Judge Amy Coney Barrett declined to say whether she believes voter discrimination still exists in America and, in some of the testiest exchanges with senators this week, rejected suggestions that she would diminish voting rights as a Supreme Court justice https://t.co/pjpBnd5HM6

The vote on the Supreme Court nominee is set for Oct.  22. Key takeaways from Supreme Court confirmation hearing of Judge Amy Coney BarrettDemocrats on Thursday mounted a brief protest to try to delay committee action on the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court, but Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham barreled forward with the support of his GOP colleagues on the panel -- casting aside committee rules in the process. "I want to take official note of the fact that I’m the only member of the minority that is here, and so we cannot conduct business until that second member of the minority is here," Sen.  Dick Durbin of Illinois told Graham, referencing committee rules that require two members of the minority to be present to conduct business. Graham hit back: "If we create this problem for you in the future, you’re going to do what I’m going to do which is move forward on the business of the committee. :  A brief vote was conducted with all Republicans supporting the chairman, and the protest was ended. With Democrats’ delay effort shut down and a vote on the nomination scheduled for Oct.  22 at 1 p. m. , it was even more apparent that Barrett is on track to be approved by the Senate by Election Day, a key goal of President Donald Trump who has said she could help decide any election-related dispute that comes by the Supreme Court. Barrett said she would seriously consider whether she should recuse herself but did not commit to recusal as Democrats pressed her to do.  She did not attend Thursday's hearing. Despite the remarkably low-key question-and-answer period on Tuesday and Wednesday, Democrats were highly critical of Barrett as the proceedings neared a close, casting her rise to the nation's highest court in the most ominous terms, accusing her of wanting to be an activist judge who will surely cast a deciding vote to strike down scores of laws that would affect millions of Americans, from guaranteed health care for those with preexisting coverage to same sex marriage and even climate change. “They want her to be the ninth justice to make a decision on the election, rather than the voters,” Sen.  Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. , told reporters, “And they want someone to strike down the Affordable Care Act and Roe v.  Wade. ”Barrett, for her part, studiously avoided any hint of how she might one day rule, if confirmed, refusing to answer even the simplest of questions - including whether a president has the power to delay an election.  According to federal law, that power rests solely with Congress. Instead, Barrett kept fast to a stock answer she used in similar ways throughout 19 hours of questioning, “If that question ever came before me, I would need to hear arguments from the litigants and read briefs and consult with my law clerks and talk to my colleagues and go through the opinion writing process.  So, if I give off the cuff answers, then I would be basically a legal pundit.  I don't think we want judges to be legal pundits. ”The focus of much of the two days of questioning was on the Affordable Care Act with a case coming before the high court just one week after the election, and Democrats making the case that a Justice Barrett would likely cast the deciding vote that could see the destruction of the Obama-era law and ultimately leave some 20 million Americans with preexisting conditions without health care. GOP Sen.  John Cornyn of Texas accused Democrats of raising "straw men" to scare Americans into believing Barrett would take away their health care.  He said his colleagues on the other side of the aisle have “become accustomed to the Supreme Court bailing them out. "I’ve been really struggling to find out the truth, to understand why Judge Barrett is such a threat to them.  It is because they've become accustomed that when they lose elections and they lose votes in the Congress, they depend on courts to bail them out.  That’s not what judges should be doing," Cornyn admonished. Democrats repeatedly ridiculed the expedited hearings occurring just 14 days from Barrett’s nomination, citing new talks found on a Notre Dame calendar given by Barrett in her time as a professor -- as first reported by CNN -- that were not included in the committee questionnaire as required.  Still, Republicans pushed on. Never in history has a nominee to the Supreme Court been confirmed so close to an election. “This is a hypocritical sham rush job,” Sen.  Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, argued.  “The court is definitely going to the right, and with her presence on the court . . .  all of these precedents are subject to being overturned.  That’s what’s at stake. ”Democrat Durbin said he feared for the future of the panel with rules and norms broken so casually. "We are breaking the rules of the Senate, breaking the rules of this committee," he said.  "We defying our own tradition, common sense, and the mutual respect that led to votes of 98-0 (Scalia) and 96-3 (Ginsburg). ""I don't know how we get this train back on the track.  This nomination is not normal . . .  We should've waited," Durbin warned. The threat of the pandemic loomed large over the hearing, with hand sanitizer and disinfectant evident all around and nearly every attendee masked. Democratic Sen.  Chris Coons of Delaware announced Thursday morning that he had just come back from getting a virus test administered by the Capitol Attending Physician “so that I can return with some confidence to my family this evening that I haven't picked it up while here,” adding he was not “confident” that attendees had been kept safe. Despite the occasional acrimony, the overwhelming respectful hearings ended in collegiality. Democratic Sen.  Dianne Feinstein thanked GOP chairman Graham for holding what she called "one of the best Senate hearings I have ever participated in" and later the two hugged. Graham heaped praise upon Barrett, and ended by remarking that he is hopeful that polarized Americans can "start over" after the election. "Let me just say an election will come.  Winners will be declared.  We get to start over," Graham said.  "The thing I like most about democracy is it is a journey without a destination.  When are we going to get there?  We never actually do.  When you are a child you are excited about going.  It really is the journey.  I don't know how this election is going to come out.  I am hopeful for our side.  Having said that, 2016 was a curveball in many ways.  I don't know what is going to happen.  The more people vote, the better," Graham, in his own reelection fight, continued. "When it is all over in a few weeks.  I will just say this, if I'm around , I will commit myself to starting over.  Looking forward, not backward. "24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Delhi: Visuals from Maujpur area in #NorthEastDelhi on the occasion of #Holi. https://t.co/YRTQFvY7XJ

The information and broadcasting ministry is looking to utilise the reach of nearly 300 community radio stations as it aims to take the government’s message on preventing the spread of Covid-19 to the remotest parts of the country. As part of this outreach, Information and Broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar will address listeners from all the community radio stations simultaneously on Friday evening. Javadekar will speak in Hindi and English and will touch on all issues related to Covid 19.  He will also answer some of the queries posed by the audience. Significantly, Javadekar is also leading a panel of ministers assigned with the task of fine-tuning the communication strategy.  Union ministers Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Hardeep Singh Puri, Kiren Rijiju and minister of state for environment Babul Supriyo are among others who will work be spearheading the efforts to spread more awareness about the pandemic.


Madhya Pradesh: Flood-like situation in Hoshangabad due to heavy and incessant rainfall in the district. https://t.co/87p69XFbEW

Madhya Pradesh (MP) Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced on Friday night that from now on there would be no lockdown in any of the districts except those on Sundays and the pre-announced one, albeit the restrictions are in place in varying degrees in some towns and cities, including state capital Bhopal.  Lockdown restrictions were imposed at night on March 24 in MP as a part of the nationwide restrictions to prevent the spread of the raging coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak, which were lifted in the state on June 15.  However, the state government had left it to the respective district administration to decide on lockdown measures as the situation demanded after the restrictions were lifted on June 15. Consequently, lockdown restrictions were enforced in cities and towns such as Bhopal, Gwalior, Morena, Shivpuri, Jabalpur, Indore, etc, beyond June 15.  The state government has also curbed the powers of district collectors in imposing lockdown measures, an official communiqué stated.  “We have to accelerate the pace of our economy.  From now on, there will be no lockdown in any district of the state other than the pre-announced one and Sunday.  If the need for lockdown arises in any district due to unavoidable reasons, permission will have to be sought from the state level.  No collector will be able to impose lockdown in the district on his/her own free will,” it said.  The CM’s announcement came during a review meeting on Covid-19 situation in the state.  He presided over the meeting via a video-conference link from a private hospital in Bhopal, where he is undergoing treatment for Covid-19.  The CM said rapid antigen detection (RAD) test had started in Bhopal and it should be replicated in Indore and other districts as well.  Chouhan ordered the setting up of an expert committee to curb the death rate in Hamidia Hospital, the teaching hospital of Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal, and also to improve the healthcare infrastructure, as per the official information.  The CM announced that in the second phase of Kill Corona campaign known as “Sankalp ki chain jodo, Corona ki chain todo” would be launched in MP on Saturday (August 1) and to continue until August 14.  “This is primarily an awareness campaign under which people will be made aware to wear masks and adhering to maintaining social distancing norms by which the viral infection will be eliminated,” the communiqué stated, quoting the CM.  Chouhan said three kinds of quarantine facilities such as home, home, institutional, and paid are available.  The paid category of quarantine facility is for those Covid-19 patients, who can afford it.  Additional chief secretary Health Mohd Suleman said MP is ranked 15th in the country in both active and positive cases.  According to Thursday’s (July 30) report, MP had 8,454 active cases.  Efforts are continuously on to ramp up the daily testing count.  On Wednesday (July 29), the state tested 14,647 swab samples.  The latest health department’s bulletin – released at night on Friday – stated that MP has reported 31,806 Covid-19 cases, including 838 new ones in the past 24 hours.  In July, the state recorded 18,213 Covid-19 cases, or 57% of the state’s viral load to date.  While the corresponding figure between March 20 and June 30 was 13,593 MP has reported 867 Covid-19-related deaths, including 295 in July, or 34% of the fatalities because of the viral outbreak, the bulletin stated.  In July and until June 30, 11,876 and 10,395 Covid-19 patients, respectively, were discharged from various hospitals in the state after they had recovered from their viral infection.  Until July 30, the active Covid-19 cases in MP were 2,626 and the figure had gone up to 8,668 on July 31.  MP has conducted 7,67,571 Covid-19 tests, including 4,02,104 and 3,65,467 in July and until June 30, respectively, the bulletin added.


