Hi-tech help at hand for phobia sufferers

People with phobias could be helped by the arrival of commercially available virtual reality systems, a study has found.

Accolades and calls to honor 'heroic' Syrians

Calls grew on Wednesday for the German government to honor and reward three Syrian "heroes" who captured a compatriot suspected of plotting to bomb a Berlin airport.

Timely warning over migrant children

Greece will need a year to provide adequate shelter for 2,200 unaccompanied migrant children, the country's migration minister said on Tuesday.

Gunmen kill 18 Muslims at Kabul site

Grieving worshippers on Wednesday described desperately trying to shelter their children against a hail of gunfire in Kabul that killed at least 18 people gathering to mark Ashura, one of the most important festivals of the Shiite calendar.

Duterte to ban smoking in public

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will this month ban smoking in public, the health department said on Wednesday, further strengthening some of the toughest tobacco regulation in Asia.

Youths set up tent city to demand peace deal

Dozens of activists have raised a multicolored, makeshift tent city in Bogota's main square to demand the government and rebels save a deal meant to end a half century of conflict - part of a belated outburst of activism across the country by Colombians stunned at last week's unexpected defeat of the peace accord in a referendum.

Deportation of Haitians halted after hurricane

Hurricane Matthew's devastation of Haiti has prompted the US government to temporarily suspend its recent decision to resume deportations of undocumented Haitians, US Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said on Tuesday.

IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Building bridges and riding the waves

It gives me great pleasure to meet you in the beautiful city of Macao and attend the opening ceremony of the Fifth Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation Between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries.

Aid arrives, desperation spreads in cutoff towns

Helicopters are ferrying in food and medicine to devastated southwestern Haiti, but almost a week after Hurricane Matthew's assault life here is still far from normal and desperation is growing in communities where aid has yet to arrive.

Pets or pests? Quaker parrots invade Madrid

They may be cute, colorful and chatty, but South American quaker parrots have taken up residence in Madrid and other Spanish cities, irritating residents with their shrill squawks and destabilising the ecosystem.

Energy shortage is expected to end ahead of 2018 election

In Abdul Aziz's print shop, the daily blackouts that plunge him into darkness and silence his rolling presses are costly and chip away at his faith in Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.