LIVE: Civilian killings in Bucha deeply disturbing, says India at UN

India reiterates its call for immediate cessation of violence and end to hostilities, says India's Ambassador to UN on Ukraine conflict

4:35 PM

Kinross Gold to sell Russian assets for $680 mn

Canada's Kinross Gold Corp said on Tuesday it had signed a deal to sell all of its Russian assets to Highland Gold Mining group of companies and its affiliates for a total of $680 million in cash.

 

4:29 PM

PM Modi will address BJP workers, ministers, MPs, MLAs on foundation day: BJP national general secretary

4:25 PM

Traders ask Ukraine government to cancel wheat export curbs

Ukraine's traders union UGA has asked the government to cancel wheat export curbs as stocks are very high and the shipments would not affect Ukrainian food security, the union said on Tuesday.

 

In March, Ukraine introduced export licences for wheat, corn and sunflower oil. Two weeks later, the government cancelled export restrictions on corn and sunoil.

 

Ukraine is among the world's leading producers and exporters of grain and the top exporter of sunflower oil.

Ukraine, which harvested 33 million tonnes of wheat in 2021, had planned to export 25.3 million tonnes in the 2021/22 July-June season.

4:25 PM

Upcoming census will be digital for first time and people will have option of self enumeration: Govt in LS

4:16 PM

France pushing for energy sanctions against Russia

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Tuesday that there is a total determination from all 27 European Union countries for sanctions against Russia that could target oil and coal over evidence its troops deliberately killed Ukrainian civilians.

 

Europe's dependence on Russian oil, gas and coal means finding unanimity on energy measures is a tall order, but the reports of the killings outside Kyiv have increased pressure for tougher EU sanctions.

 

So far, Europe has not been willing to target Russian energy over fears that it would plunge the European economy into recession.

 

In some ways, it would be easier for Europe to go without Russian oil than gas because most supplies come by tanker and could be purchased from other suppliers.

 

But talk of a possible boycott of Russian oil has helped push up global oil prices this week.

 

3:36 PM

ED attaches 8 land parcels in Alibaug, Mumbai flat linked to Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut in PMLA probe

3:30 PM

EU president Ursula von der Leyen to travel to Kyiv to meet Ukrainian President Zelenskyy this week: Report

3:19 PM

Ukraine says civilian ship sinking in Mariupol

Ukraine says a civilian ship is sinking in the port of the besieged city of Mariupol after Russian forces fired on it.

 

The Ukrainian Interior Ministry said in a statement Tuesday that the ship was struck during shelling from the sea by Russia, causing a fire in the engine room. The crew was rescued, including one injured crew member, it added.

 

The ministry said the ship was flying the flag of the Dominican Republic and posted a picture of a cargo vessel. It didn't specify how many people were on board or the nationalities of the crew members.

 

Russian forces have been bombarding Mariupol for weeks as they try to tighten control over Ukraine's southeastern coastline.

 

3:15 PM

Pakistan's top court resumes hearing on PM Khan's bid to stay on

Pakistan's top court resumed deliberations on Tuesday about the legality of Prime Minister Imran Khan's attempt to block an opposition bid to oust him, a dispute that has led to political turmoil in the nuclear-armed country.

 

Former cricket star Khan lost his parliamentary majority last week and had been facing a no-confidence vote tabled by a united opposition that he was expected to lose on Sunday.

 

But the deputy speaker of parliament, a member of Khan's party, threw out the motion, ruling it was part of a foreign conspiracy and unconstitutional. Khan then dissolved parliament.

 

The stand-off has thrown the country of 220 million people, ruled by the military ruled for extended periods since independence in 1947, into a full-blown constitutional crisis.

3:14 PM

Ukraine opens corridors out of Mariupol

Seven humanitarian corridors will be opened on Tuesday, including from the besieged port city of Mariupol and the Russian-controlled Berdyansk, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said.

 

According to Vereshchuk's post on messaging app Telegram, residents of Mariupol and Berdyansk will be able to leave to Zaporizhzhia on their own transport.

 

Corridors will also be open from the city of Tokmak in the Zaporizhzhia region and cities of Severodonetsk, Lysychansk, Popasna and Hirske in the Luhansk region.

 

Vereshchuk said the Russian troops “don't allow anyone to enter Mariupol”, and that the Russians “blocked the representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross” in the settlement of Manhush just west of Mariupol.

3:09 PM

India blocks 22 YouTube channels

3:00 PM

Imran's wife's friend Farah flees Pakistan, financier Asleem Khan says she has taken PM's slush money abroad

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan came under a scathing attack from his biggest financier and erstwhile friend Aleem Khan who has now turned an equally strong foe.

 

Addressing a packed press conference on Monday, Aleem said Imran Khan 'is a liar and hypocrite who has been adamant to destroy Pakistan'.

 

Challenging Imran Khan to a live TV debate, Aleem said, 'Mr Imran Khan, who the hell are you to call others traitors? I will show your messages to me to the whole world and I will expose your fraud in the name of Naya Pakistan. You destroyed PTI's image for Buzdar, you allowed loot maar'.

 

He also accused Imran Khan's third wife Bushra Begum and her close friend Farah, who left the country on Sunday.

3:00 PM

EU Commission chief to visit Kyiv this week

Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Union's executive Commission, will travel to Kyiv this week to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Her spokesman, Eric Mamer, said Tuesday that her trip will come to ahead of a special pledging meeting in Warsaw over the weekend.

It is the second high-level such trip from EU officials.

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola went to Ukraine last week.

2:55 PM

SC to hear PIL challenging electoral bond scheme

The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to list for hearing a PIL challenging laws permitting funding of political parties through the electoral bond scheme.

 

A bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli took note of the submissions of lawyer Prashant Bhushan, appearing for PIL petitioner NGO, 'Association for Democratic Reforms', that the issue was critical and needed an urgent hearing.

 

It has been reported today morning that a Calcutta-based company paid Rs 40 crores through electoral bonds to ensure that there was no excise raid on it. This distorts democracy, Bhushan said, adding the plea has been mentioned earlier also for urgent listing.

2:53 PM

Finland plans training for war-time troops in defense boost

Reservists making up Finland’s 280,000 strong war-time troops are to undergo more training as the government maps out how to beef up its defenses.

 

The need for additional training has become more acute after Finland’s neighbor Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine in February, and given a normal training schedule was not upheld during the pandemic, Defense Minister Antti Kaikkonen told reporters in Helsinki on Tuesday. The increase in training entails “significant” extra spending, he said.

 

The defense forces of Finland, a country of 5.5 million people, have a reserve of about 900,000 citizens.

 

The Nordic country will also spend more on weapons, planning procurements quickly before lead times are extended and prices rise from increased demand across Europe, Kaikkonen said.