West Bengal: Six Al-Qaeda terrorists, who were arrested National Investigation Agency (NIA), produced before a special NIA court in Kolkata. https://t.co/59E9GezJuJ

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) said on Saturday nine al Qaeda terrorists planning attacks in several places in the country, including the National Capital Region (NCR), were arrested after simultaneous raids in locations in Kerala and West Bengal, officials said on Saturday. All the nine operatives arrested from Kerala’s Ernakulam and West Bengal’s Murshidabad are linked to a terror plot targeting Kochi, Delhi and Mumbai, according to NIA officials.  Their targets included the Kochi naval base and shipyard, they said, adding that weapons and bomb-making material were also seized from the men. Six of them were arrested from Murshidabad and three from Ernakulam were planning single wolf attacks as human bombs, officials said. “NIA had learnt about an inter-state module of Al-Qaeda operatives at various locations in India including West-Bengal and Kerala.  The group was planning to undertake terrorist attacks at vital installations in India with an aim to kill innocent people and strike terror in their minds,” the agency said in a statement. The agency has registered a case and initiated an investigation. “As per the preliminary investigation, these individuals were radicalised by Pakistan-based Al-Qaeda terrorists on social media and were motivated to undertake attacks at multiple places including the National Capital Region.  For this purpose, the module was actively indulging in fundraising and a few members of the gang were planning to travel to New Delhi to procure arms and ammunition.  These arrests have pre-empted possible terrorist attacks in various parts of the country,” it added. It added that a large quantity of incriminating material including “digital devices, documents, jihadi literature, sharp weapons, country-made firearms, a locally fabricated body armour, articles and literature used for making home-made explosive devices” have been seized from their possession. NIA is looking into whether any locals supported these operatives and is collecting details from their encrypted Telegram service. The three arrested in Kerala are also Bengalis but settled among migrant labourers.  The raids by NIA are underway in Ernakulam and Murshidabad.  More arrests are likely, said people who are part of the investigation. Kerala police were put on high alert following the arrests and are keeping a close tab on migrant workers’ camps, officials said.  In Kerala, there is an estimated 25 lakh workforce from other states mainly engaged in construction, small scale units and hotels. The arrested men will be produced before courts in Kerala and West Bengal for police custody and further investigation, the agency said.


Another milestone in decades-old France-India space cooperation. French Foreign Minister announces France's participation in India’s Gaganyaan human space flight programme: Emmanuel Lenain, Ambassador of France to India https://t.co/rW5CaRi6kQ

The first Arab space mission, the UAE's "Hope" probe, is expected to reach Mars' orbit on Tuesday, making it the first of three spacecraft to arrive at the Red Planet this month. The United Arab Emirates, China and the United States all launched projects to Mars last July, taking advantage of a period when the Earth and Mars are nearest. If succesful, the wealthy Gulf state will become the fifth nation to ever reach Mars -- a venture timed to mark the 50th anniversary of the unification of the UAE -- with the China mission due to become the sixth the following day. Landmarks across the UAE have been lit up in red at night, government accounts emblazoned with the #ArabstoMars hashtag, and on the big day Dubai's Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower, will be at the centre of a celebratory show. "Hope", known as "Al-Amal" in Arabic, will orbit the planet for at least one Martian year, or 687 days, while the Tianwen-1 from China and the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover from the US will both land on Mars' surface. Only the US, India, the former Soviet Union and the European Space Agency have successfully reached the Red Planet in the past. Read | China releases space probe's first image of MarsRisky manoeuvreAfter blasting off from Japan last July, the Hope mission now faces its "most critical and complex" manoeuvre, according to Emirati officials, with a 50-50 chance of successfully entering a Mars orbit. The spacecraft must slow significantly to be captured by Martian gravity, rotating and firing all six of its Delta-V thrusters for 27 minutes to reduce its cruising speed of 121,000 kilometres (about 75,000 miles) per hour to about 18,000 kph. The process, which will consume half of its fuel, will begin on Tuesday at 1530 GMT and it will take 11 minutes for a signal on its progress to reach ground control. Omran Sharaf, the UAE mission's project manager, said it was a "huge honour" to be the first of this year's missions to reach Mars. "It is humbling to be in such auspicious and skilled company as we all embark on our missions," he said.  "It was never a race for us.  We approach space as a collaborative and inclusive effort. "While the Hope probe is designed to provide a comprehensive image of the planet's weather dynamics, it is also a step toward a much more ambitious goal -- building a human settlement on Mars within 100 years. While cementing its status as a key regional player, the UAE also wants the project to serve as a source of inspiration for Arab youth, in a region too often wracked by sectarian conflicts and economic crises. Hope will use three scientific instruments to monitor the Martian atmosphere, and is expected to begin transmitting information back to Earth in September 2021, with the data available for scientists around the world to study. Close behindChina's Tianwen-1, or "Questions to Heaven", has already sent back its first image of Mars -- a black-and-white photo that showed geological features including the Schiaparelli crater and the Valles Marineris, a vast stretch of canyons on the Martian surface. The five-tonne Tianwen-1 includes a Mars orbiter, a lander and a solar-powered rover that will for three months study the planet's soil and atmosphere, take photos, chart maps and look for signs of past life. China hopes to land the 240-kilogramme rover in May in Utopia, a massive impact basin on Mars.  Its orbiter will last for a Martian year. Tianwen-1 is not China's first attempt to reach Mars.  A previous mission with Russia in 2011 ended prematurely when the launch failed. NASA's Perseverance, which is set to touch down on the Red Planet on February 18, will become the fifth rover to complete the voyage since 1997 -- and all so far have been American. It is on an astrobiology mission to look for signs of ancient microbial life and will attempt to fly a 1. 8 kilogramme helicopter-drone on another world for the first time. Perseverance, capable of autonomously navigating 200 meters (650 feet) per day, will collect rock samples that could provide invaluable clues about whether there was ever past life on Mars. About the size of a small SUV, it weighs a metric tonne, has 19 cameras and two microphones -- which scientists hope will be the first to record sound on Mars. The mission is set to last at least two years.


President Trump tells @jonkarl he is “not happy” with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp for reopening certain businesses in the state amid the pandemic.

“I said you’re not the guidelines, but I’m letting you make your own decision, but I want people to be safe.” https://t.co/IfKkKl9Ubq https://t.co/KiTLPrnfR5

By Jim Acosta, Kristen Holmes and Dana Bash, CNNUpdated 1:44 PM ET, Thu April 23, 2020  (CNN)Members of the coronavirus task force had to convince President Donald Trump to change his view on Georgia's Republican governor's decision to reopen businesses in his state later this week, a source close to the task force told CNN.  CORRECTION: This story has been updated to accurately reflect in-person church services were always permitted in Georgia.


Photograph Of Narendra Modi and Devandra Fadnavis With Chhota Rajan

An image purporting to show Prime Minister Narendra Modi pictured in his youth along with jailed underworld don Chhota Rajan, is photoshopped.     The image is also being shared with the claim that it shows Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.     The photo is viral in the backdrop of the Republican Party of India's  (Athawale), announcement to field Deepak Nikalje, the brother of Rajan as candidate to contest polls in Maharashtra in October.  RPI is an ally of the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP)          Click here to view the post, and here for an archive.     The post has two images, the first image which has name tags falsely identifying that Modi and Fadnavis can be spotted with Rajan, while the second image is a screenshot of a news ticker, "Underworld Don Chhota Rajan brother has got a ticket by the BJP".     Viral on Facebook    Searching with the same caption, we found that the photo was viral on Facebook.    Facebook posts       Taking a cue from a Facebook comment, we performed a reverse image search of the image and found that the image was photoshopped.    Google reverse image search results    Original Photograph    A search for the photo showed a Times of India article dated September 25, 2014, with the headline, "Narendra Modi returns to his stomping ground as Prime Minister after a 14-year exile" that had the original photograph inside it.    Times of India article     One can spot that the photo has been clearly photoshopped as the man holding his right arm has been cropped out with an image of another person.     Comparison    Comparing the photoshopped image with the original photo      According to the TOI article, Suresh Jani (left side of Modi), is an old associate of Modi, and had received him at the JFK airport, New York during one of his visits to the United States in 1993, where the photograph was taken.     Additionally, the original photograph can also be spotted in this Rediff article dated September 26, 2014.    Rediff article    Jani had stated in the article that, "I went to the airport to receive Modi when he arrived in the US for the first time in 1993.  Then he came in 1997 and once more in 2000. "    In neither of the articles does Jani mention that Fadnavis was present with him to visit Modi at the JFK airport or that he was in the US.     Viral since 2015    We also found that the photoshopped image has been circulating on social media since 2015 with the false claim.     Modi g is with chhota rajan? ? ? ? ?  wowsabkaa saath sabka vikaas pic. twitter. com/T74TMJVDrb     Click here to view an archive.


West Bengal: BJP leaders leave Kolkata for New Delhi

A meeting of BJP's Central Election Committee will take place in New Delhi tomorrow. https://t.co/rqoXVwsgEY

A group of parents staged a protest near Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence here on Saturday, demanding that students of classes 1 to 8 be allowed back into schools. The protesting parents, led by the Delhi State Public Schools' Management Association, said that since anganwadis, courts, and classes from 9th till 12th standards have resumed functioning, the students of primary section should also be allowed back into schools. Chairman of the Delhi State Public Schools' Management Association R C Jain said the government should give the parents an option of sending their children to school along with continuing online teaching. "The government should issue an SOP that those who can and want their children to attend offline classes should follow some guidelines, and the rest can continue through online medium," Jain told PTI. He added that after over a year away from school, the children have become frustrated and their parents are also finding it difficult to go to their work and taking care of the child's education at the same time. Educational institutions in the national capital were shut in March last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.  Phased reopening of educational institutions has begun in the national capital.


