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Church and state clash over entry fee for Paris's Notre Dame

France's powerful culture minister on Monday locked horns with the country's Roman Catholic establishment on whether tourists should pay to enter Notre Dame cathedral when it reopens next month.

Russian extradited to US from SKorea to face ransomware charges

A Russian national has been extradited to the United States from South Korea to face charges he distributed ransomware that targeted schools, hospitals and other institutions, the Justice Department said Monday.

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Spain MPs pass amnesty law for Catalan separatists

Spanish MPs on Thursday approved an amnesty law for Catalan separatists with their figurehead Carles Puigdemont already mulling his return after years of self-imposed exile to avoid prosecution over the 2017 independence bid.

Bulgaria's Orthodox Christian patriarch dies aged 78

The leader of Bulgaria's Orthodox Christian church, Patriarch Neophyte, died late Wednesday at the age of 78, the Holy Synod announced.

Death toll climbs to seven in huge northern China blast

A large suspected gas explosion at a building in northern China has left at least seven people dead and dozens more injured, state media reported Thursday.

French top uni rocked by domestic violence scandal, pro-Palestinian demo

An elite French university was on Wednesday dragged into the national spotlight as its director quit over alleged domestic violence and a pro-Palestinian demonstration sparked accusations of anti-Semitism.

Famine stalks Sudan in second Ramadan plagued by war

Sudan this week entered its second straight Ramadan in the throes of a deadly war that has left much of the country gripped by the spectre of famine.

Top French school head resigns accused of domestic violence

The head of one of France's leading universities said Wednesday he was stepping down after being ordered to stand trial in a domestic violence case.

'Tied to the bed': Horrors of giving birth in Serbia

Biljana Cicic-Stanic still bristles when she remembers the pain, violence, and humiliation she endured while giving birth to her son in Serbia, an experience many women say is normal in the Balkan country's hospitals.

Honduran ex-first lady seeks presidency after husband's conviction

A former Honduran first lady said she will contest the 2025 presidential elections, an announcement that follows days after her husband's conviction for trafficking hundreds of tons of cocaine into the United States.

Huge blast kills two, injures 26 in northern China

A huge suspected gas explosion at a restaurant in northern China killed two people and injured 26 more during Wednesday rush hour, state media reported, causing severe damage to buildings.

Japan space rocket explodes seconds after launch

A rocket made by a Japanese company exploded seconds after launch on Wednesday, in a spectacular failure for the start-up's bid to put a satellite into orbit.

Huge blast kills one, injures 22 in northern China

A huge suspected gas explosion at a restaurant killed one person and injured 22 more on the outskirts of Beijing during Wednesday rush hour, state media reported, causing severe damage to buildings.

Japan private rocket explodes seconds after launch

A rocket made by a Japanese company exploded seconds after launch on Wednesday, in a spectacular failure for the startup's bid to put a satellite into orbit.

Japan private rocket explodes just after launch

A rocket made by a Japanese company exploded just after launch on Wednesday, with public broadcaster NHK showing footage of the fiery failure.

Miami Beach cracks down on Spring Break party excess

College students usually turn Miami Beach's main drag into a huge street party at this time of year -- blocking traffic as they drink and dance to thumping reggaeton music.

'Hybrid' US sheep breeder used endangered genetic material, faces jail

A US man who tried to breed enormous hybrid sheep using genetic material from endangered animals so he could sell them to trophy hunting ranches faces jail time after pleading guilty to wildlife crimes on Tuesday.

Aid boat bound for Gaza as UN agency chief decries 'war on children'

A Spanish charity boat taking food to Gaza left Cyprus on Tuesday in hopes of opening a maritime corridor to carry sorely needed aid to the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.

Andrew Tate to face UK extradition after Romania case

Influencer Andrew Tate will face extradition to Britain over sex offence accusations, but only after his separate case on human trafficking and other charges in Romania is finished, a judge ordered Tuesday.

The many chilling myths of Prague's 'lunatic graveyard'

It was the setting of the chilling graveyard scene in "Amadeus", may have held the bones of Gavrilo Princip -- the man who started World War I -- and Margaret Thatcher paid a mysterious visit there when she was British prime minister.

