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Tue, 05 April 2022
Bucha killings: India backs independent probe
Timeline Refresh
23:46 Parliament nod to bill for unification of 3 Delhi municipal corporations
Parliament on Tuesday passed the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill-2022 to unify three civic bodies in the national capital, with Home Minister Amit Shah stating in Rajya Sabha that it was necessitated due to the step-motherly treatment meted out by the Aam Aadmi Party government towards the local bodies.
The Rajya Sabha gave its nod to the bill through a voice vote after negating all the amendments sought by the opposition, including a motion to send the proposed legislation to a select committee.
The demand for the division of votes on an amendment moved by Sanjay Singh of the AAP was rejected by deputy Chairman Harivansh, who said it was moved after the stipulated time.
Replying to the discussion on the bill, Home Minister Shah said it was a mistake by the previous Congress regime to trifurcate the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the current bill has been necessitated after the AAP-led Delhi government meted out step-motherly treatment to the civic bodies.
"The way AAP government in Delhi meted out step-motherly treatment towards the three civic bodies, we had to bring this bill. You can have animosity with us, but what animosity you have with the people of Delhi. They have voted for you in government...," Shah asked.
"This bill is as per the Constitution. The central government has powers to enact laws in the Union Territory of Delhi... This bill is from no angle an attack on the federal structure," Shah said, allaying concerns raised by some opposition members.
Delhi is only a union territory and not a full state, he said, adding that Parliament has competence to frame laws for Delhi.
He also claimed that the central government has doubled allocation to Delhi and has not reduced a single penny due to the Union Territory, but the Delhi government has not paid the three civic bodies Rs 40,561 crore as per the 5th Finance Commission and instead gave only Rs 21,000 crore which is the reason for the plight of these bodies.
Shah alleged that this was done by the AAP government to create panic in Delhi so that people vote for them in civic polls. "But people know everything and your dreams will never come true." -- PTI
23:30 Bucha killings: India backs independent probe
Noting that reports of civilian killings in Ukraine's Bucha town are 'deeply disturbing,' India on Tuesday condemned these killings and supported the call for an independent investigation.
Speaking at the UNSC meeting on Ukraine, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, TS Tirumurti said India continues to remain deeply concerned at the worsening situation and reiterates its call for an immediate cessation of violence and end to hostilities.
He said India continues to emphasize that the global order is anchored on international law, the UN Charter and respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty of states.
Tirumurti said diplomacy must prevail as the only viable option to end the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
"We have emphasized right from the beginning of the conflict the need to pursue the path of diplomacy and dialogue. When innocent human lives are at stake, diplomacy must prevail as the only viable option. In this context, we take note of the ongoing efforts, including the meetings held recently between the parties," he said.
Trimurti said the situation in Ukraine has not shown any significant improvement since the Council last discussed the issue.
"The security situation has only deteriorated, as well as its humanitarian consequences. Recent reports of civilian killings in Bucha are deeply disturbing. We unequivocally condemn these killings and support the call for an independent investigation," he said. -- ANI
23:00 SC to hear next week plea of Abhishek Banerjee, spouse in PMLA case
The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to list next week for hearing the appeal of TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee and his wife Rujira Banerjee against a Delhi high court order dismissing their petition seeking quashing of summons issued to them in a money-laundering probe linked to an alleged coal scam in West Bengal.
A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana took note of the submissions of senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Banerjee couple, that the plea be listed for urgent hearing.
"We will list it next week," said the bench which also comprised Justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli.
In a petition filed through lawyer Sunil Fernandes, Banerjee and his spouse have sought an ad-interim ex-parte stay of operation of the March 11 order of the Delhi high court.
The plea has sought a direction to the ED that they be probed at Kolkata and Rujira Banerjee be exempted from personal appearance and be allowed to appear through her lawyer in the trial court.
A single-judge bench of the high court had denied the relief to Abhishek Banerjee, the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and his wife Rujira Banerjee who had challenged the September 10, 2021 summons issued to them and had sought direction to the Enforcement Directorate not to summon them for their appearance in Delhi since they are residents of West Bengal.
The high court had also dismissed Rujira's other petition which had challenged the ED's complaint filed in the money laundering case against her, the trial court order taking cognisance of that complaint, and the subsequent issuance of a summons for physical appearance. -- PTI
22:30 Heatwave to continue to lash Delhi for next 6 days
The ongoing spell of heatwave is predicted to tighten its grip on Delhi and no relief is in sight for at least six days, the India meteorological department said on Tuesday.
The maximum temperature at the Safdarjung Observatory, considered the official marker for the city, is expected to touch the 40-degree mark on Wednesday and soar to 42 degrees Celsius by Friday.
The base station had recorded a maximum temperature of 39.6 degrees Celsius on Wednesday last week, the highest this season so far.
The weather stations at Ridge, Najafgarh, Pitampura and Sports Complex recorded a heatwave on Tuesday, with their maximum temperature settling at 40.4 degrees Celsius, 40.2 degrees Celsius, 40.6 degrees Celsius and 40.7 degrees Celsius, respectively.
The Safdarjung Observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 38.7 degrees Celsius, four notches above normal. IMD officials said a prolonged dry spell has led to 'severe' hot weather conditions in northwest India.
"The heatwave spell likely is to continue over most parts of Northwest India and Madhya Pradesh during the next five days," officials said.
For the plains, a 'heatwave' is declared when the maximum temperature is over 40 degrees Celsius and at least 4.5 notches above normal.
A 'severe' heatwave is declared if the departure from normal temperature is more than 6.4 notches, according to the IMD. -- PTI
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22:02 Group announces plan to build world's largest church in Mizoram
A Christian group of Mizoram has claimed that it will build the world's largest church building in Serchhip district of the North-eastern state.
The proposed church building will be erected on a land measuring 23,809.52 square metres, 809.52 square metres more than the area occupied by St Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, which is currently the largest church in the world, the chief of the religious group said.
The 'Zofate Pathian Biakinpui' (Big church for all Mizos) will be set up at Thenzawl town, around 87 km from here, said Rev Dr Zaichhawna Hlawndo, who founded the Zoram Thar Zofate Lairelna Inpui, a non-denominational church, in February 2016.
Releasing the blueprint of the church here on Monday, Hlawndo said the church will belong to all 'Zofate' (Mizo tribes across the world) and will be constructed through public donations and voluntary services.
The length and breadth of the church area will be 270 feet each and its height will be 177 feet, he said.
There will be 30,000 seats inside the building and its courtyard will be large enough to accommodate about 70,000 people, Hlawndo said.
The building can be used by any church or Christian group for worship or religious assembly, he said.
It will belong to all Mizo tribes, the Zoram Thar group leader said adding that land has been purchased for building it but construction work is yet to start.
The group members claim that they are descendants of Joseph, one of the 12 sons f Biblical patriarch Jacob. -- PTI
21:48 Pawar hosts dinner for Maharashtra MLAs
Among those in attendance at the NCP leader's residence for dinner are Union Minister Nitin Gadkari of the BJP, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut and Maharashtra MLAs from various parties.
21:23 Elon Musk to join Twitter's board
Microblogging platform Twitter will appoint Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk to its board, a senior company official said.
This comes after Musk bought 9 per cent stake in the social media platform for about $3 billion.
