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<p>United States (US) Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who recently concluded his three-day visit&nbsp;to China,&nbsp;raised concerns&nbsp;about China's support to Russian&nbsp;military. He raised this matter during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday (Apr 26), news agency Reuters reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I reiterated our serious concern about the PRC (People's Republic of China) providing components that are powering Russia's brutal war of aggression against Ukraine,"&nbsp;Blinken said during a press conference at the end of his China visit.</p>

<p>However, the US Secretary of State&nbsp;did not respond to&nbsp;a question on&nbsp;whether Washington would impose sanctions on China's support for Russia,&nbsp;reported the news agency.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“China has demonstrated in the past&nbsp;when&nbsp;it comes to Russia and Ukraine, that it can take positive action.&nbsp;You'll recall that while over a year&nbsp;ago&nbsp;we had concerns that Russia was considering the possible use of a nuclear weapon, and I believe that China's voice was important&nbsp;at&nbsp;least at that time, in&nbsp;moving Russia away from that possible course of action,” Blinken added.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>During China visit, Blinken meets&nbsp;Xi</strong></h2>

<p>Antony Blinken&nbsp;embarked on a three-day&nbsp;visit to&nbsp;China on Wednesday,&nbsp;to meet&nbsp;President Xi Jinping and other top Chinese officials.&nbsp;During the meeting (with Blinken), Xi said that China and US should be partners and not rivals.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Blinken says China can help 'calm tensions' in West Asia</strong></p>

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<p>"Mutually gain achievements, not hurt each other. Both countries should seek common ground while reserving differences instead of vicious competition. Both sides should keep their&nbsp;word,&nbsp;instead of saying one thing and doing another,"&nbsp;Xi added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The global situation is constantly changing. With China-US increasing dialogue, managing differences and promoting&nbsp;cooperation,&nbsp;is not only the general aspiration of the two peoples (something the people of both countries want to see), but also what the rest of the world anticipates. I have said many&nbsp;times,&nbsp;that&nbsp;the world is big enough to accommodate both the US&nbsp;and Chinese development. China is happy to see a self-confident, open, prosperous and developing United States,"&nbsp;the further said.</p>

<p>Blinken,&nbsp;meanwhile, said,&nbsp;"President Biden asked me to return here to follow up on the important agenda that will set deeper cooperation&nbsp;as well as to manage responsibly&nbsp;the differences that we have.&nbsp;I think&nbsp;we’ve&nbsp;seen progress in various cooperation, particularly in military-to-military communication, counter-narcotics, the future of artificial intelligence, and we will keep on strengthening our people-to-people ties."</p>

<p>Blinken also pointed out that the US and China should deal responsibly with&nbsp;"our&nbsp;differences so we avoid any miscommunication, any misconceptions, any miscalculations."</p>

<h2><strong>'US has seen evidence of China attempting to influence polls'</strong></h2>

<p>On Friday,&nbsp;Blinken said that Washington had seen evidence of Chinese attempts to influence the upcoming US presidential elections.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/antony-blinken-meets-chinese-counterpart-wang-yi-in-beijing-715071">Blinken says US has seen evidence of China meddling in presidential elections</a></strong></p>

<p>“We have seen, generally speaking, evidence of attempts to influence and arguably interfere, and we want to make sure that that’s cut off as quickly as possible,” Blinken told CNN,&nbsp;adding,&nbsp;that any interference by Beijing in the elections was something that was totally unacceptable to the US.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The US Secretary of State also said&nbsp;that there&nbsp;was concern about China and other countries playing on existing social divisions in the US in influencing&nbsp;campaigns.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


United States (US) Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who recently concluded his three-day visit to China, raised concerns about China's support to Russian military.

United States (US) Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who recently concluded his three-day visit to China, raised concerns about China's support to Russian military. He raised this matter during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday (Apr 26), news agency Reuters reported. "I reiterated our serious concern about the PRC (People's Republic of China) providing components that are powering Russia's brutal war of aggression against Ukraine," Blinken said during a press conference at the end of his China visit. However, the US Secretary of State did not respond to a question on whether Washington would impose sanctions on China's support for Russia, reported the news agency. “China has demonstrated in the past when it comes to Russia and Ukraine, that it can take positive action. You'll recall that while over a year ago we had concerns that Russia was considering the possible use of a nuclear weapon, and I believe that China's voice was important at least at that time, in moving Russia away from that possible course of action,” Blinken added. During China visit, Blinken meets Xi Antony Blinken embarked on a three-day visit to China on Wednesday, to meet President Xi Jinping and other top Chinese officials. During the meeting (with Blinken), Xi said that China and US should be partners and not rivals. Also watch | Blinken says China can help 'calm tensions' in West Asia × "Mutually gain achievements, not hurt each other. Both countries should seek common ground while reserving differences instead of vicious competition. Both sides should keep their word, instead of saying one thing and doing another," Xi added. "The global situation is constantly changing. With China-US increasing dialogue, managing differences and promoting cooperation, is not only the general aspiration of the two peoples (something the people of both countries want to see), but also what the rest of the world anticipates. I have said many times, that the world is big enough to accommodate both the US and Chinese development. China is happy to see a self-confident, open, prosperous and developing United States," the further said. Blinken, meanwhile, said, "President Biden asked me to return here to follow up on the important agenda that will set deeper cooperation as well as to manage responsibly the differences that we have. I think we’ve seen progress in various cooperation, particularly in military-to-military communication, counter-narcotics, the future of artificial intelligence, and we will keep on strengthening our people-to-people ties." Blinken also pointed out that the US and China should deal responsibly with "our differences so we avoid any miscommunication, any misconceptions, any miscalculations." 'US has seen evidence of China attempting to influence polls' On Friday, Blinken said that Washington had seen evidence of Chinese attempts to influence the upcoming US presidential elections. Also read | Blinken says US has seen evidence of China meddling in presidential elections “We have seen, generally speaking, evidence of attempts to influence and arguably interfere, and we want to make sure that that’s cut off as quickly as possible,” Blinken told CNN, adding, that any interference by Beijing in the elections was something that was totally unacceptable to the US. The US Secretary of State also said that there was concern about China and other countries playing on existing social divisions in the US in influencing campaigns. (With inputs from agencies)

During China visit, Antony Blinken confronts Beijing over its support to Russian military

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<p>The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday (Apr 26) that the&nbsp;current&nbsp;overall&nbsp;public health risk posed by the H5N1&nbsp;bird&nbsp;flu&nbsp;virus was&nbsp;low,&nbsp;but urged countries&nbsp;to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission, the news agency Reuters reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The WHO further said&nbsp;that&nbsp;countries&nbsp;should implement infection control measures and procedures to reduce human exposure to&nbsp;birds and mammals potentially infected with&nbsp;bird&nbsp;flu&nbsp;or other animal influenza viruses. The United Nations (UN) health agency also strongly advised people&nbsp;should&nbsp;consume only pasteurised milk.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The virus has&nbsp;been detected&nbsp;in milk&nbsp;and&nbsp;its potential role in transmission is&nbsp;being investigated," it added.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Bird flu spread in US dairy cattle intensifies</strong></h2>

