Pope asks sex abuse victims for forgiveness

6:21am Pope Francis met with six victims of sexual abuse at the hands of Catholic clergy and said the church put minors in danger and deserves blame for failing to take timely action.

Joko’s presidential hopes 'resurrected'

MICHAEL BACHELARD 2:25am A credible new poll has injected hope into Joko Widodo’s presidential campaign, showing that he’s rebounded from a slump to a moderately convincing 3.6 percentage point lead.

Swiss firm linked to Schumacher theft

9:48pm France has tracked down the IP address of the computer used by the alleged thief of Michael Schumacher's medical records, prosecutors say, locating it in a Swiss helicopter firm that had reportedly been due to transport the Formula One champion.

I forgive Pistorius, says Steenkamp's mother

5:36pm Reeva Steenkamp's mother says she has forgiven Oscar Pistorius, but her daughter will only rest in peace when the paralympian's trial for her murder is over.

How environmentalists drafted blueprint for Obama carbon emissions rule

8:10am In November 2010, three combatants gathered in a sleek office here to build a carbon emissions policy that they hoped to sell to the Obama administration.

Hamas steps up rocket fire, Israel says ready for escalation

Nidal al-Mughrabi 6:50am Hamas stepped up rocket fire at southern Israeli towns and Israel called up reserve troops on Monday in anticipation of a possible escalation of hostilities with the Islamist group that dominates the Gaza Strip.

Britain to investigate child sex abuse conspiracy claims

Alan Cowell 8:12am After days of media reports potentially heralding a new sexual abuse scandal, Britain has ordered an inquiry into claims that authorities covered up allegations of organised child abuse in government circles decades ago.

Afghanistan's Abdullah calls preliminary results a 'coup' against the people

Mirwais Harooni 7:40am Afghan presidential contender Abdullah Abdullah's camp rejected preliminary results of the country's election on Monday as a "coup" against the people.

Indonesian presidential hopeful prays Mecca trip will win votes

10:10pm The front-runner in Wednesday's Indonesian presidential election has flown to Mecca on a whirlwind pilgrimage in a last-ditch bid to win voters among the world's largest Muslim population and put to rest damaging suggestions that he is really a Christian.w

Super typhoon Neoguri bears down on Japan

6:49pm Super typhoon Neoguri is barrelling toward Japan's Okinawa islands, packing violent winds and torrential rains as officials warn residents to stay indoors.

Bad news for sea-level rises as quickening Antarctic winds point to faster ice melt

PETER HANNAM 7:50am Global sea levels may rise much faster than currently predicted because climate models have failed to account for the disruptive effects of strengthening westerly winds, Australian-led research has found.

Aussie strippers to testify at Vegas trial

Peter Mitchell 2:18pm A cavalcade of buffed Australian strippers will testify in a Las Vegas courthouse this week at the trial of a US man accused of attempting to shoot dead a member of their popular Thunder from Down Under troupe.

Seven women who have gone public about sex abuse by Rolf Harris since he was convicted

ESTHER HAN 1:40pm A week since being convicted of sexually assaulting young girls over a 20 year-period, disgraced entertainer Rolf Harris has been subjected to more accusations of similar crimes.

Drones

China deploys drones to combat illegal polluters

Kari Paul 10:13am Equipped with infrared cameras, the drones can detect illegal pollution from factories at night, allowing for round-the-clock inspection.

Coastal winds intensifying with climate change, study says

Tony Barboza 8:29am Summer winds are intensifying along the west coasts of North and South America and southern Africa and climate change is a likely cause, a new study says.