West Bengal: Domestic flight operations resume from today at Bagdogra Airport in Siliguri, during the fourth phase of #COVID19 lockdown. Passengers were screened and their luggage was disinfected before entering the airport. https://t.co/601VpjRRii

Domestic flight operations to and from West Bengal resumed from Thursday after a gap of two months due to the Covid-19 lockdown. The Kolkata airport tweeted that 122 passengers from Delhi arrived in the city after two months. “Welcome Back Passengers!  #KolkataAirport saw the arrival of 122 passengers from @DelhiAirport after two long months and 40 passengers departed to #Guwahati.  Proper checks were followed and regular sanitization was carried out in terminal which was abuzz with passengers,” the (Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International) NSCBI airport posted on Twitter.  Welcome Back Passengers! #KolkataAirport saw the arrival of 122 passengers from @DelhiAirport after two long months and 40 passengers departed to #Guwahati.  Proper checks were followed and regular sanitization was carried out in terminal which was abuzz with passengers.  pic. twitter. com/ZrqmPBxDSfThough domestic flight operations across the country began on May 25, it could not be restarted in Bengal as the state machinery was involved in the relief and restoration work after Cyclone Amphan devastated many areas of the state. On Thursday, 10 flights will take off from Kolkata and an equal number will arrive in Kolkata, news agency PTI reported.  Domestic flight operations will also resume at Bagdogra airport in north Bengal too. Passengers flying to and from the state have been asked by the West Bengal government to mandatorily submit “filled up self-declaration form” at the time of arrival to the state health officials. As per the revised guidelines issued by the state government for flyers, all passengers will have to undergo health screening at the point of departure and only “asymptomatic” passengers shall be allowed to board the plane. On arrival, health screening shall be done for all the passengers. The government further said in the guideline that all samples will be collected for coronavirus test from all symptomatic passengers. Those with moderate or severe symptoms will be admitted to the dedicated Covid-19 health facility and managed accordingly.  Those with mild symptoms will be asked to go for home or institutional isolation. Adequate publicity for maintenance of social distancing norms and health hygiene protocol should be done at the airport.


Motorists are warned not to flash their headlights at any oncoming cars driving with their lights off, because it may be a member of a gang who — as part of a gang initiation ritual — may follow you and assault or kill you.

Immigration is a topic filled with disinformation and misinformation, which is often offered up in fact-free (but media-friendly) soundbites and their online corollary, memes.  That they often contain no citation whatsoever is no hindrance to their spread.  One such enduring meme, which incidentally started out as a chain email at least a decade and a half before it came roaring back just in time for the immigration debate of the Trump administration, shows just how inaccurate such sources can be: Immigration is a significant issue for Americans and deserves attention, but whoever authored this did not help their cause.  Most of the figures are either difficult to prove or don’t match known facts.  Some seem to be completely fabricated.  Some versions say the figures are from the Los Angeles Times, which is not true.  Others say they are statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which is not true either.  One of the challenges with this topic is that many undocumented immigrants live out of sight of many studies and surveys.  Instead, the best figures about unauthorized immigration are mostly based on deductions from those who are either in professional positions working with immigrant issues or doing research on immigration.  None of the estimates should be considered the last word on unauthorized immigration, but all of the estimates dramatically contradict the assertions made in the meme.  Here is our research on each of the points of the email: 1.  40 percent of all workers in Los Angeles County are unauthorized?  Fiction.  The Economic Roundtable issued a report in 2005 on what it called “L. A’s off-the-books labor force. ” Its research was about the city of Los Angeles, not the entire county; it concluded that there were 3,908,000 wage earners in the city and about 972,000 “informal workers,” meaning they were getting paid under the table.  It does not break down how many of them might have been unauthorized workers, but even considering every under-the-table worker, the percentage was nowhere near 40 percent.  The Los Angeles Almanac estimated that the number of “unreported jobs” in 2005 in Los Angeles County at 643,000 with a number of workers at 4,090. 630.  2.  95 percent of warrants for murder in Los Angeles are for undocumented people?  Unproven.  The only source we were able to find for this specious number is a report by Heather McDonald and published by the Center for Immigration Studies, an anti-immigration group that is not considered at all reliable.  Despite this, McDonald repeated her conclusions on April 13, 2005 in testimony before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on “Immigration, Border Security, and Claims” saying that 95 percent of all outstanding warrants for homicide in Los Angeles targeted undocumented immigrants.  There is no source or statistic for this number, which she said she received as a “rough estimate” from a lone police detective in 2005.  Given that more than a decade has elapsed since this claim with no further proof that this number was anything but made up to begin with — and considering its source and that we have found absolutely no other numbers to back this shocking claim in Los Angeles County or anywhere else — we rate this Unproven.  However, it is almost certainly complete fiction.  3.  75 percent of people on the most wanted list in Los Angeles are undocumented?  Unproven.  Another specious number that is most likely completely false.  We could not find anything to substantiate this number.  It appears to be entirely made up, but since we could find nothing to specifically disprove it either, we’re rating this one Unproven.  4.  More than two-thirds of all births in Los Angeles County are to undocumented Mexicans on MediCal, whose births were paid for by taxpayers?  Fiction.  Medi-Cal, California’s version of Medicaid, paid for a little more than half of all births in the state as of 2011, the most recent numbers we could find.  As Medi-Cal exists to support low-income people amid skyrocketing living and healthcare costs and having a baby can be expensive, that figure makes sense.  What does not make sense is the false statistic given in this claim.  5.  Nearly 25 percent of all inmates in California detention centers are Mexican nationals in the United States without documentation?  Fiction.  National statistics show this claim is simply not true.  A 1993 report to the California Joint Committee on Prison Construction and Operations estimated that around 15 percent of the 116,000 state prison inmates were undocumented at that time.  In 2018, the Cato Institute used census data to look at the numbers throughout the country, with a caveat: A major limitation of the ACS data is that our estimates of the illegal immigrant population will include some legal migrants who are here on other visas but whose answers are consistent with those of illegal immigrants.  As a result, we likely overestimate the number of illegal immigrants who are incarcerated.  Thus, because of ACS’s data limitations, our estimates of the illegal immigrant incarcerated population and incarceration rate are likely greater than the actual population and rate.  [. . . ] An estimated 1,955,951 native-born Americans, 117,994 illegal immigrants, and 43,618 legal immigrants were incarcerated in 2016.  The incarceration rate for native-born Americans was 1,521 per 100,000, 800 per 100,000 for illegal immigrants, and 325 per 100,000 for legal immigrants in 2016 (Figure 1).  Illegal immigrants are 47 percent less likely to be incarcerated than natives.  Legal immigrants are 78 percent less likely to be incarcerated than natives.  If native-born Americans were incarcerated at the same rate as illegal immigrants, about 930,000 fewer natives would be incarcerated.  Conversely, if natives were incarcerated at the same rate as legal immigrants, about 1. 5 million fewer natives would be in adult correctional facilities.  We were unable to find updated statistics for California alone.  However, given that study after study has shown that immigrants (authorized or not) commit violent crimes at a far lower rate than native-born Americans, and that California had an estimated population of 2. 35 to 2. 6 million undocumented immigrants living in the state as of 2014, we are comfortable extrapolating the data and rating this one Fiction.  6.  More than 300,000 undocumented people in Los Angeles County are living in garages?  Fiction.  This was just made up.  We could not find anyone who kept statistics on garage-dwellers of any national origin, nor have we any idea how anyone could know those numbers.  The estimated population of undocumented people in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, according to the Los Angeles Times, is about one million total.  The idea that more than a quarter of the population of both those counties would then retire to garages in Los Angeles at the end of the day is a fever dream.  7.  The FBI reports that half of all gang members in Los Angeles are most likely undocumented from south of the border?  Fiction.  It is known that some gangs do include undocumented people as well as American citizens (including that reliable old bugbear MS-13, which originated in the Koreatown area of Los Angeles but was exported with stricter deportation policies; after that, it became a multinational gang. ) Nowhere has the FBI reported this.  8.  Nearly 60 percent of all occupants of HUD properties are undocumented?  Fiction.  Housing and Urban Development requires proof of citizenship applying for public assistance and has for many years: Key Requirements 1.  Assistance in subsidized housing is restricted to the following: a.  U. S.  citizens or nationals; and b.  Noncitizens who have eligible immigration status.  2.  All applicants for assistance must be given notice of the requirement to submit evidence of citizenship or eligible immigration status at the time of application.  The entity responsible for receiving the documentation, where possible, must arrange to provide the notice in a language that is understood by the individual if the person is not proficient in English.  (See Exhibits 3-3 and 3-4 for a sample notice and its accompanying Family Summary Sheet. ) 3.  All family members, regardless of age, must declare their citizenship or immigration status.  Families who are found to have undocumented members living in HUD properties receive a prorated rate of assistance.  This claim appears to simply be made-up red meat for the “immigrants don’t contribute to the public at large” crowd.  9.  Twenty-one radio stations in Los Angeles are Spanish language?  Mostly truth.  As Los Angeles — like every other large city — has a significant Spanish-speaking population, it also has Spanish-language media.  Given the nature of the radio format beast, the exact number varies by year, but there is a significant number of Spanish-language stations in Los Angeles and throughout the entire region.  10.  In L. A.  County 5. 1 million people speak English, but 3. 9 million speak Spanish?  Mostly fiction.  This assertion does not provide further details or specifications, and thus it is meaningless.  Do they mean only English?  Only Spanish?  Languages spoken at home?  Languages used to salt phrases?  Place names?  It’s unclear, so we went with languages primarily spoken at home.  As we previously mentioned, there is a large contingent of Spanish speakers in California.  This is largely due to its unique history and relative proximity to the Mexican border, Los Angeles County (thanks in large part to the Californios who settled in the region and their descendants) has the largest proportion of Spanish speakers of any American city: Spanish is the second most spoken language at home in Los Angeles County where 39 percent of residents, age 5 and older (3,582,992 persons), speak Spanish at home.  Many more may not speak Spanish at home, but speak it well at work or in the marketplace.  English-only speakers make up 44 percent of Los Angeles County residents, age 5 and older.  Spanish was the first non-Native. . .


