Qatar sends envoy to Afghan capital to meet with Taliban

This photo released by Afghan foreign affairs spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi on his official Twitter account shows Amir Khan Muttaqi (right), the Taliban administration's acting foreign minister, greeting Mutlaq Bin Majed Al-Qahtani, the special envoy of Qatar's foreign minister, at Storay Palace, in Kabul, Feb 5, 2023. (PHOTO / TWITTER@QAHARBALKHI) KABUL – An envoy for […]

Israel’s Netanyahu warned to stay out of push for judicial changes

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a joint press conference with US Secretary of State (not in image) , on Jan 30, 2023 in Jerusalem. (PHOTO / AFP) JERUSALEM – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must stay out of his government's push to overhaul the Israeli judicial system, the country's attorney-general said on Thursday. Netanyahu […]

Israeli minister: Judicial reform plans won’t harm economy

In this file photo dated Feb 23, 2015, Nir Barkat, then Jerusalem mayor and the current Israeli economy minister, speaks during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (unseen). (PHOTO / AFP) TEL AVIV – Israel's economy minister dismissed fears on Wednesday that the new right-wing coalition's judicial reform plans would harm […]

Thai ruling party picks veteran kingmaker as PM candidate

Then acting prime minister and current Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon attends a meeting in Bangkok, Thailand on Aug 25, 2022. (PHOTO / THAILAND GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN'S OFFICE VIA AP) BANGKOK – Thailand's ruling pro-military Palang Pracharat party has chosen political veteran and former army chief Prawit Wongsuwon as its prime minister candidate, a senior official […]

Four dud PMs – geo-strategically barren, unable to identify Australia’s interests

The risks for Australia in joining another “failed” American war, this one contrived to crush China, are worse than even-money, and climbing. The consequences verge on existential. This photo taken on Sept 8, 2019 shows the Chinese and Australian national flags on a celebration event in Sydney, Australia. (PHOTO / XINHUA) Australia’s wartime Prime Minister […]

NZ’s incoming PM ‘making haste’ on changes in priorities

New Zealand's new Prime Minister Chris Hipkins (left) and his Depute Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni attend their first press conference at Parliament in Wellington on Jan 22, 2023. (MARTY MELVILLE / AFP) WELLINGTON – New Zealand's incoming Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said on Monday that his government would be "making haste" on reprioritizing and looking […]

NZ’s incoming PM says he’s ‘making haste’ on changes in priorities

New Zealand's new Prime Minister Chris Hipkins speaks at his first press conference at Parliament in Wellington on Jan 22, 2023. (MARTY MELVILLE / AFP) WELLINGTON – New Zealand's incoming Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said on Monday that his government would be "making haste" on reprioritizing and looking at whether current policies need to be […]

Candidates to replace Jacinda Ardern to start making their bids

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern addresses members of the media during a joint news conference hosted with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, following their annual Leaders' Meeting, at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Offices in Sydney, Australia, July 8, 2022. (LOREN ELLIOTT / FILE PHOTO / REUTERS) WELLINGTON – Candidates to replace Jacinda Ardern as New […]

Israel vows to protect its military from politics

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a transition ceremony for the Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi in Jerusalem, Jan 16, 2023. (MAYA ALLERUZZO / POOL VIA REUTERS) JERUSALEM – Israeli leaders vowed on Monday to keep the country's conscript military free of politics after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave far-right coalition […]