Live news: 7 soldiers dead after vehicle falls in Shyok river in Ladakh

Live news updates: Ukrainian President Zelenskiy said Ukraine was not eager to talk to Russia's Vladimir Putin but that it has to face the reality that this will likely be necessary to end the war

4:50 PM

Army spokesperson explains soldiers death in Ladakh

"A party of 26 soldiers was moving from the Transit Camp in Partapur to a forward location in Sub Sector Hanif. At approximately 9 am, around 25 km from Thoise, the vehicle skidded off the road and fell in Shyok river (to a depth of approximately 50-60ft), resulting in injuries to all occupants," an army spokesperson said, according to NDTV.com.

 

4:36 PM

7 Army soldiers die in Ladakh bus crash

Seven Indian Army soldiers are dead after a vehicle carrying 26 people falls in Shyok river in Ladakh, said multiple news organisations on Friday.

4:11 PM

Monkeypox can be contained if we act now, says WHO

A World Health Organization senior official said on Friday that the priority needs to be containing monkeypox in non-endemic countries, saying that this can be achieved through quick action. "We think if we put the right measures in place now we can contain it easily," Sylvie Briand, WHO director for Global Infectious Hazard Preparedness said at a technical briefing to member states at the UN health agency's annual assembly, according to Reuters.

3:46 PM

CBI summons Rubaiya Sayeed in case related to her abduction in 1989

A CBI court in Jammu has issued summons to Rubaiya Sayeed, daughter of former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, to appear before it on July 15 in a case related to her abduction in 1989, PTI said government officials on Friday. This is the first time that Rubaiya Sayeed has been asked to appear in the case. She had been freed after five terrorists were released in exchange.

3:28 PM

Ukraine needs to face reality, says President Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday said Ukraine was not eager to talk to Russia's Vladimir Putin but that it has to face the reality that this will likely be necessary to end the war.

 

"There are things to discuss with the Russian leader. I'm not telling you that to me our people are eager to talk to him, but we have to face the realities of what we are living through," Zelenskiy said in an address to an Indonesian think tank.

 

"What do we want from this meeting... We want our lives back... We want to reclaim the life of a sovereign country within its own territory," he said, adding that Russia did not appear to be ready yet for serious peace talks.

3:17 PM

PM to hold roadshow in Shimla, address rally on May 31 to mark eighth anniversary of his govt: BJP leader

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a roadshow in Shimla and address a rally on May 31 to mark the eighth anniversary of his government, a Himachal Pradesh BJP leader said on Friday.

 

State BJP general secretary Trilok Jamwal said the prime minister’s roadshow will cover the half-a-kilometre distance from CTO to Rani Jhansi Park.

2:38 PM

Zelensky, Finnish PM discuss Ukraine's European integration, post-war recovery

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and visiting Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin discussed Kiev's European integration and post-war recovery.

At the talks in Kiev on Thursday, Zelensky thanked the Finnish government for providing financial, defense and humanitarian aid for Ukraine and imposing sanctions on Russia, reports Xinhua news agency.

He also stressed the importance of visits of foreign high-ranking officials to the Ukrainian capital.

"These are very important direct signals of support, first of all for the Ukrainian people, our people, who see that they are not left alone with today's ordeals," Zelensky said.

 

2:30 PM

Sri Lanka allows private companies to import fuel: Minister

Sri Lankan government has allowed private companies to import fuel, Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said on Friday, a move aimed at easing the burden on cash-strapped state-run fuel retailer Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC).

The severe depreciation of the Sri Lankan rupee against the US dollar, and the soaring global prices of crude following the ongoing conflict in Ukraine were some of the reasons why the state-owned entity has been struggling to import fuel.

Approval was given to all the Private Bunker Fuel Operators to import and provide diesel and fuel oil requirements of industries to function their generators and machinery, Wijesekera said in a tweet.

This will ease the burden on CPC and fuel stations providing in bulk. The meeting was held yesterday, he added.

2:28 PM

New Zealand to provide 2nd Covid booster for most vulnerable

People of New Zealand who are at high risk of getting very sick from a Covid-19 infection will soon be eligible to receive a second booster shot, a Minister said here on Friday.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said on Friday that a second booster dose may be beneficial for those most at risk of serious illness from the virus and with a gap of six months from their previous booster, reports Xinhua news agency.

The vast majority of these people become eligible from July, according to the Ministry of Health.

"A booster is important for our most vulnerable as we move into the winter peak," said a Ministry statement, adding that several hundred thousand people will be eligible, which includes the older population, residents of aged care facilities and disability care facilities aged 16 years and over, and severely immunocompromised people.

2:12 PM

RBI's balance sheet grows by 8.46% in FY22

The size of the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) balance sheet increased by 8.46 per cent as on March 31, 2022, mainly reflecting its liquidity and foreign exchange operations during the entire fiscal year.

While income for the year increased by 20.14 per cent, expenditure increased by 280.13 per cent, according to the RBI's Annual Report for 2021-22 released on Friday.

The increase on the asset side was due to increase in foreign investments, domestic investments, gold, and loans and advances and on the liability side due to the increase in deposits and notes by it.