RUSSIA INVADES UKRAINE
Ukrainian forces battled Russian invaders on three sides on Thursday after Moscow mounted an assault by land, sea and air in the biggest attack on a European state since World War Two.
After Russian President Vladimir Putin declared war in a pre-dawn televised address, explosions and gunfire were heard throughout the morning in Kyiv, a city of 3 million people.
Missiles rained down on Ukrainian targets and authorities reported columns of troops pouring across Ukraine’s borders from Russia and Belarus to the north and east, and landing on the southern coasts from the Black Sea and Azov Sea.
The assault brought a calamitous end to weeks of fruitless diplomatic efforts by Western leaders to avert war. Later, US President Joe Biden met his Group of Seven counterparts virtually to discuss harsh sanctions.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on Ukrainians to defend their country and said arms would be given to anyone prepared to fight. “What we have heard today are not just missile blasts, fighting and the rumble of aircraft. This is the sound of a new Iron Curtain, which has come down and is closing Russia off from the civilised world,” Zelenskiy said. “Our national task is to make sure this curtain does not fall across our land.”
The highway heading west out of Kyiv was choked with traffic across five lanes as residents fled.
Biden called the Russian action an “unprovoked and unjustified attack”.
EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc would impose a severe new round of sanctions.
EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said: “These are among the darkest hours of Europe since the Second World War.”
In his address, Putin said he had ordered “a special military operation” to protect people, including Russian citizens, subjected to “genocide” in Ukraine - an accusation the West calls baseless propaganda. “And for this we will strive for the demilitarisation and denazification of Ukraine,” Putin said.
Even with a full-blown invasion under way, Putin’s ultimate aim is obscure. He said he did not plan a military occupation, only to disarm Ukraine and purge it of nationalists. The outright annexation of such a vast, hostile country could be beyond even Russia’s military capabilities. A senior U.S. defence official said Washington believed the invasion was intended to “decapitate” Zelenskiy’s govt.
War and sanctions will disrupt economies around the world already facing a supply crisis as they emerge from the pandemic. Stocks plunged and bond prices leapt; the dollar and gold soared. Brent oil surged past $100/barrel for the first time since 2014.
A democratic nation of 44 million people, Ukraine is Europe’s biggest country by area after Russia itself. It voted for independence at the fall of the Soviet Union and aims to join NATO and the European Union, aspirations that infuriate Moscow.
DISSATISFIED WITH INDIA'S POSITION: UKRAINIAN ENVOY
Ukraine is 'deeply dissatisfied' with India's position on the crisis arising out of Russian military offensive, Ambassador Igor Polikha said on Thursday and sought New Delhi's support in defusing the situation.
The Ukrainian ambassador said India has special relationship with Russia and it can play a more proactive role in de-escalation of the situation. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is among very few leaders whom President Vladimir Putin listens to and New Delhi can use its proximity with Moscow to control the situation.
The envoy said Ukraine has been following India's position on the crisis and it is 'deeply dissatisfied' with it.
His comments came a day after Russian Deputy Chief of Mission Roman Babushkin said India has been playing a vital role as a responsible global power and it takes an 'independent and balanced' approach to world affairs.
PM MODI DIALS RUSSIAN PRESIDENT PUTIN
Prime Minister Narendra Modi dialled Russian president Vladimir Putin on Thursday evening, appealing for an immediate end to the violence in Ukraine that started in the morning. The conversation came hours after Ukraine's urgent appeal to India for intervention. A statement from the Prime Minister's Office said PM Modi called for "concerted efforts from all sides to return to the path of diplomatic negotiations and dialogue".
He reiterated his "long-standing conviction that the differences between Russia and the NATO group can only be resolved through honest and sincere dialogue," the statement read.
President Putin had briefed PM Modi about the recent developments regarding Ukraine.
The Prime Minister also discussed India's concerns regarding the safety of Indian citizens in Ukraine, especially students. India, he said, attaches the highest priority to their safe exit and return.
"The leaders agreed that their officials and diplomatic teams would continue to maintain regular contacts on issues of topical interest," the statement added.
