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Cardinal George Pell: Vatican treasurer faces historical sexual offences trial
Nine months after Myanmar assaults, Rohingya camps ready for spate of births
Border patrol violence: US paid $60m to cover claims against the agency
France's 1968 uprising, 50 years on: 'It's harder for the youth today'
Leaked questions reveal what Mueller wants to ask Trump about Russia
'Heavy smoker' Kim Jong-un shunned cigarettes during peace talks
Nuclear deal: Netanyahu accuses Iran of cheating on agreement
WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum quits over privacy disagreements with Facebook
Trump suggests meeting Kim on border as South Korean leader touts Nobel
Stormy Daniels sues Donald Trump for defamation
EU says it is ready to wage trade war with US
Four skiers die in Swiss Alps after spending night in snowstorm
David Goodall: 104-year-old scientist to end own life in Switzerland
Christians in Jerusalem's Old City 'under threat' from settlers
Archbishop hits out at 'political aims' of some Alfie Evans campaigners
Venice braces itself for May Day 'invasion'
Benjamin Netanyahu: 'Iran lied about nuclear programme' – video
After 'shithole countries' row, Trump tries flattery with Nigerian president
'They don't want us because we're foreigners': migrant caravan camps on US border
Dining while black: Toronto restaurant fined after charging customers up front
Peppa Pig, subversive symbol of the counterculture, falls foul of Chinese censors
2017 was deadliest year on record for Colombian human rights defenders
'Why don't they help us? They're killing us': Puerto Rico after the storm | Rossalyn Warren
Older people accused of faking poor health to get aid, study shows
Trump approach to Iran and North Korea is a gamble for glory
The US and Afghanistan: can’t win the war, can’t stop it, can’t leave
ABC's Q&A: it's 'ridiculous to ascribe a madman strategy' to Trump over North Korea – video
Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria: 'We're American, too, why don't they help?' – video
Aftermath of second deadly explosion in Kabul – video
Meet Doug Ford, the Canadian conservative candidate being compared to President Trump – video

Cardinal George Pell: Vatican treasurer faces historical sexual offences trial

Posted: 01 May 2018 02:16 AM PDT

Australia's most senior Catholic has said he will plead not guilty to all charges
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Cardinal George Pell, Australia's most senior Catholic and the controller of the Vatican's finances in Rome, has pleaded not guilty after he was ordered to stand trial over historical sexual offence allegations.

Pell has always denied the allegations against him, but it was the first time he had been required to enter a formal plea.

Nine months after Myanmar assaults, Rohingya camps ready for spate of births

Posted: 30 Apr 2018 04:00 PM PDT

Agencies braced for spike in unwanted children who were conceived as a result of sexual violence by Myanmar soldiers and militiamen

When hundreds of thousands of Rohingya flooded into south-east Bangladesh last year they told of systematic rape and other sexual violence by Myanmar soldiers and militiamen.

May will mark nine months since that exodus started. Aid agencies, especially those who work with women and children, have been bracing for the date. Over the next weeks, babies conceived as a result of sexual assaults committed during the crackdown will be born.

Border patrol violence: US paid $60m to cover claims against the agency

Posted: 30 Apr 2018 10:00 PM PDT

Exclusive: analysis of more than a decade of official data reveals government paid settlements after deaths, alleged assaults and wrongful detention

The US government has paid out more than $60m in legal settlements where border patrol agents were involved in deaths, driving injuries, alleged assaults and wrongful detention, an analysis of more than a decade of official data reveals.

Since taking office, Donald Trump has been pushing to expand the patrol force at the southern border, insisting recently on Twitter: "Border Patrol Agents are not allowed to properly do their job at the Border because of ridiculous liberal (Democrat) laws."

France's 1968 uprising, 50 years on: 'It's harder for the youth today'

Posted: 30 Apr 2018 09:00 PM PDT

'If there's one thing in common … it's young people's despair,' says Antoine Guégan, whose father Gérard staged campus sit-ins in 1968

When French riot police raided the Paris 3 University campus in Censier at dawn on Monday morning, evicting student protesters, the ghost loomed large of the student uprisings of May 1968.

Emmanuel Macron, the first French president born after that civil unrest, has faced several protests this spring. These have ranged from student sit-ins against the introduction of more selective entry requirements for university admissions, to train strikes over changes to state railways, and opposition to a new immigration law. Macron has said the demonstrators are in a minority and vowed to press on with his planned liberal overhaul of the economy.

Leaked questions reveal what Mueller wants to ask Trump about Russia

Posted: 30 Apr 2018 08:12 PM PDT

A list of nearly 50 questions has been obtained by the New York Times, and more than half relate to possible obstruction of justice

Robert Mueller, the special counsel investigating Russian interference in the US election, wants to ask Donald Trump about contact between his former election campaign manager Paul Manafort and Russia, the New York Times reported on Monday.

