Australia

Opposition hopes rise as Myanmar military loses ground against co-ordinated attacks

02 Dec 2023 09:38 AM IST

A major offensive against Myanmar’s military-run government by an alliance of three militias of ethnic minorities in the northeast has been moving at lightning speed, inspiring resistance forces around the country to launch new attacks. With Myanmar’s military falling back on almost every front, hope is rising among opponents that

UN atomic chief backs nuclear power at COP28 amid global concerns

02 Dec 2023 09:37 AM IST

The global demand for nuclear energy is on the rise as a strategy to combat climate change and meet the increasing need for electricity, reflecting a shift in mindset across generations, according to the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog. Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy

House passes resolution blocking Iran’s access to $6 billion in prisoner swap

02 Dec 2023 09:36 AM IST

The House passed a bipartisan measure Thursday that would block Iran from ever accessing the $6 billion recently transferred by the US in a prisoner swap, a step Republicans pushed in response to the nation’s alleged role in the deadly attacks last month by Hamas on Israel. The measure—titled the

Gallant to Blinken: Israel commits to prolonged fight against Hamas

02 Dec 2023 09:36 AM IST

Israel’s Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant and former Minister of defence and now minister without portfolio in the special War Cabinet Benny Gantz both met Thursday evening with the visiting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Gantz said he “conveyed first and foremost to the Secretary my profound appreciation for

IDF accuses Hamas violating agreement; resumes combat

02 Dec 2023 09:35 AM IST

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have accused Hamas of violating the operational pause by not providing the list of hostages to be released today by 7 am (local time) and also firing toward Israeli territory. It further said that Hamas has fired towards the Israeli territory, and in response, IDF has

Navy Chief on ex-Navy personnel on death row in Qatar: Govt making efforts to reinstate them

01 Dec 2023 16:14 PM IST

The government is working nonstop to repatriate eight former naval personnel from Qatar who were given the death penalty by a Qatari court, according to Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar on Friday. “We are working closely to ensure that their interests are looked after,” Admiral Kumar said at a

Somali maritime police ESCALATES patrols amid rising piracy concerns in Gulf

01 Dec 2023 10:13 AM IST

Somalia’s maritime police force on Thursday intensified patrols in the Red Sea following a failed pirate hijacking of a ship in the Gulf of Aden earlier this week. The commander of the maritime force in the semiautonomous region of Puntland, Abdullahi Mohamed Ahmed, told The Associated Press that patrols in

Elton John urges UK Parliament to intensify efforts combating HIV/AIDS epidemic

01 Dec 2023 10:13 AM IST

Elton John has urged British lawmakers to do more to fight HIV and AIDS, saying the U.K. can be the first country in the world “to defeat this awful virus.” The British star spoke to lawmakers and campaigners in the grand Speaker’s House of Parliament on Wednesday evening at an

Japan to halt Osprey flights following fatal US Air Force crash

01 Dec 2023 10:12 AM IST

Japan plans to suspend its own Osprey flights after a US Air Force Osprey based in Japan crashed into waters off the southern coast during a training mission, reports said Thursday. Kyodo news agency says a senior Defence Ministry official, Taro Yamato, told a parliamentary hearing that Japan plans to

UK navy destroyer to join ’OPERATION KIPION’ to bolster forces in Gulf

01 Dec 2023 10:11 AM IST

The UK Defence Secretary announced the departure of HMS Diamond to join Operation Kipion, increasing the UK’s maritime presence in the Gulf and the Indian Ocean, a statement issued by the UK government read. The HMS Diamond, is the third type 45 Destroyer and one of the most advanced warships

South Koreans seek nuclear weapons, raising tension in volatile region

01 Dec 2023 10:11 AM IST

To the steady rat-tat-tat of machine guns and exploding bursts of smoke, amphibious tanks slice across a lake not far from the big green mountains that stand along the world’s most heavily armed border. Dozens of South Korean and U.S. combat engineers build a pontoon bridge to ferry tanks and

Chinese factory activity contracts for second consecutive month

01 Dec 2023 10:10 AM IST

The latest official survey of Chinese manufacturers reveals that factory activity contracted for the second consecutive month in November, signaling weak demand despite various stimulus measures implemented to support the economy. According to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Thursday, the official manufacturing purchasing managers’ index dropped