SANCTIONS IMPOSED ON RUSSIA LIKELY TO IMPACT BILATERAL TIES, INDIA STUDYING THEM, SAYS SHRINGLA
Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla Thursday said bilateral ties between Russia and India are likely to be impacted due to the stringent economic sanctions being imposed on Moscow by various countries. “Certain unilateral sanctions were already existing as far as Russia was concerned. Some additional sanctions have been imposed by the US, the EU, by Australia, Japan, the UK among others. But this is an evolving situation as I said and we have to see what sort of impact these sanctions will have on our own interests,” Shringla said at a special media briefing late Thursday.
Shringla said the “actual impact of the sanctions” needs to be “studied carefully”.
India is the biggest buyer of Russian arms. Currently, it is expecting deliveries of the much-awaited S-400 missiles, which New Delhi has procured under a $5.43-billion deal.
On Wednesday, Russia’s Deputy Chief of Mission Roman Babushkin had said that Moscow is “hoping” that the sanctions will not impact its ongoing military projects with India.
With Ukraine closing its airspace, the MEA said that teams are being sent to the land borders with Ukraine in Hungary, Poland, Slovak Republic and Romania to assist the evacuation of Indian nationals.
Indian nationals in Ukraine near the border points can contact these teams whose contact details have been publicised by the ministry.
Partha Satpathy, Ambassador of India in Ukraine, said that the Embassy of India in Kiev will continue to operate till every Indian is evacuated.
COVID DASHBOARD – INDIA
As of 0800 IST / Feb 25
from mohfw.gov.in ,
New Cases on Thursday 13,166
Active Cases 1,34,235 (-14,124)
Total Deaths (Deaths Yesterday) 5,13,226 (142)
Total Vaccination: 176.86 Crores (+32,04,426)
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
======================
UKRAINE SAYS 137 CIVILIANS, SOLDIERS KILLED; PRESIDENT SAYS ‘LEFT ALONE’ TO FIGHT MOSCOW
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 137 civilians and military personnel have been killed so far in the Russian invasion of his country, and said that Kyiv was ‘left alone’ to fight Moscow. Russian forces have captured Chernobyl nuclear power plant, north of Kyiv, the site of the 1986 nuclear disaster, an adviser to the Ukrainian presidential office said on Thursday. Russian forces also destroyed over 70 Ukrainian military facilities, including 11 air bases, news agency AP reported.
Meanwhile, US president Joe Biden announced several export restrictions against Russia. According to Biden, the sanctions target Russian banks, oligarchs, and high-tech sectors. He said the aggression will cost Russia dearly and added that President Vladimir Putin chose the war. He also said the US is working to secure oil energy supplies and added that oil and gas companies should not exploit the situation to hike prices.
IMRAN-PUTIN TALK BILATERAL TIES
As the world watched with concern Russia raining missiles on Ukraine on Thursday, Pakistan PM Imran Khan sat down to discuss bilateral ties and global issues with Russian President Putin at the Kremlin. Imran’s Moscow visit, observers say, has put Islamabad in a tricky situation when it comes to balancing important economic and strategic ties with the West vis-à-vis Russia.
Members of the PM’s team in Moscow said he and Putin reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations, including economic and energy cooperation.
In the regional context, a statement said that Imran Khan underlined the urgency of addressing the humanitarian and economic crisis in Afghanistan. Speaking on South Asia, Khan highlighted alleged “human rights abuse” in J&K and underscored the imperative of peaceful resolution of the dispute. He stressed the need for steps that would help keep the regional balance.
Earlier, the US said it was aware of Khan’s visit and that it hoped Pakistan, like all countries, would voice objection to Putin’s action in Ukraine.
THE REST
=========
SENSEX TANKS OVER 2,700 POINTS IN LINE WITH GLOBAL MELTDOWN AS RUSSIA INVADES UKRAINE
Equity benchmark Sensex crashed over 2,700 points on Thursday following a severe sell-off in global markets after Russia launched a military offensive against Ukraine.
The 30-share BSE gauge plunged about 2,850 points during the session before closing at 54,529.91, registering a massive fall of 2,702.15 points or 4.72 per cent. Likewise, the NSE barometer Nifty fell 4.78 per cent.
On the Sensex chart, all 30 shares suffered heavy losses, with IndusInd Bank, M&M and Bajaj Finance shedding as much as 8 per cent.
