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George and Amal Clooney attend New York political-comedy reading

George and Amal Clooney attended a performance at New York’s Seaview Studio where the actor took part in a reading of the political comedy Smear!

Thomas Markle released to house arrest after child-abuse-image charge

Thomas Markle Sr, the estranged father of the Duchess of Sussex, has been charged in Florida with one count of possessing child sexual abuse material and released on bond under house arrest.

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Kenya cult toll climbs to 98 as families await news of missing

The number of victims linked to a suspected starvation cult in Kenya climbed to 98 on Wednesday as weeping relatives anxiously awaited news of loved ones after investigators unearthed mass graves last week.

Theranos founder Holmes stays out of prison with appeal

Fallen US biotech star Elizabeth Holmes will stay out of prison for now after her lawyers lodged a last-minute appeal to avoid starting her 11 year sentence.

Rights group accuses Peru of condoning protester killings

Human Rights Watch has accused Peru's authorities of turning a blind eye as security forces committed "extrajudicial and arbitrary" killings of protesters in recent anti-government demonstrations.

Sudan fighting mars shaky truce as ex-regime members flee prison

A Sudanese war crimes suspect, part of the Islamist regime ousted in 2019, has escaped jail as heavy battles rock the country, heightening fears for a fragile ceasefire amid new clashes Wednesday.

Disney sues Florida governor DeSantis over 'retaliation'

Disney on Wednesday filed suit in federal court against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, alleging his administration's takeover of its theme park district in the state is part of "a targeted campaign of government retaliation."

Fire severely damages Russian cultural centre in Cyprus

A large fire caused extensive damage Wednesday at the Russian cultural centre in the capital of Cyprus, which is home to thousands of Russians as well as Ukrainian refugees.

Russia's Navalny says he could face life in prison

Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny said Wednesday he could face life in prison on "terrorism" charges while another popular opposition politician went on trial in Russia's escalating clampdown on dissent.

Kenya cult toll climbs to 95 as families await news of missing

The number of victims linked to a suspected starvation cult in Kenya climbed to 95 on Wednesday, a government official said, with weeping relatives anxiously awaiting news of loved ones after investigators unearthed mass graves last week.

Powerful Iranian cleric killed in attack at bank

A powerful Iranian cleric, a member of the Assembly of Experts that selects the country's supreme leader, has been killed in an armed attack, officials said Wednesday.

Desperate search for missing families in Kenya cult horror

Outside a morgue, Bethy Kahindi wailed for her missing sister, certain she was the victim of a Kenyan cult believed to have brainwashed dozens of followers into starving to death.

UK blocks Microsoft's $69-bn Activision takeover

Britain on Wednesday blocked Microsoft's $69-billion takeover of US video game giant Activision Blizzard, arguing it would harm competition in cloud gaming and leaving the blockbuster deal in peril.

Kenyans fear for relatives linked to cult as search for bodies resumes

Weeping relatives on Wednesday awaited news of loved ones linked to a suspected starvation cult in Kenya as police resumed the search for victims after unearthing dozens of bodies since last week.

Pope heads to Hungary weeks after hospital stay

Weeks after a health scare, Pope Francis heads to Hungary Friday to meet Ukrainian refugees and nationalist leader Viktor Orban, with whom he has not always seen eye to eye.

Singapore hangs prisoner over 1 kg of cannabis

Singapore on Wednesday hanged a prisoner convicted of conspiracy to smuggle one kilogram of cannabis, authorities said, ignoring international calls for the city-state to abolish capital punishment.

Trump raped, 'destroyed' ex-columnist, US civil trial hears

Donald Trump raped a prominent former American columnist then "ridiculed" her with defamatory comments, a US civil trial hearing a lawsuit against the ex-president was told Tuesday.

S.Africa backtracks on quitting ICC after communication 'error'

South Africa is not planning to quit the International Criminal Court, as earlier suggested by President Cyril Ramaphosa, his office said Tuesday, citing a communication error from the ruling ANC party.

Indigenous Brazilians demand more land reserves

Thousands of indigenous Brazilians are gathered in the capital this week to demand the creation of new reserves on their ancestral lands.

Rape allegation against Trump heads to civil trial

A civil trial over an allegation that ex-president Donald Trump raped a prominent former American columnist three decades ago got underway Tuesday with jury selection.

Kenya starvation cult 'massacre' toll hits 90 as search paused

The death toll from a suspected Kenyan starvation cult climbed to 90 on Tuesday, including many children, as police said investigators were pausing the search for bodies because the morgues were full.

Turkey detains 126 pro-Kurdish suspects ahead of vote

Turkey on Tuesday detained 126 pro-Kurdish activists, journalists and lawyers in raids conducted just three weeks before a knife-edge vote that could extend President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's two-decade rule.

Harry Belafonte, pioneering performer and activist, dies at 96

Harry Belafonte, the superstar entertainer who introduced a Caribbean flair to mainstream US music and became well known for his deep personal investment in civil rights, died Tuesday in Manhattan, his publicist said. He was 96.

French court halts clearance of Indian Ocean island slum

A French court halted the controversial clearance of a slum due Tuesday in the Indian Ocean island territory of Mayotte, dealing a blow to a major operation by the Paris government aimed at improving security.

S.Africa's Ramaphosa says ruling party wants country to quit ICC

President Cyril Ramaphosa said Tuesday his ruling ANC party had resolved that South Africa should quit the International Criminal Court, which last month issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Kenya starvation cult 'massacre' toll climbs to 89

Kenyan investigators unearthed another 16 bodies on Tuesday in a forest where a cult was believed to be practising mass starvation, bringing the number of victims so far to 89 including children.

Cult of 'Miracle Rabbi' transforms sleepy Hungarian village

They come in their tens of thousands by chartered plane, bus and even helicopter to the shrine of Hungary's "Miracle Rabbi" to pray for health, wealth and marriages for their children.

Ex-Audi exec pleads guilty over 'dieselgate'

A former top executive at German carmaker Audi on Tuesday pleaded guilty over the "dieselgate" emissions-cheating scandal that rocked parent company Volkswagen, after a lengthy trial.

Turkey detains 110 pro-Kurdish suspects ahead of vote

Turkey on Tuesday detained at least 110 pro-Kurdish activists, journalists and lawyers in raids conducted just three weeks before a knife-edge vote that could extend President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's two-decade rule.

Kenya starvation cult toll climbs to 83 as more bodies found

Kenyan investigators on Tuesday exhumed 10 more bodies from mass graves linked to a starvation cult, bringing the total number of victims to 83, an AFP journalist at the scene said, as fears grow of the toll spiking even further.

China charges journalist with espionage: media rights group

Chinese authorities have formally charged a prominent journalist with spying, over a year after he was detained while having lunch with a Japanese diplomat, a media rights group said.

Kenya fears more starvation cult victims as search resumes

Fears were growing in Kenya on Tuesday that there could be more victims of a starvation cult as investigators resumed their searches after finding dozens of corpses in mass graves.

French court halts expulsions from Indian Ocean island slum

A French court halted the controversial clearance of a slum due Tuesday aimed at expelling migrants from its Indian Ocean island territory of Mayotte -- a plan that has sparked clashes between locals and security forces and sparked tensions with neighbouring Comoros.

Japan's 'cringeworthy' cartoon cars make image U-turn

Yosuke Takahata doesn't care what people think of his "itasha" car, which has his favourite anime character -- a sexy, red-eyed horse-woman -- emblazoned across both sides.

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