs for the house allotment can be seen hereTo sum it up, the Central Government does not pay rents to MPs private houses, it allots houses to MPs. Did you watch our new Episode of the DECODE series on Indian Rivers?


Odisha: Sunita Biswal, daughter of senior Congress leader and former Odisha CM Hemananda Biswal, joined Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in presence of Chief Minister and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik yesterday https://t.co/A3Nvr8Sb9k

Gujarat MLA and OBC leader Alpesh Thakor on Tuesday said Congress leaders who reiterate that scams have taken place are suffering from a “chemical locha” (chemical imbalance) in their minds.  Thakor had left the Congress last month ahead of Lok Sabha polls stating that his Kshatriya Thakor Sena was facing insults in the party. Thakor stated that the Congress party has no people and is only full of ‘chela chapatas’ (those who indulge in flattery).  “Congress failed to understand what people actually want.  They only repeatedly shouted ‘ghotala hua, ghotala hua’ (scam happened, scam happened).  There was no scam, the scam was in their minds, the ‘chemical locha’ was in their minds,” said Alpesh Thakor while talking to ANI.  Earlier, today while talking to ANI on phone, Thakor said that he will not join the BJP though he is in contact with several of their party leaders as an MLA. He said that the Congress was bound to be defeated in Lok Sabha polls as the party has no presence at the ground and only emphasizes on organizing press conferences. Also read: Alpesh Thakor meets Guj deputy CM, sparks buzz of BJP entry“Congress had no booth agents at more than 500 booths.  They have lost connection with the ground level and its leaders only do pressers sitting in the party office.  They should rather reach out to people in villages and try to solve their problems,” said Thakor.  “Congress has become a party without any public support, without any booth management.  It has become a party of only leaders,” he lashed out. “The way Congress is working is the reason why they failed to understand what people want.  Congress did not find a way to sort out public issues.  Congress does not have strong people they have only ‘chela chapatas’,” he said. Thakor claimed that he had cautioned the Congress against negative campaigning over Narendra Modi and RSS.  “I asked Congress not speak against Narendra Modi or RSS but they did not understand this.  Modi is the face of non-corruption while RSS is the face for nationalism,” he asserted. He said that 15 -17 Congress MLAs are unhappy with the party. “We want to work for our people and the poor with the help of the government. . .  wait and watch, more than 15 MLAs are leaving Congress, everyone is distressed.  More than half of the MLAs are upset,” Thakor claimed. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.  Only the headline has been changed. )


A coalition of airline trade and labor groups have written to Attorney General Merrick Garland and FAA Administrator Steve Dickson asking that the Justice Department handle the most heinous cases of unruly passengers https://t.co/ORnPKjET27

There have been 3,000 incidents this year -- 2,300 of them over mask-wearing. Groups call on DOJ to prosecute unruly passengersA coalition of airline lobbying groups and unions are calling for the Justice Department to prosecute unruly passengers "to the fullest extent of the law" following a sharp increase in incidents on flights. "The federal government should send a strong and consistent message through criminal enforcement that compliance with federal law and upholding aviation safety are of paramount importance," the letter said. The group cited a law that prohibits assault or intimidation of flight crew members, which can result in a fine or imprisonment. "Making these prosecutions public will put a spotlight on the serious consequences when breaking the law and will act as an effective deterrent against future onboard disruptions," the coalition wrote. Steve Dickson, the FAA administrator, signed an order earlier this year directing his agency to take a "zero-tolerance" approach to incidents with unruly passengers. "Flying is the safest mode of transportation and I signed this order to keep it that way," Dickson said at the time. There have been 3,000 unruly passenger incidents so far this year -- 2,300 of which were over mask wearing, according to the FAA. The agency has identified 394 cases this year where passengers have potentially broken the law by "interfering with the duties of a crew member. " That's 2 1/2 times the number of incidents investigated in 2019. When asked how many people had actually paid the proposed fines this year for violating federal law, Dickson said they were "still in the very early stages. "24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


My Govt would like to clarify that the rights and facilities that were available before the formation of the three #FarmLaws have not been cut short, in fact with these new agricultural reforms the Govt has provided new facilities & rights to farmers: President Ram Nath Kovind https://t.co/8kahbzCGeF

