Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1000 GMT, May 27

The Afghan security forces killed four attackers after hours of fierce clashes in the capital's diplomatic district overnight Tuesday, an Afghan official said early Wednesday.

He added the assailants have failed to inflect casualties on civilians or security forces.(Afghanistan-Attack)

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NEW DELHI -- More than 1,100 people have died due to intense heat wave across India in the last one week, an official said Wednesday.

"With more people succumbing to heat stroke in the southern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Tuesday, the death toll has now crossed 1,100. Some 20 deaths have been reported from other parts of India, including the western state of Gujarat," he said, on condition of anonymity. (India-Heat Wave)

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NEW DELHI -- Visiting German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen met Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar in the national capital late Tuesday evening.

Both ministers held closed-door talks aimed at enhancing bilateral defense cooperation between the two countries against the backdrop of "Make in India" initiative, sources said Wednesday. (India-Germany-Visit)

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SEOUL -- South Korea's military on Wednesday launched its second homegrown minelayer ship to boost its maritime warfare capability, the Navy said.

The 3,000-ton minelayer was launched at the shipyard of Hyundai Heavy Industries in the country's southeastern city of Ulsan.(S. Korea-Minelayer Ship) Endi