Los Angeles, Aug 6 (IANS) Hundreds of structures are threatened by a fast-moving wildfire that has scorched over 82,000 acres (about 332 square km) in less than five days in Central California, authorities said.The wildfire, dubbed the Gifford Fire, broke out Friday afternoon when four separate ignitions along a California highway merged into a single wildfire currently burning on the Santa Lucia Road in both San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, according to the US Forest Service and the …

Baghdad, Aug 6 (IANS) Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani affirmed his country’s commitment to Lebanon’s stability and its support for the Lebanese people. Al-Sudani made the remarks when meeting here with Lebanese Labor Minister Mohammad Haidar on Tuesday, during which they reviewed bilateral ties, developments in Lebanon, and the overall regional situation, read a statement by al-Sudani’s media office.The two sides discussed several topics of mutual interest, including cooperation in…

Los Angeles, Aug 6 (IANS) US Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy unveiled a proposed new rule aimed at advancing drone innovation and accelerating the integration of unmanned aircraft systems into national airspace.The proposal, known as the Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) rule, would eliminate the current requirement for operators to obtain individual waivers or exemptions for BVLOS drone operations, Xinhua news agency reported.According to the US Department of Transportation, the rule w…

Lusaka, Aug 6 (IANS) The Zambian government on Tuesday defended its decision to apply for an extension of its International Monetary Fund (IMF) Extended Credit Facility (ECF) program.Minister of Finance and National Planning Situmbeko Musokotwane said the extension is necessary to consolidate and maintain the economic confidence that the country has achieved following the successful implementation of the program, Xinhua news agency reported.He noted that the program has not only boosted investor…

New York, Aug 6 (IANS) US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce refused to comment on India’s reactions to President Donald Trump’s threats to impose punitive tariffs for buying Russian oil. Asked by a reporter on Tuesday about External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s comments, she said, “I will not characterise or remark on another nation’s comments about what they will or will not do”.She added with a touch of irony, “I can barely do that here”. But she added a criticism of I…

Dehradun/Uttarkashi, Aug 6 (IANS) In a swift and large-scale mobilisation, the Uttarakhand Police has deployed over 300 personnel – including senior officers and specialised units – to spearhead relief and rescue operations in the disaster-hit Dharali region of Uttarkashi district. The move comes in response to the escalating severity of the natural calamity that has disrupted life and infrastructure in the remote Himalayan zone.According to a statement issued by the Headquarters of the Director…

Dhaka, Aug 5 (IANS) Bangladesh police have arrested another 1,593 Awami League leaders and activists in a nationwide operation amid the ongoing crackdown on the party by the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, local media reported on Tuesday.Additionally, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has taken into custody 11 Awami League activists in raids at different places in the capital, as confirmed by the Deputy Commissioner of DMP Muhammad Talebur Rahman.Among the arrested activists of Awami Le…

Dhaka: Close monitoring of Bangladesh-Pakistan relationship requires critical thinking. The bilateral relations have hastened due to the dynamics of internal polity within the two countries along with the anti-India detestation. Pakistan, a praetorian ideological Islamic state is linked to Al-Qaeda’s jihadi network. In post-Sheikh Hasina’s Bangladesh under Muhammad Yunus’ interim administration, the jihadi groups and radical Islamists are re-grouping due to poor governance and lawlessness, thr…

Aizawl, Aug 5 (IANS) Mizoram Governor, General Vijay Kumar Singh (Retd) said on Tuesday that Mizoram University’s (MZU) 15th position among Central Universities in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) rankings was noted as a testament to its excellence. The Governor, who is the Chief Rector of Mizoram University (MZU), graced a grand ceremony at the varsity to celebrate the university’s prestigious A+ Grade (CGPA 3.30) accreditation from the National Assessment and Accreditati…

Beirut, Aug 5 (IANS) The Israeli army has begun fortifying five key military positions it continues to occupy along the southern Lebanon border, according to a Lebanese security source and eyewitnesses.”Several Israeli military work crews, including bulldozers and excavators, are carrying out fortification and reinforcement operations at these five sites under the protection of Merkava tanks and with intensive drone surveillance,” a Lebanese security source told Xinhua news agency on Tuesday.The…