72 die after Syrian gas incident

DAMASCUS - The death toll from a suspected chemical attack on a northern Syrian town rose to 72 on Wednesday while rescue workers kept finding more terrified survivors hiding in shelters near the site of the harrowing assault, one of the deadliest in years.

Win-win is the 'only viable option'

NEW YORK - A sound China-United States relationship featuring win-win cooperation benefits people of the two countries, and serves as a "bedrock" and key element of global stability, a veteran US diplomat has said.

Senate clashes over Trump top court pick

WASHINGTON - US Senate Republicans and Democrats clashed bitterly over President Donald Trump's Supreme Court pick, with no signs that a potentially damaging Thursday showdown will be averted.

Leaders to boost security cooperation after blast

PARIS - Leaders of France, Germany and Russia were on the phone on Tuesday discussing ways to boost security cooperation to face terrorism threats after an explosion rocked St. Petersburg metro station, claiming at least 14 lives.

IN BRIEF

Water help now on tap for millions

DHAKA, Bangladesh - Residents of Bangladesh's coastal Khulna city are largely dependent on groundwater but during the summer months the water level falls drastically.

Currency curse for tourism, fishermen

REYKJAVIK, Iceland - After 10 hours at sea, Halldor Armmansson surveys the bins of freshly caught cod lining the deck of his boat.

Afghan ruins find home as parkour practice grounds

KABUL - Jumping from one wall to another in a ruined building on the western edge of Kabul, Jamil Shirzad explains the rise in parkour among youngsters in Afghanistan.

At least 10 killed in subway train blast

SAINT PETERSBURG, Russia - At least 10 people were killed and 50 injured when an explosion tore through a train carriage in the Saint Petersburg underground system on Monday, Russian authorities said.

Japan envoy returns despite statue impasse

TOKYO - Japan said on Monday that it is sending back its ambassador to South Korea despite an ongoing impasse over a "comfort woman" statue, stressing that it is not meant to be a compromise.

Arctic Circle warms to Chinese culture with language lessons

HELSINKI, Finland - At the beginning of every Chinese class, Meri Rokkonen and her Finnish classmates would rise to greet the teacher, an oriental courtesy unfamiliar to a Western classroom.

Xi offers help as mudslide toll rises

MOCOA, Colombia - Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday sent a message of condolence to his Colombian counterpart Juan Manuel Santos over the deadly flooding and landslides that hit the Latin American country on Saturday.