BREAKING: MLB "to suspend Spring Training games and to delay the start of the 2020 regular season by at least two weeks due to the national emergency created by the coronavirus pandemic." https://t.co/Vg1j0FKq5h https://t.co/IqAYnFgFTp

By Jessie Yeung, Adam Renton, Sheena McKenzie and Meg Wagner, CNNFrom CNN's David CloseMajor League Baseball (MLB) has announced that the start of the season will be delayed by at least two weeks and has canceled the remaining Spring Training schedule. The MLB season was set to start on March 26. From CNN's Brian StelterThe country's slow-motion coronavirus shutdown is speeding up.  Companies and organizations are making new announcements almost every minute.  These are just some of the announcements from the past few hours:And within minutes of writing this post, the 2020 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Cleveland was postponed and Duke University suspended all athletic competition. Watch:Democratic presidential candidate Sen.  Bernie Sanders said today that it's time for President Trump to declare a national emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic. He also criticized the President, calling him "incompetent. "Watch:From CNN's Oren Liebermann, Michael Schwartz and Amir Tal in JerusalemIsrael will close its schools and universities for five weeks to prevent the spread of coronavirus, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Thursday evening.  Schools will close immediately and will remain closed until after the annual Passover holiday, which concludes on April 16.  The new directive does not include kindergartens, boarding schools, special education classes, and schools for at-risk youth.  The announcement comes as Israel has recorded 109 confirmed coronavirus cases.  In addition, there are 31 cases in the West Bank, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Netanyahu also called for the formation of an emergency unity government "without hesitation, without delay," as Israel tries to handle the spread of coronavirus. Israel is mired in more than a year of ongoing political deadlock which has made it difficult to pass budgets, set priorities, and manage the country, after three elections failed to deliver a clear majority for Netanyahu or his main rival Benny Gantz. The swearing-in of Israel's new parliament, scheduled to take place this coming Monday, will be done in small groups and with no spectators to minimize the risks of contamination. Your coronavirus questions, answeredBoth rideshare companies said they're actively trying to protect customers and drivers from coronavirus. Uber said it is trying to give drivers disinfectants to help keep their cars clean, and the company "may temporarily suspend the accounts of riders or drivers confirmed to have contracted or been exposed to COVID-19. "Uber said it's working with public health organizations who might tell them to pause an account.  If that happens, Uber would suspend that account and those of any connected riders. Lyft announced a similar policy: "If we are notified of a rider or driver testing positive for COVID-19, they will be temporarily suspended from using Lyft until they are medically cleared. "Both Lyft and Uber also said they will protect drivers financially if they are asked to isolate themselves. "We've already helped drivers in some affected areas, and we're working to quickly implement this worldwide. "From CNN's Dianne Gallagher and Pamela KirklandSeveral states — including Florida, Ohio, Illinois and Arizona — are voting on Tuesday in primary elections  The The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released recommendations for election polling locations.  Here's a look at some of the steps health officials suggest:Virginia Gov.  Ralph Northam has declared a state of emergency in response to novel coronavirus. This will create more flexibility in the commonwealth’s ability to respond to the health crisis and resulting issues, Northam said. At least 21 states plus Washington, D. C. , have declared emergencies, which allows them to waive certain regulations.  However, a governor has to ask the President to issue a declaration that would free up federal funds and kickstart the process to provide additional resources. From CNN's Lindsay IsaacGermany has seen a sharp rise in coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours rising by 802 to 2,369 cases, the Koch Institute for Infectious Diseases said on Thursday.  This includes five deaths since the outbreak began. From CNN's Sugam PokharelThe Indian Health Ministry announced Thursday the death of a 76-year-old man who was infected with the coronavirus. According to the statement, the man had traveled to Saudi Arabia from Jan.  29 to Feb.  29. This is the first death from coronavirus reported in India. Please enable JavaScript for a better experience.


Goa: Bhagat Singh Koshyari takes oath as the new Governor of the state in Panaji.

He is also the Maharashtra Governor and has been given additional charge of the state. This comes after Satya Pal Malik was transferred & appointed as Governor of Meghalaya. https://t.co/QANbfXWpD8

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari was sworn in as the Governor of Goa on Wednesday evening at a simple ceremony hosted at the Raj Bhavan.  Koshyari, who succeeds Satya Pal Malik, will hold additional charge as the Governor of Goa.  Earlier today, Malik left Goa in a special flight from Goa’s Dabolim airport and is expected to take charge as the Governor of Meghalaya succeeding Tathagata Roy.  The Governor was sworn in by the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court Dipankar Datta, who also flew down to Goa for the ceremony.  Koshyari took oath in Konkani, Goa’s official language reading out from the text and despite some fumbling appeared fairly deft at the language.  On his arrival, Koshyari was welcomed to the state by chief minister Pramod Sawant, Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat, chief secretary Parimal Rai.  Malik it is believed was transferred out of Goa as his relationship with chief minister Pramod Sawant quickly soured due to his differences with the chief minister on at least three occasions.  He also regularly hosted delegations of people and politicians who sought his intervention on various issues.


10,425 new #COVID19 cases and 329 deaths reported in Maharashtra today. The total number of positive cases now stands at 7,03,823 including 5,14,790 recoveries and  1,65,921 active cases: State Health department https://t.co/nHeBA1BP7h

Despite continuing with lockdown in four of its hotspot districts and weekend shutdown in 15 other districts, the spread of Covid-19 in Odisha went unabated as the state recorded its highest-ever single day surge of 1,078 cases taking the total to 19,835.  The fatalities due to the disease too rose to 108 with 5 more deaths being reported in last 24 hours. The highest surge of 1,078 cases came on the back of the state government upping the Covid-19 testings as well as increased sample positivity indicating more local transmission of the virus.  In the last 24 hours, the 42 laboratories in Odisha tested 9,277 samples with a daily sample positivity rate of 11. 62 per cent, higher than national daily sample positivity rate of 11 per cent.  The daily growth rate of 5. 74 per cent against country’s daily growth rate of 3. 26% suggested faster spread of the infection despite strictest lockdown. In Ganjam district, where 6,362 cases have been reported so far, the highest single-day surge of 371 cases were detected in last 24 hours.  Of the 371 cases in Ganjam, 369 were people outside quarantine homes and various Covid-19 frontline workers.  In Khurda district, where 121 cases were detected, 91 came from Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation areas alone.  Of these 91 cases, at least 40 cases came from a flour mill and slum area in the city. Other districts that reported large number of Covid-19 cases in last 24 hours were Malkangiri(66) and Cuttack(57). The quick spread of the virus in July could be gauged from the number of infections.  In the month of June, when the weekend lockdown was in force in 11 districts, the state recorded 5071 cases.  In July, the numbers till 21st have gone upto 12,290, more than double of what was reported in June, suggesting the little impact of lockdown on the spread of the virus. “We think that there is some irregularity in Covid-19 testing.  In Ganjam, many people who are being taken to hospitals are not being informed that they are Covid19 infected and not given reports.  Many people are being released before completion of quarantine period after being informed that they are now Covid-19 negative,” said Bhrugu Baxipatra, state BJP vice-president.  “We suspect that as there is a shortage of beds, the recovery to positive ratio is almost same.  If State government is trying to show more recoveries, then the situation might become serious in coming days. ”Faced with rising number of cases, Odisha government in the last 2 days announced expenditure of Rs 55 crore for Ganjam, Khurda and Cuttack districts to strengthen Covid-19 management with added focus on surveillance and detection in slum areas.  The fund will be spent from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.  On Wednesday, chief minister Naveen Patnaik who spoke to CEO of Serum Institute of India Adar Poonawalla over video call sought his cooperation to begin early vaccination in Odisha once necessary clearances are obtained.  Patnaik said the his officials will be in touch with the Serum Institute for this purpose. Meanwhile, opposition Congress and BJP trained their guns against the government alleging mismanagement of Covid-19 cases.  Congress leader, Tara Prasad Bahinipati alleged there is absolute mismanagement of Covid-19 in Ganjam.  “Had the State government had done testing in right manner, the rate of infection would not have been so high.  The migrant workers who were kept in quarantine centres, were not given proper food and treatment which led to their sneaking out of the centres and infecting people around.  The State government only focused on procurement of masks, PPEs and other articles, but did not take adequate steps for effective handling and treatment of the positive cases.  When the situation went out of hands, the State government resorted to lockdown and shutdowns across the state,” he alleged. State BJP vice-president, Bhrugu Baxipatra also alleged that there was irregularity in Covid-19 testing.  “In Ganjam, many people who are being taken to hospitals are not being informed that they are Covid-19 infected but not given reports.  Many people are being released before completion of quarantine period after being informed that they are now Covid-19 negative.  We suspect that as there is a shortage of beds, the recovery to positive ratio is almost same.  If State government is trying to show more recoveries, then the situation might become serious in coming days,” said Baxipatra. BJD leader Pradip Panigrahi on the other hand demanded that the OPDs in hospitals be kept open as a significant number of people in the district suffered from diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney and heart ailments.  “By closing the OPDs, there will be panic among such patients,” he said.


