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Wednesday, January 08, 2025 | 06:33 PM ISTEN Hindi

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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

Image BS Web Team New Delhi
Lavrov

Sergei Lavrov (Photo: ANI)

11:49 AM

Restriction on agricultural exports 'indirect tax' on farmers: Bharat Krishak Samaj

Farmers' body Bharat Krishak Samaj (BKS) on Saturday said that restrictions on exports of agricultural produce are an "indirect tax" on farmers as they are unable to benefit from rising global commodity prices.

Reacting to the government's decision to ban wheat exports, Bharat Krishak Samaj Chairman Ajay Vir Jakhar tweeted "Restriction on agricultural exports are an indirect tax on farmers in countries where imposed."

Farmgate prices get subdued by policy and farmers are unable to benefit from rising commodity prices while having to pay higher input costs, he observed.

11:44 AM

India to supply 65,000 MT of urea to Sri Lanka

Amid Sri Lanka's devastating economic crisis, India in another initiative to extend support will be supplying 65,000 metric tons of urea to the island nation.

Reportedly, the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India, Milinda Moragoda, held a meeting with the Secretary in the Department of Fertilizers of India Rajesh Kumar Chaturvedi on Thursday where the issue was discussed, reported Daily Mirror.

"High Commissioner Milinda Moragoda met with the Secretary to the Department of Fertilizers of India Rajesh Kumar Chaturvedi and thanked him for India's decision to supply 65,000 MT of urea required for the current Yala cultivation season in Sri Lanka," said the High Commission of Sri Lanka in a message.

11:31 AM

Beijing covid infections ease, Shanghai has a community case

Shanghai reported one Covid-19 infection in the community with the rest still occurring within quarantined areas, while Beijing said there was a drop in the number of confirmed cases.
 
There were 1,487 local asymptomatic Covid infections and 194 local confirmed cases for May 13 in Shanghai, according to a report from CCTV. It also said there was one death, and the reclassification of 140 of the confirmed cases from asymptomatic infections that were reported earlier.
 
China added 253 locally confirmed cases and 1,726 local asymptomatic Covid infections for May 13. The country reported 2,452 new cases for Thursday. Authorities said severe cases dropped by 13 from the previous day nationwide.
10:56 AM

State of economy cause of 'extreme concern', says Chidambaram

Asserting that the state of the economy is a cause of "extreme concern", senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday said taking into account global and domestic developments, it may be necessary to contemplate a reset of economic policies.

Addressing a press conference, Chidambaram said a slower rate of growth has been the "hallmark" of the present government in the last eight years, and the post-pandemic recovery has been "indifferent and halting".

Chidambaram, who heads the panel on economy constituted by Congress president Sonia Gandhi to lead discussions at the three-day 'Chintan Shivir' here, also said the time is ripe for a comprehensive review of fiscal relations between the Centre and the States.

10:39 AM

Lawyer moves court for arrest of ex-Lankan PM Mahinda Rajapaksa for attack on protesters

A lawyer has moved a Sri Lankan court seeking direction to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to immediately arrest seven persons, including former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa while alleging conspiracy to commit criminal intimidation and abetting attack on a peaceful protest in front of the Temple Trees and Galle Face earlier this week.

According to Daily Mirror, a personal complaint has been lodged before the Colombo Magistrate's Court by a lawyer requesting to direct the CID for the arrests.

More than 100 protestors were injured at the Galle Face protest site during violent clashes resulting in a nationwide curfew with the country's tri forces ordered to shoot at sight all those who plunder public property or cause personal harm last Tuesday.

10:21 AM

FIR lodged in Mundka fire incident, company owners arrested, building owner absconding

The Delhi Police have registered an FIR in the massive Mundka fire incident that claimed the lives of 27 people, an official said on Saturday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer) Sameer Sharma said that the FIR has been registered under sections 304 (Punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 308 (Attempt to commit culpable homicide), 120 (Concealing design to commit offence punishable with imprisonment) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.

Most of the people were present on the second floor of the four-storey building when the blaze erupted on Friday evening.

The fire first broke out on the first floor which housed a CCTV and router manufacturing company.

10:20 AM

Ukraine opens first war crimes trial of captured Russian

Journalists packed a small courtroom in Kyiv for the trial of a captured Russian soldier accused of killing a Ukrainian civilian in the early days of the war the first of dozens of war crimes cases that Ukraine's top prosecutor said her office is pursuing.

As the trial of 21-year-old Russian Sgt. Vadim Shyshimarin got underway in the capital, Russian forces suffered heavy losses in a Ukrainian attack that destroyed a pontoon bridge they were using to try to cross a river in the east, Ukrainian and British officials said in another sign of Moscow's struggle to salvage a war gone awry.

