35 people die in storm in Afghanistan
Islamabad, July 15: A storm that brought heavy rainfall to eastern Afghanistan killed at least 35 people on Monday, a Taliban official said. Many others were injured across Nangarhar province, according to Sediqullah Quraishi, provincial director of the information and culture department. Among the dead were five members of the same family who were killed when the roof of their house collapsed in Surkh Rod district, Quraishi said. Four other family members were injured. He said there are women and children among those killed and injured, and the weather has destroyed many properties and crops in different parts of the province. Earlier, the World Food Programme said the exceptionally heavy rains in Afghanistan had killed more than 300 people and destroyed thousands of houses, mostly in the northern province of Baghlan on May 10 and May 11. Survivors have been left with no home, no land and no source of livelihood, WFP said. (AP)
Azerbaijan reopens embassy in Iran
Tehran, July 15: The embassy of Azerbaijan in Tehran resumed its work on Monday after more than a year of negotiations between the two countries to ease tensions, Iran’s semi-official media outlets reported. A source in the Azeri embassy in Tehran told The Associated Press that the embassy has resumed its operations in the Iranian capital, but said it won’t be officially announced until the Iranian foreign ministry confirms the development. However, Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry said that its embassy in Iran has restarted work at a new address in Tehran. The report added that the embassy reopened following negotiations between Azerbaijan and Iran. (AP)
Thailand set to roll out controversial $13.8 bn cash
Bangkok, July 15: Thailand’s prime minister said on Monday that eligible businesses and individuals can register from August for digital cash handouts, a controversial program that will cost billions of dollars and is meant to boost the lagging economy. The government announced in April the widely criticised ambitious plan, named the “Digital Wallet”, meant to give 10,000 baht (about USD 275) to 50 million citizens in digital money to spend at local businesses. (AP)
Russian, Chinese navies conduct joint maritime patrol
Yinchun, July 15: The Chinese and Russian navies recently conducted their fourth joint maritime patrol in sea areas of the western and northern parts of the Pacific Ocean, and entered a specific area of the South China Sea. The joint patrol, planned by an annual schedule and mutual agreement between both countries, does not target any third party and is unrelated to current international or regional situations, reported Xinhua news agency. The joint patrol fleet consists of the Chinese missile destroyer Yinchuan and missile frigate Hengshui and a Russian frigate. The Chinese comprehensive supply ship Weishanhu also joined the fleet to provide the necessary replenishment. It marks the fourth China-Russia joint maritime patrol since 2021. (IANS)