Methamphetamine seizures across much of the Asia-Pacific region have quadrupled over five years, the UN said yesterday, citing rising

A fire at an aged care home in China's central Henan province killed 38 people, state media said, the latest disaster in a country with a poor record on work safety.

Pope Francis recently revealed that he has not watched television since July 15, 1990, ever since he promised the Virgin of Carmen that he would eschew it.

Ongoing clashes between Taliban and Islamic State jihadists in western Afghanistan have left at least 27 insurgents dead and 20 other people injured, officials told Efe news agency.

Poachers have killed nearly half of Mozambique's elephants for their ivory in the past five years, the US based Wildlife Conservation Society said yesterday.

Nepal banned children from traveling without parents or approved guardians yesterday in an unprecedented move to deter human traffickers who authorities fear are targeting vulnerable families after last month's devastating earthquake.

Australia announced it will amend the law to strip dual nationals linked to terrorism of their citizenship for "betraying the country", but insisted no one would be left stateless.

China yesterday said it would project its military power further beyond its sea borders and more assertively in the air, defending the construction of artificial islands which sparked concern in Washington.

Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian went on trial on espionage charges behind closed doors in Tehran yesterday, 10 months after he was arrested at his home and imprisoned, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.

Iraqi forces closed in on Ramadi yesterday and launched an operation aimed at cutting off the jihadists in Anbar province before a major offensive to retake the city.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel tops the Forbes list of the world's most powerful women for the fifth straight year but Hillary Clinton is snapping at her heels, the magazine said yesterday.

Europe must do more to help migrants crossing the Mediterranean, UN chief Ban Ki-moon said on Tuesday ahead of a visit to Brussels, as a planned EU naval operation awaits UN Security Council approval.

Nearly half of the global population will be using the internet by the end of this year, according to a new report.

The Malaysian police are carrying out forensic tests to determine whether the remains found from the mass graves belongs to Rohingya or Bangladeshi victims, reports Malaysian daily The Star.

The death toll in the heatwave sweeping India has reached nearly 800 with temperatures nearing 50C (122F) in some areas.

Apple has promoted British designer Jony Ive to the role of chief design officer at the world's most valuable company, according to reports.

Each year, dozens of women from the poorer corners of eastern Europe are lured to travel to western Europe for sham marriages with men who pay large sums because they want to live, work or claim benefits more easily in their chosen country and move freely within Europe.

The smallest and rarest marine dolphin in the world could be extinct within 15 years if protection is not stepped up, new research suggests.

Australia plans to pass a law within weeks to give the government power to strip citizenship from dual nationals who are suspected terrorists even if they are not convicted of a crime, the prime minister says.

At least 13 people have been killed by a tornado that hit the northern Mexico border city of Ciudad Acuna.