Our deepest sympathy to all victims of the Christchurch earthquake victims. Our prayers for all of you.

The Philippines said Saturday it will auction off two properties once owned by late dictator Ferdinand Marcos for at least 315.8 million pesos ($7.3 million).

East Timor voted Saturday in the country's second presidential election as a free nation, seen as a key test for a young democracy taking charge of its own security as UN forces prepare to leave.

A US soldier who allegedly shot dead 16 civilians in Afghanistan was being held in a US military jail in Kansas Saturday as his name and new details about the veteran's past emerged.

Dazzling Lewis Hamilton claimed pole position for the Australian Grand Prix Saturday ahead of his McLaren team-mate Jenson Button, with defending world champion Sebastian Vettel back in sixth.

Philippine airport immigration officials have tightened monitoring of arrivals from Africa after a spate of arrests of drug mules from the continent, according to a spokeswoman.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is planning to run for election to the Australian Senate, the organisation announced on Twitter.

Vernon Philander produced the best figures of his remarkable early career for South Africa to wrap up the second Test against New Zealand by nine wickets inside three days on Saturday.

New York art dealers might need to pull out marker pens and add zeros to their price tags during Asia Week sales starting this week in auction houses and galleries across the city.

Triple Beijing Olympic champion Stephanie Rice was ninth fastest into the semi-finals of the 200m medley behind Alicia Coutts at the Australian Olympic trials in Adelaide on Saturday.