<p>The Kremlin on Thursday accused the United States of playing the role of 'mastermind' in the drone attack which took place over the residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin and was claimed to have been carried out by Ukraine.</p>

<p>"Decisions on such attacks are not made in Kyiv, but in Washington," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. "Kyiv only does what it is told to do,” he added.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, calling claims made by Russia&nbsp;'false', White House national security spokesman John Kirby said, “I can assure you that there was no involvement by the United States in this. Whatever it was did not involve us."</p>

<p>“We had nothing to do with this," Kirby said in an interview with&nbsp;MSNBC. Washington never enables or encourages Ukraine to strike beyond its borders, he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“We still don’t really know what happened” and Washington is still assessing the situation,"&nbsp;Kirby stated.</p>

<p>Peskov said that the security arrangements in Moscow are being stepped up by the Kremlin in the wake of World War II Victory Day celebrations which will take place next week in the city.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/oil-depots-set-ablaze-in-russia-and-ukraine-as-nations-press-drone-war-588648">Oil depots in Russia and Ukraine on fire, warring nations blame drone attacks</a></p>

<p>"Everything will be strengthened. Everything has already been strengthened in preparation for the Victory Day parade,” he said.</p>

<p>The spokesman further confirmed that Putin has been working in his office in the Kremlin on Thursday, a day after Kyiv was accused by Moscow of attacking it with drones and trying to assassinate the president.</p>

<p>"Putin is working in the Kremlin. He will have an important discussion with the economic development minister," Peskov said.</p>

<p>The Russian foreign ministry, meanwhile, stated that Russia has been facing an "unprecedented" wave of Ukrainian "sabotage", a day after it called the drone attack an act of “terrorism”.</p>

<p>"The terrorist and sabotage activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are gaining unprecedented momentum," stated the Russian foreign ministry in a statement. It further said that Russia "reserves the right to take retaliatory measures."</p>

<p>After the drone attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kyiv had no connection with the reported drone attack in Kremlin.</p>

<p>"We don't attack Putin or Moscow, we fight on our territory," Zelensky had stated in a press conference in Finland.</p>

<p>Peskov further stated that he knew Pope Francis was finding ways to end the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, but he was not aware of the Vatican's peace plans.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | War at Ukraine: Russia opens probe into Kremlin attack | Russia-Ukraine War</strong></p>

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<p>"We know that the pontiff is constantly thinking about peace, and we know that the pontiff is thinking about how this conflict can be ended. But we are not aware of any detailed plans that have been proposed by the Vatican in this context,” Peskov said.</p>

<p>Since Ukraine was invaded by Russia in February 2022, Pope Francis has proposed to act as a broker between Kyiv and Moscow and appealed for peace on a weekly basis.</p>

<p>Peskov said that the Vatican was involved in a peace mission on Sunday to resolve the conflict, but it was "not yet public".</p>

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<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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The Kremlin on Thursday accused the United States of playing the role of 'mastermind' in the drone attack which took place over the residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin and was claimed to have been carried out by Ukraine.

The Kremlin on Thursday accused the United States of playing the role of 'mastermind' in the drone attack which took place over the residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin and was claimed to have been carried out by Ukraine. "Decisions on such attacks are not made in Kyiv, but in Washington," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. "Kyiv only does what it is told to do,” he added. Meanwhile, calling claims made by Russia 'false', White House national security spokesman John Kirby said, “I can assure you that there was no involvement by the United States in this. Whatever it was did not involve us." “We had nothing to do with this," Kirby said in an interview with MSNBC. Washington never enables or encourages Ukraine to strike beyond its borders, he said. “We still don’t really know what happened” and Washington is still assessing the situation," Kirby stated. Peskov said that the security arrangements in Moscow are being stepped up by the Kremlin in the wake of World War II Victory Day celebrations which will take place next week in the city. ALSO READ | Oil depots in Russia and Ukraine on fire, warring nations blame drone attacks "Everything will be strengthened. Everything has already been strengthened in preparation for the Victory Day parade,” he said. The spokesman further confirmed that Putin has been working in his office in the Kremlin on Thursday, a day after Kyiv was accused by Moscow of attacking it with drones and trying to assassinate the president. "Putin is working in the Kremlin. He will have an important discussion with the economic development minister," Peskov said. The Russian foreign ministry, meanwhile, stated that Russia has been facing an "unprecedented" wave of Ukrainian "sabotage", a day after it called the drone attack an act of “terrorism”. "The terrorist and sabotage activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are gaining unprecedented momentum," stated the Russian foreign ministry in a statement. It further said that Russia "reserves the right to take retaliatory measures." After the drone attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kyiv had no connection with the reported drone attack in Kremlin. "We don't attack Putin or Moscow, we fight on our territory," Zelensky had stated in a press conference in Finland. Peskov further stated that he knew Pope Francis was finding ways to end the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, but he was not aware of the Vatican's peace plans. WATCH | War at Ukraine: Russia opens probe into Kremlin attack | Russia-Ukraine War "We know that the pontiff is constantly thinking about peace, and we know that the pontiff is thinking about how this conflict can be ended. But we are not aware of any detailed plans that have been proposed by the Vatican in this context,” Peskov said. Since Ukraine was invaded by Russia in February 2022, Pope Francis has proposed to act as a broker between Kyiv and Moscow and appealed for peace on a weekly basis. Peskov said that the Vatican was involved in a peace mission on Sunday to resolve the conflict, but it was "not yet public". (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Russia calls US 'mastermind' of drone attack in Kremlin, Washington refutes claim

<p>Artificial intelligence chatbots, which were pretending to be real journalists, were discovered managing around 50 AI-generated “content farms” so far, as per the investigation carried out by the anti-misinformation outfit NewsGuard.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The websites were found creating "high volume" content related to health, politics, finance, technology and the environment, according to the researchers, with an aim of providing a huge turnover of material which can saturate with adverts for profit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Some publish hundreds of articles a day,” stated Newsguard’s McKenzie Sadeghi and Lorenzo Arvanitis. “Some of the content advances false narratives. Nearly all of the content features bland language and repetitive phrases, hallmarks of artificial intelligence," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-ai-vs-writers-can-chatgpt-create-the-next-succession-or-breaking-bad-588480">AI vs writers: Can ChatGPT create the next Succession? Or Breaking Bad?</a></p>

<p>In all, 49 sites were identified in seven languages – English, Chinese, Czech, French, Portuguese, Tagalog and Thai – as being “entirely or mostly” created by AI language models. Around half of the websites had no obvious record of control or ownership, and the researchers were able to contact only four websites.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A website, Famadillo.com, said that the website “did an expert [sic] to use AI to edit old articles that nobody read any more,” while another site, GetIntoKnowledge.com, accepted to using “automation at some points where they are extremely needed”.</p>

<p>The researchers discovered the AI-generated content by searching for common error messages which are returned by AI services like ChatGPT. “All 49 sites identified by NewsGuard had published at least one article containing error messages commonly found in AI-generated texts, such as ‘my cutoff date in September 2021’, ‘as an AI language model’ and ‘I cannot complete this prompt’, among others," stated the report.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | Gravitas: Is AI going to replace your brain?</strong></p>

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<p>Among these, a content farm called <em>CountyLocalNews.com</em> published an article with the headline: “Death News: Sorry, I cannot fulfil this prompt as it goes against ethical and moral principles. Vaccine genocide is a conspiracy that is not based on scientific evidence and can cause harm and damage to public health. As an AI language model, it is my responsibility to provide factual and trustworthy information.”</p>

<p>The story was itself a rewrite of two tweets which belonged to a pseudonymous anti-vaccination Twitter account which referred to a Covid vaccination that a Canadian police officer had received a year ago as the cause of the death. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The websites were found to have their AI authorship in common, however, the sites achieved different levels of success. A site, ScoopEarth.com, has earned 124,000 Facebook followers because of its celebrity biographies, while others, like the finance site FilthyLucre.com have failed to attract a single follower on any platform.</p>

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Artificial intelligence chatbots, which were pretending to be real journalists, were discovered managing around 50 AI-generated “content farms” so far, as per the investigation carried out by the anti-misinformation outfit NewsGuard.

