A Japanese helicopter hovers above a Philippine coastguard ship as they simulate a sea jacking scenario during the combined Philippine-Japan maritime exercise off Manila bay, in the mouth of South China Sea on May 6, 2015. China has accused the United States of threatening to create “chaos” in the South China Sea, and urged Washington to “refrain from all the provocative words and deeds.” “If... 

A sudden volcano eruption on the small southern Japanese island of Kuchinoerabu-jima has forced authorities to raise the alert to the highest level and advise evacuation of the immediate area. Residents have fled by boat to the nearest neighboring island. Authorities decided to evacuate the island’s 137 residents, NHK national television reported. The residents fled by boat to the closest neighboring... 

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter: “There should be no mistake: the United States will fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows, as we do all around the world.” The US military chief has warned China to stop building islands in the South China Sea, vowing that it will not stop patrolling international waters and airspace in the Asia-Pacific region. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter... 

Peace is hanging in the balance in the South China Sea region, Michael Auslin noted, presenting three possible real-world scenarios under which Washington and Beijing may draw themselves into a direct conflict. Although Beijing has not set yet a formal air defense identification zone (ADIZ) over the South China Sea, it has obviously laid down a “redline” in the region, noted Michael Auslin,... 

What lies on the dark side of the moon? The ruined civilization of our lunar forbearers? A pile of overplayed Pink Floyd records? The most exclusive Airbnb in the galaxy? China’s on the case, launching the first expedition of its kind, a journey to the moon’s untapped hemisphere. The closest extraterrestrial body, the moon has done much to shape our history and mythologies. It’s been associated... 

China is fast refurbishing its arsenal of silo-based long-range ballistic missiles to carry multiple independently targetable warheads, defense experts say. The move comes decades after Beijing acquired the technology, indicating a strategy change. It has been speculated on for years that the Chinese military is upgrading some of its bigger ICBMs with Multiple Independently-targeted Reentry Vehicle... 

Theoretically, space and the orbit around Earth is a peaceful place, and the world wants to keep it that way. But in practicality, it is the subtle front of modern warfare, where exotic weaponry and high tech gadgetry are used to operate systems on the ground, and assert dominance over the spheres of the planet. And tensions are running high. The Pentagon has issued an alarming new report to Congress... 

Hua Chunying, spokeswoman of China’s Foreign Ministry. China has expressed concern over a plan by the United States to bolster its military presence in the disputed waters of the South China Sea in a move the Pentagon has described as ‘demonstrating freedom of navigation.’ “We are severely concerned by relevant remarks made by the American side,” said the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman,... 

Miss Universe Japan Ariana Miyamoto, 21, has resolved to use her new-found fame to help fight “racial prejudice”. I want to start a revolution. I can’t change things overnight but in 100-200 years there will be very few pure Japanese left, so we have to start changing the way we think, Miyamoto said. The first ever mixed race Miss Universe Japan was met with a horrific barrage of... 

Hundreds of people running of out of Kathmandu Airport as earthquake hit, May 12, 2015. At least four people are killed as a strong earthquake hit Nepal days after another quake left a trail of destruction and high casualties in the South Asian country. Aid agencies said on Tuesday that at least four people were killed in the tremor. Nepal police said at least 300 people were injured. According to... 

An earthquake of magnitude 7.2 struck off Papua New Guinea on Thursday, the US Geological Survey reported. This is just two days after a 7.4-magnitude jolt shook the southern coast. The quake, which struck 150km southwest of the town of Arawa, appears to be relatively shallow. There have been no immediate reports of damage or casualties, Reuters says. A tsunami alert has been issued by the Pacific... 

While Beijing is seeking to link its growing economic power to geopolitical ambition, Washington is still refusing to treat China as an equal; the US, stuck in its “old thinking,” risks aggravating tensions with China, Philip Stephens warned. Washington is not ready to concede its superiority to Beijing in Asia, and since neither side wants a cold war, the best offer on the table is a... 

Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, second left, and Vice Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Wang Yang, second right, meet in Hangzhou, China. Moscow may team up with Beijing to create a scientific station on the Moon. The challenge for Russia is to build its own space station by 2024 to achieve its lunar exploration goals. According to Russian Deputy... 

Dan Fredinburg was one of three Americans killed when the massive earthquake struck Nepal on Saturday, killing more than 3,700 people. He was given letters by friends and family when he reached the summit. The head of privacy at the secretive Google X facility was one of the 18 people killed in an avalanche at Mount Everest, triggered by the Nepal earthquake. Hundreds of foreign nationals are also... 

A door standing by the rubble of a collapsed home 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) from the epicenter of Saturday’s massive earthquake in Pokhridada, Gorkha district, Nepal. At least 250 villagers are feared missing in a new mudslide and avalanche days after a deadly 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit the South Asian country of Nepal. On Tuesday, officials said the mudslide and avalanche took place in the...