“I mean, the President didn’t shoot someone on Fifth Avenue, Erica, but the abuse of power is laying there in the street for everyone to see. It’s just preposterous.” -@RepDWStweets reacts to Pres. Trump denying that he directed Rudy Giuliani to push Ukraine for an investigation. https://t.co/r7ZvhtiLvE

It is Trump's first visit to the country.  Trump says he wants to withdraw troops from AfghanistanPresident Donald Trump made a surprise visit to Afghanistan this Thanksgiving to address American troops in what is his first trip to the country. He visited troops at Bagram Air Field to thank the men and women for their service, calling them "courageous American warriors. ""I just want to say that we thank god for your help and all of the things that you've done.  You're very special people and you don't even know how much the people of our country love and respect you," Trump said to a few hundred troops. His remarks shifted to a deal with the Taliban, as Trump said peace talks had been re-ignited. "We will see if the Taliban wants to make a deal.  … If they do, they do," Trump said during his visit.  "If they don’t, they don’t. "The terms of the deal would have to include a Taliban ceasefire, Trump said, adding that he thinks the Taliban will agree to that. When asked if the U. S.  had restarted peace talks with the Taliban, he replied with "yes," but did not offer more details.  Back in September, he declared peace talks with the Taliban "dead. "Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen.  Mark Milley said "hopefully they will be successful and lead to Afghan-to-Afghan dialogue in the near future. "President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani, who Trump met with during the visit, did not publicly address such talks. Trump also boasted about the recent death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi -- saying, "We took him out" -- and said that now ISIS is down to "a very small number. "Trump landed in Afghanistan at 11:03 a. m.  EST on Air Force One after a 13-hour secret overnight flight out of an undisclosed airport in Florida. It was his second trip to a combat zone.  He visited troops in Iraq in 2018 after Christmas. He was travelling alongside acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham, National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien, and Sen.  John Barrasso, R-Wyo. First Lady Melania Trump stayed behind in Florida, officials said. Upon touching down in Afghanistan, President Trump helped serve Thanksgiving dinner to roughly two dozen troops at Bagram Air Field’s dining facility. Before speaking to the troops, President Trump told some in the dining hall that he would be talking to them later, "but right now I want to have some turkey. "Last year, the president stayed in the U. S.  for Thanksgiving and spoke with troops in Afghanistan on the phone while at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. After expressing gratitude for their service, he took time to criticize the appeals court that blocked his administration's efforts to deny migrants if they seek asylum after entering from outside formal points of entry. In 2017, the president also stayed in Florida and spoke with troops in Afghanistan, Iraq, Turkey and Bahrain and aboard the USS Monterey on a video call. ABC News' Shannon Crawford, Meredith McGraw and Conor Finnegan contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Rep. David Cicilline, who was a House impeachment manager during former President Trump’s second impeachment trial, says while Trump wasn’t convicted, they were able to “overwhelmingly” establish his guilt, and Trump is “significantly damaged” by the country seeing the evidence. https://t.co/G2Q2LtBJJs

Over half of Americans (58%) say that Trump should have been convicted. 2nd Impeachment Trial: What this could mean for TrumpDriven by sharp divisions that reflect the persistent partisan fissures within the country, the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump solidified public support for convicting him of inciting insurrection, a new ABC News/Ipsos poll finds. Over half of Americans (58%) say that Trump should have been convicted, which tracks with the 56% who said the same last week before the 57-43 Senate vote to acquit left Trump free to possibly run for office again.  Last year, after Trump was acquitted in his first Senate impeachment trial, Americans were evenly split on the outcome, with 49% approving of the Senate's judgment and 47% disapproving, according to a Monmouth University poll. The Senate fell 10 votes short of reaching the two-thirds majority needed to convict, when all but seven Republicans found Trump not guilty — an outcome that still marked the most bipartisan verdict ever in a presidential impeachment trial. The seven Republicans, who make up 14% of the GOP conference in the Senate, mirrors the 14% of Republicans nationwide who believe Trump should have been convicted and barred from holding future office in the poll, which was conducted by Ipsos in partnership with ABC News using Ipsos' KnowledgePanel. An overwhelming 88% of Democrats and 64% of independents also say the former president should have been convicted after being impeached for his role in the deadly assault on the U. S.  Capitol on Jan.  6. The decision by the 43 Republican senators to acquit Trump signals the firm grip he maintains over the party, even after his electoral defeat.  But for some of them, the vote was not as much a defense of his behavior, but rather a decision based on a constitutional technicality. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, one of the Republicans who ultimately sided with Trump by arguing that it was unconstitutional to try a former president, excoriated Trump for his "disgraceful dereliction of duty. ""There's no question, none, that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day.  No question about it," he said from the Senate floor shortly after the final vote.  "The people who stormed this building believed they were acting on the wishes and instructions of their president. "Even though far more Republican senators are disturbed by Trump's actions than the final vote tally might show, polling suggests that the Republican base remains solidly behind him. Among Republicans, 86% say Trump should not have been convicted and disqualified from holding future office, an attitude shared by only 11% of Democrats and 35% of independents. More than eight in 10 Republicans (83%) actually go even further, believing that the trial shouldn't have even happened, viewing the single charge against Trump as not serious enough to warrant impeachment proceedings. It's an opinion at odds with most of the country: overall, 61% of Americans believe Trump's conduct warranted the historic second impeachment for one president, with that view held by 92% of Democrats and 65% of independents. More than two decades ago, when former President Clinton faced his own impeachment trial for lying under oath and obstructing justice to cover up an extramarital affair, less than half (43%) of the country viewed the charges against him as serious enough for a trial, while a majority (56%) believed they were not serious enough, according to an ABC News poll conducted right after the trial. As the nation remains deeply polarized, uniting most Americans is the view that the outcome in the Senate was motivated more by party loyalties than the evidence presented at the trial. More than 3 in 4 Americans (77%) say that most senators voted on the basis of partisan politics.  The question also breaks through party lines, with 76% of Democrats, 78% of Republicans, and 79% of independents saying the same. In the case itself, the evidence brought by the House impeachment managers was seen as "strong" among a clear majority of Americans (56%), compared to 37% who cast it as "weak. "Still, slightly more Americans say that the trial rehashed information already known to the public rather than providing new information, 43% to 38%. This ABC News/Ipsos poll was conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs‘ KnowledgePanel® February 13-14, 2021, in English and Spanish, among a random national sample of 547 adults.  Results have a margin of sampling error of 4. 8 points, including the design effect.  Partisan divisions are 31-26-36 percent, Democrats-Republicans-independents.  See the poll’s topline results and details on the methodology here. ABC News' Dan Merkle and Ken Goldstein contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


‘Situation along our borders with China is under control’: Army chief Naravane

https://t.co/i67YLfsXLk https://t.co/gon5PxuZ51

The situation along India’s borders with China is under control, Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane said on Saturday in Dehradun.  Naravane said that the ongoing series of high delegation-level talks with the Chinese side has been followed up with meetings at the local level between the commanders of equivalent ranks. Chief Naravane said that through the continued dialogue, it is hoped that all perceived differences between India and China will be set to rest. “We are hopeful that through the continued dialogue we’re having, all perceived differences that we (India and China) have will be set to rest.  Everything is under control,” he said.  Talking about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, chief Naravane said that in last 10-15 days alone, more than 15 terrorists have been killed.  “All of this has been because of very close cooperation and coordination between all security forces operating in J&K,” he said. “Most of the operations have been based on information provided by the locals themselves which goes to show that they are also absolutely fed up with militancy and terrorism and they want that the situation should return to normal,” the army chief added. General Naravane’s comments came while he speaking to the media on the sidelines of the Passing Out Parade (POP) of Indian Military Academy (IMA) Dehradun.  Also read: Chinese diplomat tweets a twist to Ladakh standoff, sees link to Article 370As a result, a lot of disengagement has taken place and we are hopeful that through the continued dialogue we're having, all perceived differences that we (India and China) have will be set to rest.  Everything is under control: Army Chief General MM Naravane https://t. co/dZsaRNT4ONThis comes a day after Indian and Chinese army delegations, led by major general-ranked officers, on Friday held discussions in eastern Ladakh again to resolve the standoff between border troops.  This was the fifth round of meeting between the two major generals to break the stalemate that began with a violent confrontation between rival patrols near Pangong Tso on the night of May 5-6. Friday’s meeting between major general Abhijit Bapat, commander of the Karu-based HQs 3 Infantry Division, and his Chinese counterpart went on for nearly five hours, said an officer. Most of the operations have been based on information provided by the locals themselves which goes to show that they are also absolutely fed up with militancy & terrorism and they want that the situation should return to normal: Army Chief General MM Naravane https://t. co/mrv7HsowsTBesides this, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday reviewed India’s military preparedness in eastern Ladakh and several other sensitive areas along the Line of Actual Control in Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh.  Singh was briefed by Army chief Naravane at a high-level meeting which also saw Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh and Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria in attendance.  Naravane gave a detailed account of the overall situation in eastern Ladakh.  Indian and Chinese military officials are engaged in high delegation-level talks in a bid to resolve the month-long row over the Line of Actual Control.  The armies from the two sides are locked in an over five-week standoff in Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie in eastern Ladakh.


