Sydney: Three American crew members died Thursday when a C-130 Hercules aerial water tanker crashed while battling wildfires in southeastern Australia, officials said.

Democratic presidential hopeful Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu lawmaker in the US Congress, has filed a defamation lawsuit against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton seeking USD 50 million in damages, alleging that she tarnished her reputation by suggesting her to be a "Russian asset" and "favourite of the Russians" in the 2020 White House race.

Houston: Amrit Singh, an Indian-American law enforcement officer, has scripted history by becoming the first-ever turban-wearing Sikh to be sworn in as Deputy Constable in Harris County in the US state of Texas.

The death toll in China's novel coronavirus virus has gone up to nine with the confirmed infection cases sharply rising to 440, the health authorities said on Wednesday, warning that the disease could spread further in the ongoing Chinese holiday season during which millions travel at home and abroad.

US health authorities on Tuesday announced the first case of a person on American soil sickened by a new virus that emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, and intensified airport health screenings.

China warned Wednesday that a SARS-like virus that has killed nine people, infected hundreds and spread to other countries could mutate, as authorities scrambled to contain the disease during the Lunar New Year travel season.

Beijing: The number of people in China infected by a new SARS-like virus jumped to 291 on Tuesday, according to authorities.

Tehran: Iran's civil aviation authority confirmed two missiles were fired at a Ukrainian airliner that was brought down earlier this month, in a preliminary report posted on its website late Monday.