Middle East
Nuke deal may lower petrol prices
OIL prices may head lower after a nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers, even though it does not loosen Iran's oil sanctions.
Syria to hold civil war peace talks
SYRIAN government and opposition negotiators will meet for the first time since start of the country's 32 month-old war on January 22.
Saudi woman's fight to marry her Romeo
A YOUNG Saudi woman has urged a Yemeni court to let her stay and marry the man she loves, defying norms in both deeply conservative countries.
Syria: More than 11,000 kids killed
More than 11,000 children have died in Syria's civil war in two years, including hundreds targeted by snipers, a new report says.
Gamble on secret talks led to nuke deal
THE US and Iran secretly engaged in a series of high-level, face-to-face talks over the past year, in a high-stakes diplomatic gamble.
Have you seen Tutankhamun's sister?
EGYPT is pleading for the return of a statue of King Tutankhamun's sister - just one of 1000 precious historic objects stolen during riots in August.
Men arrested for offering 'free hugs'
SAUDI religious police have arrested two young men for offering a "free hug" to passers-by in Riyadh.
Iran vows no retreat on nuclear 'rights'
IRAN'S supreme leader vowed no retreat from Tehran's nuclear "rights" which France said "complicates" crunch talks getting under way in Geneva.
Bomb attack at embassy kills 23
TWO suicide bombings have struck near the Iranian Embassy in Beirut, killing 23 people, including the Iranian cultural attache.
Train crashes into bus killing 26
AT LEAST 26 people were killed and a further 28 were injured in Egypt when a train ploughed into a truck and a minibus at a railway crossing.
Syrian blast kills 31, including generals
A REBEL bomb attack on an army base near Damascus has killed 31 Syrian soldiers, including three generals and one brigadier-general.
Brotherhood offers post-Morsi talks
AN ISLAMIST coalition led by the Muslim Brotherhood offered negotiations to end the deadly tumult since Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi's overthrow.
Suicide bombing ahead of US visit
A SUICIDE bomber detonated an explosives-packed car in Kabul near a compound where Afghan elders will debate a security pact with the US next week.
Militias open fire on peaceful protest
AT LEAST 15 people were killed and 95 hurt in Tripoli after a peaceful demonstration calling on militias to leave the Libyan capital turned violent.
Syrian rebel beheaded by mistake
AL-QAIDA-LINKED jihadists in Syria have admitted beheading a fellow rebel in error after thinking he was an Iraqi Shi'ite fighting with regime forces.
'Australian suicide bomber' on video
VIDEO has emerged of a 27-year-old Brisbane man in Syria alleged to be Australia's first suicide bomber.
Russia join in Iran nuclear talks
US SECRETARY of State John Kerry has warned of significant differences between Iran and six world powers trying to fashion a nuclear agreement.
Weight losers rewarded with gold
DUBAI municipality has dished out more than $800,000 in gold in prizes to contestants in a weight-loss challenge.
The smallest people on the planet
THEY are the small children of the world. Starving and desperate with no access to food. Now there are fears a new stunted generation will soon be a reality.
Soldier 'execution' tape released
A BRITISH judge has released graphic audio recorded during the alleged execution of a wounded Afghan insurgent by three UK soldiers.
Calls for Arafat's 'killing' probe
PALESTINIAN officials have demanded an into the "killing" of Yasser Arafat after Swiss experts said test results showed he could have been poisoned.
Kerry says give peace a chance
JOHN Kerry has warned of a return to violence if faltering peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians ultimately fail.
'Tests show Arafat likely poisoned'
SCIENTISTS have concluded Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is likely to have died from polonium poisoning, a report says.
KFC shuts up shop in Syria
KFC has closed the doors of its last remaining branch in Syria due to economic and supply problems.
Netanyahu: Put more pressure on Iran
ISRAELI Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is taking direct aim at the Obama administration's desire for a pause in new sanctions against Iran.
Lieberman cleared of corruption
AN Israeli court has found former Foreign Minister and Netanyahu ally Avigdor Lieberman not guilty of all charges in a graft trial.
This song's rock, but it's not Young
THE world's oldest song has been brought back from the dead - and it's a 2,000-year-old YOLO anthem that sounds like Neil Young. Listen.
Stars pay price for standing up to Assad
UNTIL the civil war Syria had a thriving TV industry. Now many of its biggest stars have been forced to flee after standing up to the regime.
