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
 "Lavrov")
Sergei Lavrov (Photo: ANI)
Live news updates: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has tested positive for coronavirus (Covid-19), but said she still plans to travel to the US later this month for a trade trip and to give the commencement speech at Harvard University. Ardern on Saturday posted a photo of her positive test result on Instagram and said she was disappointed to miss several important political announcements over the coming week.
A user-friendly, web-based modelling 'simulator' developed by ICMR after the second wave of the coronavirus (Covid-19) helped health officials and policymakers in various states to model plausible scenarios for a third wave in India, according to an article published in the British Medical Journal.
The UK has advised its citizens against traveling to Sri Lanka amid the ongoing political and economic instability. "The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to #Sri_Lanka, due to ongoing political and economic instability. This advice does not apply to airside transit through Sri Lanka's international airport," the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) said in a statement.
Russia said on Friday it was recommending that its citizens not travel to Britain, complaining that authorities there were making it "virtually impossible" for Russians to obtain visas. The Russian Foreign Ministry alleged Russian applications were being delayed because Britain was giving higher priority to Ukrainian refugees.
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
Don't miss the most important news and views of the day. Get them on our Telegram channel
First Published: May 14 2022 | 7:53 AM IST