Typhoon Podul has hit Taiwan's sparsely populated southeast coast, packing winds of up to 191kmh as a large swathe of parts of the island shut down and hundreds of flights were cancelled.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says the war in Gaza is "utterly appalling" and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu has "lost the plot".

A public hearing for decision-makers in the Covid-19 pandemic has been scrapped because former ministers - including former PM Jacinda Ardern - will not show up.

Homeless people could be jailed if they don't comply with President Donald Trump's efforts to crack down on crime and rid Washington of homeless encampments, the White House says.