Now, QR code scanner to help get hospital beds for #Covid19 patients in Andhra

(reports @asrao2009)

 https://t.co/8fVTfPEm8q

Amid complaints that Covid-19 patients were being denied admission in government and private hospitals citing non-availability of beds, Andhra Pradesh administration has come up with a digital solution to help ease the situation.  The state medical and health department has developed a “QR code” to help find available beds in 138 hospitals across the state.  The people can scan the QR code and check for availability in their respective areas.  “The code will disclose which hospital has how many beds and how many of them are available for admission,” an official in the chief minister’s office familiar with the development said on Friday.  According to the official, the QR code facility has been created in the wake of several complaints about non-availability of beds, forcing the Covid-19 patients to run from one hospital to another.  “This initiative to use the ‘QR code’ technology is an attempt to not only diversify the options but also reduce the response time in case of emergencies,” the official said.  Chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has instructed that the patients must be provided beds in hospital within 30 minutes of contacting the authorities on toll-free numbers 104 and 14410.  The CM warned of stringent action against hospitals that deny admission to people who contracted coronavirus.  He also asked the medical and health department officials to monitor the facilities available in the hospitals and see that the bed availability be displayed online.  The officials said there are about 32,000 beds in the 128 district Covid-19 hospitals, and 8,000 in 10 state-level Covid-19 hospitals, and patients are admitted to either of these facilities based on their health.  “With the rise in the number of cases the workload on the state-level helplines has been increasing.  So, the QR code facility will help people get access to the information about hospital beds,” the official said.  The total number of positive cases for Covid-19 in the state is nearing two lakh and the number of deaths has mounted to 1,753.  However, the state government has claimed that the positivity rate for the disease and the mortality rate in the state are less than the national average.  “While the national average of Covid-19 positivity is 8. 87 per cent, Andhra Pradesh average has been 8. 56 per cent, while that of Karnataka is 9. 88 per cent, Tamil Nadu 9. 26 per cent, Maharashtra 19. 36 per cent and Delhi 12. 75 per cent.  When it comes to mortality rate, the national average is 2. 07 percent while the state average is 0. 89 per cent,” said an official to CM Reddy at a review meeting earlier today.  Stating that the state had conducted more than 2.  3 million tests till now, Jagan said about 85 to 90 per cent of the tests are being conducted in the containment areas.  He also directed that the authorities ensure timely admission of Covid-19 patients with severe symptoms in the hospitals so as to reduce the mortality rate.


Now, on-site registration for 18 and above at government vaccination centres

https://t.co/8WtSUg2JQM https://t.co/GRUbwONjWD

The Centre on Monday enabled on-site registration and appointment for those in the age group of 18-44 years on the CoWin platform for Covid-19 vaccine at government-run vaccination centres to "minimise vaccine wastage".  “This feature will not be available for Private CVCs (Covid Vaccination Centres), presently and the Private CVCs will have to publish their vaccination schedules exclusively with slots for online appointments,” the Union ministry of health and family welfare said in a release. “This feature will be used only upon decision of the respective State/UT Government to do so.  State/UT must decide on opening of on-site registrations/facilitated cohorts’ registration and appointments for 18-44 years age group based on the local context just as an additional measure to minimize vaccine wastage and for facilitating vaccination of eligible beneficiaries in the age group 18-44 years,” the health ministry added. Also read | 6 things you should not do before or after vaccination, Centre issues guidelineThe ministry said the facility of only online appointment mode initially to people in the age group of 18 to 44 years helped to avoid overcrowding at vaccination centres.  The Centre expanded its massive vaccination drive for people in the age group of 18 to 44 years on May 1. “In case of sessions exclusively organized with online slots, towards the end of the day, some doses may still be left unutilized in case the online appointee beneficiaries do not turn up on day of vaccination due to any reason.  In such cases, on-site registration of a few beneficiaries may be necessary to minimize the vaccine wastage,” the health ministry said.  It added that even though CoWin provides for registration of up to four members with a mobile number, facilitated registration and appointments through applications such as Aarogya Setu and Umang and through the Common Service Centres etc, people need “facilitated cohort’s facility and those without access to internet or smart phones or mobile phones may still have limited access for vaccination. ”Also read | Centre to supply over 5 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses to states and UTsThe Union health ministry has advised states and Union territories to issue clear instructions to all district immunisation officers to strictly adhere to decision of respective state and UT government “regarding the extent and manner of using the on-site registration and appointment feature for 18 to 44 years age group”.  “Fully reserved sessions can also be organised for providing vaccination services to beneficiaries belonging to facilitated cohorts.  Wherever such fully reserved sessions are organized, all efforts must also be made to mobilize such beneficiaries in sufficient numbers,” the ministry said. Also read | CoWin to now allow bookings for 2nd Covishield dose only after 84 daysThe ministry also advised states and UTs that “abundant caution should be exercised and extreme due care should be taken while opening up of on-site registration and appointment for 18-44 years age group, in order to avoid overcrowding at vaccination centres”, the statement said. According to the health ministry, the cumulative number of Covid-19 vaccine doses for the 18-44 age group under the third phase of the vaccination drive crossed 10 million on Monday.  It added that the cumulative number of Covid-19 vaccine doses exceeded 196 million on Monday.


