17 Chinese nationals feared dead in South Korea battery plant blaze

Seoul (IANS) South Korean fire department officials have said that around 17 Chinese nationals were killed in the massive fire at a battery plant in Hwaseong, city south of Seoul, but the exact figures still need to be further confirmed. 

South…

6.3-magnitude quake hits Vanuatu

Suva (IANS) An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 jolted 51 km NNE of Port Olry of Vanuatu local time on Monday, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

There were no immediate reports of casualty or damage due to the quake at 19:03 local time,…

Terror attack on places of worship in Russia's Dagestan; priest, security personnel killed

Moscow (IANS) Two Orthodox churches, a synagogue, and a traffic police station in Russia's Dagestan region were attacked on Sunday, leaving a priest and around 10 security personnel, including local policemen, dead, and over two dozen injured,…

Russia could amend 'defensive' nuclear doctrine, indicates Duma defence panel chief

Moscow (IANS) Russia could change its nuclear doctrine, which provides for the use of nuclear weapons only in retaliation if the country is attacked with weapons of mass destruction or faces an existential threat from conventional warfare, if the…

North Korea to hold key meeting after signing partnership treaty with Russia

Seoul (IANS) North Korea is to hold a plenary meeting of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) this week to review policy performances in the first half, amid attention over whether it would discuss follow-up measures to implement a new partnership…

Death toll from heavy rain in Central America rises to 30

Mexico City (IANS) At least 30 people have died from heavy rain this season in the three Central American countries of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, according to authorities of these three countries. 

Luis Alonso Amaya, director of El…

Tourist lynched and burnt by Islamist mob in Pakistan's Swat

Swat (IANS) In yet another horrifying incident of mob lynching, a local tourist in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province's Swat district was brutally lynched to death and his body burnt to ashes in the middle of the road over accusation…

Cyprus rejects Hezbollah's threats as not based on 'reality'

Athens (IANS/DPA) Cyprus on Thursday rejected threats made by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who warned the EU island nation against cooperating with the Israeli military in a fiery speech the day before.

Should Cyprus make its airports…

India reminds world of Kanishka bombing as Canada 'honours' terrorist

New Delhi (IANS) Even as the Canadian Parliament 'honoured' a Khalistani terrorist, the Indian Consulate in Vancouver reminded the world of the bombing of Air India flight 182 (Kanishka) in which 329 people, including 86 children, were killed. 

IDF received warnings before October 7: Israeli public broadcaster

Tel Aviv (IANS/DPA) Israeli military intelligence sounded clear warnings regarding a pending attack more than two weeks before Hamas launched its attack from the Gaza Strip on October 7 last year, according to Kan, the Israeli Public Broadcasting…