On April 4, Twitter entered into a letter agreement with the billionaire, which provides that the company will appoint Musk to its board of directors to serve as a Class II director with a term expiring in 2024.
Musk will not, either alone or as a member of a group, become the beneficial owner of more than 14.9 per cent of Twitter's common stock outstanding at such time, including through derivative securities, swaps, or hedging transactions.
"I'm excited to share that we're appointing @elonmusk (Elon Musk) to our board! Through conversations with Elon in recent weeks, it became clear to us that he would bring great value to our Board," Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal tweeted on Tuesday.
He said Musk is both a passionate believer and intense critic of the service, which is required on Twitter and in the boardroom, to make the entity stronger in the long-term.
"Looking forward to working with Parag & Twitter board to make significant improvements to Twitter in the coming months!" Musk replied to Agrawal's tweet. -- PTI
21:16 Jaishankar, Blinken discuss Ukraine developments
Ahead of the '2+2' dialogue, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday spoke to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and discussed the latest developments in Ukraine.
In the telephonic talks, Jaishankar and Blinken also deliberated on bilateral ties.
"Spoke to @SecBlinken ahead of our 2+2 consultations. Discussed bilateral issues and latest developments pertaining to Ukraine," Jaishankar tweeted.
The next edition of India-US '2+2' foreign and defence ministerial talks is scheduled in Washington on April 11.
However, there is no official announcement on the talks yet. Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh are set to travel to Washington to hold talks with their American counterparts. -- PTI
20:54 UN Charter violated literally: Zelenskyy on Russian invasion at UNSC
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday alleged that civilians in the country were crushed by Russian tanks, women were raped and killed in front of their children.
"What Russian military did in Bucha is cruelty. The UN Charter has been violated literally. The massacre in Bucha is only one of many examples," he said while speaking at the UN Security Council.
He said that UN needs to act immediately and its system must be reformed immediately.
"There must be a fair representation of all regions in the Security Council. Russian military must be brought to justice,' said Zelenskyy. -- ANI
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20:39 Now East Delhi mayor appeals to shut meat shops
East Delhi Mayor Shyam Sunder Aggarwal on Tuesday 'appealed' to traders to keep meat shops closed during Navratri or at least on the last three days of the festival, even as authorities said 'no official order' has been issued in this connection.
Aggarwal also claimed that during Navratri, "90 percent people do not consume non-vegetarian food".
The East Delhi mayor's remarks come a day after his counterpart in South Delhi, Mukesh Suryan, said that meat shops will not be allowed to open from Tuesday during Navratri till April 11.
Suryan also wrote a letter to SDMC commissioner Gyanesh Bharti for closure of meat shops during the festive period, saying, 'religious beliefs and sentiments of devotees are affected' when they come across meat shops or have to bear the foul smell of meat on their way to offer daily prayers to goddess Durga during Navratri.
The Navratri period is from April 2-11 when the faithful observe fast and largely eat satvik food.
On Tuesday, Aggarwal held a meeting with several senior officials, including from veterinary and the health department, and health inspectors.
"I held a meeting today with senior officials, and in keeping with the religious sentiments of people, have appealed to traders to keep meat shops closed during Navratri, or at least on the last three days of the festival," he said.
The East Delhi mayor, however, said every year on the last three of Navratri, Ghazipur slaughterhouse is closed, and this year it will be closed from April 8-10.
"It means if anyone is selling meat (of buffalo or goat) in this period, it would be either stale or slaughtering done through illegal means. So, I have ordered that 16 teams be formed to keep a very watchful eye on such traders, and take actions accordingly," Aggarwal claimed.
"Actions will include seizure of meat or imposition of challan or even revoking of licence or sealing of shops, according to the situation," he said.
Official sources, however, said, "No official order has been given by the EDMC authorities in this connection". -- PTI
20:09 Court dismisses bail plea of 8 held for vandalism outside Delhi CM's house
A court in New Delhi on Tuesday dismissed the bail applications of eight persons arrested by the Delhi police in a case related to the violent protest and vandalism outside the residence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal recently.
Additional session judge Naveen Kashyap noted that the protesters had no regard even for the directions issued by Delhi high court which were communicated to them by the Delhi police that no protest is allowed at the CM house.
The court denied relief to Chander Kant Bharadwaj, Naveen Kumar, Neeraj Dixit, Sunny, Jitender Singh Bisht, Pradeep Kumar Tiwari, Raju Kumar Singh, and Bablu Kumar.
The judge said there was no doubt that the right to assemble and protest by the political party was a fundamental right, but such a right was subject to certain restrictions and not an uncontrolled one.
"In the present case, it is not a simple case that they protested and ended their protest then and there. But as per the investigation carried and reply filed by the Police, despite telling protesters and their leaders, including the present applicants, they can protest at a particular place, they did not comply with the same," the court noted.
It noted that not at one stage but at three different security layers of barricades 1, barricade 2 and barricade 3, they violated the directions of the police officials concerned.
"Further, it may be noted that such protesters had no regard even to the directions issued by high court which were communicated to them, as per the reply of the Delhi police, that no protest is allowed at CM house, as they still continued with their protest," it said.
It added that "prima facie', it appeared that the accused persons even caused damage to public property and injured the police officials.
"Thus, prima facie it is clear that their fundamental right to peacefully protest is exceeded by them knowingly/intentionally,' the court said. -- PTI
Photograph: PTI Photo
19:43 Mumbai's Covid tally crosses 50 after March 28
Mumbai on Tuesday reported 56 Covid-19 cases, which is a three-fold rise from the addition to the tally a day earlier, taking the infection count 10,58,185, a civic official said.
The number of cases added to the tally on Monday stood at 18, he said, adding that the cases detected in a day had gone over the 50-mark for the first time since March 28.
The death toll remained unchanged at 19,559, while the recovery count rose by 36 to touch 10,38,356, leaving the metropolis with 270 active cases, he said.
With 10,802 samples being examined in the last 24 hours, the number of tests in Mumbai has gone up to 1,66,68,193, as per Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation data.
It also showed the recovery rate was 98 per cent, the positivity rate stood at 0.005 per cent, while the caseload doubling time was 19,722 days.
The case growth rate between March 29 and April 4 was 0.004 per cent, it added.
The civic data also showed that all 56 cases detected during the day were asymptomatic, and only 16 of the 26,151 hospital beds earmarked for Covid-19 treatment were currently occupied.
Shaktikanta Das
19:37 RBI breached inflation mandate for 3 quarters, but nothing was done
'The Indian government did not apply the law when the country's central bank breached the 2020 inflation target, documents accessed by The Reporters Collective (TRC) and Al Jazeera through the Right to Information Act show,' reports Somesh Jha in Al Jazeera.
'The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), under Governor Shaktikanta Das, was unable to keep inflation within the legally mandated limit of 6 percent for the three consecutive quarters between January and September 2020,' he adds.
'Under Indian law, if the RBI fails to meet the inflation target for three consecutive quarters, it is required to write to the government within one month explaining why and produce a plan to bring prices back in line. This transparency is required to prevent businesses and citizens from losing faith in the RBI and the government's ability to rein in inflation. However, the ministry of finance, with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's approval, gave the central bank a pass, documents show,' Jha reports in Al Jazeera, here.
