Month: March 2022

Sweet shops in Punjab are bracing for the Punjab poll outcome, readying tonnes of laddoos and other sweets to cater to the demands of the political parties who are making preparations for celebrations for March 10.

A large number of candidates of various political parties have flooded the sweet shops with their orders for various kinds of ladoos.

A sweet shop in Ludhiana prepared ‘Jeet ke laddoos’ (ladoos of victory), weighing about five kilograms each approximately.

Narinder Singh, president of Punjab’s Halwai Association, said, “This year, we have received orders of laddus in bulk to mark the victory of political parties in the recently held Assembly polls. We have deployed our trained staff members to prepare these special laddoos with care.”

Narinder’s staff was busy making laddoos and packing them in decorative trays.

Counting of votes in the recently concluded Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur, and Goa will take place from tomorrow. (ANI)

Russia has become a global economic and financial pariah, said a US senior administration official after President Joe Biden announced a ban on Russian oil, natural gas and coal imports to the US.

Earlier on Tuesday (local time), Biden announced a ban on the US import of Russian energy in a bid to ramp up sanctions on Russia for invading Ukraine.

America is united in its resolve to stand up to Russian President Vladimir Putin, said a senior US administration official, adding that “there’s broad support across the country for degrading the strength of Putin’s economy and war machine through curb on energy exports”.

The official said that the ban will further deprive Putin of the economic resources to fund his “needless war of choice”.

Explaining the mechanics of the ban, the official said that the move blocks any new purchases of Russian crude oil and certain petroleum products, liquefied natural gas, and coal, and winds down the deliveries of existing purchases that have already been contracted for.

“It also bans new US investment in Russia’s energy sector, which will ensure that American companies and investors are not underwriting Putin’s efforts to expand Russian energy production,” he added.

The official further informed that the Americans will also be prohibited from participating in foreign investments in the Russian energy sector.

The official clarified that the US does not expect its European allies to join the ban since they don’t have strong domestic energy production and infrastructure, unlike the US.

“Russian oil was just under 10 per cent of our overall imports of oil but accounts for a third of Europe’s imports. As of last year, Europe imports more than six times more oil from Russia than we do — about four and a half million barrels for Europe versus seven hundred thousand barrels for the US per day,” he added.

Speaking on the domestic impact of the Ukraine crisis, the official said, “Putin’s unprovoked and brutal war has led to higher energy prices and raised costs for Americans at home — about 75 cents at the gas pump — since Putin began to amass troops at the Ukrainian border in early November.”

In response to this, the US will continue to mitigate the effect of the crisis and reduce dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels, said the official.

The official further said that this announcement builds on unprecedented economic costs the US and its allies and partners have imposed on Russia.

Enumerating the various economic sanctions imposed against Russia, the official said that Russia has become a global economic and financial pariah. “Over 30 counties, representing well over half the world’s economy, have announced immediate sanctions, with debilitating economic costs on Russia, cutting off its access to high technology, stunting growth and weakening its military for years to come,” he added. (ANI)

US beverage giants PepsiCo and Coca-Cola, along with fast food major McDonald’s and coffeehouse chain Starbucks all announced on Tuesday that they were temporarily suspending their business in Russia in response to the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

“Given the horrific events occurring in Ukraine, we are announcing the suspension of the sale of Pepsi-Cola, and our global beverage brands in Russia, including 7Up and Mirinda. We will also be suspending capital investments and all advertising and promotional activities in Russia,” CEO Ramon Laguarta wrote in a letter to PepsiCo associates.

However, PepsiCo added that it will continue to offer its daily essentials such as milk and other dairy offerings, baby formula and baby food in the Russian markets.

The Coca-Cola Company announced in a press release that it was “suspending its business in Russia,”. “Our hearts are with the people who are enduring unconscionable effects from these tragic events in Ukraine,” it said.

Both the US brands produce popular carbonated drinks. PepsiCo produces Pepsi-Cola, 7Up and Mirinda, while the Coca-Cola company produces Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta.

American multinational fast food corporation McDonald’s too announced the suspension of work of all its restaurants in Russia, along with Starbucks, a coffee-house chain.

