US envoys, Putin Hold 'Substantive' Talks To End Ukraine War

MOSCOW, Sept 6: Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner for more than three hours of talks in Moscow that a Kremlin aide called “highly useful,” setting the stage for the pair’s planned trip to Kyiv to meet Ukrainian leaders on Sunday.

Putin’s meeting with President Donald Trump’s envoys was “substantive, constructive, extremely frank and trusting,” Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said in comments distributed by Russian media. “Our president reaffirmed his readiness to continue working jointly with the Americans to seek political and diplomatic solutions.”

They also discussed economic matters and potential Russian-US projects “in considerable detail,” Ushakov said. The White House didn’t respond to requests for comment on the meeting.

The trip by Witkoff and Kushner signaled a renewed attempt by Trump to stop a war that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in early 2022 and that the US president once said he could swiftly end. Putin ordered Russian forces to pause airstrikes on Kyiv as the two envoys prepared to visit the Ukrainian capital for the first time since the war began.

Putin opened the talks by calling the situation the sides have to resolve “not a simple one” and asked the US envoys to pass on his best wishes to Trump.

Yet multiple previous trips to Moscow by Witkoff and Kushner failed to yield progress, and the Kremlin signaled no intention after the latest talks to back off its military goals in Ukraine.

Putin is ready to stop the war only on his own terms, and Moscow’s demands are getting tougher because it believes it has the military edge over Ukraine, according to people close to the Kremlin, who asked not to be identified discussing sensitive matters.

Ushakov said the “Russian side pointed to what it described as the Russian army’s tangible successes in advancing in the combat zone, expressed confidence that the stated objectives would be achieved.” Witkoff and Kushner departed Moscow after the talks, the state-run Tass news agency reported.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier Saturday that the Kremlin had received information that Kyiv would also halt fire for three days.

Ahead of the talks, Putin spent part of Saturday marking Moscow’s City Day. He appeared at the Zaryadye Park adjacent to Red Square with Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, congratulating him on being named a Hero of Labor, and met the five figures leading the United Russia party into the State Duma elections this month.

Witkoff and Kushner had lunch at a Moscow restaurant with Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s envoy for economic cooperation with the US, Russian media reported.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on X that he’d spoken with the US envoys after their arrival in Moscow. Kyiv’s goal is to make the visit “as constructive and substantive as possible,” he said.

“From the moment of this conversation, we are ready to observe a ceasefire in airstrikes against the cities involved in the negotiation process,” Zelenskyy said. “From now through the end of Saturday, as well as on Sunday and Monday, Ukraine is ready to refrain from strikes on Moscow, and we expect the Russians to do the same regarding Kyiv.”

Despite the temporary halt in strikes floated by Putin, air-raid sirens sounded on and off in Kyiv on Saturday afternoon and an attack was reported in Khmelnyskyi in western Ukraine, with four people injured.

Speaking in the Oval Office on Friday, Trump said his envoys were “bringing with them a proposal to end the war,” without elaborating.

Alexey Gromyko, director of the Institute of Europe at the Russian Academy of Sciences, said there’s a chance the visit gives fresh impetus to efforts to reach mutually acceptable terms on Ukraine.

The key question is whether Washington is prepared to engage with the negotiating process on an ongoing basis “rather than returning to it only once every six months,” he said.

Putin orders halt on Kyiv strikes for 3 days, holds talks with US envoys

MOSCOW, Sept 5: Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a three-day pause in strikes on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv from Saturday, ahead of a planned visit by a US delegation, Russian news agency Interfax reported, citing Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Putin was scheduled to meet US special representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on Saturday, Peskov told the TASS news agency.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier that Russia had struck airports in Kyiv and the nearby town of Boryspil ahead of the expected visit by US envoys.

"Clearly, these Russian strikes on the airports are a reaction to the discussions and preparations for the possibility of the U.S. side using an aircraft to travel to Ukraine and land at Kyiv Airport or Boryspil Airport," he said on the Telegram app. "Russian-Iranian Shaheds (drones) in response to American diplomacy."

