POLITICS & POLICY

Nosy NSA: Der Spiegel Revelations on UN, EU Wiretap Could Strain U.S.-EU Ties

In news that could further embarrass the U.S. Administration and strain its relations with allies, the Germany weekly Der Dpiegel, on Sunday, citing documents obtained by fugitive former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, reported that the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) wiretapped the United Nations (U.N.) Headquarters in New York.

47 More Die in Iraq Violence, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki Vows to Continue Anti-Insurgency Campaign

In brazen attacks carried out by insurgents, on Sunday, in Iraq, at least 47 people were killed across the country. This is the worst spate of killing since 2008 and is seen as part of a month-long wave of attacks. The killing has brought the focus back on the country's security forces' ability to protect the country against insurgent groups. It raises fears that Iraq's ethnic divide and sectarian violence may push the country back towards a civil war.
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Safety Concerns for Islamic Preacher who Called for “Allah’s Wrath” on Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, Howard & Obama

He called on Allah’s wrath to be on others and now the police have expressed concerns about his safety. In his March sermon, the Tunisian-born Mosque Preacher Sheikh Sharif Hussein Sheikh who is said to be a leading member of the Adelaide Islamic community, attacked Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, former Australian Prime Minister John Howard, US President Barack Obama and called Australian soldiers in Iraq as "Crusader pigs”.

Zimbabwe President Mugabe Takes Oath for New Term; Calls Western Powers "Vile"

Amid cheering crowds at the Chinese-built National Sports Stadium in Harare and to the chagrin of the west, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe began a new five-year stint in office on Thursday. At 89, he is Africa's oldest yet defiant leaders. In his inaugural address, he, dismissed charges of election fraud, called the West "vile," promised to push further for black ownership of white and foreign-owned companies and attacked homosexuality.

Maldivian HC Saves Teenage Girl from 100 lashes in Public for Pre-Marital Sex

A Maldivian court quashed a public flogging sentence of a 15-year-old girl convicted for having premarital sex. The high court issued a statement on Wednesday saying that the girl, whose step-father is on trial for raping her, had been wrongly convicted by a juvenile court of having pre-marital sex with another man. The February conviction of the girl sparked international outrage and focused attention on treatment of women in Maldives, which is a favourite holiday destination.

Japan’s Fukushima: A Ticking Bomb to Erupt Anytime!

Monitoring developments over at Japan concerning the tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear facility is like waiting for the ticking bomb to explode anytime. On Thursday, Japan's nuclear regulator Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) disclosed, or rather confirmed fears of experts all along - a new radioactive water leak has been found at the plant.

Milk Scare: New Zealand Faces Sri Lankan Protests, Seeks to Regain Chinese Trade Relations

A group with Sri Lankan government affiliations protested in front of New Zealand's Fonterra local office and demanded that the dairy giant follow a court order to withdraw the supposedly contaminated milk products from the market. Meanwhile, the New Zealand government was still working on restoring Chinese relations after China issued an import ban on some of contaminated milk products.

India: Government Readies for Showdown as Hindu Group Promises to Defy Ban in Communally Sensitive Town

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday criticised the state government of Uttar Pradesh for banning a ‘yatra’ (pilgrimage) planned by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) in the communally sensitive city of Ayodhya. It is a move that can be politically precarious for the Indian right-wing BJP in an election year, as it seeks to regain power in the 2014 election under its controversial but popular development mascot Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

Syria Chemical Attack: ‘Red Line’ Breached Again but Obama Still Reluctant

President Obama’s “red line” statement last year on Syria has come to haunt him. On Wednesday, as reports of a horrific chemical attack by the Syrian army that killed hundreds on the outskirts of Damascus poured in, the US and global media screamed that Syria may have finally crossed the “red line.” However, the U.S. avoidance became evident, as it indicated reluctance to take direct action that could embroil America in an open-ended Syrian civil war.

Cost of Freedom: Manning and Snowden Demand Attention

It is a bit of news that Edward Snowden will be watching very closely. Like Snowden, who could not in his “good conscience allow the U.S. government to destroy privacy, Internet freedom and basic liberties for people around the world,” - Bradley Manning, 25, sentenced to prison for 35 years, on several charges of espionage, said he leaked the secret files in the hopes of sparking a public debate about U.S. foreign policy and the military.

Sexism and Gender Discrimination? Australian Women Still Earn Less Than Men

According to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, men continue to earn more money than women in the country. Australian men earn an average of 17.53 per cent more than women with a weekly average of $1,518.40. The figure is higher compared to women who have an average of $1,252.20 per week.

Vatican to Announce Canonisation Date of Popes John Paul II and John XXIII on Sept 30

It will be a date millions of Roman Catholics around the world will be looking forward to. On Sept 30, Pope Francis will host a meeting of cardinals to formally approve the canonisation of former popes John Paul II and John XXIII. Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes said that the date for the canonisation will be announced at that time.

GSCB Bill: Poll Reveals Three-Fourths of New Zealanders Concerned with Privacy, Only Half Trusts Government

A Fairfax poll in New Zealand revealed that more than three-quarters of New Zealand citizens were concerned about the government reforming spy laws in the passing of the GSCB Bill. In a survey of 1,000 New Zealanders, the poll found that 75.3 per cent of the people expressed that they were either "very concerned," "somewhat concerned" or "little concerned" about the Government Communications Security Bureau (GSCB) to monitor their activities including foreigners who are in New...

Australian Dollar Outlook - 22 August 2013

Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Australian Dollar fell to a fresh three-year low, after US Federal Reserve policy-makers spoke of tapering in the July FOMC minutes, by suggesting "it might soon be time to slow somewhat the pace" of asset purchases.

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