President Ram Nath Kovind in his address to the joint session of Parliament mentioned the Capital violence that took place in Delhi on January 26.  A group of protesters entered the Red Fort and put up Nishan Sahib on the top of the heritage site.  In a strongly worded statement, the President in his address said the action was an insult to the National Flag of the country.  He also talked about the farm laws against which the protests are going on and other beneficiary schemes of the government.  He also lauded the role of the government in Covid-19 management, vaccination.  The address, the first of the decade, was boycotted by 18 out of 20 opposition parties. Follow live updates from Parliament Budget Session. Here are the top 10 quotes from the President's speech> "Joint session of Parliament amid Coronavirus pandemic is essential.  It's a new year and a new decade and we're also entering into the 75th year of Independence.  Today, all MPs are present here with message and trust that however tough be the challenge neither we nor India will stop. "> "I am satisfied that the timely decision taken by my Government saved the lives of lakhs of citizens.  Today the number of new Covid-19 cases is going down rapidly. "> "It is a matter of pride that India is running the biggest vaccination program in the world.  Both vaccines of this program are made in India.  In this crisis, India shouldered its responsibility towards mankind and provided lakhs of doses of vaccines to several nations. "> "The focus of 'Aatmnirbhar Bharat' is also on the farm sector.  The government has decided to give MSP according to Swaminathan recommendation. "> "Small and marginal farmers are also a priority for my Govt.  To support such farmers in their small expenses, around ₹1,13,000 crores have been transferred directly to their accounts, under PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi. "> "The National Flag and a holy day like Republic Day were insulted in the past few days.  The Constitution that provides us Freedom of Expression, is the same Constitution that teaches us that law and rules have to be followed seriously. "> "My govt would like to clarify that the rights and facilities that were available before the formation of the three Farm Laws have not been cut short, in fact with these new agricultural reforms the Govt has provided new facilities and rights to farmers. "> "20 jawans made the supreme sacrifice in Galwan valley in June 2020.  Every citizen is grateful to these martyrs.  My Govt is committed to the protection of the interests of the nation.  Extra Forces have been deployed at LAC for protection of India's sovereignty. "> "Extremism in the northeast is heading towards its end, the incidents of violence are declining.  The youth that had gone astray is returning to the mainstream of development and nation-building. "> "The nation is recovering from the damage that the economy suffered while saving the life of every Indian during the Corona period.  Even in this difficult time, India has emerged as an attractive destination for global investors. "


36 more people have tested positive for #Coronavirus in Indore district on June 7, taking the total number of positive cases to 3785. Death toll increased to 157 after one death was reported on June 7: Chief Medical and Health Officer, Indore #MadhyaPradesh https://t.co/qSoUkW5Ujo

The number of coronavirus cases in Tripura rose to 750 on Saturday after 55 more people tested positive for the disease, officials said.  Most of the new patients have a recent travel history to other states.  Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb in a tweet said, “Alert.  55 people found Covid-19 positive cases in Tripura today out of 1125 samples tested.  Majority of the positive patients have travel history and others were in contact of Covid-19 patient.  Stay Cautious & Safe. ” Of the total 750 patients in the state, 173 have been cured.  According to latest reports, 24,826 out of 37,761 persons put under surveillance have completed their 14 days observation period and been discharged. However, 542 people are still in different quarantine centres and 12,093 others home quarantined.  The state has so far tested 33,276 people for Covid-19.


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

  The New York state Supreme Court in Manhattan has disbarred Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney and fixer, after Cohen pleaded guilty last year to multiple felony charges, according to a decision released Tuesday.

  A five-judge panel found that Cohen, who began a three-day stretch of congressional testimony on Tuesday, should be disbarred for his federal conviction for having previously made false statements to Congress, the decision said.

  Though Cohen’s disbarment was widely expected in legal circles, for a onetime trusted legal adviser to the President to be stricken from the roll of attorneys in New York state nevertheless constituted another striking step in the escalating consequences of the investigation into Cohen.

  Cohen, who pleaded guilty in two cases to an array of charges that included campaign-finance violations connected to his work for Trump, is scheduled to report to prison for a three-year sentence beginning on May 6.

Michael Cohen apologizes to Senate panel for lying to Congress

  The decision was posted online early Tuesday evening.  It was released two days earlier than initially intended, according to the New York Law Journal.  On Tuesday afternoon, paper copies of the decision, containing the same text but dated February 28, were distributed to reporters in the courthouse press room.  Court officials declined to confirm that those copies were legitimate and told CNN the decision was not ready to be released, only to then post it online with Tuesday’s date.

