Live: Russia may try to split country, says Ukraine intelligence

Live news updates: India will resume scheduled international flights from Sunday; Joe Biden meets Ukraine ministers and Polish president.

8:00 PM

Jaishankar formally hands over Coastal Radar System to Maldives

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday formally handed over the Coastal Radar System to the Maldives Chief of Defence Force Maj Gen Abdulla Shamaal as he described it as a fine example of India's SAGAR and Neighbourhood First policies.

The Coastal Radar System, which is already operational and comprises 10 radar stations, will contribute in enhancing maritime security for the Maldives and for the entire region.

"Handed over the expanded Coastal Radar System in Maldives to Chief of Defence Force, @CDFofMNDF. Product of MEA-Navy partnership for regional security. A fine example of our SAGAR and Neighbourhood First policies. A strong statement of our Special Partnership," Jaishankar tweeted.

SAGAR or Security and Growth for all in the Region is aimed at cooperative measures for sustainable use of the oceans in the region.

The Maldives is one of India's key maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean region and the bilateral defence and security ties have been on an upward trajectory in the last few years.

7:01 PM

Jaishankar to reach Lanka on Monday for bilateral talks; BIMSTEC summit

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will arrive here on Monday to hold bilateral talks with Sri Lanka's top leadership and attend the seven-nation BIMSTEC summit, officials here said on Sunday.

This will be his first visit to the island nation since India extended an economic relief package to bail Sri Lanka out of the current economic crisis.

Although Jaishankar's visit is primarily for the BIMSTEC engagements, the officials said that he would be taking part in all important bilateral talks with the Sri Lankan leaders.

Besides India and Sri Lanka, the BIMSTEC comprises Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan.

The summit is being hosted by Sri Lanka in its capacity as the chair of the grouping BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the virtual summit of the BIMSTEC grouping on March 30, which is expected to focus on expanding economic engagement among its member countries.

6:50 PM

Maha sees 140 Covid-19 cases, one fatality; active tally at 926

Maharashtra reported 140 fresh COVID-19 cases on Sunday, taking the tally to 78,73,509, while the toll increased by one to reach 1,47,780, a health department official said.

The lone COVID-19 fatality in the state was reported from Mumbai.

So far, 77,24,803 people have been discharged post recovery, including 106 during the day, leaving the state with an active caseload of 926, he said.

Maharashtra health department data showed the fatality rate is 1.87 per cent and the recovery rate stands at 98.11 per cent.

As per the data, the overall number of coronavirus tests in Maharashtra reached 7,92,49,720 after 40,759 samples were examined in the last 24 hours.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region, which covers the metropolis, Thane, Navi Mumbai and other neighbouring areas, reported 49 new cases on Sunday, while the figure was 42 in Pune cirle comprising Pune, Satara and Solapur districts.

Coronavirus figures of Maharashtra are as follows: Positive cases 78,73,509; fresh cases 140; death toll 1,47,780; recoveries 77,24,803; active cases 926; total tests 7,92,49,720.

6:49 PM

US bars rename Moscow Mule cocktail to show support to Ukraine

Spiced fuzzy coconut Moscow Mule cocktail, served in a chilly copper mug, has completely vanished from bars across the US, as an attempt to raise awareness and show solidarity against the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Numerous countries, including the US, have launched sanctions against Russia for the invasion of Ukraine. This was followed by local and state boycotts on one of Russia's most iconic exports - vodka.

Across US liquor stores and bars have removed bottles of Russian vodka from their shelves and changed the name of this popular classic cocktail Moscow Mule and called it by various names like Kyiv Mule, Snake Island Mule, American Stallion, Freedom Mule or Texas Mule.

The Russian vodka has been replaced by local brands like Texas made Tito's handmade vodka, Indiana made Fuzzy's vodka. The stores are also promoting Ukrainian vodka more prominently.

Several State Governors, including Texas' Greg Abbot, soon after the invasion, issued an executive order requesting retailers to voluntarily remove all Russian products as a protest against Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

Menu items and product lines have had references to the Russian capital scrubbed away and have subsequently been replaced with the names of Ukrainian cities, patriotic terms and calls for peace throughout the US.

 

6:39 PM

BJP ally IPFT to discuss possibility of merging or allying with TIPRA Motha

The Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), an ally of the ruling BJP in the North-eastern state, on Sunday said it would discuss the possibility of merging or allying with the Tripura Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA Motha) before the assembly elections due early next year.

The TIPRA Motha, headed by royal scion Pradyot Kishore Debbarma, seeks a separate state for the indigenous people of Tripura.

Our conference to form a new executive committee will be held on April 2 and 3. There we would discuss whether the IPFT should merge or forge an alliance with TIPRA Motha as both parties demand a separate state, IPFT spokesperson and assistant general secretary Mangal Debbarma told PTI.

TIPRA Motha chief Pradyot Kishore Debbarma has several times called upon all tribal-based parties of the state to unite to fulfil the Greater Tipraland demand.

