Tokyo, July 21 (IANS) The coalition led by Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is…

Tehran, July 21 (IANS) Iran and the three European countries of France, Germany and Britain, collectively known as the E3, have agreed to resume negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program, a semi-official news agency reported.Quoting an “informed source” without giving the name, Tasnim said Iran and the E3 are holding consultations on the date and venue of the negotiations, Xinhua news agency reported.According to the report, the upcoming negotiations are expected to be held at the level of deputy foreign ministers.Iran and the E3 have held several rounds of talks covering Tehran’s nuclear program and the removal of sanctions, among other issues, since September 2024.The three European countries have, over the past months, been threatening Iran with triggering the snapback mechanism, a clause in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) signed in 2015 between Iran and world powers, that will allow the other parties to reimpose all international sanctions if Iran fails to comply with the agreement.Tehran has warned several times that it will react strongly against the E3 if the mechanism is triggered.Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi warned on Sunday that Britain, France, and Germany (E3) should not undermine the credibility of the UN Security Council (UNSC) by triggering the snapback mechanism to reinstate sanctions on Tehran.In a post on X, Araghchi said the E3 lacks the “legal, political, and moral standing” to invoke the 2015 nuclear deal’s provisions or the UNSC Resolution 2231, which permit the reimposition of international sanctions if Iran is found in non-compliance with the agreement.He noted that after the US withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in 2018, Iran exhausted dispute resolution mechanisms before taking remedial measures, while the E3 failed to honor their commitments and even backed the US “maximum pressure” policy.”The E3 must refrain from any action that would only deepen divisions in the Security Council or that would have serious adverse consequences on its work,” Araghchi said, noting that Iran is ready for “meaningful diplomacy,” but will resist hostile measures.–IANSint/rs

Sofia, July 20 (IANS) Bulgarian law enforcement authorities at the country’s Kapitan Andreevo checkpoint near the border with Turkey have seized 205.94 kg of cocaine hidden in a diplomatic car, officials said on Sunday.

This was the largest amount of cocaine seized at Bulgaria’s land borders, the National Customs Agency (NCA) said in a press release.The Land Rover with diplomatic license plates, driven by a 43-year-old Bulgarian citizen, arrived at the checkpoint on Friday.Two other passengers were travelling in the car from Belgium via Bulgaria to Turkey: a 40-year-old man, a citizen of the Democratic Republic of Congo with diplomatic status, and a 54-year-old woman with Belgian citizenship, born in the Republic of Congo, the NCA said.The vehicle underwent a thorough inspection involving a drug-sniffing dog, who pointed to four suitcases in the trunk and one in the back seat behind the driver.The suitcases were scanned with mobile X-ray equipment, which noted unusual densities. After opening, it was discovered that instead of personal luggage, they contained a total of 179 packages of cocaine with a total gross weight of 205.940 kg, Xinhua news agency reported.The illicit substance had an estimated court value of 22.1 million US dollars, the NCA said.The driver and his two companions were arrested. An investigation is underway.On March 25, Bulgarian authorities seized 40.802 kilograms of cocaine hidden in a sea container at the port of Burgas, NCA.The drugs, with an estimated court value of 10.5 million US dollars, were discovered last Friday during a search of a ship transporting banana containers from Ecuador, the NCA said in a press release.An X-ray scan revealed unusual density in the natural cavities of the container’s refrigeration unit. Upon inspection, customs officers and border police found 35 packages wrapped in tape. Field tests confirmed the packages contained high-purity cocaine.–IANSint/bdp/dan

