A former Trump campaign staffer is suing President Trump and his campaign, alleging that the then-Republican presidential candidate kissed her without her consent during the 2016 race https://t.co/AhfYVxhnfZ https://t.co/L9gL4zNGit

The Venezuelan president sat down for his first American interview in years. Nicolas Maduro says humanitarian aid to Venezuela is political ploy by U. S. Embattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro accused the U. S.  government of trying to fabricate a crisis to start a war in South America in his first interview with an American television network in years. "Everything that the United States government has done has been doomed to failure," Maduro told ABC News' Tom Llamas in Spanish from the presidential palace in Caracas.  "They are trying to fabricate a crisis to justify political escalation and a military intervention in Venezuela to bring a war to South America. "U. S.  Vice President Mike Pence traveled to Colombia Monday morning to deliver a message from President Donald Trump to Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido: "We are with you 100 percent. " There, he announced that the U. S.  will provide an additional $56 million in aid to Venezuelan citizens and that the U. S.  Treasury Department would be imposing "stronger sanctions" on the Maduro regime's "corrupt financial networks. "Maduro said that the meeting in Bogota was "part of that politics to attempt to establish a parallel government in Venezuela. " He added that the U. S.  "wants Venezuela's oil" and is "willing to go to war for that oil. ""The extremist Ku Klux Klan government that Donald Trump directs wants a war over oil, and more than just oil," he said, describing Venezuela as a "pacifist, humble nation. "Asked if he had a message for Trump, Maduro said he needs to "fix your policy over Venezuela. ""Venezuela has the right to peace, Venezuela has legitimate institutions.  I, as President of Venezuela, am prepared for a direct dialogue with your government and with you to look for, like the Americans that we are.  We are South Americans, you are North Americans.  To look for 21st century solutions not Cold War solutions.  The Cold War should stay behind," Maduro said. "We cannot have this war of are you a communist, are you anti-communist, inter-communist, anti-communist - that is not of this century.  We are Democrats that believe in a new type of socialism and we have the right to the diversity of criterion and ideology.  And so President Trump should always be ready to see Venezuela’s truth - the other side of the coin and rectify and start a new path," Maduro continued. "The path that got you here is the fractured path that Barack Obama left behind, President Trump.  It’s a path of a coup d’etat, of an intervention - that is not of the 21st century - I say to you, rectify.  You will always have in me someone that is prepared - with our differences between us - to extend my hand and talk about a peaceful dialogue," he added. Asked if he fears Trump, Maduro said he doesn't fear him. . .  but he does fear the men around him, including Pence ("man that does not know world politics, unaware of Latin American politics"), National Security Adviser John Bolton ("an extremist and expert of the Cold War"), Eliot Abrams ("a liar that trafficked arms and drugs in Central America and the world and brought war to the United States"), and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo ("a CIA agent that has an antiquated scheme of old intelligence from the Cold War"). "I think these people surrounding President Trump are bad and advising him on Venezuelan policies are bad.  And I think that at one point, President Trump will have to say stop , stop we have to see what happens with Venezuela, and change his politics," Maduro said. Around 50 countries no longer recognize Maduro as Venezuela's president and have announced that they view Guaido as the country's legitimate leader. When asked if he would allow opposition Venezuela leader Juan Guaido back into the country, Maduro said.  "He can just come and go.  He will have to face justice, and justice prohibited him from leaving the country. ""He has to respect the laws," Maduro said. When confronted with claims from the United Nations and human rights groups that estimate hundreds have died because of his administration, Maduro accused Llamas of lying "just like Trump. ""No human rights organizations has made me responsible for any deaths.  You are lying Thomas.  Do not lie - you are just like Trump.  You are just like Trump," Maduro told Llamas, who responded that he had the U. N.  report that includes the allegations that hundreds have died as a result of Maduro's administration. "Does it make me, Nicolas Maduro, responsible of assassinating people? " Maduro asked. When Llamas reminded Maduro that it's his government, Maduro again accused him of lying: "You have committed an error as a journalist. ""What I can tell you is that in Venezuela that is free expression for political opposition mobilizations.  They have groups that attack public forces and that is what we put up with in 2017.  Groups of delinquents that have been tried and processed according to Venezuelan law.  What I can also tell you is that in Venezuela there is full freedom of political expression, of opinion, free press.  In Venezuela there is full freedom to hold public office," Maduro said. "In Venezuela there is a democracy with a lot of potential, with a lot of force.  And it cannot be neglected and ignored that this constitution is the first constitution in the history of our country that was approved by referendum and has been full force and is in force today in Venezuela," he added. Maduro told Llamas not to believe critics who say he's run out of chess moves, adding that the country "has all the economic capacity to get ahead and we will in this year, 2019. ""Venezuela has a constitution that is defended by all its institutions.  It is legitimate and powerful state.  And Venezuela has extraordinary relations - we are the president of the Organization of Non-Aligned States that groups 120 countries.  We are the president of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries this year.  We have grand responsibilities around the world that we will continue to fulfill," Maduro said. "So that checkmate scheme, Mike Pence can believe that.  Mike Pompeo can believe that.  John Bolton and Elliott Abrams can believe that.  But you should not believe that because you are a young man and knows that history will continue," he added. Last Thursday, Maduro closed Venezuela's border to Brazil ahead of opposition plans to bring in humanitarian aid despite Guadio's objection.  At least a dozen people were injured and one woman was killed by authorities during clashes at the Brazilian border over the weekend, The Associated Press reported. On Tuesday, Venezuelan officials said that the country was banning air and sea trips to and from three Dutch Caribbean Islands, AP reported.  The region has been linked to efforts to undermine Maduro by sending aid to Venezuela, according to AP. Maduro blocked a convoy carrying American humanitarian aid that arrived at the Colombia-Venezuela border earlier this month.  He has blocked aid from entering the country for years. Trump, Venezuela's opposition and Guaido have put pressure on Maduro to let the aid in.  Venezuela's military has so far largely stood by the embattled president, who refuses to leave power. Pence met with Guaido as well as Colombian President Ivan Duque Marquez in Bogota Monday before he addressed the Lima Group on the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. "President Duque we are grateful for your stand for freedom," Pence said.  "President Guaido, we admire your courage and the courage of the other opposition leaders. "Trump warned Venezuela's military last week that standing by Maduro could make them "lose everything" and in a speech Monday to the country's exiled community in South Florida, called Maduro "a Cuban puppet. "Guadio also spoke from Bogota Thursday, saying the world saw the real Venezuela on Saturday during the violence that occurred as the opposition tried to force humanitarian aid into the country. "And the world saw within hours on Saturday what Venezuela has lived with for years: the destruction of the production, the burning of food, the burning of medicine that could save lives," Guaido said. He added: "We must insist with the attention to the humanitarian emergency, to protect our people and of course we are in Bogota today thankful for the invitation that today formally incorporates into the Lima Group. "Maduro said Thursday in televised comments that he was considering closing the Colombia border, saying the stockpiling of aid in Cucuta was a "provocation" and a cheap show by the opposition to undermine his government. Dueling aid concerts took place over the weekend on either side of the Venezuelan border.  Maduro announced that his administration would be hosting its own two-day concert at the Simón Bolívar International Bridge on Friday and Saturday after billionaire Richard Branson, a critic of the Maduro regime, announced that he would be sponsoring a Live Aid-style benefit concert in Cucuta. ABC News' Esther Castillejo, Conor Finnegan, Ben Gittleson, Rashid Haddou, Meredith McGraw, Davi Merchan, Kirit Radia and Bruno Roeber contributed to this report. Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify the translation, including a passage regarding Maduro’s comments on the “people surrounding President Trump” and a statement from Maduro that Guaido “can just come and go” to and from Venezuela. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds meeting via video conference with oxygen manufacturers in the country https://t.co/uaEVJxWVSE

