Syrian peace talks take a 'positive step'

8:38am After days of deadlock and dispute, Syrian peace talks appeared to inch forward when a spokesman for the opposition said the Syrian government had agreed to negotiate about a transitional government.

Science

'Grow your own' stem cells a breakthrough

8:22am In experiments that could open a new era in stem cell biology, scientists have found a simple way to reprogram cells back into an embryonic-like state that allows them to generate many types of tissue.

Australian charged with aiding terrorists

RUTH POLLARD 2:46pm Egypt has intensified its media crackdown, charging 20 journalists from al-Jazeera, including one Australian, with collaborating with the Muslim Brotherhood.

Snowden nominated for Nobel peace prize

4:06am Former Norwegian minister nominates the fugitive US whistleblower for one of humanity's top prizes.

Dozens killed after Philippines peace deal

3:59am More than 40 people killed days after a landmark peace deal was struck with the largest Muslim insurgency group in the Philippines.

Libyan deputy PM survives gun attack

6:53am Libya's deputy prime minister survived unhurt after gunmen fired on his car in Tripoli in an attack reflecting the violent chaos plaguing the North African nation two years after Muammar Gaddafi's fall.

'I'll break you in half': Congressman's threat

9:03am New York Representative Michael Grimm is defending his actions after he physically threatened a reporter at the Capitol after President Barack Obama's State of the Union address.

Angela Merkel takes swipe at US over spying

9:04am Chancellor Angela Merkel has taken perhaps her sharpest swipe yet at pervasive US intelligence surveillance, saying that Washington had endangered its standing by violating the freedom of the individual.

Winter Olympics

Sochi 'most secure venue on the planet'

7:38am After all the talk of terror threats, corruption, overspending and anti-gay legislation, the head of the Sochi Olympics is determined to show the world the games will be a huge success.

Peanut therapy lets allergic children eat their first nuts

12:33am Experimental trial using small amounts of peanut flour helps 80 per cent of children safely eat a handful of the previously worrisome nuts.

Verdict looms in Amanda Knox re-trial

Ella Ide 10:29pm American Amanda Knox's defence lawyer said her innocence was "rock-solid" on Thursday, as an Italian court prepared to issue a new verdict over the savage murder of her British housemate in 2007.

Scarlett Johansson quits Oxfam over Israeli firm advert

9:38pm US actress Scarlett Johansson has quit as global ambassador for Oxfam after the aid group deemed the role "incompatible" with her promotion of an Israeli firm that has a factory in the occupied West Bank.

Toronto mayor sued by brother-in-law

8:40pm Rob Ford is being sued by his sister's former common-law husband, who alleges that the Toronto mayor arranged to have him beaten to keep him quiet about Mr Ford's drug use.

Twitter vents at Alabama weather man who blew forecast

1:36pm An American weatherman has been forced to make an apology after his wrong forecast left thousands of motorists stranded.

Tech

Demis Hassabis: the secretive computer genius with the $750 million brain

Tom Rowley 12:43pm What made Google dig so deep to buy out a shy and secretive computer mastermind from north London?

New Zealand looks to ditch the Union Jack from flag

11:10am New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has floated the possibility of having a referendum to change the country's flag.

Gay heiress Gigi Chao writes open letter to father over $114m husband offer

8:35am The lesbian daughter of a Hong Kong tycoon, who offered more than $US100 million ($114.29 million) to find her a male suitor, has issued a heartfelt open letter urging him to accept her sexuality.

First conviction using drone evidence in US

Philip Sherwell 2:29pm In a case that could change the face of domestic law enforcement, a US citizen has been sentenced to prison for the first time with the aid of evidence from an unmanned aircraft operating over American soil.

Men more forgetful than women: study

11:50am Results of scientific studies as described by the researchers and their institutions.

Russia ramps up pressure on Ukraine

Steve Gutterman 8:41pm President Vladimir Putin raised the pressure on Ukraine on Wednesday, saying Russia would wait until it forms a new government before fully implementing a $US15 billion ($17.1 billion) bailout deal that Kiev urgently needs.

NSA spying shows perils of Google Plus, Pinterest, Candy Crush

Jordan Robertson 2:50pm Revelations that the National Security Agency is tapping smartphone applications to mine personal information highlight the risk millions take every day when they play games, schedule lunch or check the weather.

South Africa's opposition targets ANC vote with black candidate

Amogelang Mbatha 4:21pm South Africa's main opposition party chooses Mamphela Ramphele as its first black presidential candidate in a bid to break the ruling African National Congress's grip on power.

Short people are most prone to feelings of inferiority, study finds

People who experience social situations from a lower height - in other words, short people - are more prone to feelings of paranoia, inferiority and excessive mistrust, according to new research.