The TIPRA Motha, formed early last year, swept the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections held in April 2021, winning 18 of the 28 seats over the 'Greater Tipraland' demand in a direct contest with the ruling BJP-IPFT alliance.

6:33 PM

Ukraine intelligence: Russia may try to split country

Ukraine's military intelligence chief says that Russia could try to break Ukraine in two.

Kyrylo Budanov said in remarks released by the Defense Ministry on Sunday that Russian President Vladimir Putin has realised he can't swallow the entire country and would likely try to split the country under the Korean scenario.

That's a reference to the decades-old division between North and South Korea.

Budanov said that the occupiers will try to pull the occupied territories into a single quasi-state structure and pit it against independent Ukraine.

He pointed to Russian attempts to set up parallel government structures in occupied cities and to bar people from using the Ukrainian currency, the hryvnia.

Budanov predicted that Ukrainian resistance will grow into a total guerrilla warfare, derailing Russia's attempts.

6:31 PM

Dhami welcomes extension of Centre's free foodgrain scheme

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has welcomed the Centre's decision to extend its free foodgrain programme by six months, saying the poor will benefit immensely from it.

In a statement on Saturday, he also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the decision.

The Centre on Saturday extended the 'Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY)' by six months till September 30 at a cost of Rs 80,000 crore. The scheme has been extended several times and its Phase-V was to end in March 2022.

Under the scheme, which was launched in March 2020 when India went into a stringent lockdown, 5 kg of foodgrains are provided free of cost to over 80 crore beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act.

Dhami said the decision "reflects the Centre's concern for the poor and its sensitivity to the problems faced by them".

Launched exclusively for the poor during the peak of the coronavirus crisis, it is one of the biggest food security schemes in the world, he said.

6:20 PM

Indian PC market faces new disruption wave due to China lockdowns

As China takes a strong stance on its Zero-Covid policy, implementing lockdowns in major manufacturing hubs across the country, supply disruptions in the PC market will occur and India is again expected to get the short end of the stick, according to a new report.

India's PC market grew 45 per cent in 2021, with shipments of desktops, notebooks and tablets reaching 18.6 million units.

"While 2021 saw a huge jump in shipments, the same is not expected of 2022 in India, according to market research firm Canalys.

"We will see major corrections, especially in the consumer market, affecting notebooks and tablets," said Jash Shah, research analyst.

But there will be stronger demand from SMBs and enterprise customers, as the number of Covid-19 cases falls, vaccination rates surge, and businesses and schools return to normal.

"Key themes will remain local production of PCs, important from a government orders fulfilment perspective, and commercial upgrades, which will be spurred by the return to offices and new policies around hybrid working," Shah elaborated.

The threat, however, lies not in local demand, but in global supply.

"While this seems like a great year on paper, it is important to consider 2021 not just as a standalone year but in relation to 2020," said Shah.

When the pandemic hit in 2020 and PC supplies were squeezed, vendors naturally prioritised western markets, such as the US and Western Europe, leaving markets like India with a reduced supply.

6:00 PM

Shah opens Integrated Command and Control Centre in Chandigarh

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday inaugurated several projects, including the state-of-the-art Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC), in the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana.

Accompanying Punjab Governor Banwarlilal Purohit, Shah also laid foundation stones of a hostel block of commerce college, a project for constructing 240 houses for police personnel and a bus depot-cum-workshop.

As per the ICCC project, more than 2,000 CCTV cameras have been installed in the city to keep an eye on traffic violations.

The ICCC is also integrated with major citizen-specific services, including water, electricity, sewage, solid waste management, transport, e-mail governance, parking and public-bike sharing for an effective monitoring of services and data analysis.

It is expected that after the inauguration of the centre, issuing challan to vehicles through these hi-tech cameras will start shortly.

The other projects which the Union Minister inaugurated included a new office building of Chandigarh Housing Board, two government schools and an urban park.

5:58 PM

Chinese FM Wang calls on Nepal President Bhandari over bilateral ties

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday called on Nepal's President Bidya Devi Bhandari and discussed various matters of bilateral relations.

Wang, who holds the rank of a State Councillor - a high ranking position in the executive organ of the Chinese government, also held separate meetings with two former prime ministers - Chairman of CPN-UML K P Sharma Oli and Chairman of CPN (Maoist Center) Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', My Republica newspaper reported.

In his talks with President Bhandari, various matters of Nepal-China relations were discussed on the occasion, the paper said.

During the meeting, various aspects of bilateral ties and cooperation were discussed, officials at the President's Office were quoted as saying by The Kathmandu Post newspaper.

It was a courtesy meeting. Foreign Minister Wang Yi apprised the President of the agreements signed between Nepal and China, said Tika Dhakal, a communication expert of the President.

 

5:46 PM

West needs more courage in helping Ukraine fight, says Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the West of lacking courage as his country fights to stave off Russia's invasion, making an exasperated plea for fighter jets and tanks to sustain a defense in a conflict that has ground into a war of attrition.