<p>The WHO's warning came as Colorado became the latest state in the United States (US)&nbsp;to detect bird flu in dairy cattle. Infections in dairy cattle&nbsp;were previously reported&nbsp;in Texas, Kansas, Michigan, Ohio, Idaho, New Mexico, North Carolina, and South Dakota.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pasteurized-milk-safe-as-bird-flu-spreads-to-colorado-715515">Pasteurised milk 'safe' from bird flu: US health officials</a></strong></p>

<p>Federal lawmakers urged the Joe Biden administration&nbsp;to further contain the virus' spread&nbsp;as tests showed one in five US&nbsp;commercial milk samples contained remnants of bird flu, Reuters reported.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Pasturised milk safe from virus</strong></h2>

<p>Also on Friday, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said&nbsp;that&nbsp;there was no reason to believe&nbsp;the virus found in milk possesses&nbsp;risk to human health, and American&nbsp;health authorities said that pasteurised milk sold in stores was safe from the virus.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Starting&nbsp;on&nbsp;Monday (April 28), the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) will require dairy cows to test negative for&nbsp;bird&nbsp;flu&nbsp;before&nbsp;they&nbsp;are moved&nbsp;across state lines.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday (Apr 26) that the current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus was low, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission, the news agency Reuters reported.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday (Apr 26) that the current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus was low, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission, the news agency Reuters reported. The WHO further said that countries should implement infection control measures and procedures to reduce human exposure to birds and mammals potentially infected with bird flu or other animal influenza viruses. The United Nations (UN) health agency also strongly advised people should consume only pasteurised milk. "The virus has been detected in milk and its potential role in transmission is being investigated," it added. Bird flu spread in US dairy cattle intensifies The WHO's warning came as Colorado became the latest state in the United States (US) to detect bird flu in dairy cattle. Infections in dairy cattle were previously reported in Texas, Kansas, Michigan, Ohio, Idaho, New Mexico, North Carolina, and South Dakota. Also read | Pasteurised milk 'safe' from bird flu: US health officials Federal lawmakers urged the Joe Biden administration to further contain the virus' spread as tests showed one in five US commercial milk samples contained remnants of bird flu, Reuters reported. Pasturised milk safe from virus Also on Friday, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said that there was no reason to believe the virus found in milk possesses risk to human health, and American health authorities said that pasteurised milk sold in stores was safe from the virus. Starting on Monday (April 28), the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) will require dairy cows to test negative for bird flu before they are moved across state lines. (With inputs from agencies)

Bird flu risk is currently low: WHO urges countries to remain on alert

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<p>The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Friday (Apr 26) that Tesla reported&nbsp;20 crashes involving Autopilot since the Elon Musk-owned automaker recalled more than two million vehicles in December last year. These 20 crashes involved vehicles that had&nbsp;the new Autopilot software updates installed under the recall.</p>

<p>The crashes and agency tests raised concerns about the effectiveness of the remedy. The NHTSA has been probing whether the recall of&nbsp;Tesla's&nbsp;driving system did enough to&nbsp;make sure&nbsp;drivers paid attention to the road.</p>

<p>"The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is opening a Recall Query to assess the remedy adequacy of Recall 23V838. On December 12, 2023, Tesla filed a Defect Information Report (Recall 23V838) applicable to all Tesla models produced and equipped with any version of its Autopilot system, which Tesla described as an SAE Level 2 (L2) Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS). Autopilot is the simultaneous engagement of&nbsp;Tesla’s&nbsp;Traffic-Aware Cruise Control (TACC) and Autosteer,"&nbsp;the NHTSA said in a <strong><a href="https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/inv/2024/INOA-RQ24009-12046.pdf">statement posted on its website</a></strong> on Friday.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/tesla-plans-to-introduce-new-models-amid-major-layoffs-shares-surge-714457">Tesla plans to introduce new models amid major layoffs; shares surge</a></strong></p>

<p>"In describing the safety defect,&nbsp;Tesla’s&nbsp;Defect Information Report (DIR) explained that&nbsp;“the prominence and scope of the&nbsp;system’s&nbsp;controls may be insufficient to prevent driver misuse,”&nbsp;the statement added.</p>

<h2><strong>Tesla's&nbsp;Autopilot involved in 13 fatal&nbsp;crashes</strong></h2>

<p>The US auto regulator also disclosed&nbsp;on Friday&nbsp;that during its Autopilot safety probe launched in August 2021, it identified at least 13 Tesla crashes involving at least one death and many more involving&nbsp;serious&nbsp;injuries in which&nbsp;"foreseeable driver misuse of the system played an apparent role."</p>

<p>The NHTSA noted that&nbsp;Tesla's&nbsp;December recall&nbsp;allows a driver to&nbsp;"readily reverse"&nbsp;the software update. The automaker&nbsp;issued additional software updates to address issues related to its concerns but has not made them part of the recall.</p>

<h2><strong>The December recall</strong></h2>

<p>The December recall was&nbsp;Tesla's&nbsp;largest&nbsp;ever as it covered 2.03 million US vehicles-&nbsp;&nbsp;or nearly all of its&nbsp;vehicles&nbsp;on&nbsp;American roads, a report by the news agency Reuters said.</p>

<p>Tesla said the recall was&nbsp;being done&nbsp;to better ensure&nbsp;drivers paid&nbsp;attention when using its advanced driver assistance system.&nbsp;Friday's&nbsp;investigation by the NHTSA&nbsp;covers models Y, X, S, 3, and Cybertruck vehicles in the US&nbsp;equipped with Autopilot produced between the 2012 and 2024 model years.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Friday (Apr 26) that Tesla reported 20 crashes involving Autopilot since the Elon Musk-owned automaker recalled more than two million vehicles in December last year.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Friday (Apr 26) that Tesla reported 20 crashes involving Autopilot since the Elon Musk-owned automaker recalled more than two million vehicles in December last year. These 20 crashes involved vehicles that had the new Autopilot software updates installed under the recall. The crashes and agency tests raised concerns about the effectiveness of the remedy. The NHTSA has been probing whether the recall of Tesla's driving system did enough to make sure drivers paid attention to the road. "The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is opening a Recall Query to assess the remedy adequacy of Recall 23V838. On December 12, 2023, Tesla filed a Defect Information Report (Recall 23V838) applicable to all Tesla models produced and equipped with any version of its Autopilot system, which Tesla described as an SAE Level 2 (L2) Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS). Autopilot is the simultaneous engagement of Tesla’s Traffic-Aware Cruise Control (TACC) and Autosteer," the NHTSA said in a statement posted on its website on Friday. Also read | Tesla plans to introduce new models amid major layoffs; shares surge "In describing the safety defect, Tesla’s Defect Information Report (DIR) explained that “the prominence and scope of the system’s controls may be insufficient to prevent driver misuse,” the statement added. Tesla's Autopilot involved in 13 fatal crashes The US auto regulator also disclosed on Friday that during its Autopilot safety probe launched in August 2021, it identified at least 13 Tesla crashes involving at least one death and many more involving serious injuries in which "foreseeable driver misuse of the system played an apparent role." The NHTSA noted that Tesla's December recall allows a driver to "readily reverse" the software update. The automaker issued additional software updates to address issues related to its concerns but has not made them part of the recall. The December recall The December recall was Tesla's largest ever as it covered 2.03 million US vehicles- or nearly all of its vehicles on American roads, a report by the news agency Reuters said. Tesla said the recall was being done to better ensure drivers paid attention when using its advanced driver assistance system. Friday's investigation by the NHTSA covers models Y, X, S, 3, and Cybertruck vehicles in the US equipped with Autopilot produced between the 2012 and 2024 model years. (With inputs from agencies)

