The United States’ top diplomat warned Iran today that time is running out on nuclear negotiations between the Islamic republic and world powers.

Foreign diplomats in Pyongyang huddled today to discuss a North Korean evacuation advisory as concerns grew that the isolated state was preparing a missile launch at a time of soaring nuclear tensions.

A major 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck the eastern Indonesian province of Papua today, the US Geological Survey said, sending panicked crowds running into the streets.

The United States has scrambled to reinforce its Pacific missile defences, preparing to send ground-based interceptors to Guam, as North Korea said Thursday it had approved plans for nuclear strikes on US targets.

South Korea’s new President on Monday promised a strong military response to any North Korean provocation after Pyongyang announced that the two countries were now in a state of war.

A suicide bomber blew up a tanker truck at police headquarters in the Iraqi city of Tikrit Monday, killing seven people in the latest in a spike in unrest ahead of the first elections since 2010. Eleven people were also wounded in the 8:40 am (0540 GMT) bombing in the city, hometown of executed dictator Saddam Hussein and remains a focus for insurgents, the police and medics said.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai was set to hold discussions in Qatar today about the proposed opening of a Taliban office in the Gulf state as a prelude to possible talks on ending more than a decade of war.

Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina are the two Indians to figure in the list of top 10 in ICC Player Rankings for T20I batsmen, while India continue to hold onto the number three slot in the teams category, issued here today.

Tens of thousands of North Korean soldiers and civilians held a huge rally and march in Pyongyang on Friday, in a mass display of support for a possible military strike against the United States.

Syria’s main Opposition group took the country’s seat at the Arab League for the first time today as the 22-member bloc opened a summit in the Qatari capital Doha.