Iran's Khamenei rules out talks with US

TEHERAN - Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ruled out the possibility of talks with the United States, amid the rising tensions between the two countries.

New Zealand's first 'well-being budget' targets mental health

WELLINGTON, New Zealand-New Zealand's government announced on Thursday it will spend billions of dollars more on mental health services and combating child poverty as part of a new approach to its finances.

Attacks on Muslims spike in India

Indian hawker Mohammad Qasim never expected he would become a familiar face online.

UN meeting addresses global challenges on urbanization

A meeting of the world's highest-level decision-making body on sustainable human settlements and urbanization, UN-Habitat, opened on Monday in the Kenyan capital. Running through May 31, the assembly is expected to be attended by more than 3,000 delegates from 116 countries, including four heads of state and more than 40 ministers.

Lack of simulators may delay return of Boeing 737 Max jets

Training needed to recertify pilots on the Boeing 737 Max could delay the aircraft's return to service, if a high level of preparation is required for the updated version of the anti-stall system, according to global regulators.

Monkey experiments hint at origin of language

PARIS - Green and vervet monkeys live on either side of Africa and their evolutionary paths diverged 3.5 million years ago, and yet the two species share a hard-wired vocabulary when faced with danger, clever experiments have shown.

Pressure persists after Trump's visit

Japan rolled out the red carpet for US President Donald Trump this week, winning Tokyo a brief respite in its trade battle with Washington, but Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe faces pressure to deliver concessions after a summer election.

Intensified battle to fill Brussels' top job

European leaders have intensified their battle for the presidency of the executive European Commission after a European Parliament election which saw two powerful party groups losing their combined majority for the first time in four decades.

China, Pakistan vow to strengthen ties

ISLAMABAD - Vice-President Wang Qishan visited Pakistan from Sunday to Tuesday and met with Pakistani President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan to further strengthen bilateral relations.

Knife-wielding man kills 2 in attack on schoolchildren

KAWASAKI, Japan - A man carrying a knife in each hand and screaming "I will kill you!" attacked a group of schoolgirls and adults near a bus stop just outside Tokyo on Tuesday, killing two and injuring 17 before killing himself.

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Meditation, mindfulness gaining popularity in the US

Around 35 million adults in the United States practice meditation, rivaling yoga as the most popular type of complementary health practice - the use of holistic or unconventional health and wellness practices.