LIVE: Lavrov says all will suffer from West's 'total hybrid war' on Russia

In a speech on the 80th day since Russia invaded Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister pointed to the barrage of sanctions imposed by the West against Moscow

1:35 PM

Cong calls for reset of economic policies, extending GST compensation to states for 3 years

Expressing "extreme concern" over the state of the economy, senior Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram on Saturday called for a recalibration of the economic policies while taking into account global and domestic developments.

 

Addressing a press conference here, he also called for a comprehensive review of fiscal relations between the Centre and the states and demanded that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) compensation to states be extended for a period of three years.

 

Chidambaram, who is the convener of the group deliberating on economic issues at the Congress' three-day 'Nav Sankalp Chintan Shivir', said the government has completely failed on the economic front and is clueless on how to set things right.

1:30 PM

'Goodbye Congress,' says Sunil Jakhar as he announces decision to quit party

Good luck and Goodbye Congress, former PPCC chief Sunil Jakhar said on Saturday while announcing his decision to quit the Congress, which had removed from all positions for alleged anti-party activities.

The disgruntled Congress leader, whose decision comes during the party's three-day Chintan Shivir in Udaipur, went live on his Facebook page to make the announcement.

"It is my parting gift to the party. Good luck and Goodbye Congress," Jakhar said while announcing that he was parting ways with the Congress.

1:23 PM

Scindia to examine matter of passengers being charged for boarding passes

Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia assured that he will examine the matter of passengers being charged extra for generating boarding passes at the airport.

 

Scindia's comments came after a passenger took to Twitter to allege that domestic carrier SpiceJet had introduced a new rule where the airline is charging extra for issuing boarding cards at the check-in counter.

 

"new rule of SpiceJet. If you wish to get a boarding card at the check in counter, you need to pay extra. This is like telling a customer In a restaurant that if you want eat in a plate, you will be charged. Wonder what's consumer forum doing!@flyspicejet." a passenger Dr Neeti Shikha tweeted.

1:13 PM

Nawaz Sharif opposed to fuel price rise, says insider

Issues and solutions discussed during a high-level meeting between PML-N leaders, including party supremo Nawaz Sharif, in London over the last two days would be put before the Pakistan government's coalition partners before reaching a final decision, and the government would take the people into confidence over the next 48 hours, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said.

 

"Until all of (our allies) are on board, we will not be able to reach a final decision," Dawn news quoted Asif as saying while addressing reporters in London along with Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique.

 

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders have remained tight-lipped about the major decisions taken at the meetings and have only talked to the media in vague terms.

 

However, a source present at the meeting told Dawn news that the PML-N faced a tough choice: either increase fuel prices or pass the reins to an interim set-up.

1:07 PM

Status of places of worship should not be changed, will lead to conflict: Congress

No attempt should be made to change the status of any place of worship as it would lead to huge conflict, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said on Saturday. It is to avoid such conflict that the Narasimha Rao government had passed the Places of Worship Act, he added.

Chidambaram said the Places of Worship Act was passed after deep consideration and the only exception in that act was to the Ram Janmabhoomi.

1:01 PM

Raut bats for 'one country, one language', says Hindi is spoken across India and has acceptability

Making a pitch for "one country, one language", Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday said Hindi is spoken across India and has acceptability, and added that Union minister Amit Shah should accept the challenge that there should be one language in all the states.

 

His statement comes over a month after Shah said that Hindi should be accepted as an alternative to English and not to local languages, a statement that was vociferously opposed by several prominent political leaders in southern states, who said foisting Hindi on people was not acceptable, and also called it a part of an agenda to weaken the regional languages.

 

Raut made the remark here while talking to media persons here. The comment was in response to a question about Tamil Nadu Education Minister K Ponmudy a day earlier decrying any attempts of alleged imposition of Hindi and questioning claims that learning the language would fetch jobs.

12:56 PM

'Rules on linking Aadhaar with electoral rolls can be issued soon; sharing details voluntary'

Rules on linking Aadhaar with the electoral rolls can be issued by the government soon, Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra has said, adding that sharing Aadhaar details will be voluntary for voters, but those not doing so will have to give "sufficient reasons".

 

Chandra, who demits office on Saturday evening, also said that the poll panel played a key role in intensifying the vaccination drive in the five states where assembly elections concluded in March this year to ensure that voters and those involved in election duty were safe from the coronavirus.

 

In an interview with PTI, he said two major electoral reforms which took place in his tenure as the CEC are the provision of four dates in a year instead of one to enrol those turning 18 as voters and the linking of Aadhaar with electoral rolls to check duplicate entries in the voters' list.

