Briefly

UNITED STATES

NASA advances lunar rover development

NASA on Tuesday provided an update on the development of crewed and robotic lunar rovers to support its planned Moon Base initiative, highlighting efforts to develop the surface mobility capabilities needed for future exploration and sustained human operations on the moon. NASA's Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover is scheduled to launch in 2027 to the lunar South Pole region to explore permanently shadowed craters in search of water and other potentially valuable resources.

PAKISTAN

8 killed, 32 injured as bus overturns

At least eight people were killed and 32 others injured when a passenger bus overturned on a highway in Pakistan's eastern Punjab Province early on Wednesday, said a rescue official. An official from the state-owned Rescue 1122 told Xinhua that the accident occurred near Bangla Hidayat in Rajanpur district, where a bus traveling from the southern port city of Karachi to the Dera Ghazi Khan district of Punjab collided with a road divider before overturning.

TURKIYE

4 countries sign defense accord

Turkiye, Qatar, Pakistan, and Indonesia signed an agreement on Wednesday aimed at boosting defense cooperation and strengthening defensive capabilities, the Turkish Defense Ministry said. In a statement, the ministry said the accord signed in Doha would also support military exercises and training, cooperation on research and development, and contribute to joint efforts to improve the countries' respective defense industries.

AGENCIES-XINHUA