Modi Govt Has Paid Back UPA-era Oil Bonds Of Rs 1.3 Lakh Crore

Despite soaring fuel prices with petrol inching towards Rs 90/ L in Mumbai, the central government has ruled out any cut in excise duties on petroleum products.    And as the prices rise, so has the blame game.  While the Congress party-led opposition is putting pressure on the government to bring down taxes, the ruling BJP has blamed the massive bills of oil bonds and subsidies from the UPA era for their inability to cut taxes now.    The BJP has pointed this out on various platforms.  On September 10, BJP's official Twitter handle said that Modi government paid off the unpaid bills of oil bonds worth Rs 1. 3 lakh crore.      What the economist PM Manmohan Singh said & did on petroleum prices?  He said that money does not grow on trees & left unpaid bills of oil bonds worth Rs.  1. 3 lakh crore.  Modi govt paid off the pending bills with interest because 'we should not burden our children'.  #NationFirst pic. twitter. com/Z8zTV1kG1i — BJP (@BJP4India) September 10, 2018    In June 2018, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, "Congress party purchased oil bonds of Rs 1. 44 lakh crore that we inherited.  Not only this, we also paid Rs 70,000 crore on interest part alone.  In total, we (govt) discharged our responsibility by repaying over Rs 2 lakh crore. "  Pradhan said this is one of the major reasons why the country is grappling with high petrol prices.    On September 9, 2018 he again tweeted,   Our Govt.  pays Rs.  10000 Cr interest for this every year & Oil Companies had to sell these bonds at discounts as there was no takers for these.  People save for their future generations but our friends in the UPA burdened the future generations for temporary gains & politicking.  — Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) September 9, 2018    So, is the BJP justified in its claims?  How much role do the unpaid bills of oil bonds have to play in the current situation?  BOOM does a fact check.    CLAIM: NDA repaid the pending bills of oil bonds worth Rs 1. 4 lakh crore.     FACT: False.  Out of the Rs 1. 44 lakh crore bonds issued by UPA between 2005 to 2010, only two bonds to the sum of Rs 3,500 crore matured during NDA's term.  The next one will mature only in October 2021.    BOOM accessed Annexure 6E in the Receipt Budget of 2016-17, 'Special securities issued to oil market companies in lieu of cash subsidy' shows that only two bonds / securities have matured during NDA's term.  The outstanding amount of  these securities worth Rs 1. 3 lakh crore have remained the same since 2014-15 to 2018-19 as more securities were not issued.    As seen in the annexure, only 2 of these securities matured in 2015 and the next ones are scheduled between 2021-2026.    When we looked at Annexure 6E in the Receipt Budget of 2017-18, we found the same result.  Click here.     The interest on these oil bonds paid by NDA during 2014-18 amounts to Rs 40,226 crore, said Piyush Goyal in June 2018.    The current NDA government had inherited an outstanding bill of Rs 1. 3 lakh crore owing to oil bonds.  And the total payment towards repayment of oil bonds and interest between 2014-18 amounts to approximately Rs 44,000 crore (Rs 3,500 crore as principal amount and the rest as interest).    BOOM sent an email to the office of Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to confirm if he was referring to the amount paid or that is due.  However, we are yet to receive a reply.    Can the government pre-pay these oil bonds or set aside money for these future payments?     No, say experts as it is not feasible in the Indian budgeting system.  This is because, "Indian government budgets are prepared based on cash and not accrual basis," said former oil secretary SC Tripathi to BOOM.    Tripathi said, "The government will budget for the payment in the year when it is due and not in advance. "   Economist Ajit Ranade was also of the same view.  Speaking to BOOM he said, "You never pre-pay bonds.  Especially a government which is fiscally strapped would never pre-pay bonds. "   Ranade explained that bonds are issued because you do not have money now, therefore you borrow from investors or public by issuing bonds.  Every year governments run a deficit and it is financed through bonds.  And, usually bonds have long life which could be for 15 or 20 or 30 years and are obligations to pay in future.  Due to its long life, it is also handed over to successive governments and they are obligated to make these payments whenever it is due.  Default in payment can have serious consequences and can lead to a market shock.    Both Ranade and Tripathi were of the view that bond financing is a normal part of government functioning and a continuous affair.    Thus, between 2005-10 to keep fiscal deficit under control, the government introduced oil bonds to reimburse OMCs so that domestic fuel prices did not shoot up with soaring crude oil prices.    What are oil bonds and was issuing it necessary?     Oil bonds are a kind of special securities / bonds issued by the Government of India to public entities like Oil Market Companies (OMC), Food Corporation of India and Fertilizer Companies as a substitute to cash subsidies, according an RBI report.  These bonds are debts that do not reflect in the fiscal deficit in the issuing year as there is no cash flow involved unlike cash subsidies.  Unlike Government securities (G-secs), oil bonds are not eligible under SLR security but can be used as collateral for repo transactions.  Oil companies who require liquid cash, could sell these in the secondary market to banks, insurance companies and they also receive interest from the government.    Issuing of oil bonds was adopted only during 2005-06 to 2009-10.  It was a way of deferring payments due to the oil companies as the UPA government was cash strapped, explained Madan Sabnavis, Chief Economist, Care Ratings Limited.    The UPA government had issued oil bonds worth Rs 1. 4 lakh crore between 2005-06 to 2008-09, to compensate OMCs who incurred under recoveries to the count of Rs 2. 9 lakh crore owing to high international crude oil prices and the regulation of oil prices by the government, according to the Expert Committee report under Kirit Parikh.  (Note: Under-recoveries are difference between the price at which the crude oil is purchased internationally and the retail selling price of refined petroleum products).    Between 2005-09, the crude oil prices were showing an upward trend (See graph below), economies were in the midst of the global economic crisis and most importantly OMCs were facing huge under recoveries.  In this situation of fiscal slippage and cash shortage, the UPA government chose oil bonds as the way out to moderate fuel prices.    if("undefined"==typeof window. datawrapper)window. datawrapper={};window. datawrapper["8cup9"]={},window. datawrapper["8cup9"]. embedDeltas={"100":535,"200":454,"300":427,"400":427,"500":400,"700":400,"800":400,"900":400,"1000":400},window. datawrapper["8cup9"]. iframe=document. getElementById("datawrapper-chart-8cup9"),window. datawrapper["8cup9"]. iframe. style. height=window. datawrapper["8cup9"]. embedDeltas[Math. min(1e3,Math. max(100*Math. floor(window. datawrapper["8cup9"]. iframe. offsetWidth/100),100))]+"px",window. addEventListener("message",function(a){if("undefined"! =typeof a. data["datawrapper-height"])for(var b in a. data["datawrapper-height"])if("8cup9"==b)window. datawrapper["8cup9"]. iframe. style. height=a. data["datawrapper-height"][b]+"px"});   In order to tackle this crisis, the government adopted a burden sharing mechanism of all the stakeholders - the Government, the Public Sector Oil Companies and the consumer as follows.     Burden sharing mechanism - PIB release dated November 2010   However, in Budget 2010-11, the government announced the discontinuation of oil bonds and that OMCs will be reimbursed in cash.  And, the same year in June 2010, petrol prices were deregulated.    Petrol and diesel prices were decontrolled / market determined with effect from 26. 06. 2010 (under UPA) and 19. 10. 2014 (under NDA), respectively.  The NDA government has adopted dynamic fuel pricing since June 2017, whereby retail prices change on a daily basis.    What is the current state of taxation?     Taxation on petro products have seen a dramatic increase in the past 4 years.  The NDA government had a windfall gain when the crude oil prices shot down to as low as $28 per barrel in January 2015.  Average crude oil prices was $46/bbl, $47 /bbl and $56/bb in 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18 respectively.    In May 2014, while taxes comprised of 31% of petrol prices (as per price build up in Delhi), in September 2018 a customer pays 45% as taxes on petrol.  This would be higher in the case of Mumbai.  (Click here to read more on taxation of fuel and price build up)      Taxation on fuel prices have seen a constant increase.  Central excise on petrol has steeply increased from Rs 9. 48/ L in April 2014 to Rs 19. 48 / L as of now.  In the case of diesel, excise duty has seen a 4 times increase from Rs 3. 56 / L in April 2014 to Rs 15. 53/L as of now.    if("undefined"==typeof window. datawrapper)window. datawrapper={};window. datawrapper["aH93j"]={},window. datawrapper["aH93j"]. embedDeltas={"100":586. 0208339999999,"200":453. 020834,"300":426. 020834,"400":426. 020834,"500":426. 020834,"700":400. 020834,"800":400. 020834,"900":400. 020834,"1000":400. 020834},window. datawrapper["aH93j"]. iframe=document. getElementById("datawrapper-chart-aH93j"),window. datawrapper["aH93j"]. iframe. style. height=window. datawrapper["aH93j"]. embedDeltas[Math. min(1e3,Math. max(100*Math. floor(window. datawrapper["aH93j"]. iframe. offsetWidth/100),100))]+"px",window. addEventListener("message",function(a){if("undefined"! =typeof a. data["datawrapper-height"])for(var b in a. data["datawrapper-height"])if("aH93j"==b)window. datawrapper["aH93j"]. iframe. style. height=a. data["datawrapper-height"][b]+"px"});   It cannot be denied that owing to low international crude prices since 2014, the Modi government has received a windfall gain by consistently raising excise duties and not passing on the benefit to the end consumer.    The petroleum sector contributed Rs 18 lakh crore to the exchequer between 2014-15 to 2017-18 through taxes and dividends, according to data from PPAC.  Of which Rs 11 lakh crore went to the central exchequer and Rs 7. 1 lakh crore to the state exchequers.  Whereas, the total subsidy on petroleum products and natural gas between 2014-15 to 2017-18, amounts to Rs 1. 7 lakh crore - 9% of the total revenue.      if("undefined"==typeof window. datawrapper)window. datawrapper={};window. datawrapper["LLoNF"]={},window. datawrapper["LLoNF"]. embedDeltas={"100":616,"200":481,"300":427,"400":427,"500":400,"700":400,"800":373,"900":373,"1000":373},window. datawrapper["LLoNF"]. iframe=document. getElementById("datawrapper-chart-LLoNF"),window. datawrapper["LLoNF"]. iframe. style. height=window. datawrapper["LLoNF"]. embedDeltas[Math. min(1e3,Math. max(100*Math. floor(window. datawrapper["LLoNF"]. iframe. offsetWidth/100),100))]+"px",window. addEventListener("message",function(a){if("undefined"! =typeof a. data["datawrapper-height"])for(var b in a. data["datawrapper-height"])if("LLoNF"==b)window. datawrapper["LLoNF"]. iframe. style. height=a. data["datawrapper-height"][b]+"px"});   What can the government do now to give some relief to customers?     Several experts have pointed out that it is time petroleum products are brought under the GST.  But with a lower uniform GST rate across the country, it will mean huge losses to both the centre and the state which does not make it feasible in the immediate future.  Either ways, State governments are also resisting any move to reduce their state taxes on fuel since most of them are battling revenue deficit ever since GST came into force in 2017.    Central excise duties have also become a major revenue source and has played a major role in financing social and infrastructure spending.  Ranade pointed out that the government has committed to un-budgeted obligations like loan waivers, Ayushman Bharat etc.  Moreover, the ambitious target of maintaining fiscal deficit at 3. 3 % when the promise was 3. 0 %, is a huge task in front of the government.  Under these circumstances, the government is in a tight corner.    If a relief is to be given this year, one approach would be to postpone this year's capital spending to the next year, said Ranade.    Dhananjay Sinha of Emkay Global was of the view that steps are to be taken to stabilize the currency and to cut revenue expenditure to maintain fiscal deficit.  India's import dependence stands at 80% and fuel is an essential commodity.  Therefore, the depreciation of the rupee makes crude oil expensive for the country.  In this calendar year alone, rupee has depreciated 13% thus making import of crude more expensive.    https://www. sharethefacts. co/share/10382ef9-b7e8-42e0-adfa-0fb89db90261


Doctors have now described alarming situations in which patients with COVID-19 suddenly and inexplicably become critically ill around the eighth day after being infected with the virus. https://t.co/DPMoJz0rPh

By Maggie Fox, CNNUpdated 10:37 PM ET, Tue May 5, 2020  (CNN)A new genetic analysis of  the virus that causes Covid-19 taken from more than 7,600 patients around the world shows it has been circulating in people since late last year, and must have spread extremely quickly after the first infection. Sign up here to get The Results Are In with Dr.  Sanjay Gupta every Tuesday from the CNN Health team.


A screenshot of a Facebook post purportedly made by National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval is being shared on social media with a claim that Ajit Doval posted India Independence Day wishes with the Egyptian flag.  Let’s verify the claim made in the post. Claim: NSA Ajit Doval posted India Independence Day wishes with the Egyptian flag. Fact: NSA Ajit Doval does not have an official handle on any of the social media platforms.  Screenshot in the post is from a fan page of Ajit Doval.  Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE. On searching for the official handle of NSA Ajit Doval on Facebook, we found that NSA Ajit Doval does not have any official account on Facebook.  Not only on Facebook, but Ajit Doval also does not have an official account on any of the social media platforms.  Screenshot in the post is from a fan page of Ajit Doval. We found several fan pages in the name of NSA Ajit Doval.  When we searched for this screenshot in fan pages, we came across the fan account that posted Independence day wishes with the Egyptian flag.  We do not see the Egypt flag in the post now, but the edit history of this post shows that the wishes were first posted with an emoji of the Egypt flag. To sum it up, screenshot of a fan page post is falsely shared alleging NSA Ajit Doval posted Independence Day wishes with the Egyptian flag. Did you watch our new video?