  Lanny Davis, an adviser to Cohen, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on Cohen’s disbarment.

  Though an attorney for Trump, Rudy Giuliani, on several occasions has raised concerns that Cohen could have violated attorney-client privilege, the decision from the court didn’t address that subject.

  In New York, conviction of a federal felony triggers disbarment if the offense would constitute a felony under state law.

  The court has repeatedly found that a conviction for making false statements to Congress “is analogous to a conviction under the New York felony of offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree and, therefore, automatic disbarment is appropriate herein,” the decision said.
© 2021 Cable News Network.  A Warner Media Company.  All Rights Reserved.   CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network.


Deepak Pauskar after taking oath as Goa cabinet minister: I feel good to be a part of BJP. Modi ji should become the Prime Minister again. We will put in all the efforts to make our two MPs from Goa win #LokSabhaElections2019 & send them to Delhi. https://t.co/3pBCrGsKGu

In the run-up to being sworn in as the country’s prime minister for the second consecutive term on Thursday at Rashtrapati Bhawan, PM Narendra Modi said that he was honoured to serve India. Minutes before taking oath, PM Modi took to Twitter.  “Honoured to serve India,” he said in a tweet. PM Modi, 68, was administered the oath of office by President Ram Nath Kovind.  BJP president Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari and former foreign secretary S Jaishankar are some of the other Union ministers.  The prime minister and his new Cabinet was sworn in at Rashtrapati Bhawan’s forecourt in the presence of a mammoth gathering of politicians, sports icons, film personalities as well as the common people.  A total of 8000 people attended the swearing in ceremony.  PM Modi had first moved the oath ceremony in 2014 from one of the ceremonial halls in the presidential palace to the magnificent forecourt to accommodate a larger audience.


The former California home of use-of-force expert Barry Brodd was smeared with pig's blood Saturday, four days after he testified for the defense in Derek Chauvin's trial in Minneapolis, Minnesota, police said. https://t.co/uLNbbqZ1k0

A pig's head and animal blood were found at the house in Northern California.  Legal Expert: Defense uses Floyd’s past interactions with police as argumentThe former Northern California home of an expert police use-of-force witness who testified last week for the defense in the Derek Chauvin murder trial was targeted over the weekend by vandals, police said. Police in Santa Rosa, California, said the vandalism occurred early Saturday morning at the former home of Barry Brodd, a former Santa Rosa Police Department training officer, who moved out of the residence several years ago and no longer lives in the state. "Because Mr.  Brodd no longer lives in the city of Santa Rosa, it appears the victim was falsely targeted," Santa Rosa police said in a statement. Police were called to the home just after 3 a. m.  by the new homeowners, who told officers they were awakened by a group of people dressed all in black, who threw a severed pig’s head on their front porch and splattered blood on the front of their house, officials said. "It appears the suspects in this vandalism were targeting Mr.  Brodd for his testimony," the police statement reads. About 45 minutes later, a statue of a giant hand outside the Santa Rosa Plaza shopping mall was also found coated in blood, police said.  The vandals also left a sign in front of the statue that included a picture of a pig and the words “Oink Oink," police said. "The suspects were seen fleeing the area and matched the descriptions of the suspects who vandalized the house," the police statement reads. Brodd, a consultant on police practices and use of force, testified Tuesday as a paid expert witness for the defense. He testified that his review of the evidence in the high-profile case led him to the opinion that the type of force Chauvin used on George Floyd was justified and that the former Minneapolis police officer "was acting with objective reasonableness following Minneapolis Police Department policy and current standards of law enforcement in his interactions with Mr.  Floyd. "Brodd's opinion countered several Minneapolis Police Department use-of-force trainers and top department officials who testified that the amount of force Chauvin used on Floyd was excessive, unnecessary and not written anywhere in the agency's policies and practices. "That action is not de-escalation," Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo testified during the trial, which heads into closing arguments on Monday.  "And when we talk about the framework of our sanctity of life and when we talk about our principles and the values that we have, that action goes contrary to what we are talking about. "Brodd testified that his career as a police officer spanned 29 years, the majority of it with the Santa Rosa Police Department. Following Brodd's appearance at the Chauvin trial, Santa Rosa Police Chief Rainer Navarro issued a statement slamming the testimony. "Mr.  Brodd's comments do not reflect the values and beliefs of the Santa Rosa Police Department," Navarro said in his statement, adding that Brodd has not worked for his agency since 2004. Brodd could not be reached on Sunday for comment. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


