Briefly

EUROPE

World swelters as heat records smashed again

April marked another "remarkable "month of record-breaking global air and sea surface temperature averages, according to a new report by the European Union's climate monitor published on Wednesday. The abnormally warm conditions came despite the continued weakening of the El Nino weather phenomenon that contributes to increased heat, said the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service, pointing to human-caused climate change for exacerbating the extremes. Since June, every month has been the warmest such period on record. This April was no exception, clocking in at 1.58 C above the 1850-1900 preindustrial average.

IRAN

Nuclear chief: Talks with IAEA 'constructive'

Iran's nuclear chief said on Tuesday that he held "constructive" talks with the director-general of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, according to the news agency IRNA. Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, made the remarks at a conference with Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, following their meeting in the central Iranian province of Isfahan. Eslami said the statement in March last year to step up cooperation was a "positive baseline", but the progress has slowed "due to certain issues".

Agencies - Xinhua