POLITICS & POLICY

Freedom Flotilla Proceeds to West Papua as Indonesian Security Forces Get Ready for Showdown

The Freedom Flotilla’s flagship yacht, “The Pog” with six protestors, has left Thursday Island towards West Papua. Meanwhile, reports say the Indonesia security forces are preparing themselves for a possible showdown with demonstrators. Reports say, around 2500 security personnel have arrived at the Flotilla’s destination port of Merauke, anticipating trouble.

U.S. Syria Strike Not War But 'Unbelievably Small' Punishment for Chemical Warfare

Should the United States wage a strike on Syria and President Bashar Assad's forces, the attack is bound to be swift and harsh. President Obama has already signalled that a punishment is necessary for Syria to exercise restraint in the international community. Various contingency plans will be created while locations where the chemical weapon storage areas will be the major targets of attack. The U.S. has maintained the position that Syrian should be disarmed of its chemical stockpile so tha...

Syrian Crisis: Syrian People’s Assembly Writes to Western Counterparts, Seek Civilised Dialogue, Not Language of Fire and Blood

Even as U.S. and allies push forward with their plans to enter the Syrian civil conflict on the side the rebels, the Syrian People’s Assembly has reached out to the U.S. Congress ahead of the crucial vote approving President Obama to strike government forces in Syria. Warning that, “irresponsible, reckless action by the U.S. will kill innocent civilians; the letter implores the U.S. to "communicate with us [Syria] through civilised dialogue rather than the language of fire and blood."

Syrian Crisis: Another Iraq in Making? U.S. Fails to Provide Proof Against Assad Regime, Rebels Accept Responsibility to Ghouta ‘Chemical Attack’

In what could turn out to be a major embarrassment for the United States and its allies, reminiscent of similar action in Iraq, the world is still to see concrete evidence of President Assad government in Syria ordering use of chemical weapons. Although the Obama administration and its allies continue to insist they have the intelligence, the German media reports that Assad has actually refused permission to his troops to use chemical weapons on several occasions.
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Syria's President Bashar Assad May Exchange Chemical Weapons for Amnesty; Obama “Skeptical”

As President Obama pushes his case for an attack on Syria over the use of chemical weapons on civilians, Syrian President Basar al-Asaad tells U.S. TV he has no chemical weapons. Secretary of State John Kerry has denied Assad's claims of not having a chemicals weapons stockpile. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has asked Syria to give up its chemical weapons to international agencies to prevent an attack from the U.S. The new proposal may pause a U.S. led strike on Syria.

Doomsday World War 3 Only 1 Week Away? Surrender Chemical Weapons or Face Attack – U.S. to Syria (VIDEOS/PHOTOS)

The U.S. has sounded the alarm, giving Syria a one-week deadline ultimatum to turn over all its chemical weapons or otherwise face the wrath of a military strike. As expected, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad issued a counter verbal attack that its government will not take lightly any international intrusion to the country’s civil war. Would doomsday World War 3 occur middle of September 2013?

World War 3 Countdown: Syrian Children Plead for Obama to Strike, Assad Defiant Amidst Attack Threat (VIDEOS)

The countdown to World War 3 may happen soon enough as the US Congress prepares to approve or deny President Barack Obama’s proposal to strike Syria. A video posted on Youtube allegedly produced by the residents of Kafranbel, a village in northern Syria, sent a message for the world to see and called on the United States to strike Syria. Despite the possibility of Syria being Ground Zero of World War 3, the Syrian leader has vehemently denied knowledge of chemical weapons use against opposing ...

Tony Abbott Keeps PNG Solution, Maintains Processing on Rape Island (VIDEOS)

Australian Prime Minister-elect Tony Abbott had said during the campaign that he would stop the asylum boats from coming to the country's shores. On Monday, he called Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill that the incoming Coalition government commits to maintain the offshore processing system in Manus Island, also called Rape Island by male asylum seekers.

Meet Nova Peris: The First Aboriginal Woman Elected in Australian Parliament

In a historic win in the recent Australia Elections 2013, Nova Peris has become the first aboriginal woman in the country to become a Parliament member. The former Olympian who also won a gold medal will occupy a place in the Senate as the representative of the Northern Territory with the Australian Labour Party supporting her.

Kevin Rudd News: What's Next for Australia's Former Prime Minister?

Despite losing to the Coalition's Tony Abbott in Australia's recently concluded Federal Elections, Kevin Rudd and wife, Therese Rein, still found a reason to smile and laugh amidst the crowd of Labour supporters.For a group of Labour supporters who lost to the Opposition, they were not exactly crying because of Mr Rudd's harrowing defeat. It was a night of festivities in Brisbane on election night as what was supposed to be a campaign wake.

Australian Labour Party Leaves Lessons for New Zealand's Labour

Now that Tony Abbott is the new Prime Minister of Australia, the relationship between Australia and New Zealand will remain the same, according to Prime Minister John Key. The New Zealand Labour party had a lot to learn from the Australian Labour party's loss to the Coalition in the recent elections. Shane Jones, David Cunliffe and Grant Robertson who are all in the running to succeed David Shearer after his exit as the party leader, should pay attention to what just happened in Australia.

Chris Bowen Not Interested in Being ALP Leader

Treasurer Chris Bowen is not interested in serving as the leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP), left vacant after outgoing Prime Minister Kevin Rudd quit from the post following the party's debacle in the Saturday federal election.

Australian Dollar Outlook - 09 September 2013

Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Australian Dollar has started the week over .9200 after touching a three week high on Friday night as the US jobs data fell short of predictions and some analysts felt that the US Federal Reserve's tapering program would be delayed.

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