A former Malaysian prime minister remains the only person sentenced to jail in what has been called one of the world’s biggest and most lurid corruption cases.

Najib Razak still faces 12 years’ jail for his part in one of the world’s worst fraud cases, 1MBD.

Canberra is pushing for a “digital free-trade agreement” that would make it easier for Australians to tap into markets in the US and other nations.

WHO Europe regional director Dr Hans Kluge urged countries to protect children and schools amid a rapid rise in cases among the 5 to 14 age group in the region.

Diplomatically, going second can be as risky as going first. Especially when announcing a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics.

The best photos from the international wire agencies as chosen by our picture editors

Carolyn said she was introduced to Epstein in 2002 by Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s and Maxwell’s most prominent accusers, who asked her “if I wanted to go make money”.

Pandemic rules in place at the time stated “you must not have a work Christmas lunch or party, where that is a primarily social activity”.

By promoting its credentials as a humanitarian vehicle, sport allows authoritarian regimes to associate themselves with powerful ideals of solidarity and equality even while crushing them.

The US also has an understanding with Germany about shutting down the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline if Russia invades Ukraine, an aide told Reuters.

Young people are not only falling behind in school but are also lagging in the skills needed to cope with stress and decision-making that they would normally be developing now.

The arrest came just days after French President Emmanuel Macron held face-to-face talks in Saudi Arabia with de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Raphael Marshall, a former Foreign Office desk officer, said thousands of emails asking for help were never even read.

Angela Merkel, a conservative, long shunned the word feminist. Until her final years in power, she rarely publicly promoted the issue of advancement for women.

Paul and Tenisha Austin suspected the valuer had underestimated their family home. So they made it look like a white family owned it.

Oppressive regimes are increasingly using the glitz and glamour of hosting major sporting events to deflect from deplorable human rights abuses.

The best photos from the international wire agencies as chosen by our picture editors

Witness “Kate” told jurors she looked up to the Oxford-educated Ghislaine Maxwell, who boasted about being friends with people like Prince Andrew and Donald Trump.

The already fragile relationship between the heir to the throne and his youngest son appears at breaking point after Harry claimed he had raised concerns about Charles’ “cash for access” crisis.

The first reports of cane toad sightings surfaced a few weeks ago. Environmentalists warn that quick action is needed to ward off a full-on outbreak.

Drug detection wipes found traces of cocaine in places only accessible by MPs, including in a washroom near PM Boris Johnson’s parliamentary office.

US President Joe Biden has pledged his “unwavering support” to Ukraine in its standoff with Moscow and will hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday AEDT.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki says US athletes will continue to compete and will “have our full support,” but added “we will not be contributing to the fanfare of the games”.

South Africa’s surge in COVID-19 cases following the emergence of Omicron is yet to overwhelm hospitals, prompting cautious optimism that the new strain may cause only mild illness.

A so-called statement of pardon was later issued stating that the Nobel laureate’s term had been halved and that she would be detained at her current location and not in prison.

The Biden administration’s plan to freeze out China’s games paves the way for Australia and other nations to follow suit.

The infection has raised fresh questions about how COVID-19 has spread between humans and animals during the global pandemic.

The best photos from the international wire agencies as chosen by our picture editors

Dole made a classic journey from the poverty of the Great Depression of the 1930s, through World War II battlefields to the corridors of power in Washington.

“One of the colossal problems pushing us into conflict is that Russian identity does not exist without Ukrainian identity,” said Ilya Ponomarev, a former member of Russia’s Parliament.

Eric Zemmour has drawn comparisons in France to former US President Donald Trump because of his rabble-rousing populism.

The world must be on guard for particularly large waves on the horizon and respond quickly — even if it’s just hitting the “pause” button.

Initial data from South Africa, the epicentre of the outbreak of the Omicron variant, does not show a resulting surge of hospitalisations, America’s top COVID adviser said.

An independent inquiry will investigate why school staff sent a student back to class despite finding images of bullets on his phone and disturbing drawings with the words “blood everywhere”.

One week into Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex-trafficking trial, the jury has already been on board Jeffrey Epstein’s private jet and inside his Palm Beach mansion. They’ve also seen his stained massage table.

The best photos from the international wire agencies as chosen by our picture editors

As anti-mafia prosecutor Nicola Gratteri readies for Italy’s biggest crime trial in decades, he says the ’Ndrangheta are “very present” in Australia.

The news organisation said, “additional information has come to light”, leading to the firing of the popular prime-time TV host.

Prince William has spoken about his favourite songs, sharing stories about his mother, his children and his personal routines.

A Michigan judge set bail at $US500,000 each for the parents of a teenager accused of murdering four fellow high school students after the couple was taken into custody following a high-profile manhunt.

Researchers are scrambling to learn more about the heavily mutated variant that is driving a surge in cases in South Africa and has rapidly spread to countries around the world.

Will the Summit for Democracy address how borders have been rendered porous by technology, normalising the harassment of regime critics living in free societies?

At least 20 people drowned on Saturday when a bus carrying a group of religious faithful was swept away by floodwaters as the driver tried to cross a river in the eastern Kenyan county of Kitui, the county governor said.

People have been filmed dashing away from spiralling volcanic cloud in Indonesia’s East Java province as ash was sprayed 12 kilometres into the sky, turning day into night.

Police had been searching for Ethan Crumbley’s parents James and Jennifer after laying involuntary manslaughter charges. Police say they had bought the firearm for their son as a Christmas gift.

The French President’s visit to Saudi Arabia coincides with a weekend of festivities that will help to rebuild the image of the kingdom’s controversial prince.

“It’s been mind-blowing, literally, to see this dynamism in action,” the geologist said. “We are learning so much about how volcanoes work.”

Secret US government documents suggest the Kremlin is planning a multi-front offensive as soon as early next year involving up to 175,000 troops.

COVID-19 vaccine makers have contingency plans to deal with the Omicron variant that include a combination vaccine against the original version and the variant as well as a variant-specific booster dose, a top US health official said on Friday.

Photographs of naked children displayed in Epstein’s Florida mansion were “playful”, argued Ghislaine Maxwell’s defence lawyer.