Pic: MayorOfLA/Facebook
19:31 Garcettis chances of making it as US ambassador to India seem shaky
Chuck Schumer's team is privately acknowledging to Senate Democrats that Eric Garcetti doesn't currently have 50 votes within their caucus to be confirmed as ambassador to India, congressional aides tell Axios, reports Hans Nichols.
'The comments by the Senate majority leader's office, delivered Wednesday through his legislative director during a call with other LDs, mean the Los Angeles mayor is unlikely to receive a floor vote any time soon. Garcetti was formally nominated eight months ago,' Nichols writes in Axios, here.
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19:25 Ramzan: Muslim employees can avail 2 hrs daily leave till May 2: DJB
The Delhi Jal Board on Monday allowed its Muslim employees to avail a 'short leave of around two hours a day' during the ongoing Ramzan fasts till May 2.
"The competent authority has accorded approval to allow short leave (of approx. two hours a day) by the concerned DDO/controlling officer to the Muslim employees during the days of Ramzan ie, April 3 to May 2 or till the date of Idu'l fitr is declared, subject to the condition that they will accomplish their work during the remaining office hours so that the office work does not suffer," a DJB circular read. -- PTI
19:05 Om Sai Balaji temple, NJ, holds awareness, fundraising event
On April 2, the Om Sai Balaji Temple conducted a temple awareness and fundraising event at the newly-built campus in Monroe, New Jersey, for the first phase of the temple building 'Sai Jnana Mandir' (centre for cultural and spiritual education).
The event included live performances, recitation of Vedic hymns, and a charity show.
The event was attended by over 400 guests, with many local community members showing their appreciation and support for the temple.
The founder, Suryanarayana Maddula, together with his team acquired 12 acres of land near Monroe about 10 years back and started building the temple.
The first phase is now complete and a grand inauguration, "Prana Prathistha' (installation of the deities) event, is planned for the week of June 13-19.
The temple will welcome the community with its large granite structure, and serve multiple faiths with a common goal of spreading goodness, love and oneness, a press release stated.
The phase-1 includes 10 classrooms, a professional kitchen, dining hall and a large prayer hall.
For more information about the event, volunteer opportunities, and donations visit here.
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19:03 From June 1, Delhiites can charge EVs free of cost between noon-3 pm
Delhiites having an electric vehicle will now have a reason to rejoice as from June onwards they will be able to charge their electric vehicles free of cost between 12 noon and 3 pm at over 40 public charging stations across the national capital.
The move is aimed at promoting the use of electric vehicles and also to incentivise EV charging at public stations, authorities said.
This initiative of free afternoon charge to EV users is being taken up by an EV charging startup ElectriVa, which has set up over 40 public charging stations in partnership with the three civic bodies.
Authorities aware of the initiative said that the free charging will be provided at around 35 charging stations operational along the ring road at locations including South Extension, Bikaji Cama Place, Defence Colony, Lajpat Nagar, Mayur Vihar, Netaji Subhash Place, South Campus, Nelson Mandela Road, Hauz Khas, Green Park, Greater Kailash, Punjabi Bagh, Rohini, Saket, Shalimar Bagh, Preet Vihar among others.
Normally, rates for EV charging during the morning and evening hours for per unit charge is kept at around Rs 10.
"We will provide charging to all commercial and non commercial EV users for free between 12 noon and 3 pm. By providing free charging during afternoon hours, we want to bolster the EV ecosystem in the national capital. Presently it is important to incentivise public charging to make people switch from fossil fuel to electric vehicles,' Sumit Dhanuka, Founder, ElectriVa said. -- PTI
18:50 Lanka to close missions in Norway, Iraq, Aus
Amid the ongoing economic crisis in the country, the ministry of foreign affairs of Sri Lanka on Tuesday has decided to close its embassies in Norway and Iraq along with the Consulate General in Sydney, Australia with effect from April 30.
"Following a recent decision by the cabinet of ministers, the ministry of foreign affairs has initiated action to temporarily close down the Sri Lanka Embassy in Oslo, the Kingdom of Norway; the Sri Lanka Embassy in Baghdad, the Republic of Iraq; and the Sri Lanka Consulate General in Sydney, the Commonwealth of Australia; with effect from 30 April 2022," a ministry of foreign affairs statement said.
"The decision with regard to the temporary closure of the two missions and post was taken by the government of Sri Lanka following careful deliberation. It is part of a general restructuring of Sri Lanka's diplomatic representation overseas, undertaken by the foreign ministry in the context of the current economic situation and foreign currency constraints faced by the country," the statement further said.
The move comes as the country deals with the worst economic crisis since its independence in 1948 with prices of essential commodities like fruits and vegetables skyrocketing.
The Sri Lankan government statement emphasized that the closure of the missions would not affect the bilateral relations of Sri Lanka with the countries.
"The decision to close the resident Missions in Norway and Iraq, undertaken as a temporary measure in the current context, would not in any way impinge upon Sri Lanka's bilateral relations with the two countries which are maintained at an optimum level of friendship and cordiality," the statement said.
Following the closure of the two resident missions, the ambassador of Sri Lanka in Stockholm, Sweden will be concurrently accredited to Norway, and the Ambassador of Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates will be concurrently accredited to Iraq.
The consular jurisdiction of the Consulate General in Sydney will revert to the high commission of Sri Lanka in Canberra, Australia in order to continue carrying out the routine work of the diplomatic missions. -- ANI
18:34 How the markets fared on Tuesday
Equity benchmarks took a knock on Tuesday after two days of sharp upmoves as investors pocketed gains in banking and financial stocks after their recent rally.
The HDFC twins, which topped the gainers' chart in the previous session after announcing their mega merger, were the biggest drags on Tuesday.
The 30-share BSE Sensex slumped 435.24 points or 0.72 per cent to finish at 60,176.50.
Similarly, the NSE Nifty tumbled 96 points or 0.53 per cent to 17,957.40.
HDFC Bank was the top loser in the Sensex pack, skidding 2.98 per cent, followed by Bajaj Finserv, HDFC, Kotak Bank, Reliance Industries, IndusInd Bank and Bajaj Finance.
On the other hand, NTPC, PowerGrid, ITC, Titan, TCS and Nestle India were among the gainers, surging up to 3.40 per cent.
18:24 BJP MLA Sangit Som surrenders before court in UP
Former Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Sangeet Som on Tuesday surrendered before a court here after a non-bailable warrant was issued against him for not appearing in court in connection with a case of blocking a road in 2009.
Civil judge senior division Mayank Jaiswal quashed the non-bailable warrant against Som and fixed April 22 for further hearing in the case.
After Som's surrender, his lawyer filed an application to quash the warrant.
According to the prosecution, the former legislator is facing trial for his alleged involvement in blocking a road in the Civil Lines areas here while protesting against the deteriorating law and order situation during the BSP's rule in Uttar Pradesh in 2009.
Police had registered a case against Som and his three private guards for blocking the road on July 17, 2009. -- PTI
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18:04 No fasting for Ramzan, Pak airline tells pilots
Pakistan's national flag carrier PIA has barred its captains and first officers from observing fast in the ongoing Islamic holy month of Ramzan.
The Pakistan International Airlines' order has come in the backdrop of its plane crash in Karachi two years ago in which around 100 passengers, including crew members were killed.
The pilot of that plane was observing fast.
According to PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez, a safety bulletin has been issued for the cockpit crew.