Globally, stocks plunged and oil prices surged by more than USD 5 per barrel amid intensifying Ukraine crisis, which experts believe may roil the global economy.
Continuing their selling spree, foreign institutional investors offloaded shares worth Rs 3,417.16 crore in the Indian capital markets on Wednesday, exchange data showed.
OPPOSITION ATTACKS GOVT ON EVACUATION STRATEGY
Opposition leaders, mostly from the Congress, on Thursday attacked the govt for not making arrangements in time to bring 20,000 Indians in Ukraine back and accused it of “turning away its face” on its nationals in this difficult time.
Some of the Congress leaders also demanded that India should take a firm stand and “unequivocally condemn” Russia’s action.
Attacking the govt for not acting despite repeated warnings, the Congress asked why it had not made arrangements in time to bring 20,000 Indians in Ukraine back home safely.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, “turning away its face in every difficult situation...And remaining silent has become a habit of the Modi govt. Our 20,000 Indian youth in Ukraine are forced to grapple with fear, apprehension and life-threatening situations.”
In a series of tweets in Hindi, Surjewala said, “the Govt of India says - Our 20,000 Indians trapped in Ukraine should stay where they are. Because the govt is busy fighting elections right now?”.
Congress leader and former Union minister Manish Tewari tweeted, “India should unequivocally condemn Russian invasion of Ukraine in unambiguous terms. There comes a time when you need to tell ‘friends’ they can’t indulge in Regime change. India’s conduct of international relations should be characterised by calling a spade a spade.”
“Let us not make the same mistake qua Russia again when we did with the erstwhile Soviet Union when we did not condemn Soviet Invasion of Hungary -1956, Czechoslovakia -1968, Afghanistan-1979,” Tewari said.
PM MODI ATTACKS DYNASTS IN AMETHI, CITES OWN MOTHER
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday again slammed the Opposition parties for maintaining “silence” over the recent court verdict in the 2008 Ahmedabad terror blasts case and not welcoming it due to “vote bank politics”.
At an election rally in Amethi, Modi said the people of Uttar Pradesh have suffered from these parties’ “vote bank politics” and “parivarwadi rajneeti (dynasty politics)”.
“When I speak about these two topics, parivarwadis get tight-lipped and their ecosystem diverts the discussion. They never reply to this because they have foul intentions – their politics of vote bank and parivarwad have done maximum damage to the country,” the PM said.
Modi said these parties first nurtured politics of appeasement, which later held them hostage. “Now leaders of these parties are compelled to do vote bank politics and so their every decision is according to that politics. They don’t hesitate in taking such decision even if that is against the interest of nation,” he charged. “Hence they discourage armed forces and the police by insulting them because that makes their vote bank happy,” he alleged.
Referring to a court judgment giving capital punishment to 38 convicts in the Ahmedabad serial blasts case, Modi said, “You all clapped and felt satisfied when I said that the court has pronounced punishment. But these parties did not show courage to welcome the judgment as they fear losing vote bank. They are lip-locked.”
The PM also hit out at “parivarwadis” in the Opposition who “spread rumours” about the Covid vaccine to malign the “image of Modi and Yogi”, adding they lost credibility in the process as their own workers did not listen to them.
Modi said when the vaccination exercise got underway, neither he nor his 100-year-old mother rushed for the dose and waited for their turn.
In a veiled attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who lost the Lok Sabha election from Amethi in 2019, Modi said, “The one you chose for decades, he went to Kerala and questioned your wisdom.”
UPROAR IN RAJASTHAN ASSEMBLY OVER STATE BJP CHIEF SATISH POONIA’S ‘SEXIST’ COMMENT
Rajasthan BJP president Satish Poonia’s controversial remarks on women triggered an uproar in state assembly on Thursday, with women MLAs of the ruling Congress demanding an apology from him.
The House was adjourned for half-an-hour over Poonia’s remarks.
Talking to reporters after Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot presented the Budget for the year 2022-23 on Wednesday, Poonia had said, “It seems to be a ‘daubed up’ budget. It seems like a dark-complexioned bride has been taken to a beauty parlour and presented after a good make-up.”
Poonia later released a video apologising for his remark. “I was giving reaction to the budget during which I spontaneously spoke a few words. Usually, I do not use such words. If my words have hurt someone’s sentiments, then I humbly apologise,” he said in a video statement.
