World News: Pakistan military ends train standoff, says 21 hostages and four troops killed

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In Pakistan's Balochistan province, a military operation took place to rescue hostages on a hijacked train, killing all 33 militants.

But during the day-long standoff, 21 hostages and four security personnel also lost their lives.

On Wednesday local time, the Pakistani military initiated a comprehensive rescue operation on a train that had been ambushed by militants from the separatist Baloch Liberation Army the day before.

The Jaffar Express, carrying over 440 passengers from Quetta to Peshawar had been hijacked by the separatist BLA.

The militants detonated explosives on the railway track and launched rockets at the train, forcing it to a halt before seizing control of the train and taking hundreds hostage.

The BLA had been demanding the release of Baloch political prisoners.

Defense ministers from five European nations convened in Paris on Wednesday local time, to discuss bolstering regional security and defense cooperation in the aftermath of the Ukraine war. The meeting comes amid Washington's efforts to pursue a peace deal with Moscow.

Defense ministers from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Poland discussed strengthening European defense mechanisms and providing security assurances to Ukraine amidst ongoing geopolitical shifts.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov also participated.

A key point of the discussions was the potential establishment of a European reassurance force, aimed at deterring future aggression and ensuring Ukraine's sovereignty.

The deliberations also addressed the proposed ReArm Europe plan, which seeks to mobilize up to 800 billion Euros to boost Europe's defense infrastructure.

Japan began the 11th release of contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday. The operation is part of an ongoing process to manage and dispose of water used to cool the reactors following the 2011 disaster.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has confirmed that the tritium concentration in the discharged water is below Japan's regulatory standards, aligning with international safety guidelines.

Tokyo Electric Power Company recently announced plans for the 11th batch of wastewater discharge from March 12 to 17.

In London, climate activists have protested against Tesla, targeting the company's robots to highlight environmental concerns.

On Wednesday local time, two activists in west London poured orange liquid latex over a life-sized humanoid robot at a Tesla store.

Following political activities by Elon Musk, CEO of the carmaker,

a number of Tesla outlets in the U.S. and parts of Europe have also faced protests recently.

Choi Chi-hee, Arirang News.