Delhi: Sanitisation being done at Fatehpuri Masjid as places of worship are set to open from tomorrow, after the Ministry of Home Affairs allowed the opening of places of worship with certain precautionary measures amid #COVID19 outbreak. https://t.co/ypqVl8ntHd

The gigantic courtyard is empty.  So empty that even the customary pigeons are not there — remember how they would always be seen flying from the courtyard to the central dome, and back? The iconic Jama Masjid monument in Old Delhi is feeling absolutely surreal these days.  Like most monuments, and most places of worship, it was closed for months due to the coronavirus.  The pandemic is still raging on but the Mughal-era mosque has re-opened.  On this late morning, it is so quiet here that you could hear your own breathing. Tomorrow’s historians might look back upon these times as a defining moment that altered the course of the world.  But the 17th century Jama Masjid has withstood more than one transformative event: the 1857 uprising, when the victorious British turned it into a camp for soldiers, as well as the Partition in 1947, when freedom fighter Maulana Abul Kalam Azad made a memorable speech against it on the steps of the great mosque.  The pandemic too is now leaving its mark in the red sandstone monument.  At first glance, the prayer hall looks the same, its giant chandelier as imposing.  But then you notice alternating red and green marks on the tiled floor, indicating the percepts of physical distancing the devotees have to follow.  The sight of these symbols — as if checked right and wrong by a teacher on an exam sheet — imprinted in such a historic place reflects how deeply the pandemic has embedded itself into the texture of our material world. At this moment only two people are inside the prayer hall, sitting at a distance. The vast courtyard has a vazu pool at the center where worshippers would wash themselves before prayer.  It is dry.  Suddenly a woman appears in a black burqa and stands at the other end of the pool.  She seems to be sobbing, her body shaking.  She recollects herself after a few minutes and walks towards the east-facing gateway. In the courtyard outside, monsoon sky is pressing in like an unexpected guest in a family gathering.  Indeed, the small puffs of dark clouds floating above seem so close to the mosque’s upper limits that they feel like a ghostly extension of its architectural elements. Perhaps the most eye-catching, if not the most attractive, object here is a red plastic bin placed at the center of the courtyard.  It’s looking so out of place in this edifice of immaculate aesthetics that one can’t help but keep turning to look at it, much the way one’s tongue inadvertently keep going back to feel the aching tooth. The long balcony beside the mosque’s gate no.  1 is usually always teeming with people.  Today it is crowded —with three men.  One of them is sleeping.  Now a fourth man in white kurta pajama enters the mosque and purposefully heads towards this balcony.  He sits with his back against the stone railing and stays still, looking like a figure in a Mughal miniature. Further ahead is the ticket booth to the mosque’s tower.  The sign board is in a series of foreign languages.  The four instructions to the tower’s visitors are only in English though; the last one says that “unaccompanied woman and child are not allowed to visit the tower. ” (The tower hasn’t opened to visitors yet). Outside the gate 1, the staircase overlooking the chaotic Matia Mahal Bazar would always be packed with locals, sightseers, hawkers, beggars, and cats.  It is empty. Hopefully these difficult days too will pass over, and Jama Masjid, like all timeless monuments, will once again transcend its present and regain its former life.


United States Trade Representative: At direction of President Donald Trump, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer announced that US intends to terminate India’s & Turkey’s designations as Beneficiary Developing Countries under Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program https://t.co/cMWnnb3vGV

US President Donald Trump said on Monday he intends to end India’s preferential trade treatment under a program that allows $5. 6 billion worth of Indian exports to enter the United States duty free. Trump, who has vowed to reduce US trade deficits, has repeatedly called out India for its high tariffs. “I am taking this step because, after intensive engagement between the United States and the Government of India, I have determined that India has not assured the United States that it will provide equitable and reasonable access to the markets of India,” Trump said in a letter to congressional leaders. The US Trade Representative’s Office said removing India from the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program would not take effect for at least 60 days after notifications to Congress and the Indian government, and it will be enacted by a presidential proclamation. In New Delhi, India’s Commerce Secretary Anup Wadhawan said the US decision to withdraw India’s name from the GSP list won’t have any “significant impact” on the 5. 6 billion dollar exports to the US.  “India exports goods worth USD 5. 6 billion under the GSP, and the duty benefit is only USD 190 million annually,” news agency PTI quoted Wadhawan as saying.  The US goods and services trade deficit with India was $27. 3 billion in 2017, according to the US Trade Representative’s Office. India is the world’s largest beneficiary of the GSP program and ending its participation would be the strongest punitive action against India since Trump took office in 2017. US-India trade ties were hurt after India unveiled new rules on e-commerce that restrict the way Amazon. com Inc and Walmart Inc-backed Flipkart do business. The e-commerce rules followed a drive by New Delhi to force global card payments companies such as Mastercard Inc and Visa Inc to move their data to India and the imposition of higher tariffs on electronic products and smartphones.  (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. )


Bernie Sanders: “Brothers and sisters, if we stand together we will not only defeat Trump, we will transform this country and create a government and an economy that works for all of us.” https://t.co/1ubSAj8ukR https://t.co/p42pSXIabr

By Chandelis Duster, CNNUpdated 8:41 PM ET, Sun February 23, 2020 Washington (CNN)South Carolina Rep.  James Clyburn on Sunday said he'll endorse a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate after Tuesday night's Democratic debate -- just three days before the state's primary, a key early contest in the party's nomination process.  CNN's Jeff Zeleny and Fredreka Schouten contributed to this story.


A screenshot of a tweet posted by the handle @RanjanGogoii is being shared widely on social media.  Users allege that the account belongs to former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi.  The tweet reads, “Community leaders determine how Muslims, Buddhists, and Christians celebrate their respective festivals.  But when it comes to Hindus and their festivals, the courts will decide.  Articles 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, and 31 of the Indian Constitution are discriminatory and should be amended. ”Facebook user Aryan Singh posted the screenshot in question. Jai Shree Ram 🙏 🙏Posted by Aryan Singh on Saturday, June 12, 2021The image is also widespread on the social networking platform.
We came across various Twitter handles posing as the official handle of the former CJI.  But none of these were verified, which brought their authenticity into question.  Furthermore, we could not find any account with the username ‘@RanjanGogoii’ which meant that the account was either deleted or the username altered. Alt News rummaged through web archive links to find out more information about this account.  We found several old tweets posted by this handle.  It used to describe itself as a parody account in its bio.
We combed through the archives and located the archived version of the tweet in circulation, originally posted on March 26, 2020.  Please note that the date and time in this tweet are not as per the IST.
Next, we performed a Google search using the URL of the archived version of the post, which led us to the Twitter handle @PuspendraTweet.  Simply put, both these usernames belong to the same account.  @RanjanGogoii has now been changed to @PuspendraTweet. We found the original tweet on the timeline of @PuspendraTweet.  It was posted on March 26, 2020 at 3:45 PM.
The account is followed by a number of verified handles, including BJP members Kapil Mishra, Major Surendra Poonia and Gajendra Chauhan. This slideshow requires JavaScript. A tweet posted by a parody account was falsely attributed to former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and shared online.  Earlier too, tweets issued by fake handles posing as Nita Ambani, Dr.  Kafeel Khan and farmer leader Rakesh Tikait were believed to be genuine. Donate NowA picture of Tej Pratap Yadav has been making the rounds on social media recently…. A video of police tying a rope around an elderly person’s wrists has been circulating…A photo of a man being flogged with his hands tied has been gathering a…A set of two images, an alleged tweet and a video has been shared on…A photo of an idol of Hindu deity Nandi found buried in the ground has…


Special counsel Robert Mueller's indictments by the numbers: https://t.co/4Y4XCM9XsA https://t.co/CO9rCNBZSr

By Meg Wagner, Veronica Rocha, Brian Ries and Amanda Wills, CNNAttorney General William Barr released his much-anticipated summary of special counsel Robert Mueller's report today.  Here's everything you need to know about the four-page letter:From CNN's Pamela Brown, Evan Perez and Laura Jarrett  The special counsel’s office deliberated at length with Department of Justice officials about issuing a subpoena for President Trump to be interviewed, but ultimately the decision was made not to move forward with such a significant investigative step, according to a source familiar with the matter.  For months, Robert Mueller’s team had requested a sit-down interview with Trump, but the President’s lawyers refused to commit, and negotiations continued.  Eventually, last fall, the special counsel submitted written questions to the President concerning the time frame before 2016 election, which Trump answered in late November 2018. The source said the sensitive discussions between DOJ officials and the special counsel team, and the determination that a subpoena would not be pursued, was based on the perception of the evidence and merits of the issues — separate and apart from the fact that current Justice Department policy dictates that a sitting President cannot be indicted.   While not directly addressing the issue of a presidential interview, Attorney General William Barr’s letter to Congress Sunday offers a further glimpse into how officials at the department didn’t believe they had a prosecutable case against Trump on collusion or on the question of obstruction of justice. The special counsel’s office and the Justice Department declined to comment on internal discussions of a subpoena. Why this matters: In the end, the decision to not make a formal request for a subpoena was critical because that demand — should it have been rejected — would have been communicated by the attorney general to Congress, as the special counsel regulations mandate.  Instead, a formal request from Mueller wasn’t made, allowing the Barr to say in his letter to Congress Friday "there were no such instances during the Special Counsel investigation" where Mueller was turned down. From CNN's Kaitlan CollinsPresident Trump was in high spirits at his Mar-a-Lago Club this afternoon after his legal told him that the attorney general was set to release findings from the special counsel’s investigation, which said it did not find that his campaign colluded with Russia, sources tell CNN.  Trump spent the weekend expressing cautious optimism while surrounded by his attorneys and had tweeted only twice, but privately was telling people he did not know what Bill Barr's next move was.  Then Barr’s chief of staff phoned lawyer Emmet Flood to provide a readout of the report.  The mood at Mar-a-Lago improved immediately.  “It was a complete and total exoneration,” Trump told reporters before heading back to Washington.  “It’s a shame that our country had to go through this.  It’s a shame that your President has had to go through this. ”People close to the President say he has remained fixated on one thing in the last several weeks — that he and his allies were harassed by investigators and that this should not happen to another President.  These people believe that Trump could potentially push for an investigation into how the Russia investigation began now that it has ended.  “It began illegally and hopefully somebody’s going to look at the other side,” Trump said Sunday.  The mood on Air Force One back to Washington was jovial, one person told CNN.  But not everyone is celebrating: Trump’s associates who were ensnared in the investigation fumed Sunday as they reflected on how much they spent on legal fees for the investigation, two people tell CNN.  Several current and former Trump officials from his campaign and administration retained personal lawyers to help them respond to questions throughout the investigation.  White House press secretary Sarah Sanders just tweeted that "the President and his millions of supporters have been completely vindicated" following Attorney General William Barr's findings on the special counsel report. One thing to note: Robert Mueller's report has not been released to Congress.  Barr has only released a letter with his main conclusions from the report. From CNN's Manu RajuHouse Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said William Barr's letter "raises as many questions as it answers. "The Democratic leaders said Congress needs "the full report and the underlying documents so that the Committees can proceed with their independent work. "Here's the full statement:Former FBI director James Comey just tweeted this:Why Comey matters: Special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation began after President Trump's sudden decision to dismiss Comey in May 2017. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer called for the full release of special counsel Robert Mueller's report.  Here's what Hoyer said in a statement:He went on to say, "Congress must remain a bulwark of justice and the rule of law, and House Democrats will do our part to ensure that it performs its duties faithfully under our Constitution. ”Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell just issued a statement regarding Attorney William Barr's findings on special counsel Robert Mueller's report, calling Russia's efforts to interfere in US democracy "dangerous and disturbing. "McConnell acknowledged that Mueller's findings also concluded that the Trump campaign did not coordinate with Russia to interfere in the 2016 elections.  He added that he was looking forward to reviewing more information from Mueller's report. Read his statement: From CNN's Betsy KleinA senior Trump campaign official calls Attorney General William Barr’s summary of special counsel Robert Mueller report "total vindication. " The senior official went on to say, "No collusion, no obstruction, and despite the past two years… being filled with people screaming to the high heavens… it’s the same as it was on day one: no collusion. "The official suggested that the news could help persuade moderate voters who may have been undecided on Trump. The official also pointed to the many Democratic lawmakers who said there was collusion, perhaps previewing a future talking point: “What kind of credibility do they have left? ” they asked. Please enable JavaScript for a better experience.