GAITONDE WORK FROM GLENBARRA ART MUSEUM SETS NEW RECORD FOR INDIAN ART
An untitled oil on canvas from 1969 by V S Gaitonde sold for Rs 42 crore on Thursday evening, making it the highest price achieved for a work of modern or contemporary Indian art globally.
The painting was among 57 lots that went under the hammer at auction house Pundole’s in Mumbai.
Works by other Indian artists — Tyeb Mehta, Akbar Padamsee, Arpita Singh, Somnath Hore and Jagdish Swaminathan — also made records for the artists.
Gaitonde’s bluish painting, reminiscent of large expanses of sky or sea, is from the collection of Masanori Fukuoka, a Japanese fish processing businessman. Fukuoka set up Glenbarra Art Museum in Himeji, Japan, in 1991, with works of 60 Indian artists.
The museum routinely deaccessions (removes and sells) works from its collection. These works, as art critic Ranjit Hoskote notes in the catalogue, embody “high points and turning points” of artists’ careers. Before deaccessioning, Fukuoka is known to carefully consider the options by displaying the works for a period of time to see which ones he is drawn to.
IPL TO START ON MARCH 26, ALL MATCHES IN MUMBAI, PUNE ONLY
The 10-team Indian Premier League will start in Mumbai on March 26 and end on May 29 with around 40 percent crowd being allowed at the start of the tournament.
“The IPL will start on Saturday, March 26,” IPL chairman Brijesh Patel said after the governing council meeting on Thursday.
With two new teams Lucknow Super giants and Gujarat Titans added to the roster, there will be 74 matches that will be played at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium and Brabourne Stadium along with Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil ground and Gahunje Stadium in Pune.
Spectators will be allowed as per guidelines set by the Maharashtra govt and to start with, it will be 40 percent. If the Covid situation remains under control and cases decline, it might be full house at the business end.
The IPL 2022 format will be same as used in 2011 IPL that had a total of 10 teams.
The ten teams are divided into two groups of five.
A random draw is used to determine the groups and who plays whom across the groups once and twice.
In the group stage, each team plays 14 games facing the other four teams in their group two times each (one home and one away game), four teams in the other group once, and the remaining team two times.
A four-game playoff stage following the Page playoff system is held after the group stage.
INDIA SCORE AN EASY WIN IN FIRST T201 AGAINST SRI LANKA
Opener Ishan Kishan, the IPL's costliest buy, scored a sizzling 56-ball 89 and Shreyas Iyer blazed his way to a 28ball 57 as India trounced Sri Lanka by 62 runs in the first T20 International of the three-match series, in Lucknow, on Thursday. Put in to bat first, India put up an imposing 199 for 2.
In reply, the Sri Lankans could only score 137 for 6.
Pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the pick of the home bowlers, finishing with two wickets for 9 runs from two overs, while Venkatesh Iyer (2 for 36) and Yuzvendra Chahal (1 for 11 in 3 overs) bowled excellent spells to restrict the visitors.
INDICATORS
Sensex 54,530 (-2702), Nifty 16,248 (-815), Trading Value NSE (Rs.crores) 85,114.46
Nasdaq 13,474 (+436) Dow 33,224 (+92), S&P 4,289 (+63)
US$-Rs. 75.27 GBP-Rs. 101.07, Euro-Rs. 84.36, UAE Dhm-Rs.20.49, Can$-Rs. 58.78, Aus$- Rs. 53.97
GBP 0.74 /US$, Euro 0.89 /US$, Jap.Yen 115.02 /US$, Aus$ 1.39 /US$, Sing 1.35 /US$, Bang Taka 84.50 /US$, Can$ 1.28 /US$, Mal Ring 4.19 /US$,
Pak Re 176.08 /US$, Phil Peso 51.37 /US$, Russian Rouble 85.12 /US$, NZ$ 1.49 /US$, Thai Baht 32.55 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 29.53 /US$
Bitcoin - USD 38,688
Dollar Index 96.91 Brent Crude 101.48 BDI 2,187
Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,913 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 5,156 / 4,726, Silver (Rs. Per KG) 70,600
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Each candidate behaved well in the hope of being judged worthy of election. However, this system was disastrous when the city had become corrupt. For then it was not the most virtuous but the most powerful who stood for election, and the weak, even if virtuous, were too frightened to run for office. - Niccolo Machiavelli
OFF TRACK
A man with chronic bronchitis called on a well-known physician to be examined. The doctor, after careful questioning, assured the patient that the ailment would respond readily to treatment.
