Tourism Ministry official Madhusudan Burlakoti said that three helicopters had been sent to the area to help in rescue efforts.

But it refused to free the final batch, using it as a bargaining chip to convince the Palestinians to extend negotiations until the end of the year.

Russian FM stressed that pushing for changes in the country’s non-aligned status will “undermine the efforts to resolve the crisis” in Ukraine.

Mario Vargas Llosa paid tribute to Garcia Marquez, calling him a "great writer" whose novels would live on.