Live: Putin backs Iran in talks with Araghchi, vows Middle East peace push

Basmati Rice Farmers & Exporters Development Forum (BRFEDF) on Monday (April 27) called on the government to take urgent action against what it described as arbitrary and opaque shipping charges that have made exports commercially unviable for many traders.

The forum said war-risk surcharges have ranged from USD 800 to USD 6,000 per container, often imposed without prior notice or revised after cargo has already moved. In some cases, cumulative charges have reached 60 to 70 per cent of the cargo value. "Exporters are effectively being asked to absorb open-ended financial liability for circumstances entirely beyond their control," Forum Chairperson Priyanka Mittal said in a statement.

The West Asia crisis has prompted shipping lines to unilaterally divert cargo to ports including Jebel Ali, Sohar and Salalah, hold containers at transhipment hubs with no clarity on onward movement, and in some cases return containers to origin ports.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that his trip to Islamabad was “very productive” and involved “good consultations" with Pakistan's top leadership on negotiations between Iran and the US to end the war.

During his visit, Araghchi discussed with Pakistani leaders "in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on", referring to the second round of talks between the US and Iran.

These remarks were made by Araghchi upon his arrival in the Russian city of St. Petersburg on Monday (April 27) morning.

"We held good consultations with our friends in Pakistan. The trip was successful. We assessed the outcome of our recent meetings and discussed in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on,” Araghchi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel.

The talks that Iran and Pakistan held in Islamabad last week were "successful", Araghchi said upon arrival.

Large parts of Kerala continued to experience hot and humid weather, with several districts recording high temperatures and no significant rainfall. According to 24-hour data released by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) at 8.30 am on Monday (April 27), northern Palakkad was the hottest in the state, with the maximum temperature touching just over 40 degrees Celsius. It was followed closely by Punalur in southern Kollam district, which recorded nearly 40 degrees Celsius.

Interior regions such as Kottayam and Vellanikkara in Thrissur district also saw temperatures rising to around 36 to 37 degrees Celsius, adding to the discomfort. In coastal areas, Thiruvananthapuram recorded a maximum of 34.8 degrees Celsius, while Kochi Airport saw 33.2 degrees Celsius during the 24-hour period ending at 8.30 am.

However, high humidity levels made conditions feel hotter than the actual temperature, especially during the day.

Northern districts were also warm. Kozhikode city reported 37.2 degrees Celsius, while Kannur hovered between 35 and 36 degrees Celsius.

In Lakshadweep, temperatures remained steady, with Amini and Minicoy recording around 35 degrees Celsius.

Night-time temperatures stayed high across the state, mostly between 26 and 29 degrees Celsius, offering little relief from the daytime heat. An IMD official said though weather indicators for rain continue to develop, Kerala will have to wait a couple more days to get relief from the sweltering heat.

In areas such as Palakkad, the temperature will not come down unless there is heavy rainfall, the official said.

The Supreme Court on Monday (April 27) took note of the brutal assault on a woman advocate allegedly by her husband in New Delhi, and directed the Delhi Police Commissioner to hand over the probe to a senior cop, preferably a woman officer in the rank of ACP or DCP. Taking suo motu action in the matter, a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi also asked the investigating officer to look into the aspect of three hospitals refusing admission to the victim.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the police, informed the bench that an FIR has been registered and the victim's husband, who is the prime accused, has been arrested on the intervening night of April 25 and 26.

The bench said it has taken suo motu action in the matter after a letter sought its urgent intervention in the case.

Passing a slew of directions, the top court noted that in the complaint, there are allegations against the victim's in-laws, that they had taken away with them her two minor children and their whereabouts was not known. The bench directed the police to find the two minor children. It asked the investigating officer to submit a status report of the probe before it.

The accused, Manoj Kumar, a resident of Sonia Vihar, was arrested from the Khajuri Khas area on Sunday (April 26). Kumar allegedly stabbed his 38-year-old wife on April 22, police said.

"During interrogation, Kumar confessed to the crime and told police that he attacked his wife following a family dispute," they said.

Domestic discord is believed to be the motive behind the attack, though investigators are examining all angles, police said.

An elderly Sikh man was assaulted by a youth who yelled racist slurs like "get out of my country" in Canada, prompting police to investigate the "hate-motivated assault", authorities said. The incident took place on April 22 in Woodstock, Ontario, and the youth is facing multiple charges for his actions, the Woodstock Police said in a statement.

The attack happened when the elderly man was walking along a sidewalk when he was approached by a youth who shoved him, it said. Police said that the youth targeted the victim based on his ethnicity and yelled racially-charged comments and obscenities. The victim was not physically injured, it added. The investigation determined that the youth unprovokedly assaulted the man.

Following the incident, the youth jumped a fence into the Turtle Island School property before exiting the school area. No students were harmed during the incident, the statement added.

"As a result of the investigation, the youth was arrested following the hate-motivated assault. The accused was held in custody for a bail hearing," it said.

The Woodstock Police Service is aware that videos of this incident are circulating on social media, which show the youth repeatedly shouting racist abuse, including, “What the...are you doing in my country?”and "You ain’t from here, get the...out of my country.”

"Acts of hate have no place in our community. The Woodstock Police Service is committed to ensuring all members of the community feel safe and protected. We encourage anyone who has experienced or witnessed a hate-motivated incident to report it to police. Woodstock Police Service will pursue and hold those who commit hate crimes accountable,” police said.

Meanwhile, in a statement posted to X, the World Sikh Organisation (WSO) said it is “deeply concerned” regarding the incident and calls the assault “unacceptable”. The organisation goes on to thank Woodstock police for their quick response.

"As our recent Anti-Sikh Hate Report shows, these incidents are part of a broader pattern. We need systemic action, including better reporting, public education, and coordinated responses from institutions. If you experience or witness hate, report it to the police and to WSO," the organisation said.