 

12:43 PM

CM Arvind Kejriwal visits Mundka blaze site, orders magisterial enquiry

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday reached the fire incident site near Mundka metro station, and said that the government has ordered a magisterial enquiry into the incident.

 

The Chief Minister also announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakhs for the family of the deceased while the injured will be given Rs 50,000 as ex-gratia.

 

He was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Cabinet Minister Satyendar Jain.

 

12:35 PM

Global Covid caseload tops 520.5 million, death toll crosses 6.26 million

The global coronavirus caseload has topped 520.5 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 6.26 million and vaccinations to over 11.40 billion, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

In its latest update on Saturday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and the death toll stood at 520,575,578 and 6,262,140, respectively, while the total number of vaccine doses administered increased to 11,400,335,103.

The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 82,421,624 and 999,518, respectively, according to the CSSE.

12:34 PM

Singaporeans make a beeline for passports as travel restrictions ease

Singaporeans are flocking to apply for passports after travel restrictions eased, unlocking pent-up wanderlust after two years of Covid-19 restrictions. 

 

The number of passport applications has spiked to more than 7,000 a day, peaking at 14,000, according to the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority, which described the surge as “overwhelming.” That compares with about 2,000 a day before the pandemic, the ICA said. The average wait for processing now is at least six weeks from the application time, it said.

 

Asia’s popular tourist destinations from Japan to Thailand are moving to reopen their borders, welcoming back tourists after the latest Covid-19 variant omicron proved to be mild compared to its deadly predecessors. Singapore, itself a well-known attraction, removed pre-departure testing requirements for fully-inoculated visitors from all countries last month.

12:27 PM

Establishment is calling me, but I've blocked their numbers: Imran

Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan claimed that the establishment is calling him but he is not ready to talk to them, adding that he has blocked their numbers.

 

"I am not going to speak to anyone until the date for the elections is announced," Geo News quoted the former leader as saying while speaking to journalists.

 

Khan asked people who supported the "conspiracy" whether they were not worried about Pakistan's future.

 

"It would have been better to drop an atom bomb on Pakistan than to have these people in power."

 

12:20 PM

Parag Agrawal explains why a 'lame-duck' CEO will keep changing Twitter

Breaking his silence, a defiant Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal has explained why a "lame-duck" CEO has made key changes at the micro-blogging platform amid the $44 billion takeover by the Tesla CEO.

 

Stressing that "no one at Twitter is working just to keep the lights on," he said that a lot has happened over the past several weeks.

 

"I've been focused on the company and haven't said much publicly during this time, but I will now," he said in a tweet thread.

 

Agrawal has fired consumer product leader Kayvon Beykpour and head of revenue product Bruce Falck to "take the team in a different direction"

12:20 PM

Congress slams wheat export ban, says move 'anti-farmer'

The Congress on Saturday hit out at the government over the ban on the export of wheat, saying it was an "anti-farmer" measure as it deprives farmers of reaping the benefit of higher export prices.

 

According to an official notification, India has banned wheat exports with immediate effect as part of measures to control rising domestic prices.

 

Asked about the government's move at a press conference on the second day of the Congress' ongoing 'Chintan Shivir' here, senior leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram said, "I presume that it is because the central government has failed to procure enough wheat. It is not that wheat production has come down, it is more or less the same. In fact, it may be marginally more."

 

12:14 PM

Macau mulls casino tax cut as gaming revenue falls

Macau is considering revising a casino bill, including a potential cut on some of the world’s heftiest gaming taxes, as the gambling hub faces plunging revenue amid China’s Covid lockdowns. 

 

Share prices of the city’s licensed casino operators soared in the US on Friday after Macau media first reported the proposed revisions. Las Vegas Sands Corp. and Melco Resorts & Entertainment Ltd. each rose 15%, while Wynn Resorts Ltd. jumped 13%. 

 

The Chinese enclave is willing to consider a tax cut of as much as 5% on casinos’ gaming revenue, if they are able to bring in players from outside of China, local media including GGR Asia reported. The reports cited Chan Chak Mo, president of a committee of the Macau legislature that is currently scrutinizing a draft bill to amend the city’s gaming law. 

 

The city currently taxes casino operators about 40% of gaming revenue.

11:55 AM

Biden encourages Sweden, Finland on NATO in call

President Joe Biden told the leaders of Sweden and Finland that he supports their right to decide whether to join NATO and underscored his backing for the alliance’s open door policy, according to the White House.

 

Sweden has received no indication that Turkey would oppose it joining NATO, and will raise the issue at a meeting this weekend in Berlin, Foreign Minister Ann Linde said. Earlier Friday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed concern about Sweden and Finland potentially becoming members of the military alliance. NATO foreign ministers are set to meet on Saturday, when the issue of enlargement is likely to dominate.