‘NRC not needed in Bengal’: Mamata Banerjee tells Amit Shah in rare meeting

https://t.co/x4sa7jx7O8 https://t.co/FcAXdrX38B

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee raised the issue of National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam in a meeting with Union Home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Thursday.  “No Indian should be put through difficulties,” said the West Bengal chief minister after her meeting with Amit Shah, pointing out that 1. 9 million people were excluded from the final NRC. The meeting between the two lasted for about 30 minutes. The Bengal chief minister described her meeting with the Union Home Minister as a part of the “constitutional duty”.  “ As a chief minister of a state with boundaries with foreign countries -Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal- it is part of my duty,” she said. Also Watch l ‘Will drive illegal immigrants out legally’: Amit Shah on pan-India NRC This was the first meeting between the West Bengal CM and the Union Home Minister after the second Modi government came to power. “I raised the issue of NRC with the home minister.  Lives of people are now uncertain.  Several Hindi, Bengali and Gurkhali speaking people have been left out of the NRC,” Mamata Banerjee said after the meeting and added “the issue of conducting NRC, did not come up during the meeting. ”“My stand and that of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar is same, we don’t need an NRC in our states,” the Trinamool Supremo said. The BJP and , in particular, Home Minister Amit Shah have, however, said that the NRC process will be done across the country to weed out “illegal migrants”.


Ever since the protests against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act broke out in December 2019, the fake news factory has worked overtime on the issue.  CLAIM In one such claim, a video showing a huge gathering of Hindu ascetics is being shared with the message that it shows a peaceful pro-CAA demonstration in Haridwar.  The claim along with the video reads, “A procession of Sadhus, Agoras, in Haidwar in support of Modi's CAA.  No one knows where these people live and how they are receiving messages.  No stone pelting, No Cruel slogans, No bus burning, No police Attack, No Pak zindabad, No public property damage (sic). ” The video is being massively shared on Facebook and Twitter.  TRUE OR FALSE?  The Quint could confirm that the video is old and is being shared with a misleading claim.  The video does not show peaceful pro-CAA protesters in Haridwar, but is from Allahabad’s Kumbh Mela and could be traced back to March 2019.  WHAT WE FOUND We conducted a reverse image search using the Yandex search engine and came across several tweets which pointed that this video is from the 2019 Prayagraj Kumbh Mela.  Taking cues from there, we ran a Google keywords search using ‘Naga Sadhu Procession at Prayagraj Kumbh Mela 2019’ which guided us to several YouTube videos which in turn, helped us to trace the video back to March 2019.  We also got in touch with a local journalist who informed us that the video has no connection whatsoever with the CAA protests and is indeed from the Kumbh Mela held earlier in 2019.  Hence, the video has been in circulation way before the CAA protests began.


The 'Frozen 2' trailer is finally here https://t.co/VbDGwJUDTs https://t.co/vSC8rwlOmM

The seasons are turning once again, six years since we first visited Arendelle. The 'Frozen 2' teaser trailer is hereDo you wanna build a snowman? The surprise teaser trailer for Disney’s highly anticipated "Frozen 2" crashed online Wednesday morning.  Blanketed by a perfectly dramatic musical score, it features no voices from the main characters but promises an epic adventure of thrilling twists and turns from the yet-to-be revealed plot line. The seasons are turning once again, six years since we first visited Arendelle, the kingdom ruled by Queen Elsa.  For the first time in what feels like forever, we get a glimpse at what’s next for Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Sven and Olaf. A royal pursuit and battle between fire and ice?  New magic and sorcery?  What are they all searching for?  Where's all the snow? !  Though much is still concealed, this first look is giving us all the feels. Watch the new teaser trailer for Disney's "Frozen 2" for yourself:The teaser trailer for "Frozen 2" is now the most viewed animation trailer of all time, with a record-breaking 116. 4 million views in 24 hours, according to Disney. The Academy Award-winning team of directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck are back for the sequel, and the animated film will of course feature the enormous voices of Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Jonathan Groff and Josh Gad, all returning from the original. Fans on Twitter were far from frozen, making waves with their reactions:Some were caught experiencing emotionally white-out conditions:Others couldn't quite let it go and felt the need to launch their own investigations:We’re sure to be doing whatever snow does in summer waiting for the movie to hit theaters.  The Walt Disney Animation Studios production of "Frozen 2" opens on Nov.  22, 2019. Disney is the parent company of ABC News and "Good Morning America. "24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


