20-03-2023 Bureau Report + Agencies SYDNEY: Australia “absolutely” did not promise to support the US in any military conflict over Taiwan in return for a deal to acquire US nuclear-powered attack submarines, Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Sunday. Australia, the US and Britain unveiled the multi-decade AUKUS project …
Read More »N Korea fires short-range ballistic missile towards sea
20-03-2023 PYONGYANG: North Korea has fired a short-range ballistic missile towards the sea off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula, according to South Korea and Japan, the latest in a barrage of weapons tests from the state. The missile, launched on Sunday from the Dongchang-ri site on the west …
Read More »Cyclone Freddy death toll in Africa surpasses 500
20-03-2023 OUAGADOUGOU/ BAMAKO/ NIAMEY: The death toll in southeast Africa due to the exceptionally long-lasting Tropical Cyclone Freddy has risen to 522, according to authorities in Malawi, Mozambique and Madagascar. Disaster management authorities in Malawi, which has been hit the hardest by the cyclone, reported on Saturday that the death …
Read More »Canada eases immigration for quake-hit Syrians & Turks
20-03-2023 OTTAWA: Amid calls to help people affected by the earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria, Canada took steps to ease procedures for migrants from those countries. On Saturday, officials announced that they would ease immigration procedures for Turkish and Syrian citizens already in the country, a month after an earthquake …
Read More »Chinese President plays peacemaker on Russia visit
20-03-2023 BEIJING: President Xi Jinping heads to Russia on Monday hoping to deliver a breakthrough on Ukraine as China seeks to position itself as a peacemaker. Freshly reappointed for a third term in power, Xi is pushing a greater role for China on the global stage and was crucial in …
Read More »Putin pays surprise visit to Mariupol since its fall
20-03-2023 MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin made a surprise visit to Mariupol, state media reported on Sunday, his first to the city since it was captured after a lengthy siege at the start of Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine. The trip comes after an arrest warrant was issued for Putin by …
Read More »Thousands vote for Khalistan Referendum in Brisbane
20-03-2023 Bureau Report BRISBANE/ MELBOURNE: More than 11,000 Sikhs took part in the second phase of Khalistan Referendum voting at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre amid a massive wave of Indian cyber security mercenary attacks on the electronic voting machines. There was a disruption in the voting thrice as …
Read More »Israel & Palestine meet for talks in Egypt
20-03-2023 CAIRO: Israeli and Palestinian Authority (PA) officials are meeting in Egypt for talks amid criticism and calls for a boycott by Palestinian political parties. The one-day meeting, which is also being attended by Egyptian, US and Jordanian officials, began on Sunday in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh. …
Read More »Indians are braving war to study in Ukraine
19-03-2023 Bureau Report + BBC NEW DELHI/ KYIV: Rishi Dwivedi is one of thousands of Indian students evacuated from Ukraine a year ago but he’s now back studying in Lviv, despite the threat the war poses to his safety. “Air raid sirens alerting us about incoming missile or drone attacks …
Read More »UN extends Afghanistan mission by another year
19-03-2023 UNITED NATIONS/ KABUL: The United Nations Security Council has renewed the UN Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for another year while also asking for recommendations on the best way for the international community to continue its work in the Taliban-ruled country. The 15-member council on Thursday unanimously adopted two resolutions, …
Read More »