#Oscars flashback: Check out Bradley Cooper on the Oscars red carpet in 2010 vs. tonight. He is nominated for best actor for @starisbornmovie. https://t.co/1F5SFjWsFK https://t.co/XF6MmOTB5t

Hollywoodâs awards season wrapped up Sunday night with the Oscars. Check out the best photos from the red carpet before the show:Lady Gaga (Steve Granitz/WireImage/Getty Images)Mahershala Ali and his wife, Amatus Sami-Karim (Steve Granitz/WireImage/Getty Images)Yalitza Aparicio, left, and Marina de Tavira (Steve Granitz/WireImage/Getty Images)Regina King (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)Tonya Lewis Lee and Spike Lee.  Spike Lee is wearing rings that say âloveâ and âhate. â The jewelry paid homage to Radio Raheem,Â a beloved character in the directorâs film âDo the Right Thing. â Lee also wore purple in honor of the late musician Prince.  (Steve Granitz/WireImage/Getty Images)Olivia Colman (Rick Rowell/ABC/Getty Images)Gemma Chan (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)Billy Porter, left, and Adam Smith (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)Charlize Theron (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images)Ruth E.  Carter (Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images)Paul Rudd and Queen Latifah (Steve Granitz/WireImage/Getty Images)Rachel Weisz (Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images)Kiki Layne (Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images)Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez (Steve Granitz/WireImage/Getty Images)Danai Gurira (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)Lucy Boynton and Rami Malek (Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images)Krysten Ritter (Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images)Octavia Spencer (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)Bradley Cooper with his mom, Gloria Campano, and his girlfriend, Irina Shayk (Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images)Michelle Yeoh (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)Michael B.  Jordan and his mother, Donna (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)Serena Williams (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)Emma Stone (Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images)Pharrell Williams and his wife, Helen Lasichanh (Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images)Brie Larson (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)Chadwick Boseman (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)Jason Momoa and Lisa Bonet (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)Helen Mirren (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)Amy Adams (Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images)David Oyelowo (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)Kacey Musgraves (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)Jennifer Hudson (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)Tina Fey (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)SZA (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)Glenn Close (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images)Linda Cardellini (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)Melissa McCarthy (Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images)US Rep.  John Lewis (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)Awkwafina (Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images)Constance Wu (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)Amandla Stenberg (Steve Granitz/WireImage/Getty Images)Marie Kondo (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)Shangela, left (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)Produced by Brett Roegiers and Kyle Almond


#WATCH Mumbai: Actor #RheaChakraborty leaves from her residence. She was summoned by Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) this morning to join the investigation of #SushantSinghRajput death case. https://t.co/c1QhtYRz2D

Actor Rhea Chakraborty reached the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Sunday hours after the agency served summons to her to join the investigation into the drug-related angle in Sushant Singh Rajput’s death. NCB has said that Rhea Chakraborty will be confronted with her brother Showik, who along with Rajput’s house manager Samuel Miranda has been remanded to the central agency’s custody till September 9. NCB officials had reached Chakraborty’s apartment early in the day to issue the summons.  “She has to join investigation today.  It depends on her if she wants to come on her own or she can come with the team,” KPS Malhotra, NCB deputy director, had said. Showik and Miranda were arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act on Friday after their homes were searched by NCB.  The agency also arrested Rajput’s domestic help Dipesh Sawant on Saturday night. Chakrabortys’ lawyer Satish Maneshinde has denied that the siblings ever consumed drugs and also described the multiple investigations as “a complete witch hunt. ”NCB launched its investigation after WhatsApp chats related to drug consumption, procurement, usage and transportation in connection with Rajput’s death case surfaced. Rajput was found dead in his home on June 14.


Designed after the theme 'Ayodhya: Cultural Heritage of Uttar Pradesh', the tableau of Uttar Pradesh also displays Ram Mandir.

The forepart of the middle tableau shows Deepotsava of Ayodhya, in which millions of earthen lamps are lit.

#RepublicDay https://t.co/FCnNOv7Z4n

Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday displayed its cultural city of Ayodhya as a part of a tableau during the Republic Day parade in Delhi with the theme ‘Ayodhya: Cultural Heritage of Uttar Pradesh’.  It included the iconic Ram Temple, which is under construction currently, the annual Deepotsav festival and a pictorial representation of events from the epic Ramayana. The first part of the tableau showed Maharishi Valmiki composing the Ramayana.  The middle part depicted the Ram Mandir, which is the epitome of Ayodhya’s cultural identity associated with mass sentiments and devotion.  The mural on the trailer displayed several scenes from the Ramayana such as the salvation of Ahilya, Kewat Samvad, and Lord Hanuman bringing Sanjivani Buti, Jatayu-Ram Samvad, Ashok Vatika etc. Also Read| Rafale jet, woman fighter pilot steal the show on Republic DayThe forepart of the middle portion of the trailer showed Deepotsava of Ayodhya, started by chief minister Yogi Adityanath in 2017, during which millions of earthen lamps are lit.  Due to the coronavirus pandemic in the country, the state government launched a website to allow people to take part in a virtual ‘Deepotsav’ celebration on November 13, 2020.  Nearly 590,000 earthen lamps were lit on the occasion which led to Guinness World records books registering last year’s Deepotsav festival as ‘the largest display of oil lamps’. On August 5 last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had performed the bhoomi pujan for the construction of the Ram Temple.  The entire ceremony lasted for 40 minutes after which PM Modi released a postage stamp on the temple which was designed by the Ayodhya Shodh Sansthan, an organisation of the UP government’s culture department. Also Watch| Bangladesh’s tri-service contingent take part in India’s R-Day paradeThe Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) started the collection of funds for constructing the Ram Temple on January 15.  It is also expected to meet several opposition party leaders for collecting construction funds.  “The funds will be collected in a transparent way.  The teams deputed to collect the funds will have to deposit the money within 48 hours in designated bank accounts.  Deposits will be made in branches of Bank of Baroda, State Bank of India and Punjab National Bank,” Alok Kumar, VHP’s international working president, had said. (With agency inputs)


Fire broke out in cable car in Haridwars Mansa Devi Jhula

A four-year-old video of fire engulfing a cable car in Jericho,  Palestinian is viral on Facebook with false claims that devotees were burnt alive when a cable car caught fire at the Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar.   The video, shared on multiple Facebook pages, has been captioned as,  "A lot  of people were engulfed in a blaze at Haridwar's Mansa Devi Jhula.  It was a very painful accident. " (Original caption in Hindi: हरिद्वार के मनसा देवी झूले में आग लग जाने से लोग जिन्दा जले. . . . बहुत दर्दनाक एक्सीडेंट) The 25-second long clip documents the cable car caught in fire, as onlookers stand panic stricken.  Several netizens pointed out that the video is an old footage of a cable car catching fire in Jericho.   BOOM ran a keyword search with Manasa Devi temple jhula catching fire and was directed to a longer YouTube clip, which has been captioned as 'Jericho Cable Car Israel Catches Fire Midway. '   Incidentally, the same piece of misinformation viral with the video was also pointed out by netizens on YouTube.    We were then directed to a news article by Metro. co. uk which reported about the terrifying cable car blaze that happened in Palestine in March, 2015.   The metro reported, "Palestinian media have said that the blaze broke out after a production assistant on the programme ‘Abu-Sharik visits the cable cars’, used a firecracker without seeking permission.  The firecracker then caused the cable car to catch on fire, sparking concerns that it would crash to the ground.  In the video, passengers can be seen clambering onto the carriage behind to ensure their safety, while later images revealed that they were successfully pulled to safety.  It was reported that two people suffered minor injuries, and received medical treatment.   A filming of popular Palestinian TV show was reportedly in progress, when the cable car caught fire.   BOOM also found a video, where a Palestinian comedian, who was present inside the cable car, narrated his harrowing experience.  Read his interview here.   Video was viral as Chinese mishap earlier


