Latest LIVE: Russia launches huge wave of missile strikes across Ukraine

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Russia launched a huge wave of missile strikes across Ukraine while people slept on Thursday, killing at least six civilians, knocking out electricity and forcing a nuclear power plant off the grid. The first big volley of missile strikes since mid-February shattered the longest period of comparative calm since Moscow began a campaign to attack Ukraine's civil infrastructure five months ago. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said infrastructure and residential buildings in 10 regions had been hit. "The occupiers can only terrorise civilians. That's all they can do. But it won't help them. They won't avoid responsibility for everything they have done," Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a statement.

Fresh trouble brews for APP's Manish Sisodia as the Enforcement Directorate has arrested him in Delhi liqour policy case. Sisodia was already in jail. The 51-year-old was placed under arrest under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) following his second round of questioning at the Tihar jail, they said. Sisodia is currently lodged in judicial custody after the CBI arrested him on February 26 in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi liquor or excise policy for 2021-22.

Nepal elects Ram Chandra Poudel of the Nepali Congress as new President.

AAP MLAs Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj took oath as Delhi Ministers today.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Thursday began the second round of questioning of former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia at the Tihar Jail here in connection with its money laundering probe into alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy, officials said. The federal probe agency had recorded the statement of the 51-year-old Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader for the first time on March 7 for about five hours.

Bollywood actor and director Satish Chandra Kaushik passed away, Anupam kher informs in a tweet. He was 67. "Actor Satish Kaushik passes away, "Actor Anupam Kher tweets along with a picture of both actors.

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Minister Jagdeeshwar Reddy on Wednesday slammed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party govt for targeting party MLC K Kavitha after she was summoned by ED on March 11 in Delhi liquor policy case.

Congress workers staged a protest outside a State Bank of India (SBI) branch in Pune city on Wednesday and demanded that Adani group's financial affairs be probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and also a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).

US President Joe Biden on Wednesday lambasted Republicans and said that they should be ashamed of supporting an effort by Fox News to play down the seriousness of the January 6, 2021 assault on Congress by a mob of Donald Trump supporters.

"More than 140 officers were injured on Jan 6. I've said before: How dare anyone diminish or deny the hell they went through?" Biden tweeted.

9:18 PM

With grass in their mouths Pulwama widows seek justice from Rajasthan govt

9:15 PM

Australian PM Anthony Albanese meets Mumbai's dabbawalas, see pics

9:10 PM

CAQM rolls back preventive actions under Stage 1 of GRAP in Delhi-NCR

The Commission for Air Quality Management on Thursday rolled back preventive and restrictive actions under Stage I of the Graded Response Action Plan, which have been in force since October 5 last year, amid a forecast of continuous improvement in Delhi's air quality in the coming days, the PTI reported.

 

7:00 PM

Air India Express has zero tolerance for such behaviour: AI Express spokesperson on cabin crew gold sumggling

6:48 PM

India is our top-tier security partner, says Australian PM Anthony Albanese

5:23 PM

Indian Army installs a 100-ft high national flag at Doda, Jammu & Kashmir

4:37 PM

Atishi gets Education, PWD, Power, Tourism; Bharadwaj gets Health, Water and Industries, Urban Development

3:39 PM

Meghalaya CM congratulates newly elected assembly speaker Thomas A Sangma

Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma congratulates newly elected assembly speaker Thomas A Sangma 

3:28 PM

Satellite photos suggest Israel airstrike on Syria airport

A suspected Israeli airstrike targeting Aleppo International Airport in Syria again tore multiple craters on its runway, satellite images analysed by The Associated Press showed Thursday. A United Nations official separately has criticised the attack for hindering earthquake relief for the hard-hit, war-torn nation.

 

The attack on Aleppo airport comes as Israel previously struck the airfield as part of an Israeli campaign to disrupt Iranian weapons transfers to the country. Those attacks have continued despite ongoing political turmoil in Israel and as Iran's nuclear program edges closer to enriching weapons-grade levels of uranium as negotiations over it have fallen apart.

 

2:57 PM

Maharashtra: Devendra Fadnavis presents Shinde govt's maiden Budget in Assembly

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the state Finance Minister, on Thursday presented the Eknath Shinde-led government's first budget for the year 2023-24 in the state Assembly.

Fadnavis started reading out the budgetary allocations in the Lower House of the state legislature at 2 pm. He read out the budgetary provisions from an iPad instead of a conventional paper document.

This is for the first time that Fadnavis presented the state budget as he holds the finance portfolio. During Fadnavis's tenure as the chief minister between 2014-19, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sudhir Mungantiwar was the finance minister.

2:49 PM

Ind vs Aus 4th Test: Australia reaches 149/2 at tea against India

Australia reached 149 for two at tea against India on the opening day of the series-deciding fourth Test here on Thursday.

Usman Khawaja and skipper Steve Smith were batting on 65 and 38, respectively, at the tea break.

Earlier, Smith won the toss and opted to bat first.

2:27 PM

PM Modi condoles death of veteran actor and director Satish Kaushik

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of veteran actor and director Satish Kaushik, who passed away early Thursday.

In a tweet, Modi said, "Pained by the untimely demise of noted film personality Shri Satish Kaushik Ji. He was a creative genius who won hearts thanks to his wonderful acting and direction. His works will continue to entertain audiences. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti."

Kaushik passed away at around 1 a.m in the national capital, after he suffered a massive heart attack. He was 66.

2:07 PM

Two-thirds of Afghan people will need humanitarian aid, says UN envoy

Roza Otunbayeva, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan, said that 28 million people, accounting for two-thirds of the war-torn nation's population, will need life-saving humanitarian assistance this year.

The humanitarian need will cost $4.62 billion, the single-largest country appeal ever, Otunbayeva told a Security Council meeting.

Almost half of the Afghan population -- 20 million people -- are experiencing crisis levels of food insecurity, she said, adding that 6 million people are one step away from famine-like conditions.

1:46 PM

India must prepare to curb volatility risks of international rupee: RBI deputy gov

India needs to gear up to manage the inevitable volatility that will emerge in the foreign exchange market as the country progresses further towards internationalisation of the rupee, a deputy governor at the Reserve Bank of India said recently.

An international currency is one that is freely available to non-residents, essentially to settle cross-border transactions, and in the case of the rupee, this will be achieved by promoting the currency for import and export, without any limits.

But, that will make the rupee more reactive to global events and that would increase outflows, increasing volatility.

1:33 PM

President Murmu on day-long visit to Amritsar, pays obeisance at Golden Temple

President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday paid obeisance at the Golden Temple here.

Tight security arrangements have been made in the city for the president's day-long visit.

Accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee chief Harjinder Singh Dhami, the president paid obeisance at the Temple and listened to 'kirtan'.