The paper said it had obtained a list of nearly 50 questions that Mueller, investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, wants to put to the US president. More than half relate to potential obstruction of justice.

'Heavy smoker' Kim Jong-un shunned cigarettes during peace talks

Posted: 30 Apr 2018 09:04 PM PDT

New details emerge about North Korean leader's vices at summit with South Korean president last week

Kim Jong-un confirmed that he enjoyed a drink during Friday's historic summit with Moon Jae-in, but it was his refusal to give in to his other vice that has caught the attention of the South Korean media.

Over the course of their meetings, Kim, who is known to be a heavy smoker, did not light up once in Moon's presence, apparently out of respect for the South Korean president, who is 31 years his senior.

Nuclear deal: Netanyahu accuses Iran of cheating on agreement

Posted: 30 Apr 2018 12:52 PM PDT

Israeli PM claims 'new and conclusive proof' shows Iran hid nuclear weapons, though evidence had been seen by UN watchdog

Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Iran of continuing to hide and expand its nuclear weapons knowhow after a 2015 agreement with global powers, presenting what the Israeli prime minister claimed was "new and conclusive proof" of violations.

Netanyahu presented a series of slides and photographs of documents that he said were drawn from a half-ton cache obtained by Israeli intelligence "a few weeks ago". The New York Times reported that Mossad had broken into a warehouse in January and smuggled them to Israel the same night. The report did not say how such a large amount of documentation was transported in secret.

WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum quits over privacy disagreements with Facebook

Posted: 30 Apr 2018 03:41 PM PDT

WhatsApp was built with a focus on privacy and a disdain for ads, but the Facebook-owned service is now under pressure to make money

The chief executive and co-founder of WhatsApp, the Facebook-owned messaging app, is leaving the company over disagreements about privacy and encryption.

Jan Koum will also step down from Facebook's board of directors, a role he negotiated when WhatsApp was acquired by Facebook for $19bn in 2014, according to the Washington Post.

Trump suggests meeting Kim on border as South Korean leader touts Nobel

Posted: 30 Apr 2018 06:03 AM PDT

President suggests summit at site of historic meeting last week
Moon Jae-in: 'President Trump should win the Nobel peace prize'

Donald Trump on Monday tweeted a suggestion that his planned meeting with Kim Jong-un could take place at the Peace House on the border between North and South Korea, the same site as Kim's historic meeting last week with South Korean president Moon Jae-in.

Moon, meanwhile, suggested that Trump should win the Nobel peace prize for his efforts to end the nuclear standoff with Pyongyang.

Stormy Daniels sues Donald Trump for defamation

Posted: 30 Apr 2018 11:29 AM PDT

At issue is Trump's dismissal of a composite sketch that Daniels says depicts a man who threatened her to keep quiet over alleged affair

The adult film actor who claims she had an affair with Donald Trump is escalating her legal fight, suing the president for defamation.

EU says it is ready to wage trade war with US

Posted: 30 Apr 2018 08:48 AM PDT

Diplomatic talks continue, but Europe remains in the dark about Donald Trump's mindset

The EU has warned that it will not "shoot from the hip" but is fully prepared for a trade war with the US amid heightened concerns that the bloc's last minute crisis talks are doomed to fail.

With tariffs on steel and aluminium on European exports to the US due to come into force on Tuesday, Cecilia Malmström, the European commissioner for trade, made a final diplomatic push in call with the US commerce secretary, Wilbur Ross.

Four skiers die in Swiss Alps after spending night in snowstorm

Posted: 30 Apr 2018 09:39 AM PDT

Five survivors in 14-member group in a critical condition; others have mild hypothermia

Four skiers have been killed and five others are in a critical condition after an unexpected snowstorm in the Swiss Alps forced them to spend the night outdoors.

Bad weather near the Pigne d'Arolla mountain caught the group of 14 skiers by surprise on Sunday, police in Valais canton said.

David Goodall: 104-year-old scientist to end own life in Switzerland

Posted: 30 Apr 2018 08:18 AM PDT

Goodall's decision is reigniting a debate about euthanasia in Australia where assisted suicide is illegal

Australia's oldest scientist, who caused a stir when his university tried to vacate his office aged 102, will fly to Switzerland in early May to end his life, reigniting a national euthanasia debate.

David Goodall, who is now 104, does not have a terminal illness but his quality of life has deteriorated and he has secured a fast-track appointment with an assisted dying agency in Basel, euthanasia advocates said.