On May 10, The Hindu reported that Indian and Chinese troops had a face-off near Pangong Tso lake in Eastern Ladhak on May 5 and 6, followed by the second one at Naku La, Sikkim on May 9.  Since then, the militaries of both the nations nation’s have been on a standoff.  On May 14 Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane assured, “We will deal with it as per the protocol which has been laid out between the two countries and in accordance with strategic guidelines,” as per NDTV report. On May 31, an image surfaced on social media that allegedly shows wounded Indian troopers captured by Chinese soldiers.  On the same day, academic Ashok Swain tweeted the viral image and wrote, “This what Chinese soldiers have done to Indian soldiers in Ladakh!  Why is Modi silent?  Why no demand by Indian media for surgical strike?  Where is Mohan Bhagwat’s RSS ‘Army’? ”The next day, fake news factory Postcard News posted an image with the title ‘Rahul Gandhi’s Fake University Project’.  The image has three elements — a screenshot of the tweet by Ashok Swain, a screenshot of a report by Global Times published on May 15, and an image of Indian National Congress President Rahul Gandhi (archive link).  The Global Times article read, “Chinese soldiers helped Indian solider who got injured in avalanche. ” Thus indicating that the image does not show Indian soldiers captures by the Chinese.  The graphic carried the text “Rahul Gandhi’s fake university project” and attempted to fact-check Swain’s tweet.
Prior to Postcard, Twitter user @LazyLion_95 had tweeted the same screenshot of the Global Times article and written, “When A******* like @ashoswai have so much hatred & afraid of Modi, that they will do anything to defame him & Indian army. ” This tweet has over 1,500 retweets (archive link).
In order to fact-check Swain’s tweet, Postcard relied on an article by Global Times, a China-based news website.  As per the screenshot, the article was published on May 15.  However, Alt News found that no such article exists. We Google-searched the headline of the report and restricted the results to Global Times domain.  But found no results.
As per Postcard’s screenshot, the article was written by Sang Feng Wei.
Alt News performed another domain search via Google.  This time we searched the name of the author and just like last time, we found no results.
Considering the tensions between the two nations, if such an article existed — about how Chinese soldiers rescued India soldiers after an avalanche — it would have been covered by mainstream media. Therefore, the fact-check by Postcard was based on a non-existent report in Global Times that claimed Chinese soldiers helped Indian soldiers who were injured in an avalanche. Looking at the viral image closely it is clear that the legs of two Indian troopers are tied with a rope.  Thus, it is highly improbable that Chinese troopers are rescuing the Indian troopers from an avalanche.  Instead, it seems that the Chinese have captured and confined the Indian soldiers.  Moreover, the fact that the Chinese soldiers are wearing masks indicates that the viral image might be a recent one.
Alt News performed a reverse image search of the viral image on Google and restricted the results from May 15.  We found no links posted on that day which included the viral image.
The viral image surfaced on Twitter around May 31 via @OedoSoldier who posts tweets related to the Chinese military.  The viral image was posted with the caption, “China-India border [translated from 中印国境]. ” 中印国境 pic. twitter. com/MHVnlSngck— OedoSoldier (@OedoSoldier) May 31, 2020Alt News couldn’t independently authenticate the image.  However, a brief context is given after the fact-check. On May 30, a two and half minute video surfaced on social media that shows Indian and Chinese troopers engaged in stone-pelting.  The video is shot from the Indian soldiers’ point of view.  In the video, they can be seen attacking a Chinese vehicle.  An injured army man (presumably Chinese) is lying on the road with his head bleeding.  He is protected by tactile shields used by the Indian soldiers.  As per The Tribune, “These videos, first circulating on WhatsApp, were later tweeted by India-based handles, chiding not just China but also its ally Pakistan. ” One such Twitter handle that posted the viral video was @drapr007.  This tweet was retweeted over 4,000 times.  (archive link)Dear Paki FriendsSee !  How your masters are being b€at€d by IA in Laddakh for violating LAC.  It is just start, many more clips are coming. #LAC #IndoChinaFaceoff pic. twitter. com/ydPD8lixvp— Dr.  APR 🇮🇳🍁 (@drapr007) May 30, 2020On the same day, The Hindu reported that an army spokesperson said, “The contents of video being circulated are not authenticated.  Attempt to link it with the situation on the Northern borders is mala fide.  Currently, no violence is happening. ”Later in the day, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to India Today and revealed that conversation on a diplomatic and military level is ongoing with China. #Exclusive Defence Minster Rajnath Singh breaks silence on LAC stand-off.  #ITVideo pic. twitter. com/owuGtT6RJx— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) May 30, 2020As a response to the video posted on Indian social media on May 31, several Chinese social media users posted the viral image.  A Twitter account similar to @OedoSoldier, @dafengcao also shared the viral imageThere seems to be some kind of consensus on both sides before, however, the Indian broke it first after releasing the footage. — dafeng cao (@dafengcao) May 31, 2020Significantly more number of such posts were made on the Chinese social media platform Weibo.  Alt News performed a keyword search on Weibo and found that the first account to post the viral image was a verified profile (archive link).
Alt News spoke with a defence correspondent (identity concealed at request) who said, “Over the past few weeks, multiple stand-offs have taken place between the two military groups.  As per my sources, in the incident pertaining to the viral image, a significantly small number of Indian troopers were surrounded by at least 150 Chineses soldiers.  As per my knowledge, in this incident, up to 10-12 Indian troopers were captured by the Chinese near the Pangong Tso lake in Eastern Ladhak.  No casualties occurred in this stand-off. ”On May 31, former China correspondent at India Today and a current journalist with The Hindu, Ananth Krishnan tweeted, “The pattern of how the border image is being shared on Weibo strongly suggests a coordinated leak by PLA (People’s Liberation Army), including by military news sites whose handles have 20 million followers.  The leak of the image appears to follow the sharing of the first video. ”The pattern of how the border image is being shared on Weibo strongly suggests a coordinated leak by PLA, including by military news sites whose handles have 20 million followers.  The leak of the image appears to follow the sharing of the first video. — Ananth Krishnan (@ananthkrishnan) May 31, 2020Dinakar Peri defence correspondent at The Hindu tweeted the army’s official response to the video that surfaced on May 30.  The Indian army rejected the video claimed to represent the ongoing standoff with China.  Indian Army rejects a video claiming to be of ongoing standoff with #China on #LAC in #Ladakh.  “The contents of video being circulated are not authenticated.  Attempt to link it with the situation on the Northern borders is malafide.  Currently no violence is happening. ” pic. twitter. com/kCs8UImoAK— Dinakar Peri (@dperi84) May 31, 2020Donate NowArchit is a graduate in English Literature from The MS University of Baroda.  He also holds a post-graduation diploma in journalism from the Asian College of Journalism.  Since then he has worked at Essel Group's English news channel at WION as a trainee journalist, at S3IDF as a fundraising & communications officer and at The Hindu as a reporter.  At Alt News, he works as a fact-checking journalist. A picture of Tej Pratap Yadav has been making the rounds on social media recently…. A video of police tying a rope around an elderly person’s wrists has been circulating…A photo of a man being flogged with his hands tied has been gathering a…A set of two images, an alleged tweet and a video has been shared on…A photo of an idol of Hindu deity Nandi found buried in the ground has…


Britain’s Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was involved in a traffic accident Thursday, but he was not injured, Buckingham Palace told CNN. The 97-year-old was driving himself in a Range Rover when the car crash took place, the palace says https://t.co/Rj742ftIh2 https://t.co/Z9SLSwy4gn

It took place near Sandringham. Prince Philip involved in crash that left his vehicle overturnedPrince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, was "involved in a road traffic accident with another vehicle" on Thursday afternoon, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said. Norfolk Police were called to the scene near the queen's Sandringham Estate, the Norfolk retreat where she and her husband typically spend winter, around 3 p. m.  after a Land Rover and a Kia were involved in a collision, the department said in a statement. Prince Philip, 97, was driving the Landrover and has an up-to-date driver's license, Buckingham Palace confirmed.  The queen's husband was uninjured in the accident, the palace said. "He'll be pretty shaken up," ABC News royal commentator Alastair Bruce said of the Duke of Edinburgh.  "He's very practical, he always has been.  He's physically aware of his abilities and he will be driving because he knows what he's doing and he knows those roads very well. "The Norfolk County Council will hold a committee meeting Friday morning to discuss safety issues on the road where the crash took place.  However, a council spokesperson told ABC News that the meeting was already due to be held and is not in response to the accident. The female driver of the Kia suffered cuts, and a female passenger sustained an injury to her arm, police said.  They both were treated at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn and discharged. A witness told the BBC that the SUV had overturned on its driver's side and that broken glass was scattered all over the road. Both drivers took breathalyzer tests after the accident, which is standard policy, and passed, authorities said.  The road where the accident occurred remained open, and the vehicles were recovered a short time later, police said. Prince Philip has made few public appearances since retiring from public life in August 2017. He did not attend the Christmas Day church service last month, and he missed a pre-Easter church service in March due to hip problems.  He did, however, attend his grandson Prince Harry's wedding to Meghan Markle in May. ABC News' Ben Gittleson, Rashid Haddou, Zoe Magee and Morgan Winsor contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Alt News has received images on its WhatsApp helpline number (+91 76000 11160) with an accompanying claim that alleges employees of a soft drink company contaminated its products with Ebola virus-infected blood.  It also said that the news was first broken by NDTV and the Hyderabad police alerted consumers, warning them against purchasing soft drinks. This slideshow requires JavaScript. The complete message in Hindi is attached below.
This screenshot of the message is widespread on Facebook.
A single Google search throws up several fact-check reports on the alleged incident.  Multiple media outlets have debunked this claim over the years, yet it continues to be shared widely.  In fact, the number of images accompanying the viral message has only increased.  We will first discuss the origin of the claim, then proceed to investigate the images. The Ebola virus was first discovered in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1976.  Outbreaks of the virus continued to re-emerge from time to time, killing hundreds of people.  However, the Ebola virus returned in its most dangerous form between 2014 and 2016.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 11,310 people died in three African countries in these three years.  Only a handful of Ebola cases were reported in India.  The claim that NDTV broke the story about the contamination of the drinks is false since no such report was found. In a July 2019 tweet, the Hyderabad police also rubbished the false claim and denied issuing any such message. Fake news spreading on social media about cool drinks and a warning from Hyderabad city police is fake one and Hyderabad city police never released any message regarding this.  pic. twitter. com/cCy32Vh7fN— హైదరాబాద్ సిటీ పోలీస్ Hyderabad City Police (@hydcitypolice) July 13, 2019Image 1 and 2

These images are not from India.  The photos are from the Begpur village in Pakistan’s Gujranwala where the district administration raided a factory manufacturing adulterated cold drinks in 2015.  Pakistani outlet Pak101 has published other images from the raid. Image 3, 4, and 5:

