No reason to believe change in India's stance on Russian oil: Russian Foreign Ministry
Moscow (PTI): Russia's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday said it has "no reason" to believe that India has changed its position on buying Russian oil, which it said is beneficial for both countries and maintains stability in the global hydrocarbons market.
The remarks came in the backdrop of Washington's claim that New Delhi has agreed to stop importing Russian crude oil.
“We have no reason to believe that India has changed its position on buying Russian hydrocarbons. India’s purchase of Russian hydrocarbons benefits both countries and helps maintain stability in the international energy market,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in her weekly briefing.
“There is nothing new in the claims of US President Donald Trump, as well as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who have grabbed the right to dictate to independent nations,” Zakharova said.
Following a recent phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and United States President Donald Trump, both sides announced a reduction of the US tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from 50 per cent.
The reduction included the removal of a 25 per cent tariff that Trump had slapped on India in August last year for New Delhi's purchase of Russian oil.
Last week, Rubio said that India has committed to stop buying Russian oil, days after New Delhi reiterated that “national interests” will be the “guiding factor” for India’s energy procurement.
While announcing the trade deal with New Delhi early in February, Trump had also claimed India had agreed to not procure crude oil from Russia.
India has not yet confirmed or denied Washington's claim that it has committed to stopping the procurement of Russian crude oil.
Earlier too, Russia had accused the US of attempting to prevent India and other countries from buying Russian oil, saying Washington was using a wide range of “coercive” measures, including tariffs, sanctions and direct prohibitions.
In her strongly worded statement, Zakharova also criticised the European allies of the Ukrainian regime, saying that they do not want a peace solution.
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Odisha hospital fire toll rises to 12 as 2 more succumb to burn injuries
Bhubaneswar/Cuttack (Odisha) (PTI): The toll in the devastating fire at government-run SCB Medical College and Hospital here climbed to 12 after two more patients succumbed to their burn injuries on Tuesday.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling informed the assembly that a total of 12 people died in the fire incident that took place at the trauma care ICU of the hospital early on Monday.
Terming it a "very sad accident", the minister said, "As soon as the fire broke out, the hospital staffers worked on a war footing to immediately shift 23 patients from the first floor ICU and adjacent wards of the trauma care centre. All of them were shifted to other ICUs and wards."
Seven patients of the trauma care centre died due to their critical condition while five other critically ill patients died while undergoing treatment in other wards and ICUs.
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Eleven medical staffers engaged in the rescue of the patients were also injured in the fire. The injured staff members are undergoing treatment and their lives are out of danger, he said.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, Naveen Patnaik, visited the hospital on Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also taken stock of the situation.
The state government has constituted a judicial panel to probe the incident, and also formed a fact-finding team headed by Development Commissioner D K Singh that visited the hospital. The team will submit a report to the chief secretary.
The blaze had erupted around 2.48 am on the first floor and is suspected to have been triggered by an electrical short circuit.
SCB Medical College and Hospital is the state's premier health facility, with nearly 2,700 beds and it serves thousands daily.