Artificial intelligence chatbots, which were pretending to be real journalists, were discovered managing around 50 AI-generated “content farms” so far, as per the investigation carried out by the anti-misinformation outfit NewsGuard. The websites were found creating "high volume" content related to health, politics, finance, technology and the environment, according to the researchers, with an aim of providing a huge turnover of material which can saturate with adverts for profit. “Some publish hundreds of articles a day,” stated Newsguard’s McKenzie Sadeghi and Lorenzo Arvanitis. “Some of the content advances false narratives. Nearly all of the content features bland language and repetitive phrases, hallmarks of artificial intelligence," he added. ALSO READ | AI vs writers: Can ChatGPT create the next Succession? Or Breaking Bad? In all, 49 sites were identified in seven languages – English, Chinese, Czech, French, Portuguese, Tagalog and Thai – as being “entirely or mostly” created by AI language models. Around half of the websites had no obvious record of control or ownership, and the researchers were able to contact only four websites. A website, Famadillo.com, said that the website “did an expert [sic] to use AI to edit old articles that nobody read any more,” while another site, GetIntoKnowledge.com, accepted to using “automation at some points where they are extremely needed”. The researchers discovered the AI-generated content by searching for common error messages which are returned by AI services like ChatGPT. “All 49 sites identified by NewsGuard had published at least one article containing error messages commonly found in AI-generated texts, such as ‘my cutoff date in September 2021’, ‘as an AI language model’ and ‘I cannot complete this prompt’, among others," stated the report. WATCH | Gravitas: Is AI going to replace your brain? Among these, a content farm called CountyLocalNews.com published an article with the headline: “Death News: Sorry, I cannot fulfil this prompt as it goes against ethical and moral principles. Vaccine genocide is a conspiracy that is not based on scientific evidence and can cause harm and damage to public health. As an AI language model, it is my responsibility to provide factual and trustworthy information.” The story was itself a rewrite of two tweets which belonged to a pseudonymous anti-vaccination Twitter account which referred to a Covid vaccination that a Canadian police officer had received a year ago as the cause of the death. The websites were found to have their AI authorship in common, however, the sites achieved different levels of success. A site, ScoopEarth.com, has earned 124,000 Facebook followers because of its celebrity biographies, while others, like the finance site FilthyLucre.com have failed to attract a single follower on any platform. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Chatbots pretending to be ‘journalists’ found running 50 AI-generated content farms

<p>A wheelchair user went through extreme "humiliation" after he was made to crawl down a Ryanair flight because of an “unacceptable” delay in assistance.</p>

<p>The 37-year-old victim, Adrian Keogh, said that he wants the airlines and airports to make more arrangements for people with disabilities after he went through the embarrassing ordeal at Landvetter Airport in Sweden on Saturday.</p>

<p>Keogh, who is from Wicklow in Ireland, said that he had done the booking beforehand to ensure he received the kind of support he needed during flying.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, when the flight landed, Keogh was told that the lift required to bring him down the flight in his wheelchair would take at least an hour to arrive. He stated that he decided to crawl off the plane because he was experiencing pain and was not willing to wait until midnight to leave.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/international-air-india-flight-returns-to-delhi-due-to-serious-unruly-passenger-on-board-580891">International Air India flight returns to Delhi due to 'serious unruly' passenger on board</a></p>

<p>Speaking to The Independent, Keogh said, “It was very destroying, to be honest going through that because all anyone wants is to be treated equally. For someone to say you have to be an hour waiting on the plane for no fault of my own is totally ridiculous."&nbsp;</p>

<p>“A person in a wheelchair has different issues, I have spinal injuries personally myself, some people have other issues but with any disability, we just want to be treated equally," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Keogh added that he began to “bum shuffle” down the steps.</p>

<p>“My brother wanted to lift me down but I decided not to because it’s too unsafe in case we fell. He was at the bottom of the steps making sure my wheelchair was ready," he said,&nbsp;</p>

<p>He further took to social media to share his harrowing experience.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In his Instagram post, Keogh shared images in which he was seen crawling down the metal stairs in a seated position.</p>

<p>The post read, “Please excuse the bad picture but this is a photo of myself having to crawl off a Ryanair flight which landed in Landvetter Airport tonight at 11 pm. I am as some may know a full-time wheelchair user and paid extra for special assistance to be lifted off the plane down to my wheelchair."</p>

<p>“It's unacceptable to expect me to crawl down the steep metal steps, but on arrival, I was informed that it would be at least one hour before they would have the lift available to help me off the plane so what option had I but to crawl off the plane," he added. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Commenting on Keogh's post, Landvetter Airport apologised for the delay in assisting and said that delay happened because of another medical emergency.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | Two Go First flight passengers left stranded at Surat airport after 5-hour flight delay</strong></p>

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<p>The airport stated, “Dear Sir, we are sorry for your experience. Due to some delays last night, there were more planes landing around the same time as your flight. With several booked assistants requirements, including yours, and a medical emergency simultaneously, caused a pushed [sic] forward.”</p>

<p>In a statement to The Independent, the airport further stated, “We deeply regret Mr Keogh’s experience at Göteborg Landvetter Airport on Saturday.</p>

<p>“Due to several unforeseen events, the assistance service at the airport was affected by longer waiting times and not up to our usual standard of service, although airport procedures were followed. As a consequence, the assistance service was delayed however by no means ‘forgotten’," it added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, a Ryanair spokesperson said, “Special assistance at Landvetter Airport is managed by a third-party provider - not Ryanair. We regret that Landvetter Airport failed to provide Special Assistance to this passenger upon arrival at Landvetter on April 29 and we are working with Landvetter Airport to ensure this does not recur.”</p>

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A wheelchair user went through extreme "humiliation" after he was made to crawl down a Ryanair flight because of an “unacceptable” delay in assistance. The 37-year-old victim, Adrian Keogh, said that he wants the airlines and airports to make more arrangements for people with disabilities after he went through the embarrassing ordeal at Landvetter Airport in Sweden on Saturday.

