Damascus, June 3 (IANS) Israeli airstrikes after midnight on Monday, killed 12 pro-Iranian militias in Syria’s northern province of Aleppo, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The militias, consisting of Syrian and non-Syrian nationals, have a significant presence in the area surrounding the city of Aleppo, it said.

The attack hit several sites in the countryside of Aleppo, mainly in the town of Hayyan in northwest of Aleppo. Several explosions were heard across the city, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Observatory noted that the attack comes as part of an escalation of Israeli attacks on positions held by the Lebanese Hezbollah and Iranian militias in Syria since last month.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Defense Ministry confirmed that several individuals were killed in the Israeli aggression targeting points near Aleppo.

–IANS

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Tokyo, June 3 (IANS) Two F-35A fighter jets of Japan Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) made emergency landings at north Japan’s Aomori Airport on Monday morning, with no reports of injuries.

The two fighter jets from the Misawa Air Base made emergency landings one after another at 8:46 a.m. and 8:56 a.m. local time, reports Xinhua news agency.

Both pilots, one in each aircraft, were unharmed, and no external damage has been reported, national news agency Kyodo reported.

The runway, which was temporarily closed by the airport for approximately 20 minutes following the landings, has been reopened, causing no major disruptions.

Details and causes of the emergency landings are under investigation.

Last June, two F-35A fighter jets from the same base made emergency landings at Aomori Airport due to electrical system issues, which triggered warning lights in the aircraft.

–IANS

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New Delhi, June 3 (IANS) Mexico’s National Electoral Institute, on Sunday, announced Claudia Sheinbaum, candidate of the ruling Morena party, the winner of the presidential elections.

Sheinbaum is projected as the winner with 58.3 to 60.7 per cent of the votes, reports Al Jazeera.

The first woman to be elected president of Mexico took to her X handle and expressed gratitude. She posted in Spanish, which translates as: “This is the triumph of the people of Mexico, of the peaceful revolution of consciences and the recognition of our people that the mandate to continue and advance with the Fourth Transformation of Public Life in Mexico is clear.”

Sheinbaum clinched victory by defeating her nearest rival Xochitl Galvez, who was representing a coalition of largely conservative parties.

Sheinbaum is set to succeed outgoing President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, also her mentor.

–IANS

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Seoul, June 3 (IANS) The National Security Council (NSC), on Monday, decided to suspend the 2018 inter-Korean reduction pact until mutual trust is restored in response to North Korea’s massive sending of trash-carrying balloons into South Korea.

NSC, the advisory body to the President of South Korea on matters of national security, held a meeting with related ministries to evaluate North Korea’s recent series of provocations, and agreed to propose a motion suspending the Comprehensive Military Agreement during a Cabinet meeting slated for Tuesday, reports Yonhap news agency.

“The attendees decided to submit a proposal to suspend the entire effectiveness of the September 19 Military Agreement until mutual trust between the two Koreas is restored,” the presidential office said in a statement.

The North has sent nearly 1,000 balloons carrying trash into the South since Thursday in what it said was a “tit-for-tat campaign” against South Korean activists sending balloons carrying propaganda leaflets denouncing the North’s regime.

No human casualties were reported, but some balloons caused property damage, such as a broken windshield.

The NSC meeting, presided over by Deputy Principal National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo, concluded that North Korea’s recent provocations have caused harm and threats to South Korean citizens and negatively impacted the military’s readiness posture.

“This measure will enable military training near the Military Demarcation Line, which has been restricted by the agreement, and allow for more adequate and immediate responses to North Korean provocations. The government will take all necessary measures to protect the lives and safety of our citizens,” the office said.

On Sunday, National Security Adviser Chang Ho-jin said that the government would take “unbearable” measures against North Korea in response to its sending of trash balloons and continued jamming of GPS signals last week. It raised speculation over resuming propaganda campaigns via loudspeakers along the border.

Hours after the warning, North Korea said it would temporarily stop sending trash-carrying balloons across the border into South Korea, though it also threatened to resume such operations if anti-Pyongyang leaflets are sent from South Korea.

The North said that its balloon campaign came purely in response to leaflets sent by South Korean activists.

It would be necessary to nullify a 2018 inter-Korean military agreement, which bans hostile acts between the two Koreas, to resume the frontline broadcasts.

The loudspeakers were used to air criticism of the Kim Jong-un regime’s human rights abuses, news and K-pop songs, drawing angry responses from Pyongyang.

The 2018 agreement, signed to reduce tensions along the border, remains effectively scrapped after the North conducted live-fire artillery drills near the western border islands in January.

–IANS

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Jinan, June 3 (IANS) One trapped miner, previously reported missing in a flooded coal mine in eastern China’s Shandong province, has been found dead by rescuers, according to the latest development briefed by officials on the ground.

The mine tunnel was cleared of flood water by 4 a.m. on Monday, but was still clogged with a large amount of slit, reported Xinhua news agency.

The dredging work by the rescuers began on Monday morning and is expected to last several hours.

According to the officials, they will persist in their efforts to locate the trapped miners and prevent secondary accidents.

The flooding occurred at around 5 p.m. on Saturday at the Huafeng coal mine in Ningyang County, in Tai’an. Among the ten people working underground, two managed to escape, while eight were trapped.

–IANS

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