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International salvage experts boarding the fire-stricken tanker, New Diamond, in the Indian Ocean off Sri Lanka's eastern coast. - International experts boarded an oil tanker stricken off Sri Lanka to begin salvage operations, the navy said on September 10, as firefighters looked to contain a large oil slick in the Indian Ocean. (Photo: Sri Lanka Navy / AFP)

Salvage team working to stop fuel leak from fire-hit supertanker

Authorities want to avoid damage to the coast line like that suffered by Mauritius after a bulk carrier struck a coral reef off the island

11 Sep 2020 4:02 PM

As state counsellor, Suu Kyi does not oversee the military, but she has repeatedly denied accusations that the army committed genocide against the Rohingya.(AFP)

EU Parliament suspends Suu Kyi from Sakharov Prize community over Rohingya genocide

A long-time political prisoner before coming to power, Suu Kyi was once admired for her non-violent struggle against Myanmar’s military rule

11 Sep 2020 9:18 AM

The vaccine is a collaborative mission between Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland that involves researchers from the University of Hong Kong, Xiamen University, and Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy. (AFP)

China approves first nasal spray COVID-19 vaccine for trials

The nasal spray vaccination could generate double protection for vaccine recipients - influenza and the novel coronavirus

11 Sep 2020 8:48 AM

Bill Birtles (right) and Michael Smith had to consent to questioning before they were allowed to leave China, shepherded out of the country on a late-night flight by Australian diplomats.(Photo: Twitter @billbirtles)

Australian journalists flown out of China fearing arrest

Several reporters for US media residing in China have had their visas revoked and been forced to leave the country

09 Sep 2020 2:11 PM

Fireboats battling to extinguish a fire on the Panamanian-registered crude oil tanker New Diamond, some 60 km off Sri Lanka's eastern coast where a fire was reported inside the engine room. - India on September 8 sent fresh supplies of firefighting chemicals to help battle a new blaze on a stricken tanker loaded with a massive cargo of crude oil off Sri Lanka's eastern coast. (AFP)

Kilometre-long oil slick left by burning oil tanker off Sri Lanka

Firefighters are battling a new blaze that broke out two days after an earlier fire was extinguished, the navy said

09 Sep 2020 10:21 AM

Premalal Jayasekera taking oath as lawmaker.

Sri Lankan politician, sentenced to death, takes oath as lawmaker

Sri Lanka People's Party (SLPP) lawmaker Premalal Jayasekera was convicted in a murder case on July 31

08 Sep 2020 5:17 PM

A visitor wearing a face mask looks at a model of a coronavirus and boxes for COVID-19 vaccines at a display by Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinopharm at the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020. With the COVID-19 pandemic largely under control, China's capital on Saturday kicked off one of the first large-scale public events since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, as tens of thousands of attendees were expected to visit displays from nearly 2,000 Chinese and foreign companies showcasing their products and services. (AP)

China shows off homegrown COVID-19 vaccines for first time

The potential vaccines on display are among nearly 10 worldwide to enter phase 3 trials, the last step ahead of regulatory approval

07 Sep 2020 4:06 PM

Wuhan still restricts access to locations like the Huanan market, which was linked to the first identified cluster of infections in December. (AFP)

Nothing to see: COVID origins off-limits as China's Wuhan touts recovery

Huanan seafood market, believed to be the origin of the virus, is sealed and a large team of security staff chases away anyone who lingers

06 Sep 2020 3:17 PM

Tug boats and ships battle the fire on MT New Diamond, off the eastern coast of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020. The fire on the large oil tanker off Sri Lanka's coast has been brought under control but is still not extinguished, the navy said Saturday. The tanker, carrying nearly 2 million barrels of crude oil, was drifting about 20 nautical miles (37 kilometers) from Sri Lanka's eastern coast and on Friday evening a tug boat towed it to the deep sea away from land, said navy spokesman Capt. Indika de Silva. (AP)

Experts join efforts to salvage burning tanker off Sri Lanka

With engines shut down, the tanker carrying nearly 2 million barrels of crude oil drifted about 20 nautical miles from the Sri Lankan coast

06 Sep 2020 9:58 AM

Doctors treat a burn Muslim worshipper in a hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Saturday, September 5, 2020. Dozens of Muslim worshipers suffered burn injuries critically during evening prayers after explosions of a gas pipeline installed underground near a mosque outside Bangladesh capital, officials said Saturday. (AP)

