United Nations, Aug 6 (IANS) UN humanitarians pushed for a pause in hostilities in Sudan to reach trapped families facing starvation, particularly in the besieged city of El Fasher. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Tuesday that it seeks a standdown in order to rush in aid on a large scale and to restore a full UN presence.”OCHA once again urges all parties to allow humanitarian access across the country and calls on donors to scale up flexible funding to …

Seoul, Aug 6 (IANS) Another round of heavy rains is expected to drench South Korea this week, with downpours of more than 120 millimetres expected in some parts of the country, the weather agency said Wednesday.Northeastern areas of Gyeonggi Province and northern parts of Gangwon Province saw more than 80 mm of downpours Wednesday morning, with rainclouds forecast to travel southward in the afternoon, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).Around 30 to 100 mm of rain was expe…

Washington, Aug 6 (IANS) A former senior US official, Robert Joseph, said that he is not ruling out the possibility of the United States accepting North Korea’s possession of nuclear arms, as Washington can deter the recalcitrant regime’s nuclear threats. Robert Joseph, the former under secretary of state for arms control and international security of the US, from 2005-2007, made the remarks during an online seminar hosted by The Washington Times Foundation, as North Korea has rejected any dialo…

Moscow, Aug 6 (IANS) Moscow on Wednesday said that it is not surprised by the record-long absence of a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his American counterpart Donald Trump, given the “unprecedented deterioration” of Russia-US relations during the tenure of former US President Joe Biden. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov made the remarks on an assessment, which noted that for the first time in the modern history of Russia, the US-Russian summit had not been held even after mor…

New York, Aug 6 (IANS) US President Donald Trump has said that he was waiting to see what happens at the meeting between Russia’s leaders and his special envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow on Wednesday before deciding on the punitive tariffs on those buying oil from Russia.Speaking to reporters Tuesday afternoon, he said, “We have a meeting with Russia tomorrow. We’re going to see what happens, we’ll make that determination, at that time”.On Tuesday morning, Trump warned that he would impose he…

Dhaka, Aug 6 (IANS) Several key political parties in Bangladesh voiced differences over the interim government’s Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus’s announcement of the date for the general elections, local media reported on Wednesday.While the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has welcomed the decision to hold the elections before Ramadan, the National Citizen Party (NCP) has raised doubts over conducting a fair and acceptable election.”Many had expressed hesitation about the election schedule. Wit…

Kabul, Aug 6 (IANS) Iran has deported thousands of Afghan refugees, many of whom had long been employed in sectors such as agriculture, construction, and skilled trades. Their sudden return is placing immense strain on Afghanistan’s already fragile economy, creating an urgent need for employment opportunities and essential support services, local media reported.Abdul Rahim, one of the Afghan migrants who had worked in Iran’s agricultural sector for four years, said that he can support his si…

New Delhi, Aug 6 (IANS) National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval will hold meetings with senior Russian officials in Moscow on Wednesday to discuss India-Russia defence and security cooperation.The visit comes at a time when US President Donald Trump has announced that he will announce “very substantial” increases to the 25 per cent tariffs on Indian goods because of New Delhi’s oil purchases from Russia.Trump has accused New Delhi of “fuelling the war machine” by buying cheaper Russian oil an…

Dhaka, Aug 6 (IANS) The Bangladesh Chhatra League, student wing of the Awami League, has launched a scathing attack on the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, accusing it of dismantling democratic institutions and pushing the nation toward becoming a “failed and fragmented state.” The student body claimed that Bangladesh has effectively turned into a “graveyard of democracy” under the current regime.The student body asserted that the defeated anti-liberation forces —“Jamaat-Shibir…

Seoul, Aug 6 (IANS) The ruling Democratic Party (DP) said Wednesday it has decided to expel Rep. Lee Choon-suak for triggering public outrage over allegations of stock trading under a borrowed name.The decision came a day after Lee left the DP after a press photo captured him checking and trading stocks on a mobile phone using his aide’s account, in an allegation that tarnished the government’s policy of reinvigorating the stock market via transparent trading practices.”I know that the public is…