Skip to main content

Record-breaking heat wave grips western United States

A record early heat wave striking the western United States on Friday is a one-in-500-year event and almost certainly the result of human-caused climate change, experts say. The heat has been toppling records this week and is set to continue into the weekend across western cities while expanding eastward. Four locations in the desert area near the California-Arizona border registered 44.4 degrees Celsius on Friday, a US national record for March. The readings were recorded near Yuma and Martinez Lake in Arizona, and around Winterhaven and Ogilby in California. Read: Intense heatwave grips US, triggering record-breaking temperatures Already, 65 cities have recorded new March highs, ranging from Arizona and California to Idaho, Weather.com reported. Death Valley reached 40°C on Thursday, while typically cool and foggy San Francisco tied its historic March record at 29°C. In Colorado, skiers were seen hitting the slopes shirtless. The National Weather Service issued extreme heat warni...

India, Israel to push free trade pact, boost defence cooperation, Modi says

India will soon finalise a mutually beneficial free trade agreement with Israel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday. The two countries will also pursue joint development, production and transfer of technology in defence, Modi said at the end of his two-day trip to Israel. On Thursday, Modi said that India and Israel agree there is “no place for terrorism in the world,” as he wrapped up a two-day visit aimed at strengthening ties. The trip, which has drawn criticism at home, marks Modi’s second visit to Israel as prime minister since taking office in 2014. He highlighted future cooperation in areas including technology and energy. “Together, we will move forward towards joint development, joint production and the transfer of technology,” he said. “At the same time, we will also advance our cooperation in areas such as civil nuclear energy and space.” Read More: Modi says India stands 'firmly' with Israel Netanyahu described the visit as “amazing” and “extraordinarily productive,” emphasising joint innovation between the two countries. “The future belongs to those who innovate, and Israel and India are bent on innovation,” Netanyahu said. At the press conference, several memorandums of understanding were signed in areas including education, geophysical exploration and artificial intelligence. ‘We feel your pain’ On Wednesday, Modi told lawmakers at the Knesset that India stood “firmly” with Israel following Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023. “I carry with me the deepest condolences of the people of India for every life lost and for every family whose world was shattered in the barbaric terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7,” Modi said. Today’s discussions with PM Netanyahu were very fruitful. We’ve taken a historic decision to elevate our time-tested partnership to a Special Strategic Partnership. This decision reflects the aspirations of the people of both countries.@netanyahu pic.twitter.com/zXJr2re3Mb — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 26, 2026 He added that India’s economic growth and Israel’s leadership in technological innovation form a “natural foundation for our forward-looking partnership,” citing opportunities in quantum technologies, semiconductors and artificial intelligence. Netanyahu said Modi’s visit would help “further reinforce our ties.”

from Latest World News, International News | Breaking World News https://ift.tt/a3hcPv6

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

At least 32 miners dead after bridge fails at cobalt site in southeast DR Congo

A bridge collapsed at a cobalt mine in southeast Democratic Republic of Congo killing at least 32 wildcat miners, a regional government official said Sunday. The bridge came down Saturday onto a flooded zone at the mine in Lualaba province, Roy Kaumba Mayonde, the provincial interior minister, told reporters. He said 32 bodies had been recovered and more were being searched for. The DRC produces more than 70 percent of the world supply of cobalt, which is essential for batteries used in electric cars, many laptop computers and mobile phones. More than 200,000 people are estimated to be working in giant illegal cobalt mines in the giant central African country. Local authorities said the bridge collapsed at the Kalando mine, about 42 kilometres (26 miles) southeast of the Lualaba provincial capital, Kolwezi. "Despite a formal ban on access to the site because of the heavy rain and the risk of a landslide, wildcat miners forced their way into the quarry," said Mayonde. He said ...

US, Philippines kick off joint military drills in South China Sea with 16,000 troops

Some 16,000 US and Philippine troops kicked off the annual joint military drills on Monday in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), local media reported. WPS is the official designation by Philippines to the parts of the South China Sea that are included in the country's exclusive economic zone. The 19-day exercises, dubbed "Balikatan 2024," will involve around 5,000 Philippine and 11,000 US troops, making it the largest joint military drills between the two allies conducted in decades, local English daily Manila Times reported citing the military. A total of 14 nations, including Japan and India, will take part in the drills as observers amid mounting maritime tensions in the South China Sea. Contingents from the Australian Defence Force and the French Navy will also join the exercise as participants. Read also: China urges US to stop using Philippines as a pawn to destabilise South China Sea France will join the group sail but will only navigate on the edge of the Philippine E...

Indian devotees splurge on jets, gold idols as Hindu temple opens

The private jet parking lots at airports near the Indian city of Ayodhya are full and the shops have run out of gold-plated idols, as wealthy devotees prepare for the invite-only opening ceremony of one of Hinduism's holiest temples. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Asia's richest man Mukesh Ambani are among the 8,000 or so attendees at Monday's inauguration event for the Ram Temple, which devotees believe is built on the birthplace of Lord Ram, a sacred Hindu deity. The construction of the temple, which began after the Supreme Court awarded the site to Hindus in 2019 more than two decades after a Hindu mob razed a mosque there, triggering deadly riots, fulfils a key campaign promise of Modi and his Hindu nationalist party. Read BJP-promised temple transforms Ayodhya: Muslims, locals feel neglected The opening ceremony, organised by the trust that built the temple, comes months before a national election which the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is widely expected to w...