Seoul, July 20 (IANS) South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has decided Sunday to withdraw his nomination of Education Minister nominee Lee Jin-sook, the presidential office said, following a controversy surrounding allegations of academic plagiarism. The president, however, was widely viewed as likely to proceed with the appointment of Gender Minister nominee Kang Sun-woo, who has also faced public scrutiny over workplace abuse allegations involving former parliamentary aides.”Following contemplation, President Lee has decided to withdraw the nomination of nominee Lee,” presidential secretary for political affairs Woo Sang-ho told a press briefing, calling for the National Assembly to swiftly take follow-up measures.The decision came 21 days after Lee tapped the architecture professor as the first education minister of his administration.Lee, the nominee, however, has since faced allegations of unlawfully sending her daughter to study abroad at an early age, in addition to plagiarism claims, prompting some opposition lawmakers to call on her to resign, Yonhap news agency reported.The presidential office, meanwhile, did not mention the president’s remarks on Kang, raising speculation that Lee will push ahead with the appointment of the gender minister nominee.Addressing such a view, the presidential secretary said the president has only retracted his nomination for the education minister nominee.”It is well understood there have been various opinions, but I hope the public understands the decision was made through a comprehensive review,” Woo said.On July 19, rival political parties clashed again over key Cabinet nominees, particularly scandal-hit gender equality and education minister picks, following the conclusion of parliamentary confirmation hearings.The ruling Democratic Party (DP) urged the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) to cooperate in completing the Cabinet lineup proposed by President Lee Jae Myung, warning that continued delays could hinder efforts to revive the economy and address public concerns.”It is urgent to finalise the Cabinet to restore the livelihoods and economic stability,” said Rep. Baek Seung-ah, spokesperson for the party’s floor leadership.Baek criticised the PPP for agreeing only to adopt confirmation reports for economic, foreign and trade-related nominees while stalling on others, notably Gender Equality Minister nominee Kang Sun-woo and Education Minister Lee Jin-sook.–IANSint/bpd/dan

Islamabad, July 20 (IANS) Nine terrorists were killed and eight others arrested during a joint operation in Pakistan’s northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province over the last four days, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan Army, said on Sunday.
The ISPR said in a statement that the intelligence-based operation was conducted by the security forces along with the paramilitary force and the counter-terrorism department of police in Malakand district of the province.During the operation, security forces surrounded and effectively engaged the terrorists’ location, and after multiple intense fire exchanges, nine terrorists were killed, while eight others were apprehended, said the ISPR statement.Earlier today, four terrorists were killed during an intelligence-based operation in Pakistan’s southwest Balochistan province, the military said.The security forces conducted the operation in Kalat district of the province on the reported presence of terrorists, the ISPR, the media wing of the Pakistan Army, said in a statement.According to the ISPR, a huge cache of weapons and ammunition was also recovered from the terrorists, who remained actively involved in terrorist activities against security forces in the area, Xinhua news agency reported.Sanitisation operation is being carried out to eliminate the presence of other terrorists from the area, it added.The military said the security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country.In a similar incident on June 16, five terrorists were killed during operations in Pakistan’s northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military said.The security forces conducted two separate operations in Peshawar and North Waziristan districts of the province on the reported presence of terrorists, the ISPR, the media wing of the Pakistan Army, said in a statement.During an intelligence-based operation in Peshawar district, four terrorists were killed after an intense exchange of fire between terrorists and security forces, said the ISPR statement.Another intelligence-based operation was conducted in North Waziristan, and in ensuing fire exchange, one more terrorist was neutralised by the security forces, it added.–IANSint/bpd/dan

Bamako, July 20 (IANS) The Malian army announced on Sunday that at least 70 terrorists were killed during operations earlier this week in northern and central Mali.
According to a statement from the army, the first operation took place on July 15 in coordination with air forces from the Alliance of Sahel States, resulting in the elimination of around 40 terrorists in the Anderamboukan area in the north.The second operation, conducted two days later, led to the destruction of a terrorist logistics and training base in the Niono area in central Mali, and the death of about 30 terrorists, the statement added, Xinhua news agency reported.Mali has been facing a multifaceted crisis since 2012, marked by separatist rebellions, jihadist incursions and intercommunal violence that have claimed thousands of lives and displaced hundreds of thousands.Earlier this month, more than 80 terrorists were killed in attacks targeting several localities in central and western Mali.In the early hours of July 1, armed terrorist groups launched coordinated strikes on Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) positions in the western region, including the towns of Kayes, Nioro, Sandare, Gogui and Diboli, said FAMaTV, the military’s television channel, citing the Armed Forces’ Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIRPA).”The enemies of peace first attacked civilians and several positions of the defence and security forces. We were confronted with simultaneous and coordinated attacks backed by sponsors whose presence was confirmed during today’s operations,” said Souleymane Dembele, head of DIRPA.”The enemy suffered heavy losses wherever it attempted to strike the FDS. The provisional toll indicates that more than 80 terrorists were killed, and a significant cache of weapons, ammunition, motorcycles, and vehicles was recovered,” he said.The attacks occurred just days after the killing of several local militant leaders and the surrender of around 10 fighters from the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara in the northern part of the country.–IANSint/bpd/dan