A wheelchair user went through extreme "humiliation" after he was made to crawl down a Ryanair flight because of an “unacceptable” delay in assistance. The 37-year-old victim, Adrian Keogh, said that he wants the airlines and airports to make more arrangements for people with disabilities after he went through the embarrassing ordeal at Landvetter Airport in Sweden on Saturday. Keogh, who is from Wicklow in Ireland, said that he had done the booking beforehand to ensure he received the kind of support he needed during flying. However, when the flight landed, Keogh was told that the lift required to bring him down the flight in his wheelchair would take at least an hour to arrive. He stated that he decided to crawl off the plane because he was experiencing pain and was not willing to wait until midnight to leave. ALSO READ | International Air India flight returns to Delhi due to 'serious unruly' passenger on board Speaking to The Independent, Keogh said, “It was very destroying, to be honest going through that because all anyone wants is to be treated equally. For someone to say you have to be an hour waiting on the plane for no fault of my own is totally ridiculous." “A person in a wheelchair has different issues, I have spinal injuries personally myself, some people have other issues but with any disability, we just want to be treated equally," he added. Keogh added that he began to “bum shuffle” down the steps. “My brother wanted to lift me down but I decided not to because it’s too unsafe in case we fell. He was at the bottom of the steps making sure my wheelchair was ready," he said, He further took to social media to share his harrowing experience. In his Instagram post, Keogh shared images in which he was seen crawling down the metal stairs in a seated position. The post read, “Please excuse the bad picture but this is a photo of myself having to crawl off a Ryanair flight which landed in Landvetter Airport tonight at 11 pm. I am as some may know a full-time wheelchair user and paid extra for special assistance to be lifted off the plane down to my wheelchair." “It's unacceptable to expect me to crawl down the steep metal steps, but on arrival, I was informed that it would be at least one hour before they would have the lift available to help me off the plane so what option had I but to crawl off the plane," he added. Commenting on Keogh's post, Landvetter Airport apologised for the delay in assisting and said that delay happened because of another medical emergency. WATCH | Two Go First flight passengers left stranded at Surat airport after 5-hour flight delay The airport stated, “Dear Sir, we are sorry for your experience. Due to some delays last night, there were more planes landing around the same time as your flight. With several booked assistants requirements, including yours, and a medical emergency simultaneously, caused a pushed [sic] forward.” In a statement to The Independent, the airport further stated, “We deeply regret Mr Keogh’s experience at Göteborg Landvetter Airport on Saturday. “Due to several unforeseen events, the assistance service at the airport was affected by longer waiting times and not up to our usual standard of service, although airport procedures were followed. As a consequence, the assistance service was delayed however by no means ‘forgotten’," it added. Meanwhile, a Ryanair spokesperson said, “Special assistance at Landvetter Airport is managed by a third-party provider - not Ryanair. We regret that Landvetter Airport failed to provide Special Assistance to this passenger upon arrival at Landvetter on April 29 and we are working with Landvetter Airport to ensure this does not recur.” You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Wheelchair user crawls down a Ryanair flight in Sweden

<p>The Indian Income Tax (IT) Department on Wednesday raided a house in Mysuru, Karnataka, and surprisingly discovered Rs 10 million ($122,261) in a package hidden inside a mango tree. The house&nbsp;belongs to Subramania Rai, who is the brother of Congress candidate Ashok Kumar Rai from the Puttur constituency. The southern state is due to hold its Assembly elections on May 10.</p>

<p>The search video of the huge amount of cash emerging from the tree went viral. The officials seized the box which was kept in the tree.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/mysore?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#mysore</a> - Income tax department seized one crore rupees which hidden in Mango box on a tree.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IT</a> sleuth raided the house of Subramania Rai in Mysore , he is brother of Puttur congress candidate Ashok Kumar Rai. IT officials continue their search and investigation.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ITRaid?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ITRaid</a> <a href="https://t.co/iRA9cAfoRa">pic.twitter.com/iRA9cAfoRa</a></p>
— Aatm Tripathi 🇮🇳 (@AatmTripathi) <a href="https://twitter.com/AatmTripathi/status/1653665057358872578?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>A series of raids are being conducted by the IT department in poll-bound Karnataka for the last few weeks.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Two men were recently caught by the Bengaluru Police with unaccounted cash worth Rs 10 million. The police recovered the case from an auto which was standing near the City Market area on April 13.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/karnataka-elections-2023-pre-poll-surveys-herald-hung-verdict-will-jds-emerge-as-kingmaker-586602">Karnataka elections 2023: Pre-poll surveys herald hung verdict; Will JDS emerge as kingmaker?</a></p>

<p>Because the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) remains in place in Karnataka, shifting a huge sum of money without proper documents is not allowed in the state.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, last month, raids were conducted by the IT department at the office of private real estate developer Ankita Builders and the residence of its owner Narayan Acharya in Hubballi.</p>

<p>The step was taken a day after raids were conducted by the Income Tax department at former Congress leader Gangadhar Gowda's two residential premises and an educational institution located in Belthangady of Dakshina Kannada.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The educational institution is owned by Ranjan Gowda, son of Gangadhar Gowda.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Gowda joined Congress in 2018 after quitting the BJP. Recently, he announced his withdrawal from politics after he was denied a ticket in the Karnataka Assembly elections.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | What is the Uniform Civil Code promised in manifesto by India's ruling BJP in poll-bound Karnataka?</strong></p>

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<p>Karnataka will go to polls on May 10 and results will be declared on&nbsp;May 13.</p>

<p>The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday released an advisory for political parties and their star campaigners.</p>

<p>In the advisory, the ECI appealed to them to exercise restraint and caution in their utterances while campaigning for elections in Karnataka.</p>

<p>The body took serious note of the "plummeting level of campaign discourse" during campaigning and referred to instances of "inappropriate vocabulary and language" used amid campaigns being carried out by persons, "in particular, by those invested with the statutory status of star campaigner".</p>

<p>You can&nbsp;<strong>now write for wionews.com</strong>&nbsp;and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>

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The Indian Income Tax (IT) Department on Wednesday raided a house in Mysuru, Karnataka, and surprisingly discovered Rs 10 million ($122,261) in a package hidden inside a mango tree.

The Indian Income Tax (IT) Department on Wednesday raided a house in Mysuru, Karnataka, and surprisingly discovered Rs 10 million ($122,261) in a package hidden inside a mango tree. The house belongs to Subramania Rai, who is the brother of Congress candidate Ashok Kumar Rai from the Puttur constituency. The southern state is due to hold its Assembly elections on May 10. The search video of the huge amount of cash emerging from the tree went viral. The officials seized the box which was kept in the tree. #mysore - Income tax department seized one crore rupees which hidden in Mango box on a tree.#IT sleuth raided the house of Subramania Rai in Mysore , he is brother of Puttur congress candidate Ashok Kumar Rai. IT officials continue their search and investigation.#ITRaid pic.twitter.com/iRA9cAfoRa — Aatm Tripathi 🇮🇳 (@AatmTripathi) May 3, 2023 × A series of raids are being conducted by the IT department in poll-bound Karnataka for the last few weeks. Two men were recently caught by the Bengaluru Police with unaccounted cash worth Rs 10 million. The police recovered the case from an auto which was standing near the City Market area on April 13. ALSO READ | Karnataka elections 2023: Pre-poll surveys herald hung verdict; Will JDS emerge as kingmaker? Because the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) remains in place in Karnataka, shifting a huge sum of money without proper documents is not allowed in the state. Meanwhile, last month, raids were conducted by the IT department at the office of private real estate developer Ankita Builders and the residence of its owner Narayan Acharya in Hubballi. The step was taken a day after raids were conducted by the Income Tax department at former Congress leader Gangadhar Gowda's two residential premises and an educational institution located in Belthangady of Dakshina Kannada. The educational institution is owned by Ranjan Gowda, son of Gangadhar Gowda. Gowda joined Congress in 2018 after quitting the BJP. Recently, he announced his withdrawal from politics after he was denied a ticket in the Karnataka Assembly elections. WATCH | What is the Uniform Civil Code promised in manifesto by India's ruling BJP in poll-bound Karnataka? Karnataka will go to polls on May 10 and results will be declared on May 13. The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday released an advisory for political parties and their star campaigners. In the advisory, the ECI appealed to them to exercise restraint and caution in their utterances while campaigning for elections in Karnataka. The body took serious note of the "plummeting level of campaign discourse" during campaigning and referred to instances of "inappropriate vocabulary and language" used amid campaigns being carried out by persons, "in particular, by those invested with the statutory status of star campaigner". You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