A Facebook user who goes by the name of âSandeep Yadavâ posted a 3-minute-long clip claiming that the woman seen dancing in the video is Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Nusrat Jahan

The video has a woman performing dhunuchi nritya (dance), a prominent Durga Puja custom and one of the most awaited activities during the evening Durga aarti.  This devotional dance is performed holding a dhunuchi -- an earthen pot -- containing burning coconut husk and fragrant dhuno.    The video has received close to one million views.  TRUTHThe lady performing dhunuchi naach in the video is Rashmi Mishra and not Nusrat Jahan.  VERIFICATION AND METHODOLOGYWe searched on Google using keywords âBest dhunuchi naachâ and found a clearer version of the video uploaded to a YouTube channel.  Watching the video closely, we noticed a banner in the background that said 'Hiranandani Gardens, Powai'.  We then used keywords 'Hiranandani Powai Dhunuchi dance competition' and it led us to a video on YouTube titled âTimes Powai Sarvajanin Durgotsav 2019 || Curtain Raiserâ, uploaded to a channel named Powai Bengali Welfare Association (PBWA).  In the description of this video, there were links to the social media handles of PBWA.  We scanned the Facebook page of PBWA and found the same video posted there on October 13, 2019.    The video post was captioned as âA glimpse of Dhunuchi nach competition performance on Saptami day at Times Powai Sarvajanin Durgotsav (organized by Powai Bengali Welfare Association, Mumbai).  A super performance by Rashmi Mishraâ¦â This proved that the woman in question is Rashmi Mishra and not Nusrat Jahan.  To confirm, we got in touch with PBWA.  Talking to Times Fact Check, an official spokesperson of PBWA said, âYes, this video is of Rashmi Mishra performing dhunuchi dance at the Times Powai Sarvajanin Durgotsav 2019 PBWA organised at Hiranandani Gardens in Mumbaiâs Powai on October 6, 2019. â The spokesperson also said, âWe have come to notice that this video is being shared as a âPrize-winning performanceâ.  This was just an exhibition performance, and hence, Rashmi did not receive any âprizeâ for this. â


Spike Lee predicted Twitter outrage if the Oscars results didn't "work out a certain type of way" https://t.co/eTofTNkfkP https://t.co/khMGvfT36B

The agency sent out a dozen or so tweets about the fictional tech in the film. Oscars 2019: 'Bohemian Rhapsody,' 'Green Book' take home multiple awardsSome Twitter users were a bit confused during the Oscars on Sunday as the Central Intelligence Agency tweeted about the fictional technology behind the Marvel superhero film "Black Panther. "The agency sent out a dozen or so tweets about the science featured in the Oscar-winning film and even asked for advice on which "Black Panther" technology its 2. 5 million followers would like to see used in "the real world. " It also tweeted a series of photos and poll questions "to get your views on the feasibility of Wakandan technology today," referring to the fictional African nation where much of the film takes place. The agency, which has received backlash for meddling in African affairs in past, also linked to press release from a CIA scientist named Rebecca, who it said had researched "Black Panther" communication technology. "In #BlackPanther, a unique metal called #vibranium helped the fictional African nation of #Wakanda become the most technologically advanced country on the planet," the agency tweeted along with the Oscars hashtag.  "The #vibranium in Black Panther's suit protects him from kinetic damage & vibranium sneakers are both super-quiet & amazing shock absorbers for jumping.  Those would be great for spies, right?  Too bad vibranium isn't real. "The bizarre live-blog racked up hundreds of likes and retweets, but the posts threw some Twitter users for a loop. "Are you going to tweet about Santa Clause next? ! !  Can we just enjoy the magic of the movies," one follower asked. "Is this for real?  Too much time on your hands apparently," another user wrote. "The CIA wants you to remember that Black Panther is a work of fiction, something we already knew from the fact that it has a CIA agent as a good guy," another wrote. The agency called the social media event a part of its Reel vs Real series, which aims to "demystify the CIA's mission by comparing what's seen on TV to what happens in reality. ""As part of our #ReelvsRealCIA series, & in honor of the 7 #Oscars nominations for @Marvel's #BlackPanther, we're exploring how much of #Wakanda's futuristic technology is available to the real-world intelligence officers of today," the CIA tweeted at the top of this year's Academy Awards ceremony.  "During tonight's #Oscars we'll ask a series of poll questions to get your views on the feasibility of Wakandan technology today & share the expertise of a top CIA scientist, 'Rebecca,' on how #Wakanda's tech matches up w/emerging "real life" tech. ""If real, which of these Wakandan technologies do you think would be the most appealing to real-world spies? " the agency added in a separate tweet. Black Panther took home three awards on Sunday, with Ruth E.  Carter winning the Oscar for best costume design and making history as the first African-American to ever win the award. Separately, Ludvig Goransson won for best original score and Hannah Beachler won an award for her work on "Black Panther," becoming the first African-American to be nominated for, and win, an Academy Award in production design. The Walt Disney Co.  is the parent company of Marvel Entertainment and of ABC News. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Pope Francis' personal doctor, Fabrizio Soccorsi, has died as a result of “complications due to Covid,” the Vatican’s newspaper L’Osservatore Romano announced on Saturday. https://t.co/2jkZhbxwXv https://t.co/iXi60uuhSh

Pope Francis has told a private Italian broadcaster that he was “astonished” by the mob attack at the U. S.  CapitolLawmakers outraged over security breachVATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis has told an Italian broadcaster that he was “astonished” by the mob attack at the U. S.  Capitol due to the democratic traditions of the United States. The pope said in an interview with Mediaset that the private broadcaster is set to air on Sunday that even "in the most mature reality, there is always something that doesn’t work, people who take a path against the community, against democracy and against the common good. ”In a brief excerpt posted on Mediaset’s website on Saturday, Francis said , “Thank God this exploded” into the open “so it can be seen, so it can be remedied. ”"This must be condemned, this movement, regardless of the people” involved, he said of the rioting and violence on Capitol Hill on Wednesday. Supporters seething over President Donald Trump’s election loss stormed the Capitol as Congress was finalizing President-elect Joe Biden's victory, believing Trump's false claims of a rigged election.  Five people died, including a police officer. “Violence is always like this, isn't it? " the pontiff said.  “No population can boast of not having one day a case of violence.  It happens in history.  But we must understand well, so as not to repeat it, learn from history, learn that groups. . . that are not well integrated into society, sooner or later will have these eruptions of violence. ”24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Illinois Gov. Jay Pritzker closed out Pride Month on by signing an executive order that aims to protect transgender students throughout the state. https://t.co/v7anw7zcGd

  Illinois Gov.  J. B.  Pritzker used the occasion of World Pride and the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots to advocate for transgender kids Sunday.

  Pritzker signed an executive order aimed at ensuring schools have what they need to be “affirming and inclusive for transgender, nonbinary and gender nonconforming students,” said a statement from his office.

Thousands march in the streets of New York for WorldPride

  “This executive order is one more step toward securing Illinois’ place as a leader in equality and hope,” Pritzker said.  “Under this executive order, ignorance is no longer an excuse for bigotry. ”

  The order establishes a task force to look at best practices and directs the state Board of Education to take several steps.  Those steps include promoting LGBTQ students’ rights in schools, and developing procedures for concerns such as student records, names and pronouns, and dress codes.

  “Ending the intolerable levels of discrimination and violence against our transgender community starts here – in our schools – by making the values of tolerance and respect just as much a part of our educational cultural as academics, athletics, and the arts,” Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a statement.

  Like other cities across the country and the world, Chicago is celebrating LGBTQ pride with an annual parade Sunday.  Lightfoot, the city’s first openly gay mayor, is one of seven grand marshals.  Affiliate WGN says she will become the first mayor to ride on a Chicago Pride Parade float.
© 2021 Cable News Network.  A Warner Media Company.  All Rights Reserved.   CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network.


CLAIM Malayalam news channel Janam TV aired a news report on 28 December 2018, claiming that the students of CH Mohammed Koya Memorial College in Thiruvananthapuram district raised the flags of terrorist organisations – ISIS and Al-Qaeda.  The news reported suggested that the incident showed how Islam was ‘strengthened’ by terrorism.  TRUE OR FALSE The video actually dates back to March 2018, and was shot during the annual day celebrations of the college.  The management, speaking to the media several times, has confirmed that it was just a college annual function.  The video dates back to March 2018 when students of the college were celebrating their annual day.  According to the management and students, the dress code for the annual day celebration was black, and it had nothing to do with links to terror organisation.  CHIEF GUEST ALSO WEARS BLACK The chief guest Salim Kumar, had also told TNM that he was asked to wear black as it was the dress code.  The news report on Janam also alleged that the students had scribbled provocative slogans on the walls.  NO TERRORISM GRAFFITI Aiyoor Sub Inspector (SI) Sajeev, who inspected the college after allegations said, speaking to The Hindu, said: JANAM TV’S REPORT GOES VIRAL This news article soon went viral, with about 17,000 views on its official YouTube channel alone.  On Facebook, Janam TV has over eight lakh views for the news article.  The story was also picked by ‘Organiser’, which is affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).  The same report was also widely shared on Facebook and Twitter.  Here are some examples: (Not convinced of a story you came across on social media and want it verified?  Send us the details at WebQoof@TheQuint. com and we'll fact-check it for you.  You can also read all our fact-checked stories here. ) (At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience.  Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member.  Because the truth is worth it. )


