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

5:50 PM

Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia allocated PWD in addition to portfolios he is currently holding: Delhi govt

5:29 PM

Manipur Elections: Union Home Minister Amit Shah holds a door-to-door campaign

5:20 PM

Italy considers offering Ukraine 110 million euros in aid

Italy is considering setting aside around 110 million euros ($124.75 million) to support Ukraine, whose economy has been badly hit by the on-going crisis with Russia, Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio told parliament on Wednesday.

 

Di Maio said the move would be aimed "at supporting the Ukrainian population and economy in areas to be agreed with the Kiev authorities".

 

Di Maio also told lawmakers that Italy would work to limit "as much as possible" the impact on both its economy and its strategic interests of any sanctions imposed on Russia by the West.

 

5:04 PM

EU member states approve sanctions on Russia, EU diplomat says

The European Union's member states have given their green light, via their envoys in Brussels, to a first package of sanctions on Russia, an EU diplomat said.

 

The sanctions still need formal approval by the foreign ministers, something that will be handled in written procedure by 1400 GMT and can normally be taken for granted after the EU ambassadors' decision.

 

The sanctions will enter into force once they are published in the EU's official journal, a step expected later on Wednesday.

4:37 PM

Ukraine to impose state of emergency, says top security official

Ukraine's top security official Oleksiy Danilov said on Wednesday that Ukraine would impose a state of emergency on all of its territory, apart from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions where it has been in place since 2014.

 

He said that the emergency state would last 30 days and could be extended for another 30 days.

 

Pro-Russian separatists have controlled parts of Donetsk and Luhansk since 2014. Russia recognised them as independent states and approved use of its troops abroad this week.

 

Danilov also said that Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had not discussed the development of nuclear weapons, something Vladimir Putin has said posed a strategic threat for Russia.

4:28 PM

All flights cancelled, all passengers to be adjusted in forthcoming flights: Srinagar Airport

4:23 PM

UP Polls: Parivarwadi looted the poor's ration, BJP brought in 'One Nation, One Ration Card’ says, PM Modi

4:05 PM

UP Polls: 49.89% voters turnout recorded till 3 pm

4:02 PM

Ukraine MPs vote to give permission for civilians to carry firearms

Ukraine's parliament on Wednesday voted to approve in the first reading a draft law which gives permission to Ukrainians to carry firearms and act in self-defence.

 

"The adoption of this law is fully in the interests of the state and society," the authors of the draft law said in a note, adding that the law was needed due to "existing threats and dangers for the citizens of Ukraine".

 

One of Europe's worst security crises in decades was unfolding after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised two areas of eastern Ukraine as independent and ordered troops to be deployed to eastern Ukraine.

3:47 PM

UN General Assembly to hold discussion on ‘situation in temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine’: Reuters

3:37 PM

‘Have been arrested, but won't be scared. We will fight and win’: NCP leader Malik

3:16 PM

ED arrests NCP leader and Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik in connection with money laundering case

3:13 PM

With 3 more Rafale fighter aircraft, India now received 35 of the 36 Rafales: Govt officials

2:49 PM

Australia to impose travel bans, financial sanctions on 8 members of Russia’s Security Council: Foreign Min

2:44 PM

Ukraine urges more sanctions on Russia to 'hit hard, hit now'

Ukraine on Wednesday urged the West to impose more sanctions on Russia that target the economy and the inner circle around President Vladimir Putin.

 

Western nations on Tuesday punished Russia with new sanctions for ordering troops into eastern Ukraine and threatened to go further if Moscow launched an all-out invasion of its neighbour.

 

"First decisive steps were taken yesterday, and we are grateful for them," Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in a tweet. "Now the pressure needs to step up to stop Putin. Hit his economy and cronies. Hit more. Hit hard. Hit now."