Federal authorities on Sunday arrested two men who were depicted in photos of the riot inside the Capitol wearing protective armor and carrying items that could be used to restrain a person, according to a release. https://t.co/gJ4Jnqdj8n https://t.co/mjK4kkEzEf

The arrests were made in Texas and Tennessee. US Capitol riots: Tracking the insurrectionFederal authorities have arrested two men suspected in last week's siege of the Capitol who were allegedly seen in tactical gear and carrying plastic restraints. The U. S.  Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced Sunday evening that Eric Gavelek Munchel was arrested in Tennessee for his alleged role in the incident as well as Larry Rendell Brock in Texas. According to federal prosecutors, Munchel appears to be one of the men seen and photographed in the Senate chambers wearing black tactical gear and carrying plastic restraints, an item in a holster on his right hip, and a cell phone mounted on his chest with the camera facing outward, which was used to record the day's events. He appears to be the man seen and photographed in the Senate chambers wearing black tactical gear and carrying plastic restraints, an item in a holster on his right hip, and a cell phone mounted on his chest with the camera facing outward, which was used to record the incident, the U. S.  Attorney's office said. Munchel has been charged with "one count of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority and one count of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds," according to the U. S.  Attorney. An affidavit released Monday for Munchel's arrest includes multiple photos purporting to show him inside the Capitol during Wednesday's siege, as well as a screenshot of his Facebook and a photo that shows him standing with a shotgun and flag in front of a TV on which President Trump was shown speaking.  Munch El by ABC News Politics on ScribdAn FBI agent said on the day of the Capitol attack, law enforcement actually encountered Munchel at a hotel in Washington and asked him about what appeared to be a gun he was wearing in a holster in his side.  They instead found he was carrying a black and yellow taser, which he told agents he was possessing merely for self protection. While in photos from the Capitol it appears Munchel was wearing that same taser, he has not yet been charged with unlawful possession of a weapon inside the Capitol.  Officials have said many of the charges being filed early against Capitol suspects are in many cases "placeholders" so they can get suspects into custody and thus escalate their investigative efforts. The authorities also arrested Larry Rendell Brock in Texas, the U. S.  Attorney's office said.  He appears to be the man who was photographed and seen entering the building wearing "a green helmet, green tactical vest with patches, black and camo jacket, and beige pants holding a white flex cuff, which is used by law enforcement to restrain and/or detain subjects," the U. S.  Attorney's office said. Brock was charged with "one count of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority and one count of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds," according to the U. S.  Attorney's office. Attorney information for both suspects was not immediately available. Brock spoke with the New Yorker after Wednesday's riot, which left Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick and four others dead and massive destruction to the building, and admitted he participated in the rally. "The president asked for his supporters to be there to attend, and I felt like it was important, because of how much I love this country, to actually be there," he said in the interview that was published Jan.  9. An affidavit submitted to the D. C.  District Court cited the New Yorker interview as well as other news coverage that allegedly showed him inside the building.  The affidavit said that Brock's ex-wife recognized him in photos showing him participating in the attack on the Capitol and contacted the FBI. "I just know that when I saw this was happening I was afraid he would be there," the witness, who claimed she was married to Brock for 18 years, told investigators.  "I think you already know he was there.  It is such a good picture of him and I recognize his patch. "A separate witness later contacted the FBI to report Brock's appearance in photos in the Capitol. "It looks like him and he has pilot wings on his chest in this picture," the witness said.  "He was an A-lO pilot. "While both of the affidavits against Brock and Munchel point out they were carrying plastic restraints, neither have been accused yet of seeking to kidnap or detain lawmakers or other staff at the Capitol last week, though officials tell ABC News that determining whether such plots existed remains a top priority in their investigations. The FBI said it is still searching for more suspects in Wednesday's incident.  Anyone with information can contact the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Lok Sabha passes The Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda Bill, 2020. https://t.co/RPmRvuGkiU

The Lok Sabha on Thursday took up discussion on a bill that seeks to declare the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda, Jamnagar as an Institution of National Importance. Ayush Minister Shripad Naik moved the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda Bill, 2020 for passage in the House.  The bill provides for conglomerating the cluster of Ayurveda institutes at Gujarat Ayurveda University campus Jamnagar - Institute for Post Graduate Teaching and Research in Ayurveda, Shri Gulabkunwerba Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya and Institute of Ayurveda Pharmaceutical Sciences including Pharmacy Unit. It provides for subsuming the Maharshi Patanjali Institute for Yoga and Naturopathy Education and Research into the Department of Swasthvritta of the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda. Naik said the bill will help boost research to bring out hidden capabilities of Ayurveda.  Growth of Ayurveda will also help in bringing down expenditure on health, he said. Participating in the debate, Congress member Shashi Tharoor said Ayurveda products were used in 77 per cent of Indian homes and its exports were growing. He said Ayurveda has a lot to offer to the world and it lays thrust on human wellness rather than only on the treatment of symptoms. He laid thrust on credible documentation of research and said it should be of international standards. Referring to the rich tradition of Ayurveda in Kerala, he said the government should set up a national institute of medicinal plants for cutting edge research in the area. The member said there should not be “selective conferment of national importance” and what has been done for Gujarat should be done for Kerala. Tharoor also said there was no clarity on what constitutes an institute of national importance.  The statement of objects and reasons of the bill says that elevation of the institute to the status of Institution of National Importance will provide it with the autonomy to upgrade the standard of Ayurveda education, frame various courses in Ayurveda as per national and international demand and adopt advanced evaluation methodology. It said conferring the status of Institute of National Importance will also facilitate bringing together in one place educational facilities of the highest order for the training of personnel in all important branches of Ayurveda, including pharmacy and make an in-depth study and research in the field of Ayurveda.


Rajasthan: Members of Gurjar community continue their protest demanding reservation, in Bharatpur https://t.co/KW8EPXAaGR

The last rites of Union minister and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Ram Vilas Paswan was performed on Saturday by his son Chirag in Patna.  The 74-year-old minister had passed away on Thursday in New Delhi. A large crowd, including several political leaders, gathered outside the residence of Paswan to pay last respect to the departed leader.  The mortal remains of LJP’s founder were flown from Delhi to Patna on Friday for the last rites.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president JP Nadda, and several other leaders paid their tributes to the late leader at his residence in the national capital. Paswan became an iconic leader in Indian politics as he won from Hajipur Lok Sabha constituency eight times between 1977 and 2014.  In 1977 and 1980, Paswan had won on a Janata Party ticket.  In 1977, he registered a Guinness World Record by winning the election from Hajipur with a margin of 4. 24 lakh votes, the maximum margin by any politician in the world.  It remained unchallenged for a long time. (With inputs from agencies)


A nearly three year old video of dirty aircraft cabin is being shared falsely with the claim that it is a Air India flight with 'Hajis' - Muslims on pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.  The 52 second video is viral on Facebook with several user sharing it with the caption, "Air india flight with hajis.  We can only sympathise with the cabin crew ".  The post below has been viewed by around 10,000 viewers.  Click here to view post, and here for an archive.  The video shows an airline cabin with several passengers in skull caps seated and tissue papers littered in the passage, as the person opens the toilet door one can spot a soiled toilet.  Viral on Facebook FACT-CHECK Using In-Vid, a video verification tool, we broke the video into key frames.  We ran a reverse image which threw up a daily mail article which reported that the video was filmed on a Saudi Airlines flight Airbus A330 from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.  Using keywords like  'flight of Saudi Arabian A330 Airlines', and 'dirty' , we found a Arab News article dated September 7, 2016 titled 'Deportees spoil Saudia’s new Airbus A330 plane'.   Most of the passengers on the aircraft were deportees Arab News reported citing a source within Saudia (Saudi Arabia Airlines).    India Today had previously fact-checked the video on July 9, 2019.   The same video had also gone viral with the claim that it was a British Airways flight from London to Islamabad which was fact-checked by AFP Sri Lanka.  BOOM contacted Saudia for a response, this piece would be updated once a response is received.


"As Justice Ginsburg lies in state in the Capitol today, we should not be racing forward with this nomination. What matters most is that health care is on the ballot and is in front of the Supreme Court." -Sen. Chris Coons on Pres. Trump's plan to announce a Supreme Court nominee https://t.co/HAhKx2dqsV