"The cockpit crew has been banned from working while fasting for medical reasons. Those who do not want to skip fast are entitled to take leave," he said and added fasting cabin crew members would not be allowed to operate a flight while fasting.
Another official said there is no denying the importance of fasting, however, performing the duties on the flight while fasting can have adverse effects on health.
"Operating flight while fasting can be a threat not only to the individual but also to everyone on board," he said. -- PTI
Surinder Choudhary/Twitter
17:41 Ex-PDP leader joins BJP, accuses Mehbooba of pursuing Pak agenda
Former PDP leader Surinder Choudhary on Tuesday joined the BJP along with his supporters and accused Mehbooba Mufti of ruining the party and pursuing the Pakistani agenda.
Choudhary and his supporters were welcomed into the BJP by the party's national general secretary and in charge of Jammu and Kashmir Tarun Chugh.
Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Ravinder Raina and other prominent leaders including former deputy chief minister Kavinder Gupta and Devender Singh Rana, who left the National Conference last year.
"I have not betrayed the PDP but it was the PDP which betrayed me," Choudhary, a former MLC told reporters after joining BJP at its headquarters in Jammu.
Choudhary said he has not joined BJP for any personal benefit, or under any fear or pressure.
"I am joining the party because of its policies, love and respect and to strengthen the nation... we will work to ensure that the BJP forms the next government in Jammu and Kashmir."
Hitting out at PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, he said, "Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was a secular leader while the Mehbooba-led party has not been secular and was pursuing Pakistani agenda."
"Mehbooba Mufti speaks one thing while in power and another out of power. She has ruined the party and stands exposed before the public," Choudhary said.
Those who joined the BJP along with Choudhary included block development council chairman Bodh Raj, National Conference leaders S Gupta and Desh Roop Raina and dozens of panches and sarpanches. -- PTI
17:05 ED action an attack on Marathi manoos: Raut
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday termed Enforcement Directorate action to attach his property an attack on middle class Marathi manoos and asserted he will not be cowed by such moves and resist any act to pressurise him.
Talking to reporters in New Delhi, Raut pointed out that the ED action came on a day when the Mumbai Police formed a Special Investigation Team to probe allegations of extortion against the central agency's officers.
Last month, the Rajya Sabha MP had alleged that some ED officers were running an extortion racket. Raut said the ED's action is an act of vengeance and the agency's claim against him will fall flat.
The Shiv Sena leader also tweeted "Asatyamev Jayate' (lie has triumphed) after the action by the financial crimes probe agency.
The Rajya Sabha MP claimed he was being targeted by the BJP, a former ally of the Shiv Sena, as he did not support efforts to bring down the MVA government in Maharashtra.
The Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government also comprises the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party.
"Your (the BJP) government could not be formed because of me. Now I am not supporting you in bringing down the government. This is an attempt to pressurise me, but I will now be cowed," he added. -- PTI
16:19 Profit booking drives Sensex 259 points down; HDFC, RIL slip
A day after witnessing a sharp rally, the Indian equities markets' key indices, Sensex and Nifty, declined on Tuesday due to profit booking in HDFC and HDFC Bank that had surged by nearly 10 per cent on Monday after the announcement of a merger deal.
The 30 stock S&P BSE Sensex was trading 259.12 points or 0.43 per cent down at 60,352.62 points against its previous day's close at 60,611.74 points. Earlier, the Sensex started the day on a positive note at 60,786.07 points.
However, it slipped into red soon after opening of the trade due to profit booking in the stocks that had led the rally on Monday. The Sensex slipped to a low of 60,227.36 points in the morning trade. The Sensex had gained 1335.05 points or 2.25 per cent on Monday after HDFC and HDFC Bank announced a surprise merger deal. -- ANI
16:10 India shouldn't increase imports from Russia: US
The White House has reiterated that it is not in India's interest to "accelerate or increase" imports of Russian energy and other commodities, while offering to work with New Delhi to help it reduce its reliance on imports from Moscow.
Responding to questions on the visit of top Indian-American US advisor Daleep Singh to New Delhi last week, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters at her daily news conference on Monday that he explained both the mechanisms of the American sanctions and reiterated that any country or entity should be abiding by those.
At the same time Psaki said that reporting energy payments by India are not sanctioned and New Delhi's imports of Russian energy represent only one to two per cent of its total energy imports.
Singh, the US Deputy National Security Adviser, who played a key role in designing American sanctions against Russia, was in New Delhi last week in the backdrop of increasing disquiet among Western powers over India not criticising Russia over its attack on Ukraine.
In New Delhi, he had also cautioned that there will be consequences for countries actively attempting to "circumvent or backfill" American sanctions against Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine and said it would not like to see a "rapid" acceleration in India's import of energy and other commodities from Russia.
During her briefing on Monday, Psaki said that "certainly our expectation and our public and private message is will continue to be that every country should abide by the sanctions that we have announced and that we are implementing around the world." -- PTI
Bodies being carried out of a basement in Bucha
15:53 Want the world to see what Russia did: Zelenskyy
CNN: In Bucha, Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said there were more than 300 people killed, but that the total number of casualties will likely increase as the whole city is checked.
Zelenskyy underscored the importance of journalists documenting the aftermath in liberated Ukrainian cities.
"We provide maximum access for journalists to Bucha and other liberated cities of Ukraine. For hundreds of journalists from around the world. And we are interested in having thousands of journalists there. As many as possible! For the world to see what Russia has done," he said.
Zelenskyy cautioned that Russia will try to cover up the traces of violence committed in Bucha and other cities. Ukrainian officials showed international media the removal of five bodies from a basement in Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv recently retaken by Ukrainian forces.
A CNN team visited the basement and saw the bodies before removal. They were in advanced stage of decomposition.
15:34 Russian troops sink Dominican ship
Ukraine updates: Russian troops have hit a merchant ship under the Dominican Republic flag near Mariupol. The ship has caught fire and is sinking in the Sea of Azov, and one crew member has been injured, Ukraine's State Border Guard Service said on April 5. The crew was evacuated by the border guards.
Image: Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks to the media as he is surrounded by Ukrainian servicemen in Bucha. Pic: Marko Djurica/Reuters
Maharashtra HM Dilip Walse Patil
15:30 Maha HM warns netas making communal remarks
"Nobody should give statements that will cause communal disharmony," Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil said on Tuesday and added the police are keeping a close tab on the situation.
Walse Patil commented in response to questions about MNS chief Raj Thackeray's recent pitch for shutting down high-decibel loudspeakers on mosques.
Addressing a rally at Shivaji Park here on Saturday, Thackeray had also said if such a step was not taken, loudspeakers would be installed outside mosques to play Hanuman Chalisa at a higher volume. Thackeray's stand was endorsed by BJP functionary Mohit Kamboj who offered to fund the installation of loudspeakers in temples to play 'Hanuman Chalisa' and also demanded the removal of illegal loudspeakers from mosques.
"The home department is of the view that nobody should act in a manner that will cause a divide between communities," Walse Patil told reporters.
On the demand for registering a case against the MNS president, Walse Patil said the same will be examined and further steps will be taken accordingly.
"I had said in the Legislative Assembly that some parties are trying to create a divide between communities by making provoking speeches. This is not right for the unity and communal harmony of Maharashtra and the country," he added. PTI
Haryana CM ML Khattar
15:01 Chandigarh continues to be Haryana's capital; resolution passed
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday passed a resolution during the one-day special session of the state Vidhan Sabha and said that Haryana continues to retain its right to the Capital Territory of Chandigarh.