“McDonald’s has decided to temporarily close all our restaurants in Russia and pause all operations in the market,” the company’s CEO Chris Kempczinski informed through a letter sent to McDonald’s employees and franchisees.

“We condemn the horrific attacks on Ukraine by Russia and our hearts go out to all those affected,” Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson said announcing, “We have decided to suspend all business activity in Russia, including shipment of all Starbucks products.”

In less than two weeks, multinational companies, media houses and several large scales businesses have announced their plans to leave Russia.

The slew of sanctions and suspensions of businesses come following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine after recognising the Ukrainian breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent republics.

Russia continues to maintain that it started the “military operations” in Ukraine to save the residents of eastern Ukraine and “demilitarise” and “denazify” the political leadership of the country. (ANI)

Top US intelligence official William Burns on Tuesday warned of an “ugly next few weeks” in Ukraine amid ongoing Russian military operations.

Testifying at an annual global threat hearing before the House Intelligence Committee about Russia’s military operation in Ukraine launched on February 24, CIA Director William J Burns said that 2000-4000 Russian troops were killed in Ukraine since the beginning of the war.

Burns warned of “ugly next few weeks” in Ukraine. He said that Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely “angry and frustrated” and “has no sustainable political end game”.

“Putin is determined to dominate and control Ukraine to shape its orientation. This is a matter of deep personal conviction for him, he has been doing it in a combustible combination of grievance and ambition for many years. That conviction matter more than ever in the Russian system created by him that narrowed and the COVID pandemic have made it even narrower,” added the top official.

As per Burns, Putin went to war on the basis of the number of assumptions that has made him believe that he faces, Russia faces, a favourable landscape for the use of force against Ukraine.

“First, Ukraine was weak and easily intimated. Second, Europeans, especially the French and Germans were distracted by elections in France and leadership succession in Germany. Third, he believed that he has sanctioned-proof his economy in a sense of creating a large war-chest of foreign currency reserves and fourth he was confident he has modernized his military and they were capable of a quick, decisive victory at minimal cost,” added Burns.

“He has been proven wrong. Instead of seizing Kyiv within the first two days of the campaign, which is what his plan was premised upon, the Russians still have not been able to fully encircle Ukraine’s capital city,” the CIA Director said.

A 40-mile convoy of Russian armoured vehicles, tanks and towed artillery has been stalled for days on the outskirts of Kyiv. Russia’s military performance, Burns said, has been “largely ineffective.”

Meanwhile, US intelligence chiefs say the threat of nuclear weapons is ‘increasing’, reported Al Arabiya.

The Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told the House Intelligence Committee that Russian President Vladimir Putin could escalate his assault in Ukraine and that he was unlikely to be deterred.

She also repeated previous comments by US officials that Russia was facing significant military shortcomings and experiencing more resistance from Ukrainians than they had expected, reported Al Arabiya.

Tuesday’s hearing was to discuss current worldwide threats that the US and its allies face. (ANI)

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced the banning of Russian oil, natural gas and coal imports to the US in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“Today I am announcing the United States is targeting the main artery of Russia’s economy. We’re banning all imports of Russian oil and gas and energy,” Biden said in remarks from the White House. “That means Russian oil will no longer be acceptable at US ports and the American people will deal another powerful blow to Putin’s war machine.”

The move made by the US is unilateral, without its European allies. Notably, there were some disagreements among European nations about whether to ban Russian energy imports.

Notably, EU countries have significantly more dependent on Russian energy than the US. US imports from Russia make up a small slice of the American energy portfolio — roughly 8 per cent in 2021, of which only about 3 per cent as crude oil.

The Department of Energy reported that in the last two weeks of February, Russian oil imports dropped to zero as US companies cut ties with Russia, effectively implementing their own ban, reported CNN.

The leaders of Germany, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands on Monday said Europe was too dependent on Russian energy supplies to stop imports overnight as part of any eventual sanctions package in response to the invasion of Ukraine.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that although Berlin supported tough measures against Moscow, Russian energy supplies remained “essential” for daily life in Europe.

