Briefly

EUROPE

Moscow, Kyiv trade drones and missiles

Russian air defenses shot down 660 Ukrainian drones overnight, Russia Today reported on Friday, while Kyiv authorities reported a Russian ballistic missile attack overnight. "During the night, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 660 Ukrainian fixedwing unmanned aerial vehicles," RT reported, citing a Russian Defense Ministry statement. On Thursday night, Tymur Tkachenko, a military chief in Kyiv, wrote on Telegram that Ukraine's capital came under a Russian ballistic missile attack, urging residents to take cover. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, meanwhile, wrote on Telegram that the air defense systems were operating and urged residents to stay in shelters.

SOUTH KOREA

Wife of ex-leader sentenced to 7 years

Kim Keon-hee, wife of South Korea's former president Yoon Suk-yeol, was sentenced to seven years in prison for corruption, including the sale of government posts, live footage showed on Friday. The Seoul Central District Court handed down the prison sentence, saying Kim unhesitatingly received luxury goods that are practically unattainable for ordinary people. The team of Min Joong-ki, an independent counsel who led investigations into corruption allegations involving the former presidential couple, sought a 7.5-year sentence for Kim for selling public offices in exchange for high-priced jewelry and luxury goods. The judge said the actions of the former first lady seriously hurt public trust in the fairness of public appointments.

JAPAN

120 flights canceled as storms approach

Japanese airlines canceled at least 120 flights on Friday as two tropical storms barreled toward the archipelago, with authorities advising evacuations in some areas because of possible flooding and landslides. Severe tropical storm Mekkhala, downgraded from a typhoon, was packing gusts of up to 144 kilometers per hour, according to forecasters, with heavy rain already pounding parts of southern and western Japan. The weather system was expected to skirt the islands of Kyushu and Shikoku over the weekend and potentially converge with tropical storm Higos which was also swirling further out into the Pacific. This could result in the atmospheric phenomenon known as the Fujiwhara effect when two storms interact, making forecasting their movements and strengths more difficult. Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways have so far canceled 70 and 50 flights, respectively, to and from the southern regions of Okinawa and Kagoshima.

AGENCIES-XINHUA