Australians will go to the polls on May 18, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced, adding that voters "now is not the time to turn back" to Labor.
The election will pit Morrison against Bill Shorten, a former labour union leader.
Arthur Stevens reports from Melbourne:
India's 'cockroach' youth party to protest, demand poll chief's resignation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi faced renewed pressure on Friday as the Gen Z-led Cockroach Janta Party and a separate coalition of student and activist groups stage fresh protests, demanding the resignation of the elections commission chief over a controversial voter roll revision.
Congo's Ebola outbreak has killed more than 4,000, government data shows
The number of deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak has surpassed 4,000, government data showed on Friday, as the worst epidemic in the country's history resists containment efforts.
About 400 French schools closed as some student protests turn violent
About 400 schools in France are expected to remain closed on Friday after student protests that began over education-related grievances escalated into violence in some places.
Yemeni air force carries out strikes on Houthi targets in Taiz province
Yemen's armed forces spokesperson said on Friday its warplanes carried out around 40 precision strikes targeting Houthi movements, reinforcements, gatherings, personnel, vehicles, and military equipment in Taiz province.
Arab League condemns Israeli settlers’ storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque
The Arab League has condemned the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by more than 1,300 Israeli settlers and the performance of religious rituals in its courtyards, warning against attempts to alter the mosque’s established historical and legal status quo.
Dr. Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President, has praised flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar for his actions during the recent security incident involving flight FZ1073.
Dubai Police have arrested 14 members of an international criminal network and foiled an attempt to smuggle drugs, weighing 2.3 tonnes and estimated to be worth over AED 115.1 million, hidden inside 113 cartons.
The UAE has strongly condemned a Houthi drone attack on the Taiba power distribution station in Madinah, Saudi Arabia.
