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Massive Wildfires Trigger Evacuations, Health Alerts in US
Fire crews in California and Oregon battled the largest active wildfires in their respective states this year as thousands of residents were under evacuation orders, while smoke from the blazes triggered health alerts across the western United States.In California, the Park...
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Ranil Wickremesinghe to Contest Sri Lanka Presidential Polls as Independent Candidate
Hours after the Election Commission announced the date for the presidential elections in Sri Lanka, incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday announced that he would be contesting the polls as an independent candidate.Wickremesinghe's lawyers placed a monetary bond...
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World Bank Approves Development Loan for Romania
The World Bank Group's Board of Executive Directors has approved a development loan totalling 599.1 million euros ($650.5 million) for Romania to support its economic and environmental sustainability.The loan is aimed at helping Romania promote fiscal consolidation and...
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Congo military court presses charges against M23 rebellion leaders
A military court of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) opened the trial against Corneille Nangaa, political leader of the Congo River Alliance (AFC), a politico-military group allied to the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group.Nangaa, former President of DRC's...
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Italy Hits Amazon with 121 Million Euro Fine for Tax Evasion, Worker Exploitation
Italian financial police announced that they have seized 121 million euros ($131.1 million) from the Italian operations of retail giant Amazon for alleged tax evasion and worker exploitation.A spokesman for the Italian financial authorities told Xinhua on Wednesday that the...
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Dutch Court Endorses 5.6 Billion Euro Submarine Deal with France
A Dutch court ruled in favour of the Dutch government's decision to order four new submarines from France's Naval Group, rejecting a lawsuit filed by a German contender."The (Dutch) State's decision to award the construction of four submarines for the Ministry of Defence to...
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Slovakia May Retaliate against Ukraine over Oil Transit Issue: President
Slovakia's President Peter Pellegrini said that his country might take retaliatory measures against Ukraine for its recent decision to cut off oil supplies from the Russian company Lukoil to Slovakia.Speaking at a joint press conference with Defence Minister Robert Kalinak...
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Iran's Intelligence Forces Arrest 2 Islamic State Ringleaders
Iran's Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib said his forces have recently arrested 20 foreign "terrorists," including two Islamic State (IS) ringleaders, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.He made the remarks on Wednesday on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting...
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EAM Jaishankar Arrives in Laos as India Deepens Ties with ASEAN
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar arrived in Laotian capital of Vientiane on Thursday afternoon to participate in the Foreign Ministers' Meetings under the ASEAN framework in the format of ASEAN-India, East Asia Summit (EAS) and ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), taking...
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NSA Doval Attends State Funeral of Nguyen Phu Trong in Hanoi, Holds Talks on Strengthening India-Vietnam Strategic Ties
National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval attended the state funeral of Nguyen Phu Trong, the General Secretary of Communist Party of Vietnam who passed away on July 19, in Hanoi on Thursday.NSA Doval conveyed India's condolences personally to the Vietnamese President To...
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Every Hour 26 Lives Lost to Drowning Worldwide: WHO
About 236,000 lives every year, which can be 350 per day or 26 every hour, are lost due to drowning worldwide, said Saima Wazed, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for South East Asia on Thursday.July 25 is observed as World Drowning Prevention Day to...
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Thousands of Gazans on Move Again, Following Israel's Evacuation Orders: UN
After recent evacuation orders, Gazans abandoned shelter in parts of the north and the south, moving so quickly that some left without belongings, UN humanitarians said.It was not the first time many of them were displaced.The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian...
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UN Chief Welcomes Declaration on Strengthening Unity by Palestinian Factions
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the declaration on ending division and strengthening unity signed by 14 Palestinian factions in Beijing, a spokesman said.Guterres "very much welcomes the signing of the Beijing Declaration by the Palestinian factions,"...
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Macron Says Not to Appoint New PM before End of Olympics
French President Emmanuel Macron said that he will not pick a new prime minister before the end of the Olympic Games to avoid "disorder", local media reported."This government has prepared the Games, and our responsibility is to make sure they go well," Macron said during...
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South Korea's Opposition Party Urges New PPP Leader to Cooperate in Passing Bill on Marine's Death
The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) of South Korea on Wednesday urged the newly elected ruling party leader to show his commitment to the public by endorsing a controversial bill mandating a special counsel probe into the military's response to a Marine's death last...
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Hydrothermal Explosion in US Yellowstone National Park Damages Boardwalk
A hydrothermal explosion occurred at a thermal area in Yellowstone National Park, one of the most visited national parks in the United States, damaging a boardwalk and forcing the closure of the area.No injuries were reported and the extent of damage is unknown at this...
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All Eyes on Laos as ASEAN Meetings Begin in Vientiane
The ASEAN Foreign Ministers had an Interface with the representatives of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) in the Laotian capital of Vientiane, on Wednesday.ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn attended the interface, which saw candid exchanges...
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South Korean Hospitals Required to Set up Side Rooms for Dignified Deaths
Hospitals with more than 300 beds will be required to establish at least one room for patients near death to stay and prepare for the end of their life with dignity, the South Korean Health Ministry said on Wednesday.Under the enforcement regulation of the Medical Act,...
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India Rises in Global Passport Index, Allows Visa-free Access to 58 Nations
India has been ranked at 82nd spot on a global passport index, allowing Indians visa-free entry to 58 countries, including popular destinations like Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.According to the latest ranking by the UK-based Henley Passport Index, India's passport now...
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UN Chief Urges Reform of Int'l Financial System
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for reform of the international financial system which he described as "outdated, dysfunctional and unfair".In a video message to the first meeting of the Preparatory Committee for the Fourth International Conference on...
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Contest with Trump Battle of Two Contrasting Visions: Harris
Vice-President Kamala Harris on Monday kicked off her presidential campaign, saying of her Republican rival that "I know Donald Trump's type" from dealing with cheats, fraudsters and abusers of women in her previous career as a public prosecutor.Harris also framed the...
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Iran Urges Europe to Adopt Independent Approach for Improving Bilateral Ties
Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani has said that should Europe adopt an independent approach to its foreign policy, its relations with Tehran would improve.He made the remarks on Monday at a weekly press conference while commenting on the "cold" reaction of...
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Syria, Russia Join Efforts to Rebuild War-damaged Historical Landmark in Syria: Report
Syrian Culture Minister Lubanah Mshaweh and Russian Ambassador Alexander Yefimov met to discuss the ongoing project to rebuild the war-damaged Arch of Triumph in Palmyra, according to state media.Mshaweh stressed the project's importance for both Syria and Russia, urging...
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Fast-growing Wildfire Destroys Homes in California
A fast-growing wildfire in Southern California, western US state of California, has destroyed three homes and damaged four others in Riverside County, authorities said.The wildfire, dubbed the Hawarden Fire, was first reported at 1:05 p.m. on Sunday local time in the...
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Iran stays committed to existing deals with Syria: Diplomat
Visiting Iranian Foreign Minister's senior advisor for special political affairs, Ali Asghar Khaji, stressed his country's commitment to existing agreements with Syria.In a statement issued following his meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad in Damascus, Khaji...