Guangzhou, July 20 (IANS) Typhoon Wipha, the sixth typhoon of the year, made a second landfall near Hailing Island in Yangjiang, south China’s Guangdong Province, on Sunday as a strong tropical storm, with a maximum wind speed near its centre of 25 meters per second, the provincial meteorological observatory said.

It is expected to move west-southwestward at about 20 kilometres per hour while gradually weakening in intensity.Earlier on Sunday at around 5:50 pm, Wipha first landed near Haiyan Town of Jiangmen City in Guangdong, with a 33-meters-per-second maximum wind speed near its centre.Yesterday, South China’s Hainan and Guangdong provinces were plunged into high alert as Typhoon Wipha entered the South China Sea, bringing strong gales and heavy rains to the two provinces.Hainan activated a Level IV emergency response, while Guangdong upgraded its emergency response from Level IV to Level II at 11 am.According to the Hainan Meteorological Service, Typhoon Wipha intensified from a tropical storm to a strong tropical storm in the early hours of Saturday. At 8 am, its centre was located in the northeastern part of the South China Sea, approximately 930 kilometres east of Wenchang City of Hainan.The Hainan Meteorological Service estimated yesterday that Wipha was advancing northwest at a speed of approximately 20 kilometres per hour while gaining strength. It was approaching the coastal areas stretching from Shenzhen in Guangdong to Wenchang in Hainan, and was likely to make landfall in these areas between Sunday afternoon and nighttime, Xinhua news agency reportedDue to its impact, from Saturday to July 22, most sea areas and land regions in Hainan will experience rainstorms and strong winds. Additionally, the Qiongzhou Strait between Guangdong and Hainan may face prolonged suspensions of shipping operations from Sunday until July 22.Additionally, Guangdong has maintained specialised rescue vessels and helicopters, along with high-power tugboats and cleanup vessels on standby.China has a four-tier emergency response system for typhoons, with Level I being the most severe.–IANS/bdp/dan

Seoul, July 20 (IANS) Seventeen people have been killed and 11 have gone missing in the heavy rains and landslides that began across South Korea four days ago, the government said Sunday. The data from the interior ministry and the National Fire Agency, as of 6 pm Sunday, also showed that a large portion of the toll — 10 dead and four missing — occurred in the southern county of Sancheong.The other deaths occurred in Osan and Gapyeong in Gyeonggi Province; Seosan, South Chungcheong Province; Dangjin, South Chungcheong; and the southwestern city of Gwangju.Firefighting officials said rescue work was still underway in Sancheong, which could lead to a change in the toll.Torrential rains have slammed the nation since Wednesday, with Sancheong receiving an accumulated 793.5 millimetres of rain as of 5 p.m. Sunday. The adjacent county of Hapcheon has received 699 mm, while the nearby county of Hadong has received 621.5 mm.On a daily basis, Gapyeong, 55 kilometres northeast of Seoul, received an accumulated 197.5 mm of rain, the most for Sunday.Authorities have registered 1,999 cases of flooded roads, soil loss and destroyed public facilities, and 2,238 other cases of damage to private property, such as buildings and farmland.A total of 13,492 people have taken shelter across 15 major cities and provinces. A total of 62 flights were cancelled.Authorities expected showers to fall late Sunday in some areas of Gyeonggi, Gangwon, Chungcheong and North Gyeongsang provinces but lifted the highest stage of its emergency response system as of 6 pm.Earlier in the day, the South Korean President, Lee Jae Myung, instructed the government to find ways to swiftly designate areas hit hard by recent heavy rains as special disaster zones, according to his spokesperson.Special disaster zones are entitled to government support for damage recovery and victims’ relief.–IANSint/bpd/dan

