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Pope calls for end to Gaza war as world celebrates Christmas
People donned Santa caps on beaches, ski slopes and streets around the globe on Monday to celebrate Christmas, as Pope Francis called for an end to the wars in Gaza and Ukraine that this year have cast a shadow over one of the world's favourite holidays.
Israel pounds Gaza with no end in sight to war
Israel pounded Gaza on Monday, exacerbating the dire conditions for civilians with no end in sight to the war Hamas says has killed more than 20,000 people in the Palestinian territory.
Pope kicks off Christmas celebrations in shadow of war
Pope Francis has kicked off global Christmas celebrations with a call for peace, as Israel's war on Hamas and Russia's invasion of Ukraine cast a shadow over one of the world's favourite holidays.
US-Canada military center 'tracks' Santa for 68th year
The joint US-Canadian military monitoring agency has continued its decades-long Christmas tradition of tracking Santa's whereabouts, helping children around the globe find out when his reindeer-powered, present-filled sleigh is coming to town.
US-Canada military 'tracks' Santa for 68th year
The joint US-Canadian military monitoring agency has continued its decades-long tradition of tracking Santa's whereabouts, helping children around the globe find out when his reindeer-powered, present-filled sleigh is coming to town.
Indians held in France over trafficking fears questioned
Four French judges on Sunday began questioning more than 300 Indians travelling on a plane detained near Paris over suspicions of human trafficking.
13 dead, 38 injured in explosion at nickel plant in Indonesia
At least 13 people were killed and 38 injured in eastern Indonesia on Sunday in an explosion at a Chinese-funded nickel-processing plant, the owner of the industrial park that hosts the facility said.
As Senegal catches comedy bug, young stand-ups seek wider appeal
Stand-up comedy is taking Senegal by storm, with a crew of young comics gaining recognition well beyond the West African country's borders.
Libya's theatre stages comeback after country's years of turmoil
Dressed all in white, a man pretends to aim a slingshot towards another who, running away, tries to dodge the imaginary rock flung towards him.
Fantasy fair featuring Dali, Basquiat returns to life in California
Mesmerizing carousels and Ferris wheels designed by Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Kenny Scharf that spin to music by Miles Davis or Philip Glass -- this is "Luna Luna: Forgotten Fantasy."
Czechs mourn Prague university shooting victims
Flags on public buildings flew at half mast Saturday and masses were scheduled across the Czech Republic for a day of national mourning after a deadly shooting at Prague's Charles University -- the worst in the country in decades.
Unique Ecuador nativity scene aims for historical accuracy
A hunchback with goiter, a child decapitated by a soldier, and a woman with a bloodied face are among the unusual figures in an Ecuador nativity scene that aims to provide a realistic depiction of historical life.
UK police launch child abduction probe over teen found in France
UK police on Friday said they had launched a criminal probe into the alleged kidnapping of a British teenager who resurfaced in France six years after going missing abroad.
China earthquake death toll rises to 148
The toll from China's deadliest earthquake in years rose to 148 on Friday, state media reported, as authorities turned their attention to resettling thousands of people displaced by the disaster.
China unveils new gaming curbs, sending tech stocks tumbling
China announced Friday another set of planned curbs on the amount of time and money that people can spend gaming online, triggering a share market sell-off in some of the nation's biggest tech giants worth billions of dollars.
Saboteurs try to outfox hunters in England's countryside
Emerging from woods in a quiet corner of rural England, a small band of anti-foxhunting campaigners have just one goal: to confuse the pack of dogs chasing a fox and prevent its death.
Nigeria economic crisis dampens Christmas spirit
Lining up, they receive some rice, dried beans and other basic foodstuffs, whose soaring prices have left millions in Nigeria facing a bleak Christmas.
Etsy targeted by child trafficking conspiracy theories
Conspiracy theorists who believe in a secret cabal of child sex traffickers have set their sights on yet another online retailer: Etsy, a website best known for selling handmade items.
Clashes over fuel supply after Guinea depot blaze
Protesting youths and security forces clashed in Guinea's capital Conakry on Thursday as demonstrators demanded petrol be restored at service stations whose supplies were suspended after a deadly explosion at the country's main fuel depot.