Christians in Jerusalem's Old City 'under threat' from settlers

Posted: 30 Apr 2018 09:00 PM PDT

Church leaders claim priests are being verbally abused and spat at while property is being vandalised in ancient walled city

Christians in Jerusalem's Old City say their presence at the geographical heart of their faith is under threat from intimidation and aggressive property acquisition by hardline Jewish settlers.

According to church leaders, priests are being verbally abused and spat at, and property vandalised.

Archbishop hits out at 'political aims' of some Alfie Evans campaigners

Posted: 01 May 2018 01:15 AM PDT

Cardinal Nichols' comments come amid rising criticism of role of Christian groups in case

The Catholic archbishop of Westminster has suggested that some people who campaigned in the case of Alfie Evans, the child who died last week after a protracted legal battle over his treatment, "used the situation for political aims".

Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the most senior Catholic cleric in England and Wales, said it was right for a court to "decide what's best, not for the parents, but for the child".

Venice braces itself for May Day 'invasion'

Posted: 30 Apr 2018 10:30 PM PDT

Metal barriers aimed at separating visitors and locals on key routes into Venice are expected to be put to use on 1 May despite protests by locals against the controversial measure

I am standing on Venice's Bridge of Sighs on a Sunday morning … or at least trying to: a tsunami of tourists is flooding towards the Piazza San Marco (St Mark's Square): people wielding umbrellas or gripping plastic pints of Aperol Spritz, bossy tour guides shepherding cruise-ship passengers, backpacking millennials and many others. So far, so typical, except this weekend – a four-day bank holiday that began on Saturday 28 April and runs to Tuesday 1 May – the city, already straining under the weight of mass tourism, is anticipating record visitor numbers.

Even before it started, the local press had dubbed the long weekend a "nightmare", an "invasion" and a "Bollino Nero" (code black), a term more commonly used by Italians to describe motorway gridlocks.

Benjamin Netanyahu: 'Iran lied about nuclear programme' – video

Posted: 01 May 2018 12:08 AM PDT

The prime minister of Israel presents what he says is evidence of a secret Iranian nuclear weapons programme, which contravenes the 2015 agreement signed by global powers. Netanyahu claimed that files obtained by Israeli intelligence proves, among other things, 'Iran continued to preserve and expand its nuclear weapons knowledge for future use'

Nuclear deal: Netanyahu accuses Iran of cheating on agreement

After 'shithole countries' row, Trump tries flattery with Nigerian president

Posted: 30 Apr 2018 02:37 PM PDT

In his first meeting with an African leader, Trump called Muhammadu Buhari's homeland 'beautiful' and said he would like to visit

Donald Trump was described as "the perfect African president" way back in October 2015 when the comedian Trevor Noah drew parallels between the then long shot candidate's xenophobia, mendacity, braggadocio and lavish lifestyle with certain leaders on the continent. "Donald Trump is presidential," Noah, from South Africa, said on the Daily Show. "He just happens to be running on the wrong continent."

The US president has said little about Africa since taking office except when inventing a new country – "Nambia" – and slandering "shithole countries" (allegedly). On Monday, he hosted a leader from sub-Saharan Africa for the first time: Muhammadu Buhari, the president of Nigeria. The gaffe potential was immense.

'They don't want us because we're foreigners': migrant caravan camps on US border

Posted: 01 May 2018 01:09 AM PDT

Trump branded them dangerous, officials said they couldn't process them, but the asylum seekers are staying for as long as it takes

As the migrants fled violence-wracked homelands and travelled through Mexico towards the US, the fictions grew wilder.

They were would-be invaders. A dangerous horde bent on violating US law. Pawns of a liberal conspiracy. Living proof of the need to build a wall.

Dining while black: Toronto restaurant fined after charging customers up front

Posted: 01 May 2018 02:00 AM PDT

Judge orders $10,000 payment to Emile Wickham as Canada seeks to fight systemic racism, despite its reputation for inclusivity

When Emile Wickham and three friends arrived at a popular Chinese restaurant in Toronto, they were eager to unwind from a busy day at the university and celebrate Wickham's birthday.

But after ordering their meal, the group was informed by staff at Hong Shing that they would be required to pay before they ate – a policy they were told applied to all patrons.

Peppa Pig, subversive symbol of the counterculture, falls foul of Chinese censors

Posted: 01 May 2018 01:44 AM PDT

Cartoon is celebrated by 'unruly slackers', says state-run paper, as it falls foul of the censors

The latest subversive symbol in China is a small pink cartoon pig: Peppa Pig to be precise.

The wildly popular children's character was recently scrubbed from Douyin, a video sharing platform in China, which deleted more than 30,000 clips. The hashtag #PeppaPig was also banned, according to the Global Times, a state-run tabloid newspaper.