Tesla reported 20 crashes involving Autopilot since Dec 2023 recall: US auto regulator

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidYu18tKSsUVwG" />A vacant restaurant&nbsp;located&nbsp;at the end of a historic pier in Southern California caught fire on Thursday (Apr 25).&nbsp;</p>

<p>The&nbsp;pier&nbsp;stretches over 1,900 feet, allowing visitors to walk out over the ocean waters.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a post on X, the Oceanside Fire Department asked citizens to stay away from the affected area.</p>

<p>"We have made good progress on the pier fire.&nbsp;We will&nbsp;be working&nbsp;into the dark to complete extinguishment and&nbsp;to ensure that&nbsp;the fire does not rekindle.&nbsp;The fire has&nbsp;been contained&nbsp;to the end of the pier," the department said.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">JUST IN: ⚠️ Massive fire DESTROYING historic Oceanside Pier in California..<br />
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DEVELOPING..<br />
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<a href="https://t.co/vhDz5fLA9N">pic.twitter.com/vhDz5fLA9N</a></p>
— Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChuckCallesto/status/1783633276071969101?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>"Still working the pier fire. Crews will remain working through the night to ensure it remains confined to the end of the pier," it added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The cause of the fire was not immediately known.</p>

<p>A report by Fox News said that the pier&nbsp;was built&nbsp;in&nbsp;1888,&nbsp;and has been a focal point of&nbsp;Oceanside.</p>

<p>A video of the fire showed&nbsp;smoke billowing up over the&nbsp;pier, which could&nbsp;be seen&nbsp;from as far as Vista, 10 miles east, and Der Mar, 20 miles south.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Still working the pier fire. Crews will remain working through the night to ensure it remains confined to the end of the pier. <a href="https://t.co/JEJdWZK0FG">pic.twitter.com/JEJdWZK0FG</a></p>
— Oceanside Fire Department (@Oceanside_Fire) <a href="https://twitter.com/Oceanside_Fire/status/1783697152453304755?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>The fire also appeared to have spread to Brine Box, a fish shack at the end of the pier, the report added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A vacant restaurant located at the end of a historic pier in Southern California caught fire on Thursday (Apr 25). The pier stretches over 1,900 feet, allowing visitors to walk out over the ocean waters.

A vacant restaurant located at the end of a historic pier in Southern California caught fire on Thursday (Apr 25). The pier stretches over 1,900 feet, allowing visitors to walk out over the ocean waters. In a post on X, the Oceanside Fire Department asked citizens to stay away from the affected area. "We have made good progress on the pier fire. We will be working into the dark to complete extinguishment and to ensure that the fire does not rekindle. The fire has been contained to the end of the pier," the department said. JUST IN: ⚠️ Massive fire DESTROYING historic Oceanside Pier in California.. DEVELOPING.. pic.twitter.com/vhDz5fLA9N — Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) April 25, 2024 × "Still working the pier fire. Crews will remain working through the night to ensure it remains confined to the end of the pier," it added. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. A report by Fox News said that the pier was built in 1888, and has been a focal point of Oceanside. A video of the fire showed smoke billowing up over the pier, which could be seen from as far as Vista, 10 miles east, and Der Mar, 20 miles south. Still working the pier fire. Crews will remain working through the night to ensure it remains confined to the end of the pier. pic.twitter.com/JEJdWZK0FG — Oceanside Fire Department (@Oceanside_Fire) April 26, 2024 × The fire also appeared to have spread to Brine Box, a fish shack at the end of the pier, the report added. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: Restaurant at end of historic Southern California pier catches fire

<p>Nationalist Congress Party-Sharad Chandra Pawar (NCP-SCP) on Thursday released its&nbsp;manifesto, named, 'Shapath Patra' for the Lok Sabha elections 2024.<br />
NCP (SCP)&nbsp;manifesto&nbsp;promised a reduction in prices of LPG gas, petrol and diesel. It also promised strict laws on women's safety, and filling the vacant positions in government.</p>

<p>Releasing the party's&nbsp;manifesto, NCP (SCP) chief Sharad Pawar hit back at the BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his remarks that "Sharad Pawar should apologise for the farmers" suicide when he was Agriculture Minister.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lok-sabha-elections-phase-2-live-updates-india-to-vote-amid-intense-heat-wave-warning-715017"><strong>Click here to follow all updates on the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024</strong></a></p>

<p>"In the last ten years, farmers' suicides have increased. Amit Shah should first tell what he has done to stop suicides in the last ten years," Pawar said.</p>

<p>On the occasion, NCP (SCP) leader Jayant Patil said, "We are releasing our&nbsp;manifesto&nbsp;today, our leaders will raise these issues in the parliament. Our&nbsp;manifesto&nbsp;name is 'Shapath Patra'. Inflation is on the rise, farmers are in a bad state, and unemployment is at its peak."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="tl"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Pune, Maharashtra: NCP-SCP chief Sharad Pawar releases party's manifesto, for Lok Sabha elections. <a href="https://t.co/AkUtVjm5qK">https://t.co/AkUtVjm5qK</a> <a href="https://t.co/endlJcTRzt">pic.twitter.com/endlJcTRzt</a></p>
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<p>On Prime Minister Modi's statement that Congress wants to take away the gold and property of people and distribute it among "those having more children", Pawar said,</p>

<p>"People expect that the PM of the nation should be for all irrespective of caste religion language etc. In a speech, he tried to take a different stand about minorities in the nation.</p>

<p>"During the election campaign, we will take his angle among the people and will try to make people understand that his view can hurt the unity of the nation and should be condemned," he added.</p>

<p>The next four phases of elections will take place in Maharashtra on April 26, May 7, May 13, and May 20.</p>

<p>The state, with its 48 Lok Sabha seats, is the second-largest contributor to the lower house of Parliament after Uttar Pradesh (80).</p>

<p>In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 23 out of 25 contested seats, while the undivided Shiv Sena secured 18 out of 23 seats.</p>

<p>The undivided NCP, part of the opposition alliance, contested 19 seats and won four in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. Following the split in the Shiva Sena 2022, the Eknath Shinde faction aligned with the BJP.&nbsp;</p>


Nationalist Congress Party-Sharad Chandra Pawar (NCP-SCP) on Thursday released its manifesto, named, 'Shapath Patra' for the Lok Sabha elections 2024. NCP (SCP) manifesto promised a reduction in prices of LPG gas, petrol and diesel.

