23 August, 2019 CITY OF VICTORIA: Multiple protests planned on Friday including a march by accountants and the so-called ‘Baltic Chain’ protests. Hong Kong is bracing for further demonstrations and a “stress test” of the city’s international airport at the weekend, as nearly three months of pro-democracy protests showed no …
Read More »NZ Speaker cradles MP’s baby during debate
22 August, 2019 WELLINGTON: The speaker of New Zealand’s parliament has attracted international attention for babysitting a legislator’s newborn child while keeping order during a vigorous debate. On Wednesday, speaker Trevor Mallard tweeted a photo of himself giving Labour Party MP Tamati Coffey’s newborn boy his bottle, calling the infant, Tutanekai Smith-Coffey, a …
Read More »‘No point talking to India’: Pakistani PM
22 August, 2019 ISLAMABAD/ NEW YORK: Amid rising tension over occupied Kashmir, Prime Minister Imran Khan has said there is “no point” talking to Indian officials, adding that his overtures for peace and dialogue with New Delhi so far have proven futile. In an interview with The New York Times journalists Salman Masood …
Read More »US moves to abolish child migrant custody limits
By SJA jafri + Agencies 22 August, 2019 MELBOURNE/ WASHINGTON: Migrant families who cross the southern border of the US illegally could be detained indefinitely under a new regulation announced by the Trump administration. It replaces an agreement that set a limit on how long the government could hold migrant …
Read More »Russia & China seek UN Security Council meeting after US missile test
22 August, 2019 BEIJING/ MOSCOW: Russia and China have asked the United Nations Security Council to meet on Thursday over “statements by US officials on their plans to develop and deploy medium-range missiles.” Moscow and Beijing want to convene the 15-member council under the agenda item “threats to international peace …
Read More »Iraqi militias blame US & Israel for attacks on bases
22 August, 2019 BAGHDAD: Iraq’s paramilitary groups backed by Iran have blamed a series of recent blasts at their weapons depots and bases on the United States and Israel, vowing to defend themselves against any future attack. The statement on Wednesday came from the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), or Hashd …
Read More »Militants leave as Syria takes rebel town
21 August, 2019 DAMASCUS/ ISTANBUL: Militants have left a key rebel town in Idlib province as Syrian troops push in following intense bombardment and air strikes, in a blow to the opposition. The main insurgent group in the Syrian province of Idlib has pulled out of a key rebel town …
Read More »Yemeni troops shoot down Saudi drone over Dhamar
21 August, 2019 DAMASCUS/ RIYADH: Yemeni forces intercepted and targeted an unmanned aerial vehicle belonging to the Saudi-led military coalition while flying in the skies over Yemen’s southwestern province of Dhamar. Yemeni air defense forces shot down the US-built General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper drone with a precision missile early on …
Read More »Trump wants ‘Jewish-Christian War’ over Israel-Palestine issue: US Politicians
21 August, 2019 By SJA Jafri MELBOURNE/ WASHINGTON: Once again, American President Donald Trump wants to start ‘Jewish-Christian War’ globally to divert public opinion from his unsuccessful policies and incomplete US plans and if the war starts, billions of Americans would have to face serious consequences while the country may …
Read More »Imran & Modi reduce tensions in Kashmir: Trump
20 August, 2019 By SJA Jafri MELBOURNE/ WASHINGTON/ NEW DELHI/ ISLAMABAD: US President Donald Trump on Monday had ‘good conversations’ with Prime Minister Imran Khan and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on reducing tensions in Kashmir. “Spoke to my two good friends, Prime Minister Modi of India, and Prime Minister …
Read More »