"You're so sure," the sufferer inquired, "I suppose you must have had a great deal of experience with this disease."
The physician smiled wisely, and answered in a most confidential manner, "Why, my dear sir, I've had bronchitis myself for more than fifteen years."
RUSSIA INVADES UKRAINE
Ukrainian forces battled Russian invaders on three sides on Thursday after Moscow mounted an assault by land, sea and air in the biggest attack on a European state since World War Two.
After Russian President Vladimir Putin declared war in a pre-dawn televised address, explosions and gunfire were heard throughout the morning in Kyiv, a city of 3 million people.
Missiles rained down on Ukrainian targets and authorities reported columns of troops pouring across Ukraine’s borders from Russia and Belarus to the north and east, and landing on the southern coasts from the Black Sea and Azov Sea.
The assault brought a calamitous end to weeks of fruitless diplomatic efforts by Western leaders to avert war. Later, US President Joe Biden met his Group of Seven counterparts virtually to discuss harsh sanctions.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on Ukrainians to defend their country and said arms would be given to anyone prepared to fight. “What we have heard today are not just missile blasts, fighting and the rumble of aircraft. This is the sound of a new Iron Curtain, which has come down and is closing Russia off from the civilised world,” Zelenskiy said. “Our national task is to make sure this curtain does not fall across our land.”
The highway heading west out of Kyiv was choked with traffic across five lanes as residents fled.
Biden called the Russian action an “unprovoked and unjustified attack”.
EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc would impose a severe new round of sanctions.
EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said: “These are among the darkest hours of Europe since the Second World War.”
In his address, Putin said he had ordered “a special military operation” to protect people, including Russian citizens, subjected to “genocide” in Ukraine - an accusation the West calls baseless propaganda. “And for this we will strive for the demilitarisation and denazification of Ukraine,” Putin said.
Even with a full-blown invasion under way, Putin’s ultimate aim is obscure. He said he did not plan a military occupation, only to disarm Ukraine and purge it of nationalists. The outright annexation of such a vast, hostile country could be beyond even Russia’s military capabilities. A senior U.S. defence official said Washington believed the invasion was intended to “decapitate” Zelenskiy’s govt.
War and sanctions will disrupt economies around the world already facing a supply crisis as they emerge from the pandemic. Stocks plunged and bond prices leapt; the dollar and gold soared. Brent oil surged past $100/barrel for the first time since 2014.
A democratic nation of 44 million people, Ukraine is Europe’s biggest country by area after Russia itself. It voted for independence at the fall of the Soviet Union and aims to join NATO and the European Union, aspirations that infuriate Moscow.
DISSATISFIED WITH INDIA'S POSITION: UKRAINIAN ENVOY
Ukraine is 'deeply dissatisfied' with India's position on the crisis arising out of Russian military offensive, Ambassador Igor Polikha said on Thursday and sought New Delhi's support in defusing the situation.
The Ukrainian ambassador said India has special relationship with Russia and it can play a more proactive role in de-escalation of the situation. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is among very few leaders whom President Vladimir Putin listens to and New Delhi can use its proximity with Moscow to control the situation.
The envoy said Ukraine has been following India's position on the crisis and it is 'deeply dissatisfied' with it.
His comments came a day after Russian Deputy Chief of Mission Roman Babushkin said India has been playing a vital role as a responsible global power and it takes an 'independent and balanced' approach to world affairs.
PM MODI DIALS RUSSIAN PRESIDENT PUTIN
Prime Minister Narendra Modi dialled Russian president Vladimir Putin on Thursday evening, appealing for an immediate end to the violence in Ukraine that started in the morning. The conversation came hours after Ukraine's urgent appeal to India for intervention. A statement from the Prime Minister's Office said PM Modi called for "concerted efforts from all sides to return to the path of diplomatic negotiations and dialogue".
He reiterated his "long-standing conviction that the differences between Russia and the NATO group can only be resolved through honest and sincere dialogue," the statement read.