Nationalist Congress Party-Sharad Chandra Pawar (NCP-SCP) on Thursday released its manifesto, named, 'Shapath Patra' for the Lok Sabha elections 2024. NCP (SCP) manifesto promised a reduction in prices of LPG gas, petrol and diesel. It also promised strict laws on women's safety, and filling the vacant positions in government. Releasing the party's manifesto, NCP (SCP) chief Sharad Pawar hit back at the BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his remarks that "Sharad Pawar should apologise for the farmers" suicide when he was Agriculture Minister. Click here to follow all updates on the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 "In the last ten years, farmers' suicides have increased. Amit Shah should first tell what he has done to stop suicides in the last ten years," Pawar said. On the occasion, NCP (SCP) leader Jayant Patil said, "We are releasing our manifesto today, our leaders will raise these issues in the parliament. Our manifesto name is 'Shapath Patra'. Inflation is on the rise, farmers are in a bad state, and unemployment is at its peak." #WATCH | Pune, Maharashtra: NCP-SCP chief Sharad Pawar releases party's manifesto, for Lok Sabha elections. https://t.co/AkUtVjm5qK pic.twitter.com/endlJcTRzt — ANI (@ANI) April 25, 2024 × On Prime Minister Modi's statement that Congress wants to take away the gold and property of people and distribute it among "those having more children", Pawar said, "People expect that the PM of the nation should be for all irrespective of caste religion language etc. In a speech, he tried to take a different stand about minorities in the nation. "During the election campaign, we will take his angle among the people and will try to make people understand that his view can hurt the unity of the nation and should be condemned," he added. The next four phases of elections will take place in Maharashtra on April 26, May 7, May 13, and May 20. The state, with its 48 Lok Sabha seats, is the second-largest contributor to the lower house of Parliament after Uttar Pradesh (80). In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 23 out of 25 contested seats, while the undivided Shiv Sena secured 18 out of 23 seats. The undivided NCP, part of the opposition alliance, contested 19 seats and won four in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. Following the split in the Shiva Sena 2022, the Eknath Shinde faction aligned with the BJP.

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Sharad Pawar's NCP releases manifesto

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<p>Wine production globally dropped 10 per cent in 2023. Citing the&nbsp;International Organization of Vine and Wine or OIV, the news agency AFP reported on Thursday (Apr 25) that this drop was the&nbsp;biggest&nbsp;in&nbsp;more than&nbsp;60 years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The OIV said&nbsp;that the&nbsp;drop happened&nbsp;because of "extreme" climate changes. Extreme environmental conditions&nbsp;including&nbsp;droughts, fires and other problems with&nbsp;climate&nbsp;were mostly&nbsp;to blame for the drastic fall, the OIV added.&nbsp;The global grape harvest&nbsp;was the worst since&nbsp;1961,&nbsp;and worse even than its early estimates in November.</p>

<h2><strong>Australia,&nbsp;Italy among the worst&nbsp;affected</strong></h2>

<p>As per the OIV, Australia and Italy suffered the worst,&nbsp;with 26 and 23 per cent drops. Spain lost more than&nbsp;a fifth of its production. Harvests in Chile and South Africa were down by more than 10 per cent.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Climate change endangers wine production worldwide</strong></p>

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<p>France bucked the falling harvest&nbsp;trend,&nbsp;with a four per cent rise, making it&nbsp;by far&nbsp;the world's biggest wine producer.</p>

<h2><strong>Wine consumption&nbsp;lowest&nbsp;since 1996</strong></h2>

<p>The OIV further said that wine consumption last year was&nbsp;at its lowest&nbsp;level&nbsp;since 1996. The reasons for this were price increases caused by inflation and a sharp fall in wine drinking in China due to its economic slowdown. The Portuguese, French and Italians remain the world's biggest wine drinkers per capita.</p>

<p>John Barker, OIV's director, said that the&nbsp;underlying decrease in consumption was being driven&nbsp;by demographic and lifestyle changes. "But given the very complicated influences on global demand at the moment.&nbsp;What is clear is that inflation is the dominant factor affecting demand in 2023," Barker said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, land given&nbsp;to&nbsp;growing grapes to eat or for wine fell for the third consecutive year to 7.2 million hectares. But India became one of the global top 10 grape producers for the first time with a three per cent rise in the size of its vineyards.</p>

<p>(<em>With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Wine production globally dropped 10 per cent in 2023. Citing the International Organization of Vine and Wine or OIV, the news agency AFP reported on Thursday (Apr 25) that this drop was the biggest in more than 60 years.

Wine production globally dropped 10 per cent in 2023. Citing the International Organization of Vine and Wine or OIV, the news agency AFP reported on Thursday (Apr 25) that this drop was the biggest in more than 60 years. The OIV said that the drop happened because of "extreme" climate changes. Extreme environmental conditions including droughts, fires and other problems with climate were mostly to blame for the drastic fall, the OIV added. The global grape harvest was the worst since 1961, and worse even than its early estimates in November. Australia, Italy among the worst affected As per the OIV, Australia and Italy suffered the worst, with 26 and 23 per cent drops. Spain lost more than a fifth of its production. Harvests in Chile and South Africa were down by more than 10 per cent. Also watch | Climate change endangers wine production worldwide × France bucked the falling harvest trend, with a four per cent rise, making it by far the world's biggest wine producer. Wine consumption lowest since 1996 The OIV further said that wine consumption last year was at its lowest level since 1996. The reasons for this were price increases caused by inflation and a sharp fall in wine drinking in China due to its economic slowdown. The Portuguese, French and Italians remain the world's biggest wine drinkers per capita. John Barker, OIV's director, said that the underlying decrease in consumption was being driven by demographic and lifestyle changes. "But given the very complicated influences on global demand at the moment. What is clear is that inflation is the dominant factor affecting demand in 2023," Barker said. Meanwhile, land given to growing grapes to eat or for wine fell for the third consecutive year to 7.2 million hectares. But India became one of the global top 10 grape producers for the first time with a three per cent rise in the size of its vineyards. (With inputs from agencies)

Global wine production dropped 10% in 2023, climate change blamed for decline

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<p>Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah reacted sharply&nbsp;to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claim that the Congress party tried to give reservation to Muslims by reducing the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (SC) reservations. In a post on X, Chief Minister&nbsp;Siddaramaiah said late Wednesday (Apr&nbsp;24)&nbsp;that Prime Minister Modi's claim was a blatant lie.</p>

<p>"It stems from ignorance but&nbsp;is also indicative of&nbsp;his desperation born from the&nbsp;fear of defeat. No leader in the history of our country has ever demeaned the office of the Prime Minister to such a low level," Siddaramaiah said.</p>

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<p>"Being in a position of responsibility, Prime Minister Narendra Modi must either substantiate these irresponsible allegations with evidence or apologise to the nation," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Modi must present proof, demands K'taka CM</strong></h2>