14 new #COVID19 cases reported, all from Kashmir. Total number of cases now stands at 368, Jammu-55 and Kashmir-313: Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary (Planning), Jammu & Kashmir Government. https://t.co/ikrrpWBw8H

Fourteen new Covid-19 positive cases were reported in Kashmir on Monday taking the total number of people infected with the coronavirus disease in Jammu and Kashmir to 368. Government spokesperson Rohit Kansal said that 85 per cent of the total cases in the union territory were from Kashmir. “14 new cases have been reported, all from Kashmir.  The total number of cases now stands at 368 with 55 in Jammu and 313 in Kashmir,” he said. Thirteen people had tested positive on Sunday with 12 of them from Kashmir. In a statement, the government said that 15 new patients had recovered from the Covid-19 disease and were discharged with seven patients from the government medical college in Baramulla, six from Sheri Kashmir Institute of Medical Science, Srinagar and two from Chest Diseases Hospital, Srinagar. At least 91 cases have been reported from Bandipora, 79 in Srinagar, 44 in Baramulla, 33 in Kupwara, 26 in Jammu, 22 in Shopian, 20 in Udhampur, 14 in Ganderbal, 13 in Budgam and in single digits in the rest of the districts. While Jammu had recorded its first positive case on March 9, Kashmir’s first Covid-19 positive case was reported on March 18. So far, 71 patients -58 in Kashmir and 13 in Jammu-- have recovered from the disease while five people have died. Of the total 368 cases, 292 are active ones with 251 in Kashmir and 41 in Jammu. The government statement said that till date, 61,774 people have enlisted for observation with 6,463 in Home Quarantine (including facilities operated by the government. ), 292 are in hospital isolation and 229 in hospital quarantine.  The statement also informed that the surveillance of 34,670 people had been completed while 20,115 people are currently under home surveillance.


The carpet may be red, but pink was the color of the night at the #Oscars https://t.co/Ux9FoNTd0K https://t.co/ALsASvrX32

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


A math and physics teacher from rural Kenya, who gives away 80% of his monthly income to help the poor, has won a $1 million prize https://t.co/uGBvPf9Bup

Peter Tabichi gave 80 percent of his paycheck away. Kenyan science teacher wins $1 million prizeA Kenyan science teacher who gave the majority of his earnings to the poor has been awarded a $1 million teaching prize for his work. Peter Tabichi, who is from the remote village of Pwani in Kenya's Rift Valley, gave 80 percent of his paycheck to poor students in his hometown, The Associated Press reported. He was awarded the annual Global Teacher Prize on Sunday for his commitment to his students at the government-run school and is credited with helping many of his pupils stay in school, qualify for international competitions in science and engineering and later attend college, despite the challenges they face. Most of Tabichi's students are from disadvantaged families, and it has been a challenge to convince the local community of the value in education, according to the BBC.  Often, families encourage their daughters stay out of school and get married at a young age. "At times, whenever I reflect on the challenges they face, I shed tears," he said of his students during his acceptance speech. The 36-year-old, who was selected out of 10,000 applicants, plans to use his million-dollar prize to help feed the poor and improve the school, which has only one computer, shoddy internet access and no library or laboratory.  In addition, the classrooms are crowded and few textbooks are available, the BBC reported. The award ceremony, held at the Atlantis Hotel in Dubai, was hosted by actor Hugh Jackman.  Before the weekend, the farthest Tabichi had ever traveled was to Uganda, and he'd never been on an airplane before. Tabichi's father, a primary school teacher, raised him and his siblings alone after his mother died when he was 11, he said during his acceptance speech.  He thanked his father for instilling Christian values in him, before inviting him to the stage, where he handed him the award. Tabichi, who is also a Franciscan friar, couldn't believe his fortune in winning the award, he told the AP after the ceremony. "I can't believe it," he said.  "I feel so happy to be among the best teachers in the world, being the best in the world. "Tabichi's success "is the story of Africa" and hope, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said in a statement. The annual prize is awarded by the Varkey Foundation and is the largest of its kind, according to the AP.  Now in its fifth year, it has become one of the most prestigious awards for teachers. Previous winners include a British art teacher who was awarded for her work in making students feel welcome and safe in a borough with high murder rates and one of the most ethnically diverse places in the country and a Canadian teacher who worked with indigenous students in an isolated Arctic village where suicide rates are high. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Mortal remains of Former External Affairs Minister #SushmaSwaraj being taken from All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to her Delhi residence, where they will be kept tonight, reports news agency ANI

https://t.co/5TOgcf9mrD https://t.co/ZeZpyJ9Wov

Former external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, who extended a helping hand to many Indians in distress abroad and acquired a reputation as one of the most accessible ministers in the first term of the Narendra Modi government, died suddenly on Tuesday night after a cardiac arrest.  She was 67. Swaraj, who was India’s first full-time woman foreign minister (Indira Gandhi held additional charge of the ministry when she was prime minister) suffered the cardiac arrest late in the evening and was immediately taken to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).  She died after efforts to revive her failed. “She was brought to the hospital after she had collapsed at home.  She reached AIIMS emergency at about 09:35 pm,” said a hospital spokesperson.  WATCH | Remembering Sushma Swaraj: Fiery Opposition leader, transformative foreign ministerA team of doctors attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to revive her, but she couldn’t make it.  “All resuscitative measures were taken but she could not be revived,” the spokesperson added. Union health minister Harsh Vardhan, who was at the hospital, confirmed her death. In her last tweet, at 7:23 pm, Swaraj posted: “Thank you Prime Minister.  Thank you very much.  I was waiting to see this day in my lifetime. ” It was a reference to the Lok Sabha effectively abrogating Article 370 of the Constitution that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and converting the state into two Union territories — J&K and Ladakh — realising what had always been a key objective of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its members. Prime Minister Narenda Modi said Swaraj’s passing was a personal loss for him. “She will be remembered fondly for everything that she’s done for India.  My thoughts are with her family, supporters and admirers in this very unfortunate hour.  Om Shanti,” he wrote on Twitter. Swaraj is survived by her husband, Swaraj Kaushal, and their daughter Bansuri, who are both lawyers by training, like the minister too was. Swaraj, a nine-time member of Parliament, opted out of contesting the April-May general elections, making the announcement as early as November last year.  To be sure, that Swaraj may not fight a direct election after undergoing a kidney transplant in December 2016 and been suffering from diabetes had been an open secret within the BJP. “It is the party which decides, but I have made up my mind not to contest the next [Lok Sabha] elections,” Swaraj said in Indore in the middle of the election campaign in Madhya Pradesh, adding that she had conveyed her decision to the party leadership because of health reasons.  She did say that she wasn’t quitting politics, only not contesting the election.  “Madam [Sushma Swaraj] - Thank you very much for your decision not to contest any more elections.  I remember there came a time when even Milkha Singh stopped running,” her husband Swaraj Kaushal, a former governor of Mizoram, said in a series of tweets after her announcement. Also read: ‘Come tomorrow for Re 1 fee’: Swaraj told Harish Salve; died an hour laterSwaraj was replaced as external affairs minister in the second term of the Narendra Modi government by former diplomat S Jaishankar, who said after his appointment that he was proud to follow in the footsteps of Swaraj. Modi praised her performance in the ministry.  “I can’t forget the manner in which Sushma Ji worked tirelessly as EAM in the last 5 years.  Even when her health was not good, she would do everything possible to do justice to her work and remain up to date with matters of her Ministry.  The spirit and commitment was unparalleled,” he wrote on Twitter. Swaraj entered the Haryana assembly in 1977, and became a minister in the state cabinet at the age of 25.  She was a former chief minister of Delhi and has been part of every BJP government at the Centre except the current one.  Her electoral challenge to then Congress president Sonia Gandhi from Bellary, Karnataka, in 1999 was one of the most discussed electoral battles of the 1990s.  Gandhi won the election by 56,000 votes. She served as minister for information and broadcasting as well as health minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led BJP government from 1998 to 2004.  She won the 2009 election to the 15th Lok Sabha from the Vidisha Lok Sabha constituency in Madhya Pradesh and became Leader of Opposition“We are saddened to hear about the untimely demise of Smt Sushma Swaraj.  Our condolences to her family and loved ones,” the principal opposition party, the Congress, which was among the first to express condolences over the death of Swaraj, wrote in a tweet. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said he was shocked, describing her as an “extraordinary political leader, a gifted orator & an exceptional Parliamentarian, with friendships across party lines. ”The fact that her popularity cut across political lines was clear from the reactions of Congress leaders such as Shashi Tharoor and P Chidambaram to her decision not to contest the elections. “For all our political differences, I am sorry that Sushma Swaraj will leave Parliament,” Tharoor said. “Braving illness, Smt Sushma Swaraj has served the country with great dignity.  We wish Smt Sushma Swaraj good health and a long life,” Chidambaram tweeted at the time. n her stint as external affairs minister, Swaraj was recognised as perhaps the minister most accessible to ordinary people, who actively sought her out for help when they found themselves in a crisis, whether it was someone who had lost a passport while abroad or offering a visa to someone who found the red tape involved in getting one too much to handle.  She did so with gentle humour.  One Twitter user, software engineer Samit Padhy wondered whether it was indeed Swaraj who was responding to the tweets or “some PR guy” “doing his/her duty for what they are being paid for. ” Swaraj replied in March: “Rest assured - it’s me, not my ghost. ”


