Mining exports drive Australian growth
Surging mining exports powered the Australian economy to better-than-expected 1.1 percent growth in the first quarter of the year, data showed Wednesday, but Treasurer Joe Hockey said he was also encouraged by a pick-up in other sectors.
'Extinct' bat found in Papua New Guinea
A big-eared bat which was thought to be extinct has been found in a forest in Papua New Guinea, highlighting the unique biodiversity of the developing nation, researchers said.
Samsung's new Tizen phone touted for bigger things
Samsung on Tuesday unwrapped its new smartphone using the Tizen platform, a move aimed at breaking away from Google's Android and staking a claim to the "Internet of Things."
Japan's Dai-ichi Life to buy US firm for $5.7 bn
Dai-ichi Life Insurance said Wednesday it would buy US-based Protective Life for $5.7 billion in a record deal, the latest overseas takeover by a Japanese firm to counter a declining market at home.
Six hurt as Australia breaks up immigration camp protest
Australia said Tuesday a week-long protest by asylum-seekers at one of its immigration detention centres had been broken up with six people injured.
China blocks Google sites amid Tiananmen security drive
Several Google websites have been blocked in China, a monitoring service said Tuesday, as authorities step up arrests and censorship before the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown.
New India minister killed in car accident
A new Indian minister was killed Tuesday in a car accident in the capital just days after being sworn into government, officials said.
Malawi's president seeks 'new friends' in China, Russia
Malawi, traditionally dependent on Western aid donors, will look for "new friends" in countries such as China and Russia, newly elected President Peter Mutharika said at his inauguration.
Japan starts building underground ice wall at Fukushima
Japan on Monday started work on an underground ice wall at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant, freezing the soil under broken reactors to slow the build-up of radioactive water, officials said.
Sri Lankan asylum-seeker sets himself on fire in Australia
A Sri Lankan Tamil asylum-seeker has died after setting himself on fire while awaiting a visa decision in Australia, Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said.
Pirates free Indonesia-bound Thai tanker after cargo theft
Pirates have released an Indonesian-bound Thai tanker after stealing its oil cargo, in the latest attack in Southeast Asian waters, the International Maritime Bureau said.
Six 'cult' members held over China McDonald's death
Chinese police have detained six people for beating to death a woman at a McDonald's restaurant who refused to disclose her phone number, accusing them of being members of a religious cult, state media said.
Australian gallery to return portrait lost under Nazis
An Australian gallery will return a portrait once thought the work of Vincent Van Gogh to its rightful owners in what is believed to be the country's first restitution of art lost under the Nazis.
Volcanic ash halts flights to north Australian city
Flights into and out of the northern Australian city of Darwin were cancelled Saturday and some to Bali affected due to huge ash clouds thrown up by an Indonesian volcano.
N. Korea sentences S. Korean 'spy' to hard labour for life
North Korea sentenced a South Korean missionary to hard labour for life after accusing him of espionage and setting up an underground church, state media said Saturday, the latest Christian preacher to run into trouble in the secretive state.
Kidnapped Chinese, Filippino rescued in Malaysia
A Chinese tourist and a Filippino worker have been rescued nearly two months after they were abducted from a Malaysian dive resort, Prime Minister Najib Razak said.
Malaysian police arrest 13 over gang-rape of teen
Malaysian police have arrested at least 13 people -- many of who are related -- over the alleged gang-rape of a 15-year-old girl, reports said.
Shallow 5.9 magnitude earthquake hits SW China: USGS
A shallow earthquake with a magnitude of 5.9 hit southwest China on Friday morning, the US Geological Survey said, with Chinese reports saying 29 people had been injured, five of them seriously.
Chinese embassy's US street urged renamed for dissident
US lawmakers called Thursday for the street outside China's embassy to be renamed in honor of jailed dissident Liu Xiaobo ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown.
Tiny 'living fossil' found in New Zealand waters
A microscopic marine creature believed to have been extinct for four million years has been found alive and well in New Zealand waters, researchers said.