<p>Siddaramaiah raised a few questions for Modi. "Where has the Congress stated that it would take away reservations from backward classes and SC/STs to give them to Muslims? Which state government under the Congress has implemented such a policy?&nbsp;Is there any official government document related to this?," the Karnataka CM&nbsp;said and&nbsp;demanded that the PM&nbsp;should&nbsp;present proof before the nation.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Prime Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a>'s claim that the Congress has transferred the reservation quota from backward classes and Dalits to Muslims is a blatant lie.<br />
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It stems from ignorance but also indicative of his desperation born from a fear of defeat. No leader in the history of our… <a href="https://t.co/626QZpRVJ0">pic.twitter.com/626QZpRVJ0</a></p>
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) <a href="https://twitter.com/siddaramaiah/status/1783162648613224754?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>"Constitutional reservations cannot be arbitrarily amended.&nbsp;Revisions to reservations can only be made&nbsp;based on reports from social and economic surveys. Moreover, state governments do not have the authority to modify reservations for Scheduled Castes and Tribes. Such amendments require the approval of both Houses of Parliament. The fact that a Prime Minister lacks even this basic knowledge is truly tragic for our country," he added.</p>

<h2><strong>What did PM Modi say?</strong></h2>

<p>Addressing a rally in Rajasthan's Tonk on Tuesday (April 23), Prime Minister Modi accused the Congress party of attempting to provide reservations to Muslims in the state of Andhra Pradesh in 2004 by reducing SC and ST reservations, disregarding the Constitution, the news agency ANI reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Opposition raises alarm over PM Modi's 'hate' speech in Rajasthan</strong></p>

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<p>Modi said that the right to reservation was given by Babasaheb Ambedkar to Dalits, backward classes, and Adivasis, but the&nbsp;Congress and the INDIA bloc wanted to give it to Muslims based on religion.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"As soon as the Congress government came to power at the Centre in 2004, its first task was to try to give reservation to Muslims by reducing SC/ST reservations in Andhra Pradesh.&nbsp; This&nbsp;was a pilot project that Congress wanted to try in the entire country," the prime minister said.</p>

<p>"Between 2004 and 2010, Congress tried four times to implement Muslim reservations in Andhra Pradesh. However, due to legal hurdles and the awareness of the Supreme Court, they could not fulfil this plan," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>'A hidden agenda of Congress...'</strong></h2>

<p>Meanwhile, BJP National President JP Nadda said that the hidden agenda of the Congress and INDIA bloc was&nbsp;to snatch the rights of SC, ST and OBC and give it to Muslims.</p>

<p>"Congress says that Muslims have the first right on the country's resources, whereas Prime Minister Modi says that the poor have the first right on the resources. Congress hates SC, ST and OBC and appeasement is clearly visible in their manifesto too," Nadda said in a video statement on Friday.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah reacted sharply to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claim that the Congress party tried to give reservation to Muslims by reducing the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (SC) reservations.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah reacted sharply to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claim that the Congress party tried to give reservation to Muslims by reducing the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (SC) reservations. In a post on X, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said late Wednesday (Apr 24) that Prime Minister Modi's claim was a blatant lie. "It stems from ignorance but is also indicative of his desperation born from the fear of defeat. No leader in the history of our country has ever demeaned the office of the Prime Minister to such a low level," Siddaramaiah said. Click here to follow all updates on the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections "Being in a position of responsibility, Prime Minister Narendra Modi must either substantiate these irresponsible allegations with evidence or apologise to the nation," he added. Modi must present proof, demands K'taka CM Siddaramaiah raised a few questions for Modi. "Where has the Congress stated that it would take away reservations from backward classes and SC/STs to give them to Muslims? Which state government under the Congress has implemented such a policy? Is there any official government document related to this?," the Karnataka CM said and demanded that the PM should present proof before the nation. Prime Minister @narendramodi's claim that the Congress has transferred the reservation quota from backward classes and Dalits to Muslims is a blatant lie. It stems from ignorance but also indicative of his desperation born from a fear of defeat. No leader in the history of our… pic.twitter.com/626QZpRVJ0 — Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) April 24, 2024 × "Constitutional reservations cannot be arbitrarily amended. Revisions to reservations can only be made based on reports from social and economic surveys. Moreover, state governments do not have the authority to modify reservations for Scheduled Castes and Tribes. Such amendments require the approval of both Houses of Parliament. The fact that a Prime Minister lacks even this basic knowledge is truly tragic for our country," he added. What did PM Modi say? Addressing a rally in Rajasthan's Tonk on Tuesday (April 23), Prime Minister Modi accused the Congress party of attempting to provide reservations to Muslims in the state of Andhra Pradesh in 2004 by reducing SC and ST reservations, disregarding the Constitution, the news agency ANI reported. Also watch | Opposition raises alarm over PM Modi's 'hate' speech in Rajasthan × Modi said that the right to reservation was given by Babasaheb Ambedkar to Dalits, backward classes, and Adivasis, but the Congress and the INDIA bloc wanted to give it to Muslims based on religion. "As soon as the Congress government came to power at the Centre in 2004, its first task was to try to give reservation to Muslims by reducing SC/ST reservations in Andhra Pradesh. This was a pilot project that Congress wanted to try in the entire country," the prime minister said. "Between 2004 and 2010, Congress tried four times to implement Muslim reservations in Andhra Pradesh. However, due to legal hurdles and the awareness of the Supreme Court, they could not fulfil this plan," he added. 'A hidden agenda of Congress...' Meanwhile, BJP National President JP Nadda said that the hidden agenda of the Congress and INDIA bloc was to snatch the rights of SC, ST and OBC and give it to Muslims. "Congress says that Muslims have the first right on the country's resources, whereas Prime Minister Modi says that the poor have the first right on the resources. Congress hates SC, ST and OBC and appeasement is clearly visible in their manifesto too," Nadda said in a video statement on Friday. (With inputs from agencies)

Blatant lie: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah reacts to PM Modi's Muslim quota claim

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<p>Union Home Minister Amit Shah severely criticised the Congress party's manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections. Speaking to the news agency ANI, Union Home Minister Shah said on Friday (Apr 26) that following the release of the Congress manifesto, people's inclination towards the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)&nbsp;increased further as the opposition party repeated&nbsp;its old habit of appeasement in its manifesto.</p>

<p>"The Congress manifesto speaks of taking personal law forward. I&nbsp;would like&nbsp;to ask Rahul Gandhi, Will this country now work as per Sharia?" Shah asked.&nbsp;"Our Constitution is secular,&nbsp;laws&nbsp;of the land can't be formed&nbsp;based on religion," he added.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lok-sabha-polls-2024-ec-takes-cognizance-of-alleged-mcc-violations-by-modi-rahul-seeks-reponse-by-apr-29-714817">Lok Sabha polls 2024: EC seeks response by Apr 29 from Modi, Rahul on code of conduct violations</a></strong></p>

