Live news: Ukraine get western arms as Putin speaks with Germany, France

From Russia-Ukraine war to Mann ki Baat and more, catch all the live updates here

Live news updates: Ukraine has started receiving Harpoon anti-ship missiles from Denmark and self-propelled howitzers from the United States, arms that will bolster forces fighting Russia's invasion, Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said on Saturday.

"The coastal defence of our country will not only be strengthened by Harpoon missiles--they will be used by trained Ukrainian teams," Reznikov wrote on his Facebook page.

He said Harpoon shore-to-ship missiles would be operated alongside Ukrainian Neptune missiles to defend the coast, including the southern port of Odesa.

President Vladimir Putin spoke with the leaders of Germany and France, who urged a cease-fire, an end to the blockade of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, and for Moscow to free captured fighters. Moscow announced its latest test launch of a hypersonic Zircon missile in the Arctic. 

10:44 PM

Sri Lanka PM invites protesting youth to join governance

Sri Lanka's prime minister said on Sunday that protesting youth groups will be invited to be part of governance under political reforms he is proposing to solve the country's political crisis triggered by an economic collapse.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that under proposed constitutional reforms, powers of the president will be clipped and those of Parliament strengthened. In a televised statement to the nation, he said that governance will be broad-based through parliamentary committees where lawmakers, youth and experts will work together.

"The youth are calling for a change in the existing system. They also want to know the current issues. Therefore, I propose to appoint four youth representatives to each of these 15 committees," Wickremesinghe said.

Protesters consisting of mainly young people have camped out outside the president's office for more than 50 days. They're demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, holding him and his family responsible for the country's worst economic crisis. They also want an overhaul of a system of governance, saying successive administrations since independence from Britain in 1948 have misruled the country leading to economic and social crises.

 

10:44 PM

Pakistan rejects notion of any delegation from Islamabad visiting Israel

Pakistan on Sunday rejected the notion that any delegation from Islamabad had visited Israel, days after Israeli President Isaac Herzog said a group from South Asia that included Pakistani citizens met him in the Jewish state.

During a special address at the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting on May 26 in Davos, Israel President Herzog said that he recently received a delegation of Pakistani-Americans, calling it an "amazing experience".

"Responding to media queries, the (FO) Spokesperson categorically rejected the notion of any delegation from Pakistan visiting Israel," the Foreign Office said.

It, however, added that the reported visit in question was organised by a foreign NGO which is not based in Pakistan.

Pakistan's position on the Palestinian issue is clear and unambiguous and there is no change whatsoever in our policy on which there is complete national consensus," the FO said.

 

10:24 PM

CEC Kumar, Niti Aayog's Bery, Delhi L-G Saxena call on vice president

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery and Delhi Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena called on Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday.

The three, who have taken over their new posts recently, met Naidu separately.

The Vice President Secretariat tweeted pictures of the three meetings.

The meetings were described as courtesy calls.

10:24 PM

26 Rohingyas coming from Jammu refugee camp detained in Assam

Twenty-six Rohingyas, including 12 children and 8 women, coming from Jammu were detained in southern Assams Cachar district on Sunday and the police are now verifying their UNHCR cards, officials said.

Cachar district superintend of police Ramandeep Kaur said that three Rohingya Muslim families comprising 26 members came to Guwahati from the Jammu refugee camp via Delhi.

"We are now verifying their UNHCR cards and their motive of visiting the northeastern region. We are also probing who guided them to move from their Jammu refugee camp to Assam and why," Kaur told the media.

On May 2, 24 Rohingyas, including 10 children and 8 women, all coming from the Jammu camp, were detained in Tripura's Unakoti district. They were subsequently released as they were holding UNHCR cards.

On April 27, six Rohingyas, including a woman and two children, were detained in Tripura's Dharmanagar after they arrived there from Delhi.

Rohingya Muslims often enter the northeastern states illegally from Bangladesh in search of jobs and for other purposes.

During the past two years, over 270 Rohingyas, all citizens of Myanmar, have been detained in different northeastern states by the Border Security Force and other security agencies.

Since 2016, over 860,000 Rohingyas fled from Myanmar to evade violence and were sheltered in Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh.

 

10:20 PM

BJP blames Kejriwal, Raghav Chaddha for Moosewala's murder

The BJP on Sunday blamed AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and his party colleague Raghav Chaddha for the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, saying "anti-national and subversive elements are having free play" in Punjab under the AAP govt

Moosewala was shot dead Sunday by unidentified assailants in Punjab's Mansa district, a day after the state government withdrew his security cover.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, party spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged that the secret list which had the names of those whose security was removed was made public, exposing those people to mortal threat.

"In a way, it was an open invitation to murderers, that you can do you work...

Arvind Kejriwal is responsible for this murder," Patra said.

Along with Kejriwal, Patra held AAP's Raghav Chaddha too responsible for the gruesome murder.

"Both these people should apologise and explain what is happening in Punjab today," he said. Chaddha was the party's co-in charge for the latest Punjab polls, in which the AAP was swept to power in the border state.

