Author: Sangeetha Saravana

Sangeetha is currently pursuing her Masters in International Studies. She is an enthusiastic individual who posses a good analytic skill and passion towards research & writing. Her areas of interest include Geopolitics, Space and Science.

North Korea tests a new solid-fuel ICBM in 2024 - Asiana Times

State media reported on Friday that North Korea said it had tested a new solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) called the Hwasong-18 North Korea launched what appeared to be a brand-new ballistic missile on Thursday. This caused a scare in northern Japan, where residents of Hokkaido were told to take cover, but there was ultimately no threat. This was held in order to “radically promote” the nation’s ability to launch nuclear counterattacks, warning of “extreme uneasiness and horror” to enemies. The news source added that the test launch’s objectives included determining the military potency of the new strategic weapons system…

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Oil eases as investors remain cautious of recession 2024 - Asiana Times

As investors remained cautious due to lingering worries about a U.S. recession and declining oil demand, oil prices dropped in early trading on Thursday after increasing for the previous two sessions. By 01:16 GMT, Brent crude had decreased by 19 cents, or 0.2%, to $87.14 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate had decreased by 16 cents, or 0.2%, to $83.10. The Federal Reserve is likely to stop raising interest rates, as evidenced by both benchmarks rising 2% on Wednesday to their highest levels in more than a month. An urge to contain the oil price Concerns are growing that…

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Monsoon will be normal despite El-Nino: IMD - Asiana Times

The forecast is welcome news for the agricultural industry, which depends on monsoon rains to grow the majority of the net cultivated area’s crops. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) reported on Tuesday that rainfall during the southwest monsoon in June through September is likely to be in the “normal” range at 96% of the standard long-period average (LPA). 96 to 104% of the LPA is regarded as “normal” rainfall. Monsoon favours the farming industry The farm industry, which depends on monsoon rains for crops grown in more than half of the net cultivated area, is relieved by the forecast from…

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US, Philippines conduct war drills near disputed waters - Asiana Times

US and Philippines engage in a biggest combat drill, in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, which is likely to anger China. On Tuesday, the United States and the Philippines will begin their largest joint military drills in decades. These exercises will include live-fire training and a boat-sinking rocket assault in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, which is likely to enrage China. US and Philippines conducts annual drills to confront external forces Many as 17,600 military personnel will participate in the annual drills by the steadfast treaty allies known as Balikatan, which is Tagalog for…

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Yemen-Saudi officials meet, talks with rebels - Asiana Times

As part of global efforts to end Yemen’s nine-year conflict, Saudi officials were in Yemen’s capital on Sunday for conversations with the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, according to officials. According to the Houthi-run SABA news agency, a delegation from Saudi Arabia, led by the country’s ambassador to Yemen, Mohammed bin Saeed Al-Jaber, will speak with Mahdi al-Mashat, the head of the Houthi’s supreme political council, which governs the rebel-held regions of Yemen. The agency reported, citing an unnamed source, that an Omani delegation, which reached Sanaa on Saturday, will also participate in the negotiations. An effort to achieve a long lasting peace…

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NASA to Conduct 2 Super Pressure Balloon Tests - Asiana Times

Two super pressure balloon (SPB) launches from Wnaka, New Zealand, are planned by NASA’s Scientific Balloon Program to further examine and qualify the technology, which could be less expensive than space missions. In cooperation with the Queenstown Airport Corporation, Queenstown Lake District Council, New Zealand Space Agency, and Airways New Zealand, NASA conducts SPB launches from New Zealand. NASA is flying science payloads on each of the two launches, even though their primary purpose is to test the SPB technology. The balloons’ flights, which are expected to last up to 100 days or more, can be made visible from the…

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UK agrees to join trans-Pacific trade pact - Asiana Times

The biggest new trade agreement the UK has made since leaving the European Union three years ago is it’s decision to join an Asia-Pacific trade pact that also includes Japan, Mexico, and Australia. After nearly two years of negotiations, the British government announced on Friday that it had reached an agreement to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam are CPTPP participants. According to the government, joining would lower tariffs on British dairy products and other products and remove red tape for services, “in…

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Myanmar Urge Inclusive Democracy in Global Powers - Asiana Times

On Wednesday, the US, UK, Japan, and Australia expressed their concern over the collapse of Myanmar’s former ruling party and called for a more inclusive procedure to restore democracy in the nation. Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) and 39 other parties were disbanded by Myanmar’s ruling junta on Tuesday because they missed the deadline to register for an election that would have extended the military’s hold on global powers. A backdrop on the issue Since a military takeover in early 2021, which ended a decade of shaky democracy, Myanmar has been in turmoil, with a violent…

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Russia and India consider Northern Sea Route - Asiana Times

According to a report published on Wednesday by the Russian Interfax news agency, Russia and India are considering increasing the use of the Arctic-passing Northern Sea shipping route. The “reliable and safe” transportation of goods via the Northern Sea Route utilizing Russian and Indian ports was a major topic in talks with Indian officials when Russia’s minister Alexei Chekunkov, was in India, according to Interfax. According to the news agency, Chekunkov said that the cost of shipping a container from Vladivostok to India is a one-third lower than that from Moscow. Russian President Putin’s initiative One of President Vladimir Putin’s signature initiatives is the Northern…

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Exploring the Health Hazards of Cooking Gas Stoves - Asiana Times

By, Sangeetha Saravana Health hazards of a cooking gas stove: The impact of using a gas stove on human’s health and the quality of the air in a kitchen is being investigated by a Stanford University team in Australia. (image source: ABC News/Leonie Thorne) US researchers staying at Melbourne University as part of the Kitchen Pollutants Project measures the air quality and collect samples of gas from Australian kitchens. Their objective is to develop a better understanding of the substances that gas burners emit. The unventilated kitchen of the house, where a gas stove is turned on, is where they…

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