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Australian Authorities Investigate IS 'Hit List'
Authorities are investigating claims the so-called Islamic State (IS) has published information about Australian officials, urging attacks on them.
A group claiming links to IS had allegedly obtained and published online data mostly about US defence officials.
The Australian government has confirmed at least eight Australians are on the list, including an MP. Justice Minister Michael Keenan said intelligence agencies were looking into the threats.
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2009 Mexico Nursery Fire Sees 22 Arrested
A judge in the north-western Mexican state of Sonora has ordered the arrest of 22 people in connection with a deadly fire in a nursery in 2009.
Forty-nine children died and more than 70 were seriously injured when flames spread through the ABC nursery, which did not have an emergency exit.
Relatives of the victims have long demanded justice saying the nursery did not comply with safety regulations. But a lawyer for the relatives said the warrants targeted the wrong people.
Mistaken Move
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Attorney General Issues Arrest Warrants For El Salvador Gang Members
El Salvador's attorney general has issued about 300 arrest warrants for gang members suspected of "terrorist acts".
Last month, gang members paralysed public transport when they ordered drivers to go on strike.
They torched buses and killed at least seven drivers who did not comply. El Salvador has one of the highest murder rates in the world, much of it caused by violence between two rival gangs.
Deadly Toll
Following a truce between the Mara Salvatrucha and the Barrio 18 gang, brokered in 2012, the murder rate dropped by 40%. But as the truce crumbled, the number murders rose again.
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Mexican Government Bans Free Baby Formula
The Mexican government has banned free baby formula at hospitals in an effort to encourage breastfeeding.
Health authorities said baby formula would still be available for purchase in shops and could be supplied at a doctor's request.
But they said the country needed to boost low breastfeeding rates.
Mexico has one of the lowest levels in Latin America. Only one in seven mothers breastfeed exclusively during the baby's first six months. The World Health Organisation says exclusive breastfeeding for six months is the optimal way of feeding infants. It says thereafter infants should receive complem…
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Mexico Drug Tunnel Discovered
Security forces in Mexico have discovered an underground tunnel leading to the United States.
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Al-Qaeda Leader Pledges Allegiance To Taliban
Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri has pledged allegiance to the new Afghan Taliban chief in an audio message posted online.
The pledge to Mullah Akhtar Mansour was issued by al-Qaeda's media arm al-Sahab and was Zawahiri's first message since September last year.
There had been speculation about whether Zawahiri was himself dead since the death of former Taliban head Mullah Omar was confirmed last month. Zawahiri offered his condolences.
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Two Day Ceasefire Begins In Syrian Conflict
Forty-eight-hour ceasefires between Syrian rebels and pro-government forces have reportedly begun in three towns.
The truces will allow food and medical supplies to be delivered to the rebel stronghold of Zabadani, on the border with Lebanon, and to government-held Fuaa and Kafraya in the north-west.
They were agreed by the rebel group Ahrar al-Sham and Lebanon's Hezbollah movement, an ally of Syria's president. Meanwhile, dozens of people have been killed in fighting around Damascus. Rebel fighters fired dozens of rockets at several central districts of the capital on Wednesday morning, killing…
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61 People Die In Egypt Heatwave
A heatwave in Egypt has killed at least 61 people in three days, the health ministry says, as temperatures soared to 47C (116F).
Forty died after suffering heatstroke on Sunday and Monday, and another 21 died on Tuesday, state media reported.
Another 581 people have been admitted to hospital with heat exhaustion.
Most of the victims were elderly, but local media reports said that they also included several detainees and patients at a psychiatric hospital.
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Auctioned Oscar Statuette Can Be Reclaimed For $10 Judge Rules
An Oscar statuette that changed hands last year for $79,200 (£50,726) can be reclaimed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for just $10 (£6.40), a Los Angeles judge has ruled.
The ruling was made after an agreement was reached between the Academy and Nate D Sanders, an auction house that specialises in movie memorabilia.
The golden statuette in question was awarded in 1942 to Joseph C Wright for his colour art direction on My Gal Sal.
His heirs sold the Oscar in June 2014.
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Canadian PM Plans To Track Foreign Homeownership
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has announced plans to track foreign homeownership and raised the possibility of eventually enacting limits on buying.
Foreign investors have been blamed for driving up the cost of real estate in Toronto and Vancouver.
Hurt by failing oil prices, Canada's ailing economy has become a major issue as the country elects new leadership.
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