#GoBackModi festival all over the street...(state of Tamil Nadu big breaking) (sic)

An old graffiti from West Bengal that reads ‘Modi Go Back’ has been revived in the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to poll-bound Tamil Nadu on Sunday, 14 February.  However, the image is from Kolkata and dates back to January 2020 when protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) were being held across the country.  CLAIM The image is being shared with the claim: “#GoBackModi festival all over the street. . . (state of Tamil Nadu big breaking) (sic)” Several social media users shared the image on Twitter and Facebook claiming to show the ‘mood in Tamil Nadu’.  WHAT WE FOUND OUT On conducting a reverse image search, we came across a tweet by journalist Mayukh Ranjan Ghosh shared on 11 January 2020.  The tweet that carried the viral image reads: “This is one of the busiest roads in Kolkata.  #Esplanade.  Lakhs and lakhs of people commute, jam packed traffic r seen.  Just look at this place tonight.  Roads turned into graffitis, no traffic, all roads blocked, students protesting overnight.  (sic)” On carefully looking at the viral image, we noticed a text on the building that read: ‘Metro Channel Control Post Hare Street Police Station. ’ We then searched for the said location on Google Maps and found that it is located in Kolkata.  Further, a visual comparison of the viral image with the one available on Google Maps showed several similarities.  Media outlets such as Scroll and The Times of India carried reports from January 2020 that showed images of the graffiti from different angles.  The articles stated that people protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act in Kolkata’s Esplanade area had ’left behind a message’ for PM Narendra Modi, who was visiting West Bengal at the time.  We had earlier debunked the viral image, which was then being claimed to be from Bihar in the light of Bihar Assembly elections.  Evidently, an old image from Kolkata is being falsely shared as one from Tamil Nadu.


President Trump and Joe Biden make their final appeals to the American people in their closing statements during the last debate of the 2020 race #Debates2020 https://t.co/lknj4AKZXM https://t.co/AOVSkwTE0p

President Donald Trump and Joe Biden faced off for the final time Thursday. Trump vs.  Biden: Key moments from the 2nd presidential debate After the second presidential debate was canceled following President Donald Trump's coronavirus diagnosis and subsequent hospitalization, both he and Democratic nominee Joe Biden returned to the stage Thursday night for their final opportunity to draw direct contrasts with one another before Election Day. For 90 relatively-civil minutes, the pair sparred over a range of topics including the pandemic, health care, election security, immigration, their personal financial entanglements and climate change, among other things, guided by moderator Kristen Welker of NBC News. The closing arguments arrived, however, on a day in which the number of early votes cast this year eclipsed the number of early votes total in 2016 -- with still 12 days to go until Election Day.  Over 48. 5 million Americans have already voted, which leaves a winnowing group of persuadable individuals for Trump and Biden to win over. Though there was some doubt about whether the event would take place after Trump repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with the non-partisan Commission on Presidential Debate's attempt to hold a virtual second debate prior to its eventual cancelation -- and later their decision to mute the candidates' microphones during portions of Thursday's discussion -- the debate moved forward without delay and largely absent of the repeated interruptions that marred the first. Here are five key takeaways from the final presidential debate:As it turns out, when only one person can be heard at a time, only one person speaks at a time -- and the nation has a much better chance of hearing that one person speak. The mics, which were muted for two minutes at a time while each candidate gave his opening response to debate questions, created a much more substantive debate that was far easier to follow than the first, in which Trump interrupted around 70 times and Biden was consistently thrown off track. At the beginning, the president reigned in his disruptive behavior.  During a discussion on opening schools during the COVID-19 pandemic -- which Trump advocates strongly for, often regardless of case counts -- the president asked Welker if he could respond to Biden. "Please.  Then I have a follow-up," Welker said.  "Thank you.  And I appreciate that," Trump said. "And by the way, so far, I respect very much the way you're handling this, I have to say," he said about 40 minutes later. In the end, however, the president's behavior changed, and he went back to interrupting both Biden and the moderator. Biden was also more focused than at the first debate, and directly demanded that Trump release his tax returns if he plans to accuse Biden of corruption. That didn't mean discussions didn't disintegrate into overtalking, interrupting, awkward quips and hits below the belt on health care, children separated at the border and minimum wage, but Welker largely kept the two men on track and pushed through a series of key topics that yielded substantial answers from each candidate. The two candidates began the debate by laying out the biggest, most prominent contrast between their visions for the country's most pressing crisis: the coronavirus.  It was also a big portion of the last debate, unsurprisingly, and it's the foundation of the 2020 campaign, which has become a referendum on Trump's handling of the virus. Trump said life must go on despite the virus, used his own coronavirus diagnosis as an example and promised a vaccine on an earlier timeline than experts have offered. "I say we're learning to live with it.  We have no choice.  We can't lock ourselves up in a basement like Joe does," Trump said. Biden said life can't go on until we stop the virus, and did not let viewers forget who was in charge while 220,000 people died from the virus. "No.  1, he says that we're, you know, we're learning to live with it," Biden said of Trump and the coronavirus.  "People are learning to die with it. "Trump's argument consistently painted a picture of an America that had done its best against the virus and had to uphold the economy, despite a rising death toll and 70,000 cases per day. "Excuse me, I take, I take full responsibility.  It's not my fault that it came here.  It's China's fault.  And you know what?  It's not Joe's fault that it came here either.  It's China's fault," Trump insisted. The president listed off the actions he has taken against the coronavirus, like closing down partial travel from China in January and making PPE and ventilators available around the country. Biden criticized Trump for allowing the U. S.  to become the hardest-hit nation in the world and laid out his plan: a national mask mandate, more rapid tests, federal standards for reopening and funding for small businesses and schools to adhere to public health guidelines. "You folks home who have an empty chair at the kitchen table this morning, that man and wife going to bed and reaching over to try to touch out of habit where their wife or husband was is gone.  Learning to live with it?  Come on.  We're dying with it," Biden said. Following the lead section on the pandemic, Welker attempted to navigate the candidates toward national security.  However, upon the first mention of foreign adversaries -- in a question about Iranian and Russian interference in the election -- each took the opportunity to level accusations of corruption. Trump shared misleading claims that the Biden family received improper payments from Russian associates and referred to unsubstantiated allegations that the former vice president's son, Hunter Biden, attempted to profit off access to his father. "I think you owe an explanation to the American people," Trump goaded. Biden highlighted reports that Trump paid little or nothing in federal income taxes for years leading up to, and during the start of, his presidency.  Biden then said he has released his own tax returns because they show no impropriety, and questioned why the president still hasn't released his. "Go look at them: 22 years of my tax returns," Biden said.  "You have not released a single solitary year of your tax return.  What are you hiding?  Why are you unwilling? "But while the disputes over entanglements and ethics carried on for well over 10 minutes, the audience on social media noted that it was time lost for conversations on issues more impactful upon the average American.  The extended exchange arrived before conversations about health care, climate change and immigration -- something viewers noted was a potential disservice to casual political observers seeking more substance. While a candidate's character will likely always register as a consideration for voters, in the midst of the pandemic, with COVID-19 cases again rising and an unstable economy threatening the livelihoods of millions of Americans, continued focus on the uncorroborated claims against Biden may rob some of the issue-based information they need to make an educated choice. Trump claimed Biden wants to ban fracking and supports Medicare for All. Biden, who blatantly said he doesn't oppose fracking (to the dismay of progressive voters), and who supports improvements to Obamacare over an overhaul of the system (also to the disappointment of further-left Democrats), told Trump he was confused. "He's a very confused guy.  He thinks he's running against somebody else.  He's running against Joe Biden.  I beat all those other people because I disagreed with them.  Joe Biden, he's running against," Biden said, referring to Sen.  Elizabeth Warren, Sen.  Bernie Sanders and other more progressive Democrats who ran in the primaries on platforms including the Green New Deal and government-run health care that would eventually do away with private options. It's a distinction Biden has continued to make, a calculated call that progressive Democrats are so invested in ousting Trump that they will settle for a moderate Democrat and still turn out to vote, while undecided voters may be convinced by a more middle-of-the-road approach. As the final debate question, Biden was asked what he'd say at his inaugural speech if he wins the presidency.  In his response, Biden highlighted his devotion to all Americans, including those who don't vote for him. "I will say I'm an American president," Biden said.  "I represent all of you, whether you voted for me or against me, and I'm going to make sure you're represented.  I'm going to give you hope. "With a Supreme Court case threatening to overturn the Affordable Care Act looming on the high court's docket, and Judge Amy Coney Barrett -- who could cast the deciding vote on the suit -- heading toward confirmation, the future of the nation's health care system will be among the top agenda items, regardless of who wins the election. So when the debate turned to health care -- the issue 2018 voters rated as the most important -- both Trump and Biden delivered pitches likely to trail them as Americans gauge the winner's promise-keeping. Trump touted his administration's effort to roll back the ACA's individual insurance mandate and labeled the act as a whole "no good," despite pledging to protect its popular coverage guarantees for people with preexisting conditions.  He then falsely accused Biden of wanting to eliminate private insurance -- attempting to link him to the universal, single-payer proposals offered by other Democrats. Instead, Biden noted that his plan maintains private insurance and builds upon the ACA, by offering a public health care option. "It'll become Bidencare," the former vice president said.  "Not one single person with private insurance would lose their insurance under my plan. "Trump spent much of the 2016 campaign stating he would "repeal and replace" Obamacare.  But for now -- and until the potential Supreme Court decision -- the repeal has fallen flat and a potential replacement failed in the Senate. The president has also spent much of his tenure in the White House pledging a new health care plan, but has yet to offer concrete details, leaving voters with the choice to either embrace and expand the signature accomplishment of Trump's predecessor or be willing to follow him down a path of unknowns. This report was featured in the Friday, Oct.  23, 2020, episode of “Start Here,” ABC News’ daily news podcast. "Start Here" offers a straightforward look at the day's top stories in 20 minutes.  Listen for free every weekday on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, the ABC News app or wherever you get your podcasts. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


