Voting began on Saturday to elect a president for Afghanistan with more than 9 million Afghan registered voters potentially heading to the polls amid attacks in several cities. Fourteen candidates are registered but the race will likely come down to incumbent President Ashraf Ghani and his...

An American academic on Saturday said he was denied entry into Hong Kong days after he testified in a Congressional hearing alongside prominent democracy activists from the strife-torn semi-autonomous Chinese city. Dan Garrett said he was turned away after landing on Thursday for...

Democrats charged aggressively into an impeachment probe of Donald Trump on Friday, ordering Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to turn over Ukraine-related documents and scheduling testimony for witnesses to alleged abuse of power by the US leader. Three House committees gave Pompeo one week...

 One of two presidential candidates to have won through to a runoff election in Tunisia has called for his rival to be released from prison. "The situation leaves me morally uncomfortable... I would sincerely like to see him freed," law professor Kais Saied said in an interview on...

The U.N. called Friday on Egyptian authorities to "radically change their approach" to any future protests, after more than 2,000 people were reportedly arrested following demonstrations last weekend against President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi. "I urge the authorities to radically change...

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed Ankara would continue to purchase oil and natural gas from Iran despite US sanctions in comments published Friday. The United States reimposed sanctions on Iran after pulling out of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal, and says it aims to reduce...

The Kremlin said Friday that it hoped that Washington would not release confidential details of phone calls between President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made the comment when asked about the White House's release of a...

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has played down a call for protests against his rule, saying there were "no reasons for concern" even as the army and the police tightened security in the capital, Cairo, and other major cities. The dismissal on Friday came as rights groups said...

Lawyers for Brazilian footballer Neymar and Spanish champions Barcelona failed Friday in their bid to avert a multi-million-dollar court battle over a tangled contact dispute. "It is going to court," Barcelona lawyer Josep Vives told journalists outside the court after the closed-door...

The brother of Pakistani social media star Qandeel Baloch was on Friday sentenced to life in prison for her murder -- the patriarchal country's highest-profile "honour killing". Baloch, 26, who shot to fame for her risque selfies -- tame by Western standards, but considered provocative in...

The White House scrambled to "lock down" records of President Donald Trump's phone call pressing for Ukraine's interference in next year's US election, according to an incendiary whistleblower complaint released Thursday, in the latest episode of an intensifying impeachment drama. The...

Acrid black smoke billowed over the northern French city of Rouen on Thursday after a spectacular fire broke out at a chemical factory, forcing authorities to close schools and warn of potential pollution risks for the nearby Seine river. After hours of battling the blaze, around 200...

The British-flagged Stena Impero tanker left Iran’s Bandar Abbas port on Friday after being detained since July by Iranian forces and was heading towards international waters. The Stena Impero was seized by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in the Strait of Hormuz waterway for alleged marine...

Rival hashtags, angry videos and calls to march -- the war for Egyptian minds is raging online ahead of possible mass demonstrations against President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Encouraged by rare protests that erupted last week in Cairo and other Egyptian cities, Sisi opponents have bombarded...

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas told the United Nations Thursday he would terminate all signed agreements with Israel if it moved forward with plans announced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to annex a key part of the West Bank. Netanyahu, who is trying to form a new government...

Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel insisted Thursday that his Singapore Grand Prix victory will not sour his relationship with Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, who saw his chances of a hat-trick of wins dashed by pit-lane strategy in the city state. Leclerc started on pole last...

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani challenged the US and others Thursday to provide evidence to back up their accusations that Tehran carried out this month's attack on a Saudi oil facility. "Those who make the allegations must provide the needed proof. What is your evidence?" he told...

Lebanese gas station owners on Thursday announced an immediate and open-ended strike, saying a shortage in dollar reserves has made it difficult to pay suppliers, a syndicate spokesman said. Gas stations in Lebanon are paid by customers in Lebanese pounds but must pay suppliers in US...

Tunisian authorities are willing to allow jailed presidential candidate Nabil Karoui to participate in a televised debate with his rival Kais Saied, an official said Wednesday. Saad al-Dahish, director general of state-owned Tunisian Television, said judicial authorities have been contacted...

Palestinian footballers were in despair after Israel rejected an appeal against a refusal of visas needed for players to leave Gaza for a long-delayed cup final, their team president said Thursday. The second leg of the final of the Palestine Cup, played between the winners of cup...