Jerusalem, Aug 14 (IANS) Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that he has approved the construction of 3,401 housing units for settlers in a particularly controversial area of the occupied West Bank. The homes would be built in the E1 area, a stretch of land east of Jerusalem between the city and the settlement of Ma’ale Adumim. Construction there is seen as especially contentious because it would effectively cut off East Jerusalem from the northern West Bank. Building plans…

Brussels, Aug 14 (IANS) Europe’s wildfire season has scorched 439,568 hectares so far this year, more than double the 19-year average for this point in the season, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) said. The tally covers fires larger than 30 hectares detected by the EU’s Copernicus Emergency Management Service, Xinhua News Agency reported.Since January 1, authorities have registered 1,628 such fires, up from 1,089 in the same period last year, with associated carbon emissions…

Tehran, Aug 14 (IANS) Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi exchanged views on the latest developments in the Caucasus with senior Russian and Armenian diplomats. In two separate meetings with Igor Khovaev on Wednesday, Russia’s special representative for the normalisation of ties between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and Vahan Kostanyan, Armenia’s deputy foreign minister, Araghchi also discussed bilateral relations with the two countries, according to statements released by the Iranian Foreign…

Seoul, Aug 14 (IANS) A special counsel team in South Korea left the main opposition People Power Party’s (PPP) headquarters empty-handed on Thursday, after attempting to secure its membership list as part of an investigation into bribery allegations surrounding former first lady Kim Keon Hee.Special counsel Min Joong-ki’s team has been looking into allegations that a shaman linked to Kim and a key Unification Church official tried to get church members to join the party en masse to influence the…

Brasilia, Aug 14 (IANS) Brazil has launched a package of measures to support exporters hit by a 50 per cent tariff imposed by the US government. Launched on Wednesday, the initiative, called Sovereign Brazil, provides 30 billion reais (about 5.562 billion US dollars) in affordable loans, tax breaks and other measures, prioritising small businesses and those dealing in perishable foods, Xinhua News Agency reported.It also facilitates public procurement from affected rural and agro-industrial sect…

Dhaka, Aug 14 (IANS) Bangladesh’s Awami League on Thursday slammed the Muhhamad Yunus-led interim government for not commemorating the 50th death anniversary of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15, Friday and for warning people against organising any event.The party had announced that it would observe August 15 as National Mourning Day, commemorating the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and several members of his family.It said that the “fascist” Yunus regime is …

New Delhi, Aug 14 (IANS) Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday continued his Kashmir rant while extending greetings on his country’s 79th Independence Day. He reiterated Islamabad’s position on Kashmir, calling the cause “just” and Pakistan’s support for their struggle “unshakable until justice prevails”.In a statement issued, Ishaq Dar said, “On the joyous occasion of Independence Day, I extend my warmest greetings to the people of Pakistan and our comp…

Seoul, Aug 14 (IANS) North Korea on Thursday denounced the United States for its recent back-to-back military exercises in the West Pacific, conducted jointly with other countries, including Australia and Japan, calling them “highly provocative.””If the US and its followers obsessively pursue military actions that undermine peace and security in the Asia Pacific region, they will inevitably provoke protest and retaliation from countries in the region,” reports Yonhap, quoting the state-run Korea…

Washington, Aug 14 (IANS) Months after Pakistan-backed terrorists killed 26 tourists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday extended greetings to Islamabad on the occasion of its Independence Day (August 14), saying Washington “deeply appreciates Pakistan’s engagement on counterterrorism and trade”. The dastardly Phalagam terror attack was condemned worldwide, and the Pakistani Army Chief even had to face protests during his US visit in May. However, with …

New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 14 (IANS) The Supreme Court will on Thursday hear a petition seeking urgent intervention in the case of Indian nurse Nimisha Priya, who has been sentenced to death in Yemen.The matter will be taken up by a bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta.Nimisha Priya, a native of Kerala, was convicted by a Yemeni court for the murder of a Yemeni national in 2017.While her execution has been temporarily deferred, activists and humanitarian organisa…