Asia Pacific

Four of Australia's most prominent human rights lawyers are seeking the release of 10 asylum seekers from the processing centre on Nauru, because they say their continued detention is unlawful, inhumane and degrading.

After weeks of speculation, Malaysian opposition Anwar Ibrahim has announced running for a seat in the central Malaysian state of Selangor.

Local communities in the Philippines are turning a bad situation into good, three months after a super-typhoon devastated the central islands.

A study is being released of more than 1,000 young Australians who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender has found the level of abuse and violence they face remains alarming high.

Pacific Artists are on centre stage in Sydney after the opening of an exhibition of new work from seven Island nations.

The Australian government says it won't be engaging in 'megaphone diplomacy' with Nauru over allegations that the rule of law is in danger there.

The major candidates battling to be Afghanistan's next President have indicated their support for a security agreement with the United States.

A United Nations committee is calling on the Catholic Church to remove all known and suspected child abusers from their posts immediately, and hand over their files to the police.

Scientists are promoting the benefits of a rice variety called 'Scuba rice' to help boost the food security of flood-prone communities in Asia and the Pacific.

Like elsewhere in the region, Fiji is no stranger to extreme weather events.

Australian snowboarder, Belle Brockhoff who has arrived at the winter Olympics in Sochi has stepped into the controversy of local politics, warning of violence against the gay community in Russia.

Australia's Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop, has embarked on a two-day visit to Papua New Guinea, her first in government.

An inquiry by Australia's Human Rights Commission into the asylum seeker detention centre on Nauru has suffered a set-back.

With just days to go before the opening of the Winter Olympics in Russia, there has seen a security clampdown involving tens of thousands of security personnel.

Singapore's unemployment is one of the lowest in the world and remains the envy of many countries.

An authority on agricultural production has warned against governments boosting rice prices, to keep the farming lobby happy.

Refugee advocates in Papua New Guinea say they're encouraged by comments by a panel of Supreme Court judges that anyone held at the Australia-run processing centre on Manus Island has the right to challenge their detention.

The Australian-based Refugee Action Coalition says there have been days of protests at Australia's asylum seeker detention camp at Manus Island in Papua New Guinea.