Gas pipeline blast kills 11 praying at Bangladesh mosque

At least 37 people with up to 90% of burns on their bodies admitted to burn unit of a state-run hospital

05 Sep 2020 11:21 AM

Indian coast guard ship (R) battling to extinguish the fire from the Panamanian-registered crude oil tanker New Diamond, some 60 km off Sri Lanka's eastern coast. Indian warships on September 3 aided Sri Lanka's navy to extinguish a fire on a massive oil tanker off the island's eastern coast, officials said.(AFP)

Fire-stricken oil tanker pushed away from Sri Lankan coast

The vessel is larger than the Japanese ship which crashed into a reef in Mauritius, leaking more than 1,000 tonnes of oil into the waters

05 Sep 2020 10:02 AM

Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe. (AP)

Chinese defence minister requests meeting with Rajnath Singh amid border tensions

Singh and Wei are currently in Russia to attend a meeting of SCO defence ministers on Friday

04 Sep 2020 10:39 AM

The New Diamond, a very large crude carrier (VLCC) chartered by Indian Oil Corp (IOC), was heading to the port of Paradip in India.(Image: Twitter/@IndiaCoastGuard)

Indian Oil Corp-chartered oil tanker catches fire off Sri Lanka

The ship had sailed from the port of Mina Al Ahmadi in Kuwait, carrying Kuwait Export Crude, Refinitiv Eikon ship tracking data showed

03 Sep 2020 4:11 PM

Indian children play online game PUBG on their mobile phones sitting on stairs outside their house in Hyderabad, India. India on Wednesday banned the widely popular Chinese mobile game PlayerUnknowns Battlegrounds, known by the acronym PUBG, along with other 117 mobile applications in yet another move targeting China in the online space.(AP File)

China 'strongly opposes' India's ban on Chinese apps

'Indian actions violate the legal interests of Chinese investors and services providers,' commerce ministry spokesman Gao Feng said

03 Sep 2020 3:38 PM

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. (AP File)

UNSC thwarts Pakistan's attempt to get two Indians listed as global terrorists

Sources pointed out that a similar request by Pakistan containing names of Mistry and Dongara had been blocked earlier around June/July

03 Sep 2020 1:45 PM

Army convoy moves on Srinagar- Ladakh highway at Gagangeer, in Ganderbal district of Central Kashmir. In a fresh incident in eastern Ladakh, the Chinese PLA carried out "provocative military movements" to "unilaterally" change the status quo on the southern bank of Pangong Tso (lake) but the attempt was thwarted by the Indian troops, the Army said on Monday. (PTI)

China says India violating territorial sovereignty and disturbing peace

China said it 'has made solemn representations to the Indian side and urged India to strictly control and restrain its frontline troops

02 Sep 2020 10:53 AM

Army trucks move towards Ladakh via Leh–Manali Highway, in Manali. Chinese and Indian patrols regularly encounter one another along the disputed border, and both sides often accuse one another of border incursions, the report said.(PTI)

China using coercive tactics in pursuit of territorial claims in India, Bhutan: Pentagon

'These tactics are particularly evident in China's pursuit of territorial claims along its border with India and Bhutan,' the report said

02 Sep 2020 9:47 AM

Referring to the deadly Galwan valley clash between Indian and Chinese troops in mid-June, Sun Weidong said it would be a “miscalculation” for India to treat China as an enemy or as a threat “only by one issue or one incident”. (Photo: www.china-embassy.org)

Border disputes should not affect bilateral ties: Chinese envoy

The remarks are yet another indication that Beijing is keen to protect Sino-Indian economic ties to avoid any 'decoupling' of two economies

30 Aug 2020 1:21 PM

The government had in March released Zia for six months on a condition that she would stay at home amid the coronavirus outbreak in the country, receive treatment and not travel abroad. (AFP)

Khaleda Zia's family seeks extension on her suspended prison sentence

The 74-year-old opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief is serving a 17-year prison term in two graft cases since February 2018

30 Aug 2020 1:02 PM

Xi calls for building a 'socialist Tibet', favours Tibetan Buddhism's 'sinicisation'

Tibet remains deeply devoted to Buddhism where the Dalai Lama is revered as the spiritual head despite his self-exile to India since 1959

30 Aug 2020 11:15 AM

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Parsa Venkateshwar Rao Jr