Ukraine has kept its airspace closed since Russia launched its invasion in February 2022. However, Zelensky said officials had discussed the possibility of the US peace negotiators travelling by plane for their expected visit to Kyiv on Sunday.

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that his special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, were travelling abroad in an effort to reach a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.

The latest move is Washington's attempt to overcome a diplomatic deadlock in Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II.

Peace negotiations have been held up amid Washington's war with Iran, as Russia and Ukraine have also intensified long-range attacks, driving civilian casualties to their highest levels since the conflict began.

The new diplomatic push comes as Russia and Ukraine continue to carry out long-range missile and drone strikes against each other.

Witkoff and Kushner's trip comes more than a week after a rare visit to Moscow by CIA director John Ratcliffe, who warned Russia against attacking NATO member states, according to US media.

Two More Rescued Alive In Nepal Flood Zone, Woman Found After 11 Days

KATHMANDU, Sept 5: In a major breakthrough for rescue teams in flood-hit Nepal, two more people were rescued alive during separate operations. A foreign national was pulled out from the Upper Trishuli-1 tunnel, while 64-year-old Chandika Shrestha was dramatically rescued from the fourth floor of her flood-trapped home in Nuwakot, 11 days after the disaster struck.

Netanyahu Says Iran 'Weaker Than Ever', Overthrowing Regime 'Within Reach'

TEL AVIV, Sept 4: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday voiced confidence that Iran's Islamic republic could soon fall, saying it was weaker than ever as the United States resumed attacks.

"This regime is currently teetering. It is weaker than ever. It is fighting for its survival," Netanyahu said at an event with Israeli military leaders.

"I am convinced that we can remove this threat once and for all -- that is, to overthrow this regime. That is the central task that still lies ahead of us, but it is close. It is not impossible. It is within reach," he said.

Netanyahu, after decades of describing Iran's cleric-run state as an existential threat, in late February launched a joint attack on Iran with the United States, although President Donald Trump abruptly called a ceasefire in April.

The United States has imposed more economic pressure and resumed strikes this week, leading Iran to fire back at US allies in the Gulf, Jordan and in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region -- but not Israel.

"If they're not attacking us, it is not by chance. They attack everyone, but not us," Netanyahu said.

"They know our power -- the strength of our arms -- and our determination."

Netanyahu's remarks come ahead of October 27 general elections in which some polls show him trailing and as opposition leaders accuse him of failing on Iran.

Ukraine's Zelensky meets Jaishankar, hails India's peace push in Ukraine war

KYIV, Sept 3: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar and thanked India for its support to end the “unjust war” that Russia started against Ukraine.

Zelensky said that he discussed “important issues” with Jaishankar and also highlighted India's clear position - “peace is needed”.

“Held a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of India, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. We discussed important issues. We are grateful to India for its desire to end this unjust war—the war of Russia against Ukraine. This time must certainly not be a time of war. Peace is needed. This is India's clear position,” Zelensky wrote in a post on X and shared glimpse from their meeting.

S Jaishankar is in Kyiv on an official visit. Earlier in the day, the foreign minister said that India is ready to help end the Ukraine war. Speaking to reporters on Thursday in Kyiv, Jaishankar said that if needed, India stands ready to mediate.

India has for long pushed for ending the war between Russia and Ukraine and maintain peace in the region.

In the post, Zelensky also highlighted that even during Jaishankar's visit, Russia launched ‘Shaheds’ drones, which he said were not created without Iran's assistance. However, he added, that the delegation was safe due to Ukraine's combat aviation.

After India's clear position, the Ukrainian President said he hopes "other strong states in the world will also take a clear position that this war needs to end and a reliable peace is required."

Detailing what the two leaders discussed, Zelensky said that they talked about Black Sea and threat to civilian shipping there.

“We agree that it is absolutely unacceptable to block the supply of food to those regions where it is highly sensitive and people depend on the relevant sea routes. Russian actions aimed at blocking our ports, our grain corridor, and our supplies are indeed injecting major disruption into global relations,” he wrote.

