Live news: Russian negotiator accuses Kyiv of 'rolling back' on agreements
Live news updates: Some 344 people have been evacuated in and around the besieged city of Mariupol, says Ukraine's president.
 "Ukraine, Ukraine soldiers")
Irpin Territorial Defence and Ukrainian Army soldiers hold flowers to be placed on the graves of comrades fallen during the Russian occupation, at the cemetery of Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, on Sunday, May 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
India logs 3,275 fresh Covid infections and 55 deaths in 24 hours
India logged 3,275 new coronavirus infections in a day, pushing the number of active cases to 19,719 and the overall tally to 4,30,91,393, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated Thursday.
The data released at 8 am also showed that 55 fatalities -- 52 of them from Kerala alone -- were reported in a 24-hour span, taking the cumulative death toll to 5,23,975.
The active cases constitute 0.05 per cent of the total infections, the health ministry said, adding the country's COVID-19 recovery rate is 98.74 per cent.
India, France pledge to uphold peace, stability in Indo-Pacific
PM Modi leaves for home after concluding three-nation European tour
In a tweet earlier, the prime minister described his visit to France as "very fruitful".
"My visit to France was brief but a very fruitful one. President @EmmanuelMacron and I got the opportunity to discuss various subjects. I thank him and the French Government for the warm hospitality," Modi said.
Modi, who was in Paris for the final leg of his tour, held extensive talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, who was re-elected to the top post over a week back.
He discussed with Macron issues of bilateral and mutual interests as well as regional and global developments, amid Russia's aggression against Ukraine.
Hungary 'cannot support' EU's new sanctions against Russia in current form: FM
Hungary's government cannot responsibly support the European Commission's new package of sanctions against Russia in its current form as it would "destroy" the country's security of energy supply, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto has said.
The European Union (EU) will phase out Russian crude oil imports within six months and refined products by the end of the year, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday, announcing the sixth package of sanctions against Russia, Xinhua news agency reported.
The new restrictions would involve a ban on crude oil shipments from Russia to Europe with a rather short notice, which in Hungary's case would apply from the end of next year," Szijjarto said in a video message posted on his Facebook page.
Ukraine: Russia using 'missile terrorism' in wide attacks
Complaining that the West is "stuffing Ukraine with weapons," Russia bombarded railroad stations and other supply-line targets across the country, as the European Union moved to further punish Moscow for the war on Wednesday by proposing a ban on oil imports.
Heavy fighting also raged at the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol that represented the last stronghold of Ukrainian resistance in the ruined southern port city, according to the mayor. But a Russian official denied Moscow's troops were storming the plant, as Ukrainian commanders claimed a day earlier.
The Russian military said it used sea- and air-launched missiles to destroy electric power facilities at five railway stations across Ukraine, while artillery and aircraft also struck troop strongholds and fuel and ammunition depots.
PM Modi holds talks with French President Macron, discusses defence cooperation, Indo-Pacific
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (local time) held talks with the newly re-elected French President Emmanuel Macron, discussing a range of bilateral issues including defence, space, civil nuclear cooperation and people-to-people linkages, as well as regional and global issues.
The two leaders held talks at Elysee Palace, the official residence of the President of France, in Paris.
Addressing a press briefing, shortly before the departure of PM Modi back to India, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said that the two leaders who are also good friends held "extensive discussions on a range of issues of bilateral, regional and global importance."
"The two leaders held wide-ranging discussions on all the key areas of bilateral engagement, including in defence, space, civil nuclear cooperation and people-to-people linkages. They also discussed regional and global issues, including developments in Europe and the Indo-pacific," the Foreign Secretary informed.
UN agency in talks with India on procuring wheat to offset global shortages
The UN's World Food Programme (WFP) is in talks with India to procure wheat for countries facing a food crisis because of the disruption of supplies due to the Ukraine war, according to the organisation's Chief Economist Arif Husain.
"We are in talks with India on procurement of wheat a that is something that is ongoing," he said on Wednesday during a news conference here to release the 2022 Global Report on Food Crises.
The report gave a bleak picture of the global food situation warning that about 193 million people in 53 countries or territories are facing an acute problem and need urgent assistance.
Blinken tests positive for COVID; has mild symptoms
The State Department said that Secretary of State Antony Blinken has tested positive for COVID-19 after attending the White House Correspondents' Dinner and related events over the weekend.
Spokesman Ned Price said Blinken tested positive in an OPCR test on Wednesday afternoon. Price said Blinken is fully vaccinated and is experiencing only mild symptoms.
Blinken tested negative Tuesday and again earlier Wednesday morning. Blinken has not met in person with President Joe Biden for "several days" and is not considered a close contact of the president.
Chinese billionaires clear their Weibo accounts sensing danger in 'speaking publicly': Report
Prominent Chinese billionaires, including Lenovo group founder Liu Chuanzhi, and the President of 'Didi Chuxing', Liu Qing have cleared their Weibo accounts and only made content from the last 6 months visible, local media reported.
Weibo is a Chinese microblogging platform and is widely used in China as an alternative to Twitter, which is inaccessible in the country.
It has also been discovered that several other well-known Chinese billionaires have also suddenly emptied their Weibo accounts, including Zhang Yiming, founder of ByteDance, and Wang Xing, founder of Meituan, a report said.
Curfew extended till May 6 in Jodhpur, 140 persons arrested in connection with violence
The curfew that was imposed in Rajasthan's Jodhpur following incidents of violence in the district has been extended till May 6, as per an order issued by the District Police Commissioner.
"The curfew imposed in Jodhpur Commissionerate area on May 3 has been extended till May 6...Raikabagh Palace Bus Stand and Raikabagh Railway Station have been excluded from the curfew," read the order.
Tens of thousands rally to demand Armenian PM's resignation
Tens of thousands of protesters blocked streets and gathered around government buildings in Armenia's capital on Wednesday to demand the prime minister's resignation over his calls for a formal peace agreement with neighbouring Azerbaijan.
The demonstrators used cement mixers and trucks to close off roads and bridges leading to the center of Yerevan. They marched, chanting Armenia without Nikol, referring to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Clashes broke out with police and several arrests were reported.
Fed raises key rate by a half-point in bid to tame inflation
The Federal Reserve intensified its fight against the worst inflation in 40 years by raising its benchmark short-term interest rate by a half-percentage point Wednesday its most aggressive move since 2000 and signaling further large rate hikes to come.
The increase in the Fed's key rate raised it to a range of 0.75% to 1%, the highest point since the pandemic struck two years ago.
The Fed also announced that it will start reducing its huge $9 trillion balance sheet, which consists mainly of Treasury and mortgage bonds. Those holdings more than doubled after the pandemic recession hit as the Fed bought trillions in bonds to try to hold down long-term borrowing rates.
Don't miss the most important news and views of the day. Get them on our Telegram channel
First Published: May 05 2022 | 7:58 AM IST
