Live: Russia says Ukrainian fighters at Azot plant can surrender on Wed

Catch the latest on the Union Cabinet decisions, the war in Ukraine and the coronavirus

Live news updates: Russia's Defence Ministry said it had offered Ukrainian fighters sheltering in the Azot chemical plant in the eastern Ukrainian town of Sievierodonetsk the chance to surrender on Wednesday.

Both the town and the Azot plant have become flashpoints of the conflict in recent weeks, with hundreds of Ukrainian civilians and soldiers holed up in the factory under intense shelling from Russian forces trying to capture the town, local authorities say.

Veteran politician Sharad Pawar has refused to be the presidential candidate for Opposition parties in election for the post on July 24, said Communist leader Sitaram Yechury on Tuesday. Opposition parties will consider other names, he said.

India's President is elected by the members of the Electoral College consisting of elected members of both Houses of Parliament, and elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of all States including National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Union Territory of Puducherry. Votes in the election will be counted on July 21, if needed. The BJP has enough numbers to secure victory for its candidate. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked various government departments and Ministries to undertake the recruitment of 10 lakh people on a "mission mode" in the next year-and-a-half, his office said on June 14.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday announced a significant reform on how soldiers across the three services will be recruited under the new Agnipath scheme. Soldiers recruited under the scheme will be called Agniveers.