Top news of the day: One Indian crew member returns home from ship seized by Iran; EC says impossible to tamper with EVMs at any stage, and more

One Indian crew member from MSC aries returns, EC says EVMs cant be tampered, and more in The Hindu’s top news of April 17, 2024.

One of the seventeen Indian crew members of the ship that Iran seized returns home

One of the seventeen Indian sailors aboard the Portugal-flagged MSC Aries that was detained by the Iranian authorities last weekend has returned home in Kerala, the Ministry of External Affairs has announced. Ann Tessa Joseph, a resident of Thrissur was welcomed at the Cochin International Airport by government officials when she arrived from Iran on April 18. “Indian Mission in Tehran remains seized of the matter and is in touch with the remaining 16 Indian crew members of the container vessel. The crew members are in good health and in contact with their family members in India,” said the MEA in a press release informing that the MEA is trying to ensure well being of the Indian sailors in Iranian custody. The Iranian authorities had earlier claimed that the cargo vessel had “violated international maritime law”.

Impossible to tamper with EVMs at any stage, ECI tells Supreme Court

The Election Commission of India categorically assured the Supreme Court that it is impossible to tamper with electronic voting machines “at any stage”. The assurance comes on the eve of the General Elections to the Lok Sabha. Replying to a query on whether tampering of EVMs was possible after polling, the ECI said polling officers press the ‘close’ button at the end of polling. “Thereafter, the EVMs do not accept any votes,” a 14-page affidavit said. The Election Commission also told the Supreme Court that statements that four electronic voting machines erroneously logged in votes in favour of the BJP during mock polls held in Kerala were plainly false. The attention of a Bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta was drawn to the reports by advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for petitioner Association for Democratic Reforms. Mr. Bhushan said the four EVMs had reportedly malfunctioned in the mock polls held at Kasaragod district in Kerala on April 17.

Nestlé baby products sold in India, Africa, Latin America have higher sugar content than in Europe, tests show

Nestle’s baby food products sold in India, as well as in African and Latin American countries, have higher sugar content, in comparison to the same products sold in European markets, according to a report released recently by a Swiss NGO, the Public Eye and International Baby Food Action Network. Around 150 baby products manufactured by the global food and beverage giant and sold in different countries were tested in a Belgian laboratory, according to IBFAN. It was found that all 15 Cerelac products for six-month-old babies, which are sold without any added sugars in the United Kingdom and Germany, contained 2.7 grams of added sugar per serving in India. Products sold in Ethiopia and Thailand contained nearly 6 grams, the report said.

Kejriwal eating mangoes, sweets despite type 2 diabetes to make grounds for bail, ED tells court