Earth observation satellite lifted off aboard Rocket Lab's Electron rocket from spaceport in Mahia, New Zealand

14 nations, including Japan, India, also take part in drills as observers amid maritime tensions in South China Sea

Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, US, South Korea, France, UK, Germany participating in 3-week Desert Flag 9 drill

Bangladesh Meteorological Department issues 72-hour heat alert after temperature crossed 41°C

Follows DPRK's Feb. 3 announcement on 'cruise missile super-large warhead power test,' new anti-aircraft missile test

Around 70 people also lost lives in neighbouring Afghanistan due to rains, floods, according to authorities

President Zardari confers Nishan-e-Imtiaz on top Turkish general, Metin Gurak, in ceremony

WZ-8 is expected to soar three times the speed of sound, reach altitudes of some 30 kilometres

Bangladesh, Pakistan and India were world’s smoggiest countries in 2023

During test, all subsystems performed in line with expectations, says Defence Ministry