2017 was deadliest year on record for Colombian human rights defenders

Posted: 01 May 2018 12:00 AM PDT

More than 120 social leaders were murdered, many of them by contract killers, rights groups tell International Criminal Court

Killings of human rights defenders in Colombia, many of them by hit men or "sicarios", have soared since the accord was signed, according to evidence submitted by rights groups to the International Criminal Court.

Last year, the first full year of peace in Colombia after half a century of conflict, was the deadliest on record for human rights defenders, with 121 killed, compared with 60 killings in 2016.

'Why don't they help us? They're killing us': Puerto Rico after the storm | Rossalyn Warren

Posted: 30 Apr 2018 10:00 PM PDT

With electricity and water still scarce following Hurricane Maria, islanders are angry about perceived US indifference

Gloria Meléndez knew the women's shelter had to close down. The building was so badly damaged after Hurricane Maria that the electricity didn't work, and water no longer ran from the taps. With nowhere for the mothers and their children to go, she decided to wait until the new year before closing the door. Shortly before Christmas, local people donated one week's worth of fuel for the generator.

"Christmas is a big deal in Puerto Rico," says Gloria, who works for the charity Casa de la Bondad. "And so the children decorated the tree, and put lights on it, and then for a few hours each night they lit them up using the generator."

Older people accused of faking poor health to get aid, study shows

Posted: 30 Apr 2018 08:08 AM PDT

The older you get, the less likely you are to get lifesaving help in a crisis, says report, and people with disabilities are worst affected

Millions of older people with disabilities are at risk of missing out on crucial humanitarian assistance because of physical barriers or discrimination, research suggests.

Up to 14 million older people with disabilities are affected by crises globally, according to a study by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and HelpAge International.

Trump approach to Iran and North Korea is a gamble for glory

Posted: 01 May 2018 12:44 AM PDT

President's nuclear ambitions could see him win a Nobel prize, or create new conflicts

The coming month will see the two strands of Donald Trump's nuclear diplomacy – with Iran and North Korea – intertwine in ways that are hard to predict.

Trump is threatening to abrogate the 2015 multilateral nuclear agreement with Iran by refusing to extend sanctions waivers when they expire on 12 May. A few weeks later he is due to hold an unprecedented summit with Kim Jong-un, at which he will pursue a nuclear deal with North Korea.

The US and Afghanistan: can’t win the war, can’t stop it, can’t leave

Posted: 30 Apr 2018 11:36 PM PDT

Latest attacks focus attention on continuing failure of Trump's efforts to stabilise the country

The latest, dreadful suicide bombings in Kabul and Kandahar, which killed more than 50 people on Monday, have again focused attention on the continuing failure of American-led efforts to stabilise the country. After 16 years of conflict, critics say, the US is in a triple bind: it cannot win the war, it cannot halt the war, and it cannot leave.

ABC's Q&A: it's 'ridiculous to ascribe a madman strategy' to Trump over North Korea – video

Posted: 30 Apr 2018 07:56 PM PDT

Appearing on ABC's Q&A, panellists Masha Gessen and Katy Tur discuss the merit of the idea that Donald Trump deserves a Nobel peace prize for his role in the historic meeting of Kim Jong-un and South Korean president Moon Jae-in last week

Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria: 'We're American, too, why don't they help?' – video

Posted: 30 Apr 2018 11:44 AM PDT

More than six months after Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico is still struggling to recover from the devastation. Thousands of homes and businesses have no electricity and are waiting for insurance payouts. Frontline services are being denied aid, forcing many to close down. As US citizens, Puerto Ricans say Donald Trump and his government have done little to help. As a new hurricane season looms, locals are struggling to prepare

Aftermath of second deadly explosion in Kabul – video

Posted: 30 Apr 2018 07:30 AM PDT

People flee in the Afghanistan capital after a suicide bomber posing as a journalist blew himself up in the second of two coordinated attacks in the city's Shash Darak neighbourhood, near the Nato headquarters and the US embassy. The attacks killed at least 25 people, including children and journalists

Ten journalists among 36 killed in Afghanistan attacks

Meet Doug Ford, the Canadian conservative candidate being compared to President Trump – video

Posted: 30 Apr 2018 05:48 AM PDT

The conservative candidate for Ontario, Doug Ford, has drawn multiple comparisons to President Trump in the weeks since he was chosen. Ford is, like Trump, a businessman turned anti-establishment politician. His late brother, Rob Ford, was mayor of Toronto. Kathleen Wynne, Ontario's current premier, said 'he believes in [an] ugly, vicious brand of politics'