The coronavirus disease (Covid-19) surge continues to affect several cities and regions of the country as clamour for oxygen and ICU beds continues.  India reported a record 332,730 fresh cases on Friday crossing the US in terms of the highest number of cases reported in a single day.  Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi continue to report a high number of cases and fatalities and are also facing issues with testing, hospital infrastructure and oxygen availability.  The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, chaired one review meeting on the nation’s Covid-19 situation today with the chief ministers of worst-affected state and his meeting with oxygen manufacturers is currently underway. In the worst-affected US, California is reopening at a faster pace as vaccinations have helped the state recover from the spikes that it had recorded previously during the winter season.  Michigan is the worst-affected by Covid-19 out of all states.  The WHO immunisation body has asked for more data on the reports of clotting caused by AstraZeneca vaccine from outside Europe but maintained that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks.  India’s mutant variant was discovered in Belgium from a few travellers.  Canada has joined the US and UK to ban travellers entering from India. Follow all the updates here:Jharkhand reports 5,741 new Covid-19 casesJharkhand reports 5,741 new Covid-19 cases, 3,205 discharges and 63 deaths. Active cases: 43,415Total discharges: 1,45,499Death toll: 1,778Haryana reports 11,854 new Covid-19 cases in last 24 hoursHaryana reported 11,854 new Covid-19 cases, 60 deaths and 6,334 recoveries in the last 24 hours on Friday. Delhi reports 24,331 new Covid-19 casesDelhi on Friday reported 24,331 fresh coronavirus infections and 348 deaths in the last 24 hours. Chhattisgarh registers more than 17,000 new Covid-19 casesChhattisgarh on Friday reported 17,397 new Covid-19 cases, 14,284 recoveries and 219 deaths in the last 24 hours. Maharashtra's Pune logs 9,810 new Covid-19 casesPune district reported 9,810 fresh Covid-19 cases, 137 fatalities and 10,310 recoveries in the last 24 hours. West Bengal logs over 12,000 fresh Covid-19 infectionsWest Bengal reported 12,876 new Covid-19 cases, 59 deaths and 6,878 discharges in the last 24 hours on Friday. Kerala logs highest-ever single-day hike of 28, 447 new Covid-19 infectionsKerala on Friday registered 28,447, highest in a single day, new Covid-19 cases, ANI quoted the state's Information & Public Relations Department (IPRD) as informing. Maharashtra reports over 66,000 new Covid-19 casesMaharashtra on Friday reported 66,836 new Covid-19 infections and 773 deaths in the last 24 hours. Flyers from Delhi, UP, 3 other states to Bengal must carry Covid-19 negative report from MondayThe West Bengal government makes prior RT-PCR test and Covid-negative report mandatory for flight passengers coming to Kolkata from nine states. Mumbai reports 7,221 new Covid-19 infections in last 24 hoursMumbai reported 7,221 new Covid-19 cases, 9,541 recoveries and 72 fatalities in the last 24 hours.  Active cases in the city have surpassed 81,000-mark. Andhra Pradesh announces night curfew from April 24 to curb Covid-19 spread, reports PTIAndhra Pradesh government on Friday announced that night curfew from 10pm to 5am will be imposed in the state from April 24, reported PTI.  "The night curfew will be in force daily from 10 pm to 5 am.  Only essential and emergency services, like medical and health, milk supply, will be allowed," PTI quoted deputy chief minister (Health) A K K Srinivas (Nani) as saying. Tamil Nadu logs 13,776 new Covid-19 cases in last 24 hoursTamil Nadu on Friday reported 13,776 new Covid-19cases, 8,078 recoveries and 78 deaths in the last 24 hours. Maharashtra's Nagpur reports 7,485 new Covid-19 casesNagpur district reported 7,485 new cases of Covid-19 on Friday with 6531 recoveries and 82 deaths, reported ANI. Goa reports 1,420 new Covid-19 infectionsGoa reports 1,420 new Covid-19 cases, 12 fatalities and 596 recoveries in the last 24 hours.  Active cases stand at 11,040. Uttarakhand reports over 4,300 new Covid-19 infectionsUttarakhand on Friday reported 4,339 new Covid-19 cases, 1,179 recoveries and 49 deaths in the last 24 hours. Study finds even single jab of vaccine dose reduces Covid-19 infection rateAs per a new UK study, a single dose of either Oxford/AstraZeneca or Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine reduces the infection rate by 65 per cent, reported PTI.  Oxfird/AstraZeneca and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines are currently being administered in the UK. UP records highest single-day spike of over 37,000 new Covid-19 infectionsUttar Pradesh on Friday recorded the highest single-day rise with 37,238 fresh Covid-19 cases and 196 deaths in the last 24 hours.  The new hike took the state's tally to over one million, an official said, reported PTI. Zydus Cadila gets DGCI nod for use of hepatitis drug in Covid-19 treatmentZydus Cadila on Friday said it has received restricted emergency use approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for the use of hepatitus drug Pegylated Interferon alpha-2b (PegIFN) in treating moderate Covid-19 infection in adults, reported PTI. Covid-19 survivors face high risk of death, serious illness: StudyAs per research published in the journal Nature, Covid-19 survivors, including those not sick enough to be hospitalised, have an increased risk of death in the six months following diagnosis with the coronavirus, reported PTI. Odisha reports highest single-day rise of 6,215 new Covid-19 casesOdisha on Friday reported the highest-ever single-day spike of 6,215 new Covid-19 cases.  The rise took the Covid-19 tally of the state to nearly 400,000 cases, PTI quoted a health department official as saying. Zero case of Covid variant reported in Mizoram so far, says officialMizoram has not reported any case of new Covid-19 variants till date, PTI quoted an an official as saying on Friday.  Chhattisgarh receives 15k vials of Remdesivir15,000 vials of Remsdesivir reached Raipur airport today, says Chhattisgarh Health Minister TS Singh Deo "It has been sent to CGMSC godown for counting and storage.  Distribution of the same will follow immediately, later in the day," he adds pic. twitter. com/x1xpRlSFlRChhattisgarh health minister said that the distribution of Remdesivir will begin immediately after they are counted.  Mamata claims Bengal's oxygen is being diverted to UPOur oxygen supply chain has been diverted to Uttar Pradesh.  The supply chain is being maintained in BJP states.  Where will we get oxygen from? : West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee pic. twitter. com/zQD6TWlSMxAt a virtual meeting, the Bengal CM also claimed that the supply chain is being maintained by BJP states.  PM Modi's meet with oxygen manufacturers beginsPrime Minister Narendra Modi holds meeting via video conference with oxygen manufacturers in the country pic. twitter. com/uaEVJxWVSEPM Modi's meet with leading oxygen manufacturers begins.  Farmers deny to leave protest sitesSKM chief Gurnam Singh Chaduni told HT that RSS should intervene and reiterated that farmers will not call off stir at Delhi's borders.  Edhi foundation offers ambulances to IndiaPakistan's #EdhiFoundation - built by the great Abdul Sattar Edhi - writes to Indian PM with offer to send fleet of 50 ambulances to help fight #COVID19India pic. twitter. com/bj5xfeK0l0Edhi foundation offers to send fleet of 50 ambulances.  PM Modi holds meeting with CMs of states with high case burdenDelhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs a meeting with the Chief Ministers of high burden states, over the prevailing #COVID19 situation pic. twitter. com/u91CKrGOLJPM Modi held a meeting with chief ministers of states which reported a high number of cases of Covid-19.  People dying due to lack of oxygen: CJI"People are dying due to lack of oxygen," CJI Sharad Arvind Bobde observed. The SC is hearing a suo motu cognisance case on Covid-19 crisis.  Rahul Gandhi blames government for oxygen shortage, lack of ICU bedsCorona can cause a fall in oxygen level but it’s #OxygenShortage & lack of ICU beds which is causing many deaths. GOI, this is on you. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a tweet blamed the govt for oxygen shortage and lack of ICU beds.  China says willing to talk to India about its second wave of Covid-19China a day after it extended its help to India in its fight against Covid-19 surge said it is willing to talk to India about what it needs to fight the massive surge in coronavirus cases.  Read more here.  Max Hospitals rescinds order stopping all admissions at its hospitals in Delhi NCRMax healthcare has decided to not stop new admissions in its hospitals in Delhi NCR.  Max Healthcare suspends new admissions across all its hospitals in Delhi NCRMax Healthcare suspends new admissions across all its hospitals in Delhi NCROxygen supplies reach Max HospitalsOxygen carrying Vehicle has reached Max SmartAnother vehicle is enroute for Max East WestSenior Officers are monitoring the situationMax and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital which had reported medical oxygen shortage received 2 MT of emergency oxygen supply.  India records more than 3 lakh cases in last 24 hoursIndia's death toll from Covid-19 also inched towards 187,000 with 2,263 deaths reported in last 24 hours. Reliance industries rollout vaccination programme for employeesReliance will roll out our own vaccination programme, R-Surakshaa, across locations for all our employees and eligible family members above the age of 18 years, effective May 1: Reliance Industries Limited pic. twitter. com/bh2U9Atb5RReliance Industries rollout vaccination programme for employees.  Indian Air Force aircrafts deployed to airlift oxygen containersTwo IAF C-17 aircraft airlifted two empty cryogenic oxygen containers and one IL-76 aircraft airlifted one empty container to Panagarh yesterday#COVID19 pic. twitter. com/AJ0cBQS7WbTwo IAF aircrafts were deployed to airlift and send oxygen containers to Panagarh.  Delhi's Sir Ganga Ram Hospital records 25 deaths in 24 hours25 sickest patients have died in last 24 hrs at the hospital.  Oxygen will last another 2 hrs.  Ventilators & Bipap not working effectively.  Need Oxygen to be airlifted urgently.  Lives of another 60 sickest patients in peril: Director-Medical, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, DelhiSir Ganga Ram Hospital's director said that oxygen needs to be airlifted urgently as the hospital reported 25 deaths in last 24 hours, news agency ANI reported.  Read more here.  Extremely promising: UK registers drop in Covid-19 infections post vaccinationThe UK reported a drop of 65% in Covid-19 infections in adults of all ages after a dose of AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccine was administered.  Maharashtra hospital fire toll rises to 13The death toll due to hospital fire in Virar rose to 13. Cuba Covid-19 tally rises due to South African virus variantThe arrival of the contagious South African virus variant led to one of the worst outbreak since the start of the pandemic in Cuba as the country reported a record 1,207 new coronavirus cases on Thursday.  Japan Covid-19 emergency measures to be announced in Tokyo, OsakaTokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo could see restaurants, bars, and karaoke parlours serving alcohol close as the Suga govt is seeking a "short and powerful" state of emergency due to a surge in cases, Reuters reported.  WHO's immunisation body call for more astrazeneca vaccine blood clot data from outside EuropeWHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) said that geographic variation was observed in people who received the AstraZeneca vaccine as more people from UK and EU reported the clotting.  SAGE sought data from outside EU as well, AFP reported.  12 dead in Maharashtra hospital fire12 patients were charred to death on early Friday morning in Vijay Vallabh Covid Care hospital in Virar West.  The patients' identity could not be ascertained as they were charred beyond recognition.  An eyewitness told HT that the hospital did not have any fire safety measures like water sprinklers and the few fire extinguishers that were there remained unused as the fire raged.  India's Covid-19 variant found in BelgiumA group of Indian students who arrived from Paris tested positive for the Covid-19 variant contributing to a surge in coronavirus cases in India.  Get our daily newsletter Get free access to newsletters, alerts and recommendations


JUST IN: Minnesota attorney general Keith Ellison says he is "considering all charges" and that "all options are on the table," when it comes to prosecuting former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the death of George Floyd. https://t.co/gHJMXAGWOs https://t.co/LuIc6HKLrq

By Scottie Andrew, CNNUpdated 11:10 AM ET, Tue June 2, 2020  (CNN)In her filing for divorce from former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, Kellie Chauvin requested a last-name change and the titles to both of their homes.


