Ukrainian civil servants to be screened

Ukraine's prime minister said on Wednesday that 1 million civil servants, including those from government ranks, will be screened for loyalty under new legislation to root out corrupt practices hanging over from the previous ousted administration.

ROK detains foreigner in waters near DPRK border

Border guards from the Republic of Korea arrested a US citizen who they believe was attempting to swim across the border into the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, a defense official said on Wednesday.

IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Study: Clean energy makes economic sense

Investments to help fight climate change can spur economic growth, rather than slow it as widely feared, but time is running short for a trillion-dollar shift to transform cities and energy use, an international report said on Tuesday.

Norway's former pm praises China's climate policy

Former Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg praised China's policy measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Official at center of British child sex scandal quits

The elected official in charge of policing in the northern English town of Rotherham quit on Tuesday after weeks of resisting political pressure to stand down over a scandal involving the sexual exploitation of as many as 1,400 children.

Hunger easing globally, though 1 in 9 people still undernourished

The number of hungry people in the world has dropped by 100 million over the last 10 years, though one in nine are still undernourished, with Asia home to the majority of the underfed, the UN said on Tuesday.

Dolphin slaughter resumes in Japan

The first dolphins of the season were slaughtered on Tuesday in the small Japanese town of Taiji, campaigners and a local fishermen's union said, commencing an annual cull repeatedly condemned by animal rights groups.

Pakistan military 'blows apart' Taliban network

A military offensive in Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal region may have blown apart the network of the Pakistani Taliban and foreign militants. The country has seen a substantial decrease in attacks and fatalities in recent months, according to a military spokesman.

Thousands evacuated in volcano area

Thousands of residents living near the Mount Mayon volcano, in the eastern Philippine province of Albay, were ordered to be evacuated on Tuesday after the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology warned that a "hazardous eruption is possible within weeks".

New Zealand PM denies mass surveillance

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key came under renewed pressure on Tuesday to explain the extent of government surveillance of the public after claims by US National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden that mass surveillance was already in place.

ROK stops DPRK media staff from accessing websites

Reporters from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea at the Asian Games will have to send their articles by fax machine because their Internet access has been restricted by their host, the Republic of Korea, an official said on Tuesday.