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Indigenous Australian lawmaker who heckled King Charles censured

An Indigenous lawmaker was censured by Australia's parliament Monday for heckling King Charles about the legacy of European settlement during his October visit to Canberra.

Trump taps big tech critic Carr to lead US communications agency

US President-elect Donald Trump tapped Republican Brendan Carr, an Elon Musk-backed critic of big tech, to lead the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), calling him a "warrior for Free Speech" in a statement on Sunday.

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Turkey's Erdogan puts conditions on support for Nordic nations' NATO bids

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday said Turkey would not look "positively" on Sweden and Finland's NATO bids unless its terror-related concerns were addressed, despite broad support from other allies including the United States.

Australia's new leader overcame crash, party coup rumblings

Anthony Albanese, Australia's newly elected prime minister, was rushed to hospital last year after a four-wheel-drive slammed into his car.

Australia's voters end decade of conservative rule

Australia's conservative Prime Minister Scott Morrison conceded election defeat Saturday, hours after voters issued a stinging rebuke of his party's inaction on climate change.

Palestinian militant teen killed by Israelis in West Bank clash

Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian teenage militant when clashes broke out during a Saturday raid in the flashpoint Jenin area of the occupied West Bank, Palestinian sources and the army said.

Early vote results show Australia's conservative PM in trouble

Early results in Australia's bitterly fought election showed conservative Prime Minister Scott Morrison facing an almighty struggle to remain in power, as voters offered a stinging rebuke of his party's inaction on climate change.

'Putin destroyed everything,' says Odessa mayor

Once derided as a Kremlin sympathiser, Odessa's Mayor Gennady Trukhanov likes to collect his thoughts before delving into his feelings about Russia and President Vladimir Putin.

Biden, Yoon signal expanded military drills due to N. Korea 'threat'

US President Joe Biden and South Korea's new President Yoon Suk-yeol signalled Saturday an expanded military presence in response to the "threat" from North Korea, while also offering to help the isolated regime face a Covid-19 outbreak.

Ukraine warns only talks can end war as Russia cuts Finland gas

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Saturday that only a diplomatic breakthrough rather than an outright military victory could end Russia's war on his country, as Moscow cut gas supplies to Finland.

Counting begins in Australia's nail-biter election

The first polls closed and counting was under way on Saturday in Australia's fiercely fought national election that could end a decade of unbroken conservative rule.

Biden, Yoon consider ramping up military drills in response to N. Korea threat

US President Joe Biden and South Korea's newly sworn-in President Yoon Suk-yeol said Saturday they will consider stepping up joint military exercises in response to the "threat" from North Korea, while also offering to help the isolated dictatorship face down a Covid-19 outbreak.

Biden, Yoon meet in shadow of North Korean nuclear sabre rattling

US President Joe Biden and South Korea's newly sworn-in President Yoon Suk-yeol met Saturday in Seoul to discuss fears of a nuclear weapon test by North Korea, even as the secretive dictatorship battles a raging Covid outbreak.

Russia targets Ukraine's last link to besieged east

The wounded coal miner peered through his shrapnel-splayed windshield and tried to ignore the flopping noises coming from his blown tyres as he drove along Ukraine’s last link with the besieged east.

Pentagon spokesman Kirby named to White House post

US Pentagon press secretary John Kirby will join the National Security Council as coordinator for strategic communications, the Biden administration announced on Friday.

For desperate migrants, hope is in breach at US border wall

Gladys Martinez's voice is almost lost in the crackling midday heat of Arizona as she steps onto US soil.

North Korean nuclear sabre rattling overshadows Biden's South Korea trip

President Joe Biden and South Korea's newly sworn-in President Yoon Suk-yeol meet Saturday in Seoul to discuss fears of a nuclear weapon test by North Korea, even as the secretive dictatorship battles a raging Covid outbreak.

Former FARC hostage Betancourt ends Colombia presidential bid

Ingrid Betancourt, who was abducted 20 years ago while campaigning for Colombia's presidency and held captive by FARC rebels for more than six years, has withdrawn from the race for the May 29 presidential election and thrown her weight behind independent candidate Rodolfo Hernandez.

Australia votes in close-fought election

Australia's election frontrunner Anthony Albanese asked voters flocking to the polls Saturday to give his centre-left party a "crack" at running the country after a decade of conservative rule.

Dogged determination: migrant and pup cross eight countries en route to US

With his fluffy black dog in tow, Gilberto Rodriguez left Venezuela two months ago on a perilous eight-country journey, mostly on foot, with dreams of a better life in the United States.