The Senate voted 55-45 to call witnesses. https://t.co/HQYOxiF0QR

By Jeremy Herb, Manu Raju, Ted Barrett and Lauren Fox, CNNUpdated 11:42 AM ET, Sun February 14, 2021  (CNN)The Senate acquitted former President Donald Trump in his second impeachment trial Saturday, voting that Trump was not guilty of inciting the deadly January 6 riot at the US Capitol -- but the verdict amounted to a bipartisan rebuke of the former President with seven Republicans finding him guilty. CNN's Dana Bash, Kaitlan Collins, Daniella Diaz, Clare Foran, Sarah Fortinsky, Annie Grayer, John Harwood, Ryan Nobles, Alex Rogers, Kristin Wilson, Ali Zaslav and Jeff Zeleny contributed to this report.


NEW: Hurricane Sally strengthens into a Category 2 storm and is expected to strike the Gulf Coast on Tuesday. https://t.co/qTVjvek46l

By Eliott C.  McLaughlin, Amir Vera and Hollie Silverman, CNNUpdated 4:28 AM ET, Tue September 15, 2020  (CNN)Hurricane Sally strengthened into a Category 2 storm on Monday, and there's a chance it will make landfall in southeastern Louisiana, a state still recovering from the aftermath of Hurricane Laura.  The City has issued a mandatory evacuation order for areas outside of levee protection, including Venetian Isles, Lake Catherine, and Irish Bayou.  In areas outside the levee system, we may see storm surge between 7-11 feet.  This evacuation order goes into effect at 6pm.  #Sally pic. twitter. com/2ta4j0hn6sCNN's Judson Jones, Brandon Miller, Taylor Ward, Kay Jones, Raja Razek, Tina Burnside, Ed Lavandera, Ashley Killough and Rebekah Riess contributed to this report.


Former Karnataka CM & BJP leader, BS Yeddyurappa, on former PM HD Deve Gowda's statement 'If Rahul Gandhi becomes PM, I will sit by his side': He is fighting on 7 seats and has ambitions of being Prime Minister or advisor to Prime Minister? https://t.co/UnbPpnjUdX

Former prime minister Deve Gowda, 85, who is is contesting from Karnataka’s Tumkur parliamentary constituency, said that if Rahul Gandhi becomes the Prime Minister of the country, he will be by his side. Commenting on his son and Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s statement that there is a possibility that Deve Gowda might become the Prime Minister as a consensus candidate, he said: “I am not bothered about this.  My concern is Modi will come to Parliament.  I have got the guts and conviction to tell it to the face of the PM.  I have the courage.  If Rahul Gandhi becomes the Prime Minister, I will sit by his side.  It is not necessary to become the Prime Minister,” reports ANI. The JD(S) chief, who along with his two grandsons is contesting the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, also made it clear that he was not retiring from active politics.  “I announced three years back that I will not contest elections.  There are circumstances now in which I have been forced to contest.  There is nothing to hide.  I have no ambition of anything but what I always said is that I am not going to retire from active politics,” Gowda said. WATCH: Lok Sabha Elections: Cong vs BJP over EC amid EVM ‘malfunctions’ in Phase 2When asked if he wanted to retire like Advani, he said ‘no’, adding, “I want to save my party first and last the office building,” ANI reported. Speaking about his commitment to the Congress, he said: “Madam Sonia Gandhi has taken the decision to support Deve Gowda even though we are a small party.  Now it is my responsibility to move forward with Congress, though I do agree in some states there is no question of any coalition.  But in Tamil Nadu, there is a coalition between Congress and DMK and with Sharad Pawar’s party in Maharashtra. ”Responding to accusations of saving the family rather than the party, the JD(S) chief said: “Several leaders who worked with me collectively, have left.  Some people are in Congress, some in BJP.  I was able to keep the party intact but suffered.  I have not allowed my family members to become president of the party. ”Deve Gowda’s two grandchildren Nikhil Kumar, son of chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, and Prajwal Revanna, son of public works minister HD Revanna, are contesting the general elections.  While Gowda vacated his Hassan seat for Prajwal, Nikhil is in fray from neighbouring Mandya.


Sen. Bernie Sanders: "I don’t want a summary of the Mueller report. I want the whole damn report." https://t.co/7wxMCVUhls https://t.co/dZdiBkUGTW

  Attorney General William Barr on Sunday released his summary of the main conclusions from special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.

  Here are the top takeaways:

  President Donald Trump has been saying – and tweeting – a similar refrain for two years now: “NO COLLUSION! ”

  Trump says Barr’s summary proves him right.  “(T)he investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities,” the letter states.

  Trump and his allies are already seizing on that line of the summary released Sunday, and it’s undoubtedly a major headline pushing back on two years of Democrats claiming they had evidence of collusion.

Mueller did not find Trump or his campaign conspired with Russia, also did not exonerate him on obstruction

  Of course, numerous Trump world contacts with Russians during the campaign and transition have already been established.  So what does it mean that Mueller didn’t find conspiracy or coordination?

  Barr’s summary includes a footnote that explains how Mueller defined coordination: an “agreement – tacit or express – between the Trump Campaign and the Russian government on election interference. ”

  In addition, Barr wrote that no Trump associate conspired or coordinated “despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign. ”

  The Justice Department decided not to prosecute the President for obstructing justice with his behavior – both public and in private – but Trump isn’t fully cleared.  He is likely to still face a hailstorm of political criticism for his actions after taking office, when more of Mueller’s investigation is revealed.

  Mueller said he thoroughly investigated the obstruction question, though he didn’t interview Trump.  Ultimately he left the question to the President’s political appointees, Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, to decide what to do.

  Barr and Rosenstein chose not to prosecute.  They decided that they couldn’t press a case against Trump because they didn’t have evidence of an underlying crime, Barr’s letter said Sunday.

  Barr also said the President’s actions did not “constitute obstructive conduct” and were not “done with corrupt intent. ” (His and Rosenstein’s decision hadn’t factored in the constitutional briar patch of indicting a sitting president. )

  “While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him,” Mueller wrote in his report, as Barr quoted him on Sunday.

Read: Justice Department summary of Mueller report

  Perhaps without collusion, there could be no obstruction, Shan Wu, a CNN contributor who previously represented Rick Gates in the investigation, said on Sunday.  It’s possible Barr didn’t want to indict the President because an obstruction charge wouldn’t stand without an underlying collusion case.

  Notably, Barr has always been opposed to an obstruction case against the President.  Before he was attorney general under Trump, Barr wrote a memo in June 2018 to top Justice Department officials, saying he believed an obstruction case against Trump was “fatally misconceived. ”

  Trump’s other big win during the Mueller probe was that he never sat for an interview.

  His personal legal team had long been opposed to what they believed could be a perjury trap and Mueller never put the President in that position, in either a private interview or in testimony under oath.

  Barr’s letter on Sunday suggests Mueller never needed that interview.

  Mueller appears not to have gotten there because the Russian collusion case hadn’t materialized.  But he did consider forcing an interview with the President.  CNN reported Sunday that Mueller had deliberated at length about subpoenaing Trump before deciding not to make a formal request within the Justice Department.

Investigations will continue despite submission of the Mueller report

  Barr previously told Congress that Mueller never split with his bosses about steps to take in the investigation.

  Ultimately, Mueller was left with a set of written answers from Trump about questions of collusion and contact with Russians.  These were heavily vetted by Trump’s lawyers, and because of the President’s legal team’s negotiations and lack of pressure from Mueller, didn’t touch on obstruction of justice.

  Congressional Democrats are ready to pick up the torch of the Mueller investigation.

  Lawmakers are already raising questions about Barr making the prosecution decision on obstruction of justice, and House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler says he will call on the attorney general to testify “in the near future. ”

  “In light of the very concerning discrepancies and final decision making at the Justice Department following the Special Counsel report, where Mueller did not exonerate the President, we will be calling Attorney General Barr in to testify before @HouseJudiciary in the near future,” the New York Democrat tweeted Sunday.

  Republicans, meanwhile, are joining Trump in claiming vindication for the President — and they’re going on offense to criticize Democrats over collusion.

  “For years, high-ranking Democrats in leadership positions in Congress claimed the special counsel’s report would provide definitive proof of collusion, and today’s report has proven that to be an outright lie once and for all,” said House Minority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana.

  It’s a political fight of competing narratives that will surely spill into the 2020 presidential election.

  The four-page summary Barr released on Sunday is written in a lawyerly way in many cases, especially when it comes to the decisions made over the probe into obstruction of justice.

  And the letter – in addition to Barr’s previously expressed opposition to an obstruction probe into Trump in the first place – is fueling Democratic demands that Mueller’s full report be released.

  “Given Mr.  Barr’s public record of bias against the Special Counsel’s inquiry, he is not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement Sunday.

  Of course, Republicans have also said they want Mueller’s report to be released and several have said the report should be out so that Democrats cannot claim the Justice Department is hiding anything.

  Documents from Mueller.  Internal Justice Department discussions.  Witness interview memos.  Thousands of court records.

  There are still many pages of documentation of Mueller’s work – plus discussions of his and the attorney general’s decisions and findings – that aren’t yet public.  But those documents could be available in the future, even soon, and would fill out even more pieces of the puzzle about what Mueller learned.

  Parts of Mueller’s original report could still become public, Barr said on Sunday, and the attorney general promised Congress he’d work “expeditiously” and is working with Mueller “as quickly as possible” on a public release.

