The China Mail - Boulevard

Former Spanish king appeals against UK harassment lawsuit

Spain's former king Juan Carlos I on Tuesday resumes a UK court battle over harassment claims by his former lover, seeking confirmation of his legal immunity as a royal.

Australian insurer warns of 'distressing' data threat

A major Australian health insurer warned Tuesday of a "distressing" threat by a purported hacker to release data within 24 hours from a hack affecting 10 million people.

US hit by lottery fever ahead of world record $1.9 bn Powerball draw

Americans were dreaming big on Monday hours before numbers were to be drawn for the staggering $1.9 billion US Powerball jackpot -– the largest prize in world history, driving a new surge in lottery fever across the country.

US seizes $3.4 bn in bitcoin stolen from Silk Road

The US government announced Monday it had seized $3.4 billion in bitcoin from a real estate developer who stole the cryptocurrency from the dark web marketplace Silk Road a decade ago.

French church lifts veil on bishops' sexual abuse cases

France's Catholic church on Monday revealed that 11 former or serving French bishops have been accused of sexual violence or failing to report abuse cases, including a cardinal who confessed to assaulting a girl decades ago.

UN unveils global 'early warning' system for disasters at $3 billion

The United Nations on Monday unveiled a five-year plan to build a global early warning system for deadly and costly extreme weather events amplified by climate change.

Mendy tells UK rape trial he had 'sex with a lot of women'

Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy began testifying Monday as he stands trial for multiple alleged rapes, saying he had sex with many women but always stopped if they said "no".

Three Egyptian journalists start hunger strike to free dissident

Three Egyptian journalists said Monday they had begun hunger strikes to demand authorities free Alaa Abdel Fattah, a jailed political dissident who has been refusing food and now water too.

Court summons Kenya pilots' union over strike

A Nairobi court on Monday summoned the Kenyan pilots' union responsible for a ongoing strike that has left thousands of Kenya Airways passengers stranded, as the airline cancelled most of its flights.

French firm says to be charged over Qatar building sites

French construction firm Vinci said on Monday it expected to be charged this week by a magistrate investigating allegedly abusive work practices on its building sites in Qatar.

Outspoken head of Cyprus Orthodox Church dies

The leader of the Cyprus Orthodox Church, Archbishop Chrysostomos II, has died aged 81, his doctors said Monday, after years of battling cancer.

Sri Lanka's Gunathilaka denied bail on sex assault charges

An Australian court on Monday refused bail for Sri Lankan cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka after he was charged with four counts of sexual assault.

Philippine prisons chief accused of ordering journalist murder

Philippine police accused Monday the country's prisons chief of ordering the killing of a prominent radio journalist, whose death sparked international alarm.

Taliban reveal burial place of founder Mullah Omar, nine years after death

The Taliban on Sunday revealed the final resting place of the movement's founder, Mullah Omar, whose death and burial they kept secret for years.

19 killed after plane plunges into Lake Victoria in Tanzania

The death toll from Sunday's plane crash in Lake Victoria in Tanzania has jumped to 19, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said, after the Precision Air flight with dozens of passengers aboard plunged into water while approaching the northwestern city of Bukoba.

New Iran protests erupt in universities, Kurdish region

New protests erupted in Iran on Sunday at universities and in the largely Kurdish northwest, keeping a seven-week anti-regime movement going even in the face of a fierce crackdown.

Three killed after plane plunges into Lake Victoria in Tanzania

Three people died when a plane carrying dozens of passengers plunged into Lake Victoria in Tanzania on Sunday as it approached the northwestern city of Bukoba, the fire and rescue service said.

Search for survivors after plane plunges into Lake Victoria in Tanzania

A plane carrying 43 people plunged into Lake Victoria in Tanzania early on Sunday due to bad weather shortly before it was due to land in the northwestern city of Bukoba, police said, as rescuers searched for survivors.

Passenger plane plunges into Lake Victoria in Tanzania

A plane carrying 43 people plunged into Lake Victoria in Tanzania early on Sunday due to bad weather shortly before it was due to land in the northwestern city of Bukoba, police said, with efforts under way to rescue those onboard.

Pope prays for 'suffering peoples' on final day in Gulf

Pope Francis said Sunday he was praying for "suffering peoples of the Middle East", at the end of a Bahrain visit promoting dialogue with Islam but marked by accusations of rights abuses in the Gulf state.

South Korea's DRX crowned League of Legends world champions

South Korean team DRX were crowned League of Legends world champions on Saturday after scoring a surprise 3-2 victory over compatriots T1 in a thrilling final of the eSports tournament in San Francisco.

Powerball fever hits US as numbers drawn for $1.6 bn jackpot

Powerball mania hit the United States on Saturday as numbers were drawn for a $1.6 billion jackpot, a world record.

Thousands march in Peru calling for president's removal

Thousands of demonstrators marched through the streets of Lima on Saturday to call for the removal of President Pedro Castillo, the subject of an unprecedented six investigations for corruption.

'Terror' motive behind UK immigration centre attack: police

Last week's firebombing of a UK migrant processing centre was motivated by "terrorist ideology", counter terrorism police said on Saturday.

Pope holds Bahrain mass as death row families urge intervention

About 30,000 flag-waving worshippers attended an open-air mass held by Pope Francis in mainly Muslim Bahrain on Saturday, marked by a small protest by relatives of death row prisoners.

Russia detains two after bar inferno kills 13

Russian police on Saturday detained two people, including the suspected perpetrator, after a fire killed at least 13 people at a bar in the historic city of Kostroma.

Russia detains suspect after bar inferno kills 15

Russian police on Saturday detained a man suspected to have caused a huge fire overnight at a bar in the historic city of Kostroma that killed at least 15 people.

Russia detains suspect over deadly bar inferno

Russian police Saturday detained a man suspected to have caused a huge fire overnight at a bar in the city of Kostroma that killed at least 15 people.

Kenya Airways flights disrupted due to pilot strike

Kenya Airways flights were disrupted Saturday as a strike by its pilots demanding better working conditions grounded over a dozen planes, affecting thousands of passengers, the country's transport minister said.

Fire kills 15 at bar in Russian city of Kostroma

A fire Saturday killed at least 15 people at a bar in the Russian city of Kostroma, Russian news agencies reported.

Pope holds open-air mass for 30,000 in Bahrain

About 30,000 flag-waving worshippers joined an open-air mass held by Pope Francis in mainly Muslim Bahrain on Saturday, the highlight of his outreach mission to the Gulf.

Pope holds open-air mass for 30,000 worshippers in Bahrain