Worst April heatwave in Asian history

Bangkok (IANS) A severe heatwave has swept across much of Asia, causing deaths and school closures in India and record-breaking temperatures in China, media reports said on Tuesday.

Maximiliano Herrera, a climatologist and weather historian,…

UN protests US spying on Guterres

United Nations (IANS) The UN has protested to the US against the spying on Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and other officials calling it an "interference" by Washington, according to spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.

"The UN officially expressed…

Putin makes 'surprise' visit to frontline, reviews status of operations

Moscow (IANS) Russian President Vladimir Putin has made an unannounced visit to two command posts in the "newly incorporated territories" from Ukraine, where he reviewed the progress of military operation against Ukrainian forces, the Kremlin said…

Slovakia suspends grain imports from Ukraine, maintains transit

Bratislava (IANS) The Slovakian government suspended imports of grain and other agricultural commodities from its neighbour Ukraine, but kept transit to third countries open, said interim Agriculture Minister Samuel Vlcan.

The decision was…

Death toll rises to 97 as fighting rages in Sudan

Khartoum (IANS) Clashes in Sudan's capital Khartoum raged for a third day, raising the death toll to 97, a doctors' union said in a statement on Monday.

Hundreds of civilians were wounded in the violence, Xinhua news agency quoted the…

S.Korea, US begin large-scale combined air drills

Seoul (IANS) South Korea and the US kicked off large-scale combined air drills on Monday, the South's Air Force said, amid joint efforts to sharpen deterrence against Pyongyang's military threats.

About 110 aircraft and more than 1,400…

Kenya, South Sudan call for ceasefire amid fighting in Sudan

Nairobi (IANS) Kenya and South Sudan have called for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan where the military and a paramilitary group are engaged in fierce fighting.

Kenyan President William Ruto and his South Sudan counterpart, Salva Kiir, in separate…

S.Korea, US, Japan agree to hold joint military drills regularly

Seoul (IANS) South Korea, the US and Japan have agreed to hold missile defence and anti-submarine exercises regularly to counter growing North Korean threats, Seoul's Defence Ministry said on Saturday.

The three nations reached the agreement…

N.Korea says it tested new solid-fuel ICBM to improve nuclear counterattack posture

Seoul (IANS) North Korea said on Friday the missile used in its recent launch was its new solid-fuel Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), with leader Kim Jong-un saying that the weapon will "radically promote" the country's nuclear…

Russian fighter jet escorts German patrol plane over Baltic Sea

Moscow (IANS) A Russian Su-27 fighter jet escorted a German patrol plane over the Baltic Sea to prevent it from entering Russia's airspace, the Defence Ministry here said.

According to the Ministry, after detecting an air target over the…