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

10:36 PM

We are 100% behind Finnish, Swedish NATO membership, Norway tells Turkey

Norway on Saturday backed Finnish and Swedish plans to join NATO against criticism from Turkey.

 

"We don't know what Turkey really means but from (the) Norwegian perspective, we are 100% behind Finland and Sweden if they decide to apply for membership in NATO," Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeld said as she arrived for a meeting with her NATO counterparts in Berlin.

 

"This will also strengthen the Nordic cooperation because we chose differently after World War 2, so I think that this is a historic moment right now," she added.

 

Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra echoed her, saying it was important that all NATO members showed unity.

10:13 PM

Gennova will soon submit necessary data of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine to drug regulator, says its spokesperson

9:48 PM

Egypt in talks with India on wheat export ban exemption: Official

Egypt is in talks with Indian officials about getting an exemption from India's decision to ban its wheat exports, Egypt's plant quarantine head Ahmed El Attar told Reuters.

 

India banned wheat exports on Saturday days after saying it was targeting record shipments this year, as a scorching heat wave curtailed output and domestic prices hit a record high.

9:39 PM

Foreign ministers of Finland, Turkey to meet over NATO tensions

The foreign ministers of Finland and Turkey will meet in Berlin later on Saturday to try and solve disagreements over Finland's and Sweden's plan to join NATO, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavesto said.

 

"I am sure we will find a solution," he told reporters as he arrived for a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Berlin, adding he had spoken to his "good colleague" Mevlut Cavusoglu by phone on Friday.

9:11 PM

No one is speaking about inflation: Uddhav Thackeray

9:01 PM

Turkey 'not closing door' to Sweden, Finland NATO entry, Erdogan advisor says

Turkey has not shut the door to Sweden and Finland joining NATO but wants negotiations with the Nordic countries and a clampdown on what it sees as terrorist activities especially in Stockholm, President Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman said on Saturday.

 

"We are not closing the door. But we are basically raising this issue as a matter of national security for Turkey," Ibrahim Kalin, who is also the president's top foreign policy advisor, told Reuters in an interview in Istanbul.

 

Erdogan surprised NATO members and the two Nordic countries seeking membership by saying on Friday it was not possible for Turkey to support enlarging the alliance because Finland and Sweden were "home to many terrorist organisations".

8:59 PM

BJP is playing dirty politics, alleges Uddhav Thackeray

8:54 PM

Telangana CM wants to turn this state into Bengal, it has to be stopped now: Shah

8:08 PM

Egypt considers importing wheat from Pakistan, Mexico

Egypt is considering importing wheat from Pakistan and Mexico, the head of the Agriculture Quarantine Authority told Reuters on Saturday.

 

Last month, Egypt, the world's biggest wheat importer, added India as a new import origin for the grain. However, earlier on Saturday, India banned wheat exports as a scorching heat wave curtailed output and domestic prices hit a record high.

8:06 PM

PM Modi extended his greetings to the new President of UAE

7:50 PM

Marathi actor Ketaki Chitale arrested over 'defamatory' social media post about Sharad Pawar

Thane Police on Saturday arrested Marathi actor Ketaki Chitale after a case was registered against her for allegedly sharing a 'derogatory' post about NCP president Sharad Pawar on social media platforms.

 

The post in Marathi, shared by her on Friday, was purportedly written by someone else.

 

It only mentioned the surname Pawar and the age of 80. The NCP supremo is 81 years old.

 

The post contained phrases like "hell is waiting" and "you hate Brahmins", allegedly referring to Pawar whose party shares power in Maharashtra with the Shiv Sena and Congress.

7:13 PM

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

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday that the West had announced a "total hybrid war" against Russia and it was hard to predict how long it would last.

 

In a speech on the 80th day since Russia invaded Ukraine, Lavrov pointed to the barrage of sanctions imposed by the West against Moscow and attempted to portray Russia as the target, not the perpetrator, of aggression.

 

"The collective West has declared total hybrid war on us and it is hard to predict how long all this will last but it is clear the consequences will be felt by everyone, without exception," he said in a speech.

6:23 PM

Manik Saha likely to be the new Chief Minister of Tripura

5:39 PM

Putin tells Finland that abandoning its neutrality would be a mistake: Kremlin

Russian President Vladimir Putin told his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto on Saturday it would be a mistake for Helsinki to abandon its neutral status and join NATO, the Kremlin said.

 

Putin said there were no security threats to Finland, and the potential change in its foreign policy stance could be negative for bilateral relations.

5:17 PM

Cong likely to raise representation of SCs, STs, OBCs and minorities in organisation to 50%

The Congress is likely to bring in a measure to ensure 50 per cent representation to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBCs and minorities at all levels of the party organisation.

 

A decision on this has been taken by the panel on social justice and empowerment formed by party chief Sonia Gandhi to lead discussions on this issue at the Congress' three-day 'Nav Sankalp Chintan Shivir' here, party leader K Raju said.

 

He added that it is likely to be recommended for approval of the Congress Working Committee. Raju said the panel is also likely to propose establishing a social justice advisory council to the Congress president.