At least 21 people have died and 47 were missing Saturday due to heavy rainfall in southern Japan.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has issued the highest possible alert for the prefectures of Hyogo, Okayama, Gifu Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Saga, Hiroshima and Tottori, reports Efe news.

The woman who accused Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 18 years ago of groping her says she stands by her account.

She released a statement on Friday to CBC News, her first public comment on the allegations that resurfaced over a month ago. She said the incident, described in August 2000 in an editorial in a newspaper "did occur, as reported", BBC reported.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said the ministerial meeting of the remaining parties to the international 2015 nuclear deal was "constructive".

Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday announced he was returning to Pakistan following the the 10-year prison sentence handed to him by the accountability court here, saying he has been punished because he tried to turn the course of the country's 70-year history.

A Pakistani court has sentenced former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to 10 years in prison on corruption charges related to four luxury London flats.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Friday that Zakir Naik wanted in India over allegations of terror-related activities and hate speech will not be sent back. His statement came a day after India confirmed that it had requested Malaysia to extradite Zakir Naik.

Qantas passengers who travel through Sydney Airport will be among the first groups of travelers to use facial recognition in automated check-ins, bag drop, lounge access and plane boarding. The system will ultimately allow officials to process travelers quicker. Early trials which provide a glimpse into a seamless, passport-free future are currently underway, but their implementation is provoking mixed responses.

China on Friday said it will hit back the US with the same amount of tariffs after Washington imposed 25 additional duties on Chinese goods worth $34 billion.