PM Narendra Modi has spoken to Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy regarding the situation in Visakhapatnam. He assured all help and support: Prime Minister's Office.  #VizagGasLeak https://t.co/aOelkNxi9N

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reacted to gas leak at Andhra Pradesh chemical plant and said he has spoken to officials at the Home Affairs ministry and the NDMA regarding the incident.   At least eight people died and hundreds fell sick after inhaling poisonous styrene gas leaked from a chemical factory in Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam district in the early hours of Thursday.  “Spoke to officials of MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) and NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority) regarding the situation in Visakhapatnam, which is being monitored closely.  I pray for everyone’s safety and well-being in Visakhapatnam,” PM Modi tweeted on Thursday.  Spoke to officials of MHA and NDMA regarding the situation in Visakhapatnam, which is being monitored closely.  I pray for everyone’s safety and well-being in Visakhapatnam. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday enquired about the gas leak incident at a chemical plant in Visakhapatnam.  The chief minister has directed the district officials to take every possible step to save lives and bring the situation under control, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister’s Office stated.   Also Watch | At least 3 dead, several sick after gas leak at Andhra Pradesh factoryAlso read: Andhra Pradesh chemical gas leak - What we know so farReddy will leave for Visakhapatnam and visit King George Hospital where the affected are being treated.  “The chief minister is closely monitoring the situation and has instructed the district machinery to take immediate steps and provide all help,”  CMO, Andhra Pradesh stated.  President Ram Nath Kovind expressed sadness on the incident.  “Saddened by the news of gas leak in a plant near Visakhapatnam which has claimed several lives.  My condolences to the families of the victims.  I pray for the recovery of the injured and the safety of all,” he said.  The incident happened at around 3 am at LG Polymers Ltd at Gopalapatnam, when people in the nearby colonies were fast asleep.


New York Times used a crocodile photo on its front page ridiculing Narendra Modi for crying

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh shared an edited and fake New York Times clipping made by a parody Twitter account, which showed a photo of a crocodile for the "India's PM Cried".  Singh who soon deleted his tweet used the fake clipping to falsely claim that the newspaper criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi.  This is being shared in the backdrop of PM Modi getting emotional while addressing health workers from Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi over the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.  Hours after Modi's emotional moment, several also trended the idiom crocodile tears to allege that Modi's tears were insincere.   PM Shri Narendra Modi gets emotional while paying tributes to the people who left us due to #COVID19 .  pic. twitter. com/Gl5jiv7XHo Singh shared the viral clipping with the caption, "Dr Jaishankar ji now that you are going to US would you please ensure The New York Times does not spoil the image of Modi ji! !  After all he is more worried about his IMAGE than worrying about the People suffering from COVID! !  To him Crying at the right time is an Art! ! " Click here to view an archive Viral on Twitter The same edited clipping was viral on Twitter with several users sharing it claiming that India had received bad international press.   Click here to view  Also Read: Disturbing Photo Of A Stray Dog Gnawing At A Human Body Is Not Recent BOOM found that the viral New York Times clipping is fake and edited to add the photo of the crocodile and the headline about Modi.  The actual edition of the newspaper did not carry any such photo of a crocodile or even an article on PM Modi on its front page.  The fake clipping originated from a parody Twitter account The Daily New York Times that tweeted the viral clipping clearly stating that it is satire.  Again clarifying that this is *Satire.  Don't take it seriously.  https://t. co/SnVyFZobIS On checking the international edition of the New York Times dated May 21, 2021, one can clealy spot that the lead story and photo are different and not the same as in the viral clipping.   The lead photo on the NYT front page was of solar panels on rooftops with the caption, "There is no alternative.  Solar energy is a blessing from God. " On comparing the fake clipping with the original NYT front page we found that there was no article on PM Modi crying or any photo of a crocodile published.  However, the other news stories in the viral clipping are same as NYT's original official international edition.


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

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


106 new cases of #COVID19 & 2 deaths have been reported in Rajasthan today, taking the total number of cases & deaths to 3814 & 108, respectively. Number of active cases stands at 1465: Rajasthan Health Department https://t.co/o6UUSAVbBY

Six more people tested positive for Covid-19 in Himachal Pradesh on Sunday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 58, officials said. With three fresh cases, the number of active cases has gone up to 17. Additional chief secretary (health) RD Dhiman said the new patients are taxi drivers who were ferrying passengers to Himachal from other states. One of the patients, a 36-year-old man from Gujarat, brought five passengers from Ahmedabad to Baijnath in Kangra district.  The other cabbie is 46-year-old from Delhi and had ferried three passengers from Gurugram to Mandi. They were quarantined at the state border in Bilaspur and their samples were sent to Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla, for testing and turned out positive. “All the eight passengers have also been quarantined and their samples are being sent for testing,” said Dhiman. The third patient, a 19-year-old woman from Kangra, is the sister of the Shahpur (Kangra) man who tested positive for Covid-19 on May 8.  Authorities are mapping her contacts now.  The three patients have been shifted to hospitals. Three more people tested positive late in the evening.  They are from Chamba and aged 24, 32 and 33.  They are primary contacts of a man who returned from Baddi and tested positive on Wednesday. 8 WARDS SEALED IN RURAL HAMIRPUREight wards of three gram panchayats falling under the Nadaun sub-division of the district were all sealed and declared as containment zones on Sunday.  The move has come after a person from the area tested positive for Covid-19.  As per the order issued by district magistrate Harikesh Meena, the sealed areas are : wards 6 and 7 (Hatli village), wards 2 and 4 (Nukhail village), wards 4 and 5 (Lahra village) — all under gram panchayat Lahra, ward number 1 (Khorar village) of gram panchayat Goes, and ward number 1 (Budhwin village) of gram panchayat Galore Khas.  No movement will be allowed in containment zones till further notice. SPURT IN INFECTIONS IN PAST WEEKHimachal has witnessed a spurt in infections in the past week, recording 15 cases, including one fatality. A youngster from Jogindernagar of Mandi district was tested positive for Covid-19 last week. Following this, a 21-year-old man from Sarkaghat in Mandi, who was suffering from a kidney ailment, died of the contagion at IGMCH, Shimla.  His mother also tested positive for the disease. On Wednesday, two people from Chamba and one from Kangra tested positive for Covid-19. On Friday, four people, including a two-year-old daughter of a Covid-19 patient from Chamba, tested positive and two cases were reported on Saturday. So far, the state has reported 55 Covid-19 cases, including two casualties.  The first case in the state had been reported on March 20. Una is the worst-hit district with total 17 cases.  Nine cases each have been reported in Solan and Chamba districts.  Kangra, the most populous district in the state, also recorded nine cases.  Four cases have been reported in Hamirpur, three in Mandi, and two each in Sirmaur and Bilaspur.