These pictures are of the same incident.  In March last year, a car rammed into the Rapti river in Siddharthnagar, Uttar Pradesh.  According to reports, two women were killed in the crash while the driver survived.  The body of a minor could not be traced.  The video report is given below. The viral visuals can also be seen in media coverage by local outlets including Gorakhpur Times and GTV News. Image 6:

The sixth image shows the bodies of those killed in the suicide bombing near the Wagah border in November 2014.  At least 52 people were killed in an explosion at the Wagah border in the middle of a crowd that had come to watch the ceremony in the evening.  The blast occurred near the Pakistan border. Image 7:
This picture shows the corpses of those killed in a road accident in Lakhimpur, Uttar Pradesh.  On April 28, 2018, a truck and a car collided in Lakhimpur’s Ucholia area, in which 13 people were killed.  Dhaurahara MP Rekha Verma issued a post about the incident on Facebook.  Image 7 was one of the photos accompanying her post. आज हमारे संसदीय क्षेत्र में पड़ने वाले कस्बा उचौलिया से निकले नेशनल हाईवे पर एक अत्यंत दुःखद सड़क हादसा हुआ जिसमें कई…Posted by Rekha Verma रेखा वर्मा on Saturday, April 28, 2018Image 8:

The bodies in this photo belong to a family from Mammillagadda in Telangana.  Unable to repay a loan, six members of the family died by suicide, Deccan Herald and The Hindu also carried similar photos from the scene. Image 9:

Alt News was unable to trace this image.  Needless to say, this image too cannot be about Ebola virus-infected blood infused in drinks because there is no report to corroborate such an incident. The viral claim about an employee of a soft drink company mixing Ebola virus-infected blood in a Coke bottle has been circulating online for quite some time.  Hoaxorfact. com debunked this back in 2015.  The article states that such messages were revived after the Ebola outbreak in 2018.  Another false story involved an HIV-positive employee contaminating Frooti with their blood. 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 woman sporting a cropped and ripped denim jacket is making the…A set of three videos, in which a group of men assault a man with…A video of a band of children making music out of empty tin cans and…A video of two sadhus in a car apprehended by a mob has been shared…A video of a crocodile carrying a dead woman in its mouth has been shared…


India used to import PPE kits, masks, ventilators and testing kits from outside but today our nation is self-reliant. Today India is ready to save humanity with two 'Made in India' COVID-19 vaccines: PM Narendra Modi at 16th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention https://t.co/EhBijcTO6G

After two mock drills, world's largest coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccination drive is set to begin in India on Saturday.  It will be launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 10. 30am, followed by his address to the nation. The campaign will be held from 9am to 5pm on all days but those earmarked for routine immunisation programme.  A record 300,000 health care workers across the country are scheduled to get vaccinated on the first day of the campaign and as many as 3,006 vaccination sites have been set up nationally for the day. Click here for full Covid-19 coverage"This will be the world’s largest vaccination programme covering the entire length and breadth of the country," PM Modi's office said in a statement this week. The funding of the first two groups of those getting vaccinated—the healthcare and frontline workers—will be done entirely by the Centre.  The drive will be held for these groups at various public health care facilities both in rural and urban India. Serum Institute of India’s Covishield vaccine has reached all state capitals and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, a backup to Covishield, has also reached some states. In his speech, PM Modi is expected to assure the nation that the vaccines are safe to use as they underwent a rigorous process of testing.  He is also expected to talk about the need to fight against the misinformation campaign by vested interest groups aimed at creating fear among the people, an official familiar with the matter told Hindustan Times. Also Read | PM Modi set to launch world’s largest Covid-19 vaccination drive: Key things to knowIn a meeting with chief ministers of states with a high number of Covid-19 cases held earlier last month, the PM had said that the government will ensure every citizen gets a coronavirus vaccine but the candidates must first pass all scientific tests.  "If speed is important, then safety is equally important," he had said. According to Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, who also attended the meeting, “PM made it clear that in the first stage, the vaccine will be given to the frontline health workers, in the second stage to the police personnel, sanitation workers etc; to those above 50 years of age in third stage; and to those with co-morbid conditions in the fourth stage. ”


Suspect arrested over suspicious fires at historically black churches in Louisiana. https://t.co/OFrno5ALkB https://t.co/FXpznf6mJk

    A suspect in arson fires at three historically black Louisiana churches is a law enforcement officer’s son who may have been influenced by “black metal” music and its “associated history with church burnings,” the state fire marshal said Thursday.

    The man was identified as Holden Matthews, 21, according to Gov.  John Bel Edwards, who called the blazes a reminder of “a very dark past of intimidation and fear. ”

    The three churches in the heart of south central Louisiana’s Cajun and Creole country were set ablaze in the span of 10 days.

A charred gas can and a debit card led to a suspect in the Louisiana black church fires

    “I don’t know what this young man’s motive was, I don’t know what was in his heart, but I can say it cannot be justified or rationalized,” Edwards told reporters.  “These were evil acts.  But let me be clear about this, hate is not a Louisiana value. ”

    Matthews is charged with three counts of simple arson on a religious building, State Fire Marshal H.  “Butch” Browning said.  Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years.  The suspect has no history of violence or prior arrests, officials said.

    “We can now confirm all three of these fires are intentionally set, and all three of these fires are related,” Browning said.

    St.  Mary Baptist Church in Port Barre burned on March 26, followed by Greater Union Baptist Church in Opelousas on April 2 and, two days later, Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in the same town.

    The charred remains of a Scepter-branded, 2-gallon gas can ultimately led investigators to Matthews, according to a court affidavit.  A pickup truck believed to have been driven by the suspect was captured by surveillance cameras leaving the parking lot of Greater Union Baptist Church moments before it went up in flames.

Their church was burning.  They linked arms and prayed

    The affidavit said the pickup was later captured driving by the fire scene and slowing down.  A firefighter also reported seeing the pickup near the burning church.

    The gas can was discovered by federal ATF agents on Tuesday at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, the affidavit said.  Investigators learned that a Walmart in Opelousas was a local seller of the Scepter-branded can.

    Walmart informed investigators that two Scepter cans were purchased late on March 25 – less than three hours before the first fire – along with a 10-pack of automotive cloths and a lighter, according to the affidavit.  The receipt showed the purchase was made with a debit card in the name of Holden Matthews.

    Investigators also obtained surveillance photos of the purchaser and the pickup he was driving.  The affidavit said a Ford pickup like the one Matthews was driving was registered to the suspect’s father, Roy.  Matthews’ cell phone was traced to the area of the fires.

    “We’re not actively searching for anyone else, but the investigation is still going on,” Browning said.

    Matthews was first considered a suspect Wednesday morning, and investigators quickly obtained an arrest warrant to pick him later that day.

    “We saw an immediate threat to public safety,” Browning said.  “We felt that other crimes were imminent.  … The threat is now gone. ”

    The motive is still under investigation, and federal officials are looking into whether the fires represent a hate crime.

    “Information investigators have uncovered, and that Matthews has offered, suggests a possible connection with a genre of music called ‘black metal’ and its associated history with church burnings in other parts of the world – which have been documented in movies and books,” Browning said.  “Any questions as to the potential motives of hate are continuing to be vetted by federal authorities. ”

    Matthews was active in Facebook groups that focused on black metal and heathenism and Nordic religious beliefs, according to posts seen by CNN.  In one post he wrote that he held Asatru beliefs, which center around Norse gods.  In a separate post, he appeared to admit to carrying a handgun illegally.

    On the day that authorities said Matthews allegedly set fire to Greater Union Baptist Church in Opelousas, he wrote, “I’ll take Arson/assassin/bard” when a group member asked people to choose between wizard, fighter, sniper, assassin, guardian and warrior.

    Matthews is the son of a local sheriff’s deputy, St.  Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz said.  The sheriff said he broke the news of Matthews’ alleged involvement to the deputy, whom he described as one of his best friends.

    “As we all know, Holden’s father is an employee of mine, a fine man,” Guidroz said.  “He was shocked and hurt as any father would be … He was in terrible shape. ”

    Gerald Toussaint, pastor at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, joined officials at Thursday’s news conference.  He thanked investigators and said donations have been pouring in for the rebuilding of the churches.

    “It started off a dark moment in our lives, but with the rebuilding process you’re going to see some things … that are going to be very bright for our churches. ”

    Officials are also investigating a fourth, smaller fire on March 31 at the predominantly white Vivian United Pentecostal Church in Caddo Parish, more than 200 miles north of St.  Landry.  The blaze was intentionally set.  Officials said Thursday they had no evidence linking the Caddo fire to the other three.

    The FBI and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are assisting in the investigations.  The NAACP has labeled the fires “domestic terrorism,” adding that the “spike in church burnings in Southern states is a reflection of the emboldened racial rhetoric and tension spreading across the country. ”

    Church burnings were a common occurrence in the Jim Crow era.  And fires at black churches – especially those in the South – immediately bring to mind such racist attacks.

    “For decades, African-American churches have served as the epicenter of survival and a symbol of hope for many in the African-American community,” NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson said.  “As a consequence, these houses of faith have historically been the targets of violence. ”

Why are black church fires associated with acts of hate?

    Several black churches in the South were burned in 2015 shortly after the mass murder of nine people at the Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, though it is unclear if those fires were racially motivated.

    According to the latest data from the National Fire Protection Association, fires within religious and funeral properties have been on the decline for decades.  Between 2007 and 2011, 16% were ruled intentional, according to the association.