Congress’ @DKShivakumar meets JD(S) chief Deve Gowda amid Karnataka crisis

https://t.co/dv6dZ0Ol5r https://t.co/V9I7LLosbk

Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy was forced to cut short his US visit and head home on Sunday to take stock of the growing political crisis in his coalition government with 12 MLA sending their resignations to the Assembly speaker on Saturday.  Straight after landing in Bengaluru this evening, Kumaraswamy got into a meeting with JD(S) national president HD Deve Gowda, Deputy CM G Parameshwara and other senior Congress leaders at the Taj West End hotel in the city.  Earlier in the day, Congress’s trusted troubleshooter DK Shivakumar met senior JD(S) leader HD Deve Gowda at his residence.  A cirular has been issued by the Congress to all MLAs to attend Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting called by CLP leader Siddaramaiah on July 9.  Karnataka Congress in charge KC Venugopal and Karnataka Congress chief Dinesh Gundu Rao will also be present in the meet. The Congress workers held a protest outside party office in the city asking Congress MLAs to take back their resignations.  “They’ve (JDS) called a meeting of their party leaders.  We’ll also call our party leaders and sort out this issue.  I’m confident things will cool down immediately.  In interest of nation and both parties we’ve to run government smoothly.  I’m confident MLAs will come back,” Congress’s Shivakumar was quoted as saying by ANI. Out of the 12 legislators who submitted their resignations to Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar, nine were from the Congress and three from the JD(S).  The legislators were not able to meet the Speaker and left their resignations with his aides in his office. The strength of the ruling coalition in Karnataka has come down to 105, which is eight short of the half-way mark of 113. Also read: ‘Wait and watch’, says Yeddyurappa as Karnataka govt plunges into crisisResponding to the developments, BJP state chief BS Yeddyurappa on Sunday said, “I am going to Tumkur and I will come back at 4 pm.  You know about the political developments.  Let’s wait and see.  I do not want to answer to what HD Kumaraswamy and Siddaramaiah say.  I am nowhere related to this. ” While senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said he wants the alliance government to continue.  “We want that this should go on smoothly,” he said. The differences in the ruling coalition government, which came together to forestall a BJP bid for power in the only southern state it has ever ruled, have been out in the open for quite sometime.  Leaders of both the parties have been involved in war of words. The Congress and JD(S) won just one Lok Sabha seat each in the Lok Sabha elections while the BJP won 25 of the 28 seats in the state. (With agency inputs)


Jammu and Kashmir: Higher reaches of Pirpanjal mountain range receive heavy snowfall; Mughal Road blocked due to snow. https://t.co/2CWI7Cy4dy

Kashmir is under the influence of a fresh Western Disturbance which could result in snowfall in the plains. India Meteorological department (IMD) has issued orange alert for the higher reaches of J&K and Sonmarg -Zojila axis.  Since Sunday night, the Valley is witnessing rains while the upper reaches are observing snowfall, especially in north Kashmir.  Light snowfall was reported from plains and in some places, it was reported early in the morning. IMD director Sonam Lotus said that as predicted, light to moderate snow was reported even as isolated places recorded a heavy snowfall. “A few places of Jammu, Drass-Sonmarg axis are still snowing and it is likely to continue.  This spell is going to bring good snow and rainfall,” he said, adding that overall, the spell is likely to last between November 23-25 and will significantly decrease thereafter.  “There could be a temporary disruption [of traffic] on Zojila, Banihal-Ramban axis, Mughal road and other such vulnerable spots due to snow and low temperature.  There is an orange weather warning for the higher reaches of J&K and Sonmarg -Zojila axis,” he said. Meanwhile, J&K Disaster Management department had warned of avalanches in the upper regions of Kashmir, especially in the northern parts, asking people to remain vigilant. Gulmarg, that recieved two spells of snowfall in this month in Baramulla, recorded minus 7. 4 degrees Celsius on Sunday night.  Fresh snowfall was recorded at Pahalgam and Gulmarg, both famous tourist spots of Kashmir.  Srinagar recorded maximum 8. 4 degrees Celcius and minimum 1. 6 degrees Celcius temperature. Following the snowfall, the historical Mughal road has been closed for the traffic from early morning. “Mughal road is closed due to snowing.  Snowing at Jawahar Tunnel and rain started on Jammu-Srinagar NHW but through so far @JmuKmrPolice,” tweeted the J&K traffic department spokesperson.


MoS Home Nityanand Rai in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha: Till now, the government has not taken any decision to prepare National Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC) at the national level. https://t.co/e3OarkJv9x

The Centre reiterated on Tuesday it does not have any plans to introduce the National Register of Citizens across the country so far as protests against NRC and the amended citizenship act continue to rage. “Till now, the government has not taken any decision to prepare National Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC) at the national level,” Union minister of state for home affair Nityanand Rai said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha. The home ministry has also said that “the question does not arise” on queries about the modalities of a nationwide NRC and how it would put additional burden on citizens. Several opposition parties had given notices in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha seeking debate and answers on Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), NRC and National Population Register (NPR) on Monday as Parliament opened for the Budget Session. The DMK, CPI, CPI(M), NCP, RJD, TMC, SP and BSP gave notices under Rule 267 to adjourn all business and discuss the CAA, NPR and National Register of Citizens. The passage of the CAA in December last year to fast-track the citizenship process for non-Muslims who entered India from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh before 2015 triggered protests across the country.  Opponents of the amended law say it is discriminatory and unconstitutional as it leaves out Muslims and links faith to citizenship in a secular country.  They say it could result in the expulsion or detentions of the Muslims unable to provide the documentation if the law is seen in the context of the proposed pan-India NRC.  A process to identify undocumented immigrants in Assam led to the exclusion of around two million people from the NRC last year.  The ministry and the government have since clarified there are no immediate plans for a national NRC. NPR is a comprehensive biometric database of all “usual residents” in India as opposed to the Census, which is a database of households.  It has generated controversy with the opposition parties contending the exercise is linked to NRC aimed at identifying undocumented immigrants.  The government has in the past described NPR as the first step towards a nationwide NRC.  It now maintains that there is no link between the two.


Defence Minister @rajnathsingh meets Chinese counterpart amid border tensions. Here’s what happened

https://t.co/6jV6FW6muM https://t.co/rDWBhUjBb6

Marking India’s first high-level political meet with China amid a simmering border row, defence minister Rajnath Singh on Friday met his Chinese counterpart, General Wei Fenghe, in Moscow.  India and China have been involved in a bitter border standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. India has accused China of making a fresh attempt to change the status quo in the southern bank of Pangong Lake and said that the Chinese side “engaged in provocative military manoeuvres in the late night of 29th and on 30th August”. Here’s what happened during Singh’s meeting with China’s Wei:• The meeting between Singh and Wei took place on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting in the Russian capital Moscow. • Singh left on Tuesday for the SCO meet and on the same day, India accused China of resorting to provocative action a day earlier when it attempted to change the status quo on the southern bank of the Pangong Tso Lake even as military-level talks were underway.  China’s actions this year have been in clear violation of agreements, India said in a statement issued by the ministry of external affairs. • A day later, the Chinese side sought a meeting with Singh, HT had reported earlier this week.  This was the third attempt made by the Chinese defence ministry for talks with Singh after the standoff erupted in early May. Also read: Rajnath Singh meets Chinese defence minister, calls for bringing ties ‘back on right track’• On his third day in Moscow, Singh delivered an indirect message to China at the SCO’s ministerial meeting.  “Peace and security in the SCO region demand a climate of trust, non-aggression, respect for international rules and peaceful resolution of differences,” he said. • The Indian defence minister also spoke about the unilateral aggression between states and the need to refrain from it.  “This year marks the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War as well as the formation of the United Nations which underpins a peaceful world, where international laws and sovereignty of states are respected and states refrain from unilateral aggression on another,” Singh said at the meet on Friday. • After the defence minister’s address, Chinese and Indian delegations held their first high-level political face-to-face meeting later in the evening. • In the meeting that lasted over two hours, Singh pushed for the restoration of status quo ante at all friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh and called for disengagement of troops in an expeditious way during the much-expected meeting. Also read | ‘Committed to inclusive global security’: Rajnath Singh reaffirms India’s stance at SCO meet• According to China’s official news agency, Xinhua, Wei told Singh that the responsibility of the ongoing tension lies entirely with India – an allegation that New Delhi has brushed off repeatedly, saying that the border aggression has actually been shown by the troops of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). • Singh was quoted by a Xinhua report in Mandarin from Moscow as saying that India hoped that two sides will “…adopt a responsible attitude, fully disengage front-line forces as soon as possible, avoid taking measures that may escalate or complicate the situation, and avoid turning differences into disputes so as to bring bilateral military relations back to the right track as soon as possible. ”


An image of Bhim Army Chief Chandrashekhar Azad standing with a woman is being circulated on social media with several users identifying this woman as the alleged ‘Naxal Bhabhi’ or Dr Rajkumari Bansal from Hathras.  Dr Bansal, a resident of Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, is being accused of having Naxal links and pretending to be the sister-in-law of the Hathras victim.  However, we at The Quint found that the aforementioned woman is a popular social media user from Bihar, Kiran Yadav, who claims to be a social worker.  CLAIM Several users on Facebook and Twitter shared the aforementioned image with captions insinuating that this is a big reveal as the Bhim Army Chief can be seen with Rajkumari Bansal.  WHAT WE FOUND We found a video of Dr Rajkumari Bansal, a physician at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Medical College, where she can be seen interacting with the local media.  We compared a screengrab from that video with the viral photo on social media and found that the person standing with Azad is not Bansal.  Next, we reached out to a spokesperson from the Bhim Army who told us that the woman standing next to Azad is Kiran Yadav, a social media influencer from Bihar.  We searched for Kiran’s profiles on Twitter and Facebook and found several photos of her which suggested that she is the one standing with Azad in the viral photo.  Here’s a side by side comparison of images on her profile with that of the viral image.  Evidently, an image of a social media influencer with Bhim Army Chief Chandrashekhar Azad was shared on the internet with a false claim that she is the alleged ‘Naxal Bhabhi’ from Hathras.


Delhi: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu pays tribute to #MahatmaGandhi at Gandhi Smriti, on his death anniversary today. https://t.co/oigCXMD6DF

The nation on Thursday remembered Mahatma Gandhi on his 72nd death anniversary with President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the country in paying homage to the Father of the Nation. Kovind, Modi, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and former prime minister Manmohan Singh offered floral tributes at Gandhi’s memorial Rajghat where an interfaith prayer meeting was held. Amidst echoes of Gandhi’s favourite bhajan ‘Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram’, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal and BJP veteran L K Advani were among those who paid homage at Rajghat. A gun salute was given at the memorial where school students and people from different walks of life gathered to pay respects to Bapu. Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and the three service chiefs - Admiral Sunil Lanba, Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria and General Manoj Mukund Naravane - were also present.  Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated here on this day in 1948.


