Australia’s far-right groups protest Syrian refugee housing
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Several hundred people rallied in the suburbs of Melbourne on Saturday, after a proposal to house refugees locally drew protest by far right anti-Islam groups and counter protests.
Australia’s proposed visa-ban likely breaches Refugee Convention: U.N. official
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – A United Nations official said Australia would probably be in breach of the Refugee Convention if it enacted a proposal for a permanent visa-ban for asylum seekers who attempted to reach the country by boat, Fairfax media reported…
China to weigh up Hong Kong allegiance rules amid independence row
HONG KONG (Reuters) – China’s top parliamentary panel will discuss Hong Kong’s mini-constitution and how it should be interpreted, the Chinese-ruled city government said on Friday, to try to end a crisis over a fledgling independence movement but raisi…
Indonesian president says ‘no compromise’ on South China Sea
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Indonesian President Joko Widodo said there will be “no compromise” to his country’s sovereignty in the contested South China Sea, ahead of a visit to staunch U.S. ally Australia.
Iraqi forces push deeper into eastern Mosul
MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) – Iraqi special forces said they recaptured six districts of eastern Mosul on Friday, expanding the army’s foothold in the Islamic State bastion a day after its leader told his jihadist followers there could be no retreat.
Turkey draws Western condemnation over arrest of Kurdish lawmakers
DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (Reuters) – Turkish authorities arrested the leaders of the country’s main pro-Kurdish opposition party in a terrorism investigation on Friday, drawing strong international condemnation of a widening crackdown on dissent under Presid…
Thousands of Moroccans keep up pressure over fishmonger’s death
AL-HOCEIMA, Morocco (Reuters) – Thousands of chanting, flag-waving Moroccans protested in a northern city on Friday, keeping up pressure on authorities a week after a fishmonger was crushed to death in a garbage truck in a confrontation with police.
Three U.S. trainers shot dead at Jordan base – military source
AMMAN (Reuters) – Three U.S. military trainers were shot dead in Jordan on Friday when their car failed to stop at the gate of a military base and was fired on by Jordanian security forces, a Jordanian military source said.
African states bid to stop work of U.N. gay rights investigator
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – African states launched a bid at the United Nations on Friday to halt the work of the first U.N. independent investigator appointed to help protect gay and transgender people worldwide from violence and discrimination.
British PM May confident of Brexit plans, reassures EU leaders
LONDON (Reuters) – Prime Minister Theresa May told European Union leaders on Friday she was confident a court ruling that could delay Britain’s departure from the bloc would be overturned and said she would stick to her Brexit timetable.