<p>The Union home minister further highlighted that the Modi government scrapped Triple Talaq and started UCC (Uniform Civil Code)&nbsp;and&nbsp;the government would take this forward. "Rahul Gandhi speaks of personal law, which&nbsp;is about dividing&nbsp;the country.&nbsp;Personal laws can't be implemented&nbsp;in this country.&nbsp;I am confident that we will see Narendra Modi as the prime minister of the country&nbsp;for the third time," he further told ANI.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Shah's remarks came as Prime Minister Narendra Modi came under fire for his&nbsp;remarks&nbsp;after he suggested that if the Congress came to power, it would redistribute the wealth of people to Muslims.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The Congress manifesto says they will calculate the gold with mothers and sisters, get information about it and then distribute that property. They will distribute it to whom - Manmohan Singh's government had said that Muslims have the first right to the country's assets," PM Modi said during a rally in Rajasthan's Banswara last week.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Earlier, when their (Congress) government was in power, they had said that Muslims have the first right to the country's assets.&nbsp;This&nbsp;means to whom will this property be distributed?&nbsp;It will be distributed&nbsp;among those who have more children. "It will be distributed to the infiltrators. Should your hard-earned money go to the infiltrators? Do you approve of this?" he added.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Lok Sabha elections 2024: Is Congress pitching for inheritance tax amid wealth redistribution row?</strong></p>

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<p>Modi's remarks triggered widespread criticism by opposition parties. The Congress had approached the Election Commission of India (ECI)&nbsp;demanding action over Modi's claim.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/a-blatant-lie-karnataka-cm-siddaramaiah-reacts-to-pm-modis-muslim-quota-claim-715173">Blatant lie: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah reacts to PM Modi's Muslim quota claim</a></strong></p>

<p>Meanwhile,&nbsp;the BJP alleged that Gandhi was making a false claim about the rise in poverty in the country and urged the EC to take "strict action" against him.&nbsp;The BJP also accused Gandhi of continuing to create a North-South divide in the country on the basis of language and region to vitiate the poll atmosphere.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Thursday, the ECI&nbsp;took cognizance of the alleged&nbsp;Model Code of Conduct (MCC) violations by Modi and Gandhi&nbsp;and asked them to give responses by&nbsp;April 29.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Union Home Minister Amit Shah severely criticised the Congress party's manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections. Speaking to the news agency ANI, Union Home Minister Shah said on Friday (Apr 26) that following the release of the Congress manifesto, people's inclination towards the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) increased further as the opposition party repeated its old habit of appeasement in its manifesto.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah severely criticised the Congress party's manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections. Speaking to the news agency ANI, Union Home Minister Shah said on Friday (Apr 26) that following the release of the Congress manifesto, people's inclination towards the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) increased further as the opposition party repeated its old habit of appeasement in its manifesto. "The Congress manifesto speaks of taking personal law forward. I would like to ask Rahul Gandhi, Will this country now work as per Sharia?" Shah asked. "Our Constitution is secular, laws of the land can't be formed based on religion," he added. Also read | Lok Sabha polls 2024: EC seeks response by Apr 29 from Modi, Rahul on code of conduct violations The Union home minister further highlighted that the Modi government scrapped Triple Talaq and started UCC (Uniform Civil Code) and the government would take this forward. "Rahul Gandhi speaks of personal law, which is about dividing the country. Personal laws can't be implemented in this country. I am confident that we will see Narendra Modi as the prime minister of the country for the third time," he further told ANI. Shah's remarks came as Prime Minister Narendra Modi came under fire for his remarks after he suggested that if the Congress came to power, it would redistribute the wealth of people to Muslims. "The Congress manifesto says they will calculate the gold with mothers and sisters, get information about it and then distribute that property. They will distribute it to whom - Manmohan Singh's government had said that Muslims have the first right to the country's assets," PM Modi said during a rally in Rajasthan's Banswara last week. "Earlier, when their (Congress) government was in power, they had said that Muslims have the first right to the country's assets. This means to whom will this property be distributed? It will be distributed among those who have more children. "It will be distributed to the infiltrators. Should your hard-earned money go to the infiltrators? Do you approve of this?" he added. Also watch | Lok Sabha elections 2024: Is Congress pitching for inheritance tax amid wealth redistribution row? × Modi's remarks triggered widespread criticism by opposition parties. The Congress had approached the Election Commission of India (ECI) demanding action over Modi's claim. Also read | Blatant lie: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah reacts to PM Modi's Muslim quota claim Meanwhile, the BJP alleged that Gandhi was making a false claim about the rise in poverty in the country and urged the EC to take "strict action" against him. The BJP also accused Gandhi of continuing to create a North-South divide in the country on the basis of language and region to vitiate the poll atmosphere. On Thursday, the ECI took cognizance of the alleged Model Code of Conduct (MCC) violations by Modi and Gandhi and asked them to give responses by April 29. (With inputs from agencies)

Lok Sabha elections 2024 | Will India run on Sharia?: Amit Shah criticises Congress manifesto

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<p>Elections in India have some extraordinary sights&nbsp;when it comes to&nbsp;people arriving at the polling booths to vote.&nbsp;Brides and grooms casting their vote before&nbsp;they get&nbsp;married,&nbsp;and&nbsp;people aged 100 and above exercising their franchise are among the few&nbsp;such&nbsp;examples in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.&nbsp;</p>

<p>An unusual scene was seen in Maharashtra on Friday (Apr 26) where a voter, along with&nbsp;his monkey,&nbsp;arrived at a polling booth to vote.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Visuals from the news agency ANI showed&nbsp;Wardha resident Vinod&nbsp;Kshirsagar arriving at a polling booth with his Langur&nbsp;named 'Bajrang',&nbsp;to cast his vote.&nbsp;</p>

<h3><strong>Here's the video:</strong></h3>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Maharashtra: A resident of Wardha, Vinod Kshirsagar arrives at a polling booth with his pet Langur 'Bajrang', to cast his vote for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LokSabhaElections2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LokSabhaElections2024</a> <a href="https://t.co/KH0utNvwpX">pic.twitter.com/KH0utNvwpX</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1783760606421528668?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>The reactions</strong></h2>

<p>The video garnered mixed reactions on social media.&nbsp;On X,&nbsp;some users questioned whether bringing an animal to a polling booth was allowed.&nbsp;"Man.... Just for a photo&nbsp;op&nbsp;don't get into the wrong side of the law...&nbsp;Forrest officials would take him away and worst file a case as well," user&nbsp;Avyakta Bhairava wrote on the microblogging site.</p>

<p>"Did the man bring a candidate along?" wrote another user.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>India votes in phase 2&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p><span style="font-size: 15px;">Under the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections, voting&nbsp;is taking place&nbsp;across 13 states and Union Territories (UTs). Till 1 pm, Tripura had&nbsp;recorded the highest voter turnout at 54.47 per cent.</span></p>

<h3><strong>The voter turnout in the remaining states,&nbsp;UTs&nbsp;is as follows:</strong></h3>