Freshman Republican Sen. Martha McSally of Arizona revealed that she was raped while she served in the military https://t.co/AFEOlbGbxF https://t.co/1Uq0kMCdzn

Martha McSally was the the first female fighter pilot to fly in combat. Sen.  Martha McSally: I am 'a military sexual assault survivor'Sen.  Martha McSally, during an emotional congressional hearing on military sexual assault Wednesday, said a superior Air Force officer raped her. McSally, the nation's first female fighter pilot to serve in combat, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that she was “preyed upon and raped by a superior officer. ""I also am a military sexual assault survivor, but unlike so many brave survivors, I didn’t report being sexually assaulted," McSally said.  "Like so many women and men, I didn’t trust the system at the time.  I blamed myself.  I was ashamed and confused.  I thought I was strong but felt powerless.  The perpetrators abused their position of power in profound ways. "McSally served in the Air Force for 26 years and mostly flew the A-10. "I stayed silent for many years, but later in my career, as the military grappled with the scandals, and their wholly inadequate responses, I felt the need to let some people know I too was a survivor," she continued.  "I was horrified at how my attempt to share generally my experiences was handled.  I almost separated from the Air Force at 18 years of service over my despair.  Like many victims, I felt like the system was raping me all over again. ""But I didn’t quit," said Mcsally.  "I decided to stay and continue to serve and fight and lead.  To be a voice from within the ranks for women--and then in the House and now the Senate. ""The criminal actions reported today by Senator McSally violate every part of what it means to be an Airman," said an Air Force spokesperson.  "We are appalled and deeply sorry for what Senator McSally experienced and we stand behind her and all victims of sexual assault.  We are steadfast in our commitment to eliminate this reprehensible behavior and breach of trust in our ranks. ""I hope I’m going to see her in a little while so I can give her a hug and tell her how sorry I am because these type of things can affect you the rest of your life,"  Representative Debbie Lesko of Arizona, McSally's fellow Republican in the Arizona congressional delegation, told ABC News' "The Briefing Room. ""I’m a survivor of domestic violence, so I’ve had other issues," said Lesko.  "But this is a huge issue, not only in the military but across all sectors. ""We need to address issues of women being sexually abused and domestic violence," she added. "These kind of things that have occurred in people's lives are terrible," said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) when asked for his reaction to McSally's disclosure.  "This is obviously a big problem and if we can find a further way to address it, we should," he said. The Pentagon's annual report on sexual assault in the military will be released later this spring. According to last year's report there were 6,769 reports of sexual assault, a 10 percent increase over the previous year. In January, the Pentagon released its report on sexual assault in military service academies, finding a nearly 50 percent spike in the prevalence of unwanted sexual contact at the U. S.  Military Academy, the U. S.  Air Force Academy and the U. S.  Naval Academy. Pentagon officials were concerned about the significant increase, as well as the fact that the number of incidents reported directly to authorities remained relatively unchanged. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


The iconic Jama Masjid monument in Old Delhi is feeling absolutely surreal these days. Like most monuments, and most places of worship, it was closed for months due to the coronavirus

(writes @thedelhiwalla)

https://t.co/qrLhc0dNyg

The gigantic courtyard is empty.  So empty that even the customary pigeons are not there — remember how they would always be seen flying from the courtyard to the central dome, and back? The iconic Jama Masjid monument in Old Delhi is feeling absolutely surreal these days.  Like most monuments, and most places of worship, it was closed for months due to the coronavirus.  The pandemic is still raging on but the Mughal-era mosque has re-opened.  On this late morning, it is so quiet here that you could hear your own breathing. Tomorrow’s historians might look back upon these times as a defining moment that altered the course of the world.  But the 17th century Jama Masjid has withstood more than one transformative event: the 1857 uprising, when the victorious British turned it into a camp for soldiers, as well as the Partition in 1947, when freedom fighter Maulana Abul Kalam Azad made a memorable speech against it on the steps of the great mosque.  The pandemic too is now leaving its mark in the red sandstone monument.  At first glance, the prayer hall looks the same, its giant chandelier as imposing.  But then you notice alternating red and green marks on the tiled floor, indicating the percepts of physical distancing the devotees have to follow.  The sight of these symbols — as if checked right and wrong by a teacher on an exam sheet — imprinted in such a historic place reflects how deeply the pandemic has embedded itself into the texture of our material world. At this moment only two people are inside the prayer hall, sitting at a distance. The vast courtyard has a vazu pool at the center where worshippers would wash themselves before prayer.  It is dry.  Suddenly a woman appears in a black burqa and stands at the other end of the pool.  She seems to be sobbing, her body shaking.  She recollects herself after a few minutes and walks towards the east-facing gateway. In the courtyard outside, monsoon sky is pressing in like an unexpected guest in a family gathering.  Indeed, the small puffs of dark clouds floating above seem so close to the mosque’s upper limits that they feel like a ghostly extension of its architectural elements. Perhaps the most eye-catching, if not the most attractive, object here is a red plastic bin placed at the center of the courtyard.  It’s looking so out of place in this edifice of immaculate aesthetics that one can’t help but keep turning to look at it, much the way one’s tongue inadvertently keep going back to feel the aching tooth. The long balcony beside the mosque’s gate no.  1 is usually always teeming with people.  Today it is crowded —with three men.  One of them is sleeping.  Now a fourth man in white kurta pajama enters the mosque and purposefully heads towards this balcony.  He sits with his back against the stone railing and stays still, looking like a figure in a Mughal miniature. Further ahead is the ticket booth to the mosque’s tower.  The sign board is in a series of foreign languages.  The four instructions to the tower’s visitors are only in English though; the last one says that “unaccompanied woman and child are not allowed to visit the tower. ” (The tower hasn’t opened to visitors yet). Outside the gate 1, the staircase overlooking the chaotic Matia Mahal Bazar would always be packed with locals, sightseers, hawkers, beggars, and cats.  It is empty. Hopefully these difficult days too will pass over, and Jama Masjid, like all timeless monuments, will once again transcend its present and regain its former life.


$339 million pledged to rebuild Notre Dame cathedral after fire nearly destroys Paris landmark. https://t.co/eSplbPoMLv https://t.co/ricmOVJpX1

By Brian Ries, Veronica Rocha, Rob Picheta, Euan McKirdy, Jessie Yeung, Gianluca Mezzofiore and Paul P.  Murphy, CNNFrom CNN’s Saskya VandoorneThe Paris prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation into the devastating fire at Notre Dame Cathedral, a spokesperson told CNN on Monday. Prosecutors will be investigating an "involuntary destruction by fire,” the spokesperson said. From CNN's Martin GoillandeauFrench President Emmanuel Macron just announced that, starting Tuesday, he will launch an international fundraising campaign to rebuild the Notre Dame Cathedral. Macron, speaking from the scene, described the fire as a “terrible tragedy," but added the “worst had been avoided. " He noted that the cathedral's facade and two main towers did not collapse during the fire. Watch Macron's statement below:French-American François-Xavier Lochet, 70, was attending Mass at Notre Dame Cathedral on Monday when a loud alarm went off just as the congregation began the Universal Prayer -- it was so loud Lochet could barely understand the messages in French and English. Most of those who heard it, however, just stood there as visitors began to be ushered out of the cathedral.  That was until, Lochet said, a police officer approached a priest and told him, "This is no joke.  You've got to get out. "  Lochet began walking back to his mother's home when he turned around and saw smoke. "Nobody was paying attention," he said.  "I stopped and I took my phone out and I waited. "  Soon, smoke began billowing out from the cathedral. He could not help but think about the countless craftsmen who devoted their entire lives to constructing the church, even those who helped renovate it.  He'd often go to Mass, or just to listen to the cathedral's organs. "It's a huge piece of history of Europe," he said.  "Gone. "He took this photo of the early flames.  That spire, and much of the roof on which it sat, would later fall:From CNN's Saskya VandoorneIt's past 11 p. m.  in Paris, but the crowds of Notre Dame mourners haven't gone anywhere -- many are still gathered outside the cathedral, praying and singing hymns. Some are on their knees; at one point, a group broke out in a haunting rendition of the "Ave Maria. "They have been singing for almost two hours now, and the hymns are getting louder as more people join in. Watch the scene here:From CNN's Antoine CrouinBoth towers of the Notre Dame Cathedral “are safe,” said Laurent Nunez, secretary to the interior minister, hours after a massive fire toppled its spire, burned most of its roof and threatened the centuries-old art and architecture inside. One firefighter has been seriously injured, said Paris Fire Brigade commander general Jean-Claude Gallet.  Gallet said that two-thirds of the roof has been destroyed. From CNN's Daniel Burke This week is Holy Week, when millions of Western Christians mark the death and resurrection of Jesus.  Under normal circumstances, Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris would have been preparing to display its holy relics to the faithful on Good Friday. But as fire engulfed the sacred site on Monday, Catholics across the world reacted in horror and disbelief, particularly when the cathedral's iconic spire toppled amid the flames. For generations, Notre Dame has been a place of pilgrimage and prayer, and, even as religion in France has declined for decades, it remained the beating heart of French Catholicism, open every day for Mass. About the cathedral: Notre Dame is not a parish church, meaning that it does not have a regular body of worshippers who "belong" to the church.  But it is still the home church of Paris Archbishop Michel Aupetit, and draws Catholics for vespers (evening prayers), Masses and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, also known as Penance. And every year during Holy Week, Notre Dame unveils some of the most coveted relics in Christendom.  Among them is the Holy Crown, believed by many to be from the crown of thorns placed on the head of Jesus.  Catholics have prayed with the Holy Crown for more than 16 centuries, according to the cathedral. Notre Dame counts among its treasures two other relics connected to Holy Week: a fragment of the Wood of the Cross, believed by many to be a part of the "true cross" on which Jesus was crucified; and one of the nails that the Romans used to crucify Jesus. Keep reading. Former US President Barack Obama just tweeted about the destructive fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he is "horrified" to see the images coming out of Paris. "Horrified by the pictures coming from Paris with the fire engulfing Notre Dame Cathedral — a unique example of world heritage that has stood tall since the 14th century," Guterres said in a tweet.  "My thoughts are with the people and government of France. "From CNN's Martin GoillandeauThe next hour and a half will be crucial to efforts to save what remains of the Notre Dame Cathedral, said Jean-Claude Gallet, commander general of the Paris Fire Brigade. “We need to win this battle and block the spreading of the flames.  The most efficient action is from the inside.  We are not sure if we will be able to stop the spreading of the flames to the North Tower," he said. He said the initial call to emergency services notified authorities of a fire in the attic of the cathedral, although the cause of the blaze is unknown. “We are evacuating the most precious artwork that is being sheltered,” Gallet said. Please enable JavaScript for a better experience.


