NUSA DUA, Indonesia, July 23, 2011 (AFP) - The United States said Saturday it was "encouraged" by unexpected and rare talks between North and South Korea over Pyongyang's nuclear programme. But US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told regional foreign ministers at an Asian security forum in Indonesia that the onus remained squarely on the North to prove its sincerity before six-party talks cou...

LONDON (AP) ― Scotland Yard, still reeling from the alleged police role in Britain’s phone hacking scandal, was asked Thursday to investigate another explosive claim: that journalists bribed officers to locate people by tracking their cell phone signals. The practice is known as “pinging” because of the way cell phone signals bounce off relay towers as they try to find reception. Jenny Jones, a...

BEIJING (AFP) -- At least 41 people died on Friday when an overcrowded bus that was carrying hazardous goods caught fire in central China, state television reported. The fire happened early on Friday morning on a highway in Henan province, China Central Television (CCTV) said. Five passengers and the driver were pulled out alive from the overnight bus -- made up of 35 berths allowing passenger...

A video of a dog attacking a shark posted on YouTube by an Australian man is grabbing global attention. The footage shows two big dogs swimming in the ocean near the West Australian town of Broom, about 1,650 kilometers north of Perth. The dogs appear to be headed into the path of the sharks without realizing, but one suddenly attacks a shark. "The dog is biting the shark,” said Russell Hood-P...

CAIRO (AP) ― Egypt’s council of military rulers will not allow international monitors to observe upcoming parliamentary elections designed to move the country back toward civilian rule, a council member said Wednesday. The decision, which is part of a new election law approved by the country’s ruling generals, was swiftly criticized by activists who said it raises questions about the transparenc...