  Barr wrote that Mueller will be involved in scrubbing the report to remove secret grand jury information and any content related to ongoing investigations before it could be made public.  (The ongoing investigations are “several” and other prosecutorial offices will be considering “further action,” Barr wrote. )

  Separately, Barr alludes to internal discussions that may have be documented, thus making it possible those papers could someday see the light of day.  Barr cited instances during the obstruction of justice review when he and Rosenstein consulted with the Office of Legal Counsel.  Mueller also considered subpoenaing Trump for an interview over several months, CNN reports, and Barr says in his letter Mueller spoke with other department officials in weighing obstruction case decisions, potentially creating even more of a paper trail.

  Separately, the release of documentation of court action will be largely out of Barr’s hands – and that ream of filings is massive.

  Federal judges will likely be asked to decide how and when to release the mostly still-confidential 500 search warrants, almost 300 warrants for electronic data and 13 requests to foreign government Barr said Mueller used to gather evidence.  So far, only a few dozen warrants related to the cases of Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen are available publicly.

  Mueller also interviewed about 500 witnesses, Barr said, meaning there are that many more files from those discussions kept by the Justice Department and FBI.
© 2021 Cable News Network.  A Warner Media Company.  All Rights Reserved.   CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network.


A video of a group of panellists claiming that the world is not facing a coronavirus pandemic is widespread on social media platforms.  “WHO has completely taken a U-turn and now says that Corona patient neither needs to be isolated, nor quarantined, nor needs social Distancing, and it cannot even transmit from one patient to another [sic],” reads the accompanying claim viral with the video.
The complete message reads in Hindi, “ब्रेकिंग न्यूज़: डबल्यू. एच. ओ ने अपनी गलती मानी पूरी तरह से यू-टर्न लेते हुए कहा है कि कोरोना एक सीजननल वायरस है यह मौसम बदलाव के दौरान होने वाला खांसी जुकाम गला दर्द है इससे घबराने की जरूरत नहीं.  डब्ल्यू. एच. ओ अब कहता है कि कोरोना रोगी को न तो अलग रहने की जरूरत है और न ही जनता को सोशल डिस्टेंसिंग की जरूरत है। यह एक मरीज से दुसरे व्यक्ति में भी संचारित नहीं होता। देखिये WHO की प्रैस कांफ्रेंस. ” It says that the WHO has said that COVID is a seasonal virus and has asked coronavirus patients to not isolate since they cannot transmit the infection. It has been circulating since last year. #BreakingNews: WHO has completely taken a U-turn and now says that Corona patient neither needs to be isolated, nor quarantined, nor needs social Distancing, and it cannot even transmit from one patient to anotherPosted by Muskan Suppliers on Tuesday, 27 October 2020Alt News has received numerous requests on its WhatsApp helpline number (+91 76000 11160) to fact-check the video.
The video had also been shared with another message that identifies the panel as a “group of European doctors”. Breaking news: Group of European doctors have taken a U-turn and now says that Corona patient neither needs to be isolated, nor quarantined, nor needs social Distancing, and it cannot even transmit from one patient to another pic. twitter. com/crwQV9LeAl— Akash RSS (@Satynistha) October 23, 20201.  WHO has taken a complete U-turn and now says that coronavirus patients neither need to be isolated nor quarantined.  They also don’t need social distancing2.  We don’t have a medical pandemic or epidemic. 3 Coronavirus is a normal flu virus. 4.  Panic is created by false-positive PCR tests.  89% to 94% of those PCR tests are false positives.  They don’t test for COVID-19 and the rest are false negatives. 5.  Up until April 2020 there was zero death in Ireland.  In the whole country in 2020, there were 98 deaths out of 5 million people. 6.  Masks are unnecessary and infringe on constitutional rights. 7.  COVID-19 does not require people to get vaccinatedFalse1.  The video does not show WHO panellists.  The international agency advises isolation for COVID-19 patients. The video begins with a woman identifying herself as Elke De Kerke, a general practitioner representing the Netherlands.  She is the founder of ‘Doctors for Truth’.  The panellists are a part of ‘World Doctors Alliance’, a body that identifies as an NGO.  It is infamous for promoting conspiracy theories on coronavirus and medical misinformation. British-Pakistani doctor Mohammad Adil had his license suspended by the General Medical Council of UK for claiming that the coronavirus pandemic is a conspiracy.  The website of World Doctors Alliance claims that Dr Adil formed the organisation.  Another doctor Heiko Schöning associated with the Alliance was arrested for speaking at an anti-mask rally in central London. None of the panellists are medical practitioners with the World Health Organisation (WHO).  The claim that the WHO took a complete “U-turn” and declared that COVID patients needn’t be isolated or quarantined has been debunked earlier. [Read: WHO doesn’t claim asymptomatic patients cannot spread COVID, isolation is still advised]The WHO in fact said that even asymptomatic people should quarantine.  “People not showing symptoms can spread the virus, whether they ultimately feel sick or not.  That’s why wearing masks and keeping distance are so important in limiting transmission. ”2.  The world is coping with a pandemic. The WHO defines a pandemic as the “worldwide spread of a new disease”.  According to John Hopkins COVID tracker, global cases of the virus has crossed 172 million.  A few small countries and island nations have remained free of the coronavirus mainly due to isolation which has had economic repercussions, but most of the world was coping with the pandemic and many are still experiencing devastating effects. 3.  COVID-19 is not a normal flu virus. The World Health Organisation (WHO) states, “Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such a MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV. ”The novel coronavirus is a new strain of the coronavirus family.  It has unique characteristics and has never been discovered before.  It has mild to severe symptoms and may also cause deaths for critical patients.  Serious patients may need hospitalisation, intensive care, oxygen or ventilators to survive.  As witnessed in the second wave of COVID-19 in India, thousands of people have fallen ill and died due to a lack of oxygen.  The common cold, on the other hand, is not deadly. “When any of the coronaviruses (or rhinoviruses for that matter) cause the common cold, the physicians’ aim is to (a) stop the transmission of the infection to other people and (b) treat the symptoms.  This is because the common cold is a self-limited disease – it cures by itself.  It is for this reason, antivirals or antibiotics are not given for a common cold.  In the usual clinical picture, it is also not required to find out which organism has caused the common cold since it has no bearing on its treatment,” Dr Sharfaroz Satani wrote in an Alt News Sci Check published on March 25, 2020. 4.  Number of false positives/ negatives in PCR tests is exaggerated.  The two most common tests to detect coronavirus are RT-PCR and RAT.  The panel claims that 89% to 94% of those PCR tests are false positives.  While there are chances of a false-positive result, the figure is highly exaggerated. Dr Niket Rai, MBBS, MD, Maulana Azad Medical College, explained in an article last year, “Specificity of RT-PCR to detect SARS COV 2 in swab sample from nose and throat is around 98%.  It means that out of 100 samples in only 2 samples it gives false-positive result…it is not recommended to repeat the test when it comes positive. ” CBC quoted experts who said that RT-PCR is not prone to false positives and is routinely described as the “gold standard” for a reason. Experts have been more concerned about false negatives.  “A study last year found that the tests virtually never detect the virus on Day 1 of infection and tend to be at their best on Day 8, but even then there can be false-negative rates of up to 20 per cent.  After Day 8, the study found the rate of false negatives increases,” according to CBC.  While experts suggest that RT-PCR has a greater chance of giving a false negative result, the percentage is not as high as suggested by the panel. Dr Rai also explained, “Sensitivity of RT-PCR to detect SARS COV 2 in swab sample from nose and throat is around 85%.  It means out of 100 samples, 85 samples give a positive result.  There are chances that 15 samples may have the virus but not detected by RT-PCR (false negative). ” He suggests repeating the test if a patient feels they might have the virus. 5.  There have been close to 5,000 deaths due to COVID in Ireland. The panel claimed that there were zero deaths due to COVID in Ireland up until April 2020.  According to the WHO’s COVID-19 dashboard, there were over 200 deaths in Ireland until April last year.  As of June 3, 2021, there 2,61,872 confirmed cases and 4,941 confirmed deaths in the country.  There have been zero deaths in Ireland in over two weeks.
6.  Masks are effective to reduce transmission. Alt News Science founder Dr Sumaiya Shaikh wrote last year, “Coronavirus can penetrate through masks through tiny viral clusters as well as through the eyes.  However, masks on an infected person can prevent water droplets with coronavirus from dispersing into the air.  This air transmission is the main method through which the coronavirus or other viruses infecting the respiratory tracts are transmitted. ”Read the WHO’s guidelines on masks here. CDC has advised that masks can be forgone by fully vaccinated people and US health officials have announced the same after the changed guidelines.  While experts believe that fully vaccinated people are not considered to be major spreaders of the virus but the loosening of masks can attract irresponsible behaviour.  For starters, there is no way to know who is vaccinated and who isn’t (as of May 19, 37% of the US population is fully vaccinated) and giving up masks may put the unvaccinated at risk before herd immunity is reached. 7.  Vaccines prevent people from falling severely ill. The viral video was recorded in Berlin on October 10, 2020, when vaccines were yet to be rolled out.  But it has now been a few months since countries have started vaccinated their citizens.  Experts say that vaccines reduce the chances of infection or reduce the severity of the symptoms and fully vaccinated people are also potentially less likely to spread the virus.  According to CDC, “COVID-19 vaccination will help protect you by creating an antibody (immune system) response without having to experience sickness. ”Gavi also says that vaccines reduce transmission but studies are ongoing to “understand how long vaccine immunity is likely to last, and if and when booster shots will be required”.  Responsible behaviour is still advised to protect those who haven’t been immunised. A year-old video of a panel discussion by ‘World Doctors Alliance’ has been revived on Indian social media amid the second wave of the raging pandemic.  The video raises conspiracies theories that have been debunked several times in the past by fact-checking organisations, news outlets and experts. Donate NowPooja Chaudhuri is a senior editor at Alt News. Pharmaceutical manufacturer Zydus Cadila got the approval of DGCI (Drugs Controller General of India) for…A video widely circulating across social media platforms show a massive supermoon uncomfortably close to…A viral WhatsApp message claims Nobel laureate Luc Montagnier said that there is no chance…Several people have shared juxtaposed images of 3D CT scans of the lungs and claimed…A photograph of hundreds of dead birds has been shared with the claim that they…


At this year's #Oscars, the stars proved that pink was one of the most powerful colors on the red carpet. https://t.co/2wA0AnEDZl https://t.co/87DfJOvTBy

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


"Welcome to the #Oscars!" https://t.co/z41pgn3O25 https://t.co/yre1y2xIp5

  Queen may have opened the Oscars, but Rami Malek is the real champion of the night.

