Vietnam's transport minister has ordered his senior staff off the golf course, complaining that their focus on the game is hurting their work.

High-ranking officials were instructed not to play golf or organize golf tournaments but instead concentrate on their jobs, according to the transport ministry website.

Hong Kong's pampered canines may have their own spas complete with jacuzzis and massage, but it can still be difficult for a dog to find inner peace. Help is now at hand in the shape of yoga instructor Suzette Ackermann and her yoga class -- for dogs.

Each Saturday morning in the city's Sheung Wan district, owners massage their pets before bringing them into postures such as the cobra pose, in which the hind legs are stretched out to the rear, as soothing music plays.

A Nigerian actor known for his comedic roles has found himself in a real-life absurdity: His bowel movements are being dutifully reported on front pages after he was detained for suspected drug trafficking.

Following two -- some say three -- bowel movements after being detained for allegedly seeking to transport drugs in his stomach while boarding a plane to Paris, the actor known as Baba Suwe has so far come up clean.

A Saudi woman convicted of burning her husband to death was beheaded on Wednesday, the interior ministry said.

Ghazala bint Nasser al-Balawi was condemned to death after being found guilty of killing Ali al-Shehri by pouring petrol in his house, setting it on fire after having locked the man inside asleep, it said in a statement carried by SPA state news agency.

Ask any Westerner what they think is the world's most popular spirit and they're unlikely to name -- or even to have heard of -- the lethally strong Chinese grain alcohol, baijiu.

But more baijiu is sold worldwide by volume than vodka, whisky or rum, say international drinks firms such as British brewer Diageo, and such is their enthusiasm for the national drink of 1.3 billion Chinese that several firms are trying to market baijiu overseas.

A California county Tuesday banned sex offenders from decorating their homes to attract kids on Halloween or from giving out candy to children when they come "trick or treating."

The Riverside County ordinance also barred sex offenders from lighting up their homes on the evening of October 31, when youngsters traditionally go door-to-door in search of treats.

A higher than usual phone bill can leave anyone stunned. And when Celina Aarons got a jaw-dropper for more than $200,000, it was no mistake.

The Florida woman has a plan that usually costs her $175 a month. She includes two of her brothers on it, who are deaf and mute, and use smart phones extensively for texting and communicating more easily.

An Australian woman mauled by a kangaroo as she walked her dogs said on Wednesday it was a miracle she survived the attack, in which the native animal clawed her head and body.

Janet Karson told The West Australian newspaper she was walking her three dogs in the bush near Manjimup south of the western city of Perth on Saturday when a kangaroo leapt out in front of her and one of her dogs gave chase.

A nine-year-old girl asked police why they pulled her over when she was "driving good" after her drunken father got her to drive his van in the middle of the night, U.S. media reported Tuesday.

The girl was sitting on a booster seat in the big red van, but somehow managed to reach the pedals and was even careful to use her turn signal.

A police dog who sustained a fractured skull while on duty during riots in London in August was given an official honor Tuesday for his exceptional bravery.

Obi, a three-year-old German Shepherd, and his handler PC Phil Wells were bombarded with bottles, bricks and petrol bombs while on the frontline in Tottenham, where the trouble first flared before spreading across London.