Churkin's death needs further study

NEW YORK - Medical examiners who performed an autopsy on Russia's ambassador to the United Nations said on Tuesday that more tests are needed to determine how and why he fell ill in his office and later died.

Japan slammed for official's visit to disputed islets

SEOUL - The Republic of Korea on Wednesday slammed Japan for sending a senior government official to an annual ceremony, which is aimed at claiming a pair of disputed islets, called Dokdo by Seoul and Takeshima in Japan.

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Extension of Park's scandal probe pends

SEOUL - South Korean special prosecutors on Monday said acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn has yet to respond to their calls over extending investigation into a corruption scandal that led to the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye.

Cheating students to face tough penalties

LONDON - Cheating university students in the United Kingdom who use essay mills could face tough penalties under an action outlined on Tuesday by Minister of State for Universities Jo Johnson. A study showed some students pay up to $8,400 to have a dissertation or a piece of work written for them.

China mourns Russia's UN ambassador Churkin

UNITED NATIONS - China offers deep condolences to Russia over the death of its ambassador to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.

Trump taps general as security adviser

PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - US President Donald Trump has tapped Army Lieutenant General Herbert McMaster, a prominent military strategist known as a creative thinker, as his new national security adviser, replacing the ousted Michael Flynn.

3 men convicted of $110m Paris art heist

PARIS - An agile thief nicknamed "Spiderman", an antiques dealer and an art expert were sentenced to prison on Monday and ordered to pay Paris for stealing five masterpieces from the city's Modern Art Museum worth $110 million.

Five die as plane crashes into Melbourne mall

MELBOURNE - The Australian Authorities have confirmed that five people are dead after a charter plane crashed into a popular Melbourne shopping center on Tuesday morning.

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Mideast's top defense fair opens

The biennial International Defense Exhibition and Conference kicked off in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Sunday.

China named guest country at Cuba fair

China will be the guest country at the 2018 Cuba International Book Fair as a sign of historically friendly ties between the two nations and a way to expand cultural cooperation, a senior Cuban official said on Sunday. "Inviting China to be the guest country at next year's fair will be of great importance for our bilateral cultural relation because we have distinct historical ties," Abel Prieto, Cuban minister of culture, told Xinhua.