Jaishankar said that the conversation between them “centered on approaches to end the ongoing conflict”.

While interacting with reporters in Kyiv earlier in the day alongside Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Jaishankar said, “If India can be of any help, in any manner, we are there”.

EAM Jaishankar is currently on a visit to Ukraine. During this, the ministry of external affairs said he will hold bilateral consultations with his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha and Polish Deputy Prime Minister Radoslaw Sikorski.

Dialogue, not war: Modi pushes diplomacy for West Asia, targets terror ecosystem

BISHKEK, Sept 1: The West Asia conflict must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, and not on the battlefield, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday, even as he urged Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) states to shun “double standards” while unitedly countering the challenge of terrorism.

Modi made the remarks while addressing the 26th SCO Summit in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek. The comments were made before a gathering that included Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Xi Jinping of China, which has often stymied India’s efforts to sanction Pakistani terrorists at bodies such as the UN Security Council.

He also spoke of India’s vision for the SCO based on security, connectivity and opportunity and said the grouping, which has completed 25 years, should now focus on translating cooperation into tangible outcomes that benefit the people of the grouping’s 10 member countries.

“The crisis in West Asia has demonstrated that a conflict in one region does not remain confined to that region. Its impact is felt across the world, affecting energy security, maritime trade, and supply chains,” Modi said, speaking in Hindi.

“The countries of the Global South bear the greatest brunt of such disruptions. Therefore, India has consistently called for all tensions and conflicts to be resolved not on the battlefield, but through dialogue and diplomacy.”

While speaking on the issue of security, Modi said terrorism remains a serious challenge to humanity. “In the fight against terrorism, we cannot remain confined to an action-reaction approach,” he said.

“We must dismantle the entire ecosystem of terrorist financing, recruitment, radicalisation and safe havens. We must speak with one voice and make it clear that there can be no place for double standards on this serious issue,” Modi said.

Though Modi didn’t name any countries, his remarks on terrorism appeared to be directed against Pakistan. “We must send a strong message to countries that use terrorism as an instrument of policy and provide safe haven and support to terrorists that terrorism can never be a strategic asset for anyone,” he said.

The SCO’s shared aspiration for a secure Eurasia is closely linked to peace and stability in Afghanistan, Modi pointed out. “India has been contributing to the development and provision of humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan and will continue to do so,” he said.

The Bishkek Declaration adopted at the close of the summit expressed deep concern at developments in the Middle East and reiterated the SCO’s condemnation of military strikes on Iran, which resulted in numerous civilian casualties and significant damage to the economy. SCO member states also expressed their condolences to Iran on the death of Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

The declaration, while supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iran, backed the resolution to the conflict “solely through political and diplomatic means” and welcomed all efforts aimed at de-escalation. “Member States note that the only possible way to ensure peace and stability in the Middle East is a comprehensive and just settlement of the Palestinian question,” the declaration said.

The declaration emphasised the “inadmissibility of attempts to exploit terrorist, separatist and extremist groups for selfish purposes” and strongly condemned all forms of terrorism. It further emphasised that “double standards” in the fight against terrorism are unacceptable, and urged the world community to “combat terrorism, including the cross-border movement of terrorists”.

The SCO Summit took stock of progress on the 25th anniversary of the grouping and discussed ways to further its role for peace, security, stability and prosperity in the region. Modi said the anniversary is an opportune time to lay the roadmap for the next 25 years.

Strong and trusted connectivity initiatives are important for SCO’s shared progress and prosperity, and India supports connectivity efforts that link markets, enhance trade and open new opportunities for development, Modi said. However, he reiterated that such efforts should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations.

Besides the Bishkek Declaration, four memorandums of understanding and more than 20 decisions and statements were adopted at the summit in fields ranging from climate, nuclear safety and energy conservation to combating drug addiction.