PM Modi to launch 'Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan' on 20 June to boost livelihood opportunities in rural India. The campaign of 125 days across 116 districts in 6 states to work in mission mode to help migrant workers: Prime Minister's Office
(file pic) https://t.co/nSu55zqH4H

As many as 116 senior bureaucrats have been appointed as central nodal officers for achieving objectives of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan, the government’s ambitious employment-cum-rural public works campaign for migrant workers affected by the coronavirus pandemic.  These bureaucrats of the level of Joint Secretary are drawn from different services, including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Forest Service (IFoS) among others. “The nodal officers will work in close collaboration with state government officials and district magistrates/collectors/deputy commissioners as per the guidelines of the Abhiyaan, being issued by the Department of Rural Development separately,” an order issued by the Personnel Ministry said. It may be noted that the nodal officers would be required to discharge their duties through VCs, digital maps etc, details of which may be confirmed from the Department of Rural Development, it said. Madhya Pradesh cadre IAS officers Vivek Aggarwal and Hari Ranjan Rao have been appointed nodal officers for the state’s Bhind and Alirajpur districts.  Aggarwal and Rao are posted as Joint Secretary in the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, and the Department of Telecommunications, respectively. IAS officer Partha Sarthi Sensharma has been appointed as the central nodal officer for Uttar Pradesh’s Hardoi district.  He is at present Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers. Senior bureaucrat Abhishek Singh will be the nodal officer for Uttar Pradesh’s Azamgarh district.  Singh is the Chief Executive Officer of MyGov India, the government’s citizen-centric online platform. Subodh Kumar Singh has been made nodal officer for UP’s Ayodhya district.  Singh, a 1997 batch IAS officer of Chhattisgarh cadre, is at present Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Saturday launched the campaign to empower and provide livelihood opportunities in areas/villages witnessing large number of returnee migrant workers affected by the devastating Covid-19.  The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan (GKRA) of 125 days will involve focused implementation of 25 categories of works/activities in 116 districts, each with a large concentration of returnee migrant workers in six states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Odisha.  Public works to be undertaken during this campaign will have a resource envelope of Rs 50,000 crore. The 25 works or projects are related to meet the needs of villages like rural housing for the poor, plantations, provision of drinking water through Jal Jeevan mission, panchayat bhavans, community toilets, rural mandis, rural roads, other infrastructure like cattle sheds, anganwadi bhavans among others.  The program will be a convergent effort between 12 different ministries/departments, namely Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Road Transport and Highways, Mines, Drinking Water and Sanitation, Environment, Railways, Petroleum and Natural Gas, New and Renewable Energy, Border Roads, Telecom and Agriculture, to expedite implementation of 25 public infrastructure works and works relating to augmentation of livelihood opportunities. A workshop through video conferencing is being organised on Friday, which will be addressed by the Secretary, Rural Development and secretaries of concerned ministries/departments, the Personnel Ministry order said.  “All nodal officers are required to attend the workshop in which the tasks involved will be explained in detail,” it added.


Delhi: PM Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla and other leaders pay floral tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, at the Parliament, on his birth anniversary today. https://t.co/CUov2K9FPy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid tributes to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray on their birth anniversary. Sharing a video on Twitter on Netaji’s 123rd birth anniversary, the PM listed his contributions in the freedom struggle and said the nation will always remain grateful to him. “India will always remain grateful to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose for his bravery and indelible contribution to resisting colonialism.  He stood up for the progress and well-being of his fellow Indians,” Modi said.  India will always remain grateful to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose for his bravery and indelible contribution to resisting colonialism.  He stood up for the progress and well-being of his fellow Indians.  pic. twitter. com/otUlFanULsThe prime minister also tweeted a note written by Netaji’s father Jankinath Bose at the time of his birth: “On 23rd January 1897, Janakinath Bose wrote in his diary, ‘A son was born at midday. ’ This son became a valorous freedom fighter and thinker who devoted his life towards one great cause - India’s freedom.  I refer to Netaji Bose, who we proudly remember on his Jayanti today. ” On 23rd January 1897, Janakinath Bose wrote in his diary, "A son was born at midday. "This son became a valorous freedom fighter and thinker who devoted his life towards one great cause- India’s freedom.  I refer to Netaji Bose, who we proudly remember on his Jayanti today.  pic. twitter. com/wp3UjudKJ4In another tweet, PM Modi paid homage to Bal Thackeray on his 94th birth anniversary, calling the Sena founder a “courageous” leader who never hesitated from raising issues of public welfare.  “Tributes to the great Balasaheb Thackeray on his Jayanti.  Courageous and indomitable, he never hesitated from raising issues of public welfare.  He always remained proud of Indian ethos and values.  He continues to inspire millions,” the prime minister said.  Tributes to the great Balasaheb Thackeray on his Jayanti.  Courageous and indomitable, he never hesitated from raising issues of public welfare.  He always remained proud of Indian ethos and values.  He continues to inspire millions. The Shiv Sena has planned a massive show of strength on the occasion of the party’s founder Bal Thackeray’s birth anniversary in Mumbai.  The party has organised a mega gathering to mark its rise to power in the echelons of the Mantralaya.  Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray will be felicitated by 11 senior Sena leaders at the event MMRDA Grounds in Bandra Kurla Complex in the evening.


The #Grammys is traditionally one of the most bold and outrageous award ceremonies, fashion-wise. Some attendees found last-minute ways to pay homage to late NBA legend Kobe Bryant. https://t.co/XbMyy2UNuM https://t.co/oAkY30mUZY

The crash resulted in a fire on the scene in the upscale suburb of Calabasas. This is the story of Kobe Bryant’s life Basketball legend Kobe Bryant is among nine people who died in a helicopter crash in the wealthy Southern California residential neighborhood of Calabasas, ABC News has confirmed. Bryant's 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, died alongside her father, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. Bryant was 41 years old. There were no survivors in the crash around 10 a. m.  local time Sunday, fire officials said in a press conference. Orange Coast College head baseball coach John Altobelli was also on board the aircraft, the school said in a statement.  The family later confirmed Altobelli's wife, Keri, and daughter, Alyssa, were also among those killed. The names of the other victims will not be publicly identified until next-of-kin are notified, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva told reporters. "God bless their souls," Villanueva said, adding that members from the coroner's office are on their way to assist in the recovery of the remains. The Sikorsky S-76 helicopter crashed under unknown circumstances, a spokesperson from the National Transportation Safety Board told ABC News.  Firefighters worked to contain the quarter-acre brush fire that resulted, which was difficult to extinguish due to the presence of magnesium, which reacts to oxygen and water, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl Osby told reporters. The debris from the aircraft was scattered on steep terrain, Osby said.  Paramedics on board an air ambulance were hoisted down to the scene but were not able to locate any survivors, he added. Witnesses who were mountain biking in the area saw the helicopter in distress, Los Angeles County Fire Capt.  Tony Imbrenda told reporters.  It is not known whether the pilot alerted over radio that the aircraft was in distress, Imbrenda said. It is unclear who the helicopter belonged to or where it originated from and was going to.  The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash. The FBI will also be helping the NTSB in its investigation because it has evidence response teams. While the cause of the crash is still unclear, the Los Angeles Police Department told ABC News it was not flying choppers on Sunday morning since the weather, specifically visibility, did not meet LAPD’s standards for flying. Bryant was drafted to the NBA out of high school in 1996 and spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning five NBA championships.  He was awarded NBA MVP in 2008 and NBA Finals MVP in 2009 and 2010. Bryant won gold medals as a member of the U. S.  men's basketball team in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. LeBron James surpassed Bryant on the all-time scoring list on Saturday during the Lakers' game against the Philadelphia 76ers. "I'm happy just to be in any conversation with Kobe Bean Bryant -- one of the all-time greatest basketball players to ever play, one of the all-time greatest Lakers," James told reporters after the game.  "The man got two jerseys hanging up in Staples Center.  It's just crazy. "Bryant tweeted at James congratulating him on beating his record. In 2018, Bryant won an Academy Award for his animated short "Dear Basketball," based on a poem he wrote in 2015 when he announced his retirement. Bryant told "Good Morning America" anchor Robin Roberts in December 2015 that he wrote a letter to his fans upon retirement because he wanted to show how much they meant to him. "The letter itself still doesn't do it justice and how important they've been -- how vital they've been in my career," he said.  "And I mean, we grew up together.  And that's such a beautiful thing. "Bryant was embroiled in controversy during a 2005 trial when he was accused of sexual assault by an employee at a Vail, Colorado, hotel.  Bryant always denied the encounter was nonconsensual and the case was later dismissed after the victim said she did not want to testify and the two parties settled a civil suitSilver said in a statement that the "NBA family is devastated by the tragic passing" of Bryant and his daughter and offered condolences to Bryant's wife, Vanessa, and their family. "For 20 seasons, Kobe showed us what is possible when remarkable talent blends with an absolute devotion to winning," Silver's statement read.  "He was one of the most extraordinary players in the history of our game with accomplishments that are legendary:  five NBA championships, an NBA MVP award, 18 NBA All-Star selections, and two Olympic gold medals.  But he will be remembered most for inspiring people around the world to pick up a basketball and compete to the very best of their ability.  He was generous with the wisdom he acquired and saw it as his mission to share it with future generations of players, taking special delight in passing down his love of the game to Gianna. "Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti described Bryant in a statement as a "giant who inspired, amazed, and thrilled people everywhere with his incomparable skill on the court -- and awed us with his intellect and humility as father, husband, creative genius, and ambassador for the game he loved. ""He will live forever in the heart of Los Angeles, and will be remembered through the ages as one of our greatest heroes," Garcetti said.  "This is a moment that leaves us struggling to find words that express the magnitude of shock and sorrow we are all feeling right now, and I am keeping Kobe's entire family in my prayers at this time of unimaginable grief. "The Lakers' next game will be against the Los Angeles Clippers Tuesday at the Staples Center at 7 p. m.  PT. Fans flocked to the scene of the crash, the Staples Center and the Kobe Bryant Gymnasium at the Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, where Bryant played basketball prior to being drafted, to mourn the fallen NBA star. In a statement, the school praised Bryant to raising "the profiled of the high school" and the school district, according to ABC Philadelphia station WPVI.  Bryant led the team to the 1996 state championship. "Our school community will always be grateful for his ongoing generosity to his alma mater, including his dedication of our Kobe Bryant Gymnasium and his support of our boys' and girls' basketball teams. The NBA Player's Association wrote in a statement that it was "stunned and devastated" by the news of Bryant's death. "Words cannot express his impact on our Players, the NBA and the game of basketball," the statement read.  "This is a monumental loss for the entire basketball community and our hearts are quite simply broken.  We send love and prayers out to his wife Vanessa and the entire family. "ABC News' Matthew Furhman, Matthew Foster, Darren Reynolds and Matthew Vann contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


West Bengal: BJP chief JP Nadda meets family of party worker Abhijeet Sarkar who was killed in post-poll violence, in Sitala Tala Lane, Beliaghata, Kolkata.

