News LIVE updates: Germany refuses to boycott Russian energy

News Live Updates: Zelensky had earlier said that Ukraine would not compromise on its territorial integrity and sovereignty.

11:52 PM

Indian refiners hike crude processing in February to meet demand rise

Crude oil processing by Indian refiners rose about 10% year-on-year in February, provisional government data showed, as demand in the world's third biggest oil importer and consumer grew. Throughput in February rose 9.8% to 5.35 million barrels per day (20.44 million tonnes), the data showed on Tuesday.

 

But processing fell 5.8% from January, with a drop at Indian Oil Corp's Bongaigaon Refinery in Assam due to a power failure.

 

India's fuel consumption had its biggest year-on-year jump since August 2021, up 5.4% in February compared with the same month in 2021, although soaring oil prices due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine could slow the recovery.

 

11:27 PM

Germany refuses to boycott Russian energy

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has again dismissed calls to boycott Russian energy supplies in the wake of the attack on Ukraine. Scholz said Tuesday that the sanctions already imposed on Russia were already hitting its economy and this will only get more dramatic every day.

 

At the same time, the sanctions were designed to be tolerable for those imposing them, including in the long term, he said. That is why Germany's position on this question (of an energy boycott) remains unchanged, said Scholz. He added that other countries in Europe are even more dependent on Russian oil, coal and gas than Germany and nobody must be left standing out in the rain in this regard.

11:20 PM

Russia opens criminal case against journalist over 'false' info on Russian army: AFP News Agency

Russia opens criminal case against journalist over 'false' info on Russian army: AFP News Agency

11:20 PM

Delhi govt announces plan to move 78K families living in slums to permanent houses

The Kejriwal government on Tuesday announced a plan to rehabilitate 78,000 families residing in slums to permanent houses in Delhi.

 

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal chaired a high-level meeting to review the plans for in-situ rehabilitation of Jhuggi Jhopri Clusters on Delhi government lands under the 'Jahan Jhuggi Wahan Makaan' scheme.

 

He reviewed the progress of the in-situ rehabilitation of JJ Clusters project at the Delhi Secretariat on Tuesday.

 

"The Kejriwal government has taken up a unique initiative to provide thousands of families with pucca houses right at the site of their slums under the Jahan Jhuggi Wahan Makaan' scheme," the government said in a statement.

11:11 PM

National Commission for Protection of Child Rights seeks investigation in Birbhum incident

10:35 PM

Belarus could soon join Russia in its war against Ukraine

The US and NATO believe that Belarus could "soon" join Russia in its war against Ukraine, the US and NATO officials said, adding that the country is already taking steps to do so, CNN reported.

 

It is increasingly "likely" that Belarus will enter the conflict, a NATO military official said on Monday, adding: "(Russian President Vladimir) Putin needs support. Anything would help."

 

An opposition source in Belarus said that Belarusian combat units are ready to go into Ukraine as soon as in the next few days, with thousands of forces prepared to deploy. In this source's view, this would have less of an impact militarily than it will geopolitically, given the implications of another country joining the war, CNN reported.

10:26 PM

Joe Biden urged to get pilots from India, Brazil & UAE for humanitarian aid to Ukraine

A group of 20 eminent American lawmakers on Tuesday urged US President Joe Biden to reach out to countries like India, Brazil, Egypt and the UAE to hire pilots for the delivery of humanitarian aid to Ukraine as Russia considers them non-hostile. The US has a moral responsibility to save lives where possible in Ukraine, the lawmakers said in a letter to Biden.

 

They said that establishing and organising an international humanitarian aid provides the US and its allies and partners with a non-escalatory method of accomplishing this while countering the Russian goal to starve the people of Ukraine.

 

Led by Democratic lawmakers like Congresswoman Lou Correa and Congressman Young Kim, the lawmakers wrote that the previous agreements between Russia and Ukraine to guarantee humanitarian corridors for aid delivery into Ukraine have so far proven to be unreliable and inconsistent at distributing aid to the hardest hit areas of the country, especially as Russian shelling continues to destroy roads and endanger transportation routes.

10:16 PM

UK PM Boris Johnson speaks to Modi on Russia-Ukraine conflict

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday and discussed the "grave situation" as a result of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and Russian President Vladimir Putin's "disastrous" actions.