The move sets up what promises to be a bitter confirmation fight. President Trump announces Supreme Court nomineePresident Donald Trump on Saturday announced his nomination of federal Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court to fill the seat of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The move to select Barrett sets up what promises to be a bitter confirmation fight less than two months before Election Day -- an unexpected twist in an election season already fraught with the coronavirus pandemic and attempts by the president to undermine confidence in the result. It also promises to upend the relative ideological balance that has marked the court for decades, establishing a clear conservative majority should Trump's nominee be seated. "Judge Barrett was confirmed to the circuit court three years ago by a bipartisan vote.  Her qualifications are unsurpassed.  Unsurpassed and her record is beyond reproach.  This should be a straightforward and prompt confirmation," Trump said during the Rose Garden announcement. He added, "Rulings that the Supreme Court will issue in the coming years will decide the survival of our Second Amendment, our religious liberty, our public safety and so much more.  To maintain security, liberty and prosperity, we must preserve our priceless heritage of a nation of laws.  And there's no one better to do that than Amy Coney Barrett. "Upon her nomination, Barrett said, "I love the United States, and I love the United States' Constitution.  I'm truly humbled by the prospect of serving on the Supreme Court. "A devout Catholic, mother of seven and the favored choice of conservative groups, Barrett is a relative newcomer to the federal bench, having served just three years on the Chicago-based 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.  Despite her short tenure as a federal judge, the longtime Notre Dame Law professor emerged as the front-runner on Trump's shortlist in the days following Ginsburg's death. At 48, Barrett is the youngest Supreme Court nominee since Clarence Thomas in 1991, and could expect to serve well into the middle of the century – an attractive prospect to Trump and his allies on Capitol Hill. Barrett's appeal within the administration has also been shaped in part by her reputation as a protégé of the late Justice Antonin Scalia, an icon of the religious right for whom she once clerked, sources said. For Democrats, Barrett's conservative tilt and religious affiliation – expressed largely through her prolific catalog of scholarly writings – made her approval to the federal bench in 2017 a bitter affair.  During a combative confirmation hearing for the post, Barrett became a rock star in conservative circles – not for what she told the committee, but what a powerful Senator said to her. "Whatever a religion is, it has its own dogma.  The law is totally different," said California Sen.  Dianne Feinstein, the committee's ranking Democrat.  "I think in your case, professor … the dogma lives loudly within you, and that is of concern. "Feinstein's comments drew rebukes from religious freedom groups and Republican senators.  Her phrase, "the dogma lives loudly within you," has since made its way onto tee shirts and mugs for sale on the internet. During the same hearing, Barrett said, "I take my faith seriously and I'm a faithful Catholic," but assured senators that it is "never appropriate to impose a judge's personal convictions, whether they arise from faith or anywhere else, on the law. "Professor Rick Garnett, a former colleague and Barrett's neighbor, said the "grace" with which Barrett fielded Feinstein's remarks appealed to religious conservatives and improved her standing with those in the administration. "The way she handled that [hearing] elevated her in the public conversation," Garnett told ABC News.  "It's not just that some of the senators said some strange things about religion, but it was that then-Professor Barrett handled it in a dignified way and I think it made a lot of Americans – religious believers of all stripes – feel inspired and proud. "Eventually, the Senate approved her nomination 55-43, with just three Democrats voting across party lines. A self-described originalist, Barrett's tenure as an appellate judge has affirmed her conservative credentials.  She authored a 2018 dissent arguing that convicted felons should not be barred from having guns.  And while she has not issued a ruling yet on abortion, she has twice staked out positions aligned with the anti-abortion movement. Prior to her judgeship, Barrett made a name for herself at Notre Dame Law School, also her alma mater.  During her 2017 confirmation process, her Notre Dame Law colleagues penned a glowing – and unanimous – endorsement letter.  More than 450 former students also advocated her confirmation. She supplemented her time in the classroom – where she taught courses on federal courts, constitutional law, and statutory interpretation – with several scholarly articles on subjects ranging from Supreme Court precedent to due process. In her scholarly work, Barrett has argued for Catholic judges to recuse themselves from death penalty cases, citing the "the moral impossibility of enforcing capital punishment," and suggested that legal precedent is susceptible to being overturned, leading critics to question how she would consider the landmark abortion ruling Roe v.  Wade.  In 2013, Barrett was quoted in the Notre Dame student newspaper as saying that "it is very unlikely at this point that the court is going to overturn Roe [v.  Wade]. "During the 2017 confirmation, Barrett walked back her position on the death penalty, telling senators that she would not recuse "as a blanket matter" from capital punishment cases.  On abortion, she stood by past comments that "abortion … is always immoral," but added that, if confirmed, her "views on this or any other question will have no bearing on the discharge of [her] duties as a judge. "Scrutiny of Barrett's faith has also extended to her personal affiliations, particularly her longtime ties to a Charismatic Christian community called People of Praise. The group encourages its more than 1,700 members to make a covenant to the community, and it also assigns younger members a personal mentor, known as a "head" or "leader. " Until recently, women in those roles were referred to as "handmaids," which led some news outlets and commentators to speculate that People of Praise may have been the inspiration behind Margaret Atwood's famous novel, "The Handmaid's Tale. " Both Atwood and People of Praise denied those claims. Barrett has not spoken publicly about her involvement in People of Praise, and neither the group nor an aide to Barrett would comment on her current status with the organization.  Critics suggest her ties to the community and a covenant many members make – which the group describes as "a promise of love and service we choose to make to one another" – may conflict with her oath to uphold the constitution.  For its part, People of Praise denies that its practices would have any effect on a member's professional life. Barrett's confirmation process is expected to be strained by the political pressure of a nomination and hearing so close to a presidential election. Democrats have accused Republicans of hypocrisy in moving forward with a replacement for Ginsburg, who died last week with only 45 days before the November vote.  In 2016, Republicans blocked President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee, Judge Merrick Garland, after Scalia's death more than 200 days before the election. A native of Louisiana, Barrett attended Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn. , for undergraduate studies before earning her law degree summa cum laude from the Notre Dame in 1997.  After graduating law school, Barrett clerked for Judge Laurence Silberman of the D. C.  Circuit Court of Appeals and then Scalia before a brief stint in private practice in Washington, D. C. Her husband, Jesse Barrett, served as an Assistant U. S.  Attorney in the Northern District of Indiana. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Only green crackers should be sold in Dehradun, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Haldwani, Rudrapur and Kashipur. In these cities, crackers can be burst from 8 pm to 10 pm on #Diwali and Gurpurab, and from 6 am to 8 am on Chhath: Government of Uttarakhand https://t.co/aDlfbpmmGU

The Uttarakhand government on Wednesday allowed the bursting of green crackers with a two-hour window in six urban areas of the hill state during the upcoming festivals while complying with the guidelines issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The tribunal had issued a directive to curb the worsening air quality index (AQI) that could further aggravate the unprecedented raging coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak in the country. The Trivendra Singh Rawat-led government allowed the public to burst green crackers from 8 pm to 10 pm on the occasion of Diwali and Gurupurab and from 6 am to 8 am for Chhath Puja. An order, issued by Om Prakash, chief secretary, Uttarakhand, said: “Only green crackers will be sold in the urban areas of Dehradun, Haridwar, Kashipur, Rudrapur, Rishikesh and Haldwani in the state.  Crackers can be burst for only two hours in these six urban areas. ”Anoop Nautiyal, the founder of Dehradun-based think tank Social Development for Communities that works on environmental issues, said, “Air pollution is a silent killer.  However, the issue in Uttarakhand may not be as grave as Delhi-national capital region (NCR).  But pollution has increased drastically in the hill state in the past few years.  We need to do much more than lift the ban for two hours to arrest the decline in air quality. ”The state government should clarify what it means by “green crackers in a bid to ensure understanding and correct implementation of the (NGT) guidelines,” Nautiyal added. The NGT has directed cities with “moderate” AQI to only allow the sale of green crackers and restricted timings to burst them during the upcoming festivals. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) categorises AQI levels in the 0-50 range as good; 51-100 as satisfactory; 101-200 as moderate; 201-300 as poor; 301-400 as very poor; and 401-500 as severe.  Green crackers have 30% lower emissions of toxic gases than traditional firecrackers and they do not contain barium nitrate, a metal oxide that increases both air and noise pollution.


Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese have taken to the streets across the country to demand the downfall of a political ruling class has held power for decades. "Go There" is in Beirut where protesters are refusing to back down. Watch 8pET on Facebook https://t.co/o0nJ8GO01D https://t.co/2vQtXd0BnR

During a Cabinet meeting Monday, Trump doubled down on his Syria decision.  Trump: US never agreed to protect Kurds in SyriaPresident Donald Trump on Monday, again defending his decision to withdraw U. S.  forces from northern Syria -- clearing the way for Turkish forces to attack U. S. -allied Syrian Kurds -- said, “We never agreed to protect the Kurds for the rest of their lives. ""We have a good relationship with the Kurds, but we never agreed to protect the Kurds.  We have fought with them for three-and-a-half to four years.  We never agreed to protect the Kurds for the rest of their lives," Trump said speaking to reporters at a White House Cabinet meeting for more than an hour Monday afternoon. Trump has been fighting back against bipartisan criticism for his decision earlier this month to pull U. S.  troops out of northeastern Syria, allowing Turkey to attack the U. S. -allied Syrian Kurds and seize control of the area. “We’re bringing our soldiers back home and it’s going to probably work, but if it doesn’t work, you’re going to have people fighting like they’ve been fighting for 300 years, it’s very simple,” Trump said. He added, "So far there hasn’t been one drop of blood shed during this entire period by an American soldier, nobody was killed, nobody cut their finger, no nothing, and they’re leaving. "Trump also told reporters that a negotiated "ceasefire" was holding despite some "skirmishes. "He continued defending his position Wednesday saying that this is decision is "much better for humanity.  Where’s the agreement that we have to stay in Middle East for rest of civilization? " Trump said. Trump's comments came as U. S.  forces leaving Syria were headed to Iraq even though Trump had said he was bringing them "home. "He said Monday they would be going to "other parts" before coming back and when asked if he would support leaving a small number of troops in the region, Trump said that outside of securing oil that "there is no reason for it. ""I don't think it is necessary, other than that we secure the oil," Trump said.  "It is in a little different section, but we need to secure the oil. "Trump added, "the other region where we have been asked by Israel and Jordan to leave a small number of troops is a totally different section of Syria, near Jordan and close to Israel. "The White House on Thursday announced that the U. S.  and Turkey reached an agreement to "pause" Turkey's military operations in northern Syria for five days to allow Kurdish forces to withdraw from a buffer zone. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday defended the "ceasefire" that he and Vice President Mike Pence brokered with Turkey, which expired Tuesday, and responded to criticism from both Kurdish fighters and Republicans on the Hill, on ABC's "This Week. "Despite the deal having taken effect on Thursday, eyewitnesses reported that shelling continued through Thursday night and into Friday morning. "The administration and the president's decision has undermined every single one of" America's interests in Syria "and I think has done so in ways that we're going to regret for a long time," Sen.  Marco Rubio, R-Fla. , said Thursday after the agreement was announced. "We put out a joint statement which we think will really save lives.  It's worked so far," Pompeo said on Sunday, adding that he had just received a report from his senior advisers that indicated that there is relatively little fighting still in Syria. But since the release of a joint statement between the two NATO allies, critics from across the political spectrum have panned it as a capitulation to Turkey or a vague resolution that does not fully address the crisis now unfolding in northeastern Syria with the departure of U. S.  troops. When challenged by ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos, saying, "The Turks said they got everything they wanted," When challenged by ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos, Pompeo responded, "I was there.  It sure didn't feel that way when we were negotiating. ""It was a hard-fought negotiation.  It began before the vice president and I even arrived in Ankara," he said.  "We achieved the outcome that President Trump sent us to achieve. "ABC News' Jordyn Phelps and Avery Miller contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Delhi: Students from Delhi University (DU) gather at Singhu border in support of farmers who are protesting against farm laws.