Union Minister V Muraleedharan, state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh and state general secretary Locket Chatterjee also present. https://t.co/Or9FbtRfaY

The Centre on Monday accorded X-category security cover of Central industrial Security Force (CISF) to 61 lawmakers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal.  The decision has been taken in the wake of alleged violence against party leaders and workers in the state, officials said. In X-category security cover, three to five armed personnel accompany the protecteee round the clock depending on the threat perception. The Union home ministry approved the security cover after taking into cognisance a report prepared by central security agencies and the inputs of a high-level team of officers that was sent to the state by the ministry in the wake of post-poll violence against the workers of the BJP, news agency PTI reported. Several BJP leaders were already put under VIP security protection during campaigning for the assembly elections.  After the fresh order, all 77 MLAs of the BJP have now been brought under central security cover. Suvendu Adhikari, who has been chosen as the leader of opposition in West Bengal Assembly, is already under Z-category protection by CRPF while four more BJP leaders have Y-category security cover. The BJP has emerged as the main opposition party in the state, winning 77 seats in the 294-member house in the recently concluded polls where the Trinamool Congress (TMC) led by chief minister Mamata Banerjee formed the government. Violence has been reported in several parts of West Bengal after the results of the assembly elections were declared on May 2.  The BJP alleged that nine of its party workers were killed in the post-poll violence.  However, the TMC has denied the allegations. On May 7, a four-member team deputed by the Union home ministry visited the Diamond Harbour area of West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district to assess the ground situation. Meanwhile, the West Bengal government on Monday told a Calcutta high court bench that there has been no post-poll political violence in the state since May 9 and assured that all steps will be taken to ensure peace in future. The five-judge bench was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by a lawyer and directed that all steps be taken in this regard by May 17 and posted the matter for hearing on May 18.


Indoor dining in New York City will close beginning Monday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo says. Outdoor dining and takeout can continue. https://t.co/MLM8uJ8ejr

Two main trucks left the Pfizer facility on Sunday morning, the company said. FDA authorizes COVID-19 vaccine as number of cases hit another record highA pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now infected more than 71. 5 million people and killed over 1. 6 million worldwide, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. Nevada Gov.  Steve Sisolak extended his state's coronavirus restrictions through at least Jan.  15 as COVID-19 cases and deaths surge in the Silver State. Nearly every state in the U. S.  reports more than 100 people hospitalized per million, according to the COVID Tracking Project.  However, Nevada reports 592, which translates into one out of 1,700 people in the state, according to the project. "We continue to see an increase of hospitalizations statewide with almost 1,700 Nevadans battling COVID as of Friday," Sisolak said at a press conference Sunday. The governor also announced Sunday that he would sign an order to place a moratorium on most residential evictions in Nevada. Since the start of the pandemic, Nevada has had more than 186,000 cases, with at least 2,529 deaths. The first vaccinations in the state of Washington could be distributed as early as Tuesday, Gov.  Jay Inslee said. The initial shipment of the Pfizer vaccine arrives in the state on Monday. "This is just fantastic news . . .  we are getting this vaccine," the governor said, adding he will get the vaccine himself when it is appropriate for his age group. "Health care workers and long-term care residents will receive the vaccine first," he said. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency reported 1,030 newly diagnosed COVID-19 cases on Sunday, bringing the country's total to 46,645. This is the first time since the beginning of the pandemic that South Korea broke the 1,000 mark in new cases and follows Saturday's record of 950 new cases. Yonhap reports that President Moon Jae-in held an emergency meeting and called the current situation "the worst crisis" since the outbreak began and a "desperate time" when the government should make an all-out effort stem further infections. -ABC News' Christine TheodorouItaly's Civil Protection Agency reported 484 new deaths on Sunday, bringing the total number of fatalities in the country to 64,520, surpassing the United Kingdom which stands at 64,267, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. There were 17,938 new COVID-19 cases reported in Italy, representing an 11. 7% positivity rate and brings the total number of diagnosed cases to 1,843,712. There have been a total of 372,965 deaths and 14,959,949 cases in the EU and the U. K. , according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. -ABC News' Christine Theodorou


This morning, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray spoke to Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani to discuss the impact of #CycloneTauktae on both the states: Maharashtra Chief Minister's Office (CMO)