<ul>
	<li><strong>Assam- 46.31 per cent</strong></li>
	<li><strong>Bihar- 33.80 per cent</strong></li>
	<li><strong>Chhattisgarh- 53.09 per cent</strong></li>
	<li><strong>Jammu and Kashmir- 42.88 per cent</strong></li>
	<li><strong>Karnataka- 38.23 per cent</strong></li>
	<li><strong>Kerala- 39.26 per cent</strong></li>
	<li><strong>Madhya Pradesh- 38.96 per cent</strong></li>
	<li><strong>Maharashtra- 31.77 per cent</strong></li>
	<li><strong>Manipur- 54.26 per cent</strong></li>
	<li><strong>Rajasthan- 40.39 per cent</strong></li>
	<li><strong>Uttar Pradesh- 35.73 per cent</strong></li>
	<li><strong>West Bengal- 47.29 per cent</strong></li>
</ul>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Elections in India have some extraordinary sights when it comes to people arriving at the polling booths to vote. Brides and grooms casting their vote before they get married, and people aged 100 and above exercising their franchise are among the few such examples in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

Elections in India have some extraordinary sights when it comes to people arriving at the polling booths to vote. Brides and grooms casting their vote before they get married, and people aged 100 and above exercising their franchise are among the few such examples in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. An unusual scene was seen in Maharashtra on Friday (Apr 26) where a voter, along with his monkey, arrived at a polling booth to vote. Click here to follow all the updates on the Lok Sabha elections Visuals from the news agency ANI showed Wardha resident Vinod Kshirsagar arriving at a polling booth with his Langur named 'Bajrang', to cast his vote. Here's the video: #WATCH | Maharashtra: A resident of Wardha, Vinod Kshirsagar arrives at a polling booth with his pet Langur 'Bajrang', to cast his vote for #LokSabhaElections2024 pic.twitter.com/KH0utNvwpX — ANI (@ANI) April 26, 2024 × The reactions The video garnered mixed reactions on social media. On X, some users questioned whether bringing an animal to a polling booth was allowed. "Man.... Just for a photo op don't get into the wrong side of the law... Forrest officials would take him away and worst file a case as well," user Avyakta Bhairava wrote on the microblogging site. "Did the man bring a candidate along?" wrote another user. India votes in phase 2 Under the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections, voting is taking place across 13 states and Union Territories (UTs). Till 1 pm, Tripura had recorded the highest voter turnout at 54.47 per cent. The voter turnout in the remaining states, UTs is as follows: Assam- 46.31 per cent Bihar- 33.80 per cent Chhattisgarh- 53.09 per cent Jammu and Kashmir- 42.88 per cent Karnataka- 38.23 per cent Kerala- 39.26 per cent Madhya Pradesh- 38.96 per cent Maharashtra- 31.77 per cent Manipur- 54.26 per cent Rajasthan- 40.39 per cent Uttar Pradesh- 35.73 per cent West Bengal- 47.29 per cent (With inputs from agencies)

Lok Sabha elections 2024: In Maharashtra, man arrives at polling booth with his monkey. Watch

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<p>The man behind the murder of an ice cream vendor in India's national capital&nbsp;New&nbsp;Delhi&nbsp; was&nbsp;arrested, and the police have now said that a 'love triangle'&nbsp;was the cause of the crime. The vendor, aged 25, was stabbed to death near India Gate on Wednesday (April 24) night.&nbsp;The vendor was taken&nbsp;to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries.</p>

<p>The accused&nbsp;was identified&nbsp;as Ajay, who hails from Uttar Pradesh's Gonda. He was arrested on Thursday&nbsp;after the police formed multiple teams and analysed CCTV footage from the crime scene.</p>

<p>According to a report by the Times of India (TOI) on Friday, Ajay confessed to the police that he murdered the vendor after discovering that both he and the victim were in&nbsp;an amorous&nbsp;relationship with the same girl.</p>

<h2><strong>A scuffle which led to the crime</strong></h2>

<p>Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Devesh Kumar Mahla told the TOI that Ajay arrived (near India Gate) in an autorickshaw and started looking for the victim. Upon finding the victim, Ajay&nbsp;had a talk&nbsp;with him&nbsp;which&nbsp;soon led to a scuffle. The man stabbed the victim and fled the spot.</p>

<p>Ajay also confessed that&nbsp;he was introduced&nbsp;to the ice cream vendor&nbsp;by the girl&nbsp;as she wanted to get rid of him (the victim).&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the victim's father told the TOI that his son told him that he was in a relationship with the&nbsp;girl and wanted to marry her. "We also learnt that the girl's parents were ready to marry her off," the father said.</p>

<p>"We requested a meeting&nbsp;but&nbsp;the girl was not ready&nbsp;and&nbsp;we also did not know that she was underage," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The man behind the murder of an ice cream vendor in India's national capital New Delhi was arrested, and the police have now said that a 'love triangle' was the cause of the crime.

The man behind the murder of an ice cream vendor in India's national capital New Delhi was arrested, and the police have now said that a 'love triangle' was the cause of the crime. The vendor, aged 25, was stabbed to death near India Gate on Wednesday (April 24) night. The vendor was taken to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries. The accused was identified as Ajay, who hails from Uttar Pradesh's Gonda. He was arrested on Thursday after the police formed multiple teams and analysed CCTV footage from the crime scene. According to a report by the Times of India (TOI) on Friday, Ajay confessed to the police that he murdered the vendor after discovering that both he and the victim were in an amorous relationship with the same girl. A scuffle which led to the crime Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Devesh Kumar Mahla told the TOI that Ajay arrived (near India Gate) in an autorickshaw and started looking for the victim. Upon finding the victim, Ajay had a talk with him which soon led to a scuffle. The man stabbed the victim and fled the spot. Ajay also confessed that he was introduced to the ice cream vendor by the girl as she wanted to get rid of him (the victim). Meanwhile, the victim's father told the TOI that his son told him that he was in a relationship with the girl and wanted to marry her. "We also learnt that the girl's parents were ready to marry her off," the father said. "We requested a meeting but the girl was not ready and we also did not know that she was underage," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Love triangle’ triggered killing of ice cream vendor in New Delhi, say police

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidXumr7NEjXAFE" />A landslide in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh has cut off the road to the Dibang Valley, a district bordering China, according to media reports on Thursday (Apr 25). Citing authorities, a report by NDTV said that Dibang Valley saw the landslide&nbsp;between Hunli and Anini on the National Highway-33 on Wednesday because of heavy rainfall over the last few days.</p>

<p>The landslide caused extensive damage to the Roing-Anini Highway (between Hunli and Anini).&nbsp;This&nbsp;is the only roadway that connects the Dibang Valley to the rest of India.</p>

<p>In a post on X, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu said, "Disturbed to learn the inconvenience&nbsp;being caused&nbsp;to commuters due to the extensive damage to the highway between Hunli and Anini."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Disturbed to learn the inconvenience being caused to commuters due to the extensive damage to the highway between Hunli and Anini. Instructions have been issued to restore the connectivity at the earliest as this road connects Dibang Valley to the rest of the country.<a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PMOIndia</a> <a href="https://t.co/xwiOu7yrJB">https://t.co/xwiOu7yrJB</a></p>
— Pema Khandu པདྨ་མཁའ་འགྲོ་། (Modi Ka Parivar) (@PemaKhanduBJP) <a href="https://twitter.com/PemaKhanduBJP/status/1783327346390598077?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>Chief Minister Khandu added that&nbsp;instructions had been issued&nbsp;to restore the connectivity at the earliest as this road connects Dibang Valley to the rest of the country.</p>

<p>Earlier, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had forecast that heavy rainfall could continue over the state till&nbsp;Friday.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A landslide in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh has cut off the road to the Dibang Valley, a district bordering China, according to media reports on Thursday (Apr 25).