  Malek on Sunday picked up the best actor award for playing Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in “Bohemian Rhapsody. ”

  In his acceptance speech, Malek reflected on his journey and the importance of immigrant stories.

  “I think about what it would have been like to tell little bubba Rami that one day this might happen to him and I think his curly-haired little mind would be blown,” he said.  “He was struggling with his identity, trying to figure himself out.  And I think to anyone struggling with theirs, and trying to discover their voice: Listen, we made a film about a gay man, an immigrant, who lived his life just unapologetically himself.  The fact that I’m celebrating him and this story with you tonight is proof that we’re longing for stories like this. ”

  In his speech, Malek pointed out that he is a first-generation American.  His parents are from Egypt.

  “Part of my story is being written right now.  And I could not be more grateful to each and every one of you, and everyone who believed in me for this moment,” he said.  “It’s something I will treasure for the rest of my life. ”

  Malek’s win was a big win for the film, which had a well-chronicled battle to the big screen, but not its only statue of the night.  “Bohemian Rhapsody” also picked up the awards for film editing, sound editing and sound mixing.
© 2021 Cable News Network.  A Warner Media Company.  All Rights Reserved.   CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network.


The candidates are in their closing statements. Tune in at 11:00 for @ABCPolitics' full breakdown of the first night of the first 2020 #DemDebate.

Watch on https://t.co/b4PftwG96n or on your favorite streaming devices. https://t.co/Rqe8SDjGwT https://t.co/P2fqMz34HJ

By Veronica Rocha, Dan Merica, Eric Bradner, Gregory Krieg, Amanda Wills and Kyle Blaine, CNNThe first round of debates are over, and the 2020 Democratic candidates laid out their final pitches to Americans on why they should be elected president. Here are some key quotes from their final remarks:From CNN's Clare Foran and Jeremy HerbIn arguing that the government needs to do more to support people who are LGBTQ, Cory Booker said: “We don't talk enough about how many children, about 30% of LGBTQ kids, who do not go to school because of fear. ” Facts First: Booker is correct, according to a leading LGBTQ education nonprofit, although a government study suggests the percentage is lower.   A 2017 national school climate survey conducted by GLSEN found 35% of LGBTQ students missed at least one day of school in the past month because they felt unsafe or uncomfortable. That number is even higher than the organization’s 2005 school climate survey, which found 29% of LGBT students surveyed reported missing classes at least once in the last month because of feeling unsafe  A government study suggests the percentage could be lower.  A federal study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2017 found that 10% of gay, lesbian and bisexual students missed school due to concerns over safety. From CNN's Ellie KaufmanIn a discussion on guns and crime, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said there needs to be a “different conversation about policing that brings police and community together.  We’ve done that in New York City.  And we’ve driven down crime while we’ve done it. ” Facts First: While New York City’s crime statistics have fallen in recent years during de Blasio’s time as mayor, crime in New York has been falling for years, and it’s unclear to what extent de Blasio’s policies have contributed to that decline. Last year saw the lowest number of serious and violent crime in the modern era, according to the NYPD.  The homicide rate remained relatively flat while the number of robberies, burglaries, and shooting incidents all decreased from 2018 compared with 2017, the police department said.  De Blasio claimed that he has brought police and community together during his time as mayor, but a report from the New York City Police Department’s internal Inspector General released Wednesday shows there’s still work to be done, making 23 recommendations to the department about how it can improve handling biased policing complaints from its community. From CNN's Donna Borak and Tami LuhbyElizabeth Warren said the insurance industry last year “sucked $23 billion in profits out of the health care system. ” Facts first: It’s true.  Insurance companies’ profits have been booming. A study by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners shows the private insurance industry has seen “tremendous growth” raking in profits of $23. 4 billion in 2018 compared to $16. 1 billion the year before.  That’s the highest profit amount in at least 10 years. It also shows that those companies’ profit margin improved to 3. 3% from 2. 4% in 2017.  From CNN's Lydia dePillisElizabeth Warren said that "there's a $23 trillion market coming for green products. " Facts first: According to a World Bank estimate, that's correct. Warren was referring to a report by the International Finance Corporation, a division of the World Bank Group, which found that commitments made by emerging economies under the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement potentially will open up to $23 trillion in opportunities for investment in low-carbon technology and infrastructure.  From CNN's David ShortellCory Booker often notes on the campaign trail that he lives in a low-income, inner-city area.  During Wednesday night's debate, the former Newark, NJ, mayor said that seven people were shot in his Newark neighborhood last week.   "I hear gunshots in my neighborhood,” Booker said.  “I think I'm the only one, I hope I am the only one that had seven people shot in their neighborhood just last week. " Fact Check: It's sad, and it's true.  Six people were injured and one man died in two separate shootings in Newark’s Central Ward, where Booker lives, the Tuesday before last, according to Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose.  Two women were injured and one man was killed in the first shooting, just before 4 p. m. , Ambrose said in a press release.  Five minutes and about a mile away four men were injured in another shooting, Ambrose said.   Booker lives just a block away from that first shooting.  From CNN's Holmes LybrandTim Ryan claimed that “the top 1% control 90% of the wealth. ”Facts first: This is incorrect.  Recent studies show the wealthiest 1% own around 39% of the country’s total wealth. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nonpartisan research institute, “the share of wealth held by the top 1 percent rose from just under 30 percent in 1989 to nearly 39 percent in 2016. ”This concurs with a Federal Reserve study which found that in 2016, the richest 1% controlled 38. 6% of wealth in the US.   According to a 2017 study by NYU economist Edward Wolff, the top 1% own 40% of the wealth in the US. From CNN's Lydia dePillisSen.  Cory Booker said at tonight's debate, "If you need a license to drive a car, you should need a license to buy and own a firearm.  And not everybody in this field agrees with that, but in states like Connecticut that did that, they saw 40% drops in gun violence and 15% drops in suicides. " Facts First: There is peer-reviewed academic support for this claim. Booker was referring to the effects of a 1995 law that required a permit or a license to obtain a firearm, raised the age of people allowed to own guns from 18 to 21, and required 8 hours of gun safety training.  A 2015 study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that the law was associated with a 40% drop in the firearm-related homicide rate. A 2015 study in the journal Preventive Medicine found that the law decreased the firearm suicide rate by an estimated 15. 4%. From CNN's Holmes LybrandRep.  Tim Ryan claimed that “the bottom 60% haven’t seen a raise since 1980. ” Facts first: This is incorrect.  The bottom 60% have seen their income rise since 1980.  It’s unclear where Ryan is pulling this statistic from, but a 2018 report from the Congressional Budget Office says that the bottom 60% saw an increase in household income of 32% -- adjusted for inflation -- from 1979 to 2015.  Meanwhile the top 1% saw their income rise by 233%.  Please enable JavaScript for a better experience.


Karnataka: People line up at a liquor shop in Bengaluru as state government permits the sale of liquor between 9 am to 7 pm from today. https://t.co/3SmTwlO1w1

Liquor shops in parts of Delhi had to be shut on Monday just hours after lifting shutters.  All liquor shops in Delhi’s eastern range were shut down by Delhi Police as customers defied social distancing norms amid Covid-19 lockdown.  “All liquor shops in eastern range that were opened today have been closed as social distancing norms were flouted at those shops,” Alok Kumar, Joint Commissioner of Police (Eastern Range), Delhi, said.  Many thronged the shops to purchase liquor on Monday and defied social distancing measures.  All liquor shops in eastern range that were opened today have been closed as social distancing norms were flouted at those shops: Joint Commissioner of Police (Eastern Range), Alok Kumar #Delhi (File pic) pic. twitter. com/fIOxUADl2dIn a video shared by news agency ANI, customers outside a liquor store in Delhi were seen lined-up in a queue that stretched for almost a kilometre.  Although those in the queue maintained distance among one another, customers kept lining up with the hope to purchase some alcohol.  The Ministry of Home Affairs, in its order last week, stated that “liquor stores and pan shops will be allowed to function in all zones while ensuring a minimum six feet distance (2 gaz ki doori) from each other and ensuring that not more than five persons are present at one time at the shop”. Similar incidents were reported in other parts of the country as well.  Large crowds gathered outside liquor shops across Maharashtra’s Pune city - one of the Covid-19 ‘red’ zones in the state.  Long queues outside liquor shops were seen in areas such as Bhandarkar road, Wanawdi, Salunke Vihar and NIBM road area in Pune. In Karnataka, booze lovers thronged liquor stores hours before shutters went up at several places. In some areas, customers flocked liquor shops even before day-break and performed “special prayers” with flowers, coconuts, incense sticks, camphor and crackers in front of the stores, news agency PTI reported.


"I am so relieved."

"Miracle" rooftop colony of bees found to have survived massive Notre Dame fire. https://t.co/ymWdPYCiV6 https://t.co/TPuuWziXyh

    The bees that live on the roof of Notre Dame are alive and buzzing, having survived the devastating fire that ripped through the cathedral on Monday, the beekeeper Nicolas Geant confirmed to CNN.

    “I got a call from Andre Finot, the spokesman for Notre Dame, who said there were bees flying in and out of the hives which means they are still alive! ” Geant said.  “Right after the fire I looked at the drone pictures and saw the hives weren’t burnt but there was no way of knowing if the bees had survived.  Now I know there’s activity it’s a huge relief! ”

    Notre Dame has housed three beehives on the first floor on a roof over the sacristy, just beneath the rose window, since 2013.  Each hive has about 60,000 bees.