"During the day we make posters to motivate ppl & later serve food. Farmers aren't happy with the bills& we support them,"says Rahul Jaina, a DU student https://t.co/Jl93jFDA09

The fifth round of talks between the protesting farm union leaders and government to bring a solution to the deadlock over the new farm laws is going on at Vigyan Bhawan. Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Narendra Singh Tomar and Piyush Goyal met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence in New Delhi hours ahead of the talks between the government and protesting farmers over the contentious farm laws. Four rounds of negotiations, conducted between three Union ministers and farmers’ representatives, have so far failed to break the deadlock between the two sides. The Centre has agreed to review the recently enacted legislation and bring amendments if required to address the farmers’ demands.  The farmers, however, said that they did not want amendments to the new laws but want them rolled back entirely. Follow live updates here:Tomar requests farmers to stop protesting in cold weatherI want to request protesting farmers to give up their movement so that they don't face inconvenience in this cold weather & citizens of Delhi can also live a life of convenience: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar after 5th round of talks at Vigyan Bhawan today https://t. co/nn1gRw7joB pic. twitter. com/sXBb1d83olUnion minister Tomar urges farmers’ union to have faith in Modi govt’s decisionUnion Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar after the fifth round of talks with the farmers’ union leaders asked them to have faith in the Modi govt.  He thanked the farmers’ union for maintaining discipline and said whatever the govt will do, it will be in the interest of the farmers.  Farmers’ leader hopeful govt will repeal lawsWe said at the beginning of meeting that our demand is withdrawal of laws, don't want amendment.  We took a firm stand.  Finally we were told that next meeting will be held on Dec 9.  It seems govt will definitely roll back the laws: Hannan Mollah, General Secy,All India Kisan Sabha pic. twitter. com/vNCJCagTJjUnion minister Tomar urges farmers to leave agitation, join discussionI’d not like to comment on program of Unions.  But I’d like to urge farmers & Unions to leave path of agitation and come to path of discussion.  Government has had several rounds of talks with them and is ready for further discussion for a solution, said Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Bharat Bandh scheduled for Dec 8, reports ANI. Doubts on MSP baseless, ready to resolve every suspicion, says CentreWe have said that the MSP will continue, there is no threat to it.  It is baseless to doubt this.  Still, if someone is suspicious then the government is ready to resolve it, said Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, reports ANI.  Bharat Bandh on Dec 8 to go on as announced, says farmers’ union leaderGovt will prepare a draft and give us.  They said that they’ll consult the states too.  Discussions were held on MSP too but we said that we should also take up laws & talk about their roll back.  Bharat Bandh (on 8th Dec) will go on as announced, said Rakesh Tikait, Bharatiya Kisan Union, reports ANI. Farmers’ leaders say will hold internal discussion on govt proposal before Dec 9Central Government has said that they will send us a proposal on December 9th.  We will discuss it amongst ourselves after which a meeting with them will be held that day: Farmer leaders say after the fifth round of meeting with Central Government concludes#FarmLaws2020 pic. twitter. com/GidiFmEDYXNext talk of rounds between centre, farmers’ leaders on Dec 9It was decided at the meeting that the next round of talks between farmer leaders and central government to be held on December 9th, on the request of all stakeholders reports ANI.  We do not want corporate farming, law to benefit only govt: Farmers’ leadersFarmers’ leaders during the fifth round of talks said, “We do not want corporate farming.  The government will benefit from this law, not the farmer. ”  We do not want corporate farming.  The government will benefit from this law, not the farmer: Farmers to the centre, at the fifth round of talks over farm laws https://t. co/P412cKXOXeUnion minister Tomar appeals farmers’ leaders to send children,senior citizens homeAgriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar requests the farmer leaders during the fifth round of talks to send senior citizens and children home.  He said, “Iappeal to all of you to kindly ask senior citizens and children, at the protest site, to go home. ”, reports ANI. Farmers from Bilaspur, Uttarakhand reach Delhi borders to join protestFarmers from Bilaspur, Uttarakhand reach Ghazipur border (UP-Delhi border) & join protesting farmers stationed at Delhi-Meerut Expressway, reports ANI. Farmers’ leaders threaten to walk out of meeting if Centre fails to decide on demands raised‘The government should make a decision on our demands, otherwise, we are walking out of the meeting’, say farmer leaders participating in the fifth round of talks with the Central Government, at Vigyan Bhavan in Delhi, reports ANI.  Why can’t our parliament discuss issue if Canada’s parliament can: farmers’ representativeIf Canada’s parliament can discuss the issue, why can’t our parliament do it, asks Kulwant Singh Sandhu, General Secy, Jamhoori Kisan Sabha, Punjab on Canadian MPs raising the issue relating to the farmers protest in the Parliament post which the Canadian PM wrote a letter to the government of India.  Farmers’ leaders have lunch carried by them to the fifth round of talks venue#WATCH Delhi: Farmer leaders, present at the fifth round of talks with Central Government, have food that they had carried to the venue.  A Kar Sewa vehicle that carried food for them arrived here earlier today.  They'd got their own food even during 4th round of talks on Dec 3.  https://t. co/hDP8cwzSGJ pic. twitter. com/XSR6m2lljSGovt gives written reply of minutes of meeting to farmers’ leadersThe government has given written response of the minutes of the meeting to the farmers’ leaders.  The fifth round of talks has been paused for a 15-minute break, reports ANI.  Farmers’ leaders ask centre its decision over farmers’ demandsFarmers’ union leaders during the fifth round of talks with the centre at the Vigyan Bhawan said they don’t want further discussion and instead just need a solution or commitment.  They want to know what the government has decided on the demands of the farmers. Union minister Tomar tells farmers’ unions Centre committed to talksUnion agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar tells farmers’ unions Centre committed to talks, welcomes feedback on farm bills, reports PTI. Farmers’ representatives bring their own food to fifth round of talks at Vigyan Bhawan Delhi: A Kar Sewa vehicle carrying food for Farmers' representatives arrives at Vigyan Bhawan during 5th round of talks between Farmers Unions & Centre. Farmers are carrying their own food at the venue today.  They'd got their own food even during the 4th round of talks on Dec 3.  https://t. co/EzZgHcoHTr pic. twitter. com/dKDreXetkyGovt agrees to give written reply of last talks on farm laws as per farmers’ leaders demand Farmers’ representatives during the fifth round of talks regarding the farm laws asked the centre to provide a pointwise comprehensive written reply of the last meeting, the government has agreed to do so.  Fifth round of meeting at Vigyan Bhawan between farmers’ leaders, Centre begins New Delhi: Fifth round of meeting between farmers' representatives and the Central government begins at Vigyan Bhawan.  pic. twitter. com/L4u2LaTi1rProtest to continue until laws rolled back, says farmers’ leaderWe want to complete rollback of the laws.  If the government doesn’t accept our demand, we will continue our agitation, said Harjinder Singh Tanda, state chief of Azad Kisan Sangharsh Committee, Punjab, reports ANI.  Narendra Singh Tomar reaches Vigyan Bhawan to hold talks with agitating farmersUnion Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar reaches Vigyan Bhawan to hold talks with agitating farmers. Farmers’ representatives reach Vigyan Bhawan to hold fifth round of talks Farmers’ representatives reach Vigyan Bhawan to hold fifth round of talks with the Central government on the farm laws. AAP workers in Mumbai protest against Centre’s farm billAam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers in Mumbai protest against Union government over farm bill and in solidarity with farmers protesting in Delhi. Rashtriya Janata Dal holds protest at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan against the Centre’s farm lawsRashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) holds protest at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan against the Centre’s farm laws. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav says, “We demand that the Centre repeals the black laws. ”Farmers’ leaders leave from Singhu border for Vigyan Bhawan to hold fifth round of talksFarmers’ leaders leave from Singhu border for Vigyan Bhawan to hold fifth round of talks with the Central government on the farm laws. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh leaves from the Prime Minister’s residenceDefence Minister Rajnath Singh leaves from the Prime Minister’s residence. Farmers’ doubts will be cleared in today’s meeting with Centre: Kailash ChoudharyFarmers’ doubts will be cleared in today’s meeting with Centre.  In recent meetings, some issues were clarified.  It’s Opposition’s politics, they’re instigating the protest.  The meeting will be fruitful & we expect farmers will roll back protest: MoS Agriculture, Kailash ChoudharyWe are hoping today’s meeting with central leadership will be positive: Protestor Farmers protest at Burari’s Nirankari Samagam Ground against recent farm laws enters 10th day. “We’re hoping today’s meeting with central leadership will be positive.  We won’t stop until govt agrees to our demands.  We’ll make the movement bigger,” says a protestor. Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Narendra Singh Tomar reach PM Modi’s residence in New DelhiAhead of the fifth round of meeting with agitating farmers, Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Narendra Singh Tomar reach PM Narendra Modi’s residence in New Delhi.  Union Minister Piyush Goyal also reaches the Prime Minister’s residence. Government should announce to withdraw the three black laws: Kisan Mahapanchayat presidentThe government should announce to withdraw the three black laws and give in writing that MSP will continue.  If any positive result doesn’t come out of today’s talks, farmers from Rajasthan will march along NH-8 towards Delhi and camp at Jantar Mantar: Rampal Jat, president, Kisan Mahapanchayat. Hopeful that farmers will think positively and end their agitation: Narendra Singh TomarA meeting is scheduled with farmers at 2 pm today.  I am very hopeful that farmers will think positively and end their agitation: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar. Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee prepares food for protesting farmersDelhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) prepares food for the farmers protesting at Singhu border (Delhi-Haryana).  A volunteer says, “We are providing meals three times a day. ”Delhi: Farmers continue to hold a sit-in protest at Chilla border Farmers continue to hold a sit-in protest at Chilla border (Delhi-Noida Link Road) against the Centre’s farm laws. A farmer says, “If anything concrete doesn’t happen in today’s meeting with the Central government then we will gherao the Parliament. ”Gazipur border (UP-Delhi border) on NH-24 is closed for traffic Gazipur border (UP-Delhi border) on NH-24 is closed for traffic from Gaziabad to Delhi due to farmers protests: Delhi Traffic Police5th round of talks between farmers, Centre to be held todayThe fifth round of talks between the central government and farmers is scheduled to be held today. A large number of farmers have gathered in and around Delhi to protest against the three farm laws. Delegation of JJP leaders met Anil Vij and sought withdrawal of cases against farmers during protest A delegation of Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) leaders met Home Minister Anil Vij seeking withdrawal of cases against farmers during protest. Digvijay Chautala said, “Home Minister has assured us that he will look into the matter and discuss the issue with Chief Minister”.