In the resolution, the CM has also urged the Centre to not take any steps that would "disturb the existing balance and to maintain harmony" till all the issues emanating from the reorganization of Punjab are settled.
"The recent amendment in the rules of the Bhakra Beas Management Board by the Central Government for appointment of whole-time members goes against the spirit of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, which treats the river projects as common assets of the successor States of Punjab and Haryana," the resolution read.
The resolution has also said that the Punjab Assembly's resolution to reiterate the state's claim on Chandigarh is "in defiance and contrary to directions and agreements under the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966."
"Haryana will continue to remain in Chandigarh until we get Satluj Yamuna Link Canal (SYL) water, Hindi-speaking regions, and money from the Centre for establishing a new capital," Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said.
Yesterday, Khattar said that the Chandigarh issue is not something that can be "passed unilaterally in the Assembly" adding that it should be resolved by "sitting together".
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on April 1 moved a resolution in the assembly seeking the transfer of Chandigarh to the state. -- ANI
14:57 Sharad Pawar to host dinner for MVA allies
NCP chief Sharad Pawar has invited Maharashtra's MLAs for a dinner tonight. The leaders from all the parties are in Delhi for a training program in Parliament. Congress, Shiv Sena and NCP leaders will be attending the meeting.
Pawar yesterday, put to bed all conjectures about him leading the opposition alliance, the United Progressive Alliance, currently being led by the Congress, and said that he would help bring parties together to fight the BJP in 2024 but wont lead the anti-BJP bloc.
14:53 3.93 lakh+ foreigners overstaying in India: Govt tells LS
Over 3.93 lakh foreigners were overstaying in the country till December last year, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said on Tuesday. The minister said 25,143 foreigners overstayed after expiry of visa in 2021, 40,239 foreigners overstayed in 2020 and 54,576 overstayed in 2021.
"The overall total number of overstaying foreigners (including the above), overstaying from the period prior to 2019 and up to December 31, 2021 is 3,93,431," he said in a written response to a question in the Lok Sabha.
Rai said legal action under the Foreigners Act, 1946 is also taken based on merit of each case which includes placing the names of foreigners in the 'Black List' after ensuring their deportation from India.
East Delhi Mayor Shyam Sundar Agarwal
14:44 Slaughterhouses will be shut during Navratri: East Delhi mayor
After South Delhi it's now East Delhi. East Delhi Mayor Shyam Sundar Agarwal on the closure of meat shops during Navratri: "As of now, it's an appeal. We don't consume even onion-garlic during Navratri. So, I've appealed to all meat sellers to understand Hindu sentiments and close their shops on those days. It'll promote harmony.
"But besides this, we've a rule that slaughterhouses won't function on Saptami, Ashtami and the day of Navratri. If slaughterhouses will be closed, meat will not be sold."
The South Delhi Municipal Corporation on Monday ordered officers concerned to take action for the closure of meat shops during the nine-day period of the Navaratri festival that is being observed from April 2 to April 11.
In a letter written by the Mayor of South Delhi Municipal Corporation, Mukkesh Suryaan, it read, "Keeping in view the sentiments and feelings of the general public necessary directions may be issued to the officers concerned to take necessary action for the closure of meat shops during the nine-day period of the Navaratri festival extending from April 2, 2022, to April 11, 2022."
Protestors in Colombo, Sri Lanka
14:31 India's fiscal package to SL touches $1.5 bn
The ongoing Lines of Credit (LOCs) that India has extended to crisis-hit Sri Lanka for procurement of fuel and food have currently totalled USD 1.5 billion and the consignments will further continue, India's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay told ANI on Tuesday.
India has extended a financial package to Sri Lanka, which is reeling under a financial crisis to ensure that it can meet some of the more immediate needs and help stabilise its domestic economy.
Since January this year, support from India to Sri Lanka exceeded USD 2.5 billion, the Indian envoy had said earlier.
A $500 million line of credit for fuel purchases was signed in February and since the beginning of March, four consignments totaling over 150,000 tons of jet aviation fuel, diesel and petrol have arrived in Sri Lanka, Baglay had said.
Five more consignments are to follow till May and another line of credit of USD 1 billion for food, medicine and essential items was signed last month, the envoy said.
The $1 billion line of credit to Colombo will help in keeping their food prices and fuel costs under check.
Besides, according to Bagley, the first consignment of rice from India is expected to arrive in Sri Lanka shortly under this credit facility.
14:28 HC relief for Salman Khan
In a double relief for actor Salman Khan, the Bombay High Court on Tuesday stayed till May 5 the process (summons) issued to him by a lower court in connection with the alleged misbehaviour with a journalist in 2019 while a magistrate's court exempted him from personal appearance in the same case till May 9.
A civil court had last month issued process (summons) to Salman and his bodyguard Nawaz Shaikh and directed them to appear before it on April 5.
On Tuesday, Salman's lawyers filed an application before the magistrate's court seeking exemption from appearance. The magistrate's court granted the exemption and posted the matter for hearing on May 9. Salman had approached the Bombay High Court challenging the process (summons) issued to him by the lower court. -- PTI
14:04 Prices of fruits double in Sri Lanka
Prices of fruits and vegetables rise in Sri Lanka amid economic and political crisis. A fruit vendor, Farukh says, "A few months ago, apple was sold at Rs 500/kg, now it's Rs 1000/kg. Pear was sold at Rs 700/kg earlier, now it is sold at Rs 1500/kg. People don't have money."
13:59 No, those aren't coconuts
Police recover 30 country-made bombs from the forest area in Lokpur, Birbhum district, West Bengal.
13:45 Sri Lanka's new FM resigns a day after appointment
Sri Lanka's new Finance Minister Ali Sabry on Tuesday resigned, a day after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed him after sacking his brother Basil Rajapaksa amidst the island nation's worst economic crisis.
In a letter to the President, Sabri said that he took up the job as part of a temporary measure.
"However, after much reflection and deliberation and taking into consideration the current situation, I am now of the view for Your Excellency to make suitable interim arrangement to navigate the unprecedented crisis fresh and proactive, and unconventional steps needs to be taken including the appointment of a new finance minister," Sabry said in the letter.
He was among the four new ministers appointed by President Rajapaksa on Monday.
Sri Lanka is currently experiencing its worst economic crisis in history. With long lines for fuel, cooking gas, essentials in short supply and long hours of power cuts, the public has been suffering for months. -- PTI
13:14 Shah, PC bump into each other in Parliament
If only we could read minds. That's Congress MP P Chidambaram greeting Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament. Behind Chidambaram is his party colleague and MP Gaurav Gogoi.
Chidambaram was arrested by the CBI in 2020 under Amit Shah's watch for alleged irregularities in the grant of Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance to INX Media to receive overseas funds to the tune of Rs307 crore in 2007, when he was finance minister in the United Progressive Alliance government. Chidambaram was jailed for 106 days.
13:04 Opposition voices concern over price rise in RS
Opposition members in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday voiced concern over rising prices of petroleum products and also medicines, while demanding a discussion on the issue.
Soon after the listed papers were laid on the table of the House, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said several members have given notice under Rule 267 to suspend the scheduled business to discuss price rise.
