Families affected by Beirut blasts to be given $300 monthly

Beirut (IANS) The Lebanese Red Cross (LRC) announced on Saturday that it will provide $300 for seven months for 10,000 families affected by August 4 Port of Beirut explosions.

"We will also make assessments about the families that are very…

Smoke from historic US wildfires seen from Europe

Washington (IANS) Massive plumes of smoke from the historic wildfires currently raging along the US West Coast were being seen thousands of kilometres away in Europe, as far away as the Netherlands and Germany, according to scientists.

"The…

Doha talks will be difficult, tough decisions needed: Abdullah

Kabul (IANS) Abdullah Abdullah, Chairman of Afghanistan's High Council for National Reconciliation, has said that the talks between government and the Taliban will be difficult, stating that the Afghan team will face issues that will require hard…

UN peacekeeping member states urged to pay assessed contributions

United Nations (IANS) The UN peacekeeping chief said that it was critical for member states to pay their assessed contributions in full and in due time.

"We are going through pressures on the peacekeeping budget," Jean-Pierre Lacroix, under-secretary-general…

Guterres calls for 'positive' move on Kashmir, sidesteps 'demography' question

United Nations (IANS) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called upon India and Pakistan to move in a positive way to resolve their differences.

He sidestepped a question by a Pakistani reporter at a news conference on Wednesday about…

Pakistan govt freezes over 900 assets of JuD, JeM

Islamabad (IANS) The Pakistan government has frozen a total of 964 assets of proscribed organisations Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JUD) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) as it takes action against elements involved in terror financing and money laundering as part of…

New UNGA president says he'll promote UNSC reform impartially

United Nations (IANS) Turkish diplomat Volkan Bozkir, who has taken over the General Assembly's presidency, has given an assurance that he will promote the Security Council reform process impartially.

"I am committed to support this process…

As election looms large, Trump touts Israel deal and pursues Af peace

New York (IANS) As the US election looms large, US President Donald Trump has pushed through the diplomatic deal in the Middle East between Israel and two Arab states signed at the White House, while feverishly attempting a peace deal between the…

'Jinping risked future with incursions into India-controlled territory'

New Delhi (IANS) Chinese President Xi Jinping has risked his future with recent high-profile incursions into Indian-controlled territory, said an opinion piece by a Chinese lawyer.

In an opinion article for Newsweek written by Gordon G Chang,…

Gaffe-prone Trump, Biden take different ways to handle flubs

New York (IANS) US President Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Joe Biden are both gaffe-prone, but are taking radically different strategies to deal with their reigns of error before the November 3 election.

Biden keeps a lower profile…