“Europe’s supply with energy for heating, for mobility, power supply and for the industry cannot at the moment be secured otherwise,” Scholz said in a statement.

Russia is the largest supplier of natural gas to Germany, currently accounting for 38 per cent of imports, according to government statistics. Gas accounts for around a fifth of German power production reported DW. (ANI)

Badshah’s latest single ‘Tabahi’ features none other than Tamannaah Bhatia.

As the song opened to positive responses from the audience, Tamannaah expressed her happiness and talked about her collaboration with the rapper for the dance track.

“This is the first time I collaborated with Badshah and it was a blast making the video with him! I’ve been secretly humming this song to myself ever since I first heard it and now, I can finally sing it out loud!” she said.

“My favourite part of the song is the hook step – it has me hooked in every way! The video is already pooling in a lot of love all over the country and I’m grateful for all of it,” she added.

Meanwhile, on the film front, Tamannaah has a lot of projects in her kitty. She will be seen in Gurthunda Seethakalam, F3, Bhola Shankar, Pan A Plan B, Yaar Dost and Babli Bouncer among others. (ANI)

Following exit polls predictions of Aam Admi Party (AAP) getting the majority in Punjab Assembly elections, Congress leader Harish Rawat on Tuesday said the exit polls are far from reality and AAP never existed on the ground.

“The exit polls of Punjab are far from reality. AAP was not there anywhere in the villages. How would AAP get votes where it never exits? Congress is coming with a good mandate. I have full faith that we will form our government there,” Rawat told ANI.

Several surveys predicted AAP, which is in power in Delhi, getting a landslide victory in Punjab. Most exit polls predicted that the ruling Congress will finish a distant second in the state followed by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) which had allied with Bahujan Samaj Party. The BJP and its allies are not predicted to do well, according to the surveys.

If the results come as per the prediction of exit polls, it will be the first time that AAP will come to power in Punjab. AAP had declared Bhagwant Mann as its chief ministerial candidate in the state. Polling was held in Punjab on February 20 and the results will be declared on March 10. (ANI)

The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday announced that it had evacuated all Indian students from Ukraine’s Sumy.

“Happy to inform that we have been able to move out all Indian students from Sumy. They are currently en route to Poltava, from where they will board trains to western Ukraine. Flights under #OperationGanga are being prepared to bring them home,” tweeted MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.

Under ‘Operation Ganga’ to rescue Indian citizens from Ukraine’s neighbouring countries, about 18 thousand Indians have been brought back by special flights so far.

410 Indians were brought back on Tuesday by special Civilian flights from Ukraine’s neighbouring countries by 2 special civilian flights from Suceava, said the Ministery of Civil Aviation press release.

With this, about 18,000 Indians have been brought back through the special flights which began on February 22, 2022.

The number of Indians airlifted by 75 special civilian flights goes up to 15521. IAF had flown 12 missions to bring back 2467 passengers, as part of Operation Ganga, and carried over 32-tonne relief material, read the release.

The humanitarian toll has increased amid Russian military operations in Ukraine that was launched on February 24. As per the UN, around 1.5 million refugees have fled Ukraine. (ANI)

Under ‘Operation Ganga’ to rescue Indian citizens from Ukraine’s neighbouring countries, about 18 thousand Indians have been brought back by special flights so far.

410 Indians were brought back on Tuesday by special Civilian flights from Ukraine’s neighbouring countries by 2 special civilian flights from Suceava, said the Ministery of Civil Aviation press release.

With this, about 18 thousand Indians have been brought back through the special flights which began on February 22, 2022.

The number of Indians airlifted by 75 special civilian flights goes up to 15521. IAF had flown 12 missions to bring back 2467 passengers, as part of Operation Ganga, and carried over 32-tonne relief material, read the release.

Among the civilian flights, 4575 passengers have been brought from Bucharest by 21 flights, 1820 from Suceava by 9 flights, 5571 from Budapest by 28 flights, 909 passengers by 5 flights from Kosice, 2404 Indians from Rzeszow by 11 flights, and 242 persons by a flight from Kyiv. (ANI)