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Taliban chief orders ban on poppy cultivation in Afghanistan

The Taliban's supreme leader on Sunday ordered a ban on poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, warning that the hardline Islamist government would crack down on farmers planting the crop.

Pope visits Malta grotto of shipwrecked St. Paul

Pope Francis will visit the grotto Sunday where St Paul lived after washing up on Malta, on a trip to the island nation dominated by calls for better treatment of migrants.

Hong Kong-based chef gets first Michelin star for Venezuela

Arepas, tacos and an old family recipe of chimichurri: Ricardo Chaneton's symphony of flavours familiar to Latin Americans has earned his Hong Kong restaurant a coveted Michelin star -- the first awarded to a Venezuelan chef.

Torrential rains kill 10 in Brazil

Torrential rains triggered flash floods and landslides across Brazil's Rio de Janeiro state, killing at least 10 people including eight children, and leaving nine missing, authorities said Saturday.

Under 'shadows of war', Pope urges Malta not to fear migrants

Pope Francis reminded Malta of its roots as a "safe harbour" in his first visit to the Mediterranean island nation Saturday, warning it not to succumb to isolation and fear amid migrant crises on multiple fronts.

Afghans mark Ramadan -- first since Taliban seized power

Afghans across the country broke their dawn-to-dusk Ramadan fast on Saturday as Afghanistan marked the Muslim holy month -- the first since the Taliban seized power last year.

Pope tells 'safe harbour' Malta to resist isolation in migrant surge

Pope Francis reminded Malta of its roots as a "safe harbour" in his first visit to the Mediterranean island nation Saturday, warning it not to succumb to isolation and fear amid migrant crises on multiple fronts.

No stairs for Francis, pope boards plane via lift to Malta

Pope Francis skipped the stairs in boarding the papal plane for a two-day trip to Malta on Saturday, instead using a boarding lift for reduced mobility passengers.

Pope visits Malta, refuge of St. Paul, in Mediterranean mission

Pope Francis makes his first visit to Malta Saturday where he is expected to ask the heavily Catholic country to do more to help migrants who have risked their lives trying to cross the Mediterranean to reach Europe.

Stranded Ukrainians find comfort in crisis-hit Sri Lanka

As the sun dips below the Indian Ocean waves, Ukrainian tourist Viktoria Makarenko and her daughter light incense every evening at a temple in a Sri Lankan beach resort to pray for a return home.

US judge denies Ghislaine Maxwell request for new trial

A request for a new trial by Ghislaine Maxwell, the former Jeffrey Epstein associate who was convicted of child sex trafficking late last year, was denied Friday by a federal judge in New York.

First aid convoy in three months reaches Ethiopia's Tigray: UN

The first aid convoy in three months reached Ethiopia's war-stricken Tigray region on Friday, the UN said, a week after the government and Tigrayan rebels agreed to a conditional humanitarian truce.

Assault fine threatens Liang Wenbo's snooker tour spot

Liang Wenbo's position on the world snooker tour is under review after the Chinese cueman was fined for assaulting a woman in the northern English city of Sheffield, officials said.

Honduras seizes assets of ex-president awaiting extradition to US

Honduran authorities on Friday seized properties, financial holdings and other assets belonging to ex-president Juan Orlando Hernandez, who is awaiting extradition to the United States to face drug-trafficking charges, the public ministry said.

FIFA urged to eject Iran from World Cup over women stadium ban

FIFA on Friday faced calls to sanction Iran and even throw its team out of the 2022 World Cup finals over the Islamic republic's renewed failure to allow women to attend an international football match.

Ethiopia fails to block UN funding for human rights investigation

Ethiopia on Thursday failed to block the United Nations from funding an international committee that will investigate human rights violations by all parties in the nation's recent war.

Cod of war: Ukraine batters British fish and chips

They have weathered the storm of Brexit and Covid, and are fighting the tide of rising inflation. But thousands of Britain's fish and chip shops could be sunk by the war in Ukraine.

Exit Expo: Dubai world fair closes in blaze of fireworks

Dubai shuttered Expo 2020 with a colourful closing ceremony punctuated by fireworks on Thursday, leaving a multi-billion dollar mini-city in the desert and heightened expectations for future hosts.

FIFA faces new attack over rights in World Cup host Qatar

Lingering divisions over FIFA's decision to hold the World Cup in Qatar overshadowed the annual congress of football's world governing body on Thursday, forcing its president Gianni Infantino to insist that the event had already brought change to the Arab state.

