Iraqi political and economic circles are optimistic about the upcoming four-day visit of Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi to Beijing on September 19. It is reported in some economic circles that the visit will lead to the signing of about 30 memorandums of understanding (MoU) between Baghdad and Beijing …
Read More »Indonesia sends back hundreds of shipping containers full of waste ‘to countries of origin’
Indonesia has sent hundreds of garbage-filled shipping containers back to their countries of origin, according to the customs agency. The Southeast Asian nation, which is pushing back against becoming a dumping ground for foreign trash, has already returned about 250 containers seized across the archipelago in recent months, and authorities …
Read More »Australia to tackle foreign interference at universities.
Australia is to formally investigate foreign interference in its universities amid rising concerns about Chinese influence on campuses. The push follows reports of students and staff “self-censoring” on sensitive political issues such as the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. Universities had also increasingly been targeted by state-sponsored cyber attacks, the …
Read More »Kangaroos Discover Snow.
It’s been a summer of heatwaves in the Northern Hemisphere. But in Australia, a group of kangaroos is enjoying wintry conditions. Stephen Grenfell captured their joy as the troop leaped across open fields, undeterred by the cold, wet ground just north of Goulburn, in New South Wales. While the area …
Read More »Video: Man goes on a stabbing rampage in Sydney.
A knife-wielding man stabbed a woman in Sydney, Australia and tried to attack “multiple people” before he was apprehended, police said. Video from the scene shows a distraught male as he jumps on the roof of a black car at an intersection. The vehicle then flees and the attacker jumps …
Read More »Australia will not host US missiles, PM.
Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the United States has not requested to deploy intermediate-range missiles in his country, stressing that such a request will be met with rejection. “It’s not been asked to us, not being considered, not been put to us. I think I can rule a line …
Read More »Strange objects found in 4.7-meter crocodile’s stomach
The owner of an Australian crocodile farm has told of his shock after finding a surgical plate in the stomach of a 4.7-meter (15-foot) reptile. The saltwater crocodile, named M.J., died in June at the Koorana Crocodile Farm near Rockhampton, Queensland, in the country’s northeast. The orthopedic plate was discovered …
Read More »Instagram removes ‘likes’ from the social media app.
Instagram started hiding “likes” on its platform in Australia, Brazil, and several other major markets Thursday, saying it wanted to ease pressure on users, following criticism about its impacts on mental health. The Facebook-owned social media giant’s trial changes mean users in the six countries will no longer be able …
Read More »Samsung faces lawsuit over water-resistant smartphone claims.
Samsung is in trouble in Australia over ads that suggested its Galaxy smartphones could be used while swimming. The country’s competition regulator filed a lawsuit against Samsung, alleging that the ads were misleading. Samsung touted its devices as being water resistant up to 1.5 meters deep for 30 minutes, and …
Read More »‘Cat-sized’ rats plague New Zealand town.
A beachside New Zealand suburb known for roaming chickens and yoga has become infested with hordes of unwelcome guests: large, writhing rats. The rodents — which have swarmed around shops and houses in the artsy west Auckland suburb of Titirangi — have made headlines in New Zealand recently, where local …
Read More »Christchurch attack suspect pleads not guilty.
The main suspect in the Christchurch attacks in March has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Brenton Tarrant is charged with the murder of 51 people, 40 counts of attempted murder and one terrorism charge in New Zealand’s deadliest peacetime mass shooting. Appearing via video link from prison, the 28-year-old …
Read More »Huge Deposits of Gold, Copper, and Silver Discovered in Ecuador.
The Cascabel project, operated by Australia’s Solgold, is currently in its advanced exploration phase; it is one of Ecuador’s most ambitious mining projects, with the state hoping it will spur its economy. One of the world’s largest deposits of gold, copper, and silver has been discovered in Ecuador in the …
Read More »Death sentence for the Great Barrier Reef: Australia approves controversial coal mine.
One of India’s richest men just got the green light to start building a new coal mine in Australia despite fierce opposition from climate change campaigners. The Adani Group, owned by billionaire Gautam Adani, said in a statement it would begin construction of the Carmichael mine in Queensland after receiving …
Read More »D-Day 75th Anniversary: What was and What happened.
Donald Trump is set to join Queen Elizabeth II and 15 other heads of state in the British city of Portsmouth Wednesday to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day; the largest joint military operation ever was undertaken. World leaders, royalty and veterans will gather at the Portsmouth Naval Memorial to …
Read More »Four people died in a mass shooting at the Australian city of Darwin.
A gunman killed four people and wounded one in the Australian city of Darwin on Tuesday, authorities said, in one of the country’s most violent attacks in years. A suspect had been arrested, police said. “At this stage, we do not believe this is terrorism-related. This is one individual who …
Read More »Australian police raid ABC News for special forces misconduct reports.
Police in Australia has raided the headquarters of the Australian Broadcasting Corp. (ABC) over a report that used leaked information to reveal the killing of civilians in Afghanistan by Australian forces. The police raided and searched the public broadcaster’s offices in Sydney on Wednesday, specifically targeting three journalists involved in …
Read More »One of Australia’s most popular PM dies.
Bob Hawke, one of Australia’s longest-serving Prime Ministers and a champion of the trade union movement, has died peacefully at the age of 89. Known affectionately by his nickname, “Hawkie” was Australia’s prime minister between 1983 and 1991, winning four elections and becoming the country’s third longest-tenured leader. His policies …
Read More »On a visit to New Zealand mosque, UN chief vows to combat growing hate speech.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres aims to draw up a global plan to fight a rising tide of hate speech, he said on Tuesday, during a visit to a New Zealand mosque where dozens of worshippers were killed in a mass shooting in March. Guterres visited the Al Noor Mosque …
Read More »Potential antidote discovered for the world’s most venomous sea creature.
Researchers at the University of Sydney say they have discovered a potential antidote for the sting of the world’s most venomous sea creature: the Australian box jellyfish. The jellyfish has about 60 tentacles that can grow up to 3 meters (almost 10 feet). They live mainly in coastal waters around …
Read More »WikiLeaks’ Assange sentenced to 50 weeks in prison for jumping UK bail in 2012.
A court in Britain has handed down a 50-week jail sentence to Australian whistleblower and press freedom activist Julian Assange, saying he disrespected the UK judicial system and escaped his bail conditions by taking refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy for almost seven years. The Southwark Crown Court in the UK …
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