He did not accept the notices. Naidu said members spoke on the issue during the discussion on the Appropriation Bill and Finance Bill.
To this, Leader of Opposition in the House and senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said everyday the opposition requests for a discussion on rising prices of petrol, diesel, LPG, PNG and medicines. He said prices have been rising but the government was not ready to discuss it.
"If you will not give us an opportunity then where should we speak," he said. The Chairman reiterated that some of these issues were raised by members during the discussion on the Appropriation Bill and Finance Bill.
"If a section of members disturb the House what is the way out for the Chairman," he said. Kharge further said prices are rising and one such rise was effected earlier in the day.
Sukhendu Sekhar Ray (TMC) said it was true that during the Appropriation Bill and Finance Bill "some casual references" were made regarding rising prices of petroleum products. However, the opposition wants a structured discussion on the issue, he said. -- PTI
MNS chief Raj Thackeray
12:39 Raj Thackeray communal, Muslim leader of MNS quits
Charging Maharashtra Navnirman Sena with attaining a communal approach rather than a developmental one, one of its Muslim leader from Pune on Tuesday resigned from the party citing that the political stand of the party's chief Raj Thackeray has changed.
Majid Shaikh, the branch head of MNS, in his resignation letter stated: "I am resigning from the post because since the last few days, instead of focusing on issues like development, inflation, women empowerment, unemployment, the party is more focused on the communalism."
Citing that the political stand of Thackeray has changed from a development to a communal one, Shaikh further stated, "Raj saheb was an icon for me as he used to talk about the blueprint of Maharashtra and farmers issues and that is why I had joined the party in 2009. But now his political stand has changed and politics of communalism has crept in the party and that is why I have resigned." -- ANI
12:38 New Zealand reports 14,120 new community cases of Covid
New Zealand recorded 14,120 new community cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, the Ministry of Health said in a statement. Of the new community infections, 2,351 were detected in the largest city Auckland, and the rest were identified across the country, according to the ministry.
In addition, 48 new cases of COVID-19 were detected at the New Zealand border, said the ministry.
Currently, there are 692 patients being treated in New Zealand hospitals, including 30 held in intensive care units. The ministry also reported 23 more deaths from COVID-19 on Monday.
New Zealand has reported 716,151 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic in the country. New Zealand is currently at the highest Red settings under the COVID-19 Protection Framework. At the updated Red settings, indoor gatherings are limited to 200 people, and no limits are set for outdoor gatherings. -- ANI
Faisal Patel with Farooq and Omar Abdullah.
12:00 Ahmed Patel's son: Tired of waiting around
Congress loyalist Ahmed Patel's son, Faisal, tweets: "Tired of waiting around. No encouragement from the top brass. Keeping my options open."
Faisal Patel is a Harvard School alumnus and works with artificial intelligence.
His father, Ahmed Patel, was political secretary to Sonia Gandhi. He passed away in 2020.
A mass grave in Bucha
11:47 Civilians tortured killed in Sumy
Kyiv Independent: Bodies of tortured civilians found in Sumy Oblast. Sumy Oblast Governor Dmytro Zhyvytsky reported that in Konotop district of Sumy Oblast, the Ukrainian military found the bodies of at least three tortured civilians.They were found in places where Russian forces had been stationed. Russians withdrew from Sumy region on April 3.
The UP CM at the site of the attack
11:47 UP ATS team in Mumbai to probe temple attack
A team from the ATS UP has reached Mumbai to investigate the Gorakhnath Temple attack case. Yesterday, the team visited Navi Mumbai where the accused Murtaza Abbasi used to live earlier with his family. Abbasi did not meet his family members for the last 3 years.
Abbasi, an IIT graduate attacked two policemen with a sharp-edged weapon at a gate of the famed Gorakhnath temple and tried to barge into premises before being overpowered, Uttar Pradesh officials said Monday terming it a 'terror incident'.
The attack occurred on Sunday evening at the temple which is under high security as it is frequently visited by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who is the head seer.
The accused, identified as Murtaza Abbasi, was arrested and has been sent to judicial remand for two weeks, police said and alleged that he tried to forcibly enter the temple, which was teeming with devotees during the Navratri festival, after raising the religious slogan of 'Allahu Akbar'.
Videos shared on social media showed the man brandishing a large sickle and roaming around on the premises, as some took cover while others threw stones at him.
11:15 Not possible to hold polls in 3 months: Pak EC
Pakistan's election commission has expressed its inability to hold general elections within three months due to legal, constitutional and logistical challenges, according to a media report on Tuesday.
Pakistan's embattled Prime Minister Imran Khan stunned the Opposition on Sunday by recommending snap elections within three months, minutes after a no-confidence motion against him was dismissed by the deputy speaker of the National Assembly.
Khan then got Pakistan President Arif Alvi to dissolve the 342-member National Assembly.
Pakistan's Supreme Court on Monday adjourned the hearing on the deputy speaker's decision to reject the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Khan, who had lost majority in the lower house of Parliament.
According to the Dawn newspaper, a senior official of the Election Commission said due to fresh delimitation of constituencies, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where the number of seats was increased under the 26th Amendment, and bringing district-and constituency-wise electoral rolls in conformity were the major challenges, the preparations for the general elections would require some six months.
Delimitation is a time-consuming exercise where the law provides for one month's time just to invite objections, the report said quoting the official. The official said procurement of election material, arrangement for ballot papers and appointment and training of polling staff were among the other inherent challenges.
He said that under the law, ballot papers with watermark were to be used which were not available in the country and hence they would have to be imported, and revealed that the top election body had proposed to amend the law to provide for ballot papers with security features', instead of water mark', the report said.
The official said inviting bids and scrutinising financial and technical quotations would also require some time.
About the election material, he said some two million stamp pads would be required for around 100,000 polling stations.
Referring to the legal hurdles, the official said that under Section 14 of the Elections Act, the Election Commission was poised to announce an election plan four months prior to the polls. -- PTI
11:11 Ukrainian moms writing contact details on children
Anastasiia Lapatina, a journalist with the Kyiv Independent tweets, "Ukrainian mothers are writing their family contacts on the bodies of their children in case they get killed and the child survives. And Europe is still discussing gas."
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra campaigning in UP in February
11:05 Congress can't look beyond Gandhis
Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Sonia Gandhi taking charge of the Congress party. "Congress does not look outside the Gandhi family. Rahul Gandhi took charge but didn't get any seats in West Bengal. Priyanka Gandhi took charge of UP but lost deposits and won only 2 seats. Now again Sonia Gandhi has taken command of the party," he says.
11:02 BJP distorting history: Sonia at CPP meet
Update: Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday called for unity at all levels of the organisation while noting that the road ahead for the party is more challenging than ever before and the spirit of resilience of party workers is under severe test.
Addressing a meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party, she also hit out at the BJP, saying the ruling party's "divisive agenda" has become a regular feature of political discourse in all states and that history is being "mischievously distorted" to add fuel to its agenda.
"The divisive and polarising agenda of the ruling party and its leaders has now become a regular feature of the political discourse in state after state. History, not just ancient but also contemporary, is mischievously distorted and facts are maliciously invented to add fuel to this agenda.
"It is for us all to stand up and confront these forces of hate and prejudice," she said.