Aleksandar Vucic: Serbia's populist leader seeks to extend reign

With another election victory in his sights, Serbia's populist President Aleksandar Vucic looks set to extend his rule over the Balkan nation after a decade of tightening his grip over the levers of power.

Shattered hopes and dark days for longtime Russian rights activists

For many years, veteran Russian human rights defender Oleg Orlov thought his country's darkest days were behind it. Not anymore.

Iran again bans women from football stadium

Iran has once again denied women entry to a football stadium to watch an international match, leaving hundreds of ticketed fans locked out, Iranian media said Wednesday.

Hackers got user data from Meta with forged request

Facebook owner Meta gave user information to hackers who pretended to be law enforcement officials last year, a company source said Wednesday, highlighting the risks of a measure used in urgent cases.

Trial of IS 'Beatle' begins as defense claims mistaken identity

The trial of an Islamic State fighter accused of belonging to a notorious kidnap-and-murder cell known as the "Beatles" began in earnest Wednesday near Washington, with his defense claiming he had been mistakenly identified.

Pro-Bolsonaro deputy holes up in Brazil Congress, defying court

A Brazilian lawmaker allied with President Jair Bolsonaro barricaded himself inside Congress Tuesday night to fight a Supreme Court judge's order for him to be fitted with an ankle monitor.

Irish ex-soldier was not IS member, says lawyer

The lawyer for an Irish ex-soldier accused of being a member of the so-called Islamic State group on Wednesday denied she was involved in terrorist activities, speaking on the final day of her trial.

Teenager jailed for racist abuse of Rashford after Euro 2020 final

A teenager has been given a six-week jail sentence for racially abusing England forward Marcus Rashford on Twitter after the Euro 2020 final.

Australian beach town of Byron Bay inundated by floodwaters

The Australian coastal enclave of Byron Bay, known for its celebrity residents and idyllic beaches, was inundated by floodwaters Wednesday as severe storms again battered the country's east.

US trial begins of Islamic State 'Beatle'

The first trial on US soil of an alleged major figure in the Islamic State (IS) group -- an accused member of the kidnap-and-murder cell known as the "Beatles" -- will begin in earnest Wednesday near Washington.

Shareholders sanction Ericsson board over Iraq corruption

Shareholders in Swedish telecom giant Ericsson on Tuesday sanctioned the company's board and chief executive over its handling of a corruption scandal involving possible payments to the Islamic State group in Iraq.

Vietnam issues arrest warrant for tycoon over stock manipulation

Vietnamese authorities have issued an arrest warrant for one of the country's wealthiest men over allegations he manipulated the stock market, officials said Tuesday.

Chilean denies murder of Japanese ex in high-profile French trial

A Chilean man on Tuesday denied to a French court that he had murdered his Japanese ex-girlfriend, Narumi Kurosaki, who disappeared in 2016 in a high-profile case that has spanned three continents.

The recent history of comedians being assaulted on stage

Comedians being assaulted on stage, as Chris Rock experienced at the hands of Will Smith during the Oscars on Sunday night, is extremely rare -- but not unheard of.

Hong Kong jails ex-opposition lawmaker over legislature folder grab

A former Hong Kong opposition lawmaker was jailed Tuesday for snatching a folder from an official during a legislature meeting, the latest sign of Beijing's tightening grip over the city's once-boisterous chamber.

France tries Chilean accused of murdering Japanese ex-lover

A Chilean man goes on trial in France Tuesday accused of the murder of his Japanese ex-girlfriend, Narumi Kurosaki, who disappeared in 2016 in a high-profile case that has gripped three continents.

Vietnamese dad spends thousands converting van into wooden tank for son

A Vietnamese father has spent hundreds of hours and invested thousands converting an old van into a wooden tank for his son -- an unusual hobby in a country once ravaged by war.

As Ukraine sowing season starts, fuel shortages threaten food supply

In an endless field in southwest Ukraine, farmers began to plant sunflower seeds at the start of the sowing season, but a fuel shortage threatens production in the war-torn country, whose land feeds millions around the world.

Five fates that tell the story of Hungary under Orban

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban calls his 12 years in power a "conservative revolution", transforming his country into an "illiberal democracy".

Singapore court dismisses mentally disabled man's death sentence appeal

Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam was arrested in 2009 for trafficking a small amount of heroin into the city-state, which has some of the world's toughest drugs laws, and handed a then mandatory death sentence the following year.

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