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Wind lull offers hope in Los Angeles fires as blame game begins

Winds calmed Friday around Los Angeles, providing a fleeting window of opportunity for firefighters battling five major blazes, as official recriminations began over responsibility for the disaster.

Devastating LA fires expected to push up insurance premiums

The fires ravaging upmarket Los Angeles districts Pacific Palisades and Malibu will be the most expensive ever to hit California, according to experts, who expect premiums to rise in a region already abandoned by many insurers.

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Spectators flock to Iceland volcano

Curious onlookers made their way Thursday to the site of a volcano erupting near Iceland's capital Reykjavik to marvel at the bubbling lava, a day after the fissure appeared in an uninhabited valley.

Myanmar junta charges Japanese journalist with encouraging dissent

A Japanese journalist detained in Myanmar has been charged with breaching immigration law and encouraging dissent against the military, the junta said Thursday.

Tuneless Bangladeshi social media star grilled by police

An out-of-tune Bangladeshi singer with a huge internet following was hauled in by police at dawn and told to cease his painful renditions of classical songs, sparking a furore on social media.

Kenya's Ruto: the chicken seller turned presidential 'hustler'

Kenya's William Ruto, the sharp-suited deputy president now running for the top office, is one of the wealthiest men in the country but likes to portray himself as a champion of the poor and downtrodden.

Heavy rain hits northern Japan, 200,000 urged to evacuate

Bridges collapsed and rivers burst their banks as heavy rain lashed northern Japan on Thursday, with 200,000 residents urged to evacuate as authorities warned of dangerous flooding.

Beyond hummus: Palestinians cook up new food trends

From the ancient alleys of Jerusalem's Old City to kitchens around the world, Palestinians are stirring new trends in cooking while abiding by traditions.

Mexico races to rescue nine trapped miners

Rescuers battled Wednesday to free around nine workers believed to be trapped in a coal mine in northern Mexico, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said.

Lady Gaga dog robber sentenced to four years in US jail

A California court on Wednesday sentenced one of three men charged in the armed robbery of Lady Gaga's dog walker, in which the singer's French bulldogs were stolen, to four years in prison.

Deja vu as volcano erupts again near Iceland capital

A volcano erupted in Iceland near the capital Reykjavik on Wednesday, the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) said as live images on local media showed lava spewing out of a fissure in the ground.

Dutch declare shortage in 'land of water'

The Netherlands declared an official water shortage on Wednesday as the low-lying "land of water" was hit by Europe's sweltering summer.

Driest July in memory imperils Europe's crops

As much of Europe bakes in a third heatwave since June, fears are growing that extreme drought driven by climate change in the continent's breadbasket nations will dent stable crop yields and deepen the cost-of-living crisis.

Hearing Canada Indigenous horror like being 'slapped': pope

Pope Francis on Wednesday likened hearing first-hand tales of abuse at Catholic-run schools from Indigenous victims in Canada to being slapped.

Nintendo Q1 net profit jumps thanks to weak yen

Nintendo said Wednesday its first-quarter net profit jumped 28 percent on-year, mainly thanks to a weaker yen, but hardware and software sales declined because of a chip shortage and Covid-19 supply issues.

Clashes erupt in Bolivia capital between police and coca farmers

Clashes broke out Tuesday in the Bolivian capital La Paz between police and coca leaf producers in a dispute over control of the coveted commercialization of the plant.

Beirut blast victim's parents wage lonely battle for justice

Paul and Tracy Naggear have lived in grief since the massive explosion that tore through the Lebanese capital in 2020 killed their three-year-old daughter, and their anger boils over the stalled investigation.

In Haiti, children who fled gang wars face uncertain future

Skipping ropes, dominoes and some light manual work: this is how the 300-plus Haitian children at the Saint-Louis de Gonzague school -- transformed into a shelter -- try to forget, at least for a while, the gang violence that forced them to flee their homes.

US asks Argentina to seize grounded Venezuelan plane

The United States asked Argentina Tuesday to seize a Venezuelan plane that has been grounded in Buenos Aires since June after an Iranian airline allegedly violated Washington sanctions by selling it to Caracas.

Strong N.America sales boost Starbucks results despite China hit

Starbucks reported lower quarterly profits Tuesday despite higher sales, as strong demand and price increases in North America mitigated the hit from Chinese lockdowns.

California wildfire death toll hits four

At least four people are now known to have died in a wildfire sweeping through California, authorities said Tuesday, as they warned the toll from the state's worst blaze this year could rise further.