Polls open in bitterly fought Australian election

Polls opened in Australia's federal election Saturday, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison fighting for another three-year term that would extend a decade of conservative rule.

'Andean butcher' victims laid to rest 37 years later

Thirty-seven years after the worst massacre in Peru's conflict with radical leftist guerrillas, dozens of victims mowed down by the army were laid to rest on Friday.

Russia's hastily abandoned positions near Kharkiv

On a small hill around a dozen kilometres (seven miles) from Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city, some burnt-out vehicles lie abandoned. Nearby in the woodland undergrowth are the former positions of Russian troops.

Lebanon cabinet passes financial recovery plan during last session

The cabinet of bankrupt Lebanon, at its final session on Friday, passed a financial recovery plan needed to secure international aid, but its implementation will depend on the fractious incoming parliament.

Macron names new foreign, defence ministers in cabinet shake-up

French President Emmanuel Macron named new foreign and defence ministers on Friday as part of a government re-shuffle intended to create fresh momentum ahead of parliamentary elections next month.

US drops 'foreign terrorist' designation from Israeli, Basque, Egyptian groups

The US State Department on Friday removed its longstanding official "foreign terrorist organization" label from Israeli, Basque, Egyptian, Palestinian and Japanese extremist groups, but all will remain under a separate, broader terror designation.

'People die outside': Scores refuse to leave Ukrainian metro

Scores of people are camping out in the metro system of Ukraine's city of Kharkiv, still fearful of Russian shelling and refusing to renounce the discomforts despite Moscow's retreat from the area.

Syria lambasts Erdogan plan to return million refugees

Syrian authorities on Friday rejected plans by Turkey to return one million Syrian refugees to a "safe zone" on the border, state media reported.

Beijing, Huawei condemn Canada 5G ban as 'groundless' and 'political'

Beijing hit out Friday at Canada for banning two Chinese telecoms giants from Canadian 5G networks, calling Ottawa's security concerns "groundless", while Huawei said barring its services was a "political decision".

Russia prosecutes veteran rock star for criticising Ukraine conflict

Soviet rock legend and outspoken Kremlin critic Yuri Shevchuk has been charged with "discrediting" the Russian army after condemening Moscow's military campaign in Ukraine during a concert.

Ukraine orders end to defence of Mariupol

Ukraine on Friday ordered its remaining troops holed up in Mariupol's besieged Azovstal steelworks to lay down their arms after nearly three months of desperate resistance.

Irish PM visits N.Ireland for talks to end post-Brexit trade row

Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin was holding talks with Northern Ireland's political leaders on Friday to resolve a stand-off over post-Brexit trade, as Washington warned the UK its brinkmanship with Europe threatens peace.

Macron to shuffle government ahead of French parliamentary polls

French President Emmanuel Macron is to reshuffle his government on Friday ahead of parliamentary elections next month, which could include changes at the heavyweight foreign and defence ministries.

Headaches mount for Paris mayor after failed presidential bid

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, whose political capital has withered since a failed bid for the French presidency, is facing headwinds as she battles to revamp the city ahead of the Summer Olympic Games just two years away.

Hungary's neutral war stance puts off Ukraine refugees

Like Kristina Novytska, most Ukrainian refugees in Hungary are keen to leave the country, whose nationalist leader's neutral stance on the war is an exception in the EU.

Ukraine slams Russian attacks on Donbas 'hell'

Incessant bombardment has turned Ukraine's Donbas region into "hell", President Volodymyr Zelensky said, as the first post-invasion trial of a Russian soldier for war crimes neared its closely watched climax Friday.

Crisis-hit Sri Lanka expands cabinet, but no finance minister

Cash-strapped Sri Lanka appointed nine more ministers Friday to an "all-party government" tasked with trying to steer the country out of its economic crisis, but the crucial finance portfolio remains vacant.

Biden begins Asia trip in S. Korea, under North nuclear shadow

US President Joe Biden arrived in South Korea Friday, his first Asia trip as US leader, aiming to cement ties with regional security allies as concern over a North Korean nuclear test grows.

Ukraine war casts a chill in Norwegian Arctic town

War may be far away but tensions from the Ukraine conflict are causing an unprecedented chill in a remote Arctic town where Russian and Ukrainian coalminers have worked side by side for decades.

'Now it's for real': Ukraine war puts Sweden's military on alert

A new and more serious reality looms large for Sweden's conscripts as their military service now takes place in the shadow of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine slams Russian campaign in Donbas 'hell', US readies $40 bn in aid

The renewed Russian offensive in Ukraine's Donbas has turned the eastern region into "hell", President Volodymyr Zelensky said, as the United States approved a gargantuan $40-billion aid package for the country.

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