Images show partially submerged houses, evacuated residents, and a flooded airport in Nepal where 31 people were reported dead after days of heavy rains across the country. Swelling rivers flooded homes in several districts, damaging roads and bridges and reportedly destroying crops. Landslides are a regular danger in the Himalayan region, but experts say they are becoming more common as rains become increasingly erratic and glaciers melt.

Hundreds of school children stormed the Democratic Republic of Congo's parliament on Thursday (October 21) amid a strike by school teachers over unresolved issues related to the roll-out of government's free primary education program. Teachers went on strike at the start of the school year on Oct. 4 over several issues including salaries, bonus pay and retirement age, according to the Congo Teachers Union.

Benin is one of the few countries on the African continent to legalise abortion for most circumstances. The law was passed on Wednesday night following a debate in Parliament, but still needs to be ratified by the constitutional court before it takes effect.

Poland's lower house of parliament will debate a law barring Pride parades on Thursday. The bill was put forward by a conservative anti-abortion rights group that gathered the necessary signatures.

Frances Haugen called on lawmakers in Brussels to seize the opportunity to create a "global gold standard" as they draft oversight regulation for tech giants.

In response to a surge in infections, the Bundestag has approved new legislation. Acting Chancellor Angela Merkel is set to meet state leaders to debate further action as the pandemic threatens to spiral out of control.

The Supreme Court appeared set to put limits on abortion rights in the United States by upholding one state's law banning the procedure after 15 weeks. Protesters from both sides of the issue rallied at the top court.

New German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has given his first formal government briefing to parliament since taking office last week, touching on issues ranging from the pandemic to climate change, and even some foreign policy.

At a European Parliament ceremony in Strasbourg, representatives of the jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny have accepted the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought on his behalf.

A case of whether to uphold a Mississippi law that bans terminations of pregnancy after 15 weeks has made it to the country's highest court. A ruling could see the landmark 1973 'Roe versus Wade' case that legalized abortion overturned.

The court has agreed to hear arguments about the Biden administration's vaccine or testing requirement for large employers, and a separate vaccine mandate for healthcare workers.

Somalia's women's rights activists have long been calling for increased female representation in the country's parliament.