French ground troops in close-quarter combat with Islamists
French troops engaged in close combat with Islamist rebels on Wednesday in Mali as al-Qaeda-linked fighters attacked a gas plant in neighbouring Algeria taking several foreigners hostage. Full storyPakistan accuses India of ‘warmongering’
Pakistan accused India of ‘warmongering’ and lodged an official protest on Wednesday after another soldier was killed in disputed Kashmir in a flare-up that threatens to derail a fragile peace process. Full storyLanka president deaf to critics, say observers
His sacking of Sri Lanka’s chief justice may have prompted new international condemnation, but analysts say president Mahinda Rajapakse is not merely impervious to foreign criticism — he thrives off it. Full storyIndian police target single women, couples out after dark
Suicide attack targets Afghan spy HQ in Kabul
A squad of suicide bombers attacked the Afghan intelligence agency headquarters in heavily-fortified central Kabul Wednesday, killing at least one guard and wounding dozens of civilians, officials said. Full storyJapan mulling military equipment near disputed isles
Japan may station military equipment on islands near an archipelago at the centre of a dispute with China, officials said Wednesday, after a number of airborne near-confrontations. The defence ministry will ask for money... Full storyIndian filmmaker accused of raping actress
An Indian film producer was due to appear in court on Wednesday after his arrest for allegedly raping an aspiring actress whom he had promised a role in his next movie, the police said. Full storyFiji military imposes restrictions on political parties
Fiji’s ruling military on Wednesday unveiled a raft of restrictions on political parties, in a move condemned by Australia as the Pacific nation heads towards elections planned for 2014. Full story2 dead, 10,000 displaced in Jakarta floods
Relatives bring corpses to Pakistan protest after raid
‘Some migraines tied to women’s heart risk’
Women who suffer from migraines accompanied by visual disturbances such as flashes of light may be at increased risk of heart attacks and blood clots, researchers said Tuesday. Full storyRape remarks by Indonesian judge cause uproar
A senior Indonesian judge who joked that rapists should evade capital punishment because victims enjoyed the act triggered outrage and calls for his dismissal Wednesday. Daming Sunusi — a High Court judge running... Full storyWave of Iraq attacks kill 33