US Justice Dept sues Idaho to protect abortion access

The US Justice Department filed a lawsuit on Tuesday seeking to protect abortion access, its first litigation since the Supreme Court struck down the legal guarantees for the procedure.

Al-Qaeda faces succession quandary after Zawahiri killing

The killing of Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri in a US drone strike will not affect the operations of the terror group's affiliates across the world, but opens the way for a potentially troubled succession process.

Firefighters race to protect California town threatened by wildfire

Rain and cooler conditions brought some relief on Tuesday to hundreds of firefighters battling a wildfire in northern California that has killed two people and threatens the 8,000-strong town of Yreka.

Scientists call for more research into 'climate endgame'

The world must prepare for a "climate endgame" to better understand and plan for the potentially catastrophic impacts of global heating that governments have yet to consider, scientists warned Tuesday.

Natural disaster losses hit $72 bn in first half 2022: Swiss Re

Total economic losses caused by natural disasters hit an estimated $72 billion in the first half of 2022, fuelled by storms and floods, Swiss reinsurance giant Swiss Re estimated Tuesday.

Key Hong Kong court ruling to lift lid on national security cases

A Hong Kong court delivered a landmark ruling on Tuesday that will help lift the lid on secrecy-shrouded pre-trial hearings held under a national security law.

US kills Al-Qaeda chief in Kabul drone strike

President Joe Biden announced Monday that the United States had killed Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, one of the world's most wanted terrorists and a mastermind of the September 11, 2001 attacks, in a drone strike in Kabul.

Biden expected to announce death of Al-Qaeda chief al-Zawahiri

President Joe Biden was expected to announce Monday that the United States has killed Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, one of the world's most wanted terrorists and suspected mastermind of the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Cristina Kirchner oversaw 'corruption matrix' as Argentina president: prosecutor

Argentine Vice President Cristina Kirchner oversaw an "extraordinary corruption matrix" when she was head of state from 2007 to 2015, the prosecution argued Monday in her corruption trial.

Cannabis investment platform hit with Spain lawsuit

Nearly 1,200 investors have filed a class-action lawsuit in Spain against a medicinal cannabis investment platform operating worldwide, accusing it of fraud, embezzlement and money laundering, their lawyers said Monday.

Kentucky flood death toll hits 28 with more bodies expected

Kentucky's governor predicted bodies will continue to be found "for weeks" as the death toll from devastating flooding rose Sunday to 28 and rescuers embarked on a long and grueling effort to locate victims.

Contraband McMuffins cost traveller to Australia US$2,000

A traveller arriving in Australia from Indonesia has been hit with an almost US$2,000 fine after border guards detected two McMuffins and a ham croissant secretly squirrelled away in their backpack.

Beirut's blast-damaged grain silos partially collapse

Parts of Beirut's grain silos collapsed on Sunday, just days before the second anniversary of a catastrophic explosion at the Lebanese capital's port that ravaged the stores and swathes of the city.

Portugal, France battle big forest fires as mercury soars

Portugal and France on Sunday battled major forest fires as temperatures rose sharply this weekend.

Rescuers face renewed rain as Kentucky flood death toll hits 26

Rescuers in Kentucky are taking the search effort door-to-door in worsening weather conditions as they brace for a long and grueling effort to locate victims of flooding that devastated the state's east, its governor said Sunday.

Climbing Mont Blanc a tall order as Europe swelters

Rocks the size of fridges have been tumbling from Mont Blanc as summer temperatures soar, scaring away many hikers from Western Europe's highest mountain.

Cyprus tourism rebounds despite sanctions-hit Russia plunge

Beside sparkling Mediterranean waters at the Cypriot resort town of Ayia Napa, the bars are bouncing with foam dance parties as tourist numbers rebound following two tough years of pandemic.

Saudi women DJs go from hobbyists to headliners

Standing behind her control tower with headphones around her neck, Saudi DJ Leen Naif segues smoothly between pop hits and club tracks for a crowd of business school graduates noshing on sushi.

Mountain melt shutters classic Alpine routes

Little snow cover and glaciers melting at an alarming rate amid Europe's sweltering heatwaves have put some of the most classic Alpine hiking routes off-limits.

Guatemalan corruption at one of 'worst' levels, says ombudsman

Corruption in Guatemala is at unprecedented levels under an "authoritarian" government that punishes prosecutors and judges investigating organized crime, the country's ombudsman told AFP in an interview.

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