 

10:11 PM

Kapil Sharma, Shehnaaz Gill mourn Sidhu Moosewala's killing

Even as politicians began sparring over the killing of Punjabi rapper and celebrity Sidhu Moosewala on Sunday evening, people from the entertainment industry reacted to the death with shock and disbelief.

Comedian and TV star Kapil Sharma, who is from Amritsar, called the incident "very shocking" and "very sad". "Satnam Shri Waheguru very shocking n very sad, a great artiste n a wonderful human being, may God give his family strength #sidhumoosewala," Sharma tweeted.

Former 'Bigg Boss' contestant Shehnaaz Gill wrote: "Kise da jawaan dhee ya putt es duniya toh chala jaave, es toh vadda dukh koi nahi ho sakda duniya te. Waheguruji mehar kareyo #sidhumoosewala." Her tweet roughly translates to, "Nothing is more painful in the world than someone losing their young child. God, please show your mercy."

Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit also took to Twitter to make a political statement: "Well-known Punjabi singer #SidhuMoosewala Shot Dead in Mansa district. Security was withdrawn yesterday. Heartfelt condolences to the aggrieved family and fans. It's an intelligence failure & the @ArvindKejriwal Govt. should own the responsibility."

Music composer and singer Vishal Dadlani called it a "sad day". VJ and actor Rannvijay Singha expressed his shock in a tweet, where he wrote, "Shocking news about #sidhumoosewala, can't believe it."

10:10 PM

UP CM reviews preparations for Kovind's June 5 visit

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday took stock of preparations for the visit of President Ram Nath Kovind to Maghar on June 5, officials said.

Maghar is a town in Sant Kabir Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh. Kabir, the 15th-century mystic poet, disappeared and flowers were found in his place that were buried in Maghar.

Adityanath inspected Sant Kabir Samadhi Sthal, mazar, cave, newly constructed Sant Kabir Academy and Research Institute and Sant Kabir mural painting gallery interpretation centre and exhibition hall.

He also laid flowers at the mazar/samadhi of Sant Kabirdas, they said.

10:09 PM

Wrong to tamper with security for sake of publicity: Gehlot after Moosewala killing

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday expressed grief over the killing of famous Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala and said tampering with security "for the sake of publicity" is absolutely wrong.

Moosewala was shot dead on Sunday by unidentified assailants in Punjab's Mansa district, a day after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government withdrew his security cover.

"The news of the murder of eminent singer and Congress candidate in the Punjab Assembly elections, Sidhu Moosewala, is sad. May God give peace to his soul and courage to his family members. His contribution in the field of music will be remembered," Gehlot tweeted in Hindi.

Moosewala had fought on the Congress ticket from Mansa assembly seat in the recent assembly election and was defeated by AAP's Vijay Singla.

"The Punjab government should ensure the safety of all the citizens of Punjab. Tampering with security for the sake of publicity is absolutely wrong. Punjab has lost thousands of people including Chief Minister Shri Beant Singh. To maintain peace in Punjab, the government should take all necessary steps in time," Gehlot said in another tweet.

10:08 PM

Chhattisgarh sees three Covid-19 cases, no death; active tally 52

Chhattisgarh on Sunday recorded three COVID-19 cases, taking the tally to 11,52,431, while the death toll remained unchanged at 14,034, an official said.

The three cases, at a positivity rate of 0.29 per cent, were reported from Raipur, Kabirdham and Koriya, while 11 districts have no active case currently, he said.

The recovery count increased by nine to touch 11,38,345, leaving the state with 52 active cases, the official said.

With 1,027 samples examined during the day, the number of tests carried out so far in Chhattisgarh went up to 1,77,34,990, he added.

Chhattisgarh's coronavirus figures are as follows: Positive cases 11,52,431, new cases 3, death toll 14,034, recovered 11,38,345, active cases 52, today tests 1,027, total tests 1,77,34,990.

10:07 PM

Sidhu Moosewala killing seems result of inter-gang rivalry, says Punjab DGP

Punjab Director General of Police V K Bhawra Sunday said the killing of famous singer Sidhu Moosewala seems to be a fallout of an inter-gang rivalry and that the Lawrence Bishnoi gang was involved in it.

He further said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) will be set up to investigate the Sunday evening killing.

In a media statement, the state police chief said Moosewala's security cover was scaled down to free personnel for deployment during the Operation Bluestar anniversary next month.

Two of the four Punjab police commandos deployed with Moosewala were withdrawn, he said.

He said Moosewala did not take the two of his remaining commandos with him when the incident happened in Mansa district.

10:00 PM

Campaign for Odisha assembly bypoll ends, CEO says all arrangements in place

The high-decibel campaign for May 31 by-polls to Brajrajnagar assembly segment in Odisha's Jharsuguda district came to an end on Sunday, with the chief electoral officer (CEO) stating that all arrangements were in place for carrying out free and fair voting.

The by-election was necessitated following the demise of BJD MLA Kishore Mohanty in December last year.

Although 11 candidates are in the fray, the constituency is set to witness a triangular contest among the ruling BJD, the opposition BJP and the Congress.

The three parties have campaigned vigorously for their respective candidates.