Lead House impeachment manager Rep. Adam Schiff says without witnesses and documents, the impeachment trial of President Trump is a "profound departure" from precedent set by the Bill Clinton impeachment trial. https://t.co/C7AyPvvSTr https://t.co/9FSXfIgEZD

By Meg Wagner, Mike Hayes and Veronica Rocha, CNNThe Senate impeachment trial of President Trump — only the third impeachment trial in US history — kicked off in earnest today.  While there were procedural moves in the trial last week, today marked the first serious day of trial. If you're just reading in, here's what you need to know:From CNN's Dana BashFormer Sen.  Jeff Flake was in the gallery of the Senate chamber today watching a bit of the trial. The former Arizona lawmaker was in town and said he thought he would come by and see history. House manager Zoe Lofgren, a Democrat from California, laid out the need for documents from the White House during her argument on the Senate floor today. She argued that some of the documents would shed light on the freeze on US military aid to Ukraine. From CNN's Lauren Fox As the proceedings in the Senate impeachment trial continue on, senators appear a bit more restless than they were last week during the ceremonially swearing in. Many of the members have turned to writing notes as a way to keep busy during the trial.  Sen.  Mike Lee, a Republican from Utah who has worked closely with Leader Mitch McConnell and the President on preparations for the trial, wrote at a furious pace.  A Constitutional lawyer, Lee seemed enthralled with the scene, scribbling notes and straining to ensure he could see all of the exhibits  Rep.  Adam Schiff referenced.  There were a few video clips that played where most of the chamber almost seemed confused at first about where the videos coming from.  Sen.  Cory Gardner, up for re-election in 2020, also scribbled down notes.  Next to him, Sen.  Chuck Grassley, the former chairman of the Judiciary Committee, glanced over repeatedly almost as if he was not quite sure what Gardner was jotting down so quickly.  McConnell, meanwhile, was stone faced.  He looked forward at Schiff, listening intently with his hands folded in his lap. From CNN's Marshall CohenThe Democratic House managers have argued all day that President Trump obstructed Congress and is still engaged in a cover-up by preventing his senior aides from testifying in the House and blocking key documents. During the House impeachment inquiry, the Trump administration ignored subpoenas that were sent to:  Check out CNN’s Impeachment Tracker for a full breakdown of the witnesses who did – and didn’t – testify in the House impeachment inquiry, and a list of all the subpoenas that were fulfilled and ignored. From CNN's Daniel DaleCalling the House’s impeachment inquiry unfair to the President, White House counsel Pat Cipollone made a false claim about the closed-door House committee hearings at which witnesses were initially questioned. The hearings were held in a secure room known as a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility, or “SCIF. ”“Not even Mr.  Schiff's Republican colleagues were allowed into the SCIF,” Cipollone said, referring to House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep.  Adam Schiff, who is also the Democrats’ lead impeachment manager. Facts First: As Schiff noted in his response to Cipollone, the 48 Republican members of the three committees holding the closed-door hearings — Intelligence, Foreign Affairs and Oversight — were indeed allowed into the SCIF, and they were given equal time to question witnesses. Schiff said he would not suggest “Mr.  Cipollone would deliberately make a false statement,” but he said, “I will tell you this: He's mistaken.  He's mistaken. " He added that Republicans were not only allowed in but “more than that: they got the same time we did. "Cipollone might have been referring to an October stunt in which Republicans who were not members of any of the three committees, along with some Republicans who were members, stormed the room to make a political point; the non-members were not allowed to be there, and they eventually left after causing a delay.  But the members were allowed to be full participants in the proceedings. Democrats were given an hour to argue for an amendment introduced by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. House manager Zoe Lofgren of California said they backed the amendment. "The House managers strongly support Senator Schumer's amendment, which would ensure a fair legitimate trial based on a full evidentiary record," she said. What we know: The amendment requests the Senate subpoena the White House for  "certain documents and records. "From CNN's Jeremy HerbSen.  Patrick Leahy told CNN that he did not view the changes Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made to the impeachment rules resolution as significant, saying there were still key breaks with President Clinton’s trial. After Mitch McConnell made two changes to his organizing resolution, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement the "real test" will be if other Republicans pressure McConnell to allow witnesses and documents. Here's Schumer's statement:Please enable JavaScript for a better experience.


Daniel Pearl case: US presses Pakistan for ‘accountability’

(reports @yashwantraj)

https://t.co/EjLJAa5jzp https://t.co/6tkaIIN8SR

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday pressed his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi to ensure “accountability” for Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, who had been convicted over the killing of American journalist Daniel Pearl. The United Nations has also called for the convicted terrorist to be held accountable. Omar Sheikh is set to be released after Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Thursday upheld his acquittal by a lower court in a verdict that sparked outrage in the United States. A three-judge court, which ruled 2-1 to clear the way for Omar Sheikh’s release, has said it will explain its order at a later date. Blinken and Qureshi spoke for the first time on Friday after the Biden administration took office.  They “discussed how to ensure accountability for convicted terrorist Omar Sheikh and others responsible for the kidnapping and murder of Daniel Pearl”, the state department said in a readout of their call.  “The secretary (of state) reinforced US concern about the Pakistani Supreme Court ruling and potential release of these prisoners,” it added. Blinken reinforced this message in a post on Twitter. At the United Nations in New York, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the secretary general, had a similar message for Pakistan.  “I don’t have a comment on the specific case.  What is important is that there be accountability for those crimes committed,” he told reporters in response to a question about Omar Sheikh’s acquittal. Daniel Pearl, who was South Asia bureau chief of The Wall Street Journal, was kidnapped and murdered in Karachi in 2002.  A video of his beheading was posted online. Omar Sheikh, who is British-born, was arrested and convicted for Pearl’s kidnapping and murder, and was eventually sentenced to death, which was commuted by the Sindh high court in April 2020 to seven years. He had already been in prison for 18 years by that time. His release was delayed as the Sindh state government and Pearl’s family appealed to the Supreme Court. White House press secretary Jen Psaki had earlier expressed “outrage” at the Pakistan Supreme Court’s order on Thursday, and Blinken had separately said the acquittal was an “affront to terrorism victims everywhere”. They had both reaffirmed US preparedness to prosecute Omar Sheikh in America, renewing an offer first made by the Trump administration in December 2020.


COVID-19 vaccine should not be taken by children, unmarried women, diabetics, e

Biswaroop Chaudhary and Tarun Kothari, who claim to be doctors, have shared an advisory asking unmarried women, children, people with breathing issues, people who smoke or drink alcohol, people with neurological issues, and those who have diabetes should not take the COVID-19 vaccine.  These two, along with a few other doctors are leading the anti-coronavirus movement in India.  They have also been actively sharing misinformation around the vaccine even before the Indian administration approved Covishield and Covaxin.   While doctors advise that children should not be administered the vaccines, there is no scientific proof that the other groups of people mentioned in the message should avoid the COVID-19 vaccine.   The advisory in Hindi attributed to Dr.  Tarun Kothari, MBBS MD, Dr.  BK Tumane, MBBS MD, Dr.  Biswaroop Roy Choudhary, Medical Activist, Dr.  Vilas Jagdale, MD and Medical Activist, Orang Dr.  Leo Rebello, Director, Natural Health Centre, Mumbai, asks people to not fall in the trap of vaccine manufacturers who they claim are in cahoots with government entities and are trying to thrust the vaccine to gain further mileage and make money.  It even adds that the vaccine has been hastened to ensure that its side effects are hidden.  The vaccine, according to the advisory, should not be given to  1.  Unmarried women as it can lead to infertility, children as it can cause diseases in the future.   2.  Anybody who has ever suffered from respiratory disorders like pneumonia, asthma, bronchitis as the vaccine can lead to death due to the side effects 3. Those who smoke or consume alcohol as it can cause cancer,  4.  People with neurological issues as vaccine can further aggravate the symptoms, and  5.  Diabetics as vaccine can cause side effects which could lead to death.   This message has been around on social media since January 2021 when the vaccines were first approved in India.     BOOM was tagged on this advisory by a Twitter user asking for verification.   @boomlive_in https://t. co/sjr4bXq8E0 Also Read:Health Ministry Denies SC Judges Will Have Choice Of COVID-19 Vaccine This is not the first time Biswaroop Chaudhary, Tarun Kothari, Vilas Jagdale and the doctors along with them have been downplaying the pandemic since its outbreak in the country in March, 2020.   These doctors who share their videos over YouTube and have a growing community of anti-vaxxers on Telegram, have been found to be spreading misinformation that has already been debunked before.   On January 14, 2021, The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had released a statement highlighting precautions for people who have a history of allergic reactions to any vaccines, pharmaceutical products, injectables, food-products, and pregnant as well as lactating women.  The Ministry also asked people showing symptoms of SARS-CoV-2, patients who recently received monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, or those who had acute fever or were hospitalised to defer taking the vaccine for a month or two.   While it is widely believed that children should not be given the vaccine, it is not due to the vaccine causing complications in the future.  None of the approved vaccines across the world have had children participating in the clinical trials, as studies on the effect of coronavirus on children is still emerging.   BOOM spoke to Dr.  Lancelot Pinto, Consultant Respirologist, Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai who stated that such claims are made to create an air of vaccine hesitancy.  "We already know that children are not to be given this vaccine.  The only reason I will ask people with an ongoing episode of respiratory illness to avoid the vaccine for a few weeks is so that even though the underlying reason will be their illness episode, any side effects will be blamed on the vaccine, clouding the effect and efficiency of the vaccine. "  Furthermore, people with neurological issues, pulmonary disorders, and a long history of diabetes are included in the list of co-morbidities that allows people between the ages of 45-59 to receive vaccination in the country, along with people above the age of 60.   BOOM has earlier debunked the claim that the COVID-19 vaccines can lead to women being infertile.  Several posts went viral, claiming that the vaccines affect a particular protein which would leave women infertile.  However, scientists have refuted this claim by stating that the vaccine only will be targeted to the cells that the coronavirus targets, and if the vaccine leaves a woman infertile, every woman infected by SARS-CoV-2 would have developed infertility.   Suggesting that the COVID-19 vaccine can cause cancer in individuals who smoke or drink is an example of misusing common knowledge that smoking and drinking alcohol is injurious to health and could be carcinogenic.  However there is no direct scientific evidence that links vaccines to adverse impact on those consuming such products.


