'Syria recruiter' charged with preparing terror attack

A man arrested in Australian counterterrorism raids in September is facing fresh charges of preparing a terrorist attack on home soil, police said on Friday.

Talks fail to resolve conflict in Ukraine

Putin says discussions 'good', but Merkel sees no breakthrough

UK may invoke 1351 law

Britain may use a medieval law dating from 1351 to charge citizens with treason if they go to fight with Islamic State insurgents in Iraq and Syria, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said.

Ebola checks stepped up as UN appeal ignored

Western countries scrambled to put airport security measures in place on Friday amid mounting concern about the spread of Ebola world-wide.

US navy discharges Biden's son over cocaine use

The son of US Vice-President Joe Biden was discharged from the US navy reserve earlier this year after testing positive for cocaine, sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

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Japan official apologizes for political funds misuse

Obuchi regarded as contender to become first woman premier

Nepal continues search for missing trekkers

Mountain rescue teams in Nepal searched for scores of missing trekkers on Thursday after unseasonable blizzards and avalanches killed at least 30 people along the high altitude Annapurna mountain route popular with backpackers.

Catacombs in Paris open at night ahead of Halloween

As if visiting the Paris catacombs in the daytime wasn't creepy enough, you can now explore the underground maze of skeletons after nightfall, too. That is if you dare defy the warning at the entrance: "Stop, this is the empire of Death."

Thai soaps trigger outcry over romance

In a famous scene from Thailand's award-winning soap opera The Power of Shadows, the protagonist gets drunk and rapes the leading lady. He later begs her forgiveness, and the producers say they will live happily ever after in the sequel.

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Colony on Mars - mission impossible?

Space enthusiasts planning a move to Mars may have to wait to relocate: Conditions on the Red Planet are such that humans would likely begin dying within 68 days, a new study says.