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3 million Syrians need food aid: UN

Three million Syrians need food, crop and livestock assistance due to the conflict, the United Nations food aid agencies said Thursday, citing a report by the UN and the Syrian government. That figure included 1.5 million Syrians who ‘need urgent and... Full story

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India probes series of blasts in western city

Federal anti-terror agents joined local police in the western Indian city of Pune on Thursday to probe a series of low-intensity blasts the night before when the new home minister had been due to visit. Full story

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Congress approves new Iran sanctions on oil, shipping sectors

The Congress overwhelmingly passed a new package of sanctions against Iran on Wednesday that aims to punish banks, insurance companies and shippers that help Tehran sell its oil. Full story

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Six dead as Typhoon Saola lashes Taiwan

Typhoon Saola pounded Taiwan with fierce winds and torrential rain that left six people dead and forced nearly the entire island to shut down on Thursday, rescuers and media said. Nearly 200 international and domestic... Full story

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US election spotlight swings back to jobs

With Mitt Romney lagging in the polls and reeling from a blunder-filled foreign trip, the focus of the White House race will return to his strong suit Friday when the latest US jobs report is unveiled. Full story

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US sees ‘progress’ with Pakistan in talks

The US commander in Afghanistan said Thursday that ‘significant progress’ was being made in improving cooperation with Pakistan, after his first visit since Islamabad ended a blockade on NATO supplies. Full story

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UN polio suspension hits 22,000 Pakistan children

Around 22,000 Pakistani children are at risk in Karachi after the World Health Organization suspended polio vaccinations over a spate of bloody shootings, a UN official warned Thursday. Full story

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N Koreans urgently need drinking water after floods: UN

Tens of thousands of flood-hit North Korean families urgently need clean drinking water to prevent disease outbreaks, UN agencies said Thursday. The agencies and other aid groups reported their assessment... Full story

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Chinese teen kills nine in knife attack

A teenager has been arrested after killing nine people and wounding four others in a knife attack in northeast China, state media reported Thursday. The 17-year-old, who was identified only by his surname Li, barged... Full story

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Rural Indians survive on 77 cents a day: survey

The average household in rural India spends just 43 rupees per head a day, with their urban equivalents consuming almost double, according to new government data. The latest study from the National Sample Survey... Full story

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Philippine floods persist, toll rises to 23

Rescuers deployed rubber boats while doctors fanned across cramped evacuation centres in the Philippines as the death toll from five days of flooding reached 23 on Thursday, officials said. Full story

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Five dead as Kabul suicide attack foiled

Five insurgents planning a suicide attack in Kabul were killed in a pre-dawn gunbattle in the capital, an Afghan security official said Thursday. Fighting raged for six hours after Afghan forces raided a house... Full story

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Drilling discovers ancient Antarctic rainforest

Drilling of the seabed off Antarctica has revealed that rainforest grew on the frozen continent 52 million years ago, scientists said Thursday, warning it could be ice-free again within decades. Full story

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Russia tests faster space docking route

An unmanned Russian cargo ship docked with the International Space Station (ISS) in a record time, officials said Thursday, taking just under six hours from launch to complete the journey. Full story

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Three jets in near miss at Washington DC airport

Three US commuter jets were involved in a near miss two days ago at Reagan National Airport after a mix up by air traffic controllers, the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed Thursday. Full story

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