Several star campaigners had hit the roads over the past few days to seek votes from people, including Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Bisheswar Tudu for BJP nominee Radharani Panda, and AICC general secretary in-charge of Odisha, A Chellakumar, for Congress candidate Kishore Patel.

At least eight ministers and 30 MLAs of the BJD have campaigned for Alaka Mohanty, wife of the deceased legislator.

Addressing a press meet here, CEO S K Lohani said as many as 2,14,261 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the constituency, where polling would be held from 7 am to 6 pm. Counting of votes will take place on June 3.

 

9:58 PM

INS Gomati bids adieu after 34 years of service, decommissioned at Mumbai Dockyard

The Indian Navy Ship (INS) Gomati was decommissioned on May 28 from the naval dockyard in Mumbai, informed the Ministry of Defence in an official release.

The ship was paid off under the command of Captain Sudip Malik in a poignant ceremony.

"After INS Gomati's decommissioning, the ship's legacy will be kept alive in an open-air museum being set up on the picturesque banks of the eponymous river Gomti in Lucknow where several of her combat systems will be displayed as military and war relics," read the statement.

INS Gomati derives her name from the vibrant river Gomti and was commissioned on 16 April 1988 by then defence minister,KC Pant, at Mazagon Dock Limited (Mumbai).

The third ship of the Godavari class guided-missile frigates, INS Gomati was also the oldest warrior of the western fleet when decommissioned.

During her service, she participated in numerous operations including Cactus, Parakram and Rainbow, and several bilateral and multinational naval exercises.

IMS Gomati was twice awarded the coveted Unit Citation, in 2007-08 and again in 2019-20, for remarkable spirit and stellar contribution to national maritime security.

9:57 PM

BJP announces list of 16 candidates for Rajya Sabha elections

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday announced the list of 16 candidates for the Rajya Sabha elections which are scheduled to take place on June 10. Polling will be held for 57 seats spread across 15 states.

Among the prominent names, the list includes Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman from Karnataka and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal from Maharashtra who are up for re-election as their terms are set to end.

The BJP has fielded a total of six candidates from Uttar Pradesh where the maximum number of seats (11) are lying vacant, including Laxmikant Vajpayee, Radha Mohan Agarwal, Surendra Nagar, Baburam Nishad, Darshana Singh, and Sangeeta Yadav.

Former Uttar Pradesh BJP president Laxmikant Bajpai will contest against Samajwadi Party leader Surendra Nagar who got a repeat term.

Former MLA from Gorakhpur urban Radhe Mohan Agarwal who gave up his seat for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to contest has been brought to the Rajya Sabha. Baburam Nishad Darshana Singh and Sangeeta Yadav are the other candidates from Uttar Pradesh.

A sitting member of Parliament in Rajya Sabha from Bihar, Satish Chandra Dubey also got a repeat term whereas party worker and OBC face, state secretary Shambhu Sharon Patel will be making his debut in the upper house.

Farmer Leader and former irrigation minister of Maharashtra Dr Anil Sukhdevrao Bonde has been brought to the Rajya Sabha.

Incidentally, Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi who is a member of Parliament in the Upper House from Jharkhand has not found a place on this list.

It can be said that the BJP has decided to field young faces and state leaders and office bearers to the Upper House.

9:56 PM

Himachal CM holds review meeting ahead of PM Modi's Shimla visit

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Sunday presided over a review meeting ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Shimla visit, informed the officials on Sunday.

The meeting headed by Thakur was conducted between the senior state government officials with an agenda to take note of the preparedness of PM Modi's visit slated for May 31.

Thakur stressed the government's focus on PM Modi's visit to Himachal Pradesh on completion of his 8 years as the Prime Minister.

"I held a meeting with officials of the state government regarding the Prime Minister's event. Took note of the arrangements. Tourist season is at its peak and no one should face difficulty due to traffic. We had a detailed discussion to make the event successful," Thakur told ANI.

He also highlighted that the people in the northern state await PM's visit and directed the officers to ensure that all possible arrangements are made to make the event a historic one.

CM Thakur on Saturday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually interact with all the Chief Ministers of the states on May 31 from Himachal Pradesh on the occasion of the completion of eight years of the BJP-led Central government.

 

9:55 PM

MP: Banned wheat exports to ensure adequate domestic supply, says Union minister

Union Minister Kailash Choudhary on Sunday said the Centre had placed a ban on wheat exports to ensure adequate availability of the food grain in the country.

The ban was put in place on May 14 in order to control domestic prices amid concern that wheat output may be hit due to a prevailing heatwave.

"For us the country is first and our priority is to make available adequate wheat to our citizens, We have banned wheat export so that people don't face shortage," the Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare told reporters here.

India's wheat exports stood at an all-time high of 7 million tonnes, valued at USD 2.05 billion, in 2021-22, with over 50 per cent being bought by neighbouring Bangladesh.

Queried on whether the Centre would provide financial relief to farmers facing losses due to the sudden ban on exports, Choudhary only said the government buys produce at minimum support price.

Listing the Narendra Modi government's schemes for the farming sector, Choudhary said, "The budget for agriculture was Rs 23,000 crore in 2013, which has been raised six times, taking it to Rs 1.32 lakh crore.