1,311 new COVID-19 cases and 69 deaths recorded in Mumbai today, taking total number of cases to 84,125 including 55,883 recoveries and 4,896 deaths: Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation https://t.co/K1WynfPUAB

Goa registered 108 new cases of the coronavirus disease on Friday - its highest in a single day so far.  The state also recorded two fresh fatalities due to the disease marking the worst 24-hour period Goa has witnessed so far since the pandemic began. The deaths have left state authorities puzzled.  One of them was a 45-year-old man who died within two days of reporting to a health care centre asking to be tested after developing mild fever.  “It is a surprising case and a surprising course of events.  The patient reported to the health centre with a mild fever for a test and since his symptoms were mild and not requiring hospitalisation, he was sent home until his test results came.  But by the time the results came in and we sought to communicate it to the family he had already passed away,” health secretary Nila Mohanan said. The other person was a 75-year-old woman who succumbed after days of treatment at a dedicated Covid-19 hospital. Six people have succumbed to the disease in Goa so far while the infection tally stands at 1,684.  Eight hundred fifty five people are currently under treatment.  The previous single-day spike in cases in Goa was recorded on Thursday when it recorded 95 new infections.  This is the first time Goa has recorded more than a 100 cases in a single day.  Of the active patients, around 85 are symptomatic and are being treated at Goa’s dedicated Covid-19 Hospital.  Meanwhile, health minister Vishwajit Rane said that the Goa government plans to commence plasma therapy for patients after getting permission from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). “Considering the rise in cases in our state, I had an interactive session to discuss plasma therapy in the state.  We will be writing to ICMR with our proposal to conduct plasma banking and plasma therapy.  We will also be hiring an MD and trained technicians on a contractual basis to run the Plasma transfusion medicine department,” Rane said.


The CDC predicts that by the end of October, there will be between 224,000 and 233,000 cumulative deaths from coronavirus in the United States this year. https://t.co/Sfcif7QhA5

By Naomi Thomas and Lauren Mascarenhas, CNNUpdated 1:20 PM ET, Mon October 12, 2020  (CNN)During the coronavirus pandemic so far, there were 20% more deaths than would normally be expected from March 1 through August 1 in the United States -- with Covid-19 officially accounting for about two-thirds of them, according to new research published Monday in the medical journal JAMA. Sign up here to get The Results Are In with Dr.  Sanjay Gupta every Tuesday from the CNN Health team. CNN's Jacqueline Howard contributed to this report.


Republicans had a surprise play at this morning's impeachment hearings, and it got testy: https://t.co/GJOda6OO3f

    On Tuesday, the House’s ongoing impeachment investigation held its third day of public hearings – featuring National Security Council Ukraine expert Alexander Vindman and Jennifer Williams, a member of Vice President Mike Pence’s staff.

    The afternoon hearing featured former US Special Envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker and Tim Morrison, the former top Russia and Europe adviser on President Donald Trump’s National Security Council.

    I watched the hearings and took notes – so you don’t have to!  Below, the biggest moments from the hearing, as they happened.

    Even before Vindman or Williams had said a word, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (California) sought to warn his Republican colleagues against attacking either of the witnesses.

    Of Vindman, who received a Purple Heart after being wounded by an IED in Iraq, Schiff said: “We have seen far more scurrilous attacks on your character, and watched as certain personalities on Fox have questioned your loyalty.  I note that you have shed blood for America, and we owe you an immense debt of gratitude. ”

    Noting that Trump had attacked both Williams and Vindman, Schiff later added, “I hope no one on this committee will become part of those vicious attacks. ”

    Will Schiff’s warning change how Republicans will handle Vindman and Williams?  Probably not.  But it makes clear that Democrats will not let any attacks on either witness simply pass.

    Listening to the opening statement of Rep.  Devin Nunes (California), you’d be forgiven if you thought that Tuesday’s hearing was an examination of the national media and its role in politics and policy.

    Nunes claimed that the media was responsible for, among other things, pushing the idea that Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign colluded with the Russians (the Department of Justice decided to open the investigation, not the media) and working with Democrats to drum up controversy surrounding Ukraine (the witnesses called so far in the impeachment investigation have been members of the Trump administration. )

    Nunes also used his opening statement to defend a series of columns written by John Solomon, a former columnist for The Hill newspaper, raising questions about the conduct of Joe and Hunter Biden’s activities in Ukraine.  “Now that Solomon’s reporting is a problem for the Democrats, it’s a problem for the media as well,” said Nunes.  (The Hill is in the midst of an investigation into Solomon’s columns. )

    How much did Nunes actually talk about the facts of the Ukraine investigation or the witness testimony we were going to hear?  Uh, not much.

    Vindman’s personal story – brought with his twin brother to the United States from Russia at age 3, decorated military service, years of work as a Ukraine expert – is compelling to read on a piece of paper.  It was that much more compelling to hear him relate his life journey in his opening statement while wearing the uniform of the US Army.

Vindman’s closing lines were particularly powerful:

“I am grateful for my father’s brave act of hope 40 years ago and for the privilege of being an American citizen and public servant, where I can live free of fear for mine and my family’s safety.

“Dad, my sitting here today, in the US Capitol talking to our elected officials is proof that you made the right decision forty years ago to leave the Soviet Union and come here to the United States of America in search of a better life for our family.  Do not worry, I will be fine for telling the truth. ”

    You will be seeing and hearing that last line – “I will be fine for telling the truth” – a whole lot today and in the days to come.

    Vindman didn’t mince words when asked why he immediately reported to his superiors his discomfort with Trump’s actions on the July 25 phone call with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.

    He said he was previously aware of an “alternative false narrative” prior to the call.  Pushed on whether those “false narratives” were the ideas that a) Ukraine meddled in the 2016 presidential election to aid Hillary Clinton and b) the Ukrainians had not adequately looked into allegations that Joe and Hunter Biden had committed some wrongdoing regarding Ukraine, Vindman confirmed that they were.

    Neither of those claims, which Trump relayed in his July 25 call with Zelensky, have any basis in known facts.

    During the Republican counsel’s questioning of Vindman, it came up that he had been asked, on three occasions, by the Ukrainians to serve as their defense minister.  (Vindman was born in Ukraine but came to the United States when he was 3. )

    “I’m an American,” Vindman responded, noting that he had turned down the offers.  “I came here when I was a toddler, and I immediately dismissed these offers.  I did not entertain them. ” He added that he had “notified my chain of command and the appropriate counterintelligence folks about the offer. ”

    Later, Connecticut Democratic Rep.  Jim Himes ripped Republicans for trying to inject the issue into the hearings.  Himes said it was a clear effort to question Vindman’s commitment to America and part of a broader attempt by conservatives to suggest he had dual loyalties of some sort.  (Later, President Trump retweeted a tweet by an aide – Dan Scavino – noting the three offers made to Vindman. )

    “I want people to understand what that was all about,” said Himes of the attack.  “It’s the kind of thing you say when you have to defend the indefensible. ”

    Twice – once by Nunes and once by Ohio Rep.  Jim Jordan – Republicans on the committee sought to force VIndman to disclose the two people outside of the National Security Council who he briefed on the July 25 call.  One, Vindman said, was George Kent, the State Department official who testified last week.  The other, Vindman said, was a member of the intelligence community.

    When pressed to say who that second person was, Vindman demurred – citing guidance provided by Schiff that the committee would not be involved in the business of outing the whistleblower.

    Nunes and Jordan objected strenuously, noting that Vindman had said he didn’t know the identity of the whistleblower so how could he possibly out him or her?  Jordan took it a step further by making clear that he didn’t believe Schiff’s assertion that the California Democrat didn’t know the identity of the whistleblower.

    Around and around they went – to no resolution.  Vindman didn’t say who the second person was, and Jordan and Nunes remained annoyed.

    Vindman showed relatively little emotion after the first moments of the hearing, when his hands were visibly shaking as he read his opening statement.  But he did let his annoyance slip once – when Nunes referred to him as “Mr.  Vindman” in asking a question.

    “It’s Lieutenant Colonel Vindman,” he replied.

    Trump seized on that moment when talking to reporters on Tuesday.  “I don’t know him,” Trump said of Vindman.  “I don’t know, as he says, ‘Lieutenant Colonel. ’ I understand somebody had the misfortune of calling him ‘Mr. ’ and he corrected them.  I never saw the man.  I understand now he wears his uniform when he goes in.  No, I don’t know Vindman at all. ”

    How does this play?  My guess is that depends which party you side with.  Democrats will see Vindman’s “lieutenant colonel” correction as a smackdown of the much-maligned Nunes.  Republicans will view it as evidence that Vindman is just an egotistical bureaucrat who doesn’t like Nunes and, by extension, Republicans.

    As the hearing wound to a close, Rep.  Sean Patrick Maloney (D-New York) asked Vindman whether his father was a “worrier” and whether he or his father are concerned about the decision to come forward with testimony that put him on the opposite side of the President of the United States.

    Vindman said that his father was very worried because he came from the Soviet Union, where the consequences for such an action could be severe.  Vindman added that he wasn’t worried himself because “This is America.  This is the country I’ve served and defended.  That all of my brothers have served.  And here, right matters. ”

    Some members of the audience applauded him for that sentiment.

    Volker recounted a meeting in May in the Oval Office in which he and others argued to Trump that he should work to build a relationship with the newly elected Zelensky.

