Japanese mother pleads
Mother of hostage held by Islamist militants pleads for son to be saved, as deadline for ransom passes.
Ousted Thai PM faces charges
Thailand's junta-stacked parliament has dealt a double blow to ousted Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
Ukraine troops cede airport
The loss of the Donetsk airport could herald a turning point in the war for government forces trying to prevent the permanent division of the country.
New Saudi king in poor health
The region's most important Sunni power and America's closest Arab ally is now ruled by a 79-year-old reportedly suffering from dementia.
'Suspicious' package a training device
Ferry crew and police who evacuated central Sydney area didn't know the bottles filled with liquid and nails were a training device.
Alleged poo fight ends in court
A long-running dispute between two women in Australia took a horrifying and rather putrid turn.
'We didn't invite Netanyahu'
Fuming Democrats accuse Republicans of breaking protocol over an invite to Israel's prime minister.
Man, 81, discovers he's a dad in 55-year-old letter
Discovering you are about to father a baby is startling enough - never mind finding out you have a 61-year-old son.
Things you didn't know about Monopoly
It's Monopoly's 80th anniversary, and to celebrate here is some useless information about the game.
How Beyonce got a British Conservative MP in trouble
The British Conservative Party’s chief whip received a firm dressing down from the prime minister when his 'smartwatch' began blaring Beyonce during a meeting this week.
€1.1t Euro-zone economic 'bazooka'
The European Central Bank takes the ultimate policy leap with a €1-trillion-plus programme to boost the Euro Zone.
Civilians killed in shelling attack in Donetsk
At least eight civilians killed when a shell or mortar hit a public transport stop in rebel-controlled city of Donetsk.
Saudi King Abdullah dies
Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has died, state television report, and his brother Salman has become king.
'We didn't invite Netanyahu'
Fuming Democrats accuse Republicans of breaking protocol over an invite to Israel's prime minister.
Saudi King a cautious reformer
Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz leaves a modernising legacy of cautious social and economic reform.
Smoker fined $19k for butt-throwing
Singapore fines smoker $597 for every butt he threw out his flat window. The total sum was a record.
China puts screws on Chinese journos
Zhang Miao has now been in prison for almost four months.
Natural glow is partly our fault
Eerie fluorescence off Hong Kong's seashore is magnificent, disturbing and potentially toxic.
Campaign against rebels 'will take time'
UN peacekeeping chief says it will take time to defeat Rwandan rebels in Democratic Republic of Congo.
German Boko Haram hostage freed after months
A German kidnapped by Boko Haram Islamist militants in northern Nigeria in July released.
'God told me to kill. It's just the beginning'
The leader of the terror group Boko Haram says God commanded him to massacre hundreds of people.
South Pacific's first summer storm
Summer's first South Pacific tropical cyclone – named Niko – has formed.
Volcanic eruption creates new island
Tonga’s continuous volcanic eruption has created a new island to add to the 176 it already has.
Cattle ship barred by Fiji
Ship carrying thousands of dairy cows from Chile to China blocked from Suva after claiming to be low on food.
Saudi King Abdullah dies
Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has died, state television report, and his brother Salman has become king.