The leaders signed and adopted decisions of the SCO Heads of State Council on joint initiatives on combating drug addiction and countering the spread of synthetic drugs and their precursors for the period until 2030, initiatives for conservation and sustainable management of biodiversity, and scientific cooperation programmes for 2026-2030 for creating the SCO Green Technology Corridor.

The leaders also adopted regulations on the SCO Universal Centre for Countering Security Challenges and Threats and the Executive Committee of the SCO Anti-Drug Centre, as well as an action plan for developing ports and logistics centres of SCO states for 2026-2030, and a concept for establishing regional data centres and computing capacities and developing the artificial intelligence industry.

SCO condemns US-Israel strikes on Iran in Bishkek declaration

BISHTEK, Sept 1: On the war between the US, Israel, and Iran, which has been continuing for more than six months now, the Bishkek Declaration said: “Member states express deep concern over developments in the Middle East and around Iran. They reiterate the SCO’s previously stated position condemning military strikes on the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which have resulted in numerous civilian casualties and significant damage to the country’s economy.”

“Such actions violate the principles and norms of international law and the UN Charter and create serious risks to international peace, security and stability,” it said.

Rescuers battle flood debris, mud at Nepal hydropower tunnel as victims' families say ‘we still have hope’

KATHMANDU, Sept 1: The death toll from the devastating flash floods in Nepal has risen to 1,003, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA). As rescue teams continue searching for missing workers, families are recounting the horror of the August 26 disaster and urging authorities to speed up operations.

Among those waiting for answers is 20-year-old Anush Gurung, who has been searching for his 60-year-old father, Laxman, since the floods struck the Upper Trishuli-1 hydropower project in Rasuwa district. Anush last spoke to his father at around 8 am on August 26. Soon after, the flash floods swept through the area and Laxman disappeared.

The family has received conflicting accounts from Laxman's surviving colleagues about whether he was inside a tunnel when the floods hit, The Kathmandu Post reported on Tuesday. “Whom are we supposed to believe? If the tunnel is searched, we would know for certain,” Anush told the newspaper. “Now our only hope is inside the tunnel.”

Families of missing workers are pressing authorities to accelerate rescue efforts as teams struggle to remove mud and debris blocking tunnels.

At the Upper Trishuli-3B project in Nuwakot, Bivek Pandey is searching for his 58-year-old father, Kamal Bahadur Pandey. He is among at least 122 people unaccounted for from the project, The Kathmandu Post reported.

Relatives gathered at an Army rescue and relief centre in Bidur and urged authorities to intensify the search. After several days of pressure, an excavator was brought to the site on Monday.

“If excavation begins, the sand covering the quarters can be removed. We still have hope,” Bivek told the newspaper.

It remains unclear whether Kamal Bahadur was inside a tunnel when the flood struck.

Brig. Gen. Raja Ram Basnet, a Nepal Army spokesperson, said that teams, assisted by foreign experts, were carrying out searches at several hydropower projects. Army footage showed rescuers entering dark tunnels filled with debris, moving through mud and climbing over rocks while looking for missing workers.

The search has been complicated by damage to transport routes and the remote locations of many hydropower projects. Steep terrain and narrow roads already make access difficult, while the floods have damaged roads and restricted routes to some sites.

Inside the projects, rescuers are also dealing with blocked and damaged tunnels. The floods carried mud, large rocks and other debris into underground passages, collapsing sections and trapping workers. Even when tunnel entrances can be reached, teams have to clear substantial amounts of debris before they can move further inside.

An Indian tunnel rescue team has joined forces with the Nepali Army to conduct joint search and rescue operations at critical hydropower tunnel sites in Chilime, Rasuwa district.

Mohan Kumar Dangi, president of the Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal, said at least 12 hydropower projects in Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts were damaged by the floods. Together, the projects have a capacity of 670 MW. Four were under construction, seven were operational and one was in the testing phase.

Dangi said hydropower projects undergo risk assessments and other studies before construction, but described the August 26 flooding as “something unimaginable”.