A landslide in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh has cut off the road to the Dibang Valley, a district bordering China, according to media reports on Thursday (Apr 25). Citing authorities, a report by NDTV said that Dibang Valley saw the landslide between Hunli and Anini on the National Highway-33 on Wednesday because of heavy rainfall over the last few days. The landslide caused extensive damage to the Roing-Anini Highway (between Hunli and Anini). This is the only roadway that connects the Dibang Valley to the rest of India. In a post on X, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu said, "Disturbed to learn the inconvenience being caused to commuters due to the extensive damage to the highway between Hunli and Anini." Disturbed to learn the inconvenience being caused to commuters due to the extensive damage to the highway between Hunli and Anini. Instructions have been issued to restore the connectivity at the earliest as this road connects Dibang Valley to the rest of the country.@PMOIndia https://t.co/xwiOu7yrJB — Pema Khandu པདྨ་མཁའ་འགྲོ་། (Modi Ka Parivar) (@PemaKhanduBJP) April 25, 2024 × Chief Minister Khandu added that instructions had been issued to restore the connectivity at the earliest as this road connects Dibang Valley to the rest of the country. Earlier, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had forecast that heavy rainfall could continue over the state till Friday. (With inputs from agencies)

Landslide cuts off road to Arunachal's Dibang Valley that borders China

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<p>Indian National Security Adviser (NSA)&nbsp;Ajit Doval met his Russian counterpart&nbsp;Nikolai Patrushev on Wednesday (Apr 24)&nbsp;and&nbsp;the&nbsp;two top security officials reviewed progress in bilateral cooperation&nbsp;and discussed important issues of mutual interest.&nbsp;This&nbsp;was the second time that Doval met Patrushev this month.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a post on X, the Indian Embassy in Moscow said that Wednesday's meeting&nbsp;was held&nbsp;on the sidelines of the XII International Meeting of High Ranking Officials Responsible for Security Matters in St Petersburg.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">On the sidelines of the XII International Meeting of High Ranking Officials Responsible for Security Matters in St Petersburg, NSA Shri Ajit Doval had a bilateral meeting with His Excellency Mr. Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation.<br />
<br />
Both… <a href="https://t.co/V5WkjKE8oL">pic.twitter.com/V5WkjKE8oL</a></p>
— India in Russia (@IndEmbMoscow) <a href="https://twitter.com/IndEmbMoscow/status/1783130823463432521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>"Both sides reviewed progress in bilateral cooperation and discussed important issues of mutual interest," the embassy said.</p>

<h2><strong>Doval condemns Moscow terror&nbsp;attack</strong></h2>

<p>A report by the Russian state-run TASS news agency said that during the meeting, special&nbsp;emphasis&nbsp;was placed&nbsp;on cooperation between New Delhi and Moscow&nbsp;on&nbsp;the matter of&nbsp;international and regional security.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/astana-sco-nsas-meet-ajit-doval-call-for-action-against-cross-border-terrorism-707269">Astana SCO NSAs meet: Ajit Doval calls for action against cross-border terrorism</a></strong></p>

<p>NSA Doval condemned last month's terror attack at the&nbsp;Crocus&nbsp;City&nbsp;Hall in Moscow&nbsp;which&nbsp;killed at least 144 people.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Doval meets other top&nbsp;officials</strong></h2>

<p>Apart from<strong>&nbsp;</strong>Patrushev, Doval met his Myanmar counterpart&nbsp;Admiral&nbsp;Moe Aung&nbsp;on&nbsp;Wednesday&nbsp;and&nbsp;the&nbsp;two officials discussed recent developments along the India-Myanmar border, including&nbsp;issues related to&nbsp;security, refugees, and development projects.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">NSA Shri Ajit Doval spoke at the luncheon meeting of BRICS NSAs hosted by the Secretary of the Russian Federation’s Security Council and called for closer cooperation in the fight against terrorism and concrete actions to prevent trans border planning, funding and execution of… <a href="https://t.co/lLMBFThyV4">pic.twitter.com/lLMBFThyV4</a></p>
— India in Russia (@IndEmbMoscow) <a href="https://twitter.com/IndEmbMoscow/status/1783120378484670471?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Indian NSA also held a bilateral meeting with&nbsp;Celso Amorim, Chief Advisor to the President of Brazil, during which&nbsp;bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest were discussed.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Indian National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval met his Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev on Wednesday (Apr 24) and the two top security officials reviewed progress in bilateral cooperation and discussed important issues of mutual interest.

Indian National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval met his Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev on Wednesday (Apr 24) and the two top security officials reviewed progress in bilateral cooperation and discussed important issues of mutual interest. This was the second time that Doval met Patrushev this month. In a post on X, the Indian Embassy in Moscow said that Wednesday's meeting was held on the sidelines of the XII International Meeting of High Ranking Officials Responsible for Security Matters in St Petersburg. On the sidelines of the XII International Meeting of High Ranking Officials Responsible for Security Matters in St Petersburg, NSA Shri Ajit Doval had a bilateral meeting with His Excellency Mr. Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation. Both… pic.twitter.com/V5WkjKE8oL — India in Russia (@IndEmbMoscow) April 24, 2024 × "Both sides reviewed progress in bilateral cooperation and discussed important issues of mutual interest," the embassy said. Doval condemns Moscow terror attack A report by the Russian state-run TASS news agency said that during the meeting, special emphasis was placed on cooperation between New Delhi and Moscow on the matter of international and regional security. Also read | Astana SCO NSAs meet: Ajit Doval calls for action against cross-border terrorism NSA Doval condemned last month's terror attack at the Crocus City Hall in Moscow which killed at least 144 people. Doval meets other top officials Apart from Patrushev, Doval met his Myanmar counterpart Admiral Moe Aung on Wednesday and the two officials discussed recent developments along the India-Myanmar border, including issues related to security, refugees, and development projects. NSA Shri Ajit Doval spoke at the luncheon meeting of BRICS NSAs hosted by the Secretary of the Russian Federation’s Security Council and called for closer cooperation in the fight against terrorism and concrete actions to prevent trans border planning, funding and execution of… pic.twitter.com/lLMBFThyV4 — India in Russia (@IndEmbMoscow) April 24, 2024 × The Indian NSA also held a bilateral meeting with Celso Amorim, Chief Advisor to the President of Brazil, during which bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest were discussed. (With inputs from agencies)

Indian NSA Ajit Doval meets Russian counterpart, reviews progress in bilateral cooperation

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