Speaking after US President Joe Biden met with senior Ukrainian officials in Poland on Saturday, Zelenskyy lashed out at the West's ping-pong about who and how should hand over jets and other defensive weapons to us while Russian missile attacks kill and trap civilians.

I've talked to the defenders of Mariupol today. I'm in constant contact with them. Their determination, heroism and firmness are astonishing," Zelenskyy said in a video address early Sunday, referring to the besieged southern city that has suffered some of the war's greatest deprivations and horrors. "If only those who have been thinking for 31 days on how to hand over dozens of jets and tanks had 1% of their courage.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine, now in its 32nd day, has stalled in many areas, its aim to quickly encircle the capital, Kyiv, and force its surrender faltering in the face of staunch Ukrainian resistance bolstered by weapons from the U.S. and other Western allies.

5:40 PM

Commuter satisfaction survey to begin from Monday: Delhi Metro

Starting Monday, commuters of the Delhi Metro can participate in an online survey conducted by a global transport body across various parameters, including availability, accessibility and security, officials said on Sunday.

The Transport Strategy Centre (TSC), London, which manages the CoMET (Community of Metros), will be conducting the 'Ninth Online Customer Satisfaction Survey' from March 28 to May 1, they said.

"The main objective of the survey is to know what the commuters think about various aspects of metro operations, and can give feedback or suggestions on improving the quality of service," the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said in a statement.

Commuters who wish to participate in the survey can visit DMRC's official website and submit it online by clicking the relevant links.

The survey form will be available in both English and Hindi, it said.

5:38 PM

DRDO successfully flight-tests Army's surface to air missile

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted two successful flight tests of the Indian Army's version of the Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM) on Sunday.

The tests, conducted at the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, off the coast of Odisha, were carried out as part of the live firing trials against high-speed aerial targets.

The first test was to intercept a medium-altitude, long-range target and the second against a low-altitude, short-range target. The missiles intercepted the targets and destroyed them completely, registering direct hits at both ranges.

Developed jointly by DRDO and the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), for use by the Indian Army, the MRSAM Army weapon system comprises multi-function radar, mobile launcher system, and other vehicles.

The flight tests were carried out with the weapon system in deliverable configuration.

The performance of the weapon system was validated through the flight data captured by range instruments like radars, electro-optical tracking systems and telemetry deployed by ITR, Chandipur.

Senior officials from the DRDO and the Indian Army were present at the test site.

 

5:36 PM

Congress demands Article 355 in W Bengal over law and order

West Bengal PCC president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Sunday demanded imposition of Article 355 in the state alleging collapse of law and order under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's rule.

Chowdhury was leading a padayatra' from Kadamtala in Howrah to Esplanade area in the heart of the city demanding an impartial and fair investigation into the mysterious death of student leader Anis Khan in February.

"One after another incident is taking place in West Bengal. Student leader Anis Khan was pushed down from the third floor of his house and a state-managed probe is taking place shielding the real conspirators.

Then this barbaric incident at Rampurhat in Birbhum district where eight people, including women and children, were burnt to death. Our councillor in Jhalda Municipality Tapan Kandu was killed from point-blank range but there has not been any proper investigation. All these incidents point towards the virtual collapse of law and order in the state and the complicity of ruling TMC," the Baharampur MP claimed.

Under these circumstances, the grand old party was in favour of promulgation of Article 355 in West Bengal where the ruling party Trinamool Congress and 'Police Mantri' (the Minister looking after law and order) Mamata Banerjee have miserably failed to control the situation, Chowdhury, also Congress leader in the Lok Sabha, told reporters.

Article 355 of the Constitution deals with an emergency provision by which the Centre can intervene and protect a state against external aggression or internal disturbance.

 

5:05 PM

After Covid, 19% spike in TB cases returns to haunt India

While the world is still reeling with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, India's fight against tuberculosis (TB) has encountered setbacks after decades of gains.

Despite the brief decline in TB notifications observed around the months corresponding to India's two major Covid-19 waves, the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) has reported a rise in these numbers.

There was a 19 per cent increase in 2021 from the previous year in TB patients' notification. The total number of TB patients (new and relapse) notified during 2021 were 19,33,381, against 16,28,161 in 2020.

In India, childhood tuberculosis remains a staggering problem, contributing to approximately 31 per cent of the global burden. Over the last decade, consistently, children constitute 6-7 per cent of all the patients treated under NTEP annually, pointing to a gap of 4-5 per cent in total notification against the estimated incidence.

The National TB Prevalence survey in India was conducted from 2019 to 2021 to know the actual disease burden of TB at a national level. The survey, conducted after a gap of 60 years from the first national survey in 1955-58, estimated the point prevalence of microbiologically confirmed pulmonary TB among persons aged 15 and above at the national level and for 20 individual states and state groups.

It has revealed that the prevalence of microbiologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis in those 15 years and above age in India is 316 per 100,000 population - with the highest prevalence of 534 per lakh in Delhi, and the lowest 115 per lakh in Kerala, while the prevalence of all forms of tuberculosis among all age groups in India is 312 per 100,000 population.