India's opposition hopes to win in 2 key states

India's opposition Bharatiya Janata Party was set to make gains in two big states in the south and east that began voting on Thursday.

China welcomes Palestinian reconciliation deal

China hailed a Palestinian reconciliation deal on ending a seven-year internal split, saying it will build Palestine's internal solidarity.

Xi reassures Park on denuclearization

President Xi Jinping assured President Park Geun-hye of the Republic of Korea during a phone call on Wednesday that Beijing is firmly committed to denuclearization in the Korean Peninsula, a day after Seoul said that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea might be preparing a fourth nuclear test.

Multilateral drill marks navy's 65th birthday

China held a multilateral maritime exercise with seven other countries in waters off Qingdao in Shandong province on Wednesday to mark the 65th anniversary of the establishment of the People's Liberation Army navy.

Worries over Beijing's maritime ambitions 'unnecessary'

China's efforts to become a maritime power will not lead to maritime hegemony, but the country will never compromise on its sovereignty and national security, a senior Chinese military official said on Wednesday.

China vital for cutting greenhouse gases, EU official says

European Union climate negotiator Connie Hedegaard started her four-day "note-comparing" tour in China on Wednesday as the international community is working on a 2030 road map to reduce greenhouse gases.

South Koreans express grief at memorial for ferry victims

Thousands of mourners paid tearful respects on Wednesday at a temporary memorial to the hundreds of student victims of South Korea's ferry disaster, as the grim search for bodies entered a second week.

Bodies reveal desperate attempts to escape

South Korean divers swam though dark, cold waters into a sunken ferry on Wednesday, feeling for children's bodies with their hands in a maze of cabins, corridors and upturned decks as they searched for hundreds of missing.

Bieber says sorry for Yasukuni Shrine visit

Pop singer Justin Bieber apologized on Wednesday to those he offended by visiting Japan's Yasukuni Shrine this week, saying he was misled into believing it is only a place of prayer.

Ukraine rebels prepare for new assault

Pro-Kremlin rebels in Ukraine braced on Wednesday for a renewed military offensive by Kiev as US troops headed to the region in a show of force after Washington again warned Moscow over the escalating crisis.

IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Navies invite public on board for tours

Navies in Qingdao for the 14th annual meeting of the Western Pacific Naval Symposium welcomed the public to tour active warships on Tuesday before sailing out for a joint drill on Wednesday.