Hindustan Times News | 9th March 2022 | 8 AM

HT Daily News Wrap

Akhilesh Yadav alleges EVM fraud day after exit polls, NATO said that there were credible reports Russian forces were targetting civilians in Ukraine, India and China are set to hold the 15th round of military talks on March 11 & other top news in this bulletin.
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav has launched an attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of trying to “steal” votes by manipulating electronic voting machines (EVMs) – a charge that the ruling party strongly rebutted. Yadav’s comment came a day after multiple exit polls predicted a big win for the BJP in the state, and the former CM said the entire exercise was just meant to create a perception that the ruling party was set to win. “The Samajwadi Party is winning Ayodhya, that is why BJP is scared. Election Commission officials are tampering with EVMs,” Yadav said in a press briefing, citing purported instances of EVMs found unmanned in various locations across the state. He said a truck carrying EVMs was “intercepted” in Varanasi. Varanasi district magistrate Kaushalraj Sharma said EVMs meant for training were being transported in the truck, which was stopped by some “political people” who spread “rumours” that the machines were used in the just-concluded polls. On Wednesday, a second training session for officials engaged in the counting process will be held and these machines are used for “hands-on training” purposes, he said. The EVMs which were used in the elections are all sealed in a strong room in the possession of CRPF and there is CCTV surveillance, Sharma added. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the military alliance of several western nations, said there were credible reports Russian forces were targetting civilians in Ukraine and urged the Kremlin to ensure the war would not spread beyond. NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was causing horrific suffering and that the humanitarian impact was devastating. “We have a responsibility to ensure the conflict does not escalate and spread beyond Ukraine,” Stoltenberg said, adding, “We will protect and defend every inch of all allied territory.” His statement came hours after Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was no longer pressing for NATO’s membership for his country, a delicate issue that was one of Russia’s stated reasons for invading its pro-Western neighbour. India and China are set to hold the 15th round of military talks on March 11 to ease tensions in Ladakh, with the dialogue expected to focus on resolving outstanding issues at the remaining friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), officials familiar with the development said on Tuesday. The last round of Corps Commander-level talks was held on January 12, which failed to yield any positive outcome though both countries said they would work towards mutually acceptable solutions to resolve the border standoff, which began in May 2020.The March 11 dialogue will take place on the Indian side of the Chushul-Moldo meeting point, the officials said on condition of anonymity. Despite three rounds of disengagement at friction points on LAC — Galwan, Pangong Tso and Gogra Heights — the two armies still have 50,000 to 60,000 troops each, along with advanced weaponry, deployed in the Ladakh theatre. “Both sides will now focus on achieving resolution on the remaining friction areas. Recent statements by both sides to find a mutually acceptable solution have been encouraging and positive in nature,” said one of the officials cited above. McDonald’s, Starbucks, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and General Electric — ubiquitous global brands and symbols of US corporate might — all have announced they were temporarily suspending their business in Russia in response to the country’s invasion of Ukraine. “Our values mean we cannot ignore the needless human suffering unfolding in Ukraine,” McDonald’s President and CEO Chris Kempczinski said in an open letter to employees. Coca-Cola Co. announced it was suspending its business in Russia, but it offered few details. Coke’s partner, Switzerland-based Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Co., owns 10 bottling plants in Russia, which is its largest market. Coke has a 21 per cent stake in Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Co. PepsiCo and General Electric both announced partial shutdowns of their Russian business. Pepsi, based in Purchase, New York, said it will suspend sales of beverages in Russia. It will also suspend any capital investments and promotional activities. India is among the countries from which volunteers have joined the International Legion, Ukraine’s volunteer military force, and are currently engaged in combat, according to a Ukrainian media report on Tuesday. Three days after Russian forces invaded Ukraine on February 24, the government of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for foreign volunteers to join the International Legion to counter the offensive. “First foreigners have already joined International Legion, Ukraine’s volunteer military force, and are fighting outside of Kyiv,” The Kyiv Independent tweeted, citing Ukrainian Ground Forces. “According to the Ukrainian Ground Forces, the volunteers came from the US, the UK, Sweden, Lithuania, Mexico, and India,” the tweet added, without giving details. Media reports claimed that Sainikhesh Ravichandran, a 21-year-old from Thudaliyur in Coimbatore, has joined a paramilitary unit of volunteers in Ukraine. He had enrolled for a course in aerospace engineering at Kharkiv Aviation Institute, a leading aerospace university located in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, which has been the target of intense Russian shelling in recent days. That’s all from us for now. We will be back with the evening news bulletin.