Protests continue in Paris after Macron doubles down on pensions
Police gear up for march of hundreds of thousands in Paris as anger grows over president’s ‘arrogance’
Emmanuel Macron was expected to feel the full force of French anger on Thursday as protesters gathered across the country to demonstrate their opposition to the pension age being raised from 62 to 64.
Even before the president’s centrist government pushed the fiercely contested legislation through parliament using a constitutional measure that avoided a vote a week ago, record numbers of workers had taken to the streets.
Israel's military reservists criticize judicial reform
Military reservists are threatening to stop reporting for duty if Israel goes ahead with its judicial reforms. The unprecedented military protests underscore the growing opposition to the legal overhaul.
Former air force pilot Guy Poran gulps down a coffee and quickly eats a homemade sandwich before his next interview. It's a rare break for Poran, who represents a group of about 1,300 Israeli ex-pilots and reservists known as Forum 555. He's been in high demand since several groups of defense force reservists have raised their voices in protest against Israel's judicial reforms.
"It's been busy days," he says. Poran has spent the past few weeks giving interviews explaining why the reservists he represents are critical of the legal overhaul proposed by the far-right coalition of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
None of the reservists have yet to refuse an order, Poran says. But the air force volunteers have made it