A powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake hit northeastern Japan today, triggering tsunamis along the coast including a one-metre wave that crashed ashore at the stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Pope Francis declared yesterday that all priests would have the right permanently to forgive abortion, seen as a significant outreach by the Catholic Church to women.

The latest round of talks between rival leaders on ending Cyprus's 42-year-old division broke up without agreement today, the United Nations said.

Iceland's Left-Green movement agreed on Sunday to start formal talks on forming a new coalition government, three weeks after snap elections triggered by the Panama Papers scandal.

US President Barack Obama said he is "not optimistic" about Syria's future, as the UN warned time is running out to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe in Aleppo which has been pounded by air strikes for nearly a week.

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy crashed out of the presidential election on Sunday, suffering a humiliating defeat in the first round of the rightwing primary.

The British government announced fresh investment in research and development on Monday, ahead of the first post-Brexit budget which is expected to signal a move away from the previous administration's rigid fiscal targets.

Japan’s prime minister voiced confidence on Thursday about Donald Trump as he became the first foreign leader to meet the US president-elect, who was narrowing in on cabinet choices.