An HIV-positive Malawian man who said he slept with at least 100 girls and women in traditional cleansing rituals was to be sentenced Tuesday after being convicted of "engaging in harmful practices."

It is 4:30 am and Mufeed Shawana is rushing to al-Aqsa Mosque, as the first Muslim call to prayer of the day rings out across the Old City of east Jerusalem.

Israel's top court on Monday said the army's incoming chief rabbi could not be appointed until he explained homophobic and misogynistic remarks, including seemingly justifying raping gentile women in war.

Turkey on Monday denounced as "unacceptable" and an "insult" a bill being discussed in the Israeli parliament to limit the volume of calls to prayer at mosques.

The Turkish government said on Monday it was open to changes proposed by the opposition to a controversial bill that could overturn the convictions of thousands of male sex offenders, after a huge public backlash.

Pope Francis, making permanent a temporary measure put in place for the Vatican's jubilee year, declared Monday that all priests would have the right to forgive abortion.

Her face covered in mud, 18-year-old Smadar crawls beneath thorny brush, her automatic rifle around her neck.

Pick-up trucks, cowboy boots and a 24-hour booze-fueled party in the Outback: welcome to modern-day dating in Australia's bush, where swiping right is not an option.

Pope Francis on Sunday brought to a close the Catholic Church's "Year of Mercy," shutting the Holy Door at Saint Peter's after a year in which he raised Mother Teresa to sainthood and took in Syrian Muslim refugees.

Pope Francis will create 17 new cardinals from across the globe Saturday in a time-honoured ceremony, elevating them to an elite body that advises and elects popes.