New Delhi (PTI): The Election Commission on Thursday announced that mock polls at all polling stations across the 121 constituencies in Bihar that are part of the first phase of the elections have concluded.

During the mock poll, representatives of the candidates were present, and the process included verifying the votes cast on the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) against the Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips, the commission added.

This mock poll is conducted to ensure that the EVMs are functioning correctly. The exercise aims to build confidence among parties in the machines, which have faced scrutiny regarding their reliability.

Additionally, the data is erased before polling begins.

Meanwhile, polling has commenced at all polling stations in the respective constituencies, the Election Commission announced.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Beijing (PTI): Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump had an in-depth exchange of views on major issues concerning the two countries and the world, and reached a series of new common understandings, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said Friday.

Xi and Trump, who is on a three-day visit to China, met twice on Thursday and discussed a range of bilateral and global issues.

Trump is due to leave on Friday after a luncheon meeting with Xi.

Summing up the outcomes of Trump’s visit to Beijing, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the two presidents had an in-depth exchange of views on major issues concerning the two countries and the world and reached a series of new common understandings.

They agreed on a new vision of building a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability to provide strategic guidance for bilateral relations over the next three years and beyond.

The two presidents also agreed to promote the steady, sound and sustainable development of China-US relations, and bring more peace, prosperity and progress to the world, said a statement by the ministry’s spokesperson.

Trump visited China at the invitation of Xi.

The two presidents are meeting in person again for the first time since their Busan meeting last October, and it is the first visit to China by a US president in nine years, the statement said.

On Thursday, President Xi held a welcome ceremony and a banquet for Trump, held talks and visited the Temple of Heaven with him.