KABUL -- Taliban militants entered two provincial capitals in northern Afghan region late on Tuesday, the latest in their rapid advances as fighting raged in the Asian country, reported local media on Wednesday.

"Taliban militants overran Pul-e-Khumri city, capital of northern Baghlan province and Faizabad city, capital of neighboring Badakhshan province on Tuesday evening," reported Tolo News TV channel. (Afghanistan-Taliban-Provincial Capitals Fall)

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PYONGYANG -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) slammed South Korea on Wednesday for pushing ahead with planned military drills with the United States and warned of "serious security crisis."

In a press statement published by the official Korean Central News Agency, Kim Yong Chol, department director of Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), said, "as we have already clarified, we will make them realize by the minute what a dangerous choice they made and what a serious security crisis they will face because of their wrong choice." (DPRK-SOUTH KOREA)

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HAVANA -- Cuban scientists will send a letter to U.S. President Joe Biden condemning the U.S. embargo against the country, said Cuban biopharmaceutical authorities in a press conference on Tuesday.

"What makes Cuba unique is the need to manage the epidemic under a crippling financial, trade and economic embargo enforced by the U.S. government for the last six decades," the letter says. (CUBA)

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LONDON -- In U.S. deep south states, COVID-19 hospitalizations continued to surge as residents refused to get vaccinated and many doses were wasted due to expiry, The Guardian has reported.

In the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, only about one third of residents have been fully vaccinated, while Georgia has a slightly higher vaccination rate of 41 percent, the report said, noting that thousands of people there are currently hospitalized, and unvaccinated people accounted for 90 percent of hospitalizations in Louisiana. (UK-US-COVID-19)