    Geant said the hives were not touched by the blaze because they are located about 30 meters below the main roof where the fire spread.
  A post shared by Beeopic Apiculture Urbaine (@beeopic)
    “They weren’t in the middle of the fire, had they been they wouldn’t have survived,” Geant said.  “The hives are made of wood so they would have gone up in flames. ”

    “Wax melts at 63 degrees, if the hive had reached that temperature the wax would have melted and glued the bees together, they would have all perished. ”

    While it is likely that the hives were filled with smoke, that doesn’t impact them like it would with humans, Geant explained.

    “Bees don’t have lungs like us,” he said.  “And secondly, for centuries to work with the bees we have used bee smokers. ”

    A bee smoker is a box with bellows which creates a white, thick cold smoke in the hives, prompting the bees to calmly gorge on the honey while beekeepers do their work, Geant said.
  A post shared by Beeopic Apiculture Urbaine (@beeopic)
    Geant said he wouldn’t be able tell whether all of the bees are alive until he was able to inspect the site, but he’s confident because the hives didn’t burn, and because bees have been spotted flying in and out.

    “I was incredibly sad about Notre Dame because it’s such a beautiful building, and as a catholic it means a lot to me.  But to hear there is life when it comes to the bees, that’s just wonderful.  I was overjoyed,” he added.

    “Thank goodness the flames didn’t touch them.  It’s a miracle! ”
  © 2021 Cable News Network.  A Warner Media Company.  All Rights Reserved.   CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network.


Delhi: AIIMS Nurses Union on an indefinite strike over redressal of their demands, including that related to 6th Central Pay Commission https://t.co/inTTv31HES

Delhi High Court on Tuesday restrained thousands of protesting nurses of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) from continuing their strike over their long-pending demands and asked them to resume work.  The court also issued a notice to the nurses’ union on the plea of the hospital. “Keeping in view of the submissions and assurances made by AIIMS that it would look into the grievances of the respondents (nurses), this union is restrained from continuing the strike,” Justice Navin Chawla said. WATCH | ‘Open to talks with authorities’: AIIMS nurse union on strike AIIMS, through its counsel VSR Krishna, told the court that these are services matters and discussions are held at regular intervals to look into grievances.  The court issued a notice and posted the matter for further hearing on Jan 18, 2021. As nearly 3,000 nurses went on the strike, AIIMS Delhi decided to outsource the nursing services on a contractual basis.  The decision was taken in a meeting attended by the chairman, director, deputy director and senior faculty of the AIIMS administration. “Our Union is ready for talks with the administration.  We are feeling bad for patients but we’re helpless as our demands haven’t been met.  We had given notice for strike a month ago but even then the administration didn’t listen to our demands,” Harish Kalja, the president of AIIMS Nurses Union, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. “There was no need for us to strike.  We were busy serving the people.  But the government retracted from the demands that were met earlier.  None of our demands are new.  All of our demands are important.  But the demand of 6th Central Pay Commission is of priority,” he added. On government orders to nurses to join back duty, Kalja said “The citizens of the country are witnessing here that the government is not ready to hold talks with us.  This is really unfortunate. ”The Delhi Nurses Federation on Tuesday extended support to the ongoing indefinite strike by Delhi’s AIIMS Nurses Union.


In Pics | A look at all the bigwigs who voted in the ongoing assembly elections in Delhi so far

https://t.co/4MXzqChTDG

#DelhiPolls2020 #DelhiElections2020 https://t.co/GcdBjjxaoV

Voting on 70 assembly constituencies in Delhi is underway.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged voters to turn in large numbers while chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has appealed to citizens, especially women, to exercise their franchise and ‘take responsibility of Delhi. ’Here are all the bigwigs who voted in Delhi assembly election 2020 >>Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Anij Baijal, along with his family cast his vote at a polling booth in Delhi.  >>BJP MP Parvesh Verma casts his vote at a polling station in Delhi’s Matiala assembly constituency. >>‘Basic duty of every citizen to vote’, says External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar after casting his vote.


NEW: Pres. Trump spoke to Turkish Pres. Erdogan, addressing Turkey's security concerns in northeast Syria and stressing that Turkey "not mistreat the Kurds and other Syrian Democratic Forces with whom we have fought to defeat ISIS," White House says. https://t.co/Y2Z1gLQmKV https://t.co/bKOQNvfHCM

    President Donald Trump said Sunday the US would “devastate Turkey economically” if the NATO-allied country attacks Kurds in the region.

    “Starting the long overdue pullout from Syria while hitting the little remaining ISIS territorial caliphate hard, and from many directions.  Will attack again from existing nearby base if it reforms,” the President tweeted on Sunday.

    He added, “Will devastate Turkey economically if they hit Kurds,” but followed up in a second tweet, “Likewise, do not want the Kurds to provoke Turkey. ”

    “Russia, Iran and Syria have been the biggest beneficiaries of the long term U. S.  policy of destroying ISIS in Syria - natural enemies.  We also benefit but it is now time to bring our troops back home.  Stop the ENDLESS WARS! ” Trump continued in the second tweet.

    It’s a stark threat toward an ally in the region that has partnered with the US in the fight against ISIS.  Turkey views some Kurdish groups in the region as terrorist organizations and Kurds make up the majority of US-allied fighters operating in Syria in the civil war against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

    On Monday, Turkey’s Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said Ankara expected Washington to “honor” the two countries’ strategic partnership.

    In a tweet directed at Trump, Kalin said “terrorists can’t be your partners (and) allies. ”

    “Turkey expects the US to honor our strategic partnership and doesn’t want it to be shadowed by terrorist propaganda,” he added.  “It is a fatal mistake to equate Syrian Kurds with the PKK, which is on the US terrorists list, and its Syria branch PYD/YPG … Turkey fights against terrorists, not Kurds.  We will protect Kurds and other Syrians against all terrorist threats. ”

    Last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan publicly lashed out at US national security adviser John Bolton for saying the US withdrawal was contingent upon Turkey’s pledge not to attack US-backed Kurdish fighters in Syria once troops leave.

    “Bolton made a serious mistake.  If he thinks that way, he is in a big mistake.  We will not compromise,” Erdoğan said.

    CNN reported on Thursday that the first US military ground equipment has been withdrawn from Syria, according to an administration official with direct knowledge of the operation.
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California UPS worker who threatened to carry out mass shooting at employer’s premises had multiple tactical rifles and 20,000 rounds of ammunition at his home when it was raided by police. https://t.co/QYclBcKblt

By Madeline Holcombe, CNNUpdated 6:22 AM ET, Tue March 3, 2020  (CNN)A United Parcel Service (UPS) employee was arrested after sending threatening text messages to his employer about planning a mass shooting at a UPS facility in Northern California, authorities said. CNN's Sarah Moon contributed to this report.


Congress president Rahul Gandhi with porn star Nathalia Ramos.

A photograph of Congress president Rahul Gandhi with a woman, claimed to be a porn star, is doing the rounds on social media.  The viral image was posted by a Facebook user, Atma Ram Thapaliya on December 5, 2018 with the caption "Janeudhari Brahmin". The archived version of the post can be seen here. India Today Fact Check found this to be an old image with a totally false claim.  The woman in the picture with Rahul Gandhi is Spanish actress Nathalia Ramos. A readout marked on the viral photo says, "Pornstar Nathalia Ramos America ke sabse mehenge hotel me pappu ke sath!  Shehzade ne jo bank ki line me 4000 rupay nikale the aaj kharch hue!  (Porn star Nathalia Ramos with Pappu in the most expensive hotel of America!  The prince spent Rs 4,000 today which he withdrew by standing in a bank queue). " This post has been already shared more than 950 times till the time this article was filed. When we reverse-searched the image, we found that it was a two-year-old picture.  It was uploaded on September 14, 2017 by Nathalia on her Facebook and other social media accounts. Her caption read, "Last night with the eloquent and insightful Rahul Gandhi.  I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to meet and listen to so many brilliant thinkers from all parts and perspectives of the world.  It is only with an open mind and open heart that we can really make the world a better place.  Thank you Berggruen Institute for opening mine.  #IdeasMatter. " The actress also thanked the Berggruen Institute for inviting her to the event on September 13, 2017. We looked for news related to the event on the Internet with the keywords 'Rahul Gandhi at Berggruen institute' and found an article published in HuffPost written by Berggruen Institute president Nicolas Berggruen. We also found a video of the same event. It was one of the events Rahul participated during his two-week US visit that started on September 11, 2017.  The photo with actress Nathalia was clicked at that event. We found that Nathalia Norah Ramos Cohen is a well-known TV actress in the US.  She played the lead character of Nina Martin on Nickelodeon TV series 'House of Anubis' in 2011.  She also played the role of Yasmin in the film 'Bratz' released in the US in 2007.  Nathalia is Spanish by birth and holds a US citizenship.  Several prominent international websites had published various stories on Nathalia as a TV and film actress but none of them had ever called her a "porn star". Earlier in 2017, this viral photo had created a buzz on social media with some claiming her to be the girlfriend of Rahul Gandhi.  Several websites carried this story. India Today, therefore, established that this is an old image resurfaced with a false claim. The number of crows determines the intensity of the lie.


