News updates: Putin adviser says Russia-US talks were successful

Latest news updates: Catch all the latest news developments from around the world here

8:47 PM

Zelenskyy postpones his trip to Saudi Arabia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy postponed a trip to Saudi Arabia scheduled for this week, citing the fact that officials from his country were not invited to US-Russia talks in the kingdom on negotiating an end to the war.

 

The Ukrainian leader suggested Tuesday that he wanted to avoid his visit being linked to the talks.

 

He said his visit was rescheduled for March 10.

8:42 PM

Delhi: Wait for new CM to end tomorrow; PM, ministers, celebrities to attend Feb 20 oath

Delhi's wait for its new chief minister after the assembly polls will end on Wednesday, when the BJP Legislature Party is slated to choose the Leader of the House, even as preparations for the February 20 oath-taking ceremony are in full swing at the historic Ramlila Ground here.

 

Party leaders said the chief minister and the entire Cabinet will take oath at a grand ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union minister and other dignitaries.

 

A huge crowd is expected at the event and around 40 celebrities have been invited, sources said, adding the ceremony would be held around noon rather than 4.30 pm, as was communicated by party leaders earlier.

 

BJP MP Yogender Chandolia said preparations for the ceremony are in full swing at the Ramlila Ground.

8:16 PM

Budget session of Gujarat assembly from Feb 19, budget on Thursday

Gujarat budget will be presented on February 20 during the state assembly session beginning Wednesday.

 

Governor Acharya Devvrat will address the House on the first day of the session, Minister of State for Parliamentary and Legislative Affairs Praful Pansheria told reporters.

 

"The state budget for the financial year 2025-26 will be presented on February 20 by Finance Minister Kanubhai Desai," he added.

 

He said four bills will be presented during the month-long session, which will conclude on March 28.

 

"The government will bring a bill to repeal the Gujarat State Council for Physiotherapy. Another bill proposing amendments to the Gujarat Clinical Establishments Act will also be brought for discussion," said Pansheria.

 

Two other bills include a bill proposing amendments to the existing GST Act and another to repeal the Gujarat Professional Civil Engineers Act, he said.

8:04 PM

No water supply in some parts of Delhi on Feb 21, 22

7:51 PM

Power Grid Corporation of India (Powergrid) acquires Bidar Transco Ltd

Power Grid Corporation of India (Powergrid) on Tuesday said it was acquiring Bidar Transco Ltd (BTL) after being selected as a successful bidder under a tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB).

REC Power Development and Consultancy Ltd (RECPDCL), and arm of REC Ltd, acted as the bid coordinator, Powergrid said in an exchange filing.

On the objectives behind the acquisition, it said BTL is engaged in the same business as that of Powergrid.

BTL has been acquired for an aggregate value of about Rs 6.52 crore, including 50,000 equity shares at par at Rs 10 each, along with assets and liabilities of BTL as on the acquisition date (18.02.2025).

However, the acquisition price is subject to adjustment as per the audited accounts of BTL as on the acquisition date.

7:50 PM

Jharkhand govt hikes DA of employees by 7% Ranchi

6:56 PM

Hamas says it will release 6 living Israeli hostages on Saturday, reports AP

6:22 PM

US, Russia agree to start push towards peace in Ukraine, State dept says

The United States and Russia agreed on Tuesday to address "irritants" to the US-Russia relationship and begin working on a path to end Russia's war in Ukraine, the State Department said, making clear the effort was in its early stages.
 

"One phone call followed by one meeting is not sufficient to establish enduring peace," department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said after meetings in Saudi Arabia.

5:51 PM

Putin adviser says Russia-US talks were successful

Russian President Vladimir Putin's foreign policy adviser said on Tuesday that the four-and-a-half-hour talks between Russia and the United States in Saudi Arabia have concluded and were successful.
 

Yuri Ushakov said Tuesday that the two sides discussed the terms of a meeting between Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, TASS reported.
 

A meeting between Putin and Trump is unlikely to take place next week, Ushakov said. He added that there was so far no concrete date for a meeting.

5:13 PM

Budget session of Mizoram assembly to begin on Wednesday

A 30-day budget session of the Mizoram legislative assembly will begin on Wednesday, an assembly secretariat official said.

 

Governor Vijay Kumar Singh will deliver his maiden address on the first day, while Chief Minister Lalduhoma will present the state's annual budget for the financial year 2025-2026 on March 4, she said.

 

Lalduhoma also holds the finance portfolio.

 

This is the fourth session of the present 9th assembly after the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) came to power in December 2023.

 

Three Bills, including one seeking to establish a state university, will be tabled in the assembly during the budget session, the official said.

 

Another Bill to be presented calls for allowing private placement agencies to send youths of the state for jobs in foreign countries, according to officials.

5:05 PM

Kashmir may see 'drought' as Jan, Feb record 80% precipitation deficit: MeT

Kashmir has witnessed a dry winter this year with the months of January and February recording a precipitation deficit of around 80 per cent, which has raised the possibility of drought in the valley this summer, the MeT department officials said.

 

Several water bodies are flowing below the zero level mark at many places while some springs in south Kashmir have dried up completely due to the receding water table, they said.

 

"There has been a 79 per cent deficient precipitation in the month of January and the situation in February so far is worse. If the dry weather continues, it is going to cause problems for the residents of the valley as there won't be enough water for drinking or irritating the fields," a MET department official said.

 

An official of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department said the water level in River Jhelum and several other water bodies was more than a metre below the usual water level for this time of the year.

4:44 PM

Cancer vaccine for women to be available in five to six months, says Union Minister Jadhav

A vaccine to fight cancers affecting women will be available in five to six months, and those in the age group of nine to 16 years will be eligible for inoculation, Union Minister Prataprao Jadhav said on Tuesday. Addressing a press conference here, the Union Minister of State for Health, Family Welfare and Ayush (Independent Charge) said that research on a vaccine is nearly complete and trials are underway.

 

4:39 PM

Delhi Police implements 12-hour traffic restrictions on Chandni Chowk Road

Delhi Police has restricted the traffic movement for 12 hours on Chandni Chowk road from Red Fort to Fatehpuri, an advisory said on Tuesday. According to the advisory, the main Chandni Chowk Road from Red Fort to Fatehpuri has been notified as a non-motorised vehicle (NMV) zone from 9 am to 9 pm by Delhi Transport department. To enforce this notification, boom barriers have been installed on all roads/ streets leading to the main Chandni Chowk Road, it said.

4:33 PM

Kerala govt allocates Rs 1,905 cr to local bodies as third instalment of development fund

Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal on Tuesday announced an allocation of Rs 1,905 crore to the three-tier panchayats and municipalities in the state. In a statement, the minister said that this amount is the third instalment of the development fund.

3:56 PM

BJP MLAs afraid of facing me that's why they boycott the House whenever I speak, alleges Mamata Banerjee

"I am accused of being member of Muslim League, I condemn such remark," says CM Mamata Banerjee in Bengal Assembly.