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.

DPRK weighs in with crop of top athletes

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea will send Olympic gold medalists and world champions to the 17th Asian Games to be held in Incheon, Republic of Korea, from Friday to Oct 4.

IN BRIEF (Page 11)

US to assign 3,000 troops to fight Ebola

The United States announced on Tuesday that it would send 3,000 troops to help tackle the Ebola outbreak as part of a ramped-up response, including a major deployment in Liberia, the country where the epidemic is most rapidly spiraling out of control.

Ukraine grants 'special status' to eastern regions

The Ukrainian Parliament approved on Tuesday two bills offering major concessions to independence-seeking insurgents and more autonomy to eastern regions, where unrest has been raging since mid-April.

Syrian schools stay open for all in spite of conflict

Syria's government is pushing compulsory education in the midst of an escalating civil war, promoting education as an alternative to violence, while using strict measures to compel displaced parents to send their children to school.

Dotcom's party set to win seats in NZ poll

At a recent political rally in Wellington, indicted Internet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom jokingly asked members of New Zealand's spy agency to raise their hands.