China’s Xi Jinping and Japan’s Shinzo Abe hold rare meeting, call for better ties

The Chinese and Japanese leaders have held another rare meeting in a sign of easing tensions between the two East Asian powers over the disputed islands and the wartime legacy. Chinese President... Read more »

Russia deepens energy co-operation with Argentina

Russia and Argentina signed documents deepening energy cooperation on Thursday, underlining Moscow’s drive to develop ties with South America since coming under Western sanctions over the Ukraine crisis. At a ceremony in... Read more »

Racist Jewellery ad featuring Aishwarya withdrawn in India

An Indian jewellery advertisement featuring top Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has been withdrawn after criticism that it was “racist” and promoted child slavery. The advertisement shows a black, emaciated child holding... Read more »

Obama admits responsibility of hostages killed in US drone strike

An American and an Italian held hostage by al Qaeda, as well as two Americans working with the terror group, were inadvertently killed by US drone strikes earlier this year, the government... Read more »

Obama meets UAE Crown Prince reaffirm mutual commitment on defense, security

U.S. President Obama and United Arab Emirates Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan on Monday reaffirmed their respective countries’ commitments to halt terror groups like al-Qaida and the Islamic State. The... Read more »

Chinese President receives warm welcome in Pakistan

Pakistan’s top leadership welcomed Chinese President Xi on his arrival on a two-day state visit on Monday (20 April 2015) on a much-awaited trip that seeks to bolster strategic and economic cooperation... Read more »

China and Pakistan launch economic corridor worth $46 billion

ISLAMABAD, (Pakistan) — China and Pakistan launched a plan on for energy and infrastructure projects in Pakistan worth $46 billion, linking their economies and underscoring China’s economic ambitions in Asia and beyond.... Read more »

Asian-African nations look toward enhanced cooperation, economic development

JAKARTA, (Indonesia) — Dozens of leaders from Asia and Africa assembled in Jakarta on Sunday for a five-day summit to breathe new life into economic development and mark the anniversary of a Cold War-era gathering that led to... Read more »

Europe faces renewed pressure as 700 migrants feared dead in Mediterranean

The sinking of a smuggler’s boat carrying some 700 people from Libya to Sicily this weekend may result in the worst-ever death toll from an attempted migrant crossing, and is raising the pressure on European... Read more »

Tsunami warning lifted after magnitude-6.8 quake rocks southern Japan

Japan’s Miyakojima and Yaeyama areas have been placed on high alert with tsunami advisories being issued following a shallow 6.8-magnitude underwater earthquake off Taiwan’s coast. Warnings were lifted after no significant wave... Read more »
The Maglev (magnetic levitation) train speeds during a test run on the experimental track in Tsuru, 100km west of Tokyo, on May 11, 2010. US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood took a test ride on Japan's super-fast magnetic train, a contender for President Barack Obama's multi-billion-dollar national railway project. Japan is up against China, France, Germany and other bidders as it seeks to sell its "Shinkansen" bullet and magnetic trains for the 13-billion-USD US high-speed national rail grid. AFP PHOTO/Toru YAMANAKA (Photo credit should read TORU YAMANAKA/AFP/Getty Images)

Japan’s Maglev Train sets new speed record at 590 kph

A magnetic levitation (maglev) train in Japan has broken the world speed record by hitting 366mph. The Central Japan Railway Company said the seven-car train completed a test run on an experimental... Read more »

Australia and India explore ways to facilitate flow of uranium

NEW DELHI (India) — Australia and India are set to explore ways for early conclusion of the Administrative Arrangements on civil nuclear cooperation to facilitate the flow of uranium amid Australian assurances... Read more »

Korean Asiana Airplane skids off runway, smashes antenna at Japan runway

TOKYO, (Japan) – A South Korean Asiana Airways plane smashed into a communications antenna as it came in to land at a Japanese airport, footage showed today, injuring 27 people in an... Read more »

China, Japan, South Korea agree to boost Tourism ties

The three countries launch ‘Visit East Asia Campaign’ as they seek to enhance visitor goal of 30 million by 2020 East Asian nations, China, Japan and South Korea, have decided to briefly... Read more »

US, Cuba leaders hold first face-to-face talks in over fifty years

PANAMA CITY (AP) — President Barack Obama declared his refusal Saturday to refight the Cold War battles while Cuban President Raul Castro rallied to his defense, absolving Obama of fault for the... Read more »

NASA names asteroid after Pakistan’s Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala

The youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner and girls’ education campaigner in Pakistan, Malala Yousafzai, now has an asteroid named after her, the Malala Fund announced through its blog on Wednesday. Dr. Amy Mainzer,... Read more »

Ebola still international emergency despite drop in cases: UN

The World Health Organization says the year-long Ebola outbreak in West Africa still qualifies as an international emergency even though the number of cases has plummeted. Last August, the U.N. health agency... Read more »

First international flight arrives in Saudi Arabia’s Jazan airport

JEDDAH (Saudi Arabia) — The General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) started on Thursday evening operation of international flights to and from King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Jazan. The airport received the... Read more »

Iran, Turkey to double trade volume, scrap US dollar

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Tehran and Ankara have decided to double the volume of bilateral trade while phasing out the US dollar as the dominant currency for their transactions. The... Read more »

Kenyan families mourn 147 slain by terrorists in Garissa attack

NAIROBI, (Kenya) — Veronica Syokau loved to swim. Mary Muchiri Shee was a keen model. Mark Dennis Mutuma enjoyed basketball and endlessly pulled pranks on friends. As Kenyans struggled to recover from... Read more »

China evacuates foreign nationals from war-torn Yemen

A Chinese naval frigate has evacuated 225 foreign citizens from war-torn Yemen, its foreign ministry said, marking the first time that China’s military has helped other countries evacuate their people during an... Read more »

More than 500 people killed in two weeks of chaos in Yemen

Two weeks of chaos in Yemen has killed at least 519 people, many civilians and children among them, the UN announced, as Houthi rebels continue their advance against exiled President Hadi’s loyalists... Read more »

Iran and world powers agree ‘historic’ framework nuclear deal

LAUSANNE, (Switzerland) — Iran and international powers have reached “solutions on key parameters” of Tehran’s nuclear program following eight-day talks in Switzerland, according to a joint statement issued by the negotiators on Thursday. During... Read more »

Strong sandstorm hits Gulf region, blocks Visibility and Travel

DUBAI, (United Arab Emirates) — A major sandstorm whipped through the Mideast’s commercial hub of Dubai and other Gulf cities on Thursday, reducing visibility, diverting flights and making breathing outside a challenge. The... Read more »