President Putin had briefed PM Modi about the recent developments regarding Ukraine.
The Prime Minister also discussed India's concerns regarding the safety of Indian citizens in Ukraine, especially students. India, he said, attaches the highest priority to their safe exit and return.
"The leaders agreed that their officials and diplomatic teams would continue to maintain regular contacts on issues of topical interest," the statement added.
SANCTIONS IMPOSED ON RUSSIA LIKELY TO IMPACT BILATERAL TIES, INDIA STUDYING THEM, SAYS SHRINGLA
Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla Thursday said bilateral ties between Russia and India are likely to be impacted due to the stringent economic sanctions being imposed on Moscow by various countries. “Certain unilateral sanctions were already existing as far as Russia was concerned. Some additional sanctions have been imposed by the US, the EU, by Australia, Japan, the UK among others. But this is an evolving situation as I said and we have to see what sort of impact these sanctions will have on our own interests,” Shringla said at a special media briefing late Thursday.
Shringla said the “actual impact of the sanctions” needs to be “studied carefully”.
India is the biggest buyer of Russian arms. Currently, it is expecting deliveries of the much-awaited S-400 missiles, which New Delhi has procured under a $5.43-billion deal.
On Wednesday, Russia’s Deputy Chief of Mission Roman Babushkin had said that Moscow is “hoping” that the sanctions will not impact its ongoing military projects with India.
With Ukraine closing its airspace, the MEA said that teams are being sent to the land borders with Ukraine in Hungary, Poland, Slovak Republic and Romania to assist the evacuation of Indian nationals.
Indian nationals in Ukraine near the border points can contact these teams whose contact details have been publicised by the ministry.
Partha Satpathy, Ambassador of India in Ukraine, said that the Embassy of India in Kiev will continue to operate till every Indian is evacuated.
COVID DASHBOARD – INDIA
As of 0800 IST / Feb 25
from mohfw.gov.in ,
New Cases on Thursday 13,166
Active Cases 1,34,235 (-14,124)
Total Deaths (Deaths Yesterday) 5,13,226 (142)
Total Vaccination: 176.86 Crores (+32,04,426)
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
======================
UKRAINE SAYS 137 CIVILIANS, SOLDIERS KILLED; PRESIDENT SAYS ‘LEFT ALONE’ TO FIGHT MOSCOW
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 137 civilians and military personnel have been killed so far in the Russian invasion of his country, and said that Kyiv was ‘left alone’ to fight Moscow. Russian forces have captured Chernobyl nuclear power plant, north of Kyiv, the site of the 1986 nuclear disaster, an adviser to the Ukrainian presidential office said on Thursday. Russian forces also destroyed over 70 Ukrainian military facilities, including 11 air bases, news agency AP reported.
Meanwhile, US president Joe Biden announced several export restrictions against Russia. According to Biden, the sanctions target Russian banks, oligarchs, and high-tech sectors. He said the aggression will cost Russia dearly and added that President Vladimir Putin chose the war. He also said the US is working to secure oil energy supplies and added that oil and gas companies should not exploit the situation to hike prices.
IMRAN-PUTIN TALK BILATERAL TIES
As the world watched with concern Russia raining missiles on Ukraine on Thursday, Pakistan PM Imran Khan sat down to discuss bilateral ties and global issues with Russian President Putin at the Kremlin. Imran’s Moscow visit, observers say, has put Islamabad in a tricky situation when it comes to balancing important economic and strategic ties with the West vis-à-vis Russia.
Members of the PM’s team in Moscow said he and Putin reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations, including economic and energy cooperation.
In the regional context, a statement said that Imran Khan underlined the urgency of addressing the humanitarian and economic crisis in Afghanistan. Speaking on South Asia, Khan highlighted alleged “human rights abuse” in J&K and underscored the imperative of peaceful resolution of the dispute. He stressed the need for steps that would help keep the regional balance.
Earlier, the US said it was aware of Khan’s visit and that it hoped Pakistan, like all countries, would voice objection to Putin’s action in Ukraine.
THE REST
=========
SENSEX TANKS OVER 2,700 POINTS IN LINE WITH GLOBAL MELTDOWN AS RUSSIA INVADES UKRAINE
Equity benchmark Sensex crashed over 2,700 points on Thursday following a severe sell-off in global markets after Russia launched a military offensive against Ukraine.
