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Crowd braves rain to flock to Pope Leo's mass in Istanbul
Thousands of worshippers battled the rain to join Pope Leo XIV as he celebrated mass in Istanbul on Saturday, the last full day of his visit to Turkey.
Sri Lanka declares emergency as toll from floods, mudslides hits 153
Sri Lanka declared a state of emergency on Saturday and appealed for international assistance as the death toll from floods and mudslides triggered by Cyclone Ditwah rose to 153, with another 191 people missing.
Travel chaos fears ease after Airbus intervenes on software fix
Fears of days of travel chaos across Europe and the world eased on Saturday after plane manufacturer Airbus intervened rapidly to implement a software upgrade it had said was immediately needed on some 6,000 of its stalwart A320 planes.
Ultra-Orthodox military conscription row reignites in Israel
A new draft law on conscripting ultra-Orthodox Jews, whose support is crucial for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, has sparked uproar in Israel, with the opposition denouncing it as a special privilege for "draft-dodgers".
Hong Kong begins mourning period after fire kills at least 128
An outpouring of grief swept Hong Kong on Saturday as crowds paid their respects and laid flowers for the 128 people killed in one of the city's deadliest fires, marking the start of an official, three-day mourning period.
Thailand, Indonesia begin clean-up after massive floods kill hundreds
The death toll from devastating floods and landslides in Southeast Asia climbed past 350 on Saturday as clean-up and search and rescue operations got underway in Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia.
Pope to visit Istanbul's Blue Mosque
Pope Leo XIV will visit Istanbul's famed Blue Mosque early on Saturday on the third day of his trip to Turkey.
Trump says pardoning Honduras ex-president days before vote
US President Donald Trump on Friday made a major intervention into Honduran politics days before the country's presidential election, pardoning a convicted ex-leader and threatening to cut US support if his preferred candidate loses.
Colombia spy chief says working 'hand in hand' with CIA despite row
Colombia's spymaster on Friday told AFP that intelligence-sharing with the CIA and other US agencies is "completely fluid" despite an angry public spat between the country's two leaders.
'Tormenting': Relatives search through images of the dead after Hong Kong blaze
It has been two days since Fung lost contact with his mother-in-law, when the Hong Kong housing estate where the elderly woman lived went up in flames -- but he has not given up on bringing her home.
Zelensky removes top aide after anti-graft raids
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday removed his powerful chief of staff and top negotiator, Andriy Yermak, after detectives raided his house as part of a sweeping corruption probe.
France charges fourth suspected member of Louvre heist gang
France on Friday charged the fourth alleged member of a gang arrested over last month's spectacular jewel heist at the Louvre museum, prosecutors said.
Papal travels reflect changing Catholic diplomacy
The foreign visits of the last three popes illustrate how the Catholic church's diplomatic priorities have evolved in recent decades, moving increasingly away from Europe.
UN fears mass-electronic surveillance during Myanmar vote
Elections scheduled in military-ruled Myanmar next month could never be free or fair, the United Nations insisted Friday, warning that the junta could unleash mass-electronic surveillance on polling stations.
Pope, Orthodox leader celebrate early Christian milestone in Iznik
Pope Leo XIV called for unity among Christians on Friday at an ecumenical gathering on the shores of Lake Iznik to celebrate 1,700 years since one of the early Church's most important gatherings.
Sri Lanka deploys troops as floodwaters rise, death toll hits 69
Sri Lankan troops were racing to rescue hundreds of people marooned by rising floodwaters on Friday as weather-related deaths rose to 69, with another 34 people declared missing.
Zelensky top aide searched by anti-graft investigators
Ukraine's anti-corruption authorities on Friday raided the home of President Volodymyr Zelensky's powerful chief of staff and top negotiator, Andriy Yermak, searches that come as a massive graft scandal embroils Kyiv.
Sri Lanka deploys troops as floodwaters rise, death toll hits 56
Sri Lanka deployed the military for relief and rescue operations on Friday as the death toll from floods and landslides across the island rose to 56, with another 21 people missing.
Hong Kong's deadliest blaze in decades kills at least 128, dozens missing
The death toll from Hong Kong's worst blaze in decades rose to 128 on Friday, with dozens still missing, as authorities said fire alarms in the residential estate buildings had been malfunctioning.
Turkey not 'hostile' to Christians, Constantinople patriarch says
Muslim-majority Turkey, which is hosting Pope Leo XIV on his first overseas trip as pontiff, is not "a hostile environment" for Christians, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople told AFP in an interview.
Sri Lanka deploys troops as weather toll climbs to 56
Sri Lankan authorities deployed the military for relief and rescue operations Friday as the death toll from floods and landslides rose to 56, with another 21 people listed as missing.
Attacker of Pope John Paul II removed from Turkish town ahead of Leo's visit: media
A man who attacked Pope John Paul II in 1981 was escorted from the Turkish town of Iznik on Thursday ahead of Pope Leo XIV's visit there, Turkish media reported.
Government groceries? NY's new leftist mayor eyes supermarket experiment
New Yorkers struggling to afford food in the country's biggest city -- and often exorbitantly expensive financial capital -- may finally get a break if the incoming socialist mayor's daring new plan succeeds.
Hong Kong's deadliest blaze in decades kills at least 94, scores missing
Hong Kong authorities said on Friday the death toll from the city's worst fire in decades had risen to at least 94, with the blaze almost entirely extinguished and rescuers scouring torched high-rise buildings for scores of people still listed as missing.
Israeli forces shoot dead two Palestinians apparently surrendering in West Bank
The Israeli army and police said Thursday they were investigating the circumstances in which two Palestinians were shot dead in the occupied West Bank while seemingly surrendering to Israeli forces.
Peru's ousted 'president of the poor' gets 11-year sentence for coup bid
Peru's Supreme Court on Thursday sentenced leftist ex-president Pedro Castillo to more than 11 years in jail for trying to dissolve Congress and rule by decree to avoid impeachment.
Peru's ousted 'president of the poor' gets 11-year sentence for rebellion
Peru's Supreme Court on Thursday sentenced former left-wing president Pedro Castillo to 11 years, five months and 15 days in prison for trying to disband Congress and rule by decree in December 2022.
Colombia general, intel boss suspended over alleged guerilla ties
A Colombian army general and an intelligence chief were suspended on Thursday following allegations they leaked sensitive information to a guerrilla leader, the attorney general's office told AFP.
Hong Kong's deadliest blaze in decades kills at least 83, scores missing
Hong Kong authorities said on Friday the death toll from the city's worst fire in decades had risen to at least 83, as firefighters scoured torched high-rise buildings for scores of people still listed as missing.
Hong Kong's deadliest blaze in decades kills at least 75, scores missing
Hong Kong authorities said on Thursday the death toll from the city's worst fire in decades had risen to at least 75, as firefighters scoured torched high-rise buildings in an apartment complex for scores of people listed as missing.
Grieving Hong Kong families search stark photos for fire victims
A middle-aged woman emerged, weeping and clinging to her companion, from a community hall now used as a victim identification station in the shadow of smouldering apartment towers that mark Hong Kong's worst fire in decades.
Pope urges Turkey to embrace mediator role on first overseas trip
Pope Leo XIV began a four-day visit to Turkey on Thursday, urging Ankara to embrace its role as a mediator in a world gripped by conflict, he said after talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.