A FEROCIOUS tsunami unleashed by Japan’s biggest recorded earthquake slammed into its eastern coast yesterday, killing hundreds of people as it carried away ships, trains, cars and homes, and triggered widespread fires that burned out of control.

Barack Obama has assured Russian president Dimitry Medvedev that a US Senate vote on the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) should happen this week.

Russia’s upper house of parliament has approved a proposed law allowing visa-free entry on special occasions such as soccer’s Champions League final.