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The Congress on Friday took a swipe at the Modi government after the US announced a temporary waiver to allow Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil, and asked till when will this "American blackmail" continue. In a post in rhyming in Hindi on X, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "Trump ka naya khel, Dilli dost ko kaha, Putin se le sakte ho tel, kab tak chalega ye Ameriki blackmail (Trump's new game; told his friend in Delhi you can get oil from Putin; how long will this American blackmail continue?) Amid the escalating conflict with Iran, the US said it is issuing a temporary 30-day waiver on Russian oil purchases. "President Trump's energy agenda has resulted in oil and gas production reaching the highest levels ever recorded. To enable oil to keep flowing into the global market, the Treasury Department is issuing a temporary 30-day waiver to allow Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on ...
In a development highlighting polarisation in the UN Security Council, the monthly programme of work for the US Presidency of the powerful UN organ could not be adopted after Russia and China raised objections concerning Iran. The United States, a veto-wielding permanent member, assumed the Presidency of the 15-nation UN Security Council for the month of March. As is customary, a monthly programme of work that outlines the Council's anticipated meetings and events for the month is adopted by the UN body at the commencement of the Presidency. The Council President then briefs the media in the UN headquarters on the UNSC programme of work and agenda for the month. However, the US-drafted programme of work for its monthly presidency of the Council could not be adopted on Monday after the other veto-wielding permanent members Russia and China raised objections pertaining to the 1737 Sanctions Committee concerning Iran. "Russia & China objected to the adoption of the US-drafted UNSC ...
The US State Department has expressed its displeasure about Ukraine's recent attacks on the Russian port of Novorossiysk on the Black Sea that have impacted US oil interests in Kazakhstan, Kyiv's chief envoy to Washington said on Tuesday. Ambassador Olga Stefanishyna noted the US concern on the fourth anniversary of Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine. "This reach-out was not related to encouraging Ukraine from refraining to attack Russian military and energy infrastructure. It was related to the very fact that American economic interest was affected there," Stefanishyna told reporters in Washington. "It did happen, and we have taken the note." The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Caspian Pipeline Consortium operates a pipeline from the Caspian coast in northwest Kazakhstan to the Novorossiysk port. The pipeline handles much of the crude exports from three major Kazakh fields in which major U.S. energy companies, Chevron and ExxonMobil, hav
Pavel Durov, the founder of the Telegram messaging app, said Tuesday that the Russian government had opened a criminal investigation against him on charges of "aiding terrorism." Durov, who was born and began his career in Russia, accused Moscow of fabricating pretexts to restrict access by Russians to the Telegram service as part of an attempt to "suppress the right to privacy and free speech." "A sad spectacle of a state afraid of its own people," Durov wrote on social media. Russian media outlets had begun circulating unconfirmed reports earlier in the day that a criminal investigation had been opened against Durov by Russia's Federal Security Service, or FSB. It comes two weeks after Russia's communications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, said it was restricting the Telegram app, accusing the company of refusing to abide by Russian law. The move triggered a rare wave of public outcry, including widespread criticism from pro-Kremlin military bloggers, who warned that Telegram was widel
Denis Maksimov's bakery in suburban Moscow became famous overnight after he appeared on President Vladimir Putin's annual call-in show in December. Standing in front of the bakery - called Mashenka, after his oldest daughter - he pleaded with Putin via video to look into new tax reforms that are significantly increasing the burden on small businesses like his. "We understand very well that it's not an easy situation for the country. We understand that raising taxes is necessary," Maksimov said. "We're looking ahead without optimism, frankly speaking. Many (businesses) will close down." As Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine marks four years, the mounting pressure on Russia's economy is starting to show. Oil revenues are dwindling, the budget deficit is up, and military spending that fueled robust growth has leveled off. The Kremlin is now tapping consumers and small businesses for funds. The value-added tax has been raised by 2% and revenue thresholds for requiring businesses to
Russia attacked Ukraine with a barrage of missiles and drones, killing one person in the Kyiv region, Ukraine's Emergency Service said on Sunday. Another eight people, including one child, were rescued from under the rubble of destroyed buildings, the service said. The attack caused damage and fires to erupt in five districts in the suburbs of Kyiv: Obukhiv, Brovary, Boryspil, Bucha and Fastiv. In the village of Putrivka in the Fastiv district, emergency first responders worked on saving people buried under debris. Russia also struck energy infrastructure in Ukraine's southern Odesa region, resulting in significant fires, which were later extinguished, the emergency service said. During the almost four years since Russia launched an all-out war on its neighbour, and despite a new push over the past year in US-led peace efforts, Ukrainian civilians have endured constant aerial attacks. Russia has ramped up attacks targeting the country's energy grid, leaving Ukrainian civilians with
Russia's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday said it has "no reason" to believe that India has changed its position on buying Russian oil, which it said is beneficial for both countries and maintains stability in the global hydrocarbons market. The remarks came in the backdrop of Washington's claim that New Delhi has agreed to stop importing Russian crude oil. "We have no reason to believe that India has changed its position on buying Russian hydrocarbons. India's purchase of Russian hydrocarbons benefits both countries and helps maintain stability in the international energy market," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in her weekly briefing. "There is nothing new in the claims of US President Donald Trump, as well as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who have grabbed the right to dictate to independent nations," Zakharova said. Following a recent phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and United States President Donald Trump, both sides announced a ...