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) 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 …

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 Delhi, Aug 6 (IANS) In the wake of a devastating cloudburst in Uttarkashi’s Dharali area, the Indian Army has ramped up rescue and relief efforts, with ground and aerial support being coordinated to assist the affected population.Taking to its official X handle, the Indian Army’s Central Command posted, “Col Harshvardhan, Commanding Officer of 14 RAJRIF, is personally leading 150 personnel in critical rescue and relief operations since 5 Aug 25 (AN). Inputs from the CO have been received rea…

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…

New Delhi, Aug 6 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the newly constructed Kartavya Bhavan–03 at Kartavya Path in the national capital on Wednesday at around 12:15 pm. Later in the evening, the Prime Minister will address a public gathering at the same venue at approximately 6:30 pm, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister on Tuesday.The inauguration of Kartavya Bhavan–03 marks a significant milestone in the ongoing Central Vista redevelopment project. As the fi…

Los Angeles, Aug 6 (IANS) Singer-songwriter Justin Bieber’s son seems to be treading his father’s path. The singer-songwriter’s son has officially made his music video debut. On Tuesday, August 5, the singer-songwriter, 31, released the music video for his song ‘Yukon’ from his album ‘SWAG’ on his Instagram and X accounts, reports ‘People’ magazine.The black-and-white video featured special appearances by his wife Hailey Bieber and their son Jack Blues, 11 months, as Bieber sang …

Mumbai, Aug 6 (IANS) Actor-director Kayoze Irani, whose directorial debut ‘Sarzameen’ has been getting a good response, has plans of making a comedy film for his next venture. Kayoze spoke with IANS during the promotions of ‘Sarzameen’, and said that he has always wanted to be a director. It just so happened that Bollywood multi-hyphenate Karan Johar offered him a role in his film ‘Student of the Year’, which also launched the careers of Alia Bhatt, Sidharth Malhotra and Varun Dhawan…

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…