Ukraine's airborne command released photos and video of what it said was a damaged Russian pontoon bridge over the Siversky Donets River in Bilohorivka and at least 73 destroyed or damaged Russian military vehicles nearby.

10:14 AM

Govt will be able to control inflation in the medium-term: Sanjeev Sanyal

Saying that India has broadly come out of the turbulence that occured due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Principal Economic Advisor to Government of India Sanjeev Sanyal on Friday asserted that a number of steps are being taken by the government to address the rising inflation.

Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of a convocation ceremony he was attending as the Chief Guest at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Kashipur, Sanyal said that a speed up in the economic recovery can be seen.

IIM Kashipur was set up by the Government of India in 2011 and offers a number of courses in business administration.

 
9:54 AM

India reports 2,858 Covid-19 cases, 11 fatalities in 24 hours

India's Covid-19 caseload increased to 43,119,112 on Saturday with 2,858 fresh infections, while the number of active cases came down to 18,096, according to Union health ministry data.
 
The death toll climbed to 524,201 with 11 more fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.
 
The active cases comprise 0.04 per cent of the total infections. The national Covid-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.74 per cent, the ministry said.
 
A decrease of 508 cases has been recorded in the active Covid-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.
 
The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.59 per cent and the weekly positivity rate stood at 0.66 per cent, the ministry said.
 
9:52 AM

Congress Chintan Shivir: Rahul Gandhi to meet general secys, state in-charges today

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will hold a meeting today with the party's General Secretaries, state in-charges, Pradesh Congress Committee chiefs and Congress Legislative Party leaders at around 10 am.

The meeting takes place on the second day of the ongoing 3-day Chintan Shivir here in Udaipur.

On the first day of the Shivir, party interim president Sonia Gandhi addressed the leaders who were invited to the event and also hit out at the ruling BJP at the Centre.

On the agenda of the party are discussions on 'communal polarization', farmers' issues, and strengthening the party for the upcoming elections.

9:52 AM

Mundka blaze: Absconding owner of building resided on top floor

The owner of the ill-fated four-storey building in Mundka that caught massive fire on Friday, resided on the top floor and went absconding after the incident, an official said on Saturday.
 
The police revealed the identity of the owner as Manish Lakra, however, it is yet to be learnt whether he was present in the building at the time of the incident. "His whereabouts are still unknown," the official said, adding searches are on to nab him.
 
Most of the people were present on the second floor of the building at the time of the incident. The fire first broke out on the first floor of the building which houses a CCTV and router manufacturing company.
9:47 AM

North Korea facing biggest challenge in history over Covid-19 outbreak: Kim Jong Un

North Korea is facing the biggest challenge since the foundation of the republic over the spread of COVID-19, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said, as quoted by the state-run KCNA news agency.
 
According to KCNA, Kim said that the country must focus on implementing the anti-coronavirus measures and boost them to stop the spread of the disease, Sputnik News Agency reported on Saturday.
 
The country has reported 17,400 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total number of infections to 520,000, according to the KCNA news agency.
9:47 AM

SpaceX launches Starlink satellites from California

A SpaceX rocket carried 53 satellites for the Starlink internet constellation into orbit Friday after blasting off from California.
 
The Falcon 9 booster lifted off from the Vandenberg Space Force Base at 3:07 pm and minutes later, the first stage landed on a droneship in the Pacific Ocean while the second stage continued toward low Earth orbit.
 
SpaceX later tweeted that the satellites were successfully deployed.
 
Starlink is a space-based system that SpaceX has been building for years to bring internet access to underserved areas of the world.
9:13 AM

India bans wheat exports with immediate effect

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

However, the export shipments for which irrevocable letters of credit (LoC) have been issued on or before the date of this notification will be allowed, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notification dated May 13.

"The export policy of wheat is prohibited with immediate effect," the DGFT said.

9:09 AM

No one can predict length of war, says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said although Ukrainians are doing everything they can to drive out the Russians, no one today can predict how long this war will last.

This will depend, unfortunately, not only on our people, who are already giving their maximum, he said in his nightly video address to the nation. This will depend on our partners, on European countries, on the entire free world, he said.

He said he was thankful to all those who are working to strengthen the sanctions on Russia and increase military and financial support to Ukraine. This is the only recipe for protecting freedom in the face of the Russian invasion. And for Western countries, this is not simply an expense. This is not about accounting, it's about the future.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine on Friday shot down the 200th Russian aircraft of the war and he noted Russia's heavy losses in tanks, armoured vehicles, helicopters and drones.

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First Published: May 14 2022 | 7:53 AM IST