LIVE: Russian invasion shut down 30% of Ukraine's economy, says FM

The Russian invasion has forced 30% of Ukraine's economy to stop working, Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko said in a televised interview on Saturday

10:49 AM

Zelensky warns Russia of 'high price' of conflict with Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Russia will pay a "high price" for its conflict with Ukraine, the presidential press service said.

"By attacking us, they will destroy everything that Russian society has achieved over the past 25 years," Zelensky said in an address to the nation.

In a phone conversation with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin criticised Kiev for "trying to delay the negotiation process in every way possible, putting forward more unrealistic proposals", Xinhua news agency reported.

10:30 AM

Zelenskyy in fresh video calls for restoring territorial integrity, justice for Ukraine

Amid Russia's plan to transfer their troops from Armenia to support offensive against Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy released a video on Saturday, saying that he wants a serious conversation with Moscow as "the time has come to restore territorial integrity and justice for Ukraine".

"I want everyone to hear me now, especially (those) in Moscow. The time has come for a meeting; it is time to talk," Zelenskyy was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera.

Zelenskyy also accused Moscow in the video of blocking the humanitarian assistance in the war-torn cities of Ukraine, stating that "this is a deliberate tactic..".

10:21 AM

US still concerned China might provide military support to Russia: White House

The United States is still concerned about China providing military support to Russia even after President Joe Biden spoke with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, on Friday to discourage him from aiding Moscow in its military operation in Ukraine, said White House spokesperson Jen Psaki.

"We have that concern. The President detailed what the implications and consequences would be if China provides material support to Russia," Psaki said when asked whether the Biden administration is still concerned Beijing might help Russia, reported Sputnik.

"That is something we will be watching and the world will be watching," Psaki said.

10:07 AM

India logs 2,075 fresh COVID-19 cases, 71 deaths

India's COVID-19 tally increased to 4,30,06,080 on Saturday with 2,075 fresh infections, while the active cases declined further to 27,802, according to Union health ministry data.

The death toll due to the viral disease climbed to 5,16,352 with 71 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The active cases comprise 0.06 per cent of the total infections. The national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.73 per cent, the health ministry said.

A reduction of 1,379 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

10:07 AM

Russian gas flows to Europe through Nord Stream 1 pipeline decline

Russian gas deliveries to Europe via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline declined on Friday in line with nominations, or requests for gas, while reverse flows on the Yamal-Europe pipeline eased and nominations for pipeline flows via Ukraine increased.

 

Flows to Germany through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline across the Baltic Sea were at 58,954,743 kWh/h on Thursday morning, data from the pipeline operator company showed.

 

This compares with 60,401,127 kWh/h between 1600-1700 CET (1500-1600 GMT) on Thursday, data from the pipeline operator company showed.

9:14 AM

Zelenskyy speaks to European Council President, discusses Ukraine's EU membership

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday (local time) spoke to European Council President Charles Michel and discussed further strengthening of support to the war-torn country and also the membership of the European Union (EU) to Ukraine.

 

"Discussed with President of the Council Charles Michel @eucopresident further support to in countering aggression, strengthening the anti-war coalition, prospects for restoring peace in. Special attention was paid to our movement towards membership in the #EU," Zelenskyy said in a tweet.

 

The European Council President Michel in a series of tweets talked about the discussion and the proposal of setting up a solidarity fund with Ukraine.

9:10 AM

China develops laser weapon that could destroy satellites in space

Researchers in China have developed a microwave machine "Relativistic Klystron Amplifier (RKA)", that could jam or destroy satellites in space.

 

The device can generate a wave burst measuring 5-megawatts in the Ka-band, a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum increasingly used for both civil and military purposes, citing Asia Times, Taiwan News reported.

 

Although not powerful enough to shoot targets out of the sky from the ground, the RKA can be mounted onto satellites, which could then be used to attack enemy assets in space by burning out their sensitive electronics.

 

Directed Energy Weapons (DEW) are systems that use concentrated electromagnetic energy rather than kinetic energy to damage or destroy enemy equipment and/or personnel in a physical conflict.

 

9:10 AM

Global Covid caseload tops 467.6 mn

The global coronavirus caseload has topped 467.6 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 6.07 million and vaccinations to over 10.77 billion, according to 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 467,671,421 and 6,070,281, respectively, while the total number of vaccine doses administered has increased to 10,772,862,375.

