US warship sails past contested South China Sea islands

Washington (IANS): A US warship sailed close to disputed islands in the South China Sea, a move that is bound to draw the ire of Beijing and came amid heightened tensions between the two nations.

Two defence officials told CNN that the guided-missile…

13 dead in Iran after drinking poisonous alcohol

Tehran (IANS) At least 13 people died in Iran after drinking poisonous alcohol over the past 48 hours, Iran's Emergency Department said Saturday.

Pir Hossein Kolivand, the department head, said nine of the victims were from the…

384 dead in Indonesia earthquakes, tsunami

Jakarta (IANS): Over 380 people were confirmed dead on Saturday after earthquakes, including a powerful 7.5 magnitude tremor, and tsunami struck the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. Rescue workers were struggling to reach certain affected areas amid…

50 killed as 7.5-quake leads to tsunami in Indonesia

Jakarta (IANS): At least 50 people have been confirmed dead by officials on Saturday after a strong tsunami triggered by a 7.5-magnitude earthquake hit a coastal Indonesian city on Friday.

Over 350 others were injured, a disaster agency official…

UN chief urges immediate action on climate change

United Nations (IANS) United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday that climate change is absolute priority, while urging the international community to take immediate action.

Speaking at a meeting of the Pacific…

Quake-triggered tsunami hits Indonesian city

Jakarta(IANS): A strong tsunami hit a coastal Indonesian city on Friday following a powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake, resulting in panicked people running on the streets amid collapsing buildings.

The giant sea wave of up to 2 metre (6.6ft)…

7.5 earthquake strikes Indonesia's Sulawesi island

Jakarta (IANS): A 7.5 magnitude earthquake hit the Indonesian island of Sulawesi on Friday, triggering a tsunami warning that was lifted later.

The Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics initially issued a tsunami alert,…

Boeing lands into Pacific lagoon

Palikir (Micronesia) (IANS): A Boeing 737-800 aircraft has come down in a lagoon off Chuuk International Airport in Micronesia in the Pacific Ocean. Details are still unclear.

The cause of the incident is not yet known but media reports said…

China warns US after airspace violation in South China Sea

Beijing (IANS): China on Thursday accused the US of aggravating tension in the region after an American aircraft flew into the airspace over the disputed South China Sea.

Blaming Washington for worsening military ties between the two countries,…

US will consider Afghan factor in Iran sanctions' impact on India

New York (IANS): The US will take into consideration the impact of American sanctions against Tehran on India's Chabahar port project in Iran that provides a surface link between India and Afghanistan, according to a senior US State Department…