Gushing hot lava from an erupting volcano killed six people sleeping in a beach village in eastern Indonesia on Saturday, after ash and smoke shot up to 2,000 metres (6,560 feet) into the air, a disaster official said.

Forty Indonesians believed to be illegal immigrants seeking to return home were missing Saturday after a boat carrying them sank off the coast of Malaysia, a maritime official said.

The father of US fugitive Edward Snowden reached out to his son on Russia’s national television Wednesday, telling him he did not mind if the intelligence leaker stays in Russia as long as he is safe.

A stormy, high-level meeting of senior Palestinian leaders called to discuss US secretary of state John Kerry’s latest peace proposal ended with a decision early Friday to demand guarantees that Israel agree on the general border of a future Palestinian state, officials said.

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has confirmed the death in a US drone strike of its deputy leader Saeed al-Shehri, whose killing has been announced a number of times by Yemeni authorities.

McDonald’s said on Tuesday it will open its first burger restaurant in Vietnam after awarding the franchise to the son-in-law of the communist-ruled nation’s Prime Minister.

North and South Korea failed on Monday to reach agreement on reopening a jointly run industrial estate, dimming hopes of an early improvement in ties after months of friction.

North and South Korea on Monday started fresh talks on reopening a joint industrial complex whose fate is seen as a touchstone for the future reduction of tension on the Korean peninsula.

Typhoon Soulik battered Taiwan with torrential rain and powerful winds on Saturday that left two people dead and at least 100 injured.

Evening attacks against Shiites in Iraq killed at least 24 people and wounded 49, Iraqi officials said on Friday, in the latest attempt by insurgents to exacerbate the country’s renewed sectarian tensions.