TODAY NEWS ON 9 MARCH 2022

News Headlines

Zelenskyy asks Modi to help end conflict

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday said he had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help bring the ongoing Russian military campaign to an end.

Ukraine drops pitch for NATO membership

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he is no longer pressing for NATO membership for Ukraine, a delicate issue that was one of Russia’s stated reasons for invading its pro-Western neighbour.

In another apparent nod aimed at placating Moscow, Mr. Zelenskyy said he is open to “compromise” on the status of two breakaway pro-Russian territories that President Vladimir Putin recognised as independent.

Joe Biden bans Russian oil imports to U.S. over Ukraine war

Saying that the U.S. was targeting “the main artery of the Russia’s economy”, President Joe Biden announced that the U.S. would ban the import of all Russian oil, gas and energy, in retaliation for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

After 2-year gap, all international flights to resume from March 27

International flights to and from India are set to resume fully from March 27, two years after the country imposed a total ban on them to curb the spread of COVID-19 cases.

“After having recognised the increased vaccination coverage across the globe and in consultation with stakeholders, the Government of India has decided to resume scheduled commercial international passenger services to and from India from 27.03.2022, i.e. start of Summer Schedule 2022,” the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said on Tuesday.

Probe on to find details of Coimbatore student who ‘joined’ Ukraine paramilitary group

Central Intelligence agencies are conducting investigations on a student from Coimbatore purportedly joining a volunteer paramilitary group to fight for Ukraine following Russia’s invasion.
Reports said R. Sainikhesh, hailing from Thudiyalur on the outskirts of the city, had been pursuing his higher studies at National Aerospace University – Kharkiv Aviation Institute in Ukraine’s Kharkiv.

Oil firms will decide fuel prices, says Union Minister

Amid rising international crude oil prices in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday said oil companies would decide prices, when asked what impact the crisis would have on India.

Indian medical students in China seek urgent Government intervention

A group of Indian students enrolled for medicine in China fear cancellation of their degree if they are unable to return to China by June this year to finish their mandatory 12-month internship. The students have been in India for the past two years unable to return to China due to COVID restrictions. China stipulates that they finish their course by 8 to 10 years (depending on the time-period allocated by their universities). They have now taken to social media requesting for a solution.

All Indian students moved out of Ukraine’s Sumy: MEA

All Indian students stranded in the war-torn Ukrainian city of Sumy have been moved out and flights under Operation Ganga are being prepared to bring them back home, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday.
MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the Indian students moved out of Sumy were being taken to Poltava, from where they will board trains to western Ukraine. Poltava is at a distance of about 175 km from Sumy.

U.S. reaches out to Nicolas Maduro in energy talks with Venezuela

A United States delegation met with Venezuelan government officials in Caracus at the weekend for talks that included a discussion of energy supplies, the White House said Monday as Washington looks for ways to reduce its imports of Russian oil.
Venezuela’s Opposition also said it had met with the high-level US delegation, whose trip to Caracas came as Washington seeks to isolate Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

China’s Xi Jinping urges ‘maximum restraint’ over Ukraine in call with Macron, Scholz

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday called for “maximum restraint” in Ukraine and said China is “pained to see the flames of war reignited in Europe,” state media reported, in his strongest statement to date on the conflict.
Mr. Xi, speaking at a virtual meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, said the three countries should jointly support peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, Chinese state broadcaster  CCTV reported.

FM Nirmala Sitharaman airs concern over rising crude oil price

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday expressed concern over rising crude prices due to the Ukraine crisis and indicated that the central government is looking to tap alternative sources.
Noting that India imports more than 85% of its crude oil requirements, she said when oil prices go up, it is a matter of concern and “now we will have to see how it pans out.”

Sindhu, Srikanth enter second round of German Open

Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and World Championships silver winner Kidambi Srikanth registered contrasting wins to advance to the second round of the $180,000 German Open Super 300 badminton tournament here on Tuesday.
Seventh seed Sindhu trounced Thailand’s Busanan Ongbamrungphan 21-8 21-7 in a lop-sided contest after Srikanth, seeded 8th, saw off France’s world no 39 Brice Leverdez 21-10 13-21 21-7 in 48 minutes.