The 30-share BSE gauge plunged about 2,850 points during the session before closing at 54,529.91, registering a massive fall of 2,702.15 points or 4.72 per cent. Likewise, the NSE barometer Nifty fell 4.78 per cent.
On the Sensex chart, all 30 shares suffered heavy losses, with IndusInd Bank, M&M and Bajaj Finance shedding as much as 8 per cent.
Globally, stocks plunged and oil prices surged by more than USD 5 per barrel amid intensifying Ukraine crisis, which experts believe may roil the global economy.
Continuing their selling spree, foreign institutional investors offloaded shares worth Rs 3,417.16 crore in the Indian capital markets on Wednesday, exchange data showed.
OPPOSITION ATTACKS GOVT ON EVACUATION STRATEGY
Opposition leaders, mostly from the Congress, on Thursday attacked the govt for not making arrangements in time to bring 20,000 Indians in Ukraine back and accused it of “turning away its face” on its nationals in this difficult time.
Some of the Congress leaders also demanded that India should take a firm stand and “unequivocally condemn” Russia’s action.
Attacking the govt for not acting despite repeated warnings, the Congress asked why it had not made arrangements in time to bring 20,000 Indians in Ukraine back home safely.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, “turning away its face in every difficult situation...And remaining silent has become a habit of the Modi govt. Our 20,000 Indian youth in Ukraine are forced to grapple with fear, apprehension and life-threatening situations.”
In a series of tweets in Hindi, Surjewala said, “the Govt of India says - Our 20,000 Indians trapped in Ukraine should stay where they are. Because the govt is busy fighting elections right now?”.
Congress leader and former Union minister Manish Tewari tweeted, “India should unequivocally condemn Russian invasion of Ukraine in unambiguous terms. There comes a time when you need to tell ‘friends’ they can’t indulge in Regime change. India’s conduct of international relations should be characterised by calling a spade a spade.”
“Let us not make the same mistake qua Russia again when we did with the erstwhile Soviet Union when we did not condemn Soviet Invasion of Hungary -1956, Czechoslovakia -1968, Afghanistan-1979,” Tewari said.
PM MODI ATTACKS DYNASTS IN AMETHI, CITES OWN MOTHER
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday again slammed the Opposition parties for maintaining “silence” over the recent court verdict in the 2008 Ahmedabad terror blasts case and not welcoming it due to “vote bank politics”.
At an election rally in Amethi, Modi said the people of Uttar Pradesh have suffered from these parties’ “vote bank politics” and “parivarwadi rajneeti (dynasty politics)”.
“When I speak about these two topics, parivarwadis get tight-lipped and their ecosystem diverts the discussion. They never reply to this because they have foul intentions – their politics of vote bank and parivarwad have done maximum damage to the country,” the PM said.
Modi said these parties first nurtured politics of appeasement, which later held them hostage. “Now leaders of these parties are compelled to do vote bank politics and so their every decision is according to that politics. They don’t hesitate in taking such decision even if that is against the interest of nation,” he charged. “Hence they discourage armed forces and the police by insulting them because that makes their vote bank happy,” he alleged.
Referring to a court judgment giving capital punishment to 38 convicts in the Ahmedabad serial blasts case, Modi said, “You all clapped and felt satisfied when I said that the court has pronounced punishment. But these parties did not show courage to welcome the judgment as they fear losing vote bank. They are lip-locked.”
The PM also hit out at “parivarwadis” in the Opposition who “spread rumours” about the Covid vaccine to malign the “image of Modi and Yogi”, adding they lost credibility in the process as their own workers did not listen to them.
Modi said when the vaccination exercise got underway, neither he nor his 100-year-old mother rushed for the dose and waited for their turn.
In a veiled attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who lost the Lok Sabha election from Amethi in 2019, Modi said, “The one you chose for decades, he went to Kerala and questioned your wisdom.”
UPROAR IN RAJASTHAN ASSEMBLY OVER STATE BJP CHIEF SATISH POONIA’S ‘SEXIST’ COMMENT
Rajasthan BJP president Satish Poonia’s controversial remarks on women triggered an uproar in state assembly on Thursday, with women MLAs of the ruling Congress demanding an apology from him.
