Australia relaxes rules on devices

Passengers on Qantas and Virgin Australia are now allowed to use mobile electronic devices during their entire flights, after the country's aviation authority relaxed the rules effective Tuesday.

ROK-DPRK talks begin on Asian Games

The Republic of Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea began discussions, through exchanges of letters, on Tuesday on Pyongyang's participation in the ROK-hosted Asian Games next month.

Taekwondo deal paves way for Olympics

Rival taekwondo governing bodies have reached a breakthrough agreement paving the way for athletes from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to compete in the sport at the Olympic Games, officials said on Tuesday.

Survey: Smartphones linked to low test scores

Children who spend more than four hours a day on their smartphones perform significantly worse In school tests than those who are limited to just 30 minutes, a Japanese government survey has found.

Rape trial starts for school janitor

A closed-door trial began on Tuesday of the first of five janitors accused of raping a kindergartner in a bathroom at a prestigious international school in Indonesia's capital that is facing a storm of controversy following more abuse allegations.

Putin shakes hands with Poroshenko

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko shook hands before they sat down for talks on Tuesday, meeting face to face for the first time since June to discuss the fighting that has engulfed Ukraine's separatist east.

US to track jihadists in Syria with spy planes

The United States is poised to send spy planes into Syria to track Islamic State jihadists, whose advances have sparked international concern and US airstrikes in neighboring Iraq.

UAE silent on claims it bombed Libyan Islamists

The United Arab Emirates made no comment on Tuesday after US officials said warplanes from the Gulf state, flying from bases in Egypt, had secretly bombed Islamist militia targets in Libya.

Scotland's pro-independence leader wins TV debate

Scotland's pro-independence leader Alex Salmond easily won a final TV debate on Monday night just over three weeks before a breakaway referendum, but it wasn't clear if this would help him catch up in the polls.

IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Great who spent 60 years in the spotlight

Richard Attenborough was a lord, an Oscar-winning director for the much-lauded Gandhi and an unflagging pillar to British cinema. But Attenborough, who died on Sunday at 90, was best known as Dickie.

Breakthrough boosts search for diabetes cure

New Zealand scientists said on Monday that they could be closer to finding a cure for diabetes after identifying a hormone that causes the disease.