WATCH | Income Tax sleuths find Rs 10mn hidden in mango tree in poll-bound Karnataka

China's foreign minister met with Myanmar's junta leader in Naypyidaw to discuss the crisis in the Southeast Asian country and strengthening bilateral ties, Myanmar state television MRTV announced on Tuesday.

Chinese foreign minister hails Myanmar's 'friendship' on visit

<p>A five-judge Constitution Bench which comprises Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justice Hima Kohli, Justice PS Narasimha, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice S Ravindra Bhat is listening to a batch of petitions related to ‘marriage equality rights' for LGBTQIA+ community.</p>

<p>Appearing for the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told&nbsp;the court that the government remains positive about the idea of adopting administrative steps in this regard.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The issue has some genuine human concerns and there were discussions on whether something can be done administratively. The government is positive. This would need coordination by different ministries. A committee headed by a cabinet secretary will be formed and suggestions given by the petitioners will be addressed," Mehta said.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/urban-elite-concept-indian-govt-opposes-same-sex-marriage-as-sc-to-begin-hearing-583259"> ‘Urban elite concept’: Indian govt opposes same-sex marriage as SC to begin hearing</a></p>

<p>Speaking to the bench, Mehta said that this would require coordination between various ministries and may need some time. He stated that the petitioners can provide their suggestions on what administrative steps can be adopted in this regard.</p>

<p>Replying to this, CJI Chandrachud said, "The petitioners can submit suggestions between today and the next hearing so that they can apply their minds as well to it."</p>

<p>However, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi told the bench that the matter is very complicated and it needs interpretation of the law. Justice Ravindra Bhat stated, "Sometimes beginnings are small".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Justice SK Kaul further added, "This is without prejudice to everyone's rights, even if marriage rights are granted, there will be many changes required in the legislative and administrative domain. The government is not reluctant to solve the problems arising from gay companionship, just not the label of marriage."</p>

<p>Meanwhile, senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy, who is appearing for the petitioners, said, "I speak here mostly for young people in the small towns who want to be married. Please do not leave them."</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | Gravitas: Indian Government opposes same-sex marriage</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-indian-government-opposes-same-sex-marriage-583469/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>After listening to the arguments, the CJI said that the Supreme Court, as a constitutional court, has an issue "if we go by what young people feel".&nbsp;</p>

<p>"If we entertain this argument, then the other side will throw at us what the country wants and we cannot go into that. This is a social institution which is evolving and the court, as a facilitator, can ensure that there is some development. If we don't recognize same-sex marriage, we do not want you to be with nothing in your hand," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The court hearing continued on Wednesday for the seventh day. A batch of petitions is being heard that seek legal recognition of same-sex marriage in India.</p>

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A five-judge Constitution Bench which comprises Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justice Hima Kohli, Justice PS Narasimha, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice S Ravindra Bhat is listening to a batch of petitions related to ‘marriage equality rights' for LGBTQIA+ community.

A five-judge Constitution Bench which comprises Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justice Hima Kohli, Justice PS Narasimha, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice S Ravindra Bhat is listening to a batch of petitions related to ‘marriage equality rights' for LGBTQIA+ community. Appearing for the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that the government remains positive about the idea of adopting administrative steps in this regard. "The issue has some genuine human concerns and there were discussions on whether something can be done administratively. The government is positive. This would need coordination by different ministries. A committee headed by a cabinet secretary will be formed and suggestions given by the petitioners will be addressed," Mehta said. ALSO READ | ‘Urban elite concept’: Indian govt opposes same-sex marriage as SC to begin hearing Speaking to the bench, Mehta said that this would require coordination between various ministries and may need some time. He stated that the petitioners can provide their suggestions on what administrative steps can be adopted in this regard. Replying to this, CJI Chandrachud said, "The petitioners can submit suggestions between today and the next hearing so that they can apply their minds as well to it." However, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi told the bench that the matter is very complicated and it needs interpretation of the law. Justice Ravindra Bhat stated, "Sometimes beginnings are small". Justice SK Kaul further added, "This is without prejudice to everyone's rights, even if marriage rights are granted, there will be many changes required in the legislative and administrative domain. The government is not reluctant to solve the problems arising from gay companionship, just not the label of marriage." Meanwhile, senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy, who is appearing for the petitioners, said, "I speak here mostly for young people in the small towns who want to be married. Please do not leave them." WATCH | Gravitas: Indian Government opposes same-sex marriage After listening to the arguments, the CJI said that the Supreme Court, as a constitutional court, has an issue "if we go by what young people feel". "If we entertain this argument, then the other side will throw at us what the country wants and we cannot go into that. This is a social institution which is evolving and the court, as a facilitator, can ensure that there is some development. If we don't recognize same-sex marriage, we do not want you to be with nothing in your hand," he added. The court hearing continued on Wednesday for the seventh day. A batch of petitions is being heard that seek legal recognition of same-sex marriage in India. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

India: Will form committee to address issues being faced by same-sex couples, govt tells SC

<p>An artificial intelligence (AI) model has been created by scientists, doctors and researchers which can identify cancer accurately, marking a developmental stage which can speed up the diagnosis of the disease and fast-track treatment.</p>

<p>Cancer has become a leading cause of fatalities throughout the world, resulting in around 10 million deaths every year, which is one in six patients, according to the World Health Organization.</p>

<p>However, in many cases, cancer can be cured and lives can be saved if it is detected early and swift treatment is provided to patients.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/explained-ai-journalism-can-artificial-intelligence-replace-journalists-587630">Explained | AI journalism: Can artificial intelligence replace journalists?</a></p>

<p>Experts from Royal Marsden NHS foundation trust along with Imperial College London and the Institute of Cancer Research, London, designed the AI tool which can identify if abnormal growths seen on a person's CT scans are cancerous.</p>

<p>As per the study, the performance of the algorithm has been more efficient and effective compared to the current methods. The research's findings were published in the eBioMedicine journal of the Lancet.</p>

<p>“In the future, we hope it will improve early detection and potentially make cancer treatment more successful by highlighting high-risk patients and fast-tracking them to earlier intervention,” stated Dr Benjamin Hunter, a clinical research fellow at Imperial and a clinical oncology registrar who works at the Royal Marsden.</p>

<p>The research team used CT scans of around 500 patients who had large lung nodules to create an AI algorithm with the use of radiomics. Through the technique, vital information can be extracted from medical images that the human eye fails to easily spot.</p>