(File photos) https://t.co/SqcK2INy9E

India is seeing a surge in its daily new cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) as the second wave of the pandemic has set its foot in the country.  On Friday morning, the Union ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW) data showed that India recorded 81,466 fresh cases of Covid-19 in the preceding 24 hours, and 469 related deaths, taking the infection tally and death toll to 12,303,131 and 163,396 respectively. Earlier this week, the Union health ministry said that the pandemic situation in the country is "turning from bad to worse. " The western state of Maharashtra, in particular, is bearing the brunt of this second wave, logging more daily fresh infections than it did in the first wave.  On Thursday, the state saw 43,183 cases, its highest in a single-day, and 249 deaths.  At 2,856,163, Maharashtra has the highest Covid-19 tally in the country while its death toll is at 54,898. Follow all the updates here:Maharashtra records 47,827 new cases of Covid-19, 202 fatalitiesMaharashtra on Friday recorded 47. 827 cases of Covid-19, pushing the state-wide tally to 2,904,076.  202 deaths were also recorded in the last 24 hours, the death toll now stands at 55,379. Uddhav Thackeray warns of lockdown in Maharashtra if no alternative is found in next two daysI am not announcing the lockdown but warning about it.  If there is no alternative found to the lockdown in next two days we will have to take decision," CM Uddhav Thackeray said, adding restrictions will be imposed on festivals this year too. Hospital beds will be full, shortage of oxygen: CM warns as Covid-19 riseOne of districts are facing shortage of oxygen beds, ventilators.  "If the current growth in Covid cases continues, hospital beds will be full, there could also be shortage of oxygen," says CM Uddhav Thackeray. Stricter Covid-19 curbs to be imposed from Saturday or Sunday: ThackerayWe have been stuck in catch 22 situation.  Lockdown leads to the economic crisis.  There is need to take to streets to help health care workers and patients and not to oppose lockdown.  Stricter curbs will be imposed from tomorrow or day after, the chief minister of Maharashtra said.  "I will discuss with experts from various fields in next two days to find out alternative to lockdown. "Maharashtra CM urges positive response from all parties to his lockdown requestMaharashtra tops the chart of vaccination with more than 65 lakh people inoculated so far.  All the parties in the state should positively respond to my request when it comes to lockdown. There can be shortage of healthcare infrastructure in next 15-20 days, says Uddhav Thackeray on Covid surgeThe chief minister informed that the number of beds has been increased to 3. 75 lakh beds from a 8,000-10,000 during pre Covid times.  In January end Mumbai was reporting 350 patients a day which has now gone up to 8,500 a day today.  Next could be shortage of healthcare infrastructure in next 15-20 days, Thackeray added, questioning the availability of doctors and health care workers. Lockdown still a possibility, says Maharashtra CMThere is still possibility of a complete lockdown to tackle outbreak of Covid-19 epidemic, said the chief minister during the address.  "We lowered the guards of late, crowding was witnessed at wedding ceremonies and public places," he added. Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray says ‘second Covid-19 wave more severe than first one’Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray addressing the citizens of the state said, today we have increased the tests capacity to 182,000 a day with the help of 500 labs and the capacity will be raised to 250,000 in next few days. Mumbai reports a record high of 8,832 Covid-19 cases in a day; 20 deaths#CoronavirusUpdates2-Apr, 6:00pm#NaToCorona pic. twitter. com/qjNSXbWhtP8 cases of N440K Covid-19 strain found in Chhattisgarh till date8 cases of N440K Covid-19 strain found in the state, till now.  Yesterday, the State reported 4,617 new cases, the highest till now.  Around 3000 ICU and oxygen beds available at private and govt hospitals.  We want to maintain target of vaccinating over 2 lakh people daily, said Chhattisgarh health minister reported ANI. Tamil Nadu reports 3,290 new Covid-19 casesTamil Nadu reports 3,290 new Covid-19 cases, 1,715 recoveries and 12 deaths in the last 24 hours. Karnataka logs 4,991 new Covid-19 casesKarnataka reports 4991 new Covid-19 cases, 1631 discharges, and 6 deaths today. Chandigarh reports 287 new Covid-19 cases, takes tally to over 27,000Chandigarh reports 287 new Covid-19 cases taking the total number of cases to 27,543. Kerala reports 2,506 new Covid-19 casesKerala reports 2506 new Covid-19 cases today.  The number of active cases at 26,407; so far 10,98,526 patients have recovered. Maharashtra: Nagpur reports 4,108 new Covid-19 casesNagpur district reported 4108 new Covid-19 cases, 3214 recoveries and 60 Death, in the last 24 hours, as per Civil Surgeon, Nagpur, reported ANI. Andhra Pradesh reports 1,288 new Covid-19 casesAndhra Pradesh reports 1288 new Covid-19 cases, 610 recoveries and 5 deaths, in the past 24 hours. Delhi reports 3,583 new Covid-19 cases, CM says it is the fourth wave In the last few days, Covid-19 cases in Delhi have been rising.  3,583 new cases have been reported in Delhi in the last 24 hours.  This rise in cases now is the fourth wave.  We are taking all possible measures, there is no need to worry, said Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. Delhi CM holds meeting with health minister Jain, other officials over Covid-19 surgeDelhi CM Arvind Kejriwal holds meeting with Health Minister Satyendar Jain and other officials, over increasing #COVID19 cases.  pic. twitter. com/XLVi8SGbfZTV actor Rupali Ganguly tests Covid-19 positive TV actor Rupali Ganguly, known for featuring in shows such as "Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai", "Sanjivani" and "Bigg Boss", on Friday said she has tested positive for Covid-19 and is under quarantine, reported PTI. Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot expresses concern over rise in Covid-19 casesRajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday expressed concern over the increasing number of coronavirus cases in the state, saying most of the people infected in the second wave of the spread of the disease are being found asymptomatic, reported PTI. Madhya Pradesh: 2 booked for spreading confusion over Covid-19 vaccinationPolice here have registered an offence against two unidentified persons for allegedly spreading confusion over the Covid-19 vaccination drive on a social networking platform, an official said on Friday, reported PTI. Covid-19 second wave in India may peak by mid-April: ScientistsScientists have predicted using a mathematical model that the ongoing second-wave of Covid-19 pandemic across the country could peak by mid-April, following which the infections may see a steep decline by the end of May, reports PTI. Robert Vadra tests Covid positive, Priyanka Gandhi goes into isolationहाल में कोरोना संक्रमण के संपर्क में आने के चलते मुझे अपना असम दौरा रद्द करना पड़ रहा है। मेरी कल की रिपोर्ट नेगेटिव आई है मगर डॉक्टरों की सलाह पर मैं अगले कुछ दिनों तक आइसोलेशन में रहूँगी। इस असुविधा के लिए मैं आप सभी से क्षमाप्रार्थी हूँ। मैं कांग्रेस विजय की प्रार्थना करती हूँ pic. twitter. com/B1PlDyR8rcMaharashtra CM to address people of state tonight, says Mumbai mayorMaharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to address people of the state today at 8:30 pm: Mumbai Mayor Kishori PednekarPune divisional commissioner announces 12-hr night curfewA 12-hour night curfew from 6pm to 6am in Pune from tomorrow, 3rd April.  Situation will be reviewed on next Friday.  Bars, hotels, restaurants to remain closed for 7 days, only home delivery will be allowed: Pune divisional commissioner8 states/UTs contributed 81. 25% of new Covid-19 cases: Health ministryMaharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Delhi and UP have shown a steep rise in the Covid-19 daily new cases; account for 81. 25% of the new cases reported in the last 24 hours (81,466): Health ministryNo new deaths in 12 states/UTs in last 24 hours: Health ministry12 states/UTs reported no death in the last 24 hours; Odisha, Ladakh, Daman & Diu & Dadra& Nagar, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, Sikkim, Lakshadweep, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Arunachal Pradesh: Health ministryLockdown announced for Chhattisgarh's DurgAfter surge in Covid-19 cases, district collector in Chhattisgarh's Durg announced lockdown in the district starting from April 6 to April 14, officials said on Friday. Puducherry records 213 new Covid-19 cases, 1 deathPuducherry reported 213 fresh Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours while one more patient succumbed to the virus pushing the toll to 684, a top health department official said on Friday. Puducherry L-G receives first shot of Covid-19 vaccineTamilisai Soundararajan, Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, received her first shot of #COVID19 vaccine at Rajiv Gandhi Government Women And Children's Hospital, Puducherry.  pic. twitter. com/6bFUJhLFAnPuducherry L-G Tamilisai Soundararajan receives first shot of Covid-19 vaccine Rajiv Gandhi Government Women And Children's Hospital, Puducherry. Over 245 million samples tested for Covid-19: ICMRCOVID-19 Testing Update.  For more details visit: https://t. co/dI1pqvXAsZ @MoHFW_INDIA @DeptHealthRes #ICMRFIGHTSCOVID19 #IndiaFightsCOVID19 #CoronaUpdatesInIndia #COVID19 #Unite2FightCorona pic. twitter. com/KMOo8Pqyi4245,912,587 samples tested for Covid-19 till 1 April 2021, says Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Brazil records more than 91,000 new Covid-19 casesBrazil recorded 91,097 new Covid-19 infections and 3,769 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking its nationwide tallies to 12,839,844 and 325,284, respectively, the Health Ministry said on Thursday. Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray to chair high-level meetMaharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to chair a high-level meeting with officials on Friday, over the Covid-19 situation in the state. 965 fresh Covid-19 cases and five deaths in TelanganaTelangana recorded 965 Covid-19 cases on Thursday, its highest spike this year, and five deaths.  Infection tally reaches 309,741 while death toll reaches 1,706. India's Covid-19 recoveries top 11. 5 millionIndia's Covid-19 recoveries reach 11,525,039 with 50,356 more recoveries in last 24 hours.  Active cases mount to 614,696, up by 30,641. India logs 81,466 new Covid-19 cases and 469 deathsIndia records 81,466 new Covid-19 cases as tally reaches 12,303,131.  Death toll reaches 163,396 with 469 more related fatalities.  9,136 more cases than from a day before. Over 68 million Covid-19 vaccinations till date, says health ministry3,671,242 vaccinations for Covid-19 done on 1st April.  A total of 68,789,138 vaccinations done till date: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW)No new Covid-19 case in Australia's Queensland provinceAustralia's state of Queensland that has been battling a small outbreak of Covid-19 recorded no new cases on Friday, a day after three-day snap lockdown was lifted on the state's capital Brisbane.  Authorities managed to contain the spread of the virus that quickly grew to 18 cases. Crowds throng Mumbai's Dadar despite city's record spikeMaharashtra: Crowd seen at Dadar vegetable market in Mumbai this morning.  Mumbai reported 8,646 new #COVID19 cases yesterday.  pic. twitter. com/9xkwPgBXGyCrowds seen at Dadar vegetable market in Mumbai on Friday morning. France records over 50,000 new Covid-19 cases, 308 deathsFrance records over 50,000 new Covid-19 cases for second straight day as 50,659 fresh infections take national tally to 4,695,082.  Death toll rises to 69,904 with 308 new fatalities. Newborn twins test Covid-19 positive in Gujarat's VadodaraGujarat: Newborn twins tested positive for #COVID19 in Vadodara"Twins were brought in 15 days after being born with severe diarrhoea & dehydration.  They tested positive but are better now.  Haven't been discharged yet," said Dr Iyer, Head Dept of Pediatrics, SSG Hospital (01. 04) pic. twitter. com/vvg1Mzl6U7Newborn twins in Gujarat's Vadodara test Covid-19 positive 15 days after birth, better now: Doctor9 new Covid-19 cases in ChinaChina reported nine new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, as against 16 a day earlier.  Tally at 90,226 while death toll unchanged at 4,636. Get our daily newsletter Get free access to newsletters, alerts and recommendations


BREAKING: Michael Bloomberg suspends his presidential campaign. https://t.co/E8wGQ4gQke

By Brian Stelter, CNN BusinessUpdated 2:56 PM ET, Wed March 4, 2020 New York (CNN Business)As Bloomberg TV wrapped up its live coverage of Super Tuesday, correspondent Kevin Cirilli asked, "Who had the worst night tonight? "With Michael Bloomberg suspending his presidential campaign today, it must be said: @mniquette has been a complete and total pro. I was lucky to have worked with him several times on the muni team over the years, including interviewing then-Indiana Governor Mike Pence in NYC.  pic. twitter. com/bibpC9yF92


A video is being shared widely on social media with a claim that it shows Indian farmers standing on the Indian national flag and damaging it.  In the video, it can be heard that the people are making ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ slogans.  Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post. Claim: Video of Indian farmers standing on the Indian flag and damaging it. Fact: The video was shot in Sacramento in California (US).  The people in the video damaged the Indian flag as a protest against India for ‘1984 Sikh Genocide’.  Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE. In the posted video, a profile ID – ‘amanvir_singh5’ can be seen on the top-left corner.  So, when we searched with that name on the internet, it was found that a TikTok profile exists with that same ID.  On looking through that profile, a similar video (archived) was found to be uploaded by him.  The Sikh man (same shirt and turban) in the video can be seen in the posted video.  The video can be watched here. In one of his previous videos, ‘amanvir_singh5’ asks people to assemble at ‘7609 Wilbur Way, Sacramento, CA 95828’ on ‘25 January 2021 – Monday – 11 am’ to protest against India for the ‘1984 Sikh Genocide’. On looking at the mentioned address on Google Street View, it was confirmed that the posted video was taken at the address mentioned by ‘amanvir_singh5’ in his video.  Hence, we can conclude that the video was not taken in India.  It was shot in California (US).   Below is the comparison in the similarities of the visuals shared in the post and the Google Street Video. Also, ‘amanvir_singh5’ has posted a video on his profile on 07 January 2021 saying that he will be burning the Indian flag, which he ordered on the Amazon website.  A Twitter user has tagged Jeff Bezos and Amazon and asked them not to deliver the flag, and tagged Tik Tok with a request to ban ‘amanvir_singh5’ account for spreading hate and disrespecting the Indian flag.  Even in the Amazon order details, it is written – “Ship to: Amanvir – Bakersfield, CA”. To sum it up, the posted video does not show farmers in India standing on the Indian flag and damaging it.  The video was shot in California (US).


