AP, United Nations
The General Assembly on Friday agreed to a significant cut in the budget for the U.N.’s far-flung peacekeeping missions, a reduction that the Trump administration fought hard to achieve though it wanted an even larger decrease.
After lengthy and heated negotiations, the assembly’s powerful budget committee agreed to a $7.3 billion budget for 14 peacekeeping missions for the year starting July 1, a $570 million cut from the current budget of $7.87 billion.
2 civilians killed in Indian Kashmir battle
AP, Srinagar
A woman and a young man were killed and several other people injured during anti-India protests and clashes in Indian-controlled Kashmir that erupted Saturday after government forces launched an operation against rebels in the disputed region, police said. Indian troops came under fire from militants as soldiers laid a cordon around the southern village of Dialgam following a tip that rebels were hiding there, said senior police officer Muneer Ahmed Khan.
Taliban district chief killed in Afghan battle
AP, Kabul
Afghanistan’s Interior Ministry says a Taliban shadow district chief was killed in fighting with security forces in eastern Wardak province.
According to a statement released Saturday, Mullah Bashir, the Taliban-appointed governor of the Nirkh district, was killed and two militants were wounded late Friday night. In a separate statement, the ministry said at least 13 militants, including five Islamic State fighters, were killed after Afghan warplanes targeted their hideouts in eastern Paktika, northern Sar-e Pul and Jawzjan provinces.
Mother, daughter killed in crossfire in Rio slum
AP, Rio De Janeiro
A 76-year-old woman and her daughter were killed Friday during a shootout between police and drug traffickers in a Rio de Janeiro slum, apparently hit by stray bullets.
Marlene Maria da Conceicao was shot in the neck in the doorway of her home in the Mangueira slum. Neighbors told the agency.
