Good morning, From the latest updates on the Ukraine crisis to a row over Bhagat Singh’s photograph in Punjab, here are the top reads from today’s edition. The Big Story US President Joe Biden said that among the Quad countries, India is being “somewhat shaky” in terms of showing support against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to his British counterpart Boris Johnson. “The pair agreed that Ukraine’s integrity and territorial sovereignty must be respected,” said a statement by the UK PM’s office. Only in the Express Visiting US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland told The Indian Express that the US was ready to help India move away from dependence on Russia for defence supplies. She said, “As the autocracies (Russia and China) tighten their relationship…to break the rules of the international system that have favoured India, the US, it is very important for democracies to stand together.” As Ukrainians fleeing the war continue to head to the border with Poland, Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski has said that the city has reached its capacity to accept refugees, and if there is another wave, Europe and the US will have to step in and share the burden. Pratap Bhanu Mehta, in an opinion column, writes on how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has revealed a new world order: “Putin may not yet survive his blunder. Ukraine will almost certainly pay an impossibly high price for Putin’s hubris. But the self-serving stances of all the great powers make it more likely that the world will be marked by more miscalculations, conflict and hubris, rather than a dampening of conflict and more cooperation.” From the Front Page A deputy pradhan in Bogtui village in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, associated with the ruling Trinamool Congress, was murdered. Hours later, a cluster of houses, including those of the accused, was allegedly attacked and set on fire, resulting in eight deaths. The police denied any political angle, but the Union Home Ministry has sought a report from the state government, which has set up a Special Investigation Team.  Police at Bogtui village in Birbhum district where a cluster of houses was set on fire, resulting in eight deaths. (📸 Partha Paul)
Petrol and diesel prices were hiked by about Rs 0.8 per litre for the second day in a row. The price of petrol in the national capital on Wednesday stood at Rs 97.01 per litre and diesel to Rs 88.27 per litre. LPG prices were increased by Rs 50 per cylinder. The prices of both petrol and diesel are expected to rise further as crude oil prices have increased sharply due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Must Read
Refugees from Sri Lanka have started trickling into India, escaping the unemployment and food shortage spurred by an economic crisis. As many as 16 Sri Lankan nationals, all Tamils from the Jaffna and Mannar regions, reached Tamil Nadu in two batches. Intelligence officers in the state have obtained information that “around 2,000 refugees” are likely to arrive in the coming weeks. In the latest explained.Live session, political scientist Suhas Palshikar analyses the results of the five Assembly elections, decodes the political culture that fuels the BJP and talks about what went wrong with the Congress in UP. How does Bhagat Singh really look? The image — and imagery — that is frequently invoked on social media and in political discourse derives from certain romanticised stereotypes rooted in the folklore around the unparalleled bravery and fearlessness of Singh, who was only 23 when he gave his life for the nation. The Punjab government ran into controversy after they decided to display a likeness of Bhagat Singh — based on a painting by one Amar Singh — rather than any of the revolutionary’s four available authentic photographs at its offices. We take a look at how he has been depicted and spoken about over the decades. And Finally... For the people who play it, wheelchair basketball is much more than just a sport. It helped Haryana’s Geeta Chohan fly from the literal corner of her home where she was expected to sit quietly all day, into a world of superhero champions in sport. Meanwhile, for Dinkle Shah, who was restricted to a wheelchair after suffering a spinal injury during the Bhuj earthquake of 2001, the sport offers a much-needed escape from her gruelling 9-5 at a consultancy firm. 🤫 Delhi Confidential: CJI N V Ramana Tuesday tried his skills on the ‘Kinnara’, an indigenous stringed musical instrument, as its only surviving exponent and Padma Shri winner Darshanam Mogulaiah visited him at his official residence. 🎧 In today’s episode of the ‘3 Things’ podcast, we discuss Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's annual report for 2022. Until tomorrow, Sonal Gupta and Rahel Philipose 
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