BREAKING: The Supreme Court leaves the Affordable Care Act in place, rejecting a challenge from Republican-led states. https://t.co/tazG1Tie5H

GOP-led states challenged the constitutionality of the law's individual mandate. Supreme Court upholds ObamacareThe Supreme Court on Thursday, in long-anticipated decision, rejected a challenge to the Affordable Care Act in a case involving whether the individual mandate can be severed from the rest of the law -- or whether the whole law must be struck down. The court ruled 7-2, with Justice Stephen Breyer writing for the majority, striking down a lower court ruling, saying the plaintiffs -- Texas and 17 other GOP-led states -- did not have standing to sue. "We conclude that the plaintiffs in this suit failed to show a concrete, particularized injury fairly traceable to the defendants’ conduct in enforcing the specific statutory provision they attack as unconstitutional.  They have failed to show that they have standing to attack as unconstitutional the Act’s minimum essential coverage provision.  Therefore, we reverse the Fifth Circuit’s judgment in respect to standing, vacate the judgment, and remand the case with instructions to dismiss," Breyer wrote. "We do not reach these questions of the Act’s validity . . .   for Texas and the other plaintiffs in this suit lack the standing necessary to raise them," he wrote, concerning the arguments the mandate and the whole law should be invalidated. "To find standing here to attack an unenforceable statutory provision would allow a federal court to issue what would amount to an advisory opinion without the possibility of any judicial relief," Breyer said, in the opinion, joined by four conservative justices, including Amy Coney Barrett, whom then-President Donald Trump nominated in hopes she might vote to overturn Obamacare.  Republicans at the state level as well as on Capitol Hill were looking for her to do the same. Justices Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch were the two dissenting votes. "So a tax that does not tax is allowed to stand and support one of the biggest Government programs in our Nation’s history.  Fans of judicial inventiveness will applaud once again," Alito said. . A record 31 million Americans have health care coverage connected to Obamacare right now, as well as 54 million Americans with preexisting conditions, all of which is preserved by the court essentially enforcing the status quo in the middle of a pandemic. Even though the justices did not rules on the central arguments made, this is the third time the Supreme Court has upheld the health care law against legal challenges. "The, sort of, existential challenges have been, basically, exhausted," said Kate Shaw, a Cardozo law professor and ABC News legal analyst, on the prospects for Republican legal efforts to do away with Obamacare. "There may be challenges to dimensions of the law.  There have been religious liberty objections to various aspects of the law, in particular the contraception mandate, so I think it is possible there will be more," Shaw said.  "But the legislature is where future battles about health care are likely to play out rather than the courts and the Supreme Court, in particular," she said. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Madhya Pradesh: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan holds first cabinet meeting after new ministers took oath today. https://t.co/grmHtackCf

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan expanded his Cabinet of Thursday, inducting 28 new ministers.  The ministers were sworn in by acting governor Anandiben Patel at the Raj Bhavan.  Of the new ministers, 20 ministers are of Cabinet rank and the rest are ministers of state rank. Here is a list of the newly-inducted ministers: Cabinet ministers: Gopal Bhargava, Vijay Shah, Jagdish Devda, Bisahulal Singh, Yashodhra Raje Scindia, Bhupendra Singh, Brijendra Pratap Singh, Vishwas Sarang, Imrati Devi, Dr Prabhuram Chaudhary, Mahendra Singh Sisodia, Pradyumn Singh Tomar, Prem Singh Patel, Omprakash Saklecha, Aindal Singh Kansana, Usha Thakur, Arvind Bhadoria, Mohan Yadav, Hardeep Singh Dang, and Rajvardhan Singh Dattigaon. Ministers of State: Bharat Singh Kushwaha, Inder Singh Parmar, Ramkhelawan Patel, Ram Kishor Kanware, Brijendra Singh Yadav, Girraj Dandotia, Suresh Dhakad, and OPS Bhadoria.


Total number of #COVID19 cases in India is now 15.31 lakh; 768 deaths in the last 24 hours https://t.co/4eNV6BNPjq

India’s case fatality rate (CFR) in the Covid-19 pandemic stood at 2. 23% on Wednesday, the lowest since April 1, the Union ministry of health said in a statement.  2020, “Coordinated implementation of Test Track Treat strategy by the Union and State/UT governments has effectively ensured that the case fatality rate is maintained at a low level when compared to the global scenario, and it has been progressively falling.  The CFR stands at 2. 23% today and it is lowest since April 1, 2020,” the ministry said. . It also said that the successful implementation of effective containment strategy, aggressive testing and standardized clinical management protocols based on holistic Standard of Care approach have in tandem resulted in a consistent trend of more than 30,000 recoveries/day for the sixth consecutive day. Click here for full Covid-19 coverage. “The total number of recovered cases is fast approaching 1 million.  With 35,286 patients discharged in the last 24 hours, the total recoveries have jumped to 9,88,029.  The recovery rate has reached another high of 64. 51% amongst Covid-19 patients,” the statement said. With such consistent increase in recoveries, the gap between recovered patients and active Covid-19 cases currently stands at 4,78,582, it said.  There are now 5,09,447 active cases which are under medical supervision. India’s Codi-19 tally stands at 15,31,669.  The death toll is 34,193


Colin Powell is praising a veteran who lost his leg in Afghanistan for helping him change his tire. The moment "touched my soul," the former secretary of state wrote. https://t.co/248VD2ZYdj https://t.co/jaCPvv0RAR

The random act of kindness "touched the soul" of the retired general.  H. W.  Bush lived 'a life of quality, a life of honor, a life of honesty': Colin PowellRetired four-star Gen.  Colin L.  Powell took to Facebook and called on the nation to “take care of each other” after a roadside encounter with one former Afghanistan civilian employee. Powell was driving down Interstate 495 on his way the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center when his left front tire blew out, according to his Facebook post.  He said that he was attempting to change his tire but was having a little trouble due to the cold weather and tight lug bolts when a car suddenly pulled in front of him. As the man, now identified as Anthony Maggert, exited his car Powell noticed that he has a prosthetic leg. “He said he recognized me and wanted to help me,” Powell said.  “He grabbed the lug wrench and finished the job as I put the tools away. ”After his tire was changed, the two took a selfie and both hurried away to appointments at Walter Reed, according to the post.  Powell didn’t get any information from Maggert but said he received this message from him later that evening. “Gen.  Powell, I hope I never forget today because I’ll never forget reading your books.  You were always an inspiration, a leader and statesman.  After 33 years in the military you were the giant whose shoulders we stood upon to carry the torch to light the way and now it is tomorrow’s generation that must do the same.  Anthony Maggert”Powell said that this encounter not only made his day but was reassuring. “You touched my soul and reminded me about what this country is all about and why it is so great,” Powell posted.  “Let's stop screaming at each other.  Let's just take care of each other. ”24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Articles 28. 29 and 30 are discriminatory towards Hindus

