By RAHIM FAIEZ

KABUL, Afghanistan; 18 Aug 2018; (AP) — The leader of the Taliban said Saturday there will be no peace in Afghanistan as long as the foreign “occupation” continues, reiterating the group’s position that the 17-year war can only be brought to an end through direct talks with the United States.

In a message released in honor of the Eid al-Adha holiday, Maulvi Haibatullah Akhunzadah said the group remains committed to “Islamic goals,” the sovereignty of Afghanistan and ending the war.

By Mustafa Hatipoglu and Basak Akbulut Yazar

ISTANBUL; 17 Aug 2018; AA: An Istanbul court has given life sentences to 102 Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) convicts including high-ranking former Turkish military officers, a judicial source said on Friday.

The group was charged over incidents that took place at the War Colleges Command in Istanbul during the defeated coup of July 2016, said the source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on talking to the media.

BEIJING, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Work has begun on the building of 4.07 million homes in rundown urban areas during the first seven months of the year, official data showed.

This marks a 70-percent completion of the annual target with an investment of over 990 billion yuan (about 143.6 billion U.S. dollars), according to the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development.

China will launch a new three-year renovation plan to address housing in rundown urban areas, with 5.8 million units to be constructed this year, according to this year's government work report.

MOSCOW, August 17. /TASS/. Russia’s Federal Protection Service (FSO) has trained bodyguards for Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and plans to provide training to Philippine navy officers, Philippine Ambassador to Russia Carlos Sorreta said in an interview with TASS.

According to the Philippine diplomat, training of military personnel is conducted under the military technical cooperation between Moscow and Manila. "It’s part of our defense cooperation agreement, the creation of working groups who will discuss the details and part of their agenda is training," he said.

Moscow, Aug 18, IRNA – Russian Foreign Ministry in a Friday statement announced that the second nuclear fuel consignment has become ready to send to Iran.

New Delhi, Aug 17 (PTI) As many as 868 people have lost their lives, 247 of them in Kerala, due to rains, floods and landslides in seven states during the monsoon season so far, the Home Ministry said today.

According to the Home Ministry's National Emergency Response Centre (NERC), 247 people have died in Kerala, where 2.11 lakh people in 14 districts have been badly hit by the rains and floods and over 32,500 hectares of crops damaged.

New Delhi, Aug 17 (PTI) Swami Agnivesh was allegedly heckled and assaulted near the BJP headquarters here today by some people, who the social activist said were BJP workers, when he was on his way to pay homage to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

A video of the alleged attack that circulated on social media showed some people heckling the 79-year-old social activist.

Bengaluru, Aug 16; PTI: The SIT probing the killing of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh today claimed that five suspects, arrested in connection with the case, were involved in rationalist M M Kalburgi's killing.

Twelve suspects have been arrested in connection with the Lankesh case.

Kalburgi was shot dead on August 30, 2015 at home and the case is being investigated by the criminal investigation department (CID).

Guwahati, Aug 16; PTI: One man was lynched and three others were critically injured by a mob in Biswanath district of Assam that suspected them to be cattle lifters, police said today.

Biswanath Superintendent of Police Diganta Kumar Choudhury told PTI the incident took place early yesterday at Line Number 15 of Diplonga Tea Estate under the Sootea police station.

The SP said as per preliminary inquiry, the four men had allegedly stolen two cows from a person named Sankat Tanti and were fleeing in an auto van which had no number plate.

RAMALLAH, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas reaffirmed on Wednesday that the Palestinians reject the new peace plan proposed by the United States, known as "Deal of the Century."

Abbas made the remarks at the opening session of the Palestinian Central Council held in Ramallah.

"We tell those who claim that we accepted the Deal of the Century that we were the first who rejected and fought it," Abbas said, adding that the Palestinians will fight the deal until it is "toppled."

Washington, Aug 16 (PTI) US President Donald Trump has revoked the security clearance of former CIA director John Brennan, accusing him of "lying" and blaming his "erratic conduct and behaviour."

The 62-year-old former intelligence official, who served in the previous Obama administration, has been one of the staunchest critics of President Trump and his policies.

He was the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director from 2013 to 2017.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The White House said on Wednesday that the United States will not lift sanctions on Turkish steel and aluminum products even if detained American pastor Andrew Brunson is released.

In a press briefing, White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders said, "The tariffs that are in place on steel would not be removed with the release of Pastor Brunson. The tariffs are specific to national security."