76 new #COVID19 positive cases have been reported in Haryana today, taking the total number of cases in the state to 1381: Health Department, Haryana https://t.co/YTYpKjFBes

The total number of coronavirus disease cases in Bihar rose to 2,968 after 231 fresh cases were reported on Tuesday.  The disease has claimed 15 lives in the state so far. Patna is the worst-affected district in the state.  It reported six fresh cases which took its tally to 217.  Among those testing positive, four were personnel of the Bihar Military Police. The second worst-hit district, Rohtas, saw a sudden spurt in the number of Covid-19 cases.  It reported 35 cases in a day, and its tally breached the 200-mark.  Those testing positive in the district, which has reported a total of 201 cases, included four children under five years of age, the youngest being a one-year-old boy, according to figures made available by the state health department. A boy and a girl, both a year-old, were among 31 people testing positive in the remote north Bihar district of Madhubani, which now ranks third with 176 cases. Significant numbers of cases were also reported from districts like Darbhanga, Banka, Sheikhpura and Kishanganj. In addition to the three worst-affected districts, Begusarai, Munger, Khagaria, Katihar, Buxar and Jehanabad have tallies in three digits.  None of the 38 districts in the state has a tally below 10. The latest casualty due to Covid-19 in the state is a 40-year-old man from Nalanda district, who died at a hospital in Pawapuri.  He had tested positive for the disease, civil surgeon Ram Singh said on Tuesday.  The man had come from Noida on May 20 and and was admitted to a local hospital.  He died four days later. Singh said that the deceased had been lodged at a quarantine centre in Bihar Sharif, the district headquarter town, but was rushed to the Pawapuri-based facility upon developing severe symptoms of fever and cough. The results triggered panic in the area with family members refusing to attend the funeral, which was conducted by the administration. The other districts reporting casualties are Patna, Vaishali, Khagaria, Rohtas, East Champaran, Munger, Sitamarhi, Saran and Siwan. The state health department said that 800 people have so far recovered from Covid-19. The migrant workers returning to Bihar from various parts of the country comprise a major chunk of those testing positive, the state administration said. According to Anupam Kumar, Secretary for Information and Public Relations Department, 15. 41 lakh migrant workers have come back to Bihar during the lockdown by 1,026 Shramik Specials so far and another 5. 29 lakh are scheduled to arrive soon in 321 special trains.


A video of a snow-capped mountain range has been shared with the following message on social media – “Due to the efforts of the Government of India, it was possible to see the top of Mount Kailash for the first time. ” The message adds that the video was taken on July 21, 2021.  One Facebook user Sachin KushwAh garnered 2,000 shares for the video.  राम राम जी🙏🙏 भारत सरकार के प्रयास के कारण कैलाश पर्वत के ऊपर का दृश्य पहली बार संभव हो सका है जी 21-7-2021 सावन प्रारंभ हो गया आप भी दर्शन कर लें जीPosted by Sachin KushwAh on Saturday, July 24, 2021Several Twitter users shared this video with the same Hindi caption. Flying past Mount Kailash.  May Mahadev shower his blessings on all🙏🙏भारत सरकार के प्रयास के कारण कैलाश पर्वत के ऊपर का दृश्य पहली बार संभव हो सका है जी 21-7-2021 सावन प्रारंभ हो गया आप भी दर्शन कर लें pic. twitter. com/bCadzrZWvc— Varma’s (@Varmastweet) July 26, 2021This video is hugely viral on Facebook with the same Hindi caption.  Alt News has received a fact-check request on our official WhatsApp number (+91 76000 11160). This slideshow requires JavaScript. With the help of InVID, we did a reverse search of one of the keyframes of the video on Yandex and found the same posted by one Instagram user with the caption “Kilimanjaro, unforgettable moment!  # tanzasafaris”   A post shared by Denniss Ulrich Nyagawa Andrew (@dennissderick)Mount Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano in Tanzania.  There are several videos of the mountain on YouTube.  Below is the comparison of a still from the viral video and a YoutTube video.
We also found a photograph of Mount Kilimanjaro on iStock, which clearly shows the crest of the mountain.
Further search on YouTube led us to the same video uploaded by a channel named Daily News Digital on July 23, 2020, and the title of the video is – “Pilot makes 360 degrees turn around Mount Kilimanjaro | Rubani alivyoizungusha ndege Mlima Kilimanjaro. ”In conclusion, a video of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is viral on social media as Mount Kailash.  It is also noteworthy that the viral message applauds the Indian government for making it possible to see the peak of Mount Kailash for the first time.  Mount Kailash, considered the home of Hindu deity Shiva, is in China. Donate NowAqib is monitoring and researching mis/disinformation at Alt NewsA 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…


New clusters have emerged. We're surrounded by Kerala & Maharashtra where cases are rising. Most people coming from here are students, they've been tested & isolated: BBMP chief after 18 COVID cases in Sambhram College of Management Sciences in Attur, Yelahanka zone

#Karnataka https://t.co/dRZHPahmDn

The chief of Bengaluru’s civic boy on Saturday blamed the neighbouring states of Kerala and Maharashtra after three new Covid-19 clusters were reported in the capital city of Karnataka.  The new cluster of coronavirus cases, reports said, have been found in Bengaluru's Yelahanka zone after 18 new Covid-19 cases were reported in Sambhram College of Management Studies, Agragami College and a residential complex.  "New clusters have emerged.  We are surrounded by Kerala and Maharashtra where cases are rising.  Most people coming from here are students, they have been tested and isolated," ANI quoted the BBMP chief as saying. Click here for complete coverage of Covid-19The BBMP chief on the emergence of the clusters said most of the people coming to the city are students and have been tested and isolated.  Bengaluru on Friday reported 367 new Covid-19 cases and three deaths, while the state reported 571 new infections in the last 24 hours. According to the Union minister of health and family welfare’s data, six states of Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat have reported a major surge in the coronavirus disease cases in the last 24 hours.  Maharashtra and Kerala, the states that have been recognised as a cause of concern by the BBMP chief, are the top contributors to the active coronavirus caseload of India.  Maharashtra on Saturday reported the highest new Covid-19 cases at 8,333 followed by Kerala at 3,671. Also Read | New variants, negligence among reasons for fresh Covid-19 spread, say expertsIndia has been witnessing a surge in Covid-19 cases and last week too, the city of Bengaluru had reported the emergence of two new coronavirus clusters in Bommanahalli of the city.  One of the two coronavirus infection clusters were also attributed to the students from Kerala.  Found in Manjushree Nursing College near Kaval Byrasandra in Bengaluru out of 210, 40 people were Covid infected and most of those students had come from Kerala, as per the BBMP. The cabinet secretary is scheduled to chair a review meeting on Saturday with the state and Union territories reporting the increasing trajectory of the coronavirus disease cases.


SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, and St. John’s College, Agra, have issued circulars making it mandatory for female students to have a boyfriend.

With just days to go before Valentine’s Week commences, two bizarre circulars apparently issued by SRM Institute of Science and Technology at Kattankulathur near Chennai and St.  John’s College in Agra have gone viral on social media. Both circulars talk about a new rule according to which it would now be mandatory for all female students to have a boyfriend.  This step, as the viral circulars claim, is being taken for “security reasons”.  The circulars also say that single girls won’t be allowed inside the campus, and in order to enter the college premises, girls will have to show a recent picture with their boyfriend. While the circular issued in the name of SRM has the alleged signature and stamp of the registrar, the one issued in the name of St.  John’s was apparently signed by one Professor Ashish Sharma the associate dean of academic affairs. A Facebook user shared the purported SRM circular with the caption, “Pls forward this to Education Minister n Seal College Immediaty”. The archived version of this post can be seen here.  Another Facebook user hared the circular apparently issued by St.  John’s with the caption, “Notification. ”The archived version of this post can be seen here. India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found that the circulars are morphed.  Both SRM and St.  John’s have called these notices fake. While some users have doubted the authenticity of these notices, many believe them to be true and are posting comments like, “How can educational institutions issue such notices? ” Both circulars are viral on Facebook. There are several indicators that the circulars may not be genuine.  Both letters have almost the same content, which is quite unlikely.  We scanned the official websites and social media pages of both SRM and St.  John’sWe found that SRM had issued a clarification but did not find any such notice which makes it mandatory for female students to have a boyfriend on its website, calling the viral circular fake.  As per the notice, the institute has also filed a complaint with police to ascertain the source of the message.  The complete notice issued by the institution can be seen below. We spoke to Dr S Ponnusamy, the registrar in-charge of SRM Institute of Science and Technology.  “During the pandemic, we have sent several circulars to students under our official letterhead.  Possibly, somebody has mischievously used one of those letterheads to create this fake circular.  This is quite unfortunate and wehave lodged a police complaint,” he said. Agra’s St.  John’s College has also called the letter fake and advised students to ignore it.  The college has issued a clarification on its official Facebook page.  The clarification has a notice signed by the principal, Professor SP Singh.  The complete Facebook post can be seen below. Speaking to India Today’s local correspondent Arvind Sharma, Professor Singh said that the viral letter is fake and bears the signature of a fictitious person named Professor Ashish Sharma.  There is no faculty named Ashish Sharma in St.  John’s College, Agra.  Professor Singh’s complete version can be heard in this video. Thus, it is clear that the circulars issued in the names SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, and St.  John’s College, Agra, mandating female students to have a boyfriend are morphed. The number of crows determines the intensity of the lie.


Jammu & Kashmir: Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu launched the Student Health Card in Jammu yesterday, as a part of the government’s comprehensive school health education plan to ensure better healthcare for school children. https://t.co/qJuWfS0mNA

The low student-teacher ratio has been a problem across the country, however, in Gaya there’s a government school that has two teachers for one student, besides there is also a cook who prepares mid-day meal for the lone student. The exchequer has to pay about Rs 59,000 every month for the education of the lone student of class one, who studies in one-storey school building having four classrooms besides a kitchen.  The state government pays about Rs 58,000 for the two teachers employed in the school and Rs 1,500 for the cook deputed there. Located about 22 km south from Gaya district, the Mansabigha government primary school, under Khizarsarai police station in Chiraili panchayat is catching attention for the ‘high student-teacher ratio’. Mukhiya, Chiraili panchayat, Dharmaraj Paswan, said the school was quite old but people in the locality were more inclined towards taking ‘quality education’ from private schools that are in plenty in the locality.  “The whole area has transformed as a market place, so there are many options of private schools for the people, so they shy away from attending the Mansabigha primary school,” he said, adding the quality of education imparted by the teachers in government school was poor, so people have moved to private institutions. He said the Mansabigha village was having about 30-35 houses of upper caste Bhumihars besides 10-12 houses of Paswans.  “People want quality education so they prefer private school, instead of government one,” said Paswan. The lone, ‘pricey’ student, Jhanvi Kumari, who is a Paswan by caste, gets special attention of the two teachers.  The mid-day meal for her is prepared by a cook Gyanti Devi, who is deputed at the school.  “Sometimes the food for her is even brought from nearby hotel to feed her, as preparing for a student sometimes becomes a difficult task,” said one of the teacher Priyanka Kumari. She added that altogether nine students were enrolled in the school, but just one attended the classes.  “She will also leave the school after sometime,” she said.  When asked about the syllabus and how her exam was taken, Kumari said, “We teach her to our best ability. ”Another teacher, Satyendra Prasad, who is the in-charge principal, could not be contacted, as he did not pick up the phone.  “His educational qualifications are under scrutiny for submitting forged documents to the education department,” said an official in district education office.  Since Thursday morning he has stopped attending the school and even picking up the phone. District education officer, Mustafa Hussain Mansuri, said the enrollment was low, as the population in the locality was scattered and the parents preferred nearby available schools.  He claimed due to winter just one student was attending the school.  “We will soon launch a drive to sensitize the parents to send the students to the school, which may increase the enrollment in the school,” he said. Khizarsarai block development officer, Uday Kumar, expressed surprise over the condition of the school.  “I will inquire why the enrollment in the school is low,” he said.