Stick to selfies or risk going to jail
A NATION has warned its social media users that photos of individuals posted online without their consent could lead to jail.
Don't do that, you'll turn gay
A GROUP has banned the eating of soy out of fears it "makes people gay". And soy's not the only thing with this unbelievable power, apparently.
Spy planes surge after Syria strike
SWARMS of drones have reportedly been overflying Syria and Russian combat aircraft have been testing Turkish airspace after Israel's air strike last week.
Iran editor jailed over prophet story
THE editor of an Iranian reformist newspaper has been jailed for publishing an article on Shia Islam deemed offensive by authorities.
Jesus statue arises amidst Syria war
IN THE midst of Syria's sectarian-rife conflict, a giant bronze statue of Jesus has gone up, apparently under cover of a truce among warring factions.
The career men making a killing
THEIR careers are to kill people - and they love it. Meet the executioners who are proud of their work beheading, hanging and strangling.
Israel 'blasted Syrian missiles'
ISRAELI warplanes yesterday attacked a shipment of Russian missiles inside Syria in a worrying development for the conflicted region.
Security still Afghanistan's problem
THE war is over for Australian forces in Oruzgan Province but for its 700,000 citizens the struggle for a decent life will last for generations.
Huge blast 'destroys defence base'
A MASSIVE blast reportedly destroys Syrian air defence base with multiple sources speculating that an Israeli strike was to blame.
Sheikh declares 'Wa of the Worlds'
A SAUDI sheikh has issued a fatwa against anyone wanting to travel to Mars.
$50m stolen from unguarded van
GUNMEN have stolen more than $50 million after attacking an unguarded van belonging to Libya's Central Bank.
Man beats employee for 'looking at his wife'
A SAUDI man is seen on this video mercilessly belting a man, believed to be his employee, for allegedly looking at his partner. Warning: Graphic content.
Syria peace conference set for January 22
Mon Nov 25 23:20:21 EST 2013 UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says Syria's warring sides will finally meet for the long-elusive Geneva II peace negotiations.
Tiananmen leader denied in bid to return
Mon Nov 25 23:13:18 EST 2013 THE exiled second most wanted student leader from the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests has been stopped from returning home.
Bomb attacks in Iraq kill 5 troops
Mon Nov 25 22:30:53 EST 2013 A SUICIDE car bomb and another bombing near Baghdad have killed five members of Iraq's security forces.
Almost 90% of Indons want harsher action
Mon Nov 25 20:18:13 EST 2013 ALMOST one in 10 Indonesians support military action against Australia in response to recent spying revelations.
More gases erupt from Indonesian volcano
Mon Nov 25 20:09:42 EST 2013 SIX new eruptions have sent lava and searing gas tumbling up to 1.5 kilometres down the slopes of Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra.
Thai protesters occupy finance ministry
Mon Nov 25 19:48:54 EST 2013 DEMONSTRATORS intent on ousting Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Sinawatra have stormed the finance ministry and threatened to seize other buildings.
Pro-West Ukrainians to blockade govt seat
Mon Nov 25 19:00:21 EST 2013 PRO-WESTERN Ukrainians are planning to blockade the seat of government in Kiev, hoping to force an historic pact with the EU.
Taylor Swift wins AMA artist of the year
Mon Nov 25 18:48:40 EST 2013 TAYLOR Swift has been voted American Music Awards artist of the year for a third time as fans celebrated the women of pop music.
25 missing, 1 dead in China ship sinkings
Mon Nov 25 18:05:14 EST 2013 STORMY seas have caused two ships to sink off China's east coast. Twenty five crew are missing in total and one has been found dead.
Scientists make breakthrough lamprey find
Mon Nov 25 17:25:15 EST 2013 A NEW Zealand scientist has for the first time discovered a lamprey spawning site in the southern hemisphere.
US man's hunt for daughter leads to Qld
Mon Nov 25 15:37:13 EST 2013 AMERICAN Benjamin Todd has lived a parent's worst nightmare for 20 years; he is now reaching out to the daughter who was spirited away to Australia.
Katy Perry to open American Music Awards
Mon Nov 25 13:41:14 EST 2013 KATY Perry will open the American Music Awards and Miley Cyrus will close it, but Taylor Swift is expected to win the artist of the year gong.
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