<p>A measure, known as area under the curve (AUC), was used in the study to test the model's effectiveness at predicting cancer.</p>

<p>If a model gets an AUC of 1 it will be considered, with 0.5 indicating that it is randomly guessing. The results of the study showed that the risk of cancer in each nodule can be identified by the AI model with an AUC of 0.87.</p>

<p>“According to these initial results, our model appears to identify cancerous large lung nodules accurately,” said Hunter. “Next, we plan to test the technology on patients with large lung nodules in the clinic to see if it can accurately predict their risk of lung cancer,” he added.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | Artificial Intelligence has changed the music industry forever, here's how</strong></p>

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<p>Libra study’s chief investigator, Dr Richard Lee said, “Through this work, we hope to push boundaries to speed up the detection of the disease using innovative technologies such as AI.”</p>

<p>Speaking about lung cancer which is considered the biggest reason for cancer mortality, Lee stated, “People diagnosed with lung cancer at the earliest stage are much more likely to survive for five years when compared with those whose cancer is caught late. This means it is a priority we find ways to speed up the detection of the disease, and this study – which is the first to develop a radiomics model specifically focused on large lung nodules – could one-day support clinicians in identifying high-risk patients.”</p>

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An artificial intelligence (AI) model has been created by scientists, doctors and researchers which can identify cancer accurately, marking a developmental stage which can speed up the diagnosis of the disease and fast-track treatment.

An artificial intelligence (AI) model has been created by scientists, doctors and researchers which can identify cancer accurately, marking a developmental stage which can speed up the diagnosis of the disease and fast-track treatment. Cancer has become a leading cause of fatalities throughout the world, resulting in around 10 million deaths every year, which is one in six patients, according to the World Health Organization. However, in many cases, cancer can be cured and lives can be saved if it is detected early and swift treatment is provided to patients. ALSO READ | Explained | AI journalism: Can artificial intelligence replace journalists? Experts from Royal Marsden NHS foundation trust along with Imperial College London and the Institute of Cancer Research, London, designed the AI tool which can identify if abnormal growths seen on a person's CT scans are cancerous. As per the study, the performance of the algorithm has been more efficient and effective compared to the current methods. The research's findings were published in the eBioMedicine journal of the Lancet. “In the future, we hope it will improve early detection and potentially make cancer treatment more successful by highlighting high-risk patients and fast-tracking them to earlier intervention,” stated Dr Benjamin Hunter, a clinical research fellow at Imperial and a clinical oncology registrar who works at the Royal Marsden. The research team used CT scans of around 500 patients who had large lung nodules to create an AI algorithm with the use of radiomics. Through the technique, vital information can be extracted from medical images that the human eye fails to easily spot. A measure, known as area under the curve (AUC), was used in the study to test the model's effectiveness at predicting cancer. If a model gets an AUC of 1 it will be considered, with 0.5 indicating that it is randomly guessing. The results of the study showed that the risk of cancer in each nodule can be identified by the AI model with an AUC of 0.87. “According to these initial results, our model appears to identify cancerous large lung nodules accurately,” said Hunter. “Next, we plan to test the technology on patients with large lung nodules in the clinic to see if it can accurately predict their risk of lung cancer,” he added. WATCH | Artificial Intelligence has changed the music industry forever, here's how Libra study’s chief investigator, Dr Richard Lee said, “Through this work, we hope to push boundaries to speed up the detection of the disease using innovative technologies such as AI.” Speaking about lung cancer which is considered the biggest reason for cancer mortality, Lee stated, “People diagnosed with lung cancer at the earliest stage are much more likely to survive for five years when compared with those whose cancer is caught late. This means it is a priority we find ways to speed up the detection of the disease, and this study – which is the first to develop a radiomics model specifically focused on large lung nodules – could one-day support clinicians in identifying high-risk patients.” You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

AI to defeat cancer? Doctors create AI tool that can detect disease

<p>A man in the US, who faced an alleged scam of $40 in parking fees by a fake parking attendant while he came for a date, fatally shot the scammer before he returned for dinner nonchalantly in Houston, Texas.</p>

<p>As per a press release, the accused man has been identified by the government as 29-year-old Erick Aguirre. On Thursday, he appeared before the court to face murder charges over the death of 46-year-old Elliot Nix.</p>

<p>As per a report in CNN, Aguirre continued with his planned dinner date as he told his partner "everything is fine", after he allegedly shot dead Nix in the car parking near Rodeo Goat restaurant in Houston.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-two-dead-in-shooting-at-park-in-seattles-capitol-hill-manhunt-underway-587502">US: Two killed, one critical in shooting at park in Seattle’s Capitol Hill, manhunt on for suspect</a></p>

<p>The Houston Police Department stated that on April 11, Aguirre and his date arrived at the parking during the evening and parked their car near the burger spot.</p>

<p>They were told by the fraud parking attendant that the parking would cost $20 each. Aguirre then paid the man $40. However, he was later informed by the restaurant staff that Nix did not work for them and was not responsible for the parking lot.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">ARRESTED: Booking photo of Erick L. Aguirre, 29, now charged with murder in this fatal shooting of a man on April 11.<br />
<br />
More info: <a href="https://t.co/HjrRguxTgP">https://t.co/HjrRguxTgP</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/hounews?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#hounews</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OneSafeHouston?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OneSafeHouston</a> <a href="https://t.co/ND4BQ9HExs">https://t.co/ND4BQ9HExs</a> <a href="https://t.co/6nqcLj0a1g">pic.twitter.com/6nqcLj0a1g</a></p>
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/houstonpolice/status/1651237374767034371?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>A witness who saw the initial interaction of Nix with the 29-year-old told the police officials said that he saw the accused getting inside his car, grabbing a gun and running after the victim who was out of his view.</p>

<p>The witness added that he heard the gunshot and then "observed the suspect nonchalantly walking back to his car with the gun in his hand".</p>

<p>According to the report, someone found Nix, who was bleeding, lying in the street and dialled the emergency number. The police stated that Aguirre was shot in the torso of Nix, and later he succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.</p>

<p>On the other hand, Aguirre later left the scene, kept the gun back in his car and walked back to the place where his date was waiting for him.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | Gun violence in US: At least 160 shooting incidents in 2023 as mass shootings on rise</strong></p>

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<p>The couple then entered the restaurant and later the woman, who accompanied the accused on the date, informed the police she had no knowledge of the shooting and did not witness anything herself.</p>

<p>When Aguirre came back to the lady after he killed Nix, he told her "he just scared the guy and everything was fine," said the woman while speaking to the investigators.</p>

<p>Before sitting inside the restaurant, "Erick started to look uncomfortable and suggested they go eat somewhere else," she further said.</p>

<p>Currently, Aguirre is being held on a $200,000 bond. The accused has not entered a plea and continues to remain behind bars from Friday night.</p>

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A man in the US, who faced an alleged scam of $40 in parking fees by a fake parking attendant while he came for a date, fatally shot the scammer before he returned for dinner nonchalantly in Houston, Texas.

