Headlines- After talks in Washington on Tuesday that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described as a "historic opportunity" for peace, Israel and Lebanon agreed to hold direct talks.
- Iran talks could resume "over the next two days," according to US President Donald Trump, after the failure of last weekend's first round in Pakistan.
- Six merchant ships turned around after "direction from US forces," according to the US, and no ships were able to pass through the blockade in the first 24 hours.
- According to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, there were at least 35 deaths and 159 injuries in Lebanon on Tuesday.
- The southern Lebanon district of Bint Jbeil has been hit by an Israeli airstrike.
- "The short-term authorization permitting the sale of Iranian oil already stranded at sea is set to expire in a few days and will not be renewed," according to the US Treasury Department.
Tag: US Taliban Peace Deal
Diplomatic Efforts Under Way to Start...
U.S. envoy for peace in Afghanistan met with the Taliban in Doha and Pakistani officials in Islamabad this week. He is expected to meet Afghan officials in Kabul to talk about steps to start intra-Afghan negotiations. Meanwhile, Qatar said Wednesday that it is ready to host the talks.
India Needs to be Pro-Active on...
It is significant that Pakistan has already stepped up cross-border terrorism in Kashmir — at a time when both the countries were facing the corona pandemic — to pursue its line of ‘retaliation’ against the abrogation of Art 370 by India. It is not difficult to imagine that the faith-based motivation of the Mujahideen can override any virus-related distraction and that Pakistan will intensify its subversive activity in J&K in the likely event of its acquiring a sway in Afghanistan — on the return of a Taliban-dominated rule in that country
Khalilzad Lauds Formation of Inclusive Negotiating...
The Afghan government announced last week that it has formed a negotiating team led by former intelligence chief Masoom Stanikzai to hold talks with the Taliban group
Taliban Deal Roadblock
Less than 24 hours after the United States signed a landmark deal with the Taliban to pave the way for peace in Afghanistan, its implementation has already hit the first speedbump. VOA’s Ayesha Tanzeem is in Doha following up on the developments. Here’s her report