Philippine boxing legend Manny Pacquiao says he is "stronger and faster" than ever ahead of his world title defence as he throws a lavish 40th birthday party with thousands of guests, including Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte.

Leonardo Da Vinci's works do not just hang on the walls of the world's most famous museums. In fact, Da Vinci's genius also extended to engineering. Today, five hundred years after his death, one of his machines resides in one of Europe's oldest s...

A judge in El Salvador acquits a rape victim who was originally charged with murder after giving birth prematurely in a toilet, in what is seen as a landmark case by women's rights groups.

Imelda Cortez, a 20-year-old Salvadoran rape victim originally charged with murder after giving birth prematurely in a toilet, leaves court after being acquitted.

Imelda Cortez goes on trial in southeastern El Salvador on charges of attempted murder after having a baby in a toilet in 2017. Cortez became pregnant after she was raped repeatedly by her stepfather. After the delivery, doctors believed she had h...

Israeli scientists make the final preparations to launch the country's first spacecraft to the moon. Organisers ceremoniously placed within the space pod a time capsule of three digital discs containing thousands of files: children's drawings, pic...

Yemen's Hodeida residents say they are "optimistic" on the eve of the implementation of a ceasefire in the port city and its surroundings, after renewed fighting threatened the hard-won accord struck in Sweden.

A driverless, electric and street-based shuttle has been launched on the campus of the University of Lille. For one year, the Transpole public transport authority will experiment with the driverless vehicle, although an "operator" will always be p...

Firefighters in Rio de Janeiro work to put out a short-lived fire at the Manguinhos refinery.

Iraqis lay the cornerstone in rebuilding Mosul's Al-Nuri mosque and leaning minaret, national emblems destroyed last year in the ferocious battle against the Islamic State group. The famed 12th century mosque and minaret, dubbed Al-Hadba or "the h...

The Chinese foreign ministry demands the US revoke the arrest warrant for a detained Huawei top executive. Meng Wanzhou was arrested in Vancouver on a US request. Washington wants the chief financial officer extradited for allegedly violating US s...

Hundreds of runners dressed in Santa Claus costumes race through Pristina's streets in a mini-marathon raising money for families in need during the holiday season.

The wife of a detained Chinese lawyer and three supporters shave their heads and attempt to submit to a Beijing court a petition protesting her husband's indefinite detention.

Residents from both sides of Cyprus are coming together to restore their ancient heritage and mend ties away from politics even as peace talks remain stalled.

Nicaraguans in exile in Costa Rica march against Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega in the border town La Cruz.

Newly crowned Miss Universe, Catriona Gray of The Philippines, says she would like to expand her work in the slums of her country's capital Manila with an organisation that promotes education on HIV and AIDS.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz greets Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Vienna at the start of an official visit.

Videographic tour of Washington DC, the heart of US politics and policy. US lawmakers have until Friday to agree a new spending agreement or face a shutdown of the government after a row over the border migrant wall.

Updated videographic locating Yemen showing areas of the country controlled by rival forces. A ceasefire in Yemen's battleground port city of Hodeida and its surroundings will start on Tuesday, according to the UN.

Indians bring their dogs and other pets to a two-day pet festival in New Delhi.

Protesters throw smoke grenades at police who respond with tear gas in Budapest as thousands of people rally against a new "slave law" passed by the government of conservative Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

People in Pyongyang mark the anniversary of the death of Kim Jong Il by laying floral tributes at the statues of North Korea's first two leaders.

Saffron farmers in southern Morocco have long taken pride in the coveted spice they produce from the purple-petalled Crocus sativus, but some are worried knockoff versions are threatening their business.

Jail time, angry mobs and assassination attempts - editor Sener Levent has paid a price for challenging Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and authorities in breakaway northern Cyprus through his tiny newspaper.

Businesses reopen and tourists are back on the Champs-Elysées in Paris. The famous avenue was relatively spared by the "yellow vests" on Saturday, despite small clashes between them and the police, but nothing comparable to the outbreak of violenc...

Iraqis lay the cornerstone in rebuilding Mosul's Al-Nuri mosque and leaning minaret, national emblems destroyed last year in the ferocious battle against the Islamic State group. The famed 12th century mosque and minaret, dubbed Al-Hadba or "the h...

Russian police arrests demonstrators who gathered in front of the FSB building to protest against the detention of a prominent 77-year-old human rights activist, Lev Ponomarev, and the 'arbitrariness' of Russian security forces. The 'March for pea...

Thousands gather in the tropical weather of Southern Florida to admire the state’s largest Christmas boat parade.

Hundreds of people gather in the centre of Strasbourg to pay tribute to the victims of the Christmas market attack, which killed four people and injured twelve others.

Demonstrators gather in front of the European Commission in Brussels to protest the adoption of the UN Global Migration Pact in Marrakech.

Enormous and elaborate cakes are on display at India's 44th annual Bangalore cake show. The exhibition includes a sugar pastry in the shape of New Delhi's Red Fort, which measures 20 feet in length, 8 feet in width and 12 feet in height. The cake ...

Pro immigration organizations from El Paso, Texas, hold a demonstration for the death of Jakelin Caal, a 7-year-old migrant girl who died in hospital less than 24 hours after being detained by US border agents as part of a group of 163 illegal bor...

Voters head to the polls in Vladivostok to elect the governor of the Primorsky region in a rerun two months after results were cancelled following vote-rigging claims.

In an attempt to boost biodiversity, the Dutch create a new artificial archipelago of five islands they hope will bring nature back to the area.

Nations strike a deal to implement the landmark 2015 Paris climate treaty after marathon UN talks that failed to match the ambition the world's most vulnerable countries need to avert dangerous global warming.

A few days before the second round of the Malagasy presidential election, former president and candidate Andry Rajoelina holds one of his last rallies outside Mahajanga City Hall.

Traffic resumes on the Champs-Elysees in Paris after the fifth round of the "yellow vest" protests, which saw a sharp decline in mobilisation. There were isolated incidents of tear gas and water cannons being used, but a fraction of the amount on ...

Police arrest "yellow vest" protesters and use tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd on the Champs-Elysees.

Egyptian archaeologists and Egyptian authorities unveil a newly-discovered tomb of a priest dating back more than 4,400 years in the pyramid complex of Saqqara south of the capital Cairo.

People protest in the streets of Vienna against the right-wing coalition.

Clashes break out in Bordeaux between "yellow vest" protesters and police, who used water cannon to disperse the demonstrators. This is the fifth consecutive Saturday of nationwide protests, which have so far been largely peaceful.

Hundreds of "yellow vests," joined by unions and the far-left's Fance Unbowed, protest peacefully in Marseille with calls for President Emmanuel Macron's resignation. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES

Riot police fire tear gas to disperse "yellow vest" protesters on the Champs-Elysees in Paris during the fifth consecutive Saturday of demonstrations, which have so far been largely peaceful.

Hundreds of "yellow vest" protesters face off with police in Nantes on a fifth and decisive weekend for the anti-government movement.

A sleepy central Philippine town erupts in joy on as bells looted from its church more than a century ago by vengeful US troops were to be turned over to the community.

Madagascar presidential hopeful Marc Ravalomanana holds a rally in Antananarivo.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko arrives at Kiev's Saint Sophia Cathedral while several thousands of Ukrainians rally outside ahead of a historic synod expected to establish an Orthodox church independent from Russia.

Protesters take part in anti-government demonstrations in Budapest, as people are angry at Prime Minister Viktor Orban's controversial new laws on workers rights and the judicial system.