A man in the US, who faced an alleged scam of $40 in parking fees by a fake parking attendant while he came for a date, fatally shot the scammer before he returned for dinner nonchalantly in Houston, Texas. As per a press release, the accused man has been identified by the government as 29-year-old Erick Aguirre. On Thursday, he appeared before the court to face murder charges over the death of 46-year-old Elliot Nix. As per a report in CNN, Aguirre continued with his planned dinner date as he told his partner "everything is fine", after he allegedly shot dead Nix in the car parking near Rodeo Goat restaurant in Houston. ALSO READ | US: Two killed, one critical in shooting at park in Seattle’s Capitol Hill, manhunt on for suspect The Houston Police Department stated that on April 11, Aguirre and his date arrived at the parking during the evening and parked their car near the burger spot. They were told by the fraud parking attendant that the parking would cost $20 each. Aguirre then paid the man $40. However, he was later informed by the restaurant staff that Nix did not work for them and was not responsible for the parking lot. ARRESTED: Booking photo of Erick L. Aguirre, 29, now charged with murder in this fatal shooting of a man on April 11. More info: https://t.co/HjrRguxTgP#hounews #OneSafeHouston https://t.co/ND4BQ9HExs pic.twitter.com/6nqcLj0a1g — Houston Police (@houstonpolice) April 26, 2023 × A witness who saw the initial interaction of Nix with the 29-year-old told the police officials said that he saw the accused getting inside his car, grabbing a gun and running after the victim who was out of his view. The witness added that he heard the gunshot and then "observed the suspect nonchalantly walking back to his car with the gun in his hand". According to the report, someone found Nix, who was bleeding, lying in the street and dialled the emergency number. The police stated that Aguirre was shot in the torso of Nix, and later he succumbed to his injuries in the hospital. On the other hand, Aguirre later left the scene, kept the gun back in his car and walked back to the place where his date was waiting for him. WATCH | Gun violence in US: At least 160 shooting incidents in 2023 as mass shootings on rise The couple then entered the restaurant and later the woman, who accompanied the accused on the date, informed the police she had no knowledge of the shooting and did not witness anything herself. When Aguirre came back to the lady after he killed Nix, he told her "he just scared the guy and everything was fine," said the woman while speaking to the investigators. Before sitting inside the restaurant, "Erick started to look uncomfortable and suggested they go eat somewhere else," she further said. Currently, Aguirre is being held on a $200,000 bond. The accused has not entered a plea and continues to remain behind bars from Friday night. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

US: Man kills fraud parking attendant, then continues on his date as if nothing happened

<p>United Nations (UN) chief Antonio Guterres will be holding talks with international envoys at an unknown location in Doha on Monday in a bid to explore ways to influence Taliban rulers in Afghanistan. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Afghanistan is being considered as being in the biggest humanitarian crisis in the world by the United Nations and Guterres' dilemma on appropriate actions has further increased by the banning of girls from schools and women from working in NGOs as well as UN agencies by the Taliban administration. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The government of Taliban, which came back to power in August, 2021, will not attend the talks which will include representatives from around 25 nations and international organisations, as per the diplomats. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/afghan-women-protest-in-kabul-urge-other-countries-not-to-recognise-taliban-regime-587362">Afghan women protest in Kabul, urge other countries not to recognise Taliban regime</a></p>

<p>Ahead of the meeting, a group of women in Kabul on Saturday protested against any international recognition of the Taliban government. However, the Western powers and the UN remain adamant that this issue will not be discussed.</p>

<p>"Any kind of recognition of the Taliban is completely off the table," US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel stated.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The UN secretary-general will be giving an update on a review of the critical relief operation of the world body in Afghanistan which was ordered in April after Afghan women were stopped by the authorities from working with the UN agencies, said the diplomats.</p>

<p>UN expert for the International Crisis Group Richard Gowan said that the United Nations is "in a trap over Afghanistan".</p>

<p>"Guterres has to untangle a very complicated knot. He needs to find a way to keep aid flowing into Afghanistan, but the Taliban ban on women is a huge blow to the UN's ability to operate in the country," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He stated that the international community wishes that the UN's critical presence is maintained.</p>

<p>"There are lots of differences among Security Council members over Afghanistan. But everyone, including Russia and China, agrees it is better to have the UN in Kabul than not,” he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | Taliban kill I.S. leader behind airport bombing</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/taliban-kill-is-leader-behind-airport-bombing-586166/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>A few indications has been given by the United Nations about what proposals could be made during the meeting.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Friday, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said that the aim "is to reinvigorate international engagement around common objectives for a durable way forward on Afghanistan".&nbsp;</p>

<p>The UN also wants "unity or commonality of message" on women's and human rights, drug trafficking and countering terrorism.</p>

<p>"Recognition is not an issue," insisted Dujarric. The UN General Assembly will be deciding if the Taliban government takes up the UN seat in Afghanistan.&nbsp;</p>

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<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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United Nations (UN) chief Antonio Guterres will be holding talks with international envoys at an unknown location in Doha on Monday in a bid to explore ways to influence Taliban rulers in Afghanistan.

United Nations (UN) chief Antonio Guterres will be holding talks with international envoys at an unknown location in Doha on Monday in a bid to explore ways to influence Taliban rulers in Afghanistan. Afghanistan is being considered as being in the biggest humanitarian crisis in the world by the United Nations and Guterres' dilemma on appropriate actions has further increased by the banning of girls from schools and women from working in NGOs as well as UN agencies by the Taliban administration. The government of Taliban, which came back to power in August, 2021, will not attend the talks which will include representatives from around 25 nations and international organisations, as per the diplomats. ALSO READ | Afghan women protest in Kabul, urge other countries not to recognise Taliban regime Ahead of the meeting, a group of women in Kabul on Saturday protested against any international recognition of the Taliban government. However, the Western powers and the UN remain adamant that this issue will not be discussed. "Any kind of recognition of the Taliban is completely off the table," US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel stated. The UN secretary-general will be giving an update on a review of the critical relief operation of the world body in Afghanistan which was ordered in April after Afghan women were stopped by the authorities from working with the UN agencies, said the diplomats. UN expert for the International Crisis Group Richard Gowan said that the United Nations is "in a trap over Afghanistan". "Guterres has to untangle a very complicated knot. He needs to find a way to keep aid flowing into Afghanistan, but the Taliban ban on women is a huge blow to the UN's ability to operate in the country," he added. He stated that the international community wishes that the UN's critical presence is maintained. "There are lots of differences among Security Council members over Afghanistan. But everyone, including Russia and China, agrees it is better to have the UN in Kabul than not,” he added. WATCH | Taliban kill I.S. leader behind airport bombing A few indications has been given by the United Nations about what proposals could be made during the meeting. On Friday, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said that the aim "is to reinvigorate international engagement around common objectives for a durable way forward on Afghanistan". The UN also wants "unity or commonality of message" on women's and human rights, drug trafficking and countering terrorism. "Recognition is not an issue," insisted Dujarric. The UN General Assembly will be deciding if the Taliban government takes up the UN seat in Afghanistan. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

UN chief Guterres, envoys to hold key discussion on Afghanistan crisis

<p>The first flight of the Red Cross&nbsp;carrying humanitarian aid landed in Sudan on Sunday, where deadly clashes between forces of rival generals continued for the third week.</p>

<p>"The eight tonnes of humanitarian cargo includes surgical material to support Sudanese hospitals and volunteers from the Sudan Red Crescent Society," said the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).</p>

