Last week, China’s education ministry issued a warning to students: if you’re thinking about studying in the United States, you might want to think again. Citing a rise in visa delays and refusals, officials called on students to adjust their “risk assessment” of pursuing an American education. While it might be tempting to dismiss the statement as a propaganda ploy amid …

In 2004 businessman Malik Fernando bought Castlereagh, a decrepit bungalow in the terraced, emerald hills of Sri Lanka’s sprawling tea country. The structure had no roof. “It was in absolute shambles,” he recalls. “There were cattle roaming through the whole house.” But it had one irresistible asset: “It was what was available,” he says, shrugging and welcoming me to the …

The US is “disappointed but not surprised” at Russia’s response to its strikes on a Syrian air base suspected of storing chemical weapons. At least six people are reported to have been killed in the US missile strikes early on Friday. Syria’s ally Russia accused the US of encouraging “terrorists” with its unilateral actions. “I’m disappointed in that response,” said …

  Bharti Airtel Ltd, India’s top wireless carrier, said on Tuesday it would offer free data to woo new and existing 4G customers, intensifying a price war in the sector and sending share prices tumbling. The package is Bharti’s latest response to the entry last year of new operator Reliance Jio, backed by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, which shook India’s telecom …

Further militarization of the South China Sea, which Vietnam has now joined in thereby following in China’s footsteps, may cause skirmishes and fire exchanges, as well as internationalization of the conflict involving the United States’ Pacific Fleet, polled experts have told TASS. OPINION Reuters quotes US intelligence sources as saying Vietnam is moving its missile complexes to Spratly Islands in …

A Ukrainian court has convicted two alleged Russian special forces soldiers of crimes including terrorism and sentenced them to 14 years in jail. The pair – Yevgeny Yerofeyev and Alexander Alexandrov – were captured in eastern Ukraine last May. Russia denies sending troops to the region and has said the men were volunteers who had left active service. A fragile …

The European Union`s senior diplomat said on Monday there was no Cold War climate between Moscow and the West as they agreed to a pause in the fighting in Syria, although Russia`s prime minister said tension was growing. At a security conference in Munich on Friday, world powers agreed to a “cessation of hostilities” that would let humanitarian aid be …