  CNN’s Josh Campbell and Samira Said reported from Opelousas, while Ray Sanchez wrote in New York.  CNN’s Paul P.  Murphy and Joe Sutton contributed to this report.
© 2021 Cable News Network.  A Warner Media Company.  All Rights Reserved.   CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network.


The Gandhi Peace Prize for the year 2019 is being conferred on (Late) His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said of Oman: Ministry of External Affairs https://t.co/ocHUHYzcwK

India on Monday announced that the Gandhi Peace Prize for the past two years will be conferred on late Omani Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said and Bangladeshi leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for their contributions to social and political transformation through non-violent methods.  A special exception was made for the award to be conferred on the two leaders, as the selection procedure for the prize does not allow it to be awarded posthumously.  The jury for the prize, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, met on March 19 and unanimously selected Rahman as the recipient of the prize for 2020 and Sultan Qaboos, who died last year, as the recipient for 2019.  People familiar with developments said on condition of anonymity that the selection procedure does not allow the Gandhi Peace Prize to be awarded posthumously.  However, given the contributions of Sultan Qaboos and Rahman to peace, non-violence and amelioration of human sufferings and their special relationship with India, an exception was made as a special gesture to honour and celebrate them, the people said.  The prize is given for social, economic and political transformation through non-violence and other Gandhian methods.  The Gandhi Peace Prize recognises the “immense and unparalleled contribution” of Rahman in “inspiring the liberation of Bangladesh, bringing stability to a nation born out of strife, laying the foundation for the close and fraternal relations between India and Bangladesh, and promoting peace and non-violence in the Indian subcontinent”, an official statement said.  The Gandhi Peace Prize for Sultan Qaboos recognises his “unparalleled vision and leadership” in strengthening India-Oman relations and his efforts to promote peace and non-violence in the Gulf.  The award for Rahman, the father of the nation of Bangladesh, was announced days ahead of Modi’s visit to Dhaka during March 26-27 to participate in celebrations marking the birth centenary of Rahman, 50 years of the country’s independence and the golden jubilee of diplomatic relations between the two countries.  Modi said “Bangabandhu”, as Rahman is popularly known, was a champion of human rights and freedom, and a hero to Indians as well.  He said Rahman’s legacy and inspiration has made the “heritage of both countries more comprehensive and deep-rooted”, and the path shown by him has “laid a strong foundation for the partnership, progress and prosperity of both countries over the last decade”.  India is honoured to commemorate Rahman’s legacy jointly with the Bangladeshi government and people as the neighbouring country celebrates his birth centenary, the official statement said.  Modi had recalled Sultan Qaboos’ contribution to India-Oman ties when he passed away in January last year, saying that he was “a true friend of India and provided strong leadership for developing a strategic partnership” between the two sides.  Sultan Qaboos’ twin policy of moderation and mediation in addressing international issues won him praise and respect across the globe, an official statement said.  He played an important role in supporting peace efforts in various regional disputes and conflicts.  The sultan had studied in India and always maintained a special relationship with the country.  Under his leadership, India and Oman became strategic partners.  The other members of the jury were the Chief Justice, the leader of the single largest Opposition party in the Lok Sabha, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, and Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of Sulabh International Social Service Organisation.  The award includes an amount of ₹1 crore, a citation, a plaque and a traditional handicraft or handloom item.  Past awardees include former Tanzania president Julius Nyerere, Gerhard Fischer of Germany, the Ramakrishna Mission, Baba Amte, former South African president Nelson Mandela, the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh, Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa, Chandi Prasad Bhatt and the Indian Space Research Organisation.


Michael Cohen calls Pres. Trump "a racist" during his testimony.

"The country has seen Mr. Trump court white supremacists and bigots...In private, he is even worse." https://t.co/U8yAy9WH1P https://t.co/UaB2SeoVQ0

By Ben Westcott, James Griffiths, Meg Wagner and Veronica Rocha, CNNFrom CNN's Kevin LiptakDonald Trump and Kim Jong Un appeared relaxed and friendly as they began a social dinner in Hanoi on Wednesday. "Nothing like having a nice private dinner," Trump joked as a limited pool of reporters took photos. Seated at a round table with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, Trump asked photographers to make him and Kim "look good" in their photos. "We’re going to have a very busy day tomorrow," Trump said, adding later: "Our relationship is a very special relationship. "Watch the moment here:From CNN’s Sol Han in Hong KongNorth Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his second sit-down with Donald Trump is thanks to a "courageous political decision" by the US President. Addressing reporters beside Trump on Wednesday in Hanoi, Kim said that there had been "a lot of thinking, effort and patience" between now and last June, when he met the US leader in Singapore. Kim said the "outside world" has "misunderstood" the US-North Korean relationship in the period after the Singapore summit.  He said he is hoping the Hanoi summit delivers "an outcome welcome by everyone. "Kim said the pair shared a "very interesting conversation" for 30 minutes upon meeting Wednesday.  From CNN's Samantha BeechPresident Trump promised North Korea a "tremendous future for your country" in his first talks with leader Kim Jong Un in Hanoi.  "I think your country has tremendous economic potential," Trump said. "I think you will have a tremendous future for your country, you’re a great leader," Trump told Kim.  "We will help it to happen. "Watch the moment here:From CNN's James GriffithsPresident Trump and North Korean leader Kim have met for the second time.  The two leaders clasped hands and posed in front of flags smiling as members of the international press took photos.  Trump said he looked forward to a "very successful" summit.  Kim said "we have been able to overcome all the obstacles and here we are today. "In response, Trump said "it's an honor to be with Chairman Kim, it's an honor to be together in Vietnam. ""It's great to be with you, we had a very successful first summit," he added.  "Some people wanted to see it go quicker, but I was very happy with how we are doing. " Trump said the two leaders' relationship is "really a good one. " Neither man responded to shouted questions from the press, most of which were targeted at Trump, one reporter audibly asking about recent revelations by the President's former lawyer, Michael Cohen.  Watch the greeting: From CNN's James GriffithsPresident Trump has arrived at the Metropole Hotel, where he will shortly be meeting North Korean leader Kim.  Onlookers lined the motorcade route from the hotel where Trump is staying while in Hanoi, waving and holding up their phones.  The route took the US President past the North Korean embassy. Kim's motorcade is also en route to the hotel.  From CNN's Joshua Berlinger in HanoiAccording to a schedule released by the White House, President Trump and North Korean leader Kim will be arriving at the Metropole Hotel shortly, where they will be meet in person for the second time ahead of a private dinner tonight.  Nearby the hotel, which has been largely cordoned off to the public amid heavy security, the famous Lotus Water Puppet Theater has erected portraits of the two leaders, one showing Trump waving in front of the US and Vietnamese flags.  From CNN's Joshua Berlinger in HanoiNorth Korean leader Kim Jong Un is due to meet President Trump on Wednesday evening to begin their second summit. The outcome is highly unpredictable but experts said there are many ways Kim could declare the summit a victory. "Kim Jong Un has several paths to a win in Hanoi -- and unfortunately Trump seems determined to make it happen," said Adam Mount, Senior Fellow and Director, Defense Posture Project, Federation of American Scientists. "Kim gains a modest win by just showing up and repeating his performance at Singapore -- being seen to engage the United States as a nuclear power, gaining new opportunities for diplomacy and trade and raising the chance of sanctions relief from Beijing and Seoul. "From CNN's James GriffithsA lot of what President Trump and North Korean leader Kim discuss at their second summit in Hanoi will be kept private, but can we learn anything from their body language?  Translation and interpretation expert Julie Giguere thinks so, she says their behavior at the previous meeting in Singapore showed evidence of their different cultural backgrounds and gave insight into their feelings.  "When moving from initial meeting to the summit setting, Trump invited Kim to walk ahead of him.  This could be interpreted as a desire to calm the situation and the President also used his hand to guide the younger man, which can be seen as an indication of a desire to assert dominance," Giguere said in an email. "While the two leaders spoke last time, Kim spent most of the time looking down and listening while Trump spoke in a largely conciliatory manner.  Trump’s more aggressive body language and Kim patting Trump on the shoulder, both of which were interpreted as a desire to assert control, belied the apparent passivity on both sides. ” She added it was important for observers to take into account differences in American and North Korean etiquette.  "The bow plays an important role in Korean greetings and etiquette in general.  This is one of the ways in which Trump could show a small amount of recognizable politeness and respect to the North Korean leader without being too friendly, especially given they have met before," Giguere said.  "Giving a straight 'no' is simply not done in North Korean business etiquette.  You might suggest a 'maybe,' but you would never just say 'no. ' It's an easy way to be very rude and this is something on which the President should certainly have been advised. "From CNN's James GriffithsPresident Trump has tweeted again from Hanoi, where he is due to be meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in a couple hours, saying the pair will "try very hard to work something out" with regard to denuclearization.  He added that he believes "China, Russia, Japan & South Korea will be very helpful! " Please enable JavaScript for a better experience.


Karnataka: Commuters in Bengaluru face problems as strike of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation employees enters second day.