A post is being shared on Facebook with the claim that many BJP candidates got the same number of votes in many constituencies in the General Elections-2019.  Let’s try to check the authenticity of the numbers given in the post. Claim: If EVMs were not hacked, how did BJP and Congress candidates get 211820 and 140295 votes respectively in many constituencies? Fact: The number of votes given in the post does not match with the official numbers on the ECI website.  Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE. In the post, the names of seven BJP candidates were given along with the number of votes (211820) they secured on the EVMs in the General Elections- 2019.  Also, it was given that respective Congress candidates got the same votes (140295) in all the constituencies against the above BJP candidates.  The authenticity of the numbers given in the post can be ascertained from the official ECI Results website.  The attached photos in the post have the name of the constituencies of the candidates.  So, when one checks for the votes of the candidates according to constituencies, it can be found that the numbers given in the post were FALSE. To sum it up, BJP and Congress Candidates didn’t get 211820 and 140295 votes respectively in many constituencies. Did you watch our Facebook live on Fake News (Misinformation)


Rajasthan: Congress MLAs show victory sign after winning the confidence motion in the State Assembly today; Visuals from Hotel Fairmont in Jaipur. https://t.co/iXdFzCEHdS

The rebel Rajasthan Congress MLAs, led by former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot, on Tuesday denied that Rajasthan BJP president Satish Poonia had met them in Manesar, a claim made by the special operations group (SOG) of Rajasthan police.  Murari Meena, MLA from Dausa, said the news had been spread to defame the MLAs with Sachin Pilot, who are currently staying in a hotel in Manesar.  “No one from the BJP either met us or plans to meet us.  It is an attempt to defame us,” said Meena in a telephonic conversation from Manesar.  HT reported on Tuesday that the Rajasthan police investigation into three cases of sedition and conspiracy to topple Ashok Gehlot government has found that state BJP president Satish Poonia met the Sachin Pilot camp of MLAs twice in July.  According to the HT report, Poonia met the Pilot camp MLAs twice between July 18 and July 29.  Poonia denied this vehemently.  “I have never met Pilot or any other rebel MLA.  Police are speaking the government’s language,” he said.  The Dausa MLA said they had not decided on attending the Assembly session from August 14.  “It is still 10 days away.  We will sit together and decide about our future strategy,” Meena said.  Meanwhile, the special operations group (SOG) dropped the sedition charges in the three cases related to efforts to topple Gehlot government, and transferred the cases to the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) of the state government. Earlier today, the Congress said it could hold talks with the rebel MLAs of Sachin Pilot camp if they leave the hospitality of Manohar Lal Khattar government in Haryana. Congress national spokesperson Randeep Surjewala maintained that the only condition for talks with the dissident Rajasthan MLAs is that they leave the BJP’s “suraksha chakra (protection)”.


Screenshots of few tweets are being shared on social media claiming them to be the last tweets of actor Sushanth Singh Rajput before his death.  In the post, it is mentioned that these tweets were later on deleted by him for some unknown reason.  Let’s verify the authenticity of the tweets in the post. Claim: Screenshots of tweets made by actor Sushanth Singh Rajput before his suicide on 14 June 2020. Fact:  The tweets in the screenshot weren’t made by Sushanth Singh Rajput.  Multiple inconsistencies in the format can be noticed in these tweets when compared with a standard tweet.  So, the tweets in the screenshot are digitally created using a tool like ‘Photoshop’.  Hence the claim made is FALSE.     When the tweets in the screenshot are carefully observed, one can notice the following differences – So, the tweets in the screenshot are fake and could have been digitally created using a tool like ‘Photoshop’.  These fake tweets are being shared as the last tweets of actor Sushanth Singh Rajput before his death. Did you watch our new video?


