AFP, KALAY, Myanmar: Rescuers raced yesterday to help tens of thousands stranded by rooftop-high floods in Myanmar, as the UN warned that swollen rivers threaten more areas and large swathes of Asia were hit by deadly monsoon rains. Authorities in Myanmar said the death toll from flash floods and landslides…

AFP, KUALA LUMPUR: Beijing faces pressure over its island-building in the South China Sea during high-level Asian security meetings this week that will include the top US and Chinese diplomats. China is expanding tiny reefs into islands and topping some with military posts to reinforce its disputed…

AFP, MAIDUGURI, Nigeria: Nigeria’s army claimed to have freed nearly 180 hostages—including more than 100 children—held by Boko Haram jihadists in a dramatic weekend rescue. The operation in the country’s conflict-torn northeast also led to the capture of a Boko Haram commander,…

AFP, SANAA: The leader of Yemen’s Iran-backed rebels said a political settlement with the exiled government was still possible after what he called the “short-term” setback of their ouster from second city Aden. Abdulmalik al-Huthi said the rebels would welcome a new attempt by a third…

AFP, PARIS: Malaysian aviation experts were to meet their French counterparts and judges yesterday to coordinate the investigation into missing flight MH370, days after the discovery of a washed-up plane part offered fresh hopes of solving the mystery. Technical experts, including from US aerospace…

AFP, NEW DELHI: India has ordered hundreds of porn sites blocked citing “objectionable” content, a government official said yesterday, kicking off an angry row about freedom of speech in the world’s biggest democracy. The telecommunications ministry has directed Internet service providers…