"I have to go to Bannerghatta but there is no bus. I came here yesterday too. I don't know what to do", says a commuter at Majestic Bus Station. https://t.co/TFK86hOCXO

Bus services remained hit across Karnataka for the second consecutive day on Thursday as drivers and conductors of road transport corporations continued their indefinite strike on wage related issues. With the majority of the employees belonging to all the four transport corporations not attending duty, buses continued to remain mostly off roads across the state including Bengaluru, affecting daily commuters. Passengers travelling to and from distant areas and office-goers were the most affected. However, the government has tried to make alternate arrangements by roping in private transport operators. Also Read | Karnataka bus strike: Southern Western Railways to run additional trains till April 14Railways too have chipped in by deciding to run special trains on certain routes to help the commuters aimed at clearing the upcoming Ugadi festival rush, in the wake of RTC workers strike. Private buses, mini buses, maxi cabs and other passenger transport vehicles were seen operating in different parts of the city and the state, coming to the rescue of stranded passengers. However, the number of passengers continued to remain scarce in these vehicles as people were using their own vehicles or were seen using cabs, Metro and autorickshaws, especially in the city areas, private operators said. Stating that a total of about 24,000 RTC buses used to operate every day and it was not possible to gather equal number of private transport vehicles, officials said, so as many number of private buses, mini buses, maxi cabs have been roped in and all kinds of support is being given for them to operate. Buses that were surrendered will now be allowed to operate by exempting them from paying tax, also vehicles will be allowed to operate for passengers on fixed routes without any permit, officials said. With the government not ready to concede to their demand for implementation of the sixth pay commission report for RTC workers, employees have decided to continue with the strike, despite Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa warning of strict action and indicating that invoking Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) was under consideration. Amid threats of ESMA and "no work no pay", very few RTC buses are said to be operating on some routes in the city on Thursday along with police escort, sources said, adding that there are similar reports from few other places in the state. Complaints about private services including buses, autos and cabs charging exorbitantly, taking advantage of transport strike, continued Thursday as well. This is despite officials stating that they are doing spot visits and taking action.


Delhi: Veteran cricketer Kapil Dev received his first dose of #COVID19Vaccine at Fortis Hospital today. https://t.co/Gpn5vMRz39

World Cup-winning captain and former India all-rounder Kapil Dev on Wednesday received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Kapil, 62, took the vaccine at the Fortis Hospital Heart Institute under the supervision of his cardiologist Dr Atul Mathur, Director of Cardiology. Last year, the legendary cricketer was admitted to the hospital on October 23 after he complained of chest pain.  He then underwent an angioplasty and was discharged two days later.  Kapil continues to have his blood-thinning medication. Kapil played 131 Tests and 225 ODIs for India.  In the longest format of the game, the all-rounder amassed 5,248 runs and picked 434 wickets.  Under his leadership, India won the 1983 World Cup after defeating West Indies in the final. Madan Lal, who was an integral part of the World Cup-winning Indian team in 1983, received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday. On the same day, current Team India head coach Ravi Shastri also took the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.  Shastri, 58, got the vaccine at the Apollo Hospital in Ahmedabad. The second phase of Covid-19 vaccination -- for those above 60 years of age, and people between 45 and 59 years of age with specific comorbidities -- began on Monday.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with other political leaders, got vaccinated on the first day.


Ivanka Trump claims that President Trump had "zero" involvement in security clearances for her and her husband, Jared Kushner https://t.co/NtnrmMmnok https://t.co/X4eAnRiI0T

Trump said she has no concerns about Robert Mueller's investigation. Ivanka Trump: 'Zero concern' about special counselPresident Donald Trump's daughter and White House adviser Ivanka Trump says she “barely" knew about the prospective Moscow deal that the Trump Organization pursued while Trump was also running for president, downplaying the significance of the project’s exploration. “Literally almost nothing,” Ivanka Trump said of her knowledge of the prospective deal.  “We were an active business. ”“There was never a binding contract.  I never talked to the -- with a third party outside of the organization about it.  It was one of -- I mean we could have had 40 or 50 deals like that, that were floating around, that somebody was looking at.  Nobody visited it to see if it was worth our time.  So this was not exactly like an advanced project," the president's eldest daughter said. Trump further downplayed the significance of doing business in Russia, noting that other major hotel chains also have properties there. The plan for the Moscow project, according to Felix Sater who raised money for developments on behalf of the Trump Organization, was to make the tower the world's tallest building. “It’s not like it's a strange thing, as a hospitality company or a development company, to have a hotel or a property in Russia.  We're not talking about Iran.  It was Russia.  And we weren't even advanced enough that anyone had even visited the prospective project site.  So it really was just a non-factor in our minds.  I'm not sure that anyone would have thought of it," she added. As a then-candidate, President Trump repeatedly denied that he had any dealing with Russia. “First of all, I don’t know Putin, have no business whatsoever with Russia, have nothing to do with Russia,” Trump said at a campaign rally in Kinston, North Carolina, on Oct.  26, 2016. Asked if she has any concerns about any of her loved ones being entangled in the ongoing Mueller probe investigating potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, Ivanka Trump said she has no concerns. “Are you concerned about anyone in your life that you love being involved? ” ABC's Abby Huntsman, co-host of "The View," asked. “I'm not.  I'm really not,” Trump said. Asked about the leaks that have come from the White House, Trump said she “can’t explain” why there are people working for her father with an apparent agenda to leak embarrassing and damaging information but says she knows who some of the leakers are. “Why are they still there? ” Huntsman pressed. “Some of them are not here,” Trump replied with a laugh. She also expressed her support for broad immigration reform. “I think this country, though, whether you're a Democrat or Republican, can come together around the idea of comprehensive immigration reform,” Trump said.  “This is one that both parties recognize is -- problematic, that we have a deeply flawed immigration system.  And there needs to be a fix for it. ”When a contingent of Democratic women in Congress stood up to cheer during the president’s State of the Union address as he heralded the economic progress of women, Trump said she thought it was a “beautiful moment. ”“So you don't think they were there clapping against him? ” Huntsman inquired. “Well, I think they were proud of themselves, as they should be.  Everyone fought a hard race.  And -- and they won.  They -- they earned their seat at the State of the Union.  And I think we should always celebrate the inclusion of more voices in Congress,” she said. Of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has so far blocked the president from securing any of his demanded funds for a border wall, Trump said she’s a “formidable” leader. “She is a formidable speaker.  And she is a formidable politician.  And she has been for a long time,” Trump said. Asked why she didn’t speak out publicly during the height of the administration’s zero-tolerance immigration policy that resulted in the separation of migrant children from their parents, Trump said it is not her job “to share my viewpoint when they diverge. ”Trump further explained: “I think that when you hear me start to speak publicly on an issue that's active, it's because my voice isn't being heard privately. ”Asked about an art exhibit in Washington, D. C. , that essentially invites people to throw crumbs at a model that resembles a vacuuming Ivanka Trump, Trump called the exhibit “a very sexist representation of a woman. ”“What bothered me about this image . . .  is that they hired a 16-year-old girl.  I don't know what her situation is.  But they hired this model to stand there and have crumbs thrown at her for two hours a day for a couple of months.  So I have a real problem with that . . .  and that was what infuriated me, more than anything,” she said. Asked what women inspire her, Trump said she’s most motivated by the women she meets as she travels the country juggling a home and work balance to provide for their families. “The women who really I think about and that motivate me to leave my kids early in the morning and miss a whole lot of dinners at home, are -- the women I meet when I travel,” Trump said.  “I was in Texas recently, and talking to a woman who had a two-hour bus commute to get to a job that she had to wait three hours before it started, because that was the only bus that would take her there.  And she was so excited to have this opportunity to provide for her family. ”24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Health and Human Services Secretary Alexander Azar stressed that he was still in charge of the task force addressing the novel coronavirus following President Trump's announcement that Vice President Mike Pence would lead US efforts to battle the outbreak https://t.co/4307u1ABUr

