Trump signs bill to end longest US shutdown

Washington (IANS): US President Donald Trump has agreed to temporarily reopen the federal government without getting any new money for his US-Mexico border wall, retreating from the central promise of his presidency, for now, in the face of intense…

Brazil dam collapse leaves 9 dead, hundreds missing

Brasilia (IANS): A dam collapse at an iron-ore mine in southeast Brazil has left at least nine people dead and up to 300 missing, officials said.

The dam burst on Friday caused a sea of muddy sludge to spread across rural areas of Brumadinho…

Malaysia cancels China sponsored railway link project

Bangkok (IANS): The government of Malaysia on Saturday announced its decision to cancel a $20-billion railway link project that was being built and financed by China.

Malaysia's official news agency Bernama reported that the decision to…

China outlines comprehensive plan to protect Great Wall

Beijing (IANS) China on Thursday issued a comprehensive plan to establish a long-term mechanism for the conservation of the Great Wall.

The plan was jointly publicized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the State Administration…

Mastermind of military base attack killed: Afghan intelligence agency

Kabul (IANS): A Taliban commander, believed to be the mastermind of a deadly attack on a military base in Afghanistan that killed and injured a large number of troops earlier this week, has been brought down by security forces in an airstrike, the…

Xi likely to visit India before general elections: Report

New Delhi (IANS) Chinese President Xi Jinping may visit India for a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi before this year's general elections and as early as February, a media report suggested on Wednesday.

Reporting out of Beijing…

6.2-magnitude quake jolts Indonesia

Jakarta (IANS): An earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale rocked East Nusa Tenggara province of Indonesia on Tuesday, but was not potential for tsunami, the country's meteorology and geophysics agency said.

There was no initial…

Ships carrying Indian crew catch fire off Russia, 10 killed

Moscow (IANS): At least 10 people were killed in a fire that broke out onboard two ships, both carrying Indian crew, near the Kerch Strait that separates Crimea and Russia, according to emergency officials.

Preliminary information said…

China cuts down troops in Army by more than 50%

Beijing (IANS) China has cut down troops in the world's largest standing Army by more than 50 per cent as part of President Xi Jinping's plans to turn the force into a modern and leaner one.

China's official news agency…

China's economic growth rate slowest since 1990

Beijing (IANS): China's economy grew 6.6 percent in 2018, the weakest annual performance since 1990, confirming a slowdown in the world's second-largest economy that could threaten global growth, according to official data on Monday.

China's…