    Volker told the House Intelligence Committee on Tuesday afternoon that Trump was not receptive to those urgings.  “He said that Ukraine was a corrupt country, full of terrible people,” recounted Volker.  “He said, ‘They tried to take me down. ’”

    Volker said that he became convinced that Trump’s obstinacy was rooted in what he was being told by his personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani.  Said Volker:

“It was clear to me that despite the positive news and recommendations being conveyed by this official delegation about the new President, President Trump had a deeply rooted negative view on Ukraine rooted in the past.  He was clearly receiving other information from other sources, including Mayor Giuliani, that was more negative, causing him to retain this negative view. ”

    Volker dismissed Trump’s belief that Joe Biden was somehow trying to protect his son in Ukraine or that the country possessed the hacked Democratic National Committee server as “conspiracy theories. ”

    Volker, who was a witness Republicans had pushed for, offered very different testimony on Tuesday than he did when he spoke behind closed doors with House impeachment investigators.

    “Since these events, and since I gave my testimony on October 3, a great deal of additional information and perspectives have come to light,” Volker told the House Intelligence Committee.  “I have learned many things that I did not know at the time of the events in question. ”

    Among the changes:

    *Volker initially said that investigations into Trump’s conspiracy theories and the release of almost $400 million in military aid for Ukraine were not mentioned in a July 10 meeting at the White House.  But on Tuesday, Volker said he now knows that the investigations were mentioned.

    *Volker said in his October testimony that any conversations with the Ukrainians about making an announcement on the opening of an investigation into the Bidens had ended in August.  But on Tuesday, Volker acknowledged that US Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland had told a top Ukrainian official on September 1 that he believed the military aid was tied to the announcement of an investigation.

    Those are both big deals – and undermine the very points Republicans were hoping Volker would make in the public hearings.

    Morrison, the former top NSC Russia and Europe adviser, broke some news when he said that he had been told by NSC lawyer John Eisenberg that the transcript of the July 25 phone call between Trump and Zelensky had been placed in a more secure server solely because of a “mistake” by the lawyer’s executive secretary.

    “John related that he did not ask for it to be put on there, but that the Executive Secretariat staff misunderstood his recommendation for how to restrict access,” Morrison told the committee.

    That directly counters what Vindman told the Intelligence Committee earlier today.  Here’s the exchange between Vindman and Democratic counsel Dan Goldman:

GOLDMAN: Was it intended to be put on the highly classified system by the lawyers or was it a mistake that it was put there?

VINDMAN: I think it was intended.  But, again, it was intended to prevent leaks and to limit access.

    Morrison was asked later about the specific instructions given surrounding where the transcript should be placed.  He made clear that he was in favor of limiting the number of people with access to it but that he did not specifically request it be put on the server where it ultimately wound up.
  © 2021 Cable News Network.  A Warner Media Company.  All Rights Reserved.   CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network.


Gujarat: Workers of a salon wear PPE kits while giving haircuts to customers in Nadiad of Kheda district amid #COVID19 pandemic. Salon owner Vishal Limbachiya says, "We're taking all precautions prescribed by the govt to ensure that workers & customers don't contract COVID-19". https://t.co/0XQgq0qlA2

With Gujarat reporting the second-highest Covid-19 related deaths in the country after Maharashtra, the state government on Tuesday constituted a committee of medical experts to study the reasons for the high mortality rate, especially in Ahmedabad. Maharashtra has reported 23,401 cases and 868 deaths while Gujarat 8,904 cases and 537 deaths. A doctor, who is a member of the high power committee constituted by the deputy chief minister and health minister, Nitin Patel, said the decision for setting up the panel was taken at a meeting to prepare protocols for proper research on the reason for the high death rate. “The doctors and other experts who are part of the committee have been asked to prepare the protocols, standard operating procedures and resources required for the research,” the doctor said on condition of anonymity. He said so far no such study has been done by any state.  “Not only experts from other states but guidance would be also taken from the Indian Council of Medical Research and doctors and pathologists from abroad too.  This study is necessary to understand the progression of the disease,” the doctor said. Dr Parthiv Mehta, senior pulmonologist–intensivist, said the study will help to understand the pattern and reasons for the deaths.  “Extensive autopsies will guide the medical experts to understand how the virus is affecting the human beings and what is leading to the mortality,” Mehta said. Jayanti Ravi, principal secretary (health), on Tuesday said 362 cases have been reported in the state since Monday taking the tally to 8,904.  “. . .  267 cases were reported from Ahmedabad, 30 from Surat, 27 from Vadodra, and rest from other districts.  . . .  24 deaths were also reported in the last 24 hours,” she said. The state government has decided to open factories and industries in the non-containment zones after no cases were reported from Rajkot over the last.  Ashwani Kumar, the secretary to chief minister Vijay Rupani, said all businesses will be allowed to resume in Rajkot from May 14 provided they do not fall in the containment zones. “The approvals for the same will be provided by the district collector.  Rajkot falls under the Orange Zone.  Despite that, the state government did not allow shops and businesses to restart. . . ”Kumar said of the 542 special trains for the stranded people till Monday, Gujarat operated the maximum--233-- in the country to ensure the safe return of over 2. 80 lakh migrant workers to their homes. Gujarat police chief Shivanand Jha said only those with confirmed e-tickets will be allowed at railway stations as no tickets are available at the ticket counters.  “It is mandatory to wear masks and maintain social distancing. ”


#Farmers protest | Haryana on high alert after chaos in Delhi during tractor parade

https://t.co/CzexVGjdBD https://t.co/1affVXkK6J

Authorities in Haryana sounded a high alert in the state and said anyone taking law into one's hands will be dealt with strictly, after a tractor march meant to highlight farmers' demands dissolved into anarchy on the streets of the national capital on Tuesday. In view of the violent incidents in several areas during the farmers' tractor parade in Delhi, Haryana Director General of Police Manoj Yadava said a 'high alert' has been sounded in the state. He directed all district police chiefs to be extremely vigilant. Also Read | Farmers' body Samyukt Kisan Morcha calls off tractor rally with immediate effectIn the wake of events which unfolded in neighbouring Delhi, Haryana Chief Minister M L Khattar was in touch with senior officials of police and civil administration keeping a close eye on the situation, official sources said. The DGP said all Commissioners of Police, Range ADGP/IGs and district Superintendents of Police have been asked to be on a high alert mode to deal strictly with rioters and miscreants. Additional force has also been deployed in sensitive areas.  Besides, the intelligence wing of the police is also monitoring the entire situation, he said. The DGP warned that the police will not allow anyone to disturb law and order in the state. He also said anyone found instigating riot through any kind of rumour will be strictly dealt with as per the law. Referring to the events which unfolded in Delhi, Yadava said police in Haryana have been asked to be extra vigilant. The police will also ensure safety of the farmers who are returning home, he said in a statement. The DGP also said the police will not hesitate to use force if anyone tries to damage public property, cause damage to government offices, government or private vehicles, and disturb the law and order in the state. The state police force will also patrol high-risk points, maintaining round-the-clock vigil, he added. Referring to chaos in Delhi during the farmers' tractor parade, Yadava said that in the guise of the present situation, some anti-social elements with an intention to grind their own axe, can also try to disturb peace through rumours. "Police are also keeping a close eye on social media.  Strict action will be taken if any kind of misleading, provocative, provoking and anarchic post is shared or forwarded on social media.  People should not pay attention to the rumours and follow the Haryana Police website and Twitter handle for the latest updates," the DGP added. Tens of thousands of protesters clashed with police in multiple places in Delhi, leading to chaos in well known landmarks of the city and suburbs, amid waves of violence that ebbed and flowed through the day, leaving the farmers' two-month peaceful movement near the borders of the national capital in tatters.


An image from Bhartiya Janata Party’s 35th foundation day ceremony in 2015 is being shared with the false claim that it shows how poll-bound state of Kerala welcomed Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who addressed a rally on Sunday, 21 February.  CLAIM BJP’s Manish Singh shared the image of a human flag in the shape of a lotus with the claim that it is from Yogi Adityanath’s rally held on Sunday.  The image saw its widespread presence on Twitter and Facebook with the same claim.  WHAT WE FOUND OUT On doing a reverse search of the viral image, we came across a Livemint article published in 2015 titled, ‘BJP to embark on major outreach programme’.  The article carried a picture showing the visual shot from a slightly different angle and the caption along with the image read: “BJP workers made party’s huge symbol (lotus) during the BJP foundation day celebration in Ahmedabad on Monday.  (sic)” With the help of a keyword search, we came across an Indian Express article from April 2015 that carried an image same as the viral one.  The image was credited to Express photographer Bhupendra Rana.  The Quint, too, carried visuals of the human flag from the 2015 event when nearly 30,000 party workers formed the ‘largest’ human flag in the Dahod region of Gujarat to mark the celebration of Bharatiya Janata Party’s 35th foundation day.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi had tweeted the visual of the said ceremony back in April 2015.  Evidently, an old image of BJP workers forming a human flag to mark the celebration of the party’s 35th foundation day was falsely linked to Yogi Adityanath’s recent Kerala rally.


Rajasthan Congress MLAs lodged at Hotel Suryagarh in Jaisalmer celebrate the birthday of Congress MLA Bharosi Lal Jatav. https://t.co/vijeqXhEZ6

Amid the political battle in Rajasthan, the High Court on Monday dismissed Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) MLA Madan Dilawar’s petition against merger of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLAs with the ruling Congress party. Dilawar had filed a petition in the high court earlier this month for quashing the merger of six BSP MLAs with the Congress and challenging the “inaction” of the Assembly Speaker in not deciding on his plea seeking disqualification of the BSP legislators for their merger with the Congress. In a statement on Sunday, the BJP lawmaker said no action was taken on his petition to the Speaker on March 16 for disqualification of the BSP MLAs.  He said he had reminded the Speaker for a quick decision on July 17. Sandeep Yadav, Wajib Ali, Deepchand Kheria, Lakhan Meena, Jogendra Awana and Rajendra Gudha who won the 2018 assembly elections on BSP tickets applied for merger as a group with the Congress on September 16 last year.  Two days later, the Speaker passed an order declaring that the six MLAs will be treated as part of the Congress. There was more twist in the ongoing political drama in Rajasthan on Sunday with the BSP issuing a whip to the six MLAs to vote against the ruling party in the state in case of a trust motion in the Assembly. The merger had boosted the Ashok Gehlot-led government taking the Congress’ tally to 107 members in a House of 200.


