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West slaps sanctions as Moscow recognises Luhansk, Donetsk

Ukraine President Zelensky calls up reservists aged 18-60 years to join military service immediately as several settlements come under artillery fire and missile attack from rebels. The West and allies slap wide-ranging sanctions as Russia declares Luhansk and Donetsk independent.

KYIV, Feb 23: Russian military has begun moving into rebel-controlled Luhansk and Donetsk in eastern Ukraine after the parliament voted to authorise President Vladimir Putin to use armed forces in foreign territories as he deemed it necessary. The approval followed Putin endorsing the House resolution earlier to accord recognition to the two self-proclaimed "republics" within Ukraine. The West and its eastern allies reacted with wide-ranging sanctions on Russia.

As fighting between rebels and Ukrainian forces flared up, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky called up reservists aged 18-60 years to join service as a war-like condition is developing. Ukraine is facing mounting fears of a Russian invasion. It has asked any of its nationals staying in Russia also to quit immediately. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba asked the West to “Hit his (Putin) economy and cronies. Hit more. Hit hard. Hit now.”

Several casualties are being reported from the frontline areas with Ukraine. Separatists opened fire on dozens of settlements along the frontline using heavy artillery, which has been prohibited by agreements like Minsk agreement. Videos are appearing on social media of tanks and missiles being fired and frightening blasts in residential areas. False-flagging of Kyiv evacuation has also been spread by pro-Russian elements. Ukraine is surrounded by 150,000 Russian troops on three sides. The earlier pullout claims had turned out to be false leads.

Russia late Wednesday afternoon reportedly cyber-attacked several banks as well as official websites, Ukraine charged.

Even as the fighting is going on, Putin said Moscow is ready for "diplomatic solution." As the Parliament's upper house gave him unanimous approval to deploy "peacekeepers" (military) to the two breakaway Ukrainian regions in Donbas or any other parts of Ukraine, Putin in a video address listed his conditions for a solution to the crisis as: 1. Guarantee that Ukraine will not be admitted to the NATO; 2. Recognition to Crimea as Russian territory (Crimean peninsula was annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014); 3. The West will not supply arms to Ukraine 4. Recognise the rebel-controlled regions. He said, "But the interests of Russia, the security of our citizens, are non-negotiable for us."

The troop movement authorisation was given to Putin after he addressed the nation on Monday announcing that he had accepted to recognize Russia- backed separatist "republics" of Donetsk and Luhansk as proposed by a resolution by the parliament earlier.

Australia on Wednesday joined the United States, the European Union, Canada, Germany, Britain and japan to impose sanctions on Russia after Moscow recognised the separatist regions as independent entities and ordered troops to move into in Ukraine. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said, "Australians always stands up to bullies, and we will be standing up to Russia along with all of our partners. I expect subsequent tranches of sanctions, this is only the start of this process."

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Japan's sanctions target Russia and the separatist "republics" recognised as independent by Moscow. He said his Government will ban Russian Government bonds in Japan. Visa issuance will be suspended, assets in Japan will be frozen and trade with the two regions will be banned, he said.

Germany had earlier halted a huge Russian natural gas project.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had said on Saturday: “If Ukraine is endangered, the shock will echo around the world. And those echoes will be heard in east Asia, will be heard in Taiwan.”

Putin visited Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing recently when the West took a united stand against a Russian plan for an "invasion" of Ukraine. They issued a joint statement, running inro more than 5,000 words. When the West responded with economic sanctions as Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in 2014, China had stepped in buying Russian oil and Russia reciprocated buying equipment from Huawei.

Imran Khan for Moscow

It is the first time a Pakistani Prime Minister is going to Moscow on an official visit since former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited Moscow 23 years ago. Moving away from the US, Pakistan, already in the Chinese ring, is currently cosying up to Russia for strategic reasons. Especially as the Ukrainian crisis is assuming the dimension of a global flareup, Pakistan has apprehensions that it will also be affected if a conflict escalates and China gets involved. Already Putin has had a meeting with Xi jinping in Beijing which was followed by Pakistan, the latter hoping to be a willing partner of an axis in case a war spills over to the East. It would be politically naive as to think that Imran Khan is going to Moscow for a one-on-one with Putin just for the clearance for the gas project.

With Putin vowing support on Taiwan for Chinese back in Ukraine against the US and Europe, and Pakistan boarding the axis, an Ukrainian war will definitely be not limited to Europe and as Johnson warned, it will be foiught in the East too.

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The incident has triggered a debate on social media whether the officer refused to take orders from a party leader or he was accused of any corruption, some netizens justifying the handling in either case, that Ratnakar was blocking public welfare work! It is true the Govt machinery has been the enemy Number One of the people of this country, existing for itself and for these politicians, for well over seven decades. India will never make an inch of progress - real progress, not make-believe-progress - unless and until this machinery is eliminated.

The irony lies in her illustration of her experiences in the country she has been living in for the last four years. What it really is!

ANALYSIS: There have been cases of Britons going to Switzerland to get rid of a miserable life. Now once the House of Lords also passes the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, terminally ill Britons can call it quits with the help of a medical practitioner here itself. But the measure when comes into practice, will have very serious social consequences, it is feared. There won't be comparisons, even as tropes in Latin American folklores. The worst case scenario is of those who are not terminally ill also trying to misuse the provision to leave this world early when life with dignity is not available. But that is, in fact, a political question and not a moral imbroglio!

The CCTV footage and the video circulating on social media do not indicate any serious abnormalities in takeoff or descent, it has been confirmed. The disaster is becoming curiouser and curiouser. The flight path was not curvy. And the aircraft maintained a steady, gliding descent with its nose straight and the wings perfectly level. The pilot's distress call does not specify what prevented lift and climb-out. Here are some expert opinions. The sole purpose is to raise travellers' awareness about air travel.