Karnataka: Movie theatres set to open in Bengaluru from tomorrow, operating at 50% capacity

"We are preparing for running operations from tomorrow & will follow all the mandated protocols to prevent the spread of COVID," says the manager of Santosh Theatre, Bengaluru https://t.co/AQ6IbTWQZy

Most theatres in Bengaluru did not open for public on Thursday and preferred to wait for a day in anticipation of the weekend crowd on Friday. After six months of closure due to the lockdown to check the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19), the Centre allowed cinema halls to open from Thursday as part of Unlock 5. 0. “We are starting only on Friday.  So far as I know, all the cinema halls are going to open on Friday as per the decision taken by the cinema hall owners and managers at a meeting on Wednesday,” Prakash, the manager of Veeresh Theatre on Magadi Road told PTI. Meanwhile, the Karnataka government issued Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on Thursday for cinema halls. 1.  Movie theatres in containment zones will not open. 2.  There should be a mandatory distance of six feet between each person and people have to wear masks all the time. 3.  The theatre authorities will have to arrange hand sanitisers and thermal screening of movie-goers before letting them in. 4.  The guidelines asked people to follow the general protocol while sneezing and coughing. 5.  The theatre owners have been directed to maintain sufficient time gap between the screening of two movies in the same hall. 6.  They have been instructed not to allow more than 50 per cent viewers of the total capacity. 7.  The government has asked the theatre owners to prefer payment through netbanking for selling tickets and eatables inside the theatre.


No Hindu Among Those Arrested In Palghar Lynching Incident: Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh

News wire agency Press Trust of India (PTI) misreported Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh's statement by erroneously reporting that the minister said 'no Hindus among those arrested in the Palghar lynching incident'.  Deshmukh, in fact, in a video said the opposite that there were no Muslims on the list of 101 accused arrested by the police.   In a now deleted tweet, PTI reported, 'No Hindu among those arrested in Palghar lynching incident: Maha Home Minister Anil Deshmukh'.   Click here to view, and here for an archive Several replies to PTI's tweet stated that Anil Deshmukh said the opposite.  Correct it : Neither Hindu Nor Muslims were arrested in Palghar lynching incident: Maha Home Minister Anil Deshmukh  Delete this.  it's fake news.  he said both are not from different religion means both are hindu  On the night of April 16, 2020, a mob in Maharashtra's Palghar district lynched three people including two Hindu seers - Sushil Giri Maharaj (35), Chikane Maharaj Kalpavrikshgiri (70) and their driver Nilesh Telgane (35) who were passing by a village while on their way to Surat to attend a funeral.  101 people including juveniles have been arrested so far.  As disturbing visuals of the mob beating the men to death emerged online, the incident triggered widespread outrage and accusations that the attack was communally motivated and that Palghar Police did nothing to shield the men from the mob's fury.  BOOM found that fake messages claiming child kidnappers and thieves are on the prowl in various villages in Palghar were viral among local residents, days before the incident.  Also Read: How Child Kidnapping Rumours Led To A Mob Lynching In Palghar      A coalition government in Maharashtra led by Uddhav Thackeray is also under pressure to book the perpetrators and deliver speedy justice in the case.      BOOM listened to the address by Anil Deshmukh, and found that he had not said the word 'Hindus' as erroneously tweeted by PTI.  At the 1. 48 minutes mark, on mentioning the list of accused arrested by the Palghar police in the case, he states, "Not a single Muslim is there".  "None of the accused arrested in connection with the incident is a Muslim.  It is unfortunate that communal politics is being played following the incident," stated Deshmukh.    PTI deleted its erroneous tweet and tweeted again saying it was 'repeating changing a word', however, it did not issue a correction or acknowledging that the previous tweet had misreported the statement.   (Eds: repeating after changing a word)No Muslim RPT Muslim among those arrested in Palghar lynching incident: Maha Home Minister Anil Deshmukh   State home minister Anil Deshmukh later on Wednesday morning tweeted a list with the names of the accused and said there were attempts to give the crime a communal hue.    The list of the 101 arrested in the #Palghar incident.  Especially sharing for those who were trying to make this a communal issue. .  pic. twitter. com/pfZnuMCd3x


"We can't close up our nation or you are not going to have a nation," says President Trump on how he'd combat coronavirus in a second term. #Debates2020 https://t.co/zqFGq7zbE9 https://t.co/Nwct0csaN2

The announcement comes a little more than a week before Election Day. On Location: September 8, 2021President Donald Trump formally notified Congress on Friday that his administration will remove Sudan from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, nearly 30 years after the African country was first listed. In a historic joint call afterwards, he also announced a "very special deal" between Israel and Sudan -- marking the third Arab country to move toward normalizing relations with the Jewish state in an election-season push by his administration. It's unclear if Sudan, which had pushed back on the White House efforts, is formally recognizing Israel or ending hostilities against it after decades of tensions. Either way, Friday's events mark a historic new chapter, 18 months after the Sudanese people overthrew their strongman leader in mass protests.  Facing fuel and food shortages and sky-high inflation, Sudan is desperate for international assistance, humanitarian aid, and foreign investment, all of which have been stymied or outright blocked by U. S.  sanctions. Despite the advances, several critical hurdles remain, including for the U. S.  victims of terror attacks who have legal claims against Sudan. In an agreement reached between the State Department and Sudan's transitional government, the country agreed to pay $335 million to the victims of the 1998 U. S.  embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, victims of the USS Cole attack, and the family of murdered USAID employee John Granville. The White House confirmed Friday that those funds were now in escrow, triggering Trump's pending formal notification to Congress.  But none of that money will be paid out until lawmakers resolve Sudan's "legal peace," and after a deal to do so fell apart last month, several sources warned there's no resolution in sight. In the meantime, Trump celebrated the announcements Friday, by touting his deal-making abilities: "Do you think Sleepy Joe could have made this deal, Bibi? " he asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over a speakerphone, referring to former Vice President Joe Biden the morning after their last debate. "There are many, many more coming," Trump added, after the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain announced normalized relations with Israel earlier this fall.  Few in the Oval Office were wearing masks. Sudan's prime minister Abdalla Hamdok had resisted relations with Israel, saying his transitional government did not have the authority to do so.  Hamdok is the civilian leader, sharing power with Gen.  Abdel Fattah al Burhan, chair of Sudan's Transitional Military Council, after the military ousted Omar al Bashir, a murderous dictator who led the country from 1989 to 2019.  After mass demonstrations ousted Bashir, the military seized power, but later agreed to a transition to democracy because of continued demonstrations. Both leaders joined the call, thanking Trump for lifting the state sponsor of terrorism designation -- the most stringent of U. S.  sanctions: "We very much look forward to building on this relationship and establishing strong political and economic relations between our nations and the rest of the world," said Hamdok. It's unclear if Sudan is now formally recognizing Israel.  When asked, Trump declined to answer during the Oval Office photo op, although a joint statement issued by the White House said Israel and Sudan had agreed to "the normalization of relations. . .  and to end the state of belligerence between" them.  That's a particularly symbolic moment, given that Sudan hosted the 1967 Arab League summit where members agreed to no peace or negotiations with and no recognition of Israel. The two countries will hold talks in the coming weeks agriculture, aviation, migration issues, and economic and trade relations, according to the joint statement.  The U. S.  will also lobby to reduce Sudan's dbt and work with others on "improving food security" and "tapping into [Sudan's] economic potential," per the statement.  A congressional aide told ABC News that includes a major shipment of wheat in the coming weeks. Trump's focus on Israel overshadowed the historic nature of the U. S.  moving to lift sanctions on Sudan, providing a renewed opportunity as the transitional government struggles to provide for the Sudanese people. While the formal notification has not yet been delivered to Congress, it can now happen because Sudan transferred the $335 million for terror victims to a European bank, according to a congressional aide and a source briefed on the matter. But no victim will see a dime until legal peace is resolved, according to the sources, and there's a clock ticking down because the money was loaned to Sudan from the African Export-Import Bank.  If the money is not transferred within a certain time period, Sudan would face penalties and likely take the funds back. The White House said it would push Congress to reestablish Sudan's "legal peace" -- a legal term that means as a sovereign country, it cannot be sued. Sudan's listing on the state sponsors of terrorism list in 1993 waived that immunity, but before Congress returns it, some lawmakers have concerns about protecting ongoing litigation by victims of the Sept.  11 attacks, whose claims could be wiped out once the state sponsor of terrorism designation is lifted. An agreement to resolve those issues fell apart last month, sources told ABC News at the time.  But a deal to resolve the issue is taking shape in Congress, three sources told ABC News this week. It could extend 9/11 victims' right to sue Sudan under different laws, by either strengthening the Justice Against State Sponsors of Terrorism Act, which allows lawsuits against countries found directly responsible for terror attacks, or by providing an exception under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, which prohibits lawsuits except against designated state sponsors of terror. Sudan has not been found liable for the Sept.  11 attacks.  The 9/11 Commission, the independent body that investigated the attacks, found that Osama bin Laden did have a vast business empire in Sudan, but after "bin Ladin left in 1996, it appears that the Sudanese government expropriated all his assets; he left Sudan with practically nothing.  Nor were bin Ladin's assets in Sudan a source of money for al Qaeda. "Still, families and victims like Kristen Breitweiser want their day in court, seeking a judgment on whether Sudan's past support for al Qaeda makes them at all responsible. "I just want the opportunity to hold terrorists accountable in court.  Is that so much to ask as a victim 20 years later?  And yet, my president took that away from me -- never even considered me, and my 2900 other friends and family members.  We weren't even part of the analysis," Breitweiser told ABC News Thursday. "It would seem very clear that normalizing relations with Israel, allowing countries like the Emirates and Saudi to have lucrative business interests addressed, General Electric having business interests addressed is apparently more important than making sure that this nation's largest group of terrorist victims is given a path to justice.  At the end of the day, what's happening here is that our rights to hold terrorists accountable is being swept away," Breitweiser added.  "It's reprehensible that that's happening in my own country. "Citing their concerns over the 9/11 victims, Senators Chuck Schumer, D-N. Y. , and Bob Menendez, D-N. J. , have held up the legal peace legislation so far. But the congressional aide and source familiar expressed concern that without a resolution on legal peace soon, the whole deal will fall apart -- with no funds available for the embassy and USS Cole victims, no chance for 9/11 victims to sue, and delayed assistance to Sudan. ABC News's Ben Gittleson contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


