Health & Beauty

Cindy and Lana have a son and a daughter and form one of Taiwan’s newest types of family. They hope same-sex marriage will be legalised there, a move that would make Taiwan the first place in Asia to approve it. But opposition is growing, especially from religious groups. The BBC’s …

Image copyright Laugh Factory Malaysian stand-up comedian Harith Iskander has been crowned the “World’s Funniest Person” in 2016. The BBC’s Heather Chen spoke to the 50-year-old funny man by telephone after his win in Levi, Finland. At least one person is laughing as 2016 draws to a close. This year …

Image copyright AFP Image caption The dog was meant as a companion for Yume (left), given to Mr Putin in 2012 – also pictured: Buffy Russian President Vladimir Putin has turned down the offer of a dog as a gift from the Japanese government, according to a Japanese MP. Koichi …

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Anti-Park protesters gathered in Seoul for the seventh consecutive weekend Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters have marched in the South Korean capital, Seoul, to celebrate the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye. Gathering for the seventh weekend in a row, demonstrators held candles and …

Image copyright Thinkstock Image caption File image of fitting rooms A British man has been accused of secretly photographing 49 women as they changed in fitting rooms in Australia. The 28-year-old man was arrested at a swimwear store on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast on Saturday afternoon, police said. They allege videos …

Bill English has been sworn in as New Zealand’s prime minister, succeeding John Key who unexpectedly resigned from office last week. Mr English, who was serving as finance minister and deputy prime minister for the ruling National Party, was sworn in at Government House in Wellington. Social Housing Minister Paula …

Image copyright AFP Image caption Pro-democracy groups celebrated after hearing Leung Chun-ying would not stand again Pro-democracy groups in Hong Kong have made record gains on the Election Committee, which will decide the territory’s new leader. Amid a high turnout they have won more than 300 seats – about a …

Image copyright ABC Image caption Dylan Voller gives evidence at the royal commission A teenager says he was deprived of food, repeatedly strip-searched and forced to defecate in his pillowcase while in youth detention in Australia. Images of Dylan Voller wearing shackles and a spit hood caused outrage when they …

A Syrian refugee who couldn’t speak English two years ago has just passed exams with flying colours in Australia. But Saad Al-Kaab wasn’t always the best student. “I was actually, before the war, that boy who would say ‘I wish I could never go to school again’,” he tells Newsbeat. …

Image copyright Imran Qureshi Image caption The cyclone brought heavy rain and winds of up to 140km/h At least seven people have been killed and thousands evacuated from coastal areas in two southern Indian states, as Cyclone Vardah lashed Chennai (Madras). Schools and businesses were shut and airport services suspended, …