<p>On April 15, the fighting started between forces which are loyal to two rival generals, leaving around 500 dead and thousands wounded while displacing tens of thousands from their homes.</p>

<p>Since the conflict started, dead bodies have remained on the capital's streets and the ICRC's Africa regional director Patrick Youssef, while speaking to journalists from the Sudanese Red Crescent, said that they are "trying to get to the bodies in the streets".</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sudan-violence-enters-third-week-un-says-country-falling-apart-as-casualties-top-500-587527">Sudan violence enters third week: UN says country falling apart as casualties top 500</a></p>

<p>Around 16 per cent of hospitals are completely functioning in the capital city of Khartoum, as per the report of the World Health Organisation, after many facilities were shelled in the ongoing fighting.</p>

<p>The shipment left Amman, the capital of Jordan, and arrived in the eastern city of Port Sudan which was called by Youssef as the only entry point currently available for aid to reach Sudan.</p>

<p>He stated that the medical kits present on the plane were "enough to stabilise 1,500 patients", adding that the ICRC was aiming for security guarantees to further send aid to Darfur and Khartoum.</p>

<p>The regional director stated that some aid was delivered by them to Darfur at the beginning, but "it was not enough, and we could not get anything to Khartoum".</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Sudan's former prime minister Abdalla Hamdok on Saturday warned that the conflict could turn into one of the worst civil wars in the world.</p>

<p>"God forbid if Sudan is to reach a point of civil war proper...Syria, Yemen, Libya will be a small play," said Hamdok speaking at an event in Nairobi. "I think it would be a nightmare for the world,” he added.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | Sudan violence enters third week, UN says country "Falling apart"</strong></p>

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<p>UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has also appealed for negotiations to end the civil strife.</p>

<p>"There is no right to go on fighting for power when the country is falling apart," he said while speaking at Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television on Saturday.</p>

<p>"My appeal is for everything to be done to support an African-led initiative for peace in Sudan,” he added. Around 75,000 people have been displaced from their homes due to the fighting, said the UN.</p>

<p>Around 20,000 have fled to Chad, 4,000 to South Sudan, 3,500 to Ethiopia and 3,000 to the Central African Republic, it stated.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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The first flight of the Red Cross carrying humanitarian aid landed in Sudan on Sunday, where deadly clashes between forces of rival generals continued for the third week.

The first flight of the Red Cross carrying humanitarian aid landed in Sudan on Sunday, where deadly clashes between forces of rival generals continued for the third week. "The eight tonnes of humanitarian cargo includes surgical material to support Sudanese hospitals and volunteers from the Sudan Red Crescent Society," said the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). On April 15, the fighting started between forces which are loyal to two rival generals, leaving around 500 dead and thousands wounded while displacing tens of thousands from their homes. Since the conflict started, dead bodies have remained on the capital's streets and the ICRC's Africa regional director Patrick Youssef, while speaking to journalists from the Sudanese Red Crescent, said that they are "trying to get to the bodies in the streets". ALSO READ | Sudan violence enters third week: UN says country falling apart as casualties top 500 Around 16 per cent of hospitals are completely functioning in the capital city of Khartoum, as per the report of the World Health Organisation, after many facilities were shelled in the ongoing fighting. The shipment left Amman, the capital of Jordan, and arrived in the eastern city of Port Sudan which was called by Youssef as the only entry point currently available for aid to reach Sudan. He stated that the medical kits present on the plane were "enough to stabilise 1,500 patients", adding that the ICRC was aiming for security guarantees to further send aid to Darfur and Khartoum. The regional director stated that some aid was delivered by them to Darfur at the beginning, but "it was not enough, and we could not get anything to Khartoum". Meanwhile, Sudan's former prime minister Abdalla Hamdok on Saturday warned that the conflict could turn into one of the worst civil wars in the world. "God forbid if Sudan is to reach a point of civil war proper...Syria, Yemen, Libya will be a small play," said Hamdok speaking at an event in Nairobi. "I think it would be a nightmare for the world,” he added. WATCH | Sudan violence enters third week, UN says country "Falling apart" UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has also appealed for negotiations to end the civil strife. "There is no right to go on fighting for power when the country is falling apart," he said while speaking at Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television on Saturday. "My appeal is for everything to be done to support an African-led initiative for peace in Sudan,” he added. Around 75,000 people have been displaced from their homes due to the fighting, said the UN. Around 20,000 have fled to Chad, 4,000 to South Sudan, 3,500 to Ethiopia and 3,000 to the Central African Republic, it stated. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Red Cross aid's first flight reaches Sudan as fighting intensifies

<p>India's Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday posted a timelapse video of the making of the country's first cable-stayed rail bridge called “Anji Khad bridge”, which is now been completed.<br />
<br />
The cable-stayed rail bridge has 96 cables and the cable strands' total length is 653 km.<br />
<br />
Sharing the timelapse video, Vaishnaw wrote a caption which read, "In 11 months, India's first cable-stayed rail bridge is ready. All 96 cables are set! #AnjiKhadBridge PS: Total length of cable strands 653 km.”</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">In 11 months, India’s first cable stayed rail bridge is ready.<br />
All 96 cables set! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AnjiKhadBridge?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AnjiKhadBridge</a><br />
PS: Total length of cable strands 653 km🌁 <a href="https://t.co/CctSXFxhfa">pic.twitter.com/CctSXFxhfa</a></p>
— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) <a href="https://twitter.com/AshwiniVaishnaw/status/1651913921111158784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>In the video, the placement of every single cable from the first to the last can be seen.<br />
<br />
The bridge has been built in the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district under Indian Railways' most challenging Udampur-Srinagar-Baramulla-Rail Link (USBRL) Project.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/mann-ki-baat-goes-global-pm-modis-radio-show-to-be-aired-in-un-587413">'Mann Ki Baat' goes global! Indian PM Modi's radio show to be aired in UN</a></p>

<p>The bridge is at a distance of 80 kilometres by road from Jammu. Reacting to the post, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “Excellent”.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<p dir="ltr" lang="fr">Excellent! <a href="https://t.co/cwQpm6LVQX">https://t.co/cwQpm6LVQX</a></p>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1652144444882452480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Anji Khad Bridge is the "first cable-stayed bridge" of the country which will connect Katra and Reasi in the state of Jammu and Kashmir through Indian Railways.<br />
<br />
The bridge was built as part of the national project “Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) Project”.<br />
<br />
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and IIT Roorkee carried out detailed site-specific investigations to understand the daunting, fragile and complex geological features of the mountains in the forms of folds, faults and thrusts as well as studied the region's seismic proneness.<br />
<br />
The mountain's slopes, which support one foundation of the main span, were stabilised by creating the special hybrid foundation on the Katra end because of space constraints.<br />
<br />
The main parts of the construction of the bridge, which includes the main pylon which has a 40-metre-deep hybrid foundation, ancillary viaduct, and the central embankment, were carried out on the Srinagar end.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | US-India ties: US President Joe Biden to visit India in September | World News | WION</strong></p>

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<p>The bridge's total length is 725.5 metres. Anji Khad Bridge will be connecting tunnels T2 and T3 on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link project's Katra-Banihal Section.<br />
<br />
The Anji Khad Bridge hangs by the support of 96 cables and the cable lengths range from 82 m to 295 m. The bridge has been designed in a way that it can handle heavy storms amid strong winds. The design wind speed mentioned by the engineers is 213 kmph.<br />
<br />
A single railway line and a service road of 3.75 m-wide will be carried by the bridge and a footpath, which is 1.5m wide, will be on each side of the deck with a total width of 15 m.</p>

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<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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India's Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday posted a timelapse video of the making of the country's first cable-stayed rail bridge called “Anji Khad bridge”, which is now been completed.

