Russia says new U.S. sanctions may hamper dialogue on Iran, Syria

Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that a widening of U.S. sanctions against Moscow this week may hamper bilateral cooperation on issues such as Iran's nuclear programme and the Syrian crisis.

At least 4 killed, 40 injured in bus crash on German highway

BERLIN –  At least four people have died and about 40 have been injured in a bus crash on a highway in central Germany.

China launches cyber claim to islands in Japan dispute

Beijing on Tuesday launched a website for an uninhabited island chain in the East China Sea, in its latest bid to assert sovereignty over an archipelago controlled by Japan.

AirAsia jets in fresh incidents in Thailand and Philippines

An AirAsia flight bound for northeast Thailand turned back to the capital Bangkok shortly after takeoff Tuesday when pilots detected an "irregularity" in the storage compartment, airline officials said.

Rival China trainmakers merge to boost high-speed rail push abroad

China's top two trainmakers said on Tuesday that they will merge, creating a $26 billion (17 billion pounds) company able to compete with the likes of Germany's Siemens and Canada's Bombardier for global rail deals.

Hong Kong protest teen sent to children's home

HONG KONG: A 14-year-old girl in Hong Kong arrested for scribbling graffiti on a wall famous for pro-democracy messages placed on it has been put into a children's home, her lawyer said Tuesday.

Russia is sending drones to the Arctic in the beginning of 2015

Russia's military press service has confirmed the country will be sending drones to the Arctic in early 2015.
"Before the end of the current year specialists with several Orlan-10 sets will arrive at the permanent service base," the press service told Russian news agency Tass. Test flight will begin in the next few months.

Malaysia flood response denounced anew as nearly quarter million flee

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's worst flooding in a decade has forced nearly a quarter of a million people from their homes, officials said on Tuesday, with the government coming under renewed fire for its perceived slow response.

Jenners, Kardashians and Miley Cyrus topped Entertainment talk in 2014

From Miley Cyrus' tongue and twerking to the debut season of True Detective, there was plenty to talk about in music, film and television in 2014.

Australian teen dead in shark attack

An Australian teenager died Monday after he was attacked by what is thought to be a great white shark up to 16.5 feet long, officials said.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni retires from Tests to focus on ODI, T20 formats

New Delhi: India's captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni announced his retirement on Tuesday from Test cricket shortly after his team lost a series against Australia.

Philippine storm death toll jumps to 30

Manila: At least 30 people were killed in landslides and flash floods as tropical storm Jangmi slowly crossed the southern and central Philippines, dumping heavy rain for a second day on Tuesday, officials said.

Despite plane crashes, 2014 one of the 'safest years' in aviation history

However, fatalities were up sharply to 762 -- the highest in four years -- and could rise to 924 if all the AirAsia passengers are declared dead.

Hollow tree was Ebola’s Ground Zero: scientists

The finger of suspicion points at insectivorous free-tailed bats — Mops condylurus in Latin — that lived in a hollow tree 50 metres (yards) from the boy’s home.

AirAsia plane with 159 aboard overshoots Philippine runway

Philippine officials say an AirAsia Zest plane with 159 passengers and crew members overshot a runway in the central province of Kalibo, Aklan after landing in windy weather from Manila.

Female bishop sent on leave after US bicycle fatality

he first female Episcopal bishop in Maryland has been put on leave after she was involved in the hit-and-run death of a bicyclist, her diocese said Monday.

Arabs endorse UN draft to end Israeli occupation

United Nations: Arab UN delegations on Monday endorsed a Palestinian proposal to forge a peace deal with Israel within a year and end Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories by late 2017, despite fierce Israeli and US opposition.

China businessman jailed for 13 years over tiger feast

Beijing: A Chinese businessman who bought and ate three tigers has been sentenced to 13 years in prison, state media reported on Tuesday.

AirAsia plane to Thailand forced to turn back due to 'irregularity'

Bangkok: An AirAsia flight bound for northeast Thailand was forced to turn back to the capital Bangkok soon after take off on Tuesday after pilots detected an "irregularity" in the luggage compartment.

Autopsy shows US police shot black man in back

An unarmed black man killed by Los Angeles police officers was shot three times, including once in the back at close range, according to his autopsy report.

U.S. strike targets top al-Shabaab militant

U.S. war planes carried out a strike in southern Somalia on Monday targeting a senior leader of the al-Shabaab militia, the Pentagon said, without giving any details of casualties.

More than 40 bodies, debris found from AirAsia flight QZ8501

More than 40 bodies have been recovered from the sea along with the debris from the missing AirAsia flight QZ8501, confirmed authorities.

Kiwi recounts shark attack in California

A New Zealander surfing in California has recounted how his friend was attacked by a juvenile great white shark.

Philippine storm death toll rises to 11

Two days of heavy flooding and landslides killed 11 people as tropical storm Jangmi crossed the central Philippines on Tuesday, with water in some areas "neck deep", officials said.

'Hong Kong's first spy' dies in China

A former police officer accused of spying for communist China in one of the former British colony's highest-profile espionage cases has died, according to reports Tuesday.

As oil falls, Russia choked by military, social spending

Russian authorities are facing some unpalatable options as they try to keep the economy afloat - unless they can persuade President Vladimir Putin to curb massive military spending.

Top Bangladesh Jamaat leader sentenced to hang for war crimes

Bangladesh’s war crimes court Tuesday sentenced a Jamaat leader to death for rape, mass murder and genocide during the country’s 1971 independence conflict.

Iran Navy successfully tests latest torpedo, cruise missiles

The Iranian navy has successfully tested its latest torpedo and cruise missiles on the sixth day of massive military exercises code-named Mohammad Rasoulollah (Mohammad, the Messenger of God) south of the country.

Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama still 'top most admired' people in US

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have been named as most admired people in the US again.

Suspected body, luggage spotted in AirAsia jet search - Indonesian media

Objects resembling a body, luggage, a life vest and debris suspected to be part of an AirAsia jet that disappeared over the Java Sea were spotted by a pilot involved in the search operation, domestic media reported on Tuesday.

AirAsia plane search: Objects, smoke spotted

The search for AirAsia plane QZ8501, which went missing on Sunday, expanded on Tuesday and smoke and debris have been spotted in Java Sea.

Israeli troops kill Palestinian teen in West Bank

 Israeli troops on Monday shot dead a Palestinian teenager in the the occupied West Bank city of Nablus, witnesses said.

Iraq’s army liberates village in Salahuddin Province

Units of Iraqi government troops, backed by volunteer forces, have managed to retake full control of a village in the central province of Salahuddin. (PressTV)

Bomb blast in northern Baghdad kills at least 22 Iraqis

The death toll from a bomb blast in a northern district in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad has risen to 22 with at least 30 others injured

Obama sees Afghanistan "dangerous place" after 13-year war

President Barack Obama acknowledged on Sunday that Afghanistan is still a "dangerous place" as U.S.-led coalition forces formally ended their 13-year- long combat mission in the Asian country.

China offers help in search for missing AirAsia flight

China announced Monday that it will send an aircraft and a vessel to assist in the search and rescue operations for the AirAsia flight QZ8501, which disappeared Sunday while flying from Indonesia to Singapore.

AirAsia missing plane: Indonesia seeks US help

Indonesia has asked the United States for help in locating the AirAsia jet that went missing on Sunday carrying 162 people, the US State Department said on Monday.

Market fire kills 11 in Pakistan

A fire erupted in a busy market in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore Monday, killing at least 11 people and injuring four others, officials said.