A message is being circulated on social media claiming that the Government of India has decided to impose a complete lockdown all over the country for 3 days from 29 Feb to 31 Feb 2021.  Let’s verify the claim made in the post. Claim: The Government of India has decided to impose a complete lockdown from 29 Feb to 31 Feb 2021. Fact: The message in the photo is just a joke.  The days 30 and 31 never occur in February.  2021 is not a leap year to have the 29th day in February.  The Government of India did not release any statement about the new complete lockdown restrictions to be imposed in the country.  Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE. By observing this message with a little attention, we could easily understand it as a sarcastic message.  First of all, days 30 and 31 never occur in February, and 2021 is not a leap year to have the 29th day in February.  Also, in the photo, it is clearly mentioned as a joke not to be taken seriously. The Government of India did not release any statement about the new complete lockdown restrictions in the country.  Amid the rising COVID-19 cases, the Government sent high-level teams to 10 states and Union territories that have seen a surge in COVID-19 cases.  A few State Governments in the country extended the lockdown restrictions with some relaxations after the sudden rise in COVID-19 cases in their states.  News articles published on extended lockdown restrictions can be seen here and here. To sum it up, this message about the Indian Government imposing a complete lockdown from 29 Feb to 31 Feb 2021 is a joke.


Union Home Minister Amit Shah tests positive for #COVID19. He is being admitted to the hospital. https://t.co/jgYN2wBEzA

The swab samples of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, his wife Kalpana and officials working in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) were collected on Saturday for Covid-19 tests, a statement said. Health workers took swab samples of the chief minister, his wife Kalpana Soren, Press Adviser Abhishek Prasad, senior personal secretary Sunil Srivastav and other officials and police officers working in the CMO, the statement from the CMO said. Soren has quarantined himself at his Ranchi residence since July 8 after coming in contact with Drinking and Sanitation Minister Mithilesh Thakur and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MLA Mathura Mahato, who have tested positive for Covid-19. Both Thakur and Mahato are being treated at the state-run Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) here. Covid-19 tests should be conducted on the maximum number of people, particularly those showing the slightest of the symptoms, to treat them as well as to curb the spread of the infection, Soren was quoted as saying in the statement.


Multiple images are being shared on social media claiming them as photos of recent Gaza attacks amidst the Israel-Palestine conflict.  They can be seen here, here, here, and here.  Let us fact-check the claim made in the post. Claim: Recent images of Gaza amidst the Israel-Palestine conflict. Fact: The first two images were reported to be from Gaza, but they are old images.  Similarly, the next two images are from Syria which were widely circulated for many years across social media platforms.  Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE. Image-1:When reverse image search was done on the image, a Facebook post published on 03 April 2019 with the same image was found.  The post mentions that the photo was from Gaza where ‘Al Shawa’ family was celebrating the birthday of their son Walid al-Shawa on the ruins of their house which was destroyed a few days ago by Israeli shelling; photo credits were given to Belal Khaled/ TRT.  On further search, we found several social media posts and websites that carried the same image which can be seen here and here.  None of the posts were related to the recent Gaza attacks. Image-2:When reverse image search was done on the image, a news article with the same image, published on 03 June 2016 was found.  According to the article, the Hawn Media channel published a photo of a Palestinian girl addressing the consciences of human beings and wrote: This Palestinian girl, whose tears will not be shed, whose house was destroyed by Israel and she collected her books and hugged her and could not calm down.  Seeing these scenes, it affects the heart of every human being.  Another article on a website mentions that the image was from Gaza, but this was published on 19 October 2020.  On further search, we found that this image was being circulated on social media since 2016.  Some of these posts can be seen here and here.  Therefore, this image does not belong to the recent Gaza attacks. Image-3:When reverse image search was done on the image, a YouTube video uploaded on 10 May 2014 containing the image was found.  The video is titled as People of Syria Tour chanting Abu Ammar.  On further research, we found that a couple of Tumblr posts, one published on 27 December 2011 and the other published 5 years ago and titled A Young Boy Cleaning Blood At His Parents Slaughterhouse’  contained the same image.  Therefore, this image does not belong to the recent Gaza attacks. Image-4:When reverse image search was done on the image, a news article containing the image and published on 03 October 2016 was found.  The article reports that a photo trending on social media shows a boy in Syria defending his wounded mother with cutlery from a soldier pointing a gun at him.  Another article published on 01 March 2017 also had the same image but did not report where the photo was taken from.  A Facebook post published on 01 November 2018 had the same image claiming that it was from Syria. To sum it up, old Images are linked to recent Gaza attacks amidst the Israel-Palestine conflict.


Speaker Pelosi at conference of U.S. mayors: "Congressional Democrats support smart, effective border security, but we do not support the president holding the health, safety and paychecks of the American people hostage again to a campaign applause line." https://t.co/FZoZzKy8OA https://t.co/rTBvyabG4c

From CNN Business' Ivana KottasovaInternational Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde opened the last panel discussion at this year’s Davos by talking about climate change. The final panel of the conference typically features central bankers and other economic heavyweights, and the discussion tends to focus on the economic outlook for the coming year.  But Lagarde made it clear that climate change is now at the heart of the debate. Her panelists agreed. “If temperatures go up two and half degrees, we’ll lose 15% of the world GDP.  Three degrees, we will lose 25%,” said Kristalina Georgieva, the CEO of the World Bank. The first thing she thinks needs to be done?  Eliminate fossil fuels subsidies. “We have done some, we have shrunk [subsidies] by half, but we still have $300 billion to go … it has to happen faster,” said Georgieva. From CNN's Ivana Kottasová and Eliza MackintoshWhile some delegates at the World Economic Forum arrived in private jets, 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg took a 32-hour train. She's been camping out in Davos, giving up the option to stay at a hotel to sleep in a tent in 0 degrees Fahrenheit weather. In the process, she's been giving Davos a run for its money. On Thursday, Thunberg gave an impromptu speech at a lunch with a star-studded guest list that included Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, former Goldman Sachs president and Trump administration official Gary Cohn, musicians Bono and Will. i. am, and an array of bankers and investors.  "I told them that they belong to that group of people who are most responsible and that the future of humankind rests in their hands, and they didn't know how to react," Thunberg told CNN. "It was pretty fun. " From CNN Business' Richard QuestI’ll be blunt: This year’s Davos was better because US President Donald Trump (and others) stayed away.  2018 was a historic low for Davos.  Trump was here, and some participants treated him the same way teenagers would a pop star.  The president was the undisputed center of attention, and his presence caused the conference to grind to a halt.  As one minister told me, the oxygen can be "sucked out" of Davos when the event is overshadowed by a prominent leader. The news that Trump would not be coming this year was greeted with regret by the World Economic Forum (their star guest would not be here), and relief by those hoping to actually get something done.  When British Prime Minister Theresa May, French President Emmanuel Macron and other leaders canceled their visits, many commentators couldn't help but proclaim the conference irrelevant. Now I’ll let you in on a secret: Davos has been much better because they stayed away (IMHO).  Top leaders still made important speeches (China's vice president, Wang Qishan, reassured the world about the Chinese economy and bashed the United States in the process).  The panel discussions were interesting and lively. Throughout the Congress Center I saw people engaged in discussions on the top challenges we face, including climate change.  Attendees also grappled with the fourth industrial revolution, which will see the world reshaped by artificial intelligence, robotics and other technological breakthroughs. For the past five years, Davos has pushed the fourth industrial revolution theme down our throats, to little gain.  Now, the revolution is well underway and the effects are being felt in developed and emerging markets.  Government ministers, finance bosses, NGOs, media – no one can ignore the change now underway, and here at Davos there was real engagement.  As I head down the mountain, I will reflect – Yes, it is good to see political leaders giving speeches and performing on panels.  But it's even better to see decision makers and power brokers actually getting to grips with issues of vital importance. Next year will be the 50th anniversary of the World Economic Forum and there's little doubt that founder Klaus Schwab will pull every string possible to get the biggest names here.  I hope that in quiet reflection, organizers realize that this year was so good precisely because the circus stayed at home.  From CNN Business' Julia HorowitzLast year was a wild one for oil prices.  Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency, thinks 2019 could be even worse. “Last Davos, we sat here and [said] the name of the game is volatility," he said during a World Economic Forum panel moderated by CNN Business' John Defterios.  "The volatility [in] the year in front of us may very [well] be much stronger than last year. ”Birol cited a laundry list of potential factors: the slowing global economy, the efficacy of an agreement between OPEC and Russia to reduce oil output and the growing flexibility of US shale production. Then there's Venezuela.  Read how its political crisis could hit oil prices here. From CNN Business' Michelle TohFrom CNN Business' Charles RileyIt's the final day of Davos 2019. Panel highlights include "Global Economy in Transition: Shaping a New Architecture," which features IMF chief Christine Lagarde and Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda. Our very own John Defterios will be joined by International Energy Agency boss Fatih Birol at a panel titled "The Great Energy Race. "Official events end in the early afternoon.  The work of turning Davos back into a sleepy mountain town will commence soon after. From CNN Business' Charles RileyGeorge Soros has labeled China's President Xi Jinping the "most dangerous enemy" of open societies and recommended a crackdown on Chinese tech companies.  The billionaire said Thursday in Davos that artificial intelligence and machine learning pose a grave threat when they are controlled by authoritarian states.  He singled out the use of such technologies by the Chinese government as a "mortal danger. "In a provocative speech delivered to journalists and executives attending the World Economic Forum, Soros warned that the Chinese government was developing a "social credit" system that would monitor people living there. Soros urged the United States to aggressively counter the threat.  "Instead of waging a trade war with practically the whole world, the United States should focus on China," said the former hedge fund manager.  Soros also said the United States should apply more pressure to Chinese tech companies Huawei and ZTE, which have been labeled national security threats by some US officials.   Huawei and ZTE make telecommunications equipment and smartphones, and both have been caught up in the trade war between China and the United States.  The companies have denied that their products pose a security threat. Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for China's Foreign Ministry, shot back at Soros on Friday, accusing him of twisting the facts.  Soros warned last year in Davos about the danger posed by major tech companies including Google and Facebook, arguing they were monopolies intent on growing ever-more powerful. From CNN Business' Julia HorowitzIt's the 34th day of the US government shutdown.  Business leaders and economists at Davos are warning that Democrats and Republicans better work it out soon. David Rubenstein, the billionaire co-founder of The Carlyle Group, said on a panel Thursday that he thinks a deal will happen soon because "both sides know they have to get it done. ”But there will be consequences if they don't. He added: “I don’t know of any other country in the world that operates this way. ”From CNN Business' Jordan ValinskyOur Ivana Kottasová attended a panel discussing disability inclusion, but it appears that many Davos attendees had other plans. Here's the bleak turnout:And it appeared to end on an even sadder note:Please enable JavaScript for a better experience.


