June 19, 2023

*) 'Calm' in Sudan's capital as 72-hour ceasefire takes effect A 72-hour ceasefire between Sudan's warring sides has taken effect to allow for the delivery of desperately needed aid to the country. The ceasefire came into force on Sunday morning with mediators saying the two sides had agreed to refrain from attacks and allow the delivery of humanitarian aid. Witnesses in the capital Khartoum said the situation was "calm" but urged for a permanent truce after previous ceasefires were repeatedly broken. *) US, China see path to more stable ties after Blinken's 'constructive' visit The United States and China have agreed to expand dialogue to bring relations back from historic lows. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke to his Chinese counterpart during a rare trip to Beijing, becoming the highest-ranking US visitor to the Chinese capital in nearly five years. The two sides announced that Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang agreed to pay a return visit to Washington at a later date. The two top diplomats will also work together to expand flights between the two countries. *) Russia 'repels' Kiev's counterattacks at three points of the front line Russia's defence ministry has claimed its forces repelled a series of Ukrainian attacks across three sections of the front line. It said Ukraine was pressing most actively in the Zaporizhzhia region. Both sides are suffering high numbers of military casualties as Ukraine fights to dislodge the Kremlin’s forces from occupied areas in the early stages of its counteroffensive, British officials said. *) Sweltering heatwave kills nearly a hundred people in India At least 96 people have died in two of India's most populous states over the last several days as the country battles an intense heatwave. All the fatalities in Uttar Pradesh, totalling 54, were reported in Ballia district on Sunday. Meanwhile, in eastern Bihar, scorching heat led to 42 deaths in the past two days. Hundreds of people were admitted to district hospitals for various ailments aggravated