 

Johnson called on India to work with the UK to intensify efforts to promote peace and de-escalation in the region, and both leaders are said to have agreed that respect for international law was the only way forward, a Downing Street spokesperson said in a readout of their conversation.

 

The leaders discussed the grave situation in Ukraine, and the Prime Minister said he believed the actions of Putin's regime were deeply disturbing and disastrous for the world, the official said.

10:12 PM

Over 50 lakh Covid vaccine doses administered to beneficiaries aged 12-14 years: Govt

More than 50 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses have so far been administered to beneficiaries in the 12-14 years age group, the Union health ministry said on Tuesday. The total number of Covid vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 181.85 crore with more than 27 lakh doses being given till 7 pm on Tuesday, it said.

 

More than 50 lakh (50,32,055) vaccine doses have so far been administered to beneficiaries in the 12-14 age group, the ministry added. Over 2.2 crore (2,20,04,536) precaution doses have been administered to healthcare workers (HCWs), frontline workers (FLWs) and those aged 60 years and above.

10:11 PM

Oil dips as dollar rises, EU looks less likely to ban Russian oil

Oil stumbled on Tuesday as the dollar strengthened and it looked unlikely that the European Union would pursue an embargo on Russian oil, a day after prices jumped 7% and also rose earlier in the session.

 

European Union foreign ministers are split on whether to join the United States in banning Russian oil. Some countries, including Germany, say the bloc is too dependent on Russia's fossil fuels to withstand such a step.

 

"It's pretty clear that the German economy will seize up so the EU is backing away from a Russian ban," said John Kilduff, partner at Again LLC in New York.

 

9:52 PM

PM Modi, Johnson discuss Ukraine situation, bilateral issues

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoke on phone with his UK counterpart Boris Johnson and discussed the situation in Ukraine, an official statement said.

 

As per the statement, the two leaders had a detailed discussion on the situation in Ukraine, and Modi reiterated India's consistent appeal for cessation of hostilities and a return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy.

 

He emphasised India's belief in respect for international law and the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states, as the basis of the contemporary world order. The two leaders also discussed issues of bilateral interests and agreed on the potential of further deepening cooperation in various areas including trade, technology, investments, defence and security, and people-to-people relations.

 

The Indian Prime Minister expressed his satisfaction at the positive momentum in the ongoing negotiations on the bilateral Free Trade Agreement. He also appreciated the progress in implementing the 'India-UK Roadmap 2030' adopted during the Virtual Summit between both leaders last year. He conveyed his desire to welcome Johnson in India at an early date, as per mutual convenience.

9:44 PM

PM Modi and UK PM Boris Johnson discussed Ukraine situation over a call

9:43 PM

PM Modi conveys his desire to welcome PM Johnson in India at an early date

9:33 PM

This war is unwinnable: UN chief Guterres on a month into Russia's invasion of Ukraine

A month into Russia's invasion of Ukraine, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday said this absurd war is unwinnable and inevitably it will have to move from the battlefield to the peace table as he voiced concern that reverberations from the conflict threaten to spiral into a global hunger crisis.

 

Voicing concern that 10 million Ukrainians have been forced from their homes and are on the move, Guterres said the world is seeing appalling human suffering and destruction in Ukraine's cities, towns and villages.

 

One month ago, the Russian Federation launched a massive invasion of the sovereign territory of Ukraine in violation of the UN Charter. It was done after months of building up a military force of overwhelming proportion along the Ukrainian border, Guterres said in his remarks to the press.

9:25 PM

TCS ready to roll out 5G network anyday

IT major TCS is ready to put in place 5G network for any telecom operator across the globe on any given day and the company is working in India on a country-specific gears for the network, a senior company official said.

 

TCS head for Communication, Media & Information Services Kamal Bhadada told PTI that the company is already helping telecom operators across the globe in managing their networks, swapping equipment and technology providers.

 

When asked about the readiness of TCS to roll-out 5G network for telecom customers, Bhadada said, "TCS can stitch it today. TCS is doing it today. So it's not about whether TCS is ready or not. TCS is ready. What we are working for in India is India-specific stack," Bhadada said.