‘Next up is Pakistan’: BJP as Rajasthan CM Gehlot, MLAs move to Jaisalmer

https://t.co/3fJoWv225O https://t.co/ti0DlrEvmu

Taking a swipe at Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot now moving his MLAs to Jaisalmer, the BJP state chief Satish Poonia said at this rate the legislators will soon reach Pakistan.  The MLAs, who had been camping in a hotel on the Jaipur-Delhi highway since July 13, arrived at the Jaipur airport amid tight security.  Five chartered flights ferried them to Jaisalmer, some 550km from state capital Jaipur.  CM Gehlot, facing rebellion from Sachin Pilot and 18 Congress MLAs, alleged poaching attempts by the BJP as reason to move his lawmakers to a new destination. “The government needs to be saved as you can see the way the Centre and its departments (I-T and ED) are after us.  The pressure will be less there (Jaisalmer).  I and most of the ministers will stay here and the rest will keep coming.  There will be no compromise in governance,” CM Gehlot told reporters before boarding the flight to Jaisalmer. The CM said since the governor announced assembly session dates, the MLAs and their family members have been receiving calls.  “Even threatening calls are being made.  What will happen to a country where horse trading is done at such a level? ” asked CM Gehlot. Hitting out at home minister Amit Shah, the CM said, “I take name of (Amit) Shah again and again as he was at the forefront (of toppling the governments) in Goa, Manipur, Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Goa.  What has happened to Amit Shah?  Day or night…awake or sleeping, he only thinks how to topple opposition governments.  If the elected government will be toppled in such a manner, then how will democracy be saved? ”According to Jaipur airport officials, the planes were hired from India Fly Safe Aviation Pvt Ltd and Himalayaputra Aviation Pvt.  Ltd.  A total of five charter planes --- three in afternoon and two in evening (carrying the CM) took around 100 MLAs to Jaisalmer.  Jaisalmer superintendent of police Ajay Singh escorted the legislators to Hotel Suryagarh, located about 20 km from the city on the Jaisalmer-Sam highway.  Heavy security has been deployed in and around the hotel.  BJP state chief Satish Poonia questioned where will the CM move them next?  “Pakistan is ahead now.  The CM talks high of democracy and constitution, but if there is unity and no fear then why do this.  The CM should run the government from secretariat and not from Fairmont hotel,” said Poonia.  The government, Poonia added, will not be able to face the opposition in the assembly this time.  “The situation of Congress in Rajasthan is self destructive.  The CM talks of democracy but is acting dictatorial and there is no governance,” he said. Defending the government, transport minister Pratap Singh said the MLAs were moved to Jaisalmer so that they can remain united.  “The chief minister’s strategy is that not a single MLA is poached,” he said.  The minister said shifting was part of their strategy.  “Work of people will not suffer,” he assured.  The hotel, built with Jaisalmer’s famous yellow limestone and shaped with high ‘parkota’-style walls, has 70 rooms and all of them are booked for MLAs.  Suryagarh has been the venue of shooting of TV serials and films.  The hotel has hosted many celebrity weddings, said Manoj Choudhary, a Jaisalmer-based travel agent.


Rajasthan reports 612 new #COVID19 positive cases and 5 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the total cases to 68,566 including 938 deaths, 52,721 recoveries and 14,907 active cases: State Health Department https://t.co/v0DGpHlmRD

Twelve people tested positive for Covid-19 in Mizoram on Monday, taking its tally to 789, an official said. There are 418 active cases in the state at present, while 371 people have recovered, he said. Six of the new cases were detected in Aizawl, three in Kolasib, two in Serchhip, and one in Lawngtlai district. The state tested 504 samples for Covid-19 on Sunday, he said. Meanwhile, Aizawl wore a deserted look with vehicles remaining off the road and residents staying indoors as the government imposed a four-day total lockdown that began on Sunday night. Filling stations, banks and some shops selling essential items were open, police said. The lockdown was imposed to stem the spread of the coronavirus.


Check out the most eye-catching looks from the #Oscars red carpet https://t.co/7OPAyZdTOu https://t.co/p8GiQDdQzR

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


The life of Rep. John Lewis, the civil rights leader, is being honored over six days of memorial ceremonies across five cities https://t.co/2j6tmHplVD https://t.co/QXaObKFM7E

Lewis was hit in the head with a billy club at a march on the bridge in 1965. Rep.  John Lewis makes final crossing of Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma More than five decades after he was slammed in the head by a white state trooper's billy club while he led a march on behalf of Rev.  Martin Luther King Jr.  across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, the late Rep.  John Lewis made one last crossing on Sunday. In an emotional ceremony that symbolizes the 80-year-old Lewis' lifelong work for civil rights, hundreds of mourners watched the procession escort the congressman's casket across the 1,284-foot bridge spanning the Alabama River.  A horse-drawn caisson carried Lewis' casket alone across the bridge. In an act that Alabama Rep.  Terri Sewell described a "poetic justice," Alabama state troopers saluted Lewis' casket, draped in an American flag, as it crossed the bridge. The somber journey brought Lewis full-circle to the spot where he almost died as a 25-year-old on March 7, 1965, when Alabama state troopers attacked him and other civil rights demonstrators in an incident that became known as "Bloody Sunday. " Lewis' skull was fractured in the ordeal in which then-Alabama Gov.  George Wallace ordered troopers to use all the force necessary to stop the marchers from reaching their destination at the state capitol building in Montgomery. "I was hit with a billy club, and I saw the state trooper that hit me," Lewis, who was first elected in 1987 to represent Georgia's 5th Congressional District, would recall later during a federal hearing.  "I was hit twice, once when I was lying down and was attempting to get up. "In subsequent interviews, Lewis said, "I thought I saw death.  I thought I was going to die. "The moment that Lewis was attacked was captured in news photographs that opened the eyes of the world on the brutality civil rights marchers were enduring in the South in a quest for voting rights and equality for Black Americans. "Our nation is better off because of John Robert Lewis.  My life is better.  Selma is better.  This nation and this world are better because of John Robert Lewis," Sewell said in a brief service outside the Brown Chapel A. M. E.  Church in Selma.  "John was determined to fight for equality and justice, putting his own life on the line in the service of others, and a brighter future for everyone.  John crossed bridges so many times, insisting our nation live up to the ideals on which it was founded. "A nine-member military honor guard carried Lewis casket from the church to the horse-drawn caisson. Mourners lining the streets leading up to the bridge shouted "We love you" and "We got this," vowing to carry on Lewis' work for equality and racial justice. Sunday's tribute to Lewis came during a six-day celebration of the man who became known as the "conscience of the U. S.  Congress. "It also occurred as protests against police brutality continued throughout the country in the wake of the police-involved death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The driver of the caisson carrying Lewis' casket paused at the top of the bridge, where in 1965 Lewis described meeting a sea of blue state troopers and decided to march into the face of the violent confrontation.  The driver stood and removed his black top hat for a moment of silence before carrying on. Members of Lewis' family, including his son, John-Miles Lewis, met the caisson and fell in line behind the casket for the final steps across the bridge. The Pettus bridge is named after a Confederate Army general, U. S.  senator and Klu Klux Klan leader.  A movement has been underway to change the name of the bridge to honor Lewis, who along with civil rights activist Hosea Williams led the 1965 march across the span on behalf of Rev.  King, who could not attend. Sunday's bridge crossing commenced a day after Lewis was eulogized in his hometown of Troy, Alabama. Sunday's march started at Brown Chapel A. M. E.  Church in an event titled "#Good Trouble: Courage, Sacrifice & the Long March for Freedom. "Lewis' body is scheduled to be taken later Sunday to Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery to lie in repose. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced last week that Lewis will be honored in a private ceremony in the U. S.  Capitol Rotunda on Monday, followed by an unprecedented public viewing taking place outside, as opposed to inside, the Capitol building due to coronavirus concerns on Monday night and Tuesday. Lewis will lie in state at the top of the East Front Steps of the U. S.  Capitol for the two-day public viewing. Lewis died on July 17, seven months after a routine medical visit revealed that he had stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He will be laid to rest on Thursday at South View Cemetery in Atlanta following a private funeral at Atlanta's historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, which the Rev.  Martin Luther King Jr.  once led. This report was featured in the Monday, July 27, 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


