Live: Putin says peace talks with Ukraine are at dead end, goads West

Putin says Kyiv had derailed peace talks by staging what he said were fake claims of Russian war crimes

Live news updates: President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday peace talks with Ukraine had hit a dead end, using his first public comments on the conflict in more than a week to vow that his troops would win and to goad the West for failing to bring Moscow to heel.

Addressing the war in public for the first time since Russian forces retreated from northern Ukraine after they were halted at the gates of Kyiv, Putin promised that Russia would achieve all of its "noble" aims in Ukraine.

In the strongest signal to date that the war will grind on for longer, Putin said Kyiv had derailed peace talks by staging what he said were fake claims of Russian war crimes and by demanding security guarantees to cover the whole of Ukraine

10:15 PM

Egypt to accept offers from Russia, Ukraine in wheat tender

Egypt's state grains buyer will accept offers from Russia and Ukraine in its international wheat purchasing tender this week despite supply disruptions, according to the state buyer's tender book seen by Reuters. It set a limited tender on Monday to buy an unspecified amount of wheat from European import origins included in its tender book only.

9:12 PM

Johnson, finance minister to be fined over lockdown parties

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his finance minister Rishi Sunak are to receive fines for breaching strict coronavirus lockdown rules, the government said on Tuesday, prompting calls for them both to resign. Police have been investigating 12 gatherings at Johnson's Downing Street office and the Cabinet Office after a damning internal inquiry found his staff had enjoyed alcohol-fuelled parties that should not have been allowed. 

5:38 PM

Serum Institute asks govt to reduce vaccine shots gap

Vaccine major Serum Institute of India (SII) has appealed to the government to reduce the gap between the second and booster dose to six months from nine months at present to safeguard people against emerging COVID variants, according to its CEO Adar Poonawalla. Recalling that they could not meet the commitment of exporting vaccines in the first quarter of 2021 due to "so much noise from public and the opposition", Poonawalla on Tuesday also pitched for a global pact for vaccine utilization.

4:26 PM

Centre wants uniformity in state cooperative laws: Amit Shah

The central government will not interfere in state cooperatives, but wants bring uniformity in state laws, says Union Minister Amit Shah.

3:55 PM

Pakistan wants to settle issues with India peacefully, says Shehbaz Sharif

Shehbaz Sharif thanks Narendra Modi for congratulating him on becoming Pakistan’s new Prime Minister. Peaceful settlement of outstanding disputes, including Jammu and Kashmir, is indispensable, says Shehbaz Sharif.

3:25 PM

India, US ask Taliban to abide by the UNSC resolution

India and the US have called on the Taliban leadership to abide by the UNSC resolution which demands that Afghanistan's territory must never again be used to threaten or attack any country or to plan or finance terrorist attacks. In a joint statement issued after the fourth India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, the two countries' ministers urged the Taliban to respect the human rights of all Afghans, including women, children and members of minority groups; and to uphold freedom of travel.

2:34 PM

Have urged the govt to reduce the gap between 2nd and 3rd dose to 6 months: Poonawala

The (vaccine inoculation) uptick right now is a bit slow...because we have got this rule that you have to wait for 9 months between dose 2 and 3. We have appealed to the govt on how to reduce this further to 6 months, will propose the 6-month gap:  Adar Poonawalla, CEO, SII

 

2:08 PM

S. Korea's new Covid-19 cases bounce back to more than 200,000

South Korea's new coronavirus cases bounced back to more than 200,000 on Tuesday after falling to the lowest level in seven weeks amid the government's efforts to return to normalcy.

The country reported 210,755 new Covid-19 infections, including 33 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 15,635,274, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.

The public health agency reported 171 new Covid-19 deaths on Tuesday, raising the death toll to 19,850.

1:47 PM

Made-in-India Dornier plane takes off for first commercial flight

Alliance Air's made-in-India Dornier 228 aircraft was deployed for its first commercial flight on the Dibrugarh-Pasighat route on Tuesday with Union ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia and Kiren Rijiju on board.

Accompanied by senior government officers, Scindia and Rijiju boarded the flight at the Mohanpur airport in Asssam's Dibrugarh for Pasighat in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh.

The state-run Alliance Air became the country's first commercial airline to fly an Indian-made aircraft for civil operations. Till now, Dornier 228 planes were used by the armed forces only.

1:40 PM

Jharkhand HC takes suo motu cognizance of Deoghar ropeway incident

Jharkhand High Court has taken suo motu cognizance of Deoghar ropeway incident, orders inquiry in the matter. The court will hear the matter on April 26. Before that,  the state has to file a detailed inquiry report through an affidavit.

1:31 PM

Unrest at JNU

Union Ministry of Education seeks report from JNU over unrest in the university campus on the occasion of Ram Navami.

1:29 PM

Zelensky seeks to address AU on Russia's invasion

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has reached out to the African Union (AU) for support against Russia's aggression and requested to address the continental organisation.

Zelensky called Senegalese President Macky Sall on Monday and their conversation touched on an AU statement in February that called for an immediate ceasefire and a return to negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.

African nations have showed disunity in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Xinhua news agency reported.

 

1:28 PM

BJP sweeps UP Council polls, SP draws a blank

The BJP scored a massive victory in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council polls on Tuesday by winning 33 of the 36 seats where voting were held through local bodies.

The Samajwadi Party suffered a humiliating defeat and could not win even a single seat.

Three seats were won by independent candidates.

The Jansatta Dal, floated by Raghuraj Pratap Singh a.k.a. Raja Bhaiyya, retained the Pratapgarh seat where Akshay Pratap Singh Gopalji was the candidate.

Vikrant Singh Rishu, son of expelled BJP MLC Yashwant Singh, won the Azamgarh seat.

 

1:28 PM

Union Home Minister Amit Shah at 'Amrit Samagam'

If people take small resolutions, then this country with a population of 130 Cr people can make nation more powerful & great.Our new generation should become aware of freedom struggle, heroes of freedom movement should be celebrated. Don't know who will be running govt in Centre after 25 years but nation will be there & nation should move ahead, we should work together for 'Sankalp Yatra' irrespective of party politics: Union HM Amit Shah at 'Amrit Samagam' in Delhi

 

1:27 PM

Keeping close watch on Covid situation in Delhi, no need to panic, says Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said his government is keeping a close watch on the Covid situation in the capital and there is no major reason to panic at present.

He said all necessary steps will be taken if the need arises.

Delhi reported a positivity rate of 2.70 per cent on Monday, the highest in the last two months, triggering concerns about the resurgence of Covid in the capital.