"We will not allow them to damage the bonds of amity and harmony that have sustained and enriched our diverse society for centuries," she told party MPs of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Accusing the ruling establishment of targeting the opposition, its leaders and workers, she said the full might of the state machinery is unleashed against them.
"Maximum governance to those in power clearly means spreading maximum fear and intimidation," she charged and added such blatant threats and tactics will neither frighten or silence us nor will we get cowed down."
The meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party, the first one being held after the party's debacle in recent assembly elections in five states, is being attended by former prime minister Manmohan Singh and former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, besides all party MPs in both houses of Parliament. The Congress has been seeking to corner the government on the issue of inflation and rise in prices of petrol, diesel and LPG gas. PTI
10:54 Covid can have long-term impacts on the brain, shows study
Researchers have found that subjects infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus displayed signs of severe brain inflammation and injury consistent with a reduction in blood or oxygen flow into the brain, neuron damage and small areas of bleeding.
Researchers at Tulane University have explained how COVID-19 affects the central nervous system of human beings.
The findings are the first comprehensive assessment of neuropathology associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection in a nonhuman primate model.
The findings of the research were published in the journal, 'Nature Communications'.
Surprisingly, these findings were present in subjects that did not experience severe respiratory disease from the virus. -- ANI
10:27 Revival of Cong essential to democracy: Sonia@CPP
Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday chaired a meeting of the parliamentary party and discussed the current political situation and the party's strategy in both houses of Parliament.
"The road ahead for the Congress is more challenging than ever before, our spirit of resilience is under severe test. Unity at all levels of organisation is of paramount importance and I am determined to do whatever is needed to ensure it.
"The revival of the Congress is not just a matter of importance to us, it is essential for our democracy and society as well," Sonia Gandhi said.
Congress Parliamentarians in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi attended the meeting in the central hall of Parliament.
Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury were also present.
This is the first meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party after the party's poll debacle in the recent assembly elections in five states.
10:15 Teenage girl writes poems on death, kills herself
A 13-year-old girl hanged herself at her residence in Nagpur in Maharashtra after writing poems and quotes on death, police said on Tuesday.
The deceased girl, a resident of Chandramani Nagar in the Ajni area, was a student of class 8, an official said.
The incident occurred at 1 pm on Monday when the girl's mother was in the bathroom while her brother was in the drawing-room of their home.
"The girl was studying in the bedroom. When her mother went to the bedroom she found her daughter's body hanging from the wooden raft with a rope," the Ajni police station official said.
Police found a notebook of the girl in her bedroom in which she had been writing poems and quotes on death in Marathi and English for the last two months. She has also written that "coronavirus should spread and that I will die".
Her family members told the police that the girl was good in studies and securing high ranks in school every year. Her behaviour was absolutely normal during her last interaction with her mother, the official said, quoting the statement of her mother. A case of accidental death was registered by the Ajni police. PTI
10:12 Sensex drops over 200 pts in early trade; Nifty tests 18,000
Equity benchmark Sensex fell over 200 points in early trade on Tuesday, tracking losses in index-heavyweights HDFC twins, Reliance and Infosys as profit booking emerged at higher valuations amid mixed global cues.
The 30-share Sensex and the broader Nifty, witnessed heavy volatility in initial deals.
The 30-share BSE barometer was trading 212.43 points or 0.35 per cent lower at 60,399.31 in opening trade.
Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty dropped 49.95 points or 0.28 per cent to 18,003.45. From the 30-share pack, HDFC Bank, HDFC, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Bajaj Finance, State Bank of India, Bajaj Finserv, Nestle India, Axis Bank, Reliance, and ICICI Banks were among the biggest laggards.
On the other hand, Tech Mahindra, Titan, HCL Tech and TCS were trading in the green. Among the Sensex pack, 17 stocks were trading with gains, while the remaining 13 scrips, including the HDFC twins, slipped into the negative territory. Both HDFC and HDFC Bank were down over 1 per cent at Rs 2,644.30 and Rs 1,634.30, respectively. -- PTI
09:56 SL prez won't quit, ready to hand over govt if...
Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Tuesday informed senior party members that he will not step down as Sri Lankan President but is ready to hand over the government to whichever party proves that it has a majority of 113 seats in Parliament.
According to Daily Mirror, Rajapaksa held political meetings on Monday even as public protests continued against shortages of essential goods and electricity power cuts.
Parliament is scheduled to convene for the first time today, since the public protests and with Speaker, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena presiding to conduct a vote to determine which party holds the absolute majority of 113 seats in the 225-member assembly.
On Sunday, 26 Sri Lankan Cabinet Ministers resigned en masse from their positions amid rising public anger against the government over the economic crisis.
President Rajapaksa invited opposition parties to join the cabinet and form a unity government to tackle the crisis.
Daily Mirror newspaper reported that with the exit of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and some government MPs threatening to sit independent, the government has lost its two-third majority. The SLPP is however, now trying to hold on to its 113 seats so that it could continue in government even with a simple majority and Mahinda Rajapaksa could continue as the Prime Minister.
If the government fails to show its numbers today then a proposal will be made to the Speaker to call for a debate to decide on the new Prime Minister and as President Rajapaksa has decided, the government will be handed over to the new party, Daily Mirror reported.
The country's government on Saturday blocked access to social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp and YouTube, but lifted the ban on Sunday afternoon after the PM's son Namal Rajapaksa spoke against it. -- ANI
09:44 Facebook, Instagram unblock hashtags to Bucha killings
Meta-owned Facebook app and Instagram on Monday unblocked hashtags for Bucha killings, outside Kyiv in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
The social media site had briefly blocked the hashtags owing to its automated system of blocking violent content.
Meta spokesman Andy Stone said automated systems that scan for violent imagery on Facebook and Instagram, which the company also owns, were responsible for blocking hashtags including #bucha and #buchamassacre.
"This happened automatically because of the graphic content people posted using these hashtags. When we were made aware of the issue yesterday, we acted quickly to unblock the hashtags," he wrote on Twitter.
The Bucha killings have drawn pledges of further sanctions against Moscow from the West. However, Russia denied to the killings and said that it was Ukrainian propaganda.
New satellite images from Maxar Technologies show the bodies of dead civilians in Bucha had been laying in the street for weeks, including when the town was under Russian control.
The New York Times first published the images on Monday.A disturbing video showing the bodies in Bucha was geolocated, authenticated and reported on by CNN on Friday. It came to light the same day Ukraine declared the town liberated from Russian troops.
In response to the footage of Bucha on Saturday, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed the video was "fake" and "staged." It said the video, photos, and allegations of war crimes were "another provocation." -- ANI
Image: Volunteers unload bags containing bodies of civilians, who according to residents were killed by Russian army soldiers, in Bucha. Zohra Bensemra/Reuters
09:35 PM attends BJP Parliamentary meet
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives for the BJP Parliamentary party meeting at Ambedkar International Centre in Delhi.
09:31 Zelenskyy to address UN Security Council on war
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will address the U.N. Security Council for the first time Tuesday at a meeting that is certain to focus on what appear to be widespread deliberate killings of civilians by Russian troops.
The dead were discovered after the withdrawal of Russian forces from a town on the outskirts of the capital, Kyiv, and have sparked global outrage and vehement denials from the Russian government that it was responsible.