Video claims TMC supporters storming a polling booth in Sitalkuchi, Cooch Behar, West Bengal

A video of a mob storming a polling station in Manipur's Kyamgei in 2019 has surfaced with claims that it shows Trinamool Congress supporters roughing up security personnel in Bengal's Cooch Behar.   The video is viral in the backdrop of the poll violence in the fourth phase of voting in Cooch Behar on April 10.  Two separate incidents killed five people in Cooch Behar's Shitalkuchi.  According to reports four people died after CISF firing at poll booth number 126 in Sitalkuchi.  One person was killed in a separate incident at poll booth number 285 in Sitalkuchi.  Following the deaths, several claims and counter claims have emerged about who initiated the attack first.  The TMC has also approached the Election Commission of India asking a probe and action against the CISF personnel who opened fire at Sitalkuchi poll booth no 126.  The viral video shows a polling booth disrupted by a mob, moments later they are disbursed by security officials who were deployed inside the polling booth.  The tweet is  archived here.  Mamata Banerjee's supporters mob storming a polling booth in coochbihar, West Bengal. EXCELLENT job done by the CRPF in pushing away the goons. . . #WestBengalPolls pic. twitter. com/WTu2W4IzPD The same is viral on Facebook as well.  Also Read: Photo Showing Amit Shah Visit Red Light Area Sonagachi Is Morphed Fact Check  BOOM broke the video into its key frames and ran a reverse image search on one of its frames.   The same video was uploaded on India Today's YouTube channel on April 18, 2019.  According to the description of the video, "Polling in Kyamgei Muslim Makha Leikai area of Imphal East was disrupted after people stormed the polling station and destroyed EVM.  #UserGeneratedContent. " A further keyword search on YouTube led us to the same video uploaded by The New Indian Express on April 18 with the caption, "India Elections 2019: Violence disrupts polling in Inner Manipur.  According to the description of the video, #CRPF personnel opened blank fire and resorted to lathi-charge to disperse a crowd in #Manipur.  The crowd allegedly tried to barge into Kyamgei Muslim Makha Leikaik polling station of Inner Manipur seat. " Additionally, we were able to see Kiyamgei Muslim written on the boards in one of the frames of the viral video.  A longer version of the same video was uploaded on Imphal Free Press' Facebook page on April 18, 2019.  According to reports the Kyamgei Muslim Makha Leikai of Imphal polling booth witnessed major disruption during the election of the Inner Manipur Parliamentary seat.   An excerpt from an Eastmojo report reads, "People who were stranded for a long time following malfunctioning of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) got angry and stormed into the polling station destroying EVM and VVPAT machines.  In a shocking video that was recorded by some poling agents deployed in the station, it clearly shows irate people throwing stones and breaking into the poll booth forcefully despite being stopped by polling officials.  Meanwhile, security personnel who were deployed in the polling station, resorted quickly to firing blank shots in the air and lathi-charging in order to disperse the irate voters gathered at the poll booth. " Also Read: BJP Bengal Leaders Share Photo Of Injured CISF Jawan With Fake Claim


Demonstrators took to the streets across Venezuela yesterday, demanding the resignation of President Nicolas Maduro and burning a statue of ex-president Hugo Chavez. https://t.co/UEyRyOmlqt https://t.co/9eO8oXIhxB

    Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday gave US diplomats 72 hours to leave the country in response to the head of the National Assembly declaring himself acting president amid massive anti-government protests.

    Hours after President Donald Trump officially recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country’s legitimate president, a defiant Maduro appeared before supporters to accuse the United States of backing an attempted coup.

    Maduro announced that he was cutting remaining political and diplomatic ties with Washington.  “We cannot accept the invasive policies of the empire, the United States, the policies of Donald Trump,” he said to cheers from the crowd.  “Venezuela is a land of liberators. ”

    “We will not surrender,” Maduro added.

Who is Venezuela's Juan Guaido?

    The announcement came as thousands of Guaido backers took to the streets in a revitalized effort against Maduro, whose military response to the widespread demonstrations seemed more measured than in the past.

    Trump vowed in a statement to use “the full weight of United States economic and diplomatic power to press for the restoration of Venezuelan democracy. ”

    US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reiterated the United States would support Guaido as he carries his duties as president and decides the status of the country’s diplomats in Venezuela.

    Maduro does not have “the legal authority to break diplomatic relations with the United States or to declare our diplomats persona non grata,” Pompeo said Wednesday evening in a statement.

    A senior Trump administration official dismissed as “meaningless” Maduro’s order that diplomats leave the country within days.

    The US Embassy in Caracas issued a security alert indicating that US diplomats and their families will be restricted to travel only within a few neighborhoods in Caracas and school-age children will be staying at home.

    The embassy will remain open during regular business hours but all visa appointments for Thursday have been canceled, the alert said.

    Organization of American States General Secretary Luis Almagro and many of Venezuela’s neighbors expressed support for Guaido, whose opposition-controlled legislative body called for nationwide marches against Maduro’s embattled administration.

    Maduro addressed a sea of supporters wearing red – symbolic of the government’s socialist revolution – from the balcony of the Miraflores presidential palace later in the day.  He recounted a long history of “gringo interventions and coups” and said that only Venezuelans can elect and remove their government leaders.

    “The imperial government of the United States is leading a coup attempt against us in order to install a puppet presidency that they can control in Venezuela,” he said in a speech broadcast live on state broadcaster VTV.

    The head of the country’s highest court, Juan Jose Mendoza, urged the attorney general to “act immediately” in the face constitutional violations.

    Guaido responded to Maduro’s speech via Twitter, telling all diplomatic missions and accredited staff that Venezuela “wants you to maintain your diplomatic presence in our country. ”

    “Any messages to the contrary lack any validity, since they come from people or entities that have been characterized as usurpers,” he said in the statement.  “They have no legitimate authority to make any statements on this. ”

    Sporadic clashes erupted after Guaido’s swearing in – with news footage showing National Guard members launching tear gas canisters at  anti-government demonstrators near one of the main highways in the capital.

    Prior to his dramatic swearing-in before throngs of supporters in the capital Caracas, Guaido, 35, said the day marked the beginning of an unstoppable movement to restore independence and democracy to the troubled nation.

    “We know this will have consequences,” Guaido said.

    Calling Maduro a dictator and a tyrant, Guaido made an appeal for new elections.

    “Raise your right hand, today, January 23rd, 2019, in my condition as president of the National Assembly, invoking the articles of the Constitution – before almighty God,” said Guaido, surrounded by supporters raising their hands in solidarity.

    “I swear to formally assume the power of the national executive office as the president of Venezuela. ”

    After the swearing in, Guaido and the crowd sang the national anthem.

    Countries officially recognizing him as president include Agentina, Canada, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Brazil, Ecuador and Paraguay.  European Council President Donald Tusk expressed support and called on other European countries to join him.

    The anti-Maduro marches began at various points throughout the capital.  Others were held throughout the country.

    “The young people of my country need freedom,” Grace Chacon said at a march in Caracas.

Venezuelan government quashes military revolt

    “We need to get loud.  We need to be the voice of our country to say we are in trouble, we are in (an) SOS situation.  … We’re fighting without guns.  We’re fighting without anything.  We just have our hearts.  We just have our courage. ”

    Those behind Maduro rallied outside the Miraflores palace.

    “We are here to reject any type of attempt to interfere with our nation,” said Betulio Reyes, a pro-Maduro rally participant.  “We are independent and sovereign and can decide on the fate of our own lives. ”

    Jose Luis Gutierrez of Caracas vowed to “defend my country and my President against any foreign insurgency. ”

    The protests took place on a highly symbolic date.  Wednesday marks the 61st anniversary of a civilian and military uprising that overthrew former dictator Gen.  Marcos Perez Jimenez.

    Signs of unrest emerged earlier this week in Caracas.  A small team of soldiers, claiming to be members of the armed forces, attempted an uprising against Maduro and triggered violent street protests.

    The protests come weeks after the start of Maduro’s second term in power, with the nation continuing a deep economic crisis and dozens of other countries disputing his legitimacy.

    Trump had mulled recognizing Guaido as president as top officials in the US administration ratcheted up their public statements against Maduro.

Trump to recognize Venezuelan opposition leader as nation’s president

    Depending on Maduro’s response to the protests, Trump is prepared to take a range of actions in retaliation, including possible oil sanctions, two sources familiar with White House deliberations said.
  As the good people of Venezuela make your voices heard tomorrow, on behalf of the American people, we say: estamos con ustedes.  We are with you.  We stand with you, and we will stay with you until Democracy is restored and you reclaim your birthright of Libertad.  pic. twitter. com/ThzIAqBoRn
    US Vice President Mike Pence issued a message of support Tuesday to Venezuelans planning to join the marches.

    “We are with you.  We stand with you and we will stay with you until democracy is restored and you reclaim your birthright of libertad (freedom),” Pence said in a video posted on Twitter.

    Pence said the United States maintains that Maduro “is a dictator with no legitimate claim to power” and reiterated the administration’s policy in support of Guaido.

    In response to Pence, Maduro had called for a “total, absolute revision” of Venezuela’s diplomatic relations with the United States and said his government would take “political, diplomatic and defense decisions” to defend the country’s democracy.

    “Never before has an official of the highest level come out in the name of his government, he spoke on behalf of the President of the United States, to say that in Venezuela, the opposition must overthrow the government,” Maduro said in a televised message.