"I think every aspect of our society should be prepared," Trump said. White House details US plans in response to coronavirusPresident Donald Trump announced Wednesday that Vice President Mike Pence would lead the U. S.  government response to coronavirus, after days of mixed messages from his administration about the threat to Americans. Trump told reporters at a news conference Wednesday evening he was not labeling Pence a "czar. ""Mike will be working with the professionals, the doctors and everybody else that's working," Trump said.  "The team is brilliant. "The announcement came following days of sending mixed messages on the risk the coronavirus poses to the United States. At a rare appearance in the White House's briefing room, the president and his team sought to allay worries about the coronavirus, called COVID-19, repeatedly saying that the risk to Americans remains low but still urging people to prepare. "I think every aspect of our society should be prepared," including schools, he said, "just in case. " But, he added, "We don't think we'll be there. ""This will end," he said. Trump noted that tens of thousands of people in the United States die every year from influenza, and that coronavirus -- so far -- had not nearly approached that level. "You don't want to see panic, because there's no reason to be panicked about it," Trump said. "There's a chance it won't spread, too.  And there's a chance it will. "The question, he said, was "at what level" it would. Because of the steps the administration had already taken -- including strict travel restrictions on travelers who have recently visited China, the center of the outbreak -- Trump said, "The risk to the American people remains very low. ""The number one priority from our standpoint is the health and safety of the American people," he said. Trump said that it was "not the right time" to impose additional restrictions on entry to the United States -- although he noted, "we may do that. "China has imposed severe restrictions on large areas, like the city of Wuhan, and Trump told ABC News' Karen Travers that the United States did have plans for quarantining cities "on a larger scale, if we need it. "But, he added, "We don't think we're going to need it. "Pence noted that "the threat to the American public remains low," telling reporters that he would coordinate the overall response and that additional personnel would be added at the White House. "My role will be to continue to bring that team together, to bring to the president the best options for action to see to the safety and well being and health of the American people.  We'll also be continuing to reach out to governors, state and local officials," Pence said.  "We will be working with them in renewed ways to make sure they have the resources to be able to respond. "Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, who has been leading a coronavirus task force the president set up, said he was happy to have the support from Pence -- who he said would focus on inter-agency coordination -- and echoed Trump's comments that what the U. S.  government has already been doing has worked. Azar warned, though, that the number of cases would go up. "The degree of risk has the potential to change quickly," Azar said.  "And we can expect to see more cases in the United States.  That is why we've been reminding the American public and our state, local and private sector partners that they should be aware of what a broader response would look like. "The president and his team clearly tried to calm fears, a day after a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official had warned Americans of "significant disruption" coming because of the virus. That appeared to contrast with remarks the president made at a press conference in New Delhi earlier in the day, when he said the situation was "under control" and that it was a "problem that's going to go away. ""We have very few people with it," Trump told reporters, adding that he was not totally caught up on the latest details because of his trip to India but that "the people are getting better, they're all getting better," referring to patients in the U. S. "I think that whole situation will start working out.  Lot of talent, lot of brain power is being put behind it," he said. Trump's comments came on the heels of sharp criticism from Democrats in Congress on the response from the White House.  The administration on Monday asked lawmakers for emergency funding to deal with crisis -- $1. 25 billion in new funding and another $1. 25 billion shifted from existing funding previously allocated for other reasons, including some designated to deal with the Ebola virus. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced Wednesday morning he's preparing a detailed Democratic request for emergency coronavirus funding totaling $8. 5 billion.  It's expected to be finalized Wednesday and sent to appropriators. Following Schumer's announcement, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday morning called the president's $2. 5 billion request to combat coronavirus "anemic. ""What he's doing is late -- too late -- anemic," Pelosi said.  "Hopefully, we can make up for the loss of time, but it will have to have the professionals in place, the resources that are adequate and not be using scare tactics about people coming back to our country. "She said the House will have a proposal "similar" to the plan put forth by the Senate. At the Wednesday briefing at the White House, Trump said he would be open to more money from Congress. CDC Director Anthony Fauci said that since a potential vaccine would take a year and a half to develop, in order to contain the virus in the short term, the focus had to remain on public health measures. Anne Schuchat, the CDC's principal deputy director, encouraged people to prepare. "We do expect more cases and this is a good time to prepare.  As you heard, it's the perfect time for businesses, health care systems, universities and schools, to look at their pandemic preparedness plans, dust them off and make sure they are ready and we have lots more information at the CDC's website and in partnership on how to do that," she said during Wednesday's news conference. She also suggested Americans cover their mouths when they cough, stay home when they're sick and wash their hands. Fears about the coronavirus' global spread have rocked markets around the world, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunging Monday and Tuesday, and dropping to a lesser degree on Wednesday. Trump acknowledged coronavirus had played a role, but he also said investors' fears of a Democrat winning the presidency this year had contributed, too. He specifically pointed to concern over remarks by the Democratic presidential candidates at a debate Tuesday night, when they criticized Trump's handling of the response to the virus.  He said comments by the candidates, who he called "Democrat fools," had made "a huge effect" on markets. But the largest drops in the Dow Jones came before the debate -- and the decrease on Wednesday, after the debate, was significantly smaller. Trying to allay further economic woes, which could threaten his re-election in November, Trump promised the spread would not last forever -- a claim not directly backed up by health officials. "This is going to end," Trump said.  "Hopefully it'll be sooner rather than later. "Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have questioned Trump's top advisers this week on whether the administration was doing enough almost two months into the global crisis, expressing deep skepticism of the president's claims that the situation was "under control. ""That is a remarkable level of containment here in the United States," Azar told reporters at a press conference earlier Tuesday, later adding that "we are realistic" there would be more cases. Azar, in a second day of testimony before the House Appropriations, called the community transmission of the virus in other nations "concerning. "Rep.  Mark Pocan, D-Wis. , said to Azar point-blank, "Provide me some security that someone knows what's going on in this administration about the coronavirus. "Azar responded, "The risk right now is very low to Americans. ""We have always been clear that number one that could change rapidly, and from the outset I and the public health experts said we fully expect we will see more cases here in the United States," he continued.  "We have to be mentally prepared and also as a government prepared. "Later, when Pocan asked about a Politico report that the White House is considering appointing a coronavirus czar, Azar, after first saying he wouldn't comment, then said he didn't expect one now or in the near future. "I don't anticipate one.  This is working extremely well. " he said, referring to how he and HHS are leading the administration's efforts.  "If it doesn't work or if there's a need for change . . .  then that would be for the president to decide. "ABC News' Trish Turner, Jordyn Phelps, Anne Flaherty, Elizabeth Thomas and Michelle Stoddart contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


CNN PROJECTION: Joe Biden wins Virginia https://t.co/gj0szijlpd #CNNElection https://t.co/NR0e6ZZsEK

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


Milind Deora, Mumbai Congress President to ANI, on Priyanka Gandhi Vadra: Yes, I will be happy if she comes and leads (Congress party) but when Gandhi family has clarified that the next party president should not be from Gandhi family, this possibility doesn't arise. (file pic) https://t.co/nYBEcqUSZo

Amid growing voices calling for Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to lead the Congress following Rahul Gandhi’s resignation, veteran leader Karan Singh has said she will be a “unifying force” and will enthuse cadres if she takes on the mantle of party president.  He also said the Congress has “definitely been harmed” due to the indecision over the leadership issue and cautioned that remaining “headless” can be “seriously detrimental” to the party going forward.  In an interview to PTI, Singh agreed with Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor’s views aired recently that a young leader will be more suitable as a replacement of Rahul Gandhi.  “Baffled” over the “state of indecision” in the party, Singh on Saturday said there are some very senior people in the Congress Working Committee (CWC) and they should have come together earlier and done something about the situation arising out of Rahul Gandhi’s resignation.  “One cannot leave the party headless.  It is not fair to the Congress,” said Singh, a close associate of the Gandhi family who has been in the party for over 50 years.  Meanwhile, the party announced on Sunday that the CWC will meet on August 10.  The party had said earlier that the CWC will meet after the Parliament session ends next Wednesday.  Asked about growing voices within the Congress calling for Priyanka Gandhi to take over as party chief, Karan Singh said it has to be her decision and if she agrees to take up the responsibility, he will welcome it.  She has to take a decision and can’t be bulldozed into taking up the party presidency, the 88-year-old leader said.  Asked if Priyanka Gandhi would be a suitable candidate for Congress president, Singh said, “Considering the situation and considering that she belongs to this family, she will probably be a unifying force. ” How well Priyanka Gandhi does as Congress president, remains to be seen, he added.  “She is a very intelligent young lady.  She did well on the Sonbhadra issue when she went there (to meet victims of the massacre).  She speaks well, she has got a good personality, carries herself well.  So yes, if she agrees (to be Congress president), then why not,” Singh said.  The former Union minister said Priyanka Gandhi will certainly be able to enthuse the people in the party and will be an asset as Congress chief.  Singh also asserted that the process for putting in place a new president should be strictly according to the party Constitution.  His remarks assume significance as they come after Amarinder Singh and Tharoor both backed Priyanka to throw her hat into the ring when the call for Congress presidency polls is made.  On their remarks about a young leader being more suitable to take on the mantle of party president, he said there has been a generational change in the country with which one has to adjust and accept.  “Therefore, prima facie if we can get a younger leader, it would be a good idea.  I back their view if we get a suitable young leader.  There must be a generational change.  Rahul (as party chief) himself was a generational change,” the former governor of Jammu and Kashmir said.  “Younger leaders across the board --for PCC presidents and so on -- have to be brought in.  Other things being equal, I would prefer a younger leader (for party president’s post),” he asserted.  Singh said the way forward for the party is to elect somebody as the interim leader.  “If Priyanka Vadra is agreeable, elect her, if not then elect somebody else.  Then get on with the job (of electing the party president) according to the Congress constitution.  They cannot carry on like this.  This will be seriously detrimental to the party,” he said. Talking about the delay in the appointment of the Congress president, Singh said “definitely the Congress has been harmed” because a vast organisation like it cannot remain headless.  “I have made statements that it has been very clearly laid down in the Congress constitution that if such an exigency arises then the senior-most general secretary should deal with the routine tasks of the Congress president and the working committee should name an interim president until the AICC elects a new president,” he said.  That process somehow doesn’t seem to have happened, as a result of which over two months have passed now and there is no clarity about the Congress leadership, he said. “We have a lot of eminent people in the Congress. . . but they don’t seem to be able to get their act together which I think is unfortunate,” the veteran Congress leader said.  Singh said Rahul Gandhi’s letter on July 3 made it very clear that he had already resigned. “After all he is a very fine young man.  He has got many years of politics ahead of him.  If under the circumstances he made a decision that he wanted to resign, it is his decision, and we must honour that decision,” Singh said.  “We wasted one month pleading with him to take back his resignation which I don’t think was necessary because he is not a whimsical person that he will today make a decision and tomorrow take it back,” Singh said.  He also said the party is losing people to the BJP with many using the leadership issue as an excuse to switch over.  Rahul Gandhi announced his resignation as Congress president on May 25 following the Lok Sabha polls debacle.  However, the CWC has not accepted the resignation yet.  (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.  Only the headline has been changed. )