Morning news brief: Blinken arrives in Beijing, Sudan conflict updates, and more
Morning brief: Here's a look at the top stories.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Beijing on Sunday (June 18) for a two-day visit focused on China-US relations and major international and regional issues of common concern. Blinken's visit to China comes ahead of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to the United States.
In Sudan, the warring sides agreed to a new 72-hour ceasefire which started on Sunday after fighting intensified with deadly air strikes in the capital city of Khartoum.
And in France, residents in the country's western region counted the cost after being hit by a rare earthquake that left dozens of homes damaged.
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Beijing on Sunday (June 17), nearly five months after Washington's ties with world's second biggest economy deteriorated over a Chinese spy balloon and growing chip wars. Blinken's visit comes ahead of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to the United States.
Sudan conflict: Warring sides agree new truce after fighting intensifies
Sudan's warring sides- the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)- agreed to a new 72-hour ceasefire from Sunday (June 18), as fighting intensified with deadly air strikes in the capital city of Khartoum and an exodus of wounded from Darfur over the border into Chad.
France counts cost after rare earthquake shakes country's western region
Residents in France's western region on Saturday (June 18) counted the cost after being hit by a rare earthquake that left dozens of homes damaged. The earthquake of 5.8 magnitude hit large parts of western France on Friday evening with the seismology bureau BCSF calling it "very strong" amid reports of damage to buildings.
During a meeting with African leaders at the historic Konstantinovsky Palace, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his appreciation for their balanced approach to the conflict in Ukraine and emphasised Russia's openness to engaging in constructive dialogue and discussions on Ukraine conflict.
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