LIVE: Russia begins evacuating diplomatic staff from Ukraine, says report

10:24 PM

Welspun India to raise Rs 500 cr via NCDs

Welspun India on Wednesday said it plans to raise Rs 500 crore by issuing non-convertible debentures (NCDs) or commercial papers on a private placement basis.

 

Its board in its meeting on Wednesday "approved raising of funds, by way of the private placement, up to Rs 500 crore, inter alia, by issuing NCDs or commercial papers, subject to the approval of the shareholders," said Welspun India.

 

Welspun India is part of Welspun Group, a conglomerate that has business interests in sectors including line pipes, home textile products, infrastructure, warehousing, steel, oil and gas, advanced textiles and flooring solutions.

9:44 PM

Delhi logs 583 Covid cases, 3 deaths; positivity rate 1.05%

Delhi on Wednesday reported 583 Covid cases with a positivity rate of 1.05 per cent and three deaths due to the infection, according to data shared by the health department. The number of tests conducted a day ago stood at 55,504, while 603 patients were discharged in a day, the bulletin said.

 

Delhi's case tally has now increased to 18,57,598, and the death toll is at 26,109.

 

The national capital had on Tuesday reported 498 Covid cases with a positivity rate of 0.96 per cent and one death. A day before, it reported 360 cases with the positivity rate falling below the one per cent mark for the first time since December 28. On Sunday, the city logged 570 cases with a positivity rate of 1.04 per cent and four fatalities.

9:19 PM

Nawab Malik sent to ED custody till March 3 in money laundering case

A special court here on Wednesday remanded Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik to the custody of Enforcement Directorate (ED) till March 3 in a money laundering probe linked to the activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his aides.

 

Malik was arrested earlier in the day after being questioned for about five hours at the ED office in south Mumbai's Ballard Estate area since around 8 am. The 62-year-old NCP leader was produced before special Judge RN Rokade, who remanded him to ED custody till March 3 for further probe into the matter. The cabinet minister's statement was recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and he was arrested under the same provisions as he was evasive in his replies, ED officials said. The ED case is based on an FIR filed recently by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against Ibrahim, a fugitive gangster, and others.

 

The NIA had filed its criminal complaint under sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

9:11 PM

Europe braces for further strife as Ukraine crisis escalates

Russia began evacuating its embassy in Kyiv, and Ukraine urged its citizens to leave Russia on Wednesday as the region braced for further confrontation after President Vladimir Putin received authorization to use military force outside his country and the West responded with sanctions.

 

Hopes for a diplomatic way out of a new, potentially devastating war appeared all but sunk as the U.S. and key European allies accused Moscow on Tuesday of crossing a red line in rolling over Ukraine's border into separatist regions with some calling it an invasion.

 

Russia began pulling personnel from its diplomatic posts in Ukraine, state news agency Tass reported, a day after the Foreign Ministry announced a plan to evacuate, citing threats.

8:50 PM

United Nations General Assembly meets on Ukraine issue

8:39 PM

Maharashtra govt will not take the resignation of Nawab Malik: Bhujbal

8:14 PM

We've no intention of fighting Russia: Biden

7:50 PM

Chandigarh: Power Department employees withdraw their strike

7:18 PM

Mumbai reports 168 fresh Covid cases

7:16 PM

Mamata Banerjee speaks to NCP Chief

7:10 PM

AP CM extends support to Centre to repatriate Andhra students from crisis-hit Ukraine

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday wrote to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, extending his support for repatriating Andhra students from crisis-hit Ukraine.

 

Reddy said in view of the current uncertainties and tensions in Ukraine, several students stranded in various colleges in that country have sought assistance from Andhra Pradesh to safely return home.

 

"I would like to bring to your kind notice that Government of Andhra Pradesh will extend all possible support to the Government of India (GoI) in repatriating students in Ukraine from Andhra," he said in his letter to Jaishankar.

6:46 PM

Russia begins evacuating its diplomatic staff from Ukraine: Report

Russia has started evacuating its diplomatic staff from all of its diplomatic facilities in Ukraine, the TASS news agency reported on Wednesday, citing a representative of Russia's embassy in Kyiv.

 

The United States and its allies sought to step up sanctions pressure on Russia on Wednesday over the deployment of troops in separatist regions of eastern Ukraine, in one of the worst security crises in Europe in decades.

6:42 PM

US will cut Russia off from tech, resources if Putin escalates: US official

Russian President Vladimir Putin can do a lot more damage in Ukraine and the United States is prepared to respond by withholding technology and resources if he does, deputy U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said on Wednesday.

 

"We're gonna cut him off from Western technology that's critical to advancing the altar, cut him off from Western financial resources that will be critical for feeding his economy and also to enriching himself," Adeyemo said in an interview with CNBC.

 

6:24 PM

ED seeks 14-day custody of NCP leader Nawab Malik in money laundering case

6:01 PM

UP Polls: 57.45% voters turnout recorded till 5 pm