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The head of Brazil's electoral court on Wednesday rejected a complaint from President Jair Bolsonaro's allies to challenge the result presidential election, which the incumbent lost by a small margin, according to a court document. The court also fined the parties in Bolsonaro's coalition to the tune of 22.9 million reais ($4.27 million) for what it described as bad faith litigation.

Power was restored to most parts of Moldova on Wednesday, hours after Russian missile strikes on neighbouring Ukraine caused blackouts across half of the small impoverished country, officials said.

After decades spent in opposition, Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim was sworn in as prime minister on Thursday. He has vowed to fight corruption and to focus on the economy while also upholding Islam as the official religion of the multi-ethnic country and defending special rights of ethnic Malays.

A six-year-old boy who spent two days under rubble without food or water following an earthquake in Indonesia has been rescued alive, giving relatives and rescuers some hope of finding more survivors. But as time passes and at least 39 people still missing, those hopes are fading rapidly.

Much of Ukraine remained without heat or power Friday after the most devastating Russian air strikes on its energy grid so far, with residents in cities across the country stocking up on water, food and warm clothing as they hope for a swift restoration of gas and electricity.

France's financial prosecutor has opened a probe into suspected favouritism and alleged illegal financing of President Emmanuel Macron's 2017 campaign, in connection with contracts with US consultancy firm McKinsey.

Nearly half of Kyiv residents were still without electricity Friday, the Ukrainian capital's mayor said, two days after Russian strikes battered the country's already struggling energy grid. The lack of power is having significant knock-on effects, including cutting internet access and, crucially at this time of year, heating. France 24's correspondent in Kyiv Gulliver Cragg reports.

China reported another historic high of daily Covid infections on Friday, despite strict lockdown measures as the country sticks rigidly to its "zero-Covid" strategy even as discontent over restrictions grows.

Brazil's Richarlison scored one of the goals of the World Cup so far in his side's 2-0 win in their opening match in Serbia on Thursday, sending Brazil fans wild both in Qatar and those watching nervously back home.

With every team now having played at least one game in the 2022 Qatar World Cup, which of the pre-tournament favourites look most like progressing, and which are struggling to live up to expectations. France 24's sports editor Simon Harding takes a look.

Ivory Coast and Ghana, the world's two biggest cocoa producers, say they have taken a step towards resolving a tug-o-war with chocolate giants. Farmers of cacao accuse manufacturers of underpaying for their product.The two countries had demanded they pay a bonus to producers, but talks yeilded an agreement to set up a working group to find a solution.

Demonstrators took to the streets in Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Thursday, a day after African leaders announced a ceasefire in the region that calls on the M23 rebel group to lay down weapons and withdraw from the territories it has occupied, but any in the country remain sceptical.

The UN Rights Council voted on Thursday to appoint an independent investigation into Iran's deadly repression of protests, despite heavy lobbying by Tehran and a last-minute effort by China to undercut the resolution.

Research in Tanzania shows a concerning trend of abuse of deaf women. Their disability can see them shut out of the labour market and excluded from society, while nearly half of deaf women are victims of sexual abuse. But some NGOs are offering deaf women a lifeline through training that can help them set up their own businesses.

Russian president Vladimir Putin "is failing in Ukraine" and responding with brutal strikes on cities and civilian infrastructure, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Friday as he vowed the alliance would continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.

Iran scored two injury time goals to beat Wales at the World Cup in Qatar on Friday to breathe life into their campaign and leave the Welsh on the brink of elimination.

Two weeks after Kherson was liberated by the Ukrainians, Russian forces continue to strike the city from their camp across the Dnipro River. Celebrations of the city's liberation are long gone as frequent shelling has forced more residents to flee.

Host nation Qatar are are all but out of the World Cup after they slumped to a 3-1 defeat to Senegal at the Al Thumama Stadium on Friday, despite Mohammed Muntari netting a first-ever World Cup finals goal for the Qataris.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday denied that he was the focus of a judicial investigationinto suspected illegal financing of electoral campaigns in 2017 and 2022 in relation to work done by consulting companies including US firm McKinsey. France 24's French politics editor Marc Perelman takes a look at political reaction to the news of the probe in France.

Israeli far-right politician Itamar Ben-Gvir is to become the country's police minister under a coalition deal with Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party that is set to create the most right-wing government in Israel's history. Irris Makler, France 24's correspondent in Jerusalem has more.