The House was adjourned for half-an-hour over Poonia’s remarks.
Talking to reporters after Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot presented the Budget for the year 2022-23 on Wednesday, Poonia had said, “It seems to be a ‘daubed up’ budget. It seems like a dark-complexioned bride has been taken to a beauty parlour and presented after a good make-up.”
Poonia later released a video apologising for his remark. “I was giving reaction to the budget during which I spontaneously spoke a few words. Usually, I do not use such words. If my words have hurt someone’s sentiments, then I humbly apologise,” he said in a video statement.
GAITONDE WORK FROM GLENBARRA ART MUSEUM SETS NEW RECORD FOR INDIAN ART
An untitled oil on canvas from 1969 by V S Gaitonde sold for Rs 42 crore on Thursday evening, making it the highest price achieved for a work of modern or contemporary Indian art globally.
The painting was among 57 lots that went under the hammer at auction house Pundole’s in Mumbai.
Works by other Indian artists — Tyeb Mehta, Akbar Padamsee, Arpita Singh, Somnath Hore and Jagdish Swaminathan — also made records for the artists.
Gaitonde’s bluish painting, reminiscent of large expanses of sky or sea, is from the collection of Masanori Fukuoka, a Japanese fish processing businessman. Fukuoka set up Glenbarra Art Museum in Himeji, Japan, in 1991, with works of 60 Indian artists.
The museum routinely deaccessions (removes and sells) works from its collection. These works, as art critic Ranjit Hoskote notes in the catalogue, embody “high points and turning points” of artists’ careers. Before deaccessioning, Fukuoka is known to carefully consider the options by displaying the works for a period of time to see which ones he is drawn to.
IPL TO START ON MARCH 26, ALL MATCHES IN MUMBAI, PUNE ONLY
The 10-team Indian Premier League will start in Mumbai on March 26 and end on May 29 with around 40 percent crowd being allowed at the start of the tournament.
“The IPL will start on Saturday, March 26,” IPL chairman Brijesh Patel said after the governing council meeting on Thursday.
With two new teams Lucknow Super giants and Gujarat Titans added to the roster, there will be 74 matches that will be played at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium and Brabourne Stadium along with Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil ground and Gahunje Stadium in Pune.
Spectators will be allowed as per guidelines set by the Maharashtra govt and to start with, it will be 40 percent. If the Covid situation remains under control and cases decline, it might be full house at the business end.
The IPL 2022 format will be same as used in 2011 IPL that had a total of 10 teams.
The ten teams are divided into two groups of five.
A random draw is used to determine the groups and who plays whom across the groups once and twice.
In the group stage, each team plays 14 games facing the other four teams in their group two times each (one home and one away game), four teams in the other group once, and the remaining team two times.
A four-game playoff stage following the Page playoff system is held after the group stage.
INDIA SCORE AN EASY WIN IN FIRST T201 AGAINST SRI LANKA
Opener Ishan Kishan, the IPL's costliest buy, scored a sizzling 56-ball 89 and Shreyas Iyer blazed his way to a 28ball 57 as India trounced Sri Lanka by 62 runs in the first T20 International of the three-match series, in Lucknow, on Thursday. Put in to bat first, India put up an imposing 199 for 2.
In reply, the Sri Lankans could only score 137 for 6.
Pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the pick of the home bowlers, finishing with two wickets for 9 runs from two overs, while Venkatesh Iyer (2 for 36) and Yuzvendra Chahal (1 for 11 in 3 overs) bowled excellent spells to restrict the visitors.
INDICATORS
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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Each candidate behaved well in the hope of being judged worthy of election. However, this system was disastrous when the city had become corrupt. For then it was not the most virtuous but the most powerful who stood for election, and the weak, even if virtuous, were too frightened to run for office. - Niccolo Machiavelli
OFF TRACK
A man with chronic bronchitis called on a well-known physician to be examined. The doctor, after careful questioning, assured the patient that the ailment would respond readily to treatment.
"You're so sure," the sufferer inquired, "I suppose you must have had a great deal of experience with this disease."
The physician smiled wisely, and answered in a most confidential manner, "Why, my dear sir, I've had bronchitis myself for more than fifteen years."
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