Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei announced a new hardline head of one of the country's top oversight bodies on Monday, while former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad kept his seat despite a string of controversies. The appointment of former judiciary chief Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi...

Pakistan has kicked off a day of celebrations marking the country's 70 years of statehood and independence. The festivities began on Monday with gun salutes in the capital of Islamabad and in each of the four provincial capitals. In Islamabad, President Mamnoon Hussain hoisted the...

Tensions on the Korean peninsula eased slightly on Monday as South Korea's president said resolving Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions must be done peacefully and key U.S. officials played down the risk of an imminent war with North Korea. Concern that North Korea is close to achieving its goal...

The "Big Ben" bell in the British parliament's famous clock tower will cease its regular bongs at noon on Aug. 21, falling silent for most of the next four years while renovation works are carried out, the House of Commons said Monday. The hammers which have struck the 13.7 tonne bell every...