CANBERRA, Australia – Australia’s main domestic security agency has raised the terrorist threat level against police from “medium” to “high” in response to recent international attacks targeting officers. Australian Federal Police said in a statement on Tuesday the threat against police as assessed by the Australian Security Intelligence Organization is …

JOHANNESBURG – About 70 people in South Africa have been arrested in because of violent protests and looting, much of which was aimed at shops owned by nationals from other African countries, local media reported Thursday. Residents began looting shops and attacking foreign nationals in the Soweto area of Johannesburg …

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – A Dutch judge has approved the extradition to the United States of a Russian suspected of involvement in a multimillion-dollar computer hack. Tuesday’s ruling at The Hague District Court clears the way for Vladimir Drinkman to be sent to New Jersey, where he is one of …

MEXICO CITY – Injured and bleeding, mothers grasping infants in their arms fled from a maternity hospital shattered by a powerful gas explosion Thursday, and rescuers began smashing sledgehammers through fallen concrete hunting for others who might be trapped. A nurse and a baby died in the blast and a …

BAMAKO, Mali – A Malian official says that a French military operation killed 12 extremists in far northern Mali, amid renewed violence in the region. The French Defense Ministry says that French troops put a dozen fighters “out of action” after moving in on the group in the rugged Adrar …

BEIJING – China’s Foreign Ministry says a Canadian woman detained with her husband on suspicion of stealing state secrets has been released on bail. Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Thursday that Julia Garratt was released while the case remains under investigation. She and her husband Kevin were detained on Aug. …

CANBERRA, Australia – Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says her government is continuing to make high-level representations to Indonesia to spare the lives of two Australian drug traffickers on death row despite the Indonesian president rejecting their requests for clemency. Bishop told Nine Network television on Tuesday that Prime Minister …

JERUSALEM – Israel’s prime minister is facing accusations of politicizing the country’s most prestigious award after moving to disqualify some of the judges because he disagreed with their political views. A number of judges for the Israel Prize have resigned in protest, while nominees say they won’t accept the prize. …

UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations Security Council is holding an emergency meeting to discuss the crisis in Yemen. The open meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. (2200 GMT) Sunday to consider the situation in Yemen after a rebel takeover spun the Arab world’s poorest country into the danger of …

PARIS – The French president says he and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have spoken with the leaders of Ukraine and Russia about the cease-fire that has been faltering amid fierce fighting over the eastern town of Debaltseve. Ukrainian forces began abandoning Debaltseve on Wednesday after weeks of heavy fighting against …