TOKYO, Japan - A magnitude 6.1 quake struck off Aomori in northern Japan on Tuesday, the national weather agency said, but no tsunami warning was issued. The quake hit at 6:18 pm (0918 GMT) at a depth of 20 kilometres (12 miles), according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Major Japanese...
PARIS, France - Cancer-causing chemical compounds called nitrosamines have been detected in a range of everyday foods and could pose a health risk to consumers, the European Food Safety Agency warned on Tuesday. The 10 nitrosamines -- which are not intentionally added to food but which...
JAKARTA, Indonesia - The offspring of Indonesia's infamous Krakatoa volcano erupted several times on Tuesday, sending a huge volcanic ash tower some 2,500 metres (8,200 feet) into the sky. Mount Anak Krakatoa, which means Child of Krakatoa, erupted four times, officials said, with the...
VATICAN CITY, Holy See -- Pope Francis on Saturday extended a 2019 law to fight sexual abuse in the Church by making lay Catholic leaders responsible for acts committed under their watch in Vatican-approved bodies. A letter, directly sent by the pontiff, also said that vulnerable adults can be...
BEIRUT, Lebanon -- The death toll from retaliatory US strikes on Iran-linked groups in Syria following a deadly drone attack has risen to 19, a war monitor said Saturday, as Washington insisted it is not seeking conflict with Tehran. Further rocket attacks by Iran-backed militias took place late...
BRUSSELS, Belgium -- The European Union and Germany on Saturday said they had struck a deal after a dispute over the planned phaseout by 2035 of the sale of cars using fossil fuels. A landmark deal to prohibit new sales of fossil fuel cars from 2035 is key to the bloc's ambitious plan to become a...
WASHINGTON, United States -- At least 23 people died as violent storms and at least one tornado ripped through the US state of Mississippi, tearing off roofs and flattening neighborhoods, officials and residents said Saturday. The southern state's emergency management agency said at least four...
NEW DELHI, India -- Top Indian opposition figure Rahul Gandhi said Saturday his disqualification from parliament was retribution for his demanding a probe into Prime Minister Narendra Modi's relationship with a controversial tycoon. Gandhi was stripped of his parliamentary seat on Friday, a day...
BEIJING, China -- New Zealand has raised concerns with China over human rights abuses and growing tensions with Taiwan, Wellington's foreign minister told AFP in an interview Saturday. Nanaia Mahuta held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang in which they discussed "challenging issues", she...
PARIS, France -- A large asteroid will safely zoom between Earth and the Moon on Saturday, a once-in-a-decade event that will be used as a training exercise for planetary defence efforts, according to the European Space Agency. The asteroid, named 2023 DZ2, is estimated to be 40 to 70 metres (130 to...
WASHINGTON, United States --Â An explosion at a chocolate factory in the US state of Pennsylvania has killed two people and left nine others missing, according to local media. The explosion at the RM Palmer Company plant in the West Reading borough of Pennsylvania occurred before 5 pm local time...
UNITED NATIONS, United States -- How can anyone seek shelter from a natural disaster they don't even know is coming? Last year the United Nations called for every person on the planet to be covered by early warning systems by 2027 -- but months into the effort it is becoming clear that the project...
