Axa, the world's largest insurer, plans to stop investing in the tobacco industry to help highlight the human and economic cost of smoking.

The far-right and independent candidates in Austria's presidential run-off are neck-and-neck with the result now depending on postal ballots.

At least 17 schoolgirls, aged between five and 13, are killed by a fire at their dormitory in northern Thailand.

About 30 climbers are suffering frostbite or illness on Mount Everest, after two more died from apparent altitude sickness.

India launches an unmanned model space shuttle into orbit, joining the race to develop reusable space crafts.

Libyan coastguards say they intercepted boats carrying 850 migrants trying to reach Europe, as Turkey prepares to host a UN humanitarian conference.

German drugs and chemicals company Bayer makes a $62bn offer for Monsanto, in a takeover bid that would create the world's biggest agricultural supplier.

President Obama announces the US is completely lifting its embargo on sales of lethal weapons to Vietnam, its one-time enemy.