Iowa changed its caucus rules. Here's how the new rules and procedures will change how the caucuses are conducted and what is reported. https://t.co/YR4LuBLK7J #CNNElection https://t.co/Ve5Xb8dTHO

The country is still in the dark regarding how caucusgoers felt Monday night. Iowa caucus results delayed due to vote-counting system failuresFirst-in-the-nation Iowa was supposed to be the first indication, based on votes and not polls, of where the candidates stand in the Democratic primary horse race. But now, after the state party found "inconsistencies" in the reporting of the results, the candidates -- and the country -- are still in the dark regarding how caucus-goers felt Monday night. "While our plan is to release results as soon as possible today," Iowa Democratic Party (IDP) Chairman Troy Price said in a statement Tuesday morning, "our ultimate goal is to ensure that the integrity and accuracy of the process continues to be upheld. ”The "inconsistencies" became clear as precinct caucus results started coming in and the DP ran them through an accuracy and quality check, according to Price, who noted that the "underlying cause of these inconsistencies was not immediately clear, and required investigation, which took time. "Price said the pre-planned backup measures of calling in results and entering the data manually "took longer than expected. "“As part of our investigation, we determined with certainty that the underlying data collected via the app was sound.  While the app was recording data accurately, it was reporting out only partial data," he said.  "We have determined that this was due to a coding issue in the reporting system.  This issue was identified and fixed.  The application’s reporting issue did not impact the ability of precinct chairs to report data accurately.  "“Because of the required paper documentation," he added, "we have been able to verify that the data recorded in the app and used to calculate State Delegate Equivalents is valid and accurate. "Precinct level results are still being reported to the Iowa Democratic Party, according to Price. “We have every indication that our systems were secure and there was not a cyber security intrusion," he said.  "In preparation for the caucuses, our systems were tested by independent cybersecurity consultants. "Just 10 minutes before the caucuses began on Monday, Price told reporters outside the media filing center that usually results start coming in around 9 p. m. , an hour after the contest kicks off.  But 9 p. m.  came and went, and then 10 p. m.  came and went, and, at 10:45 p. m. , an update from the Iowa Democratic Party finally arrived. "We have experienced a delay in the results due to quality checks and the fact that the IDP is reporting out three data sets for the first time,” communications director Mandy McClure said, adding that about 25% of precincts had reported. Fifteen minutes later, still no results.  By that time in 2016, 90% of the vote was in. A half hour before midnight, a new statement came from the Iowa Democratic Party, saying it had “found inconsistencies in the reporting of three sets of results. ”The party insisted it was “simply a reporting issue,” and that the app being used to submit results to the state party “did not go down. ”“This is not a hack or an intrusion,” communications director Mandy McClure said.  “The underlying data and paper trail is sound and will simply take time to further report the results. ”At each caucus site, the precinct leaders were responsible for reporting the results to the state party.  They had two ways to do so -- use an app on a mobile device or call the results in over the phone, the way they have historically been reported to the party.  Additionally, caucusgoers filled out preference cards indicating their initial candidate of choice and their second choice, if they had to realign to another candidate’s corner because their first pick didn’t reach the viability threshold. The party then called a meeting with the campaigns to brief them on the vote delays but, after that call, a representative for the Sanders campaign told ABC News they hadn’t been given a timeline for when to expect results. Sean Bagniewski, the chairman of the Polk County Democrats -- the largest county in the state -- echoed that timing uncertainty. He told ABC News that among the 177 precinct chairs in the county, some were having issues logging into and downloading the reporting app starting last week, so the county party recommended reporting the results the old fashion way -- calling them in. However, he said the lines were busy, and they had “no clue” why it wasn’t working. At a caucus site in Cedar Rapids, the woman trying to call in the results had been trying to reach the state party since just after the caucus there ended around 10 p. m.  At one point, her call dropped, and she had to call and get back in the queue again, reminded by an automated voice every two minutes, “Your call will be answered in the order it was received. ”When ABC News and her departed ways around midnight, she was still on hold. Just before midnight, the Biden campaign’s general counsel requested the Iowa Democratic Party update the campaigns before anything was reported, citing the “considerable flaws” in the contest's reporting system. “We believe that the campaigns deserve full explanations and relevant information regarding the methods of quality control you are employing, and an opportunity to respond, before any official results are released,” general counsel Dana Remus wrote in a letter to the IDP. Despite the lack of official results, and no projection on a winner from ABC News, campaigns tried to spin the night in their favor, as they moved on to the next contest -- the first-in-the-nation primary in New Hampshire. In a speech before his supporters at his caucus watch party in Des Moines, former South Bend, Indiana, mayor Pete Buttigieg declared victory. “So we don't know all the results.  But we know by the time it's all said and done, Iowa you have shocked the nation,” he said.  “Because by all indications, we are going onto New Hampshire victorious. ”The Sanders campaign released internal caucus result data, attempting to take control of the narrative as focus shifted toward the nation’s next votes. “We recognize that this does not replace the full data from the Iowa Democratic Party, but we believe firmly that our supporters worked too hard for too long to have the results of that work delayed,” Sanders senior adviser Jeff Weaver said in a statement. “I imagine, have a strong feeling that at some point the results will be announced.  And when those results are announced, I have a good feeling we're going to be doing very, very well here in Iowa,” Sanders said on stage in Des Moines. Without results, campaigns attempted to bypass the state to declare whatever victory they could in an attempt to gain momentum heading into New Hampshire. Warren’s campaign manager expressed disappointment about the lack of results. “I think that every second goes by, every single second that passes where we don't get a final result is concerning,” Roger Lau told reporters. Though he said the campaign had confidence about where Warren ended the night. Not to be lost in the craziness of the Democratic side of things tonight, ABC News did make one projection: President Donald Trump won the Republican caucus here. And his campaign was working to spin the night’s unexpected events, with campaign manager Brad Parscale saying in a statement, “Democrats are stewing in a caucus mess of their own creation with the sloppiest train wreck in history. ”“It would be natural for people to doubt the fairness of the process. ”24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events


Bhopal: Anandiben Patel takes oath as Governor of Madhya Pradesh, in addition to her own duties as the Governor of Uttar Pradesh. https://t.co/a2hKtw1q6f

A community advocate and businessperson Salma Lakhani made history on Wednesday upon her appointment as the Lieutenant Governor of the province of Alberta, the first-ever Muslim with roots in the Indian subcontinent to occupy the post in Canada. Her appointment was announced by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.  “Ms.  Lakhani is devoted to supporting people in her community, from new immigrants and young people, to women and families.  As Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, I know she will serve the people of her province and our country well, and continue to be a source of inspiration for all Canadians,” the Prime Minister said in a statement.  Lakhani, a follower of the Ismaili sect, was born in Uganda but her family was forced to leave after the Indian-origin community in the African country was expelled by dictator Idi Amin.  She has a degree in Clinical Biochemistry from the University of Manchester.  She later moved to Edmonton in 1977, along with her husband.  They have two daughters. A Lt Governor in Canada is the equivalent of a Governor in India and is nominated by the federal government.  While the role is largely ceremonial, the appointment is symbolic of diversity in how leadership in the country looks. Among those who welcomed her appointment was the Premier of Alberta Jason Kenney, who tweeted, “Ms.  Lakhani has a remarkable background in business and volunteerism, reflecting the Alberta culture of enterprise and community. ”The PMO noted she was a “long-time community advocate and successful business owner” who has dedicated herself to “helping people in need and those who face obstacles to success in our society.  Through her work to advance education, health care, women’s empowerment, human rights, and support for new immigrants, she continues to be a champion of diversity, pluralism, and inclusion. ”She was a founding member of ‘NorQuest College’s 1000 Women: A Million Possibilities’ movement and has been on its advisory committee and board for the past decade.  Lakhani is also associated with the Aga Khan Foundation.


Ayurveda medicines recommended for mild #COVID19 patients: Ministry of AYUSH https://t.co/GQGWL6HGEb https://t.co/rUzBtsH0YS

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday released a protocol for the clinical management of Covid-19, that lists dietary measures, yoga and Ayurvedic herbs and formulations such as Ashwagandha and AYUSH-64 for prevention of coronavirus infection and treatment of mild and asymptomatic cases. The ‘National Clinical Management Protocol based on Ayurveda and Yoga for Management of Covid-19’ was released by Vardhan in the virtual presence of Shripad Naik, Minister of State for AYUSH. “This protocol dealing with preventive and prophylactic measures is a significant step not only in management of Covid-19 but also in making traditional knowledge relevant to solving problems of the modern time,” Vardhan was quoted as saying in a statement. “Unfortunately, Ayurveda did not receive much attention after independence until Prime Minister Narendra Modi took up this cause with the importance it deserves,” he said while stressing that Ayurveda “had a significant impact in the foundations of modern medicine”. The AYUSH ministry, in the protocol document, pointed out that the current understanding indicates a good immune system is vital for prevention of coronavirus infection and to safeguard from disease progression. The protocol suggests use of medicines such as Ashwagandha, Guduchi Ghana Vati or Chyawanaprasha as prophylactic care for high risk population and primary contacts of patients. It recommends consumption of Guduchi Ghana Vati, Guduchi and Pippali or  AYUSH 64 for asymptomatic Covid-19 positive patients for prevention of disease progression to symptomatic and severe forms and to improve recovery rate. Guduchi and Pippali, and AYUSH 64 tablets can be given to mild coronavirus infected patients, it said. The protocol also mentions the dose of these medicines that is to be taken.  The guidelines stated that in addition to these medicines, general and dietary measures have to be followed.   Individuals with moderate to severe coronavirus infection may make informed choice of treatment options and all severe cases will be referred, the protocol said. Physicians have to decide useful formulations from the list or substitutable classical medicines based upon their clinical judgement, suitability, availability and regional preferences.   Dose may be adjusted based upon the patient’s age, weight, and condition of the disease, the ministry said. The document also listed Ashwagandha, Chyawanprasha or Rasayana Churna for post-Covid-19 management in order to prevent lung complications like fibrosis, fatigue and mental health. Further, to improve respiratory and cardiac efficiency, to reduce stress and anxiety and enhance immunity, the ministry has listed Yoga Protocol for Primary Prevention of Covid- 19.   The document also mentions Yoga Protocol for Post Covid-19 care (including care for Covid-19 patients) in order to improve pulmonary function and lung capacity, reduce stress and anxiety and improve muco-ciliary clearance. “This protocol and its annexure are approved by the Chairman, Interdisciplinary Committee for inclusion of Ayurveda and Yoga in the management of mild Covid-19 and approved by the empowered committee of the Interdisciplinary AYUSH Research and Development Taskforce on Covid-19, both constituted by the Ministry of AYUSH,” the document said. Effective management to address this infection is still evolving and attempts are being made to integrate traditional interventions along with standard of care, the preamble read. “Ayurveda and Yoga can certainly play a pivotal role to augment preventive measures provided in the guidelines by the Ministry of Health.  The current understanding of Covid-19 indicates that good immune status is vital to prevention and to safeguard from disease progression,” it said. The ministry also recommended gargling with warm water added with a pinch of turmeric and salt, nasal instillation/application of medicated oil (Anu taila or Shadbindu taila), plain oil or cow’s ghee once or twice a day, especially before going out and after coming back home, steam inhalation with Ajwain, Pudina or Eucalyptus oil once a day, moderate physical exercises and following Yoga protocol as general measures. Dietary measures include use of warm water or boiled with herbs like ginger, coriander, basil or cumin seeds etc. , for drinking purpose, drinking golden milk (half tea spoon turmeric powder in 150 ml hot milk) once at night (avoid in case of indigestion) and taking Ayush Kadha or Kwath (hot infusion or decoction) once a day. Vardhan expressed satisfaction with the inclusion of easily available and common Ayurvedic herbs and formulations like Guduchi, Ashwagandha, AYUSH-64 in treating mild and asymptomatic Covid cases, the statement said. Three aspects -- knowledge from Ayurveda classics and experience from clinical practices, empirical evidences and biological plausibility and emerging trends of ongoing clinical studies -- were considered while preparing this protocol, the ministry said. This consensus document is developed by expert committees from All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), Delhi, Institute of Post Graduate Training and Research in Ayurved (IPGTRA), Jamnagar, and National Institute of Ayurveda (NIA), Jaipur, Central Council for Research in Ayurveda (CCRAS), Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy (CCRYN), other national research organizations, the ministry said.


