Australian authorities charge a woman in the northern city of Cairns with the murder of seven of her children and her niece.

Former three-time heavyweight champion boxer Muhammad Ali has been taken to hospital with a mild case of pneumonia, his spokesman says.

Kurdish authorities say their forces have taken control of a "large area" of the town of Sinjar, which was captured by Islamic State in August.

Pakistan hangs four convicts in the second set of executions since the death penalty was reinstated after the deadly Peshawar school massacre.

Former Prime Minister Beji Caid Essebsi's camp claims victory in Tunisia's presidential election, but his rival says its too early to call.

Oil-rich Gulf states vow not to cut crude production, blaming speculators and producers outside the Opec group for falling prices.

The US says North Korea must admit "culpability" for a cyber-attack on Sony Pictures after North Korea suggests a joint inquiry into the attack.

President Obama says "there is no justification" for the shooting dead of two policemen in New York, amid tension over police tactics in the city.