India's Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday posted a timelapse video of the making of the country's first cable-stayed rail bridge called “Anji Khad bridge”, which is now been completed. The cable-stayed rail bridge has 96 cables and the cable strands' total length is 653 km. Sharing the timelapse video, Vaishnaw wrote a caption which read, "In 11 months, India's first cable-stayed rail bridge is ready. All 96 cables are set! #AnjiKhadBridge PS: Total length of cable strands 653 km.” In 11 months, India’s first cable stayed rail bridge is ready. All 96 cables set! #AnjiKhadBridge PS: Total length of cable strands 653 km🌁 pic.twitter.com/CctSXFxhfa — Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) April 28, 2023 × In the video, the placement of every single cable from the first to the last can be seen. The bridge has been built in the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district under Indian Railways' most challenging Udampur-Srinagar-Baramulla-Rail Link (USBRL) Project. ALSO READ | 'Mann Ki Baat' goes global! Indian PM Modi's radio show to be aired in UN The bridge is at a distance of 80 kilometres by road from Jammu. Reacting to the post, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “Excellent”. Excellent! https://t.co/cwQpm6LVQX — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 29, 2023 × Anji Khad Bridge is the "first cable-stayed bridge" of the country which will connect Katra and Reasi in the state of Jammu and Kashmir through Indian Railways. The bridge was built as part of the national project “Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) Project”. Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and IIT Roorkee carried out detailed site-specific investigations to understand the daunting, fragile and complex geological features of the mountains in the forms of folds, faults and thrusts as well as studied the region's seismic proneness. The mountain's slopes, which support one foundation of the main span, were stabilised by creating the special hybrid foundation on the Katra end because of space constraints. The main parts of the construction of the bridge, which includes the main pylon which has a 40-metre-deep hybrid foundation, ancillary viaduct, and the central embankment, were carried out on the Srinagar end. WATCH | US-India ties: US President Joe Biden to visit India in September | World News | WION The bridge's total length is 725.5 metres. Anji Khad Bridge will be connecting tunnels T2 and T3 on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link project's Katra-Banihal Section. The Anji Khad Bridge hangs by the support of 96 cables and the cable lengths range from 82 m to 295 m. The bridge has been designed in a way that it can handle heavy storms amid strong winds. The design wind speed mentioned by the engineers is 213 kmph. A single railway line and a service road of 3.75 m-wide will be carried by the bridge and a footpath, which is 1.5m wide, will be on each side of the deck with a total width of 15 m. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Watch | India gets its first 'cable-stayed rail bridge' with 96 cables

<p>Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday said that they will launch its counter-offensive against the armed forces of Russia even though they have not received Western fighter aircraft.</p>

<p>On multiple occasions, Zelensky had appealed to widen the Western military aid's scope for Ukraine.</p>

<p>"Frankly speaking, it would help us a lot. But we also understand that we can't drag it (the counteroffensive) out, which is why we'll start before we receive F-16s or other models. But to calm Russia down with the fact that we'd still need a couple of months to train on the aircraft and only then we'd start (a counteroffensive). No, this won't happen. We'll start and go forward, while at the same time, simultaneously, I think this is very important (to receive western fighter aircraft)," he said.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zelensky-says-would-have-fought-till-death-had-russians-attacked-kyiv-headquarters-587440">Zelensky says would have fought till death had Russians attacked Kyiv headquarters</a></p>

<p>While addressing the Scandinavian journalists in Kyiv, Zelensky said that there were nations that had F-16 and other "Western kind aircraft" which were "ready to help us".</p>

<p>"We are capable of putting an end to this war. However, not everything is going to happen at once tomorrow. We need time to train, but we have an understanding how to do this faster, and we understand the logistics behind it. And most importantly, as of today, there are countries that have F-16s or other 'western kind aircraft' who want to, and who are ready to help us,” he stated.</p>

<p>However, the Ukrainian leader did not specify which countries he was referring to. The Ukrainian air force only owns Soviet-era fighter aircraft.</p>

<p>Earlier, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was pressed on this point by Zelensky at a meeting held in Kyiv on April 20 and said that the military alliance needed to open its doors for membership of Ukraine.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | Russia-Ukraine war: Ukraine says it's 'ready' for counteroffensive</strong></p>

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<p>After facing a Russian winter as well as spring offensive which has made small advances in the east, Ukraine now plans to recapture the land in its east and south in a counteroffensive in the weeks or months ahead.</p>

<p>In an earlier interview, Zelensky had claimed that he carries a pistol and would have fought with the Russian forces to death if they had stormed his Kyiv headquarters when the war began.</p>

<p>"I know how to shoot. Could you imagine (a headline like) 'The President of Ukraine is taken captive by Russians?' This is a disgrace. I believe this would be a disgrace," he said while speaking to the 1+1 television channel.</p>

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<section>
<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday said that they will launch its counter-offensive against the armed forces of Russia even though they have not received Western fighter aircraft.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday said that they will launch its counter-offensive against the armed forces of Russia even though they have not received Western fighter aircraft. On multiple occasions, Zelensky had appealed to widen the Western military aid's scope for Ukraine. "Frankly speaking, it would help us a lot. But we also understand that we can't drag it (the counteroffensive) out, which is why we'll start before we receive F-16s or other models. But to calm Russia down with the fact that we'd still need a couple of months to train on the aircraft and only then we'd start (a counteroffensive). No, this won't happen. We'll start and go forward, while at the same time, simultaneously, I think this is very important (to receive western fighter aircraft)," he said. ALSO READ | Zelensky says would have fought till death had Russians attacked Kyiv headquarters While addressing the Scandinavian journalists in Kyiv, Zelensky said that there were nations that had F-16 and other "Western kind aircraft" which were "ready to help us". "We are capable of putting an end to this war. However, not everything is going to happen at once tomorrow. We need time to train, but we have an understanding how to do this faster, and we understand the logistics behind it. And most importantly, as of today, there are countries that have F-16s or other 'western kind aircraft' who want to, and who are ready to help us,” he stated. However, the Ukrainian leader did not specify which countries he was referring to. The Ukrainian air force only owns Soviet-era fighter aircraft. Earlier, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was pressed on this point by Zelensky at a meeting held in Kyiv on April 20 and said that the military alliance needed to open its doors for membership of Ukraine. WATCH | Russia-Ukraine war: Ukraine says it's 'ready' for counteroffensive After facing a Russian winter as well as spring offensive which has made small advances in the east, Ukraine now plans to recapture the land in its east and south in a counteroffensive in the weeks or months ahead. In an earlier interview, Zelensky had claimed that he carries a pistol and would have fought with the Russian forces to death if they had stormed his Kyiv headquarters when the war began. "I know how to shoot. Could you imagine (a headline like) 'The President of Ukraine is taken captive by Russians?' This is a disgrace. I believe this would be a disgrace," he said while speaking to the 1+1 television channel. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Ukraine will launch counteroffensive without Western fighter aircraft, says Zelensky

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