China urges 'relevant parties' to avoid tension on Korean peninsula

China on Monday called on "relevant parties" to avoid action that would escalate tension on the Korean peninsula after the United States imposed more sanctions on North Korea last week.

Two Saudi guards killed in attack on Iraq frontier: Saudi ministry

Riyadh: A suicide bomber killed two Saudi guards Monday on the border with Iraq, where Daesh militants have seized a swathe of territory, the interior ministry said.

Blast targets Houthi base in Yemen capital

SANAA: A large blast targeted a building belonging to Yemen’s Shi’ite Muslim Houthi militia in a western district of the capital Sanaa early on Monday, residents said, but it was not clear if there were casualties.

Eight presumed dead after ship sank off Scotland

Edinburgh: Eight crew members onboard a cargo ship that sank off the coast of Scotland were presumed dead on Monday, two days after the vessel capsized in stormy weather.

Runaway North Korean soldier kills four Chinese: Reports

Seoul: A North Korean believed to be a runaway soldier killed four Chinese during a robbery after he crossed the border into China in search of food, media reports said Monday.

Indonesia naval captain says may have located missing plane's tail section

An Indonesian naval patrol vessel found on Monday what the captain said could be the tail of a missing AirAsia jet, the section where the crucial black box voice and flight data recorders are located.

Hollande rules out French intervention in Libya

President Francois Hollande said Monday that France would not intervene unilaterally in Libya and urged the international community to take action to stem the deepening crisis in the country.

Iraq asks Australian PM for more military aid

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Sunday asked Australian counterpart Tony Abott to step up military assistance to aid Baghdad’s fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) jihadist group.

Afghan president says U.S. withdrawal timetable should be 're-examined'

President of Afghanistan said in a television interview scheduled to air Sunday night that the U.S. should "re-examine" its troop withdrawal deadline.

Former S. Korea presidential aide indicted over 'fake' document

A former aide to South Korean President Park Geun-Hye has been charged with leaking a document on the president's personal life which triggered defamation suits against domestic and foreign media, prosecutors said Monday.

The internal presidential office document claimed that another former Park aide, Jeong Yun-Hoe, meddled in state affairs by receiving regular briefings from presidential officials despite having no official position in the administration.

China fumes after Taiwan's flag raising in Washington

China has protested to the United States after Taiwan's de facto embassy in Washington hoisted a Taiwanese flag on New Year's Day, calling on the United States to respect the "One China" policy, the foreign ministry said on Monday.

Western-backed Syrian opposition body elects new leadership

Istanbul- Syria's Western-backed political opposition group, the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, has elected a new presidential committee and a president widely seen as not tied to any of the body's international sponsors.

2 shot dead in Bangladesh on election anniversary

Dhaka, Bangladesh: Two men on a motorbike opened fire on a group of anti-government activists in northwestern Bangladesh on Monday, killing two amid heightened tensions on the anniversary of a general election boycotted by a major opposition alliance last year, a local opposition leader said.

US hedge fund founder Thomas Gilbert shot dead in New York

A US hedge fund founder was found shot to death in his Manhattan apartment on Sunday, and New York police are seeking his son for questioning, authorities said.

AirAsia jet engine dies before take-off from Surabaya

An AirAsia jet’s engine failed just before its take-off from the Indonesian city of Surabaya and the 120 passengers on board were asked to disembark, in the latest incident to hit the airline’s flights.

Three killed in China landslide

At least three people were confirmed dead after a landslide covered an expressway in China's Guizhou province, rescuers said Monday.

Google Glass to Soon Get Some More Competition

San Francisco-based Osterhout Design Group (ODG), which develops heavy-duty smart glasses for the military, is set to roll out a consumer-friendly version this year, Forbes reported.

Smartphone swipe to unlock your suitcase

New York:   US-based start-up Digipas has launched a "smart" lock that allows users to open or lock their luggage with just a swipe of their smartphone screens.