The United Kingdom, which holds the council presidency this month, announced late Monday that Zelenskyy would speak at the open meeting called for Tuesday to discuss the situation in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy is to address the U.N.'s most powerful body virtually after it receives briefings from U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, his political chief Rosemary DiCarlo, and U.N. humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths, who is trying to arrange an immediate humanitarian cease-fire and met with senior Russian officials in Moscow on Monday and will shortly be heading to Ukraine.
Videos and photos of streets in the town of Bucha strewn with corpses of what appeared to be civilians, some with their hands tied behind their back, have led to global revulsion, calls for tougher sanctions on Russia and its suspension from the U.N.'s premiere human rights body, the Human Rights Council.
According to Ukraine's prosecutor-general, Iryna Venediktova, the bodies of 410 civilians have been removed from Bucha and other Kyiv-area towns that were recently retaken from Russian troops.
File pic
09:22 UK PM likely to visit India towards month end
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is planning a visit to India towards the end of this month with a focus on strengthening bilateral ties against the backdrop of the ongoing India-UK Free Trade Agreement negotiations, according to official sources.
The visit, which is expected around April 22, is long overdue after Johnson was forced to cancel planned visits to India twice last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
While Downing Street is yet to confirm any details, an in-person meeting was discussed during a phone call between Johnson and Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month.
The leaders welcomed India and the UK's strong and prosperous relationship, and agreed to continue to build on trade, security and business ties in the coming weeks and months.
They looked forward to meeting in-person at the earliest opportunity, a Downing Street spokesperson said in a readout of the call on March 22.
Last week, Downing Street sources told PTI that Johnson was very keen to visit India for talks with his Indian counterpart Modi, though firm plans are yet to be fully drawn up.
The two leaders last met in-person on the sidelines of the COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow in November last year, when their bilateral talks during the World Leaders' Summit focused on the India-UK climate partnership as well as a review of the 2030 Roadmap which they had signed during a virtual summit in May 2021. -- PTI
09:11 Encouraged by India's effort to diversify its military or defense articles: Pentagon
The United States is encouraged by Indian efforts to diversify the purchase of its military or defense articles, the Pentagon has said.
It, however, also expressed concerns over the decision of New Delhi to purchase the S-400 missile defense system from Russia.
"We have been very clear with our Indian partners about our concerns over this purchase and encouraging them, as we urge many others not to purchase Russian equipment," Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby told reporters at a news conference on Monday.
"We remain encouraged by India's continued diversification of their defense equipment over just the past decade. So, we will continue to have that conversation with India's needs," he said in response to a question.
"We have made it very clear to India about our concern on this particular purchase," he said when asked about India's decision in this regard.
In October 2018, India had signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of the S-400 air defence missile systems, despite a warning from the then Trump administration that going ahead with the contract might invite US sanctions. -- PTI
08:42 US seeks Russia's suspension from Human Rights Council
The United States is going to seek Russia's suspension from the United Nations Human Rights Council in close coordination with Ukraine, European countries and other partners at the United Nations, a top official from the Biden Administration has said.
The remarks were made by US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield at a press avail in Bucharest, Romania on Monday.
She said she is returning to New York on Tuesday to start the process.
"I am immediately returning back to New York to do two things. One -- I will take this to the Security Council tomorrow morning and address Russia's actions firmly and directly," she said.
Observing that 140 United Nations member states have already voted to condemn Russia over its unprovoked war and the humanitarian crisis it has unleashed upon the people of Ukraine, Thomas-Greenfield said Russia should not have a position of authority in that body, nor should the international community allow Russia to use their role on the Council as a tool of propaganda to suggest they have a legitimate concern about human rights.
"In fact, we see everyday, including yesterday, heartbreaking reports about how little they care about human rights. Russia's participation on the Human Rights Council is a farce. It hurts the credibility of the Council and the UN writ large. And it is simply wrong. Which is why we believe it is time for the UN General Assembly to suspend them," she asserted.
Later in an interview with NPR, the senior official said the move is more than symbolic, and it does have force because it continues what they have started, and that is to isolate Russia and to call them out for what they are doing.
"They have a narrative that what they are doing is normal. This is not normal. They will hear from the entire world that we will not continue to allow their misinformation and propaganda to be used on a UN platform," she said.
"We are continuing to look at every option we have on the table to call Russia out, to isolate Russia, to unify the world against Russia. And in fact, I think we have been extraordinarily successful in unifying the world.
"I do not think he expected that NATO would unify in the face of his extraordinary atrocities. But he is seen that he has he actually has succeeded in unifying us, something I do not think he wanted to do," Thomas-Greenfield said.
During the news conference, the US Ambassador to the United Nations said there is need to isolate Russia in the UN Security Council.
"Sitting on the Security Council, I know exactly what we can do and what we have done. We have isolated Russia on the Security Council. And while they have a veto power, they cannot veto our voices. They cannot veto the unity that we have established in the Security Council and, more broadly, in the UN General Assembly. So, they can continue to spout their propaganda, but no one believes it and no one is listening to them," she added.
08:23 Fuel prices hike for the 13th time in 15 days
Petrol and diesel prices were on Tuesday hiked by 80 paise a litre each, taking the total increase in rates in the last two weeks to Rs 9.20 per litre.
Petrol in Delhi will now cost Rs 104.61 per litre as against Rs 103.81 previously, while diesel rates have gone up from Rs 95.07 per litre to Rs 95.87, according to a price notification of state fuel retailers.
Rates have been increased across the country and vary from state to state depending upon the incidence of local taxation.
This is the 13th increase in prices since the ending of a four-and-half-month long hiatus in rate revision on March 22.
In all, petrol and diesel prices have gone up by Rs 9.20 per litre.
01:10 Lok Sabha to discuss Ukraine crisis today
Lok Sabha will discuss the issue of the Ukraine crisis on Tuesday under Rule 193.
Earlier in the Business Advisory Committee of the Lok Sabha, Speaker Om Birla had agreed to allow a discussion for a short term on the same after demand from several political parties.
Notices for Rule 193 have been given by Revolutionary Socialist Party Lok Sabha MP N K Premachandran and Congress MP Manish Tewari.
Discussion is likely to happen for two hours following which a reply will be given by Minister of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
The government is also mulling the option of asking Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia to intervene in the debate.
Scindia as Civil Aviation Minister played a key role in coordinating efforts of various airlines including private airlines to fly aircraft to bring Indians back.
While members of Parliament want to understand how the situation currently is in Ukraine and what is India's stand vis-a-vis Ukraine and Russia and also what the Indian government plans to do to accommodate the students who were brought back under Operation Ganga from war-hit Ukraine via special flights.
Operation Ganga, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership was launched on February 26.
The first evacuation flight from Bucharest reached New Delhi with 249 nationals on 27 February. Op Ganga went on till March 11.
Members also want to understand the government of India's stand with regards to Russia and Ukraine and also how it impacts geopolitical space.
Fuel prices impacted because of the crisis is what members are likely to seek response on from the govt.
Many students who were in their later years of college for medical education and see their future in a limbo with the college infrastructure completely destroyed in Ukraine.
More than 22,000 Indians, majorly students were brought back on more than 80 flights. India also rescued several others including citizens from Bangladesh & Nepal.
Four Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju, Hardeep Puri, Jyotiraditya Scindia and General V K Singh were dispatched to neighbouring countries to help coordinate evacuation efforts. -- ANI
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