'Activist pope' hampers Vatican peace efforts with Ukraine comments

Pope Francis is a passionate advocate for peace but his latest controversial comments on Ukraine clash with the Vatican's official line and risk hampering its diplomatic efforts to end the war with Russia.

Romania detains Andrew Tate over UK sex offence charges

Controversial British-American influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan have been arrested in Romania over UK sex offence charges, police said on Tuesday.

Spanish aid ship sails for Gaza as Israel-Hamas war grinds on

A Spanish charity ship taking food aid to Gaza left the Mediterranean island of Cyprus on Tuesday in an attempt to open a maritime corridor to the war-ravaged and besieged Palestinian territory.

Five remain hospitalised after technical problem on Boeing-made LATAM flight

Five passengers remained in hospital Tuesday after a technical problem on a LATAM flight from Sydney to Auckland caused the Boeing-made plane to dip violently, the airline and first responders told AFP.

Tehran football derby ignites passions in Iran

Excitement is running high among fans of Tehran's two football giants before Wednesday's derby between Persepolis and Esteghlal whose long-running rivalry has ignited passions in sports and politics for decades.

Five dead, three missing after French weekend storms

Five people died over the weekend when violent storms swept southern France, authorities said Monday, as rescue services continued their search for three missing people, including two children.

12 hospitalised after technical problem on Boeing-made LATAM flight

Twelve passengers were hospitalised Monday after a technical problem on a LATAM flight from Sydney to Auckland caused the Boeing-made plane to dip violently, the airline and first responders told AFP.

US man sentenced to life in Germany for tourist rape-murder

A German court handed an American man a life sentence Monday for raping and killing a fellow US tourist near Bavaria's famed Neuschwanstein castle last year.

European arms imports nearly double over Ukraine: study

Weapons imports to Europe nearly doubled over the past five years, partly due to the war in Ukraine, while exports from Russia halved, researchers said on Monday.

Kyoto seeks to guard geishas from tourist 'paparazzi'

Kyoto is cracking down after locals complained that Instagram-obsessed tourist "paparazzi" are harassing the Japanese city's famous, immaculately dressed geisha.

'Anybody but Putin': Russians in Serbia vote without hope

Konstantin fled Russia to avoid being drafted into the army to fight in Ukraine. But he still wants to have his voice heard in Russia's elections later this month -- even though he has no one to vote for.

Panama slams aid groups for allegedly encouraging illegal migration

Panama's government on Sunday accused international aid groups of encouraging illegal migration by handing out maps to help those crossing the treacherous Darien Gap jungle.

Frankfurt lights up for Ramadan in first for Germany

The German city of Frankfurt switched on festive lights Sunday to celebrate the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in what local media said was a nationwide first.

Three dead, four missing after floods snare cars in southern France

French rescue workers recovered three bodies on Sunday and were searching for four other people, including two children, after violent storms lashed the southeast of the country, with most believed to have been swept away in cars on flooded bridges.

Muslim nations announce start of Ramadan in shadow of Gaza war

Ramadan will begin on Monday, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE announced, with the Muslim holy fasting month taking place against a backdrop of devastating war in Gaza.

Kyiv slams Pope's 'white flag' call, vows no surrender to Russia

Ukraine on Sunday slammed Pope Francis's call to negotiate with Russia two years into its invasion, vowing "never" to surrender after the pontiff said Kyiv should "have the courage to raise the white flag".

Seven missing after floods snare cars in southern France: official

French rescue workers were on Sunday searching for seven people, including two children, missing after violent storms swept the south of the country with most believed to have been swept away in cars on flooded bridges.

Cambodia earns new world record for largest 'bridal carry'

Hundreds of Cambodians braved sticky tropical heat to set an unusual new world record: for the most people performing a "bridal carry" at the same time.

US coast guard investigates Los Angeles oil spill

The US Coast Guard is investigating a two-mile-long oil spill just off the California coast near Los Angeles, officials said Friday.

Apple ends block on EU app store for Fortnite-maker Epic

Apple reversed course on Friday and will allow Epic Games to develop a competing European app store for iPhones after a feud between the two companies tested a new law governing big tech on the continent.

UN Security Council to vote on Sudan Ramadan ceasefire call

The UN Security Council will vote Friday on a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Sudan to coincide with the beginning of Ramadan next week as conditions in the country continue to deteriorate.

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