A video clip is viral claiming a copper letter box is found while leveling God Ram’s birthplace.  Viral: “राम जन्मभूमि के समतलीकरण में निकली तांबे की पत्र पेटी और उसके अंदर सुरक्षित रखा एक पत्र।”
Translation: “The copper letter box in the leveling of the Ram Janmabhoomi and a letter kept inside it. “ The tweet by puspendra kulshresth , a fake account has been retweeted more than 2900 times
 राम जन्मभूमि के समतलीकरण में निकली तांबे की पत्र पेटी और उसके अंदर सुरक्षित रखा एक पत्र। @Payal_Rohatgipic. twitter. com/sp1DLWAtfL — puspendra kulshresth (@puspendraarmy) June 11, 2020  archive Above ID tagged “Lalitesh Kushwah” whose tweet was retweetd 869 times राम जन्मभूमि के समतलीकरण में निकली तांबे की पत्र पेटी और उसके अंदर सुरक्षित रखा एक पत्र। pic. twitter. com/ezw8qDaqBG — Lalitesh Kushwah (@KushwahLalitesh) June 10, 2020   The video is not from Ayodhya, the contents also are not related to India 1.  There is no such news in credible media anywhere of this discovery.  2.  The video was first uploaded on 10th April 20, while the leveling in Ayodhya started in May 20 when many new things were found and many Fake News also were spread.    #altın #gümüş #mezarsoygunu #kazı #heykel #çilçil #bronz #hastalık #umut #hayal #gömü #lahit #mumya #a #küp #dedektör #macera #tümülüs #kazma #kürek #defineyourself2020 💯#yüzük #bilezik #küpe #künye #heykel #hızma #eser #instagram #toprak #tarihi 👍🏻 A post shared by  Define Avcisi ⛏💎💰 (@define. avcilari) on Apr 10, 2020 at 10:20am PDT  3.  The symbols on the pipe and on the paper are of Jewish origin while the letters on the paper are from Hebrew script.  Outside Symbols The outside of the box/pipe has two symbols –
Hamsa – (looks likes a palm) The Hamsa represents God’s hand, in all faiths it is a protective sign.  It brings its owner happiness, luck, health, and good fortune.
Menorah – (Looks like a candle stand) Represents the Temple in Jerusalem.  Appears in the Emblem of Israel.   Inside while opening, the first symbol is a Menorah with rampant lions on both sides   Text on the paper is in Hebrew, not Sanskrit or Hindi  The handle on the instagram has ancient coins and archeoligcal findings as his/her hobby, posted few more similar video –    #altın #gümüş #mezarsoygunu #kazı #heykel #çilçil #bronz #hastalık #umut #hayal #gömü #lahit #mumya #a #küp #dedektör #macera #tümülüs #kazma #kürek #defineyourself2020 💯#yüzük #bilezik #küpe #künye #heykel #hızma #eser #instagram #toprak #tarihi 👍🏻 A post shared by  Define Avcisi ⛏💎💰 (@define. avcilari) on Apr 29, 2020 at 4:49am PDT        #altın #gümüş #mezarsoygunu #kazı #heykel #çilçil #bronz #hastalık #umut #hayal #gömü #lahit #mumya #a #küp #dedektör #macera #tümülüs #kazma #kürek #defineyourself2020 💯#yüzük #bilezik #küpe #künye #heykel #hızma #eser #instagram #toprak #tarihi 👍🏻 A post shared by  Define Avcisi ⛏💎💰 (@define. avcilari) on May 1, 2020 at 10:03am PDT    #altın #gümüş #mezarsoygunu #kazı #heykel #çilçil #bronz #hastalık #umut #hayal #gömü #lahit #mumya #a #küp #dedektör #macera #tümülüs #kazma #kürek #defineyourself2020 💯#yüzük #bilezik #küpe #künye #heykel #hızma #eser #instagram #toprak #tarihi 👍🏻 A post shared by  Define Avcisi ⛏💎💰 (@define. avcilari) on Apr 6, 2020 at 11:22am PDT    #altın #gümüş #mezarsoygunu #kazı #heykel #çilçil #bronz #hastalık #umut #hayal #gömü #lahit #mumya #a #küp #dedektör #macera #tümülüs #kazma #kürek #defineyourself2020 💯#yüzük #bilezik #küpe #künye #heykel #hızma #eser #instagram #toprak #tarihi 👍🏻 A post shared by  Define Avcisi ⛏💎💰 (@define. avcilari) on Apr 8, 2020 at 12:36pm PDT      Many such Fake News were spread relating to on going work in Ayodhya Old Images from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bihar used to claim Buddha statues found in Ayodhya  The Ram, Lakshman and Sita idols were not excavated from Ayodhya but from a village in Jharkhand last year.   The Shivlinga in the photo was not found in Ayodhya excavation, but in Farrukhabad in 2016  No, this is not an artifact found during the Ram Mandir excavation in Ayodhya    List of False posts   2700 retweets – राम जन्मभूमि के समतलीकरण में निकली तांबे की पत्र पेटी और उसके अंदर सुरक्षित रखा एक पत्र। @Payal_Rohatgipic. twitter. com/sp1DLWAtfL — puspendra kulshresth (@puspendraarmy) June 11, 2020  869 RTs – राम जन्मभूमि के समतलीकरण में निकली तांबे की पत्र पेटी और उसके अंदर सुरक्षित रखा एक पत्र। pic. twitter. com/ezw8qDaqBG — Lalitesh Kushwah (@KushwahLalitesh) June 10, 2020  जय श्री राम  राम जन्मभूमि के समतलीकरण में निकली तांबे की पत्र पेटी और उसके अंदर सुरक्षित रखा एक पत्र। pic. twitter. com/7cwLbSUrS0 — Mahesh Patidar (@MaheshPatidar_) June 12, 2020  राम जन्मभूमि के समतलीकरण में निकली तांबे की पत्र पेटी और उसके अंदर सुरक्षित रखा एक पत्र। @DhamaShekhar @PanditSatender1 @advsunilnithora @AzadSenaChief @anitaparashar77 @AnupamPKher @AbhijatMishr @Dr_Uditraj pic. twitter. com/xqBzu62TWX — पंडित पंकज जमदग्नि (@PankajJamadagni) June 12, 2020  Amazing : राम जन्मभूमि के समतलीकरण में निकली तांबे की पत्र पेटी और उसके अंदर सुरक्षित रखा एक पत्र …#जय_श्रीराम 🚩 pic. twitter. com/SYLtefXUWJ — गौरव करिवाल ⚡ (@kariwall_gaurav) June 11, 2020  राम जन्मभूमि के समतलीकरण में निकली तांबे की पत्र पेटी और उसके अंदर सुरक्षित रखा एक पत्र। pic. twitter. com/Gq6K1lFkJr — 🚩🚩पुष्पेंद्र कुलश्रेष्ठ (राष्ट्र भक्त)🚩🚩 (@VaishnavDi) June 11, 2020  राम जन्मभूमि के समतलीकरण में निकली तांबे की पत्र पेटी और उसके अंदर सुरक्षित रखा एक पत्र। pic. twitter. com/5m35fzKmAz — Durgesh Singh (@durgeshmachhi) June 11, 2020  राम जन्मभूमि के समतलीकरण में निकली तांबे की पत्र पेटी और उसके अंदर सुरक्षित रखा एक पत्र। pic. twitter. com/xg4CAnk4ZC — मैं हूँ गोडसे (@HansrajAgarwal5) June 12, 2020  अयोध्या में राम जन्मभूमि के समतलीकरण में तांबे की पत्र पेटी निकलीऔर उसके अंदर सुरक्षित रखा एक पत्र मिला हैpic. twitter. com/yCyWhTYaeg — धर्मेन्द्र कुमार सिंह चौहान (सनातनी हिन्दू) (@Dharmen96551112) June 12, 2020  राम जन्मभूमि के समतलीकरण में निकली तांबे की पत्र पेटी और उसके अंदर सुरक्षित रखा एक पत्र। pic. twitter. com/5Z3OebEfrJ — NAVIN MEHTA 🇮🇳🇮🇳⛳⛳🕯🕯🐅🐅 (@inavinkmehta) June 11, 2020  राम जन्मभूमि के समतलीकरण में निकली तांबे की पत्र पेटी और उसके अंदर सुरक्षित रखा एक पत्र। pic. twitter. com/rC1SlffFU5 — Girish Panchal (@f2d85e2ad74b4e4) June 12, 2020  Tweet from Durgesh Singh (@durgeshmachhi) Durgesh Singh (@durgeshmachhi) Tweeted:राम जन्मभूमि के समतलीकरण में निकली तांबे की पत्र पेटी और उसके अंदर सुरक्षित रखा एक पत्र। pic. twitter. com/T6GbN4Smi6 https://t. co/B2WajD2VBX — Santosh Bhise (@SantoshBhise29) June 11, 2020  राम जन्मभूमि के समतलीकरण में निकली तांबे की पत्र पेटी और उसके अंदर सुरक्षित रखा एक पत्र। जय श्री राम 🚩🚩pic. twitter. com/2jVXjGazcm — Rahul kanwar Singh (@RahulSinghPund6) June 12, 2020  राम जन्मभूमि के समतलीकरण में निकली तांबे की पत्र पेटी और उसके अंदर सुरक्षित रखा एक पत्र pic. twitter. com/8IxmpID4fN — रमेश राजभर (@rameshrajbhar91) June 11, 2020  राम जन्मभूमि के समतलीकरण में निकली तांबे की पत्र पेटी और उसके अंदर सुरक्षित रखा एक पत्र। #जय_श्रीराम  🙏 pic. twitter. com/zNDfZq4pKQ — हिन्दू जीतेन्द्र विश्वकर्मा (@Jeetendravi) June 11, 2020  ये पत्र मिला राम जन्मभूमि में खुदाई के दौरानअब और क्या प्रमाण pic. twitter. com/VVwZ4BhXvh — शिवधाम (@Biresh76044619) June 9, 2020  राम जन्मभूमी परिसर में खुदाई के दौरान यह ताम्रपत्र मिला 🙏🚩🇮🇳  pic. twitter. com/rWxZTXGhEf — Neeta Ambani➐ (@modified_girl7) June 8, 2020  राम जन्मभूमि निर्माण क्षेत्र में जमीन समतल कि जा रही है जिसमें मन्दिर और हिंदुओं के प्रतीक के अवशेष मिल रहे हैं. .  कल कि खुदाई में हजारों वर्ष पुराना ताम्रपत्र मिला है जिसमें लिखी प्राचीन लिपि पर पुरातात्विक विशेषज्ञ शोध करेंगे. .  🚩जय श्री राम 🚩pic. twitter. com/k6lY2tgPKO — ABHISHEK BJP (@AbhishekBJPUP) June 7, 2020  राम जन्मभूमि के निर्माण में खुदाई में मिला ताम्रपत्र……. 🙏🏻 pic. twitter. com/9UbD3hS9cX — Prakash prajapati 🇮🇳 (@Prakash_1901) June 5, 2020  *राम जन्मभूमि के निर्माण में खुदाई में मिला ताम्रपत्र*🙏🏻 pic. twitter. com/LTPAJFzMJx — Deva Dansenad (@DansenaDeva) June 8, 2020  राम जन्मभूमि के समतलीकरण में निकली तांबे की पत्र पेटी और उसके अंदर सुरक्षित रखा एक पत्र। pic. twitter. com/ezw8qDaqBG — Lalitesh Kushwah (@KushwahLalitesh) June 10, 2020  @TIinExile इस ताम्रपत्र की सच्चाई क्या है क्या ये राम जन्मभूमि के निर्माण में खुदाई में मिला है pic. twitter. com/jIj1RCWMhV — Ashok Kumar (@AshokKu68479896) June 8, 2020  राम जन्मभूमि निर्माण क्षेत्र में जमीन समतल कि जा रही है जिसमें मन्दिर और हिंदुओं के प्रतीक के अवशेष मिल रहे हैं. . 🤔 कल कि खुदाई में हजारों वर्ष पुराना ताम्रपत्र मिला है जिसमें लिखी प्राचीन लिपि पर पुरातात्विक विशेषज्ञ शोध करेंगे. . 🤗pic. twitter. com/losmqNGA1c — Dr. Santosh vyas (@DrSantoshvyas1) June 7, 2020  *श्रीराम जन्मभूमि स्थल के समतलीकरण कार्य में एक स्थान पर खुदाई में मिला ताम्रपत्र…! *जय श्री राम 🙏🚩🙏🚩🙏🚩🙏🚩🙏🚩 pic. twitter. com/yL9jqWkr4a — अन्जू सारस्वत 🇮🇳 (@VoiceForSaffron) June 8, 2020  राम जन्मभूमि निर्माण क्षैत्र 🚩 में मन्दिर निर्माण के लियें जमीन समतल कि जा रही है जिसमें मन्दिर और हिन्दूऔ के प्रतीक के अवशेष मिल रहै है . .  कल कि खुदाई में हजारों वर्ष पुराना ताम्रपत्र मिला है जिसमें लिखी प्राचीन लिपि पर पुरातात्विक विशेषज्ञ शौध करेंगे . .  जय श्री राम 🚩😍😍 pic. twitter. com/MIduqxrt0H — PRASHANT_|🇮🇳 💯%F🔙 (@ONLY_FOR_RSS) June 7, 2020  Facebook