#AssamAssemblyElections2021 | Long queues of voters at polling stations as voting for phase 2 underway

In this phase, a total of 345 candidates, 319 males, and 26 females are in the fray

Counting of votes on May 2

LIVE updates: https://t.co/Ibc8uGUTQK
#ElectionsWithHT https://t.co/e3hnumnv73

Voting across 30 assembly constituencies of West Bengal and 39 constituencies in Assam was conducted in the second phase of assembly elections on Thursday.  Over 11 hours into polling, the states recorded a voting percentage of 80. 43% and 77. 21% respectively, so far. The Election Commission notified on Thursday evening the second phase was conducted peacefully across 21,212 polling stations which were spread over the total 69 constituencies.  The second phase of polls in Bengal witnessed a crucial battle for the Nandigram assembly seat, from where chief minister Mamata Banerjee is contesting for the first time instead of her traditional Bhawanipore seat.  While Banerjee seeks to retain the chief minister’s post for the third term, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded her former aide Suvendu Adhikari against her from Nandigram. Click here for full assembly election 2021 coverageSoon after Banerjee reached a polling booth in the constituency, sloganeering was reported from the station, following which she spoke with the state governor Jagdeep Dhankar to look into the matter.  She also alleged that several voters were not being allowed to cast their ballot.  The governor has assured her that the issue has been flagged to concerned officials. Meanwhile, in Assam, over 7. 3 million voters decided the fate of 345 candidates.  The main electoral battle in the northeastern state is between BJP and Congress.  The BJP this time as teamed up with Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) while the Congress as a part of the Grand Alliance is fighting the election with the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), the Communist Party of India, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation, the Anchalik Gana Marcha (AGM) and the Bodoland Peoples' Front (BPF). Follow latest updates on Phase 2 voting hereFollow all the updates here:Cong seeks candidature disqualification of Assam minister Pijush HazarikaAs voting concluded for the second phase of the assembly election in Assam, the Congress Party on Thursday submitted a memorandum to the state's Chief Electoral Officer, seeking candidature disqualification of Assam minister Pijush Hazarika for allegedly threatening journalist, according to news agency ANI.  After Mahua Moitra’s ‘Chotiwala’ barb, Giriraj Singh reactsAs the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have engaged in a squabble over the ‘chotiwala’ jibe, Union fisheries minister and BJP leader Giriaj Singh on Thursday reacted sharply towards TMC MP Mahua Moitra’s recent tweet where she said, “There are chotiwalas and then there are chotiwala rakshasas who refers to gotra of Rohingyas as if it were a term of abuse.  Modiji should ask his cabinet minister to refrain from such filth. ” Read more90% of votes have gone to BJP in Nandigram, says Suvendu AdhikariExpressing confidence that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would emerge victorious in West Bengal's Nandigram constituency, party leader Suvendu Adhikari said on Thursday that 90% of the votes in Nandigram have gone to the BJP.  Polling across assembly constituencies done under strict security cover: Election CommissionThe EC added that polling across all assembly constituencies in Phase 2 was conducted under strict security arrangements.  "Central Armed Police Forces(CAPFs) along with the local police force have been deployed to ensure peaceful, intimidation free and conducive atmosphere for the smooth conduct of elections in a free, fair, inclusive and accessible manner," a statement from the Commission read.  Phase-2 of Assam, Bengal assembly polls conducted peacefully, says ECThe Election Commission said on Thursday that the second phase of the assembly elections in Assam and Bengal conducted peacefully across 21,212 polling stations which were spread over 69 assembly seats, ANI reports. Voter turnout in Bengal goes over 80%, Assam sees 73. 09% turnoutThe latest update by the Election Commission at 6. 06 pm showed that West Bengal recorded a voter turnout of 80. 43% while Assam saw a turnout of 73. 09%.  Worried about democracy, not Nandigram, says Bengal CM BanerjeeWe have already lodged 63 complaints with Election Commission.  I am not worried about Nandigram, but I am worried about democracy.  I will win Nandigram with the blessings of 'Maa Maati Manush': West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee pic. twitter. com/QD81ZMOahOWest Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday hit out at the Election Commission (EC) and said, "Whatever you (Election Commission) try, BJP will not win.  In Nandigram, 90% of the votes will to TMC. " Banerjee also said that the TMC had already lodged 63 complaints with the commission adding that she was not worried about her constituency Nandigram but was worried about democracy.  "I will win Nandigram with the blessings of 'Maa Maati Manush,' the Bengal CM added. East Mednipur: ITBP personnel help senior citizens cast vote during second phase of pollingITBP troops guard booths and help senior citizens in Tamluk, East Medinipur, during second phase of West Bengal Assembly polls: ITBP pic. twitter. com/Q6w71d0tKqITBP personnel helps senior citizen to reach a polling booth in West Bengal's BankuraA personnel from of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) was seen helping a senior citizen to reach a polling booth in West Bengal's Bankura to exercise his franchise.  