Pornhub owner to pay $1.8 mn to US but will not face charges
The Montreal-based company that owns Pornhub will not face charges over links to a sex trafficking operation but has agreed to pay $1.8 million to the US government and make payments to victims, officials said Thursday.
Ex-NYC mayor Rudy Giuliani files for bankruptcy
Rudy Giuliani, Donald Trump's former personal lawyer, filed for bankruptcy on Thursday, just days after being ordered to pay $148 million in damages for defaming two Georgia poll workers.
Gunman kills 14, wounds 25 at Prague university
A 24-year-old student killed 14 people and wounded 25 at a Prague university on Thursday in the Czech Republic's worst shooting in decades, before authorities said the attacker was "eliminated".
Gunman kills over 15 people at Prague university
A 24-year-old student killed more than 15 people and wounded dozens more at a Prague university on Thursday in the Czech Republic's worst shooting in decades, before authorities said the attacker was "eliminated".
US airlines say they're ready for record holiday travel
US airlines are gearing up for record traffic this holiday season, having beefed up staffing in the hopes of avoiding a repeat of last Christmas's operational meltdown.
Prague university shooting kills 10
A gunman killed 10 people and wounded dozens more at a Prague university on Thursday in the Czech Republic's worst shooting in decades, before authorities said the attacker was "eliminated".
China in 'race against time' to house quake victims for winter
Chinese authorities are facing a "race against time" to ensure victims of the deadliest earthquake in years can be sheltered from freezing winter temperatures, a local official told AFP on Thursday.
Belief and hope in the pub of one of Ireland's last faith healers
Joe Gallagher is one of Ireland's last traditional faith healers, whose pub is visited by believers from across the country hoping for a cure for aches and pains, warts and rashes.
China quake survivors recover in hospitals as toll rises to 135
Chinese earthquake survivors recovered in hospital as rescue teams rushed to deliver supplies on Thursday, the third day since the country's deadliest quake in years killed 135 people.
Guatemala's Arevalo to rule 'without fear' after bid to block presidency
Despite a fierce campaign from Guatemala's ruling class to block Bernardo Arevalo from taking office, the president-elect told AFP he is confident he will be sworn in next month, vowing to rule "without fear."
Trump cases thrust Supreme Court into US election fray
The US Supreme Court played a critical role in deciding the 2000 presidential election when it halted a vote recount in Florida with Republican George W. Bush holding a razor-thin edge over Democrat Al Gore.
Ireland takes UK to European court over 'Troubles' amnesty law
Ireland announced legal action Wednesday against the UK government in the European Court of Human Rights over a law granting immunity to combatants in the Northern Ireland conflict.
Brawl mars Turkish football's return from suspension
A violent fight involving flying kicks marred Turkish football's return from a week-long suspension caused by a club president punching a referee.
Icelandic volcano eruption eases as evacuated village remains off-limits
A volcanic eruption that rocked Iceland this week diminished in intensity for a second day Wednesday, though media reports said a nearby evacuated fishing village would remain off limits for at least another week.
Suriname court upholds 20-year sentence for ex-president in murder trial
Suriname's highest court on Wednesday upheld a 20-year prison sentence for ex-president Desi Bouterse, who lost an appeal against his conviction for the 1982 killings of political opponents.
Survivors brave freezing cold after China quake kills 134
Survivors of China's deadliest earthquake in years huddled in makeshift aid tents despite freezing temperatures on Wednesday, too scared to return to homes made dangerous by the disaster.
Dani Alves set to go on trial for rape in February
Former Brazil football star Dani Alves will go on trial in Spain for allegedly raping a woman at a Barcelona nightclub in December 2022 between February 5-7, a Spanish court said Wednesday.
India court to weigh future of mosque in Hindu holy city
An Indian court has weighed into one of the country's most bitter religious disagreements by greenlighting cases on whether a mosque in the holy city of Varanasi should be opened to Hindu worshippers.
Survivors brave freezing cold after China quake kills 131
Survivors of China's deadliest earthquake in years huddled in aid tents on Wednesday after overnight temperatures plunged well below zero, with the death toll rising to 131.
'Like a saviour': Japanese women fall prey to host clubs
Growing up, Mirai Kisaragi fled her abusive parents, survived homelessness and contemplated suicide. At 18, she met her "saviour" at one of Tokyo's hundreds of host clubs, where men entertain women.