A viral message falsely claiming that articles 28, 29 and 30 of the Constitution propagates Islamic and Christian religious texts while shunning Hindu texts is false.  These articles do not make differentiation on the basis of religion, nor make any specific mention of religious texts such as the Bible, Quran or Gita.   BOOM received a long Whatsapp message multiple times on its helpline(7700906111), which is displayed as below.     The message largely accuses the government of using article 28, 29, and 30 of the Constitution under the cover of secularism to initiate welfare schemes specifically for minorities.  The message claims that these schemes have the ulterior motive of creating a vote bank.   The initial parts of the message has also been tweeted  separately by several Twitteratis.    BOOM took a look at the multiple claims made in this viral message.  Given below are our findings.   Articles 28, 29 and 30 of the Constitution of India does not give preference to the instruction of any religious texts at the expense of others.  A section 30(A), as claimed by these tweets, that prevents the reading of Gita in schools, does not even exist.   These articles deal with religious and linguistic minority communities, affiliated institutions of such communities and its relation with the State.   Speaking to BOOM, Supreme Court advocate Sanjay Hegde refuted the claim that these provisions had elements of exclusivity towards a religious or linguistic group in them.   No it doesn't.  These articles protect any group including linguistic minorities with a distinct language, script or culture.  TMA Pai Judgment, distinctly protects Hindu minorities as well.  Tamil speakers in Karnataka, can have their own educational institutions & vice versa.  There is nothing exclusively religious about these articles.   Sanjay Hegde to BOOM  The message also lists 10 points, whose claims and opinions are unrelated to each other, but are intertwined into the greater theme of the message.   BOOM individually verified these points, and found 4 out of these 10 points (numbers 1, 8, 9 and 10, corresponding to the message) as opinion.   The remaining claims are being clarified below: Claim: You have to pay tax to go Amarnath, but if you go for Haj, you get a subsidy.   Fact: The vehicles carrying pilgrims to Amarnath Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir had to pay taxes in 2010, which can be read here.  The government had then clarified that no additional taxes were being levied.  However.  the vehicles have been exempted from paying toll this year, according to reports by various news outlets.   Also, the Haj subsidy was ended by the government in 2018.  Also Read: Haj Subsidy Controversy: All You Need To Know Claim: There are four hostels exclusively for Muslims in Calcutta University on Government expenditure, but no such hostel for the Hindus.  Fact: Calcutta University does list one hostel exclusively for Muslim students - the Carmichael Hall - among its 16 hostels.  While the list of hostels can be found here, the hostel rules laying down the regulations for Carmichael Hall can be found here.  One hostel is exclusively for Buddhists, and another for students of economics.  No mention of 4 hostels for Muslim students have been made.   Calls to the superintendent of Carmichael Hall remained unanswered till publication.   Claim: The viral message points towards a discriminate number of scholarships and grants being available for Muslim girls at the expense of Hindu girls.   Fact: According to scholarship data released by the National Scholarship Portal of the central government, in academic year 2018 - 2019: However, the data makes no mention of the gender of scholarship recipients.  The data also shows in the same academic year: The data has not been further broken down into religion of the female applicants and disbursement recipients.  Further, no mention has been made of handouts or grants.   The data can be viewed here.   Claim: There are arrangements for special interest-free loans for Muslims, not any such for Hindus.  Fact: The Reserve Bank of India does not allow interest-free loans.  Therefore, banks and regulated credit institution need to charge interest and pay taxes on it.  However, Muslims run their own charitable interest-free credit institutions such as the Muslim Trust Fund in Uttar Pradesh which is not affiliated to the State.   Point 7 Claim: Temples will pay revenue on their income, but no mosques or churches need to pay tax on their income The claims of discrimination are also not true with respect to the levy of goods and services tax as clarified by the finance ministry.


Bihar: A layer of fog envelops Muzaffarpur, visuals from NH-28 near Chandni Chowk overbridge.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted, "Fog/mist in the morning and mainly clear sky later" for today in the city. https://t.co/uDwzlVEx7Z

Cold wave to severe cold wave is likely to impact parts of north Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh during January 25 to 27 and west Uttar Pradesh and west Madhya Pradesh between January 26 and 27, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD). Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 7. 4 degrees Celsius (° C) on Monday.  The Western Disturbance which caused widespread snowfall in the Western Himalayas moved northeastwards from Jammu and Kashmir.  Cold, dry northwesterly winds are likely to pick up from today over northwest India and persist during the subsequent 3-4 days over plains of north and adjoining parts of central and western India. Under its influence, the current spell of dense to very dense fog over some pockets over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, north Rajasthan is likely to persist till January 26 and decrease in spatial distribution and intensity thereafter.  Today also, there was moderate fog with less than 500 metres visibility over many parts of northwest India.  On Sunday, there was dense to very dense fog across the Himalayan foothills from north to the north-eastern states.  In fact, a layer of uplifted fog persisted the entire day over parts of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and west Uttar Pradesh. Cold day to severe cold day conditions are very likely in some pockets over Uttar Pradesh during the next two days.  Cold wave to severe cold wave conditions are very likely in isolated pockets over north Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh between January 25 and 27. “We are expecting a substantial drop in minimum temperatures by 3-4 ° C over the plains as winds are northwesterly blowing from the direction of the Western Himalayas where there was widespread snowfall,” said Kuldeep Shrivastava, head, regional weather forecasting centre. According to IMD, a cold day or severe cold day is classified as such on two parameters—a minimum temperature of under 10 ° C and a maximum temperature of 4. 5° C or 6. 4° C below normal. A cold wave occurs in the plains when the minimum temperature is 10° C or below and/or is 4. 5 notches less than the season’s normal for two consecutive days.  A cold wave is also declared when the minimum temperature is less than 4° C in the plains.


Mumbai: Director Rumi Jaffery reaches Enforcement Directorate office, to join investigation in a money laundering case, in connection with the death of actor #SushantSinghRajput https://t.co/BamQmjkOyo

Maharashtra chief minister’s son and state minister Aaditya Thackeray dismissed rumours linking him to the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput and called it “dirty politics” born out of “frustration”.  Thackeray, in a statement that he tweeted, said that he is not even remotely connected to the case.  He added that having friends in Bollywood is not a crime. In the statement, Thackeray added that he is keeping calm despite the “baseless” allegations being levelled against him and his family.  Without naming the Bharatiya Janata Party or its leaders, who have alleged that a young minister was at a party a night before Rajput allegedly took his life, said that the BJP has a “stomachache” looking at the “popularity” of the Maharashtra government. “Those who are pricked by the success and popularity of the Maharashtra government have started dirty politics over the death of Sushant Singh Rajput.  Unnecessary mud slinging on me and the Thackeray family.  This is nothing but dirty politics arisen out of frustration…,” he said in the statement. Also Read: Anupam Kher says Sushant Singh Rajput’s family deserves to know the truthHe added that he will “never do anything” that will hurt the prestige of Maharashtra, Shiv Sena and the Thackeray family. “I am not even remotely connected to the case.  I wish to say as the grandson of Hinduruday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray, that I will never do anything that would hurt the prestige of Maharashtra, Shiv Sena and Thackeray family.  The people who are levelling baseless allegations should understand this,” Aditya said in the statement he tweeted on Tuesday evening. Also Read: Rhea Chakraborty left Sushant Singh Rajput when he wanted to start farming, says family’s lawyerThis is the first time that Aaditya has spoken on the raging controversy over Sushant Singh Rajput’s death which has led to several people including high profile politicians accusing the Maharashtra government of aiding in an alleged cover-up of foul play in Sushant’s death. Senior BJP leader and former Shiv Sainik Narayan Rane had earlier today alleged that the Maharashtra government was trying to “save someone” in the probe. Sushant Singh death: PIL in Bombay HC seeks transfer of investigation to SIT or CBIFormer deputy chief minister of Bihar, Sushil Modi, too, had alleged that Uddhav Thackeray was trying to shield the “Bollywood mafia” at the behest of Congress party, a coalition partner in Maharashtra government.


Facebook page by the name or Srinagar News Express posted an Asian map to claim the United Nations (UN) in its newly issued world map has recognized Jammu and Kashmir as a separate country

âThis map is available on www. un. org in pdf file,â read the text shared along with the photo.  Same claim was made by Azfar Bhatt on Twitter.  Jammu and Kashmir in world map issued by UNO.  Recognised as country. . . .  https://t. co/CXKRsEhzNT— Azfar Bhatt (@AzfarBhatt) 1592999219000TRUTHThe claim is false.  The UN has not recognized J&K as a separate country.  VERIFICATION AND METHODOLOGYTaking a cue from the caption of the post, we looked up the pdf file of the UN world map and found one.  The map uses a dotted line to indicate the Line of Control (LOC), the ceasefire line that divides the Pakistan occupied Kashmir and the Indian Kashmir.  J&K is denoted with an asterix and it is designated on the map apart from Indian and Pakistan.  However UN cautions that the boundaries and names shown and the designations used on the map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the UN.  It also states that the dotted line represents approximately the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir agreed upon by India and Pakistan.  The final status of Jammu and Kashmir has not yet been agreed upon by the parties.