The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 79,717,219 and 970,804, according to the CSSE.

8:39 AM

Zelensky says war against Ukraine will set Russia back by decades

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has predicted that the war against Ukraine will set Russia back by decades - "to the disasters of the 90s".

 

"I am confident that by attacking us, they will destroy everything that the Russian society has achieved over the past 25 years. And they will return to where they once began to rise -- as they say -- to the 'disaster of the 90s'," Zelensky said, Ukrayinska Pravda reported.

 

"Only without freedom, without the creative desire of millions of people to work for the development of their state. This will be the price of war against Ukraine for Russia. It will be a fall for them, a painful fall. And they will feel it - even in spite of 'opium of the people' from the television propagandists," he said in a video address.

8:31 AM

US Congress report says China 'systematically' denied access to Tibet

Washington's efforts to pressurize China into opening up the tightly guarded region have not succeeded as a new US Congress report assessment indicated that foreign diplomats, journalists and tourists were "systematically" denied access to China's Tibet autonomous region over the past year.

 

The dire assessment comes despite attempts by Washington to force Beijing to relax the limits it has long imposed on Tibet, including by sanctioning Chinese officials involved in formulating or enacting those restrictions, reported Policy Research Group (POREG)

 

Compounded by the coronavirus pandemic and China's closure of the US embassy in neighbouring Sichuan province, there was no sign of a loosening of restrictions compared with 2020, the State Department said in an annual report to Congress published on Thursday.

8:28 AM

China reports 2 COVID-19 deaths, first in more than one year

China's national health authorities reported two COVID-19 deaths on Saturday, the first recorded rise in the death toll since January 2021, as the country battles an omicron-driven surge.

The deaths, both in northeastern Jilin province, bring the country's coronavirus death toll to 4,638.

China reported 2,157 new COVID-19 cases from community transmission on Saturday, with the majority in Jilin. The province has instituted a travel ban, with people needing permission from police to travel across borders.

8:27 AM

CAS upholds FIFA ban on Russian football teams

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Friday rejected the request filed by the Football Union of Russia (FUR) to stay, for the duration of the CAS proceedings, the execution of the FIFA Council's decision to suspend all Russian teams and clubs from participation in its competitions until further notice.

Accordingly, the Challenged Decision remains in force and all Russian teams and clubs continue to be suspended from participation in FIFA competitions.

"The CAS arbitration proceedings continue. A Panel of arbitrators is currently being constituted and the parties are exchanging written submissions. No hearing has been fixed yet," CAS in a statement said.

7:46 AM

Biden warns China of consequences if it supports Russia, says US's Taiwan policy unchanged

US President Joe Biden on Friday (local time) held a video call with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping and warned China of implications and consequences if China provides material support to Russia while also reiterating that the US continues to oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo on the Taiwan issue, a White House readout informed.

"President Biden detailed our efforts to prevent and then respond to the invasion, including by imposing costs on Russia. He described the implications and consequences if China provides material support to Russia as it conducts brutal attacks against Ukrainian cities and civilians," the readout said.

Xi said, "As leaders of major countries, we (China and the US) need to think about how to properly address global hotspot issues and, more importantly, keep in mind global stability and the work and life of billions of people," as quoted by Xinhua.

7:45 AM

Conflict in Ukraine adds to global food security threat: WFP

The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine is further threatening global food security, with food prices already at an all-time high.

Jakob Kern, the WFP's Emergency Coordinator for Ukraine, told an online press conference that the conflict has triggered a wave of hunger across the globe, Xinhua news agency reported.

As the world's largest and fourth-largest exporters of wheat respectively, Russia and Ukraine together are responsible for 29 per cent of the global wheat trade. Therefore, the two countries are critical to ensuring the food security of many countries around the world.

7:45 AM

Imran Khan meets Pakistan Army Chief amid looming no-confidence motion

Amid the looming no-confidence motion against his government, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan met Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa on Friday.

The meeting is being speculated to have revolved around the recent political developments in the country, with the local media reporting that the agenda of the meeting could have revolved around the upcoming Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) summit in Pakistan, the ongoing unrest in Balochistan and the upcoming no-confidence motion against Imran Khan.

"The majority of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders are waiting for the outcome of this meeting, the result of this meeting will be important amidst the ongoing political developments in the country," Capital TV, a Pakistani media channel reported.