    Venezuelan officials accused Pence of backing a purported military uprising.

    Wednesday’s protests were expected to be the largest demonstration since 2017.  Thousands clashed with security forces for months at that time, accusing Maduro of imposing a dictatorship.  More than 120 people were killed in protest-linked incidents during that unrest.

    On Tuesday, the National Assembly advanced efforts for an amnesty policy for civilians and military officials who would rise up against Maduro’s government.

    A day earlier, the Venezuelan Supreme Court ruled the National Assembly is illegitimate, and that no law discussed in the legislative body holds any legal value.

    Maduro has continued the social welfare programs and price control policies of Hugo Chavez, who steered the country toward socialism before dying in 2013.  Through nearly a decade of mismanagement, Venezuela has squandered its oil wealth, leaving its economy in tatters and Latin America reeling from a mass exodus of migrants in search of food and medicine.

    The United Nations estimates as many as 3 million Venezuelans have fled since 2014.

  CNN’s Flora Charner, Stefano Pozzebon, Hande Atay Alam, Mitchell McCluskey, Michael K.  Callahan and CNN en Español’s Ana Melgar contributed to this report.
© 2021 Cable News Network.  A Warner Media Company.  All Rights Reserved.   CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network.


US President Joe Biden tweets a picture from the First Quad Leaders’ Virtual Summit yesterday, and says, "...the United States, Japan, India and Australia are committed to working together to tackle the shared challenges we face and to secure a free and open Indo-Pacific region" https://t.co/Ybqn4b7SPz

Hours before the first historic virtual summit of Quad leaders began on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the summit will provide an opportunity to discuss a wide range of regional and global issued of hared interest.  PM Modi will be joined by US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. Vaccine initiative will be one of the major issues to be discussed.  This is likely to allow new manufacturing capacity to be added in India for exports to the Indo-Pacific region. Follow all the updates here:Quad summit: White House issues statement, mentions 'challenges in South China Seas'After the first-ever Quad leaders' summit, the White House issued a statement —"We have convened to reaffirm our commitment to quadrilateral cooperation between Australia, India, Japan, & the United States.  We bring diverse perspectives & are united in a shared vision for the free & open Indo-Pacific.  e pledge to respond to economic & health impacts of Covid-19, combat climate change & address shared challenges, including in cyberspace, critical technologies, counterterrorism, quality infrastructure investment & humanitarian-assistance, disaster-relief domains.  We'll collaborate to strengthen equitable vaccine access for the Indo-Pacific, with close coordination with multilateral organizations including the World Health Organization and COVAX.  We call for transparent and results-oriented reform at World Health Organization.  We'll continue to prioritise the role of international law in the maritime domain, particularly as reflected in UNCLOS, & facilitate collaboration, including in maritime security, to meet challenges to rules-based maritime order in the East and South China Seas," the statement read. Today's summit saw Quad leaders adopt a positive agenda and vision: Foreign secretaryPM Modi emphasised Quad is a partnership for global good.  Today's summit saw Quad leaders adopt a positive agenda and vision.  Focusing on contemporary issues such as vaccine, climate change and emerging technology: Foreign Secy Harsh Vardhan Shringla on First Quad Leaders’ Virtual SummitWatch: PM Modi’s QUAD gambit and why China is rattledIndo-Pacific will shape 21st century: Scott Morrison"It's the Indo-Pacific that'll now shape the destiny of the world in the 21st Century.  As four leaders of great democracies in Indo-Pacific, let our partnership be an enabler of peace, stability and prosperity and to do so inclusively with many nations in the region," Australian PM Scott Morrison said. An extension of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam: PM ModiIn his address, Prime Minister Modi said Quad is an extension of India's tradition of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.  "We will work together closely as ever before for advancing shared values & promoting secular, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific," PM Modi said. Quad is a force for global good: PM ModiOur agenda today covering areas like vaccines, climate change and emerging technologies make the Quad a force for global good, says PM ModiQuad has come of age, says PM Modi"It will now remain an important pillar in the stability of the region," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said. Great to see you, Joe Biden says to PM ModiAddressing the summit, US President Joe Biden said, "Increased vaccination to be key power in global growth. "Quad Summit: How to watch liveLeaders of Quad to hold first summit today: Here’s what’s on agendaThe Quad leaders, in addition to discussing regional and global issues of shared interest and practical cooperation to ensure a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific, will exchange views on post-Covid-19 recovery, resilient supply and production chains, cooperation on emerging and critical technologies, maritime security, and climate change.  ReadWhat is the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or Quad? The genesis of the Quad is a “core group” that was formed by the four countries in 2004 to coordinate their response to the Indian Ocean tsunami after India emerged as the first responder.  After several meetings of senior officials, the grouping was sidelined by 2007, largely because of the concerns of the US and Australia about its impact on their relations with China. An opportunity to discuss global issues of shared interest: PM ModiThis evening, will be taking part in the First Quad Leaders’ Virtual Summit with @POTUS @JoeBiden, PM @ScottMorrisonMP and PM @sugawitter.  The Summit will provide an opportunity to discuss a wide range of regional and global issues of shared interest. Get our daily newsletter Get free access to newsletters, alerts and recommendations


Madhya Pradesh govt will provide free education and a pension of ₹5,000/month to children whose parents died of #COVID19, CM @ChouhanShivraj said.

He assured that his govt will take care of those who lost their earning members during the pandemic.

Read https://t.co/ofPlFNQXGE https://t.co/cUrRWhOsMs

The Madhya Pradesh government will provide free education and a pension of ₹5,000 per month to children whose parents died of COVID-19, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Thursday. The CM assured that his government will take care of those who lost their earning members during the pandemic. The state government will also stand as guarantor for those availing interest free loans to start businesses, Chouhan said in a statement to media. "We will provide education free of cost to the children who have lost their parents.  They will be provided free ration even if they are not eligible for it," he said. He noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has severely hit many families.  Children have lost their parents, while aged people are left alone as those taking care of them died due to the viral infection. "Our government will stand by such children and families and provide ₹5,000 pension per month to them," Chouhan said. He said many aged people have lost their children.  They have no one to take care of them and they are facing problems of survival. "We can't leave such persons alone.  They are now the responsibility of the Madhya Pradesh government," he said. Chouhan said children who have lost their parents should not worry about their life. "They are the children of the state and it will look after them," the chief minister said. Home Minister Narottam Mishra claimed MP is the first state in the country to start such a scheme for children and aged people whose kin died in the pandemic. Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday reported 8,970 new cases of COVID-19 and 84 fatalities, taking the tally of infections to 7,00,202 and the death toll to 6,679, as per the state health department.


Rajesh Tiwari, a 29-year-old from Lucknow failed Civil Service exams despite scoring 643 marks because the cut-off for General Category was 689.

A social media post is going viral with a claim that 29-year-old Rajesh Tiwari, a civil service aspirant from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, who despite scoring 643 in UPSC Civil Service exam, has “failed” because the “cut off for General Category was 689 this year”.  The post is accompanied by a picture of a man crying, holding a file in his hand. The post goes on to criticise the reservation system in the country saying “for SC/ST it was 601.  So according to this the one who have got 601 will become our next bureaucrat (sic). ” A verified Facebook user has also posted the same and the post can be seen here. India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) found that the claim is false and the man in the photo is not Rajesh Tiwari but Sayeed Rimon, a Bangladeshi social media influencer.  The photo was clicked as part of an unemployment campaign. Similar posts with hashtag "BAN_CASTERESERVATION" are also viral on Twitter and have sparked a debate on the reservation system in India. The archived versions of similar posts can be seen here and here.  Interestingly, the viral post has been in circulation on social media since at least 2017. AFWA reached out to Rimon via Facebook, who said, “Twelve years ago, I lost someone I was close to in a road crash.  Since then, I have been doing multiple awareness programs.  My photo that is in circulation now was clicked in November 2016 as part of a campaign on the unemployment crisis in Bangladesh. ”The original image was uploaded by Rimon on his Facebook profile on November 30, 2016. We did a reverse image search of Rimon’s photo and found the same photo carried by multiple Bangladeshi websites.  He can be seen in various different avatars like a pickpocket or a rickshaw puller here for different campaigns. BBC Bangla has also done a profile on his awareness campaigns about various issues, which can be seen here. After his image was used by various Indian users with the viral claim, Rimon had clarified many times that it was him in the photo and that he is a Bangladeshi. A collage of Rimon in various avatars can be seen below. With the help of a keyword search on Facebook, we found that the ‘emotional story of Rajesh Tiwari’ has been in circulation since at least November 2017 with the image of Rimon. We also compared the cut-off marks given in the post with the cut-off marks of Civil Service examinations uploaded on the official site of UPSC between 2014 and 2019.  While the cut-off marks for the general category are more than that of SC and SC candidates, none of the figures on the official site match with the figures given in the post in question.  Also, the cut-off mark for Civil Service exams 2020 is not yet released. Speaking to AFWA, Gopalakrishna V, director of Brain Tree, a UPSC training institute based in Hyderabad said, “The cut-off marks for civil service exams are published only after the final selection list is out.  While the prelims and mains for Civil Service Examination, 2020 are already over, the interviews are postponed till further orders.  Prelims for Civil Service Examination, 2021 is also postponed.  So, we don’t know what the cut-off for 2020 and 2021 are. ”Hence, it is clear that the viral post and photo are circulated with the wrong context.  The image is of a Bangladeshi social media influencer and not of Rajesh Tiwari who failed UPSC exams because of the reservation system. The number of crows determines the intensity of the lie.


"A seismic shock."

A bombshell report on John Bolton's draft manuscript has upended the discussion on Capitol Hill over whether to call new witnesses in the Senate impeachment trial of Pres. Donald Trump. @GStephanopoulos reports: https://t.co/jeOnUlIHQm https://t.co/upFIsKBxtQ

Analysis by Stephen Collinson, CNNUpdated 9:36 AM ET, Mon January 27, 2020  (CNN)Democrats demanding new witnesses in Donald Trump's impeachment trial are seizing on a report that the President ordered former national security adviser John Bolton to keep military aid to Ukraine frozen in a bid to coerce political favors. CNN's Manu Raju, Jeremy Diamond and Jim Sciutto contributed to this report.


