Uncertainty in shelters after quake in Indonesia as deaths rise

PALU, Indonesia - People living in tents and shelters have little but uncertainty since the powerful earthquake and tsunami hit an Indonesian island, where deaths exceeded 1,400 and efforts to retrieve more victims buried deep in mud and rubble were still hampered on Thursday by the lack of heavy equipment.

Iran's top leader urges fight on US sanctions

TEHERAN - Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Thursday that the nation will defeat the United States over its economic sanctions against Iran.

IN BRIEF (Page 4)

VIPKid uses technology to deliver quality education online

Chinese online education startup VIPKid is looking to review the performance of some of its foreign teachers to ensure top quality of its services, said Chen Yuan, its co-founder.

Internet dreams often fail to become offline realities

Three days after it had rained, the ceiling was still leaking. The laptop was soaked in water. The cat had to crawl under the desk and stand on top of the robotic vacuum cleaner so his paws did not get wet.

Renting requires luck and perseverance

It's so hard to find the perfect place to live in Beijing, and one mostly needs to rely on pure luck.

Wedding industry finds its sweet spot

Lin Xia is nervous ahead of her impending nuptials during the National Day Holidays. The 25 year-old media professional from Shenzhen, Guangdong province, is perplexed as to the number of persons she needs to invite for her wedding considering that she has a budget of only 200,000 yuan ($29,000).

Blurring the fine line between giving gifts

It was the third "red card" Chen Ming has received for a wedding ceremony in Beijing during this National Day Holiday, while the other two are in Shanghai.

DPRK says it needs trust in US for denuclearization

UNITED NATIONS - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea has demanded that the United States take steps to secure Pyongyang's trust before its denuclearization.

Palestinians bury 7 killed in latest Gaza flare-up

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip - Thousands of Gazans on Saturday thronged the funerals of seven people killed by Israeli troops during mass protests the previous day, chanting anti-Israel and anti-US slogans.

Musk out as Tesla chair, remains CEO in $40M SEC settlement

WASHINGTON - Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, have agreed to pay a total of $40 million and make a series of concessions to settle a government lawsuit alleging Musk duped investors with misleading statements about a proposed buyout of the company.

Conflict and drought ravage prized date palms across Iraq

BASRA, Iraq - Sweet Iraqi dates adorn tables in homes across the country, but the fruit tree and national symbol has come under threat from conflict and crippling drought.