The US special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan was headed on a multi-nation tour through Asia and the Gulf ahead of two major conferences on Afghanistan's future..
Anwar al-Awlaqi, an Al-Qaeda leader wanted over attacks in the US, was killed Friday in an air raid in Yemen hailed by President Barack Obama as a "major blow" to terrorists.
Typhoon Nalgae was poised to hit the Philippines on Saturday, threatening more than a million people living in areas still flooded from a previous storm, officials said.
There were hopes there could be survivors from an Indonesian plane that crashed with 18 people aboard, the government said, after rescuers spotted the fuselage intact and a door open.
In the ultimate accolade for the world's mad scientists, spoof Nobel prizes were awarded for studies into beetle sex, yawning, and other daffy investigations.
China is due to take its first step towards building a space station on Thursday when it launches an experimental module ahead of the country's National Day celebrations.
US online retail giant Amazon launched a touchscreen tablet computer, the Kindle Fire, that costs $199, less than half the price of the cheapest iPad from market-leader Apple.