LIVE: Biden says US to give Ukraine drones, anti-aircraft systems

US President Joe Biden on Wednesday said the United States was offering an additional $800 million in security assistance to Ukraine to combat Russia's invasion

9:55 AM

Bhagwant Mann to take oath as Punjab CM today

Aam Admi Party (AAP)'s Punjab face Bhagwant Mann is all set to be sworn in state's Chief Minister at 11.30 am at Khatkar Kalan, Bhagat Singh's ancestral village, in the presence of the party convenor Arvind Kejriwal and all its MLAs while the outgoing CM Charanjit Singh Channi hasn't been invited.

 

The swearing-in ceremony is slated to be an AAP exclusive event.

 

Besides Kejriwal, no other Chief Minister will be present in the oath-taking ceremony, according to AAP sources.

 

Also, no Union Minister or any big leader of the national level has been invited for the oath-taking ceremony, which will be attended only by AAP leaders and party's Punjab leaders, added the AAP sources.

 

Further, the family members and those who are close to the Chief Minister-designate have been invited to the oath-taking ceremony, besides several artists from Punjab.

9:45 AM

3 terrorists killed in Srinagar gunfight

Three terrorists have been killed in an encounter with the security forces in the Nowgam area of Central Kashmir's Srinagar district, officials said on Wednesday.

The three belong to the proscibed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), said the police.

"Two more terrorists killed (Total 03). Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition recovered. Search going on," police said.

9:31 AM

India logs 2,876 new COVID-19 infections, 98 fatalities

India logged 2,876 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 4,29,98,938, while the active cases dipped to 32,811, according to the Union health ministry data updated on Tuesday.

 

The death toll climbed to 5,16,072 with 98 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

 

The active cases comprise 0.08 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate further improved to 98.72 per cent, the ministry said.

9:24 AM

Pfizer asks FDA to clear another booster for older adults

Pfizer Inc. said it has asked U.S. regulators for clearance of an additional Covid-19 booster shot for seniors, in a bid to protect vulnerable adults as immunity provided by the first three doses wanes. 
 

The New York-based drugmaker and its German partner BioNTech SE said on Tuesday that they have sought an emergency-use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for a second booster of their vaccine, Comirnaty, for people 65 and older who have already received a booster of any of the authorized Covid-19 vaccines. 

 

9:10 AM

Cross-border terrorism by Taliban seeks to destabilise Pak democracy: Rpt

Oil prices rose early on Wednesday, bouncing back after earlier falling more than $1 a barrel, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues to dominate volatile trading with ceasefire talks the latest market trigger.

Brent futures were up 83 cents, or 0.8%, at $100.74 a barrel at 0120 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 58 cents, or 0.6%, at $97.02 a barrel. Both contracts had earlier declined more than $1, with Brent falling to $98.86 a barrel and WTI easing to $94.90 a barrel.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a video address released early on Wednesday that the positions of Ukraine and Russia at peace talks were sounding more realistic, but more time was needed.

8:42 AM

NATO fears Russia might use chemical weapons in 'false flag' attack in Ukraine

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) is concerned that Russia may use chemical weapons in a 'false flag' attack in Ukraine, the alliance's chief Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday.

He was speaking at the press conference at NATO headquarter.

Stoltenberg said, "We are concerned that Moscow could stage a false flag operation possibly including chemical weapons, in Ukraine."

8:07 AM

Moscow-Kyiv negotiations to continue today amidst "Fundamental contradictions"

The fourth round of talks between Russia and Ukraine that started on Monday will continue through Wednesday, even as a Ukrainian negotiator spoke of "fundamental differences" between the two sides.

 

"We will continue tomorrow... There are fundamental contradictions. But, of course, there is room for compromise," Volodymyr Zelenskyy's top aide Mykhailo Podolyak wrote on his Telegram channel as reported by Sputnik News Agency.

 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said earlier today that talks between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations should continue saying that it is difficult, but important as the positions of the sides sound more realistic now.

8:06 AM

COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 12-14 years to start from today

India will start vaccinating children against COVID-19 in the age group of 12-14 years from Wednesday.

 

The Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan had earlier stated that only the Corbevax vaccine would be used for the beneficiaries in the age group of 12 to 14 years.

 

Corbevax has been included as the third vaccine against COVID-19 and will be available at all centres where free vaccination is available.

8:06 AM

UK PM Boris Johnson calls on world to wean off Russian oil, gas

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson declared a mission to build an international coalition against Russia and wean off dependence on its oil and gas exports in protest against the conflict with Ukraine, as he embarked on a visit to the Gulf region on Wednesday.

Johnson is scheduled to meet with leaders in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh for talks on energy, regional security and humanitarian relief as part of what Downing Street described as the UK's efforts to galvanise global action on the crisis in Ukraine.

8:05 AM

COVID-19:New Zealand reopens its borders for tourists, other travellers

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Wednesday announced reopening of its borders for vaccinated Australians from April 12 and for travellers from May 1.

"We have now received guidance that it is safe to significantly bring forward the next stage of border reopening work, bringing back our tourists," announced Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

8:05 AM

China refuses aircraft parts deliveries to Russia

After the Russian aviation sector was hit by crippling Western sanctions for war against Ukraine, China refused to supply Russia with aircraft parts.

For the supply of aeroplane parts, Russia now plans to seek assistance from India, Turkey and other countries, reported Global Defense Corp.

Russia's air transport agency Rosaviatsiya was considering various alternatives for aircraft parts supply after China refused to supply aircraft parts amid sanctions, Russian news agency Interfax reported.

8:03 AM

US providing additional USD 186 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine

The United States is providing over USD 186 million in additional humanitarian assistance to support internally displaced persons and the more than three million refugees affected by Russia's war in Ukraine, a US State Department statement said on Tuesday (local time).

"This will provide further support for humanitarian organizations responding to the crisis and complement the generosity of the neighbouring countries that are welcoming and supporting refugees," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in the statement.

8:01 AM

IMF says sanctions against Russia to impair financial intermediation, trade in Europe

Extraordinary sanctions imposed against Moscow over the Ukraine crisis will weaken financial intermediation and trade and will surely lead to the recession, International Monetary Fund (IMF) officials said in a blog published on Tuesday.

"The toll is already immense in Ukraine. Unprecedented sanctions on Russia will impair financial intermediation and trade, inevitably causing a deep recession there," the article, written by Alfred Kammer, Jihad Azour, Abebe Aemro Selassie, Ilan Goldfajn and Changyong Rhee, said. "The ruble's depreciation is fueling inflation, further diminishing living standards for the population."

7:57 AM

India acts to seize gap in wheat export market left by Ukraine war

India is rolling out ambitious measures over the coming weeks to try to establish the country a dominant exporter of high-quality wheat as importers scramble for supplies following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, two government sources said.

The measures, which should be implemented over the course of around two weeks, include ensuring government-approved laboratories test the quality of wheat for export, making extra rail wagons available for transport and working with port authorities to give priority to wheat exports.

India, the world's biggest wheat producer after China, has been pursuing deals to export wheat and take advantage of surplus stocks at home and a sharp rise in global prices.

7:57 AM

Ukraine says Russia has softened its stance

A senior aide to Ukraine's president says that Russia has softened its stance in the talks over a possible settlement.

Ihor Zhovkva, a deputy chief of staff to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said Tuesday that the talks between Russian and Ukrainian representatives have become more constructive and Russia has changed tone and stopped airing demands for Ukraine to surrender - something Russia had insisted upon during earlier stages of talks.