A video of Police personnel beating two young men is being shared with the claim that the Police were beating them for not wearing a helmet.  Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post. Claim: In the video, the two men were beaten by the Police personnel for not wearing a helmet        Fact: The two men were beaten by the Police for eve-teasing a girl in a college.  Hence, the claim is FALSE.  When the video in the post is run through the ‘InVid’ plugin, several keyframes were obtained.  On subjecting these keyframes to reverse image search technique, a certain keyframe lead to an article published by the newspaper “Daiji world” on 23 June 2019.  As per the article, the men were beaten by the Kodagu Police after a complaint from the college Principal regarding their misbehaviour with a girl in the college premises. The same video can also be seen in the article published regarding the incident by “My Nation”.  A news report of “Deccan Herald” which corroborates with the above version can also be seen here. To conclude, the video doesn’t show Police thrashing two men for not wearing a helmet, they were beaten up in an eve-teasing case. Did you watch our new Episode of the DECODE series on Indian Rivers?


An image claiming that petrol pumps in Wayanad, Kerala refused fuel to Indian Army who were there for rescue operations during recent Floods in Kerala has gone viral on several social media platforms.  The content in the image goes on to say that the army seized the petrol pumps with the special powers they have for disaster management and left after fueling their vehicles.  Let’s verify the authenticity of these claims. Claim: Petrol pumps in Wayanad refuse fuel to Indian Army for rescue operations during Kerala Floods.      Fact: Petrol pumps in Wayanad did not refuse fuel to Indian Army during rescue operations recently.  Both the Wayanad collector and Sulthan Bathery Bharat Petroleum office have termed this as Fake News.  Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.     It can be noted from the posts that the news is picked up from keralakaumudi. com website.  When searched for the news on this website, it can be found that the post has be updated with comments from an empolyee of Sulthan Bathery petrol pump and the Sulthan Bathery police.  The employee said that the army had not approached them for fuel and as transportation was disrupted, the stock was over by afternoon.  Sulthan Bathery police said that they have not received any complaint against the petrol pumps. When Factly contacted the District Collector’s office of Wayanad and the Bharat Petroleum office of Sulthan Bathery to check the authenticity of the claims going viral on social media, both termed the news of petrol pumps refusing fuel to Indian Army as fake. Wayanad District Petrol Dealers Association had also filed a complaint with the Kerala government and the district police regarding this false news.  A copy of the complaint can found in this article. Finally, there is no truth in the claim that petrol pumps in Wayanad refused fuel to Indian Army during rescue operations in Kerala.  Did you watch our new Episode of the DECODE series on Parliament?


Madhya Pradesh: Special prayers being offered for the good health of Amitabh Bachchan & Abhishek Bachchan at a temple in Ujjain.

Actor Amitabh Bachchan & son Abhishek Bachchan tested #COVID19 positive & both admitted to a hospital. https://t.co/sx12Am8InA

An 80-year-old man in Madhya Pradesh’s Shajapur was found tied to a bed at a hospital over alleged non-payment of hospital bill, prompting chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to assure justice.  According to Virendra Singh Rawat, Shajapur district collector, a team has been sent to the hospital to investigate the matter and a police probe is underway.  “The report is awaited.  Action will be taken accordingly,” the official told news agency ANI.  Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday took note of the incident and said the culprits will not be spared, assuring strict action.  शाजापुर के एक अस्पताल में वरिष्ठ नागरिक के साथ क्रूरतम व्यवहार का मामला संज्ञान में आया है। दोषियों को बख्शा नहीं जायेगा, सख्त से सख्त कार्रवाई की जायेगी।“A case of cruelty with a senior citizen in a hospital in Shajapur has come to notice.  The culprits will not be spared, strict action will be taken,” Chouhan tweeted. Watch: MP hospital ties 80-year-old man to bed after family failed to pay dues Madhya Pradesh: An 80-yr-old man found tied to bed with rope at a hospital in Shajapur allegedly over non-payment of hospital bill.  Dist Collector says,‘We’ve sent a team to hospital to investigate matter.  Police probe on.  Report awaited.  Action will be taken accordingly. '(06. 06) pic. twitter. com/fWaY4nIi5zTime and again, the Central government, has called for the need to show compassion amid such distressing times and treat people, especially those in the front-line of India’s Covid-19 fight, with respect and dignity.  In many of his addresses, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated that violence or ill behaviour against doctors, nurses, patients and personnel engaged in the Covid-19 care shall not be tolerated.


Tamil Nadu: Suspended DMK member and former Member of Parliament, KP Ramalingam joins the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Chennai https://t.co/gwIxalbECj

Chennai: Expelled Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader K P Ramalingam joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of Union home minister Amit Shah’s visit to Chennai on Saturday. “It is a great sign Ramalingam joined today which will not only weaken the DMK but strengthen the BJP’s base,” said BJP’s Tamil Nadu in-charge CT Ravi. Ramalingam is a former lawmaker and known loyalist of MK Alagiri, an expelled DMK leader and former chief minister M Karunanidhi’s son.  Ramalingam was first suspended from DMK 2014 for backing Alagiri, who has denied reports that he will also join the BJP. Ramalingam was stripped of DMK’s primary membership and his post as the party’s agriculture wing secretary in April. A BJP leader said they would brief Shah about the developments in Tamil Nadu and discuss the 2021 assembly elections.  Shah is scheduled to inaugurate projects worth 67,378 crore during his visit to Tamil Nadu.  He will also meet the state BJP’s core committee, office bearers, and district secretaries.


An edited photograph of former Akali Dal leader Sucha Singh Langah has gone viral with a false claim that he is a farmer from the ongoing farmers' protest who had a condom packet in the upper pocket of his kurta.   However, we found that the Langah is neither a farmer leader nor was he seen carrying a condom packet.  The photograph, which has been around since 2018, was altered to superimpose the photograph of the condom packet on his pocket.   The ongoing farmers' protest that started last year over the three contentious farm bills have faced a barrage of misinformation that have been debunked by The Quint's WebQoof team.   CLAIM The photograph was shared with a sarcastic claim in Hindi that said, "जेब में आंदोलन के दस्ताबेज लेकर घूमता हुआ किसान".   "पहली पिक में जिस जेब को हाइलाइट किया है, दूसरी पिक में उसी को जूम किया है। आप भी आंदोलन जीवियों का किसानी कानून देख लीजिए जो ये लोग अपने साथ लेकर चलते हैं! ! ," the post added.  [Translation: Farmer walking around with the paperwork related to the farmers' movement in his pocket.  The pocket highlighted in the first pick is zoomed in on the second photo.  You can see the "farming law" that the protestors carry with them. ] Another claim by a social media user had one line in Punjabi that said, "ਖ਼ਬਰਦਾਰ ਜੇ ਕਿਸੇ ਨੇ ਜੇਬ ਵੱਲ ਵੇਖਿਆ".  [Translation: Beware, if someone looks into the pocket. ] The picture has been widely shared on Facebook and Twitter, archives of which can be found here, here, and here.  WHAT WE FOUND Upon conducting a reverse image search on the viral photo, we found a news report published in The Tribune from 18 August 2018.  The report, which was headlined, "Langah asks Akal Takht to review excommunication", carried the same photo without the condom packet.  The photo from 2018 was much before the ongoing farmers' protest started against the three controversial farm laws.  A side-by-side comparison of the photo shows that it was the same one.  A closer analysis of the viral photo also shows that the image of the condom packet was on top of the second pen instead of being under it.   He was ousted from the party after the allegations surfaced and was also excommunicated from the Sikh community by the Akal Takht.  He has since been acquitted in a rape case as the prosecution failed to establish the allegations.   Evidently, an old photograph of a former SAD leader was edited and shared with a false claim that it showed a protesting farmer carrying a packet of condoms with him.


Footage shows Afghans entering Kabul airport as soon as it opened after Taluban takeover

A 2019 video showing fans rushing inside a stadium before an American football game in Arlington, Texas is being shared with the false claim that it is from Kabul Airport showing the chaotic evacuation after the takeover by the Taliban in Afghanistan.  The 11 seconds video shows a large crowd rushing into a building as soon as the gates are opened.   The fall of Kabul city on August 15, 2021, to the hardline Islamic militants led to evacuations by the United States and several nations scrambling to get their citizens out of the country.   Soon videos emerged with chaotic scenes of thousands gathered at the Kabul airport, and a video showing a few Afghans trying to desperately cling on to a US Air Force plane as it was taking off from the runway and some falling to their death.  The video is being shared with the caption, "Surreal footage from Kabul airport as soon as it opened this morning. " Click here to view Viral on Twitter Click here to view Click here to view Also Read: Digital Creation Shared As Afghan Escaping On An Aircraft Wing BOOM found that the viral video is from January 2019 showing fans entering the AT&T stadium in Arlington, Texas, United States, which is the home of the Dallas Cowboys, an American football team before their game against the Seattle Seahawks.  We found replies by several users to the viral post pointing out that the video from AT&T Stadium when the doors were opened for the Cowboys vs.  Seahawks game.  The original video was tweeted on January 6, 2019, on Twitter by journalist Jon Machota who covers the Dallas Cowboys for The Athletic.   AT&T Stadium doors have opened for Cowboys vs.  Seahawks pic. twitter. com/UTl68lVNwr In the original video, which is clearer than the viral video, we can spot sports merchandise being sold.  Additionally the sequence of events in the viral video match with the original video.   sports merchandise being sold Sports Illustrated also had tweeted the same video with the caption, "AT&T stadium looks like Black Friday before the internet existed. " AT&T stadium looks like Black Friday before the internet existed pic. twitter. com/j5Foyo9PVd On comparing the shots in the video with stills from Google street view of the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, we found that both matched.  One can spot the same glass doors and signboards.  The same video was previously fact-checked by local news outlet Dallas Morning News on August 18, 2021.  BOOM has been debunking viral misinformation and disinformation since the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan.  You can view our fact-check articles in the thread below.  #Thread🚨: Post the takeover of #Kabul city and #Afghanistan by the #Taliban, @boomlive_in has debunked misinformation around the conflict with old and unrelated photos and videos being shared online.  (1/n) 👇 #FakeNews #BOOMFactCheck