Live: Davos hosts WEF meeting with focus on Ukraine war, climate change

Live news: The annual summit of the rich and powerful will continue till Thursday, May 26

10:36 PM

Magnitude 6.0 earthquake strikes off east coast of Japan's Honshu

A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck near the east coast of Honshu, Japan's main island on Sunday, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said. The quake was at a depth of 60 kms (37 miles), EMSC said.

9:38 PM

USA's Indo-Pacific strategy 'bound to fail', says China

China on Sunday criticised the Indo-Pacific strategy of the US ahead of the summit of Quad leaders in Japan, saying that it is "bound to fail" as it is vigorously promoted by Washington to "contain" Beijing. The "Indo-Pacific strategy" is causing more and more vigilance and concern in the international community, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said. More here

8:03 PM

Germany’s Scholz among world leaders at first in-person Davos since Covid

About 50 heads of state and government, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, will head to Davos, Switzerland, next week as the World Economic Forum holds its first annual in-person gathering since the pandemic. Despite the risks from Covid-19 receding, the fresh challenges facing global political and business leaders will be underscored by the virtual appearance of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, whose country continues to resist a Russian invasion that began in February, Bloomberg said.

7:28 PM

Climate change is key theme at Davos

While the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia's war in Ukraine will be focuses of the World Economic Forum's gathering of business and government leaders, so too will climate change. It's captured the world's attention in unignorable and devastating ways. The acceleration of rising temperatures, the ferocity and costliness of major weather events, and the impact, particularly on people in developing countries, have pushed the issue from one of science to something that touches every aspect of life, including (or, perhaps especially) business and economics, the AP reported.

6:21 PM

Biden arrives in Japan to launch regional economic plan

President Joe Biden arrived in Japan on Sunday to launch a plan for greater U.S. economic engagement with the Indo-Pacific, facing criticism even before the programme is announced that it will offer scant benefit to countries in the region, Reuters reported. On the second leg of his first Asia trip as president, Biden is to meet with leaders of Japan, India and Australia, the "Quad," another cornerstone of his strategy to push back against China's expanding influence.

5:37 PM

Saudi Arabia's Alwaleed sells $1.5 bln stake in Kingdom Holding to PIF

Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal has signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia's powerful sovereign wealth fund to sell 16.87% of his investment firm Kingdom Holding Co to the fund, the company said on Sunday. The Public Investment Fund (PIF) will buy 625 million shares at 9.09 riyals ($2.42) a share, Kingdom Holding said in a stock exchange filing, for a total of 5.68 billion riyals ($1.51 billion).

4:41 PM

Russia says defence forces attacked Ukraine targets in east and south

Russia's defence ministry said its forces pounded Ukrainian forces with airstrikes and artillery in the east and the south, targeting command centres, troops, and ammunition depots, Reuters reported. Russian defence ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said air-launched missiles hit three command points, 13 areas where troops and Ukrainian military equipment amassed, as well as four ammunition depots in the Donbas. 

3:47 PM

Beijing reports 94 local daily Covid cases

Beijing reported 94 new domestically transmitted COVID-19 infections for the 24 hours to 3 p.m. (0700 GMT) on Sunday, up from 63 cases a day earlier, a disease control official in the Chinese capital said. Of those, 77 were in controlled areas and 17 were found through community screening, Liu Xiaofeng, deputy director at Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, told a news briefing. The city has had 1,493 COVID infections since April 22, Liu said, according to Reuters.

3:36 PM

Polish President visits Ukraine

Poland’s President Andrzej Duda is visiting Ukraine and will deliver a message to its Parliament in Kyiv on Sunday, according to a statement on the presidential website. He’ll be the first foreign head of state to speak to Ukraine’s Parliament in person since the war began, Poland said. Boris Johnson was the first world leader to address the parliament when the UK prime minister spoke by video link on May 3.

 

3:35 PM

Russian troops focus on Severodonetsk, say US analysts

Russian forces intensified efforts to encircle and capture Severodonetsk in Ukraine’s Luhansk region on Saturday and will likely continue to do so as efforts on other axes of advance, including Izyum, remain largely stalled, according to the Institute for the Study of War, according to Bloomberg.

 

2:25 PM

Quad Summit opportunity to review initiatives' progress: PM Modi

The second in-person Quad Leaders' Summit in Japan will provide an opportunity for leaders of four countries to review the progress of the grouping's initiatives and exchange views on developments in the Indo-Pacific as well as on global issues of mutual interest, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday.

In his departure statement ahead of his visit to Japan from May 23-24, Modi said during his visit he will also hold a bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden, where they will discuss further consolidation of the multi-faceted bilateral relations.

1:32 PM

Biden says monkeypox cases something to 'be concerned about'

President Joe Biden said Sunday that recent cases of monkeypox that have been identified in Europe and the United States were something to be concerned about.

In his first public comments on the disease, Biden added: It is a concern in that if it were to spread it would be consequential."

12:55 PM

PM Modi announces Rs 2 lakh ex gratia for kin of those who died in UP road crash

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday condoled the loss of lives in a road accident in Uttar Pradesh's Siddharthnagar and announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the kin of the deceased.

An SUV carrying a marriage party rammed into a stationary truck in Siddharthnagar, leaving seven people dead. The incident occurred on Saturday night near Katya village in the Jogia Udaypur area.

12:55 PM

Will continue dialogue on regional developments, contemporary global issues: PM Modi

We will continue dialogue on regional developments, contemporary global issues, says PM Modi on upcoming meeting with US President Biden in Japan

12:29 PM

BJP govt has reduced terrorist activities by 89% in the northeast: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said 9,600 extremists have laid down weapons and joined the mainstream in the past three years.

 

Our govt aims for establishing peace in the northeast by ending all disputes, BJP govt has reduced terrorist activities by 89% in the northeast, Shah said in Arunachal Pradesh