Dumped Australian PM Gillard says sexism 'glossed over' Australia's first female leader Julia Gillard has spoken out against the "glossed over" sexism of her tenure, saying it would have ended political careers had it been about race.
21 dead as floods strike quake-hit Chinese province At least 21 people have been killed and four reported missing in floods and mudslides that hit a Chinese province where at least 95 others died this week in twin earthquakes.
US Navy to retrieve bombs it dropped over Barrier Reef The United States Navy said Friday it will spearhead a search for four unarmed bombs it dropped over Australia's Great Barrier Reef and make sure they are safely removed.
US, Vietnam leaders build ties but disagree on rights US President Barack Obama on Thursday called on Vietnam's leader to improve on human rights but the former enemy nations pledged to work together on trade and tensions with China.
26 July 2013
Australian doctors call for ban on smacking kidsAustralian doctors Friday called for the smacking of children by parents to be made illegal, saying it was too easy to blur the line between reasonable discipline and abuse.
26 July 2013
UN concern at Australia's PNG boatpeople plan The United Nations on Friday said it was "troubled" by Australia's decision to send asylum-seekers arriving by boat to Papua New Guinea given conditions there failed to adequately protect refugees.
Japan team develops micro-thin electric circuit A flexible electrical circuit one-fifth the thickness of food wrap and weighing less than a feather could improve the movement of artificial limbs by tapping into signals from the brain.
Vietnam leader faces rights pressure on rare US visit Vietnam's president on Wednesday starts a rare visit to Washington to boost trade and security ties between the former war foes, but activists urged the United States to press him on human rights.
Solomons peacekeeping force pulls back after 10 years The largest military operation in the Pacific since World War II wound up in the Solomon Islands on Wednesday after a decade working to end deep-seated ethnic violence in the poverty-stricken nation.