Brunei's foreign ministry has said implementing Sharia law is about prevention rather than punishment, after intense criticism of its decision to implement the strict Islamic code. Under the new laws, adultery and sex between men is punishable by stoning to death. Brunei said

BJP lawmaker Meenakshi Lekhi has requested the Supreme Court for criminal contempt action against Congress president Rahul Gandhi over his comments welcoming the top court order in the Rafale case earlier this week.  The order was seen as a setback to the government. The BJP

Large crowds have remained on the streets of the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, ignoring a night-time curfew declared by the country's new military council. Long-time President Omar al-Bashir was overthrown and arrested on Thursday after months of street protests. But demonstrators

Sudan President Omar Al-Bashir has stepped down and is under house arrest. Besides, his personal guard has been replaced and is under close watch. Bashir had ruled Sudan for three decades. He is accused of war crimes and genocide by the International Criminal Court for his

Julian Assange, the fugitive founder of WikiLeaks and publisher of state secrets that embarrassed governments across the world, was arrested in London on Thursday almost seven years after he sought refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy. Assange was wanted by British police for skipping bail

Democratic presidential candidate Julián Castro is using President Donald Trump’s visit to his hometown as a chance to give a jolt to his campaign. Castro held a rally in San Antonio on Wednesday night, hours after Trump was in town for a fundraiser. Castro was San Antonio mayor for

European Union leaders have granted the UK a six-month extension to Brexit, after five hours of talks in Brussels. The new deadline - 31 October - averts the prospect of the UK having to leave the EU without a deal on Friday, as MPs are still deadlocked over a deal. European Council

Indians have begun voting in the first phase of a general election that is being seen as a referendum on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Tens of millions of Indians across 20 states and union territories will cast their votes in 91 constituencies. The seven-phase vote to elect a new

PM Benjamin Netanyahu is likely to secure a record fifth term after almost complete results from Israel's election suggest a new right-wing coalition. His Likud party is expected to finish with a similar number of seats as ex-military chief Benny Gantz's centrist Blue and White

Wreckage from a Japanese F-35 stealth fighter jet has been found, a day after it disappeared from radar over the Pacific Ocean. The pilot of the plane, however, is still missing, Japanese military officials said. Parts of the plane have been recovered during search operations at

The Dalai Lama has been admitted to hospital in the Indian capital, Delhi, with a chest infection, but is reported to be in a stable condition. His private aide Tenzin Taklha said he was flown to Delhi from his hill town base after complaining of discomfort. The 83-year-old Tibetan

Israelis are voting in the country's most closely-fought general election in years. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, leader of the right-wing Likud Party, is seeking a fifth term in office. But he is facing corruption allegations and a strong challenge from former military

Three US service members and one contractor have been killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. Three other service members were hurt, the Nato alliance said. The explosion occurred near Bagram air base, 50km (31 miles) north of the capital Kabul. Earlier three people were killed in

An Australian senator acted in self-defence when he physically retaliated against a boy who had smashed an egg on the lawmaker's head, police have ruled. Video of last month's clash involving Senator Fraser Anning went viral and sparked debate in Australia over who - if anyone

The UN has condemned an air strike that closed the only functioning airport in Libya's capital, Tripoli, on Monday. Flights at Mitiga International Airport were suspended and passengers were evacuated. No casualties were reported. The UN blamed the air strike on forces loyal to

A section of the Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's Secretariat caught fire here on Monday leading to the evacuation of the staff in the building, officials said. Prime Minister Imran Khan was reportedly one floor below in a meeting with incoming United States Central Command

The UK for the first time on Monday proposed direct regulation of social media companies, with senior executives potentially facing fines if they fail to block damaging content such as terrorist propaganda or images of child abuse. The regulations would create a statutory "duty of

DHAKA: At least 11 workers including six Bangladeshis were killed as the factory bus they were in plunged into a roadside drain in Malaysia. The accident occurred at 11.10pm (local time) near the MAS Cargo Complex, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at Jalan S8 Pekeliling in

The US Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen, who enforced some of President Trump's controversial border policies, has resigned. Ms Nielsen called it "an honour of a lifetime" to work in the department. President Trump tweeted she would be temporarily replaced by

International powers have begun evacuating personnel from Libya amid a worsening security situation. US Africa Command said it had relocated an unspecified contingent of US forces, while India said it had evacuated peacekeepers to Tunisia. Rebel forces under Gen Khalifa Haftar have