Vietnam, US begin historic Agent Orange cleanup
From deformed infants to grandparents with cancer, families near Vietnam's Danang Airbase have long blamed the toxic legacy of war for their ills.
Appeal to help two million Phillipine flood victims
Philippine authorities appealed Thursday for volunteers to help deliver food, water and other relief goods to two million people affected by deadly floods in and around the Philippine capital.
Australia hits out at Facebook over 'racist' page
Australian Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has hit out at Facebook over its failure to immediately take down a page that stereotyped Aboriginal people as hopeless petrol-sniffing drunks.
Assad vows to crush Syria rebellion
President Bashar al-Assad vowed on Tuesday to crush the 17-month rebellion against his regime and to cleanse Syria of "terrorists", as his troops engaged rebels in key battleground city Aleppo.
US Sikhs say bigots confuse them for Muslims
The sight of a bearded man in a turban can provoke violent anti-Muslim hatred in America -- and never mind whether the man under the turban is actually Muslim.
Floods bring Philippine capital to standstill
Torrential rains brought the Philippines capital to a standstill Tuesday, forcing at least 20,000 people to flee their homes as floodwaters covered half the sprawling city.
US economy creates 163,000 jobs, helping Obama
The US economy created a solid 163,000 jobs in July, helping President Barack Obama dull Republican attacks despite a slight uptick in the jobless rate.
With Islamists gone, Somali displaced make fragile recovery
Afgoye was once a byword for misery; controlled by Somalia's Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab fighters, the region, long hit by famine, was dubbed the world's largest camp for displaced people.
Libya's abandoned weapons put civilians at risk: report
Abandoned weapons that were once part of toppled dictator Moamer Kadhafi's arsenal pose an ongoing and serious threat to civilians in Libya.
Red Cross helps N. Korea flood victims as toll rises
The Red Cross had allocated almost $308,000 for victims of N. Korea's floods and storms, after state media reported 119 deaths and major crop damage in the food-scarce nation.
Indonesian police arrest 62 over Ramadan bar attack
Indonesian police said Monday they had arrested 62 people, most of them minors, involved in attacking a bar in south Jakarta for serving alcohol during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan.
Power cut blacks out 300 million in northern India
A massive power cut blacked out a vast swathe of northern India Monday, leaving an estimated 300 million people without power in the worst outage in more than a decade.
Many dead in India train fire: official
At least five people were killed when a train caught fire in southern India on Monday, the railways ministry said, adding the toll was likely to rise with some reports already putting it at 25.
UN: 200,000 flee Aleppo as Syria battle rages
Around 200,000 civilians have fled fighting in Syria's most populous city Aleppo and many more were trapped, the UN said as a fierce government offensive against rebels entered a second day.
Syria rebels ready for 'mother of all battles' in Aleppo
Rebel forces were bracing Friday for a decisive "mother of all" battles in Aleppo, as Washington warned the Syrian army could be preparing to carry out a massacre in the country's second city.
Sea rise threatens 'paradise' Down Under
When Elaine Pearce left Sydney for the seaside peace of Old Bar 12 years ago she was assured her new house was a solid investment, with a century's worth of frontage to guard against erosion.
New York bids farewell to 'Queen of Soul Food'
New Yorkers gave a big sendoff to "Queen of Soul Food" Sylvia Woods, whose famed Harlem restaurant served everybody from Muhammad Ali to Bill Clinton.
Beijing floods caused 'significant losses': official
Weekend floods in Beijing caused "significant losses" and casualty numbers are still being tallied, the head of the worst-hit district has said, as residents of China's capital question the official toll.
Scores injured as typhoon lashes Hong Kong
More than 100 people were injured and trees were ripped from the ground as a typhoon lashed Hong Kong packing winds in excess of 140 kilometres (87 miles) an hour.
Olympics: London 2012 in numbers
From the 10,490 athletes heading to London, to the flock of 70 sheep taking part in the opening ceremony on July 27, AFP takes a look at the 2012 Olympic Games in numbers.