A video showing a group of men, one of them wearing a white skull cap, thrashing another man, is being shared on social media platforms with a claim that the video shows Muslim men lynching a Hindu man

Twitter user who goes by the handle '@nationalist_om' tweeted the video on June 25, 2019 with a caption in Hindi that closely translates to, "Is this not lynching?  The one who's dying is a Hindu and those who are thrashing are Muslims.  Maybe this is why it's not lynching for intellectuals. " à¤à¥à¤¯à¤¾ à¤¯à¥ à¤²à¤¿à¤à¤à¤¿à¤à¤ à¤¨à¤¹à¥à¤ à¤¹à¥? ? ?  à¤®à¤°à¤¨à¥ à¤µà¤¾à¤²à¤¾ à¤¹à¤¿à¤¨à¥à¤¦à¥ à¤à¤° à¤®à¤¾à¤°à¤¨à¥ à¤µà¤¾à¤²à¤¾ à¤®à¥à¤¸à¤²à¤®à¤¾à¤¨ à¤¹à¥. . .  à¤¶à¤¾à¤¯à¤¦ à¤à¤¸à¤²à¤¿à¤ à¤¬à¥à¤¦à¥à¤§à¤¿à¤à¥à¤µà¤¿à¤¯à¥à¤ à¤à¥ à¤¨à¤à¤° à¤®à¥à¤ à¤¯à¥â¦ https://t. co/GvlvDBPOGL— Pushpendra Kulshrestha (@Nationalist_Om) 1561461681000The tweet has been retweeted more than 8,000 times and the 12-second video has been viewed over 9,26,000 times already.  An archived version of the tweet is here. A Facebook user who goes by the name of 'Sunilwadi Sunny Pandey' shared the same video the same day with the exact same caption.  His post got over 22,000 views.  Another Twitter user who goes by the handle '@m4mrt' tweeted the video with the same caption, the next day.  à¤à¥à¤¯à¤¾ à¤¯à¥ à¤²à¤¿à¤à¤à¤¿à¤à¤ à¤¨à¤¹à¥à¤ à¤¹à¥? ? ?  à¤®à¤°à¤¨à¥ à¤µà¤¾à¤²à¤¾ à¤¹à¤¿à¤¨à¥à¤¦à¥ à¤à¤° à¤®à¤¾à¤°à¤¨à¥ à¤µà¤¾à¤²à¤¾ à¤®à¥à¤¸à¤²à¤®à¤¾à¤¨ à¤¹à¥. . .  à¤¶à¤¾à¤¯à¤¦ à¤à¤¸à¤²à¤¿à¤ à¤¬à¥à¤¦à¥à¤§à¤¿à¤à¥à¤µà¤¿à¤¯à¥à¤ à¤à¥ à¤¨à¤à¤° à¤®à¥à¤ à¤¯à¥ à¤²à¤¿à¤â¦ https://t. co/cblIteYpNH— Meenakshi Chaudhary (@m4mrt) 1561534250000An archived version of the tweet is here. Many other Facebook and Twitter users have been sharing the video with the same caption.  It is being circulated widely on WhatsApp as well.  TRUTHThe video is from April, 2017 and is of an incident that happened in Bangladesh.  The video has nothing to do with India.  VERIFICATION AND METHODOLOGYTimes Fact Check analysed the video using InVid verification tool and using reverse-image search on the key frames extracted by InVid, found an article published on a Malayalam website called 'Naradra News' on April 16, 2017.  The article said that the video is from Bangladesh's Comilla and that it shows men beating up two people wanted for the murder of a politician.  The article also had a YouTube embed of the same video.  The video was uploaded to a YouTube channel by the name of 'Rana Mohammad Rasel' on April 2, 2017 and had a long description in Bengali.  Making sense of the description using Google translator and colleagues who can read Bengali, we confirmed that the description indeed says that the video shows a group of people thrashing men wanted for the death of a Bangladeshi politician.  According to the description, the name of the leader who was killed is Monir Hossain Sarkar.  It also identified the men who were beaten up as Abu Sayeed, 28, and Mohammad Ali, 32.  Sayeed was killed and Ali was seriously injured.  We found three news reports on Bangladeshi publications -- Dhaka Tribune, New Age and Daily Sun -- which reported Union Parishad chairman Monir Hossain Sarkar and his supporter Mohiuddin being shot dead.  Dhaka Tribune published the report on November 9, 2016, New Age published the report on November 8, 2016, and the Daily Sun published the report on November 9, 2016.  A news report in another Bangladeshi publication -- Jugantor -- reported the incident seen in the video saying the accused wanted in the murder case of Union Parishad chairman Monir Hossain Sarkar.  Another Bangladeshi media outlet comillarkagoj. com reported the same on April 2, 2017.


Sensex opens at 35,570.17, with a gain of 139.74 points. https://t.co/XTzYoMose3

The benchmark indices opened lower on Monday tracking weak cues from the global markets amid rising tensions between the US and China over the coronavirus pandemic. US president Donald Trump revived a threat of new tariffs against China in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has brought global economies to a grinding halt.  Sensex opened 969 points lower at 32,768 and NSE Nifty fell 326 points lower to 9,553. The BSE Sensex had risen rose 7. 6% last week to end at 33,717, up 997 points and Nifty settled 306 points higher at 9,859, to mark the best in four weeks.  The markets were shut on Friday for Maharashtra Day. The Singapore Exchange (SGX) Nifty futures at 8:16am traded 446. 50 points, or 4. 55%, lower at 9,368. 50 and the Asian markets fell up to 3% in early trades. Asian markets opened lower on Monday morning, with major markets regionally closed for holidays.  Hang Seng index dropped 3. 43% in early trade.  South Korea’s Kospi fell 1. 87% and the MSCI Asia ex-Japan index traded 2. 2% down. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 2. 5%, the S&P 500 lost 2. 8% and Nasdaq Composite dropped 3. 2% on Friday as Trump upped the ante against China in continuing war of words. The government had extended the lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic by two more weeks, dashing hopes of a resumption in economic and business activities.


I was taken aback by Rahul Gandhi's comment that Modi govt has waived off Rs 65,000 Cr.Not a single penny has been waived off. Writing off isn't waiving off.Rahul Gandhi must take tuition from Chidambaram to understand difference b/w writing off&waiving off: Union Min P Javadekar https://t.co/s8UOVFOV4T

Union minister Prakash Javadekar has hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi saying he was taken aback by Rahul Gandhi’s comment that Modi government has waived off Rs 65,000 crore of loan defaulters. “@RahulGandhi should take tuition from @PChidambaram_IN on the difference between “write off” and “waive off”.  @narendramodi govt has not waived off any loan.  “Write off” is a normal accounting process.  It doesn’t stop recovery or action against defaults,” Javadekar said on Wednesday. “Writing off is process to show depositors correct pictures of bank.  It doesn’t stop banks from taking actions and pursuing recovery.  We’ve seen how Nirav Modi’s assets are seized and auctioned.  Mallya has been left with no choice but to come back as his appeal in HC has been rejected,” he added. Earlier, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had accused Gandhi of “trying to mislead people in a brazen manner”.  Sitharaman also listed the cases of Mehul Choksi and Vijay Mallya and said that the Narendra Modi-led BJP government is pursuing these willful defaulters. Gandhi had said on Twitter that the government waived loans worth Rs 6. 66 lakh crore since 2014 till September 2019. The former Congress president said he had asked in Parliament the names of the top 50 bank loan defaulters in the country, but the finance minister did not answer.  Now, the RBI has given out the list which includes Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and many of BJP’s “friends”, he said. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also released the list of the top loan defaulters in the country, as per an RTI reply, and demanded answers from the prime minister on why their loans were waived.


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

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