Briefly

INDIA

Modi, Carney sign minerals deal

India and Canada on Monday reached a string of agreements including on critical mineral cooperation and a deal on processed uranium ore. The pacts, covering technology and promoting the use of renewable energy, were announced after a meeting in New Delhi between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney. Carney hailed the "expansion of a valued partnership" with India.

AFRICA

Militants kill 169 in South Sudan village

At least 169 people were killed after militants raided a village in a remote area of South Sudan, a local official said on Monday. The victims, including 90 civilians, were attacked on Sunday in Abiemnom County, said a local official. The UN Mission in South Sudan said in a statement that 1,000 people sought shelter at its base there after the attack. The killings are part of an escalating wave of violence gripping South Sudan as government forces loyal to President Salva Kiir battle armed men who are believed to be loyal to the opposition leader. The United Nations Mission in South Sudan has expressed concern over the escalating violence, calling for the restoration of calm.

UNITED STATES

El Nino may return, making planet hotter

The warming El Nino weather phenomenon could form later this year, potentially pushing global temperatures to record heights. There is a 50 — to 60-percent chance of El Nino developing during the July-September period and beyond, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The World Meteorological Organization will issue an update on El Nino on Tuesday. The last El Nino occurred in 2023-2024, contributing to making 2023 the second-hottest year on record and 2024 the all-time high. Carlo Buontempo, director of the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service, said in January that 2026 could be "another record-breaking year" if El Nino appears.

UKRAINE

Zelensky says talks with Russia expected

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday that a new round of US-brokered trilateral peace talks with Russia, expected this week, had not been canceled following the weekend strikes on Iran by the US and Israel. Zelensky told reporters that Kyiv was considering a new location for the talks, which had been due to take place in Abu Dhabi. He said Turkiye or Switzerland were potential new locations. "The meeting was scheduled preliminarily for the 5th, 6th of March," he said. "Due to the ongoing hostilities, we cannot confirm that the meeting will take place in Abu Dhabi, but nevertheless, no one has canceled the meeting."

Agencies - Xinhua