West Bengal records over 71% voter turnout so far, Assam sees 63. 04%Latest updates by the Election Commission at 4. 12 pm showed that Bengal has recorded a voter turnout of 71. 07% while Assam has seen a turnout of 63. 04%.  Voters queue up at poll booth in MayongPhotos from polling stationsA look at Phase 2 Bengal, Assam voting in photos68. 81% voter turnout recorded in Bengal so far, Assam sees 61. 86% turnoutAs of 3. 17 pm, 68. 81% voter turnout has been recorded in West Bengal while Assam sees a voter turnout of 61. 86%, according to the Election Commission. TMC acting desperately due to fear of losing, says BJP's Suvendu AdhikariWith polling currently on for the second phase of the assembly election in West Bengal, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikrai said on Thursday that the rival Trinamool Congres (TMC) was acting desperately due to the the fear of losing this year's election.  "They (TMC) tried to capture two booths but the police observer caught them.  They tried to use fake IDs at other booths and now three people have been held," Adhikari said while speaking to reporters, according to news agency ANI. Locals not being allowed to vote in Nandigram, Bengal CM tells Governor Dhankar#WATCH: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee speaks to Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar over the phone at a polling booth in Nandigram.  She says, ". . . They didn't allow the local people to cast their vote.  From morning I am campaigning. . . Now I am appealing to you, please see. . . " pic. twitter. com/mjsNQx38BBWest Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday phoned state governor Jagdeep Dhankar where she alleged that local people are not being allowed to exercise their franchise in Nandigram, reports ANI.  Read more58. 15% voter turnout recorded so far in Bengal, Assam sees 48. 26% turnoutAs voting for the second phase of assembly elections in West Bengal and Assam continues, 58. 15% voter turnout was recorded in Bengal till 1. 30 pm in 30 constituencies while Assam saw a turnout of 48. 26% till 1 pm in 39 constituencies. Assam sees peaceful polling in phase twoThe situation in Assam was peaceful with a significant number of voters turning up during the morning hours to exercise their franchise in the 39 seats where voting was underway in the second phase on Thursday. There were reports of EVM glitches from some polling stations and upon their immediate replacement voting continued uninterrupted, an election official said. 29. 27% voter turnout recorded till so far in Bengal, Assam sees 21. 71%21. 71% and 29. 27% voter turnout recorded till 11. 17 am in the second phase of polling in Assam and West Bengal, respectively: Election Commission of IndiaAssam polls: Women turn out in large numbers in morning hours, overall situation peacefulLong queues were seen outside most of the booths as women stepped out in large numbers during the early hours of polling at 39 seats in the second phase of the assembly elections in Assam. Though there were reports of EVM glitches from some polling stations, the exact figure was yet to be ascertained, an official said. No reports of violence so farThere have been no reports of violence or clashes among political activists in the constituency, barring an incident in the Bhimkata area in Nandigram where the BJP candidate faced an agitation by a group of TMC workers who shouted slogans against him, an Election Commission official said. Mamata to stay for whole day, TMC complains agents not allowed in several boothsWest Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee decided to stay at her war room in the Reyapara area during the polls on Thursday in the Nandigram assembly constituency where she is locked in a fierce prestige battle with confidante-turned-adversary Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP. She is monitoring the situation in the high-profile constituency where polling began at 7 am as local TMC leaders complained of their election agents not being allowed to enter several booths, according to the party sources. 10. 51% and 13. 14% voter turnout recorded till 9 amA voter turnout of 13. 14 per cent was recorded till 9 am on Thursday in the second phase of the assembly elections in West Bengal. Paschim Medinipur recorded the highest turnout among districts, while among constituencies, Indus reported the maximum voter turnout. Suvendu Adhikari appeals people to voteBJP candidate and Mamata Banerjee's rival stepped out to vote and said,"I appeal to people to come out in large numbers to cast their vote as the whole country is looking at Nandigram.  People are waiting to see if development or politics of appeasement will win here. "Voting begins in Bengal#WestBengalElections2021 | Polling begins at booth number 137 in Bankura, in the second phase of voting for Assembly elections pic. twitter. com/BrcmczzsJZPolling begins at booth number 137 in Bankura, in the second phase of voting for Assembly electionsPM Modi urges West Bengal to vote in 'record numbers'PM Modi also voted for West Bengal and asked people to vote in record numbers.  "Urging the people of West Bengal in whose seats there is polling taking place today to vote in record numbers," PM Modi said in a tweet. 'Festival of democracy': PM Modi tweets ahead of votingAhead of the voting, PM Modi urged voters to go out and vote.  "Second phase of the Assam polls takes place today.  Requesting all eligible voters of this phase to strengthen the festival of democracy by exercising their franchise," PM Modi said in a tweet. Voting begins in 39 seats in Assam, 30 seats in West Bengal in phase 2 of Assembly electionsGet our daily newsletter Get free access to newsletters, alerts and recommendations