The victim was admitted in a hospital in Mahidpur and her condition was stated to be stable, the police said.

https://t.co/pmZlOCtQkb

A 30-year-old man was allegedly thrashed, stripped and made to wear shoe garland for allegedly raping an 11-year-old girl in a village in Mahidpur tehsil of Ujjain district on Tuesday evening, said police.  He was also made to shave his head.  The victim was admitted in a hospital in Mahidpur and her condition was stated to be stable, the police said.  The accused, Vijay Bherulal, is a habitual offender and is facing two more sexual harassment cases.  He came out on bail from jail a few weeks ago.  He was arrested again by Mahidpur police after this rape charge against him under section 376 (rape) of IPC and relevant sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offence (POCSO) and produced before the court on Wednesday, said Mangilal Chauhan, town inspector, Mahidpur.  Also read: MP man pedals bicycle for 105 km to take son to exam centre, he has a dreamChauhan said, “The girl was going to a local grocery shop with his younger brother who is 9-year-old in her village on Tuesday evening.  Bherulal lured the girl with a chocolate and asked her brother to go back home.  The man took the girl to an agriculture field and raped her.  Some villagers working in the field had seen him going with the girl.  As he was already facing two sexual harassment cases some villagers doubted his intention.  They looked for him and later caught him red-handed in the agriculture field. ” The villagers thrashed him and later, some youth of the village stripped him and shaved his head.  He was made to wear a garland of shoes and paraded in the whole village before handing over to the police, said Chauhan.  Ujjain additional superintendent of police Rupesh Dwivedi said, “People can’t be allowed to take law in their hands.  We are investigating the matter and further action will be taken against villagers after investigation. ” (With inputs from Anand Nigam)


Government says Covid-19 cases plateauing in some states; experts disagree

(@RamblingBrook reports)

#COVIDSecondWaveInIndia

https://t.co/5i00ProRXC https://t.co/WBnukmsUMt

A senior health ministry official pointed to recent Covid-19 case data from across India to suggest that there are early signs of improvement in the number of daily cases, and a plateauing of cases in some parts of the country, but experts said it was far too premature to arrive at any such conclusions. “There is a relative signal of movement towards positive direction if trajectory of daily cases and deaths is analysed.  On May 1 roughly about 400,000 new Covid-19 cases were reported from across the country, on May 2 it came down to 392,000 cases, and in past 24 hours (Sunday), we find 367,000 cases that shows there’s reduction in daily new cases to some extent cases,” said Lav Agarwal, joint secretary, Union health ministry, in the regular media briefing on Covid-19. To be sure, these numbers hide a significant dip in the number of tests conducted across the three days (around 400,000), and a corresponding increase in the positivity rate, suggesting there will likely be no let up in daily cases, at least not immediately. “We have found early signs of plateauing upon analyzing the Covid-19 data; in a state or two we can also say we have seen decrease in daily new cases.  Among those states you find in Chhattisgarh that used to report 15,500 daily new cases, is now reporting around 14,900. . .  Delhi, which used to get about 25,200 cases, now is getting 24,000 cases, hinting at early plateauing signs,” added Agarwal. He said this is also becoming evident in numbers from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Punjab, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. “But these are very early signals.  There is a need for further analysis ; and related efforts to monitor it on a continued basis.  Similarly, if we look at reported deaths 48 hours ago then we find 3,689 deaths, and in the past 24 hours, data shows 3,417 deaths have been reported. Experts say it is too early to even think of this as a trend. “You cannot establish a trend by looking at 48-72 hours data.  This could be an aberration, and needs to sustain for a few weeks before something can be declared concretely,” said a senior public health expert, requesting anonymity. However, there also are states that are showing an upward trajectory of cases, according to Agarwal — Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, and Himachal Pradesh etc. India’s active case load has also gone up, and is currently around 3. 4 million, with 12 states reporting at least 100,000 active cases.  Seven states have active cases between 50,000 and 100,000, and 17 have less than 50,000 active cases. A high positivity rate is a concern in many states, Agarwal said, with 22 states showing a positivity rate in excess of 15% .  In nine states, the positivity rate is between 5% and 15%, and only five states currently report a positivity rate of 5% or lower.  These numbers also clearly indicate that cases in the country will continue to rise for some time.


Seven key questions and answers about special counsel Mueller's report on Pres. Trump and Russia: https://t.co/fLqtB6nBGK https://t.co/me6KM59rIp

                Everything you need to know about bitcoin, blockchain, NFTs and more

  After nearly two years of waiting, Stephen Colbert and the rest of late-night TV were finally able to talk about the completion of the Mueller report, if not its contents.

  “I had a pretty good weekend.  Not as a good as Donald Trump’s weekend, but still pretty good,” the “Late Show” host told his audience on Monday night.

  Colbert opened Monday’s show by talking about the delivery of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report to the Department of Justice on Friday.  He also spoke about Attorney General William Barr’s summary of the report.  According to Barr’s summary, Mueller found no evidence that Trump campaign associates colluded with Russians to influence the outcome of the 2016 election.

  Colbert, who called Barr a “white-collar Fred Flintstone,” joked that the most troubling part of the news was that Trump was, in fact, not a Russian asset.

  “I say troubling news because if Trump is not working with the Russians then what the hell is wrong with him? ” Colbert said.  “If they don’t have anything on him, why does he keep saying nice things about Vladimir Putin? ”

  The host went on to say that the ending to Mueller’s investigations was “anti-climactic. ”

  “It’s like saying, ‘guess what kids? !  Santa came!  And he brought mostly nothing,’” Colbert joked.
TONIGHT: The Mueller report finally dropped and it. . . well, it dropped.  #LSSC pic. twitter. com/jhdqJVz1NU

  Colbert, who has been a fierce critic of the president, said that a lot of people want Trump’s critics to apologize.  And so he obliged.

  “I’ve said one or two things about Donald Trump, like how he’s a terrible president,” Colbert said.  “So … I’m just going to bite the bullet and say it: Mr.  President if you’re watching, and I know you are, I’m sorry that you’re a terrible president. ”

  The Mueller report was also on the mind of ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel on Monday night.

  “I haven’t been this confused about an ending since the series finale of ‘Lost,’” Kimmel said on Monday’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live! ”

  Kimmel added that Trump said it wouldn’t bother him if the attorney general released the full Mueller report.

  “I think he said that about his taxes, too,” Kimmel said.  “So we’ll see. ”

  Trevor Noah of “The Daily Show” was also a bit perplexed by the report’s conclusion.

  “Robert Mueller spends two years investigating obstruction of justice and his conclusion is ‘I don’t know, what do you guys think? ’” Noah said Monday night.  “If I wanted my questions answered with questions, I wouldn’t get a special counsel, I would get a therapist! ”
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Kerala: H2O Holy Faith apartment tower in Maradu demolished through controlled implosion  #Kerala https://t.co/7adYMf5wMY

Two of the four apartment complexes in Maradu in Kerala’s Kochi were demolished in a controlled implosion on Saturday after the Supreme Court’s order in May last year for violating the Coastal Zone Regulation (CZR) norms. The two buildings in the Maradu apartment complexes, spread in at least 800,000 square feet area, were razed within seconds, in one of the largest demolition drives in the country involving residential buildings. #WATCH Maradu flats demolition: H2O Holy Faith apartment tower demolished through controlled implosion #Kerala pic. twitter. com/fKbciLGH14The first to come down like a pack of cards was the H20 Holy Faith complex, a 19-floor building with 91 apartments.  Alfa Serene with 67 houses on 17 floors, 800 meters away, was the next to be demolished. A portion of the H20 Holy Faith building fell in the backwaters as rubble of almost the height of a five-storey building settled on the ground.  Firemen used water cannons to control the dust and fumes which enveloped the whole Maradu apartment complexes’ area after the building came down. Officials said the H20 Holy Faith complex was razed using 212. 4kg of explosives at around 11:19am. “The first explosion was successful,” Utkarsh Mehta, the managing director of the main contractor Edifice Engineering, said. Explosives were placed in 1471 holes in the 70-metre high building, officials of Edifice Engineering said.  South Africa-based Jet Demolitions is the other big company involved in the demolition. A special pooja invoking Lord Ganesha to remove all hurdles was held earlier in the morning to ensure smooth operation, said the companies involved in the operation. Authorities have imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which bans the assembly of more than four people at any place.  Police have tightened security in Maradu, on the outskirts of the port city of Kochi as top police and civil officials camped in the area. Green activists said the demolitions will be a lesson for land encroachers who misuse water bodies.  However, homeowners feel they are paying for “someone else’s sin”.  Many fear that the latest demolition drive will trigger a series of such actions in Kochi where violations of CRZ norms are rampant. On Sunday, two 17-storeyed residential buildings—Jain Coral Cove with 122 flats and Golden Kayaloram with 40 flats—will be demolished. According to experts, the last big demolition drive was in Tamil Nadu’s Chennai in 2016 when an 11-floor building was pulled down.