Many of the victims were charred beyond recognition, making identification difficult. Three hundred nineteen body parts have been sent for DNA matching with relatives to determine the identities.

  • The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla line provides Kashmir with all-weather connectivity and integrates the Valley with the rest of India.
  • The saying 'Kashmir to Kanyakumari' is now a dream come true.
  • The Chenab bridge on the line, an engineering marvel, is the world's highest railway bridge, taller than the Eiffel Tower. (Video: File)

A comment on social media on Kanimozhi's answer on the question of national language read: "Daughter of Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi. Delivered the Birthday Present to her Father!!" (Karunanidhi was born on June 3, 1924) (Today's headlines )

Trump said, "Elon is not really leaving" and will be "back and forth" to the White House because DOGE is his "baby." "I think he’s going to be doing a lot of things.”

Musk wrote: "My scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end... The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government." Now on it will be on auto-pilot.

PROGNOSIS: DOGE was prematurely born to protect the country by aborting an impending socio-economic disaster which very few people could see coming.

Although its immediate job was to save American taxpayers billions by slashing waste, eliminating fraud, cutting Government bloat and ensuring utmost efficiency in administration for the good of the people. (Today's headlines )

"Coming from a system like in England, empowering," she says she never had an idea of this sort of experience... being asked to “socialise with middle-aged men” who financed the event...humiliating...

Originally from Junagadh, Gujarat, Pataudi was relocated to Etawah Lion Safari in September 2019 before being transferred to Gorakhpur Zoo in 2021. Recently it was receiving treatment for pancreatic and liver infections. After tigress Shakti died in the zoo on May 7 due to bird flu, Pataudi was shifted to Kanpur. Some birds are also reported to have died mysteriously around Gorakhpur. All zoos in UP are closed for fear of a bird flu outbreak.

Three other animals too had died - a tiger, a leopardess and a female wolf. Wolf Bhairavi died last Saturday, leopardess Mona died the Thursday before that and tiger Kesari died on March 30. Some of them had Shakti's symptoms but the cause of death has not been confirmed yet.

As tourist inflow is an indicator of normalcy returning to an erstwhile terrorist infested Valley, the Government has been trying hard to make everything travel-friendly, launching lot many projects and bringing Kashmir on the national rail map that physically completes the process of Kashmir's integration with the rest of India. And that defeats the designs of Pakistan eyeing Kashmir and simply explains a recrudescence of terrorism in J&K.

The committee headed by justice Kurian Joseph will study Centre-State relations and make proposals to ensure foolproof separation of powers.

"It's a big victory not just for Tamil Nadu but for all Indian States. DMK will continue to struggle for and win State autonomy and Federal polity," Chief Minister MK Stalin said.

Of 2.08 km in length, it features 99 spans and a 72.5-metre vertical lift span that rises up to a height of 17 metres, facilitating smooth movement of ships while ensuring seamless train services to the holy town of Rameswaram on Pamban island.

ANALYSIS: There is a lot of hue and cry around the world over Trump's tariffs. But tariff, simply put, is a tax. But unlike tax, it affects the exporting country too. Domestic prices will go up for some time. Nothing more will happen, good or bad!

What motivated Trump's newfound policy, apart from being a stunt to justify his existence in the White House, is a false realisation that increased tariff will make foreign goods prohibitive, thereby boosting local production, and create more jobs, and more prosperity will ring in! If that is true, India would have been shining by now: Producing own Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Droptail and Scotch Whiskies! And what about coconut and palm oil by America! (Today's headlines )

PROGNOSIS: It looks a Real New Trump is emerging - courageous, balanced, powerful and disinterested. Determined to save his country from the cliff, he has done quite a few draconian things that will reduce the burden of debts of the Federal entity, like the golden handshake, stopping senseless funding, pulling out of a worthless WHO. Shutting the Education Department is another. On the other hand, running it is also not the Centre's job either (We will convincingly elaborate it in the next chapter).

In India the scene is just the opposite. Centralisation is the core agenda and identity of the ruling dispensation without which it has no existence, or in other words, it exists for that set of schemes only. A realisation of this never dawned upon any Opposition party in 2014 or any time thereafter, what to talk of being able to see it coming 70 years ago! The consequence of all this violation of basic natural law of the universe we cannot predict.

THE AMERICAN CONUNDRUM: Political venom has migrated to top echelons in the US. It was reported last year NASA has become politicised, vitiated. But NASA refuted the charge. How Boeing developed a glitch but its unmanned return was smooth. When Suni-Wilmore were stranded last June, why the return was set for February? Because that comes only after January 20! SpaceX called the shots, for itself and for Trump. Then the mission was manipulated for March for a better bargain! In between, what made Elon Musk 'predict' during campaign if Kamala Harris wins he would be in jail. In politics, it is said, "the only rule is there are no rules." Difficult times for Americans too.

The terminations are part of a large-scale exercise going on all across Fed departments and organisations to reduce wasteful Government expenditure as decided by a Trump in a mess gone berserk, and improve administrative efficiency following the whims of billionaire and his associate Elon MusK and his DOGE. It has not been shared how terminations are going to raise the efficiency bar! It looks like Trump has stolen some of the prescriptions meant for India. But the American problems are quite different.

Suddenly these colonial clerks feel this effortless, little rule will tremendously enhance security and convenience for the railway passengers manifold. More stations will be covered in the next 77 years! (Also See: New Delhi station stampede... What went wrong?)

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