Rain brings relief to parched Australian farming town

Indonesian security forces kill three alleged militants and investigate whether one is key Bali bomb suspect Dulmatin.

Do raids mean Indonesia's terror groups are back?

China denies it is spying on Uighur refugees in Sweden, after a Stockholm court jailed a Uigur for passing information to an agent.

Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva says he will use emergency security laws to help cope with opposition rallies.

Japan confirms the existence of a secret Cold War pact allowing nuclear-armed US vessels to call at its ports.

Two glass bottles said to contain the ghosts are bought for NZ$2,000 in an online auction in New Zealand.

Burma's military rulers will hand-pick the election commission, under newly-enacted poll laws, the government says.

A group of homeless men in Australia must leave Bondi Beach after a judge rules they have no right to sleep rough there.

Bangladesh's government is ignoring the plight of thousands of starving Burmese refugees, a US medical charity warns.

A plant-eating predator that preys on aggressive superweed Japanese knotweed is to be given a trial release in England.

Toyota rejects claims that faulty electronics could be behind its worldwide recall of more than eight million cars.

North Korea says its army is on full alert, as the US and South Korean begin annual joint military exercises.

A film about the annual dolphin hunt in Taiji, Japan, wins the best documentary Oscar - angering the town's mayor.

Royal Dutch Shell and PetroChina launch a joint takeover bid for Australian liquefied natural gas group Arrow Energy.