Somebody Posted this REVOLUTION IMAGE Last Night! FB DELETED IT .. Here is is AGAIN! FRANCE is STANDING UP!! NO MORE BANKSTERS CONTROL! NO More Fake Covid Controls .. NO MORE Money / Financial Controls .. (sic)

An image of France celebrating its win against Croatia in the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup, has been revived with the false claim that the image was taken on 18 December 2020, showing Paris “rising against the government” over COVID-19 restrictions.  CLAIM A user shared the image with the caption, “Somebody Posted this REVOLUTION IMAGE Last Night!  FB DELETED IT . .  Here is is AGAIN!  FRANCE is STANDING UP! !  NO MORE BANKSTERS CONTROL!  NO More Fake Covid Controls . .  NO MORE Money / Financial Controls . .  (sic)” Several users shared the image with the caption, “18. 12. 2020 Paris” and “Paris is awake. ” WHAT WE FOUND OUT A reverse image search led us to a report on Metro UK dated 16 July 2018, carrying the image, attributed to Getty.  We also found the image on Getty, dated 15 July 2018, attributed to photographer Ludovic Marin of news agency AFP.  The caption stated that the picture was taken from the top of the Arch of Triumph (Arc de Triomphe).  People lit flares as they celebrated on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris.  While the image shared on social media is two years old, BBC has reported that protesters had gathered in Paris and other cities on 15 December to demonstrate “against the government's shutdown of culture venues because of COVID-19. ”


Ten special trains ferried 12,681 migrant workers to their respective home states amid the nationwide #lockdown from Karnataka

https://t.co/ulPUq6e4TM

Ten special trains ferried 12,681 migrant workers to their respective home states amid the nationwide lockdown from Karnataka, an official said on Saturday. “Saturday’s first Shramik special train from South Western Railway (SWR) zone overall second from Mysuru division and 55th from SWR has left Kabakaputtur at 2 p. m.  with 1,520 passengers for Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh,” said a SWR zone official. Saturday’s second train with 1,520 migrants departed at 3. 08 p. m.  for Ashokapuram in Mysuru to Gorkahpur in UP. The third special train departed Malur station for Darbhanga in Bihar at 4. 50 p. m.  with 1,457 migrants. The fourth train left Chikka Bannavara station for Nargundi in Odisha at 4. 30 p. m.  with 1,518 passengers. The fifth train from Chikka Bannavara left for Lucknow at 6 p. m.  with 1,515 migrants. The sixth special train left at 7. 15 p. m.  from Malur to Purnia in Bihar with 1,299 migrants. Saturday’s seventh special train left Chikka Bannavara station to Malda Town in West Bengal at 8 p. m.  with 985 passengers. The eighth special train from Hubli division left Ballari station for Saharsa in Bihar at 9. 25 p. m.  with 1,395 passengers. Ninth train departed Chikka Bannavara station for Nergundi in Odisha at 10. 05 p. m.  with 1,278 passengers. Saturday’s tenth train and last train left Malur for Dhanbad in Jhakhand with 1,472 passengers at 9. 05 p. m. “Total 10 trains from SWR on Saturday.  Overall count 64 now,” said an official. The SWR zone has operated 64 special trains so far to transport migrants back home. The special trains are being run following the Union Ministry of Home Affairs permission for the movement of stranded migrant labourers, workers, students, tourists and others.