Esther Tanquintic-Misa

Pope Francis and his much-touted humble advocacy and leadership will be put in the limelight and consequently tested as to how he will handle the alleged lavish lifestyle spending of German bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst. The latter is currently in the radar of the Roman Catholic group for allegedly allocating some $42 million to renovate his residence and construct new diocesan offices.

A 94-year old Chinese woman has been afforded rights by a court in China on the legal action she slapped against her four adult children. Zhang Zefang had taken her children to court for abandonment because they refused to take care of her.

A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck southern Philippines Tuesday morning. Unconfirmed reports said at least four people have died toppling power lines and leaving some provinces without electricity.

China's central government has dangled an $818 loot reward for its six most polluting regions to speed up the cleaning operation and curb the country's growing environmental problems.

China has pledged to stop operations of at least 2,000 coal mines by 2015 in its bid to regulate production of the raw commodity and clean up the air.

Air Canada is now not just in the hot seat but may well ought to be inside a dog pen after how it handled the case of a dog that went missing from one of its supposed flights.

Losing a loved one to unexpected death is really heartwrenching, specially if it involved a newly born baby. But the parents of an unidentified UK baby decided to go the extra mile to donate their child's kidneys to a patient who badly needed it, in the hopes that someday they would be able to feel their child's presence again."

A luxury building currently undergoing repairs in Medellin, Colombia collapsed on Saturday. Search and rescue teams are trying to find at least 11 missing people from under the wreckage.

Iran will blast another space monkey within a month, according to a report in the Iranian Web site Press TV.

The ruling of the provincial British Columbia Court of Appeal to uphold on Thursday the ruling that bans assisted suicide or right to die has gone controversial. Supporters vowed to take the matter before the Supreme Court of Canada.

Electronics manufacturer Foxconn, embroiled in yet another work labour controversy, has admitted that it has an existing internship program with Xi'an Technological University of China that allows its students to work in the company's plant in the Chinese city of Yantai. However, it denied that work-study program is only voluntary and it does not allow students to render overtime and night work.

China is now the world's leading oil importer, surpassing the U.S. in September, according to latest data released by the latter's Energy Information Administration (EIA).

An investigative journalist working for Guangzhou-based newspaper New Express has been arrested by Chinese authorities for allegedly spreading corruption rumours against high ranking officials.

Female drivers from Saudi Arabia are revving up to stage a protest on Oct 26 to pressure state government to lift the ban on women driving.

Authorities at the Universal Studios in Florida suspended operations on Wednesday night after 12 passengers got stuck high in the air at its Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster.

NASA is currently on the hot seat after it decided to bar Chinese scientists to an upcoming conference in November. China has cried discrimination. Some U.S. scientists likewise expressed disgust.

Six workers of Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant have been directly exposed to leaking radioactive water. The Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), the plant's operator, on Wednesday said the unfortunate accident occurred due to carelessness when one of the workers detached a pipe connected to a water treatment system at the site.

A 52-year-old UK man, by all effects drunk, was unceremoniously tasered by police at Manchester Airport when he got naked down to his birthday suit, tattoos and beer belly for all to see. Not only that, he likewise challenged the pilot to a fight.

Member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) collectively agreed on Wednesday to share satellite data information that will monitor the haze development in each country in a bid to curb illegal fires and prevent its occurrence and spread in the region.

Married lesbian couples are most likely to succumb to failed marriages and divorce more than their male, gay counterparts, analysis of figures released the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed.

A marine mammal park has been set to be constructed and launched within five years in Taiji, in Wakayama Prefecture on the south-west coast of Honshu. Visitors will get to swim alongside marine animals whales and dolphins. However, there's something more - visitors can also eat the animals' meat, a project sure to catch the ire of animal lovers and protectors.

Xi Jinping, China's new president, may have to go to the root core of corruption in the country if he wants it totally eliminated - the state educational system. While academic performance still matters, it's been found that Chinese parents bribe teachers and school administrators to ensure their child gets preferential treatment and placement in the school.

A state official of the China's ruling Communist Party was sacked Tuesday after the reported three-day lavish wedding celebration of his son amounting to over 1.6 million yuan ($260,000). Such move amplifies the government's intent to restrict government staff from extravagant lifestyle and curb the notion for graft and corruption.

In what could be a major blow to U.S. plane maker Boeing (BA), Japan Airlines on Monday announced it has finally decided to purchase 31 A350 wide-body jets from Airbus, with a worth placed at $9.5 billion. Moreover, the purchase agreement between the two companies has options for a further 25 aircraft.

They want him back home, and the family of Joe Thompson, a 12-year old British schoolboy who has a strong fear of flying, would do anything to pluck him out of Abu Dhabi. The final straw was applying hypnotherapy. It proved to be successful because the lad is now home with his family and playing with his dog.

China's Web and online activity has been found to be heavily guarded, scrutinised and policed by two million people, according to a report by local Beijing News.

Typhoon Fitow, the strongest typhoon to hit China since 1951 that emanated from the east coast, has left at least five people dead, four missing and half a million people affected and displaced by floods.

What could have been a peaceful and relaxing week-long holiday for residents turned otherwise when northern China was again surrounded by fog and pollution on Sunday. The situation was so extreme that authorities had to suspend air flight operations as well as closed at least six expressways.

At least 100 people have died, among them children, after a boat containing asylum seekers caught fire and sank off the island of Lampedusa in Italy. The boat carried a total of 500 African asylum seekers.