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Australians told 'prepare for worst' as tropical cyclone nears

Violent winds toppled power lines Friday as a tropical cyclone inched towards Australia's eastern coast, sparking evacuation orders and leaving more than 50,000 homes without electricity.

Gisele Pelicot's daughter says has filed sex abuse case against father

The daughter of convicted French rapist Dominique Pelicot said Thursday she had filed a complaint against her father accusing him of sexual abuse, after he was jailed for repeatedly sedating and raping her mother Gisele Pelicot along with dozens of strangers.

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Accused of repression, Nicaragua's Ortega swears in hooded 'volunteer' force

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, under sanctions for human rights abuses, has sworn in 30,000 hooded civilians as a "volunteer police" force the opposition fears will be used as a tool of political repression.

Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmaker jailed over 2019 mob attack

A Hong Kong court jailed a former pro-democracy lawmaker and six others on Thursday for rioting in relation to a mob attack in 2019, despite lawyers arguing that the men were victims not aggressors.

Caution urged as ailing pope records slight improvement

Pope Francis, battling pneumonia in both lungs, slept well and is resting, the Vatican said Thursday, after revealing the 88-year-old's condition was slightly improving.

North Korea behind $1.5 billion crypto theft, FBI says

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday accused North Korea of being behind the theft of $1.5 billion worth of digital assets last week, the largest crypto heist in history.

'Escaping hell': Myanmar scam centre workers plead to go home

Hundreds of exhausted young men lie in an open-sided detention centre in a seedy Myanmar border town, sweating through thick tropical heat by day and prey to clouds of mosquitoes by night.

'Contemplated suicide': Ethiopians recount horror of SE Asia scam centres

Starved, beaten and electrocuted, Ahmed remains traumatised months after being trafficked to Southeast Asia, one of an untold number of Africans forced to work in scam centres far from home.

French paedophile surgeon's ex-wife 'suspected nothing', she tells court

The ex-wife of a French former surgeon on trial for allegedly assaulting or raping 299 patients insisted Wednesday that she "suspected nothing" of his crimes following accusations by the physician's brother that she was in the know and failed to act.

Mexican security cabinet heads to US seeking to avert tariffs

Top Mexican officials including the foreign and security ministers are heading to Washington seeking an agreement with President Donald Trump's administration to avoid sweeping tariffs, President Claudia Sheinbaum said Wednesday.

French paedophile surgeon's wife knew and 'did nothing', his brother tells court

The then wife of the French former surgeon on trial for allegedly assaulting or raping 299 patients was aware of his actions but "did nothing", the doctor's brother told the court Wednesday.

Power restored, curfew lifted after Chile's massive blackout

Chileans were able to return to a sense of normalcy on Wednesday after a curfew expired and authorities said power was restored to most homes following the country's worst blackout in well over a decade.

Sufi leader plans for Vatican-like state in Albania

In Albania's capital, Baba Mondi envisions a Vatican-like state for his Bektashi faith on a tiny scrap of land that would serve as a model for love and tolerance.

Power restored to most homes after Chile's massive blackout

Chilean authorities said they restored power to most homes on Wednesday, hours after a massive, rare blackout caused transport chaos in the capital and forced the president to declare a state of emergency and curfew across much of the country.

Australian says 'wasn't nice' sitting with corpse on long-haul flight

An Australian couple have criticised Qatar Airways after a blanket-draped corpse was seated next to them during a long-haul flight.

India's vast Hindu festival draws to an end

India's Kumbh Mela festival wraps up Wednesday, with final ritual river bathing ceremonies ending six weeks of celebration that organisers say have been attended by hundreds of millions of devotees.

Chile declares state of emergency after massive blackout

Chile on Tuesday declared a state of emergency and curfew across much of the country, including the capital Santiago, following a massive, rare blackout that left millions without power.

France's most-wanted in custody after extradition from Romania

A suspected gangland killer described as France's "public enemy number one" was formally indicted on a slew of organised crime charges including murder before an investigating magistrate in Paris late Tuesday after his extradition from Romania.

Syria conference lays out post-Assad priorities, but Kurds not invited

A national dialogue conference held Tuesday in Damascus set out a path for the new Syria following the fall of Bashar al-Assad but did not receive support from Kurdish leaders, who were not invited.

Ailing pope 'critical but stable', Vatican says

Pope Francis, who is in hospital with pneumonia in both lungs, is still in a critical condition but is stable and working from his sick bed, the Vatican said Tuesday.

High-profile convict lands in France handed over by Romania

A suspected gangland killer described as France's "public enemy number one", who was arrested in Romania over the weekend after months on the run, arrived in France on Tuesday, said a source close to the case.

Syria national conference lays out post-Assad priorities

Syria's national dialogue conference, held Tuesday in Damascus, called for transitional justice, freedom and a state monopoly on arms to be among the cornerstones of the country's reconstruction after Bashar al-Assad's overthrow.

Syria leader vows state 'monopoly' on weapons at post-Assad dialogue conference

Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa pledged Tuesday to ensure a state monopoly on weapons at a national dialogue conference, saying his country was at a "new historic phase" after Bashar al-Assad's overthrow.

'Doctor of the poor' becomes Venezuela's first saint

Venezuela will soon have its first saint, after ailing Pope Francis on Tuesday canonized a physician who died more than 100 years ago, revered for his selfless service during a previous pandemic.

Ex-archbishop in firing line over UK church abuse scandal

Several Church of England clergy, including a former leading cleric, faced possible disciplinary action on Tuesday after being named in a scathing report on one of the Church's worst abuse scandals.

Romania says detained French high-profile convict has left for France

A suspected gangland killer described as France's "public enemy number one", who was arrested in Bucharest over the weekend after months of being on the run, has left Romania for France, Romanian airport authorities told AFP on Tuesday.

Thai police arrest Briton for overstaying visa by 25 years

Police in Thailand have arrested a British man for overstaying his tourist visa by a record 25 years, a senior officer told AFP on Tuesday.

Bangladesh army chief warns country 'at risk' from infighting

Bangladesh's army chief on Tuesday blamed infighting for deteriorating law and order, warning that the gains of the student-led revolution that toppled the government last August were at risk.

Search for doomed MH370 resumes 11 years after disappearance

A fresh search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has been launched more than a decade after the plane went missing in one of aviation's greatest enduring mysteries.

New Syria leader vows state 'monopoly' on weapons

Syria's new interim president pledged on Tuesday to ensure the state has a monopoly on weapons at a national dialogue conference on the country's future after Bashar al-Assad's overthrow.

Ailing pope resting amid slight improvement: Vatican

A critically ill Pope Francis, battling pneumonia in both lungs, slept well, the Vatican said Tuesday after earlier reporting a "slight improvement" in the health of the 88-year-old.

Ailing pope 'rested well' amid improvement: Vatican

A critically ill Pope Francis, who is battling pneumonia in both lungs, "rested well", the Vatican said Tuesday after earlier reporting a "slight improvement" in the condition of the 88-year-old.

Milan Fashion week opens as luxury sector struggles

Flair and fanfare promise to light up the Milan Fashion Week catwalks starting Tuesday, but upcoming shows will struggle to distract from a worrying slump in the luxury sector.

What happens next in S. Korea as Yoon's impeachment trial wraps up

South Korea's ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial wraps up on Tuesday, capping weeks of high political drama following his shock decision to declare martial law.

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