Sri Lanka's president Maithripala Sirisena on Sunday defended his controversial sacking of parliament, saying the decision was taken to prevent violent clashes among rival lawmakers, after Speaker Karu Jayasuriya accused him of "usurping" the rights of legislators.

At least 61 combatants have been killed in clashes in Yemen's flashpoint Hodeida, medics and a military source said Sunday, and dozens of wounded taken to hospitals outside the city.

Major oil producers meet in Abu Dhabi on Sunday to consider reverting to output cuts after a sharp slide in crude prices revived fears of a 2014-style crash.

The death toll from the most destructive fire to hit California rose to 23 on Saturday as rescue workers recovered more bodies of people killed by the devastating blaze.

Samples taken from the drains at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul showed traces of acid, the report said.

Asserting that there is no problem of freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, Beijing said no country should use any excuse to engage in militarisation in the region.

Nine people were declared dead and tens of thousands evacuated Friday as fierce wildfires raged across the western US state of California, with one rapidly spreading blaze threatening the famed resort of Malibu.

US President Donald Trump Saturday said the suggestion of his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron that Europe should build its own army was "very insulting", asserting that Europe should first pay its "fair share" to NATO.