Kabul, July 20 (IANS) Afghan security forces have dismantled two drug processing labs and discovered more than 580 kg of illicit drugs in western Afghanistan’s Farah province, the office of the Deputy Minister of Interior for Counter-Narcotics said in a statement on Sunday.According to the statement, counter-narcotic police launched separate operations on the outskirts of the Bakwa district, where they destroyed two drug labs and confiscated 589 kg of illicit substances. Nine suspected drug smugglers were detained.The Afghan interim government has stepped up its crackdown on illicit drugs and those involved in the business.In a similar case, on July 8, the Afghanistan Police thwarted attempts to smuggle 43 kg of illegal opium type drugs and arrested two individuals on charges of involvement in the drug business in eastern Wardak province.The alleged drug traffickers were attempting to take the contraband, which was smuggled from the northern Balkh, onward to the western Farah province. They were intercepted by police in Wardak’s provincial capital, Maidan Shar and drugs confiscated.Both the arrested men, after necessary investigation, would be handed over to the judiciary for further interrogation, the official further said.Further, police also launched operations to destroy hashish farms in northern Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province.The campaign formally began from Wardoj and Darayem districts, adding that the drive would last until the province became free of all illegal crops, including hashish and poppy, reported Xinhua news agency.In line with the directives of the leadership of the Afghan interim government, police would do their best to strictly check the cultivation of illegal crops, including poppy and hashish, the processing of drugs and drug trafficking.During search operations, police found 1500 kg of opium poppy from inside a tanker of liquid gas on July 5 and arrested a drug smuggler who was attempting to take the contraband out of Takhar province, the official said.Police also discovered 7.5 tonnes of illicit drugs, including opium poppy and heroin, in the province.On July 5, in a similar operation, the police discovered an illegal drug of opium poppy type in northern Afghanistan’s Baghlan province and arrested four suspects.Personnel of counter-narcotics police in two separate operations, which were launched in the provincial capital, Pul-e-Khumri and Julga districts a couple of days ago, found 61 kg of opium poppy.–IANSint/bpd/dan

Islamabad, July 20 (IANS) People staging a sit-in protest, blocking a road, after the forcible disappearance of Baloch people, including several detained Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leaders, reached the fifth day of their protests on Sunday, in front of the Islamabad Press Club.

Taking to X, the BYC wrote, “Today marks the fifth day of the ongoing sit-in by families of forcibly disappeared persons and detained BYC leaders in Islamabad.”“Despite enduring days of rain, scorching heat, and road blockades, these families, including women, the elderly, and children, have remained steadfast in their protest,” they added.Posting an update on their social media handle, the BYC mentioned that on day five, Islamabad police were actively preventing the families from continuing their sit-in in front of the Islamabad Press Club.“This comes after a series of repressive tactics: Roads sealed to restrict access to the protest site. No tents are allowed, despite extreme weather. Elderly women and children fainting under the heat and arrival of a police bus, raising fears of forced deportation back to Balochistan,” the BYC wrote.It further added that “This is not only a denial of the right to peaceful assembly, but a clear attempt to suppress and erase the voices of those demanding justice.”The BYC expressed the need for human rights defenders, journalists, civil society, and ‘concerned’ citizens to stand in solidarity and amplify their call for justice.“These families have come from far and are only asking for what is owed to them: freedom for the detained, and accountability for the disappeared,” said the BYC on XJuly 19 marked the fourth consecutive day of the sit-in protest. Since the beginning of the camp, the protestors – including women, children, and elderly family members – have been denied the right to set up the camp, the BYC mentioned.Nadia Baloch, sister of detained BYC Central Organiser Mahrang Baloch, asserted that in this very city, “violent actors are welcomed and even rewarded with cash by army officers”, but Baloch elders are humiliated for simply demanding justice.Another Baloch activist, Sahiba Baloch, called on all conscientious citizens, members of the media, and human rights defenders in Islamabad to stand in solidarity and not leave the families alone and urged support for their peaceful struggle for justice.Slamming the Pakistani authorities, the BYC stated that the ongoing restriction on the right to peaceful assembly, combined with the targeting of BYC leadership through illegal detentions, reflects a deliberate and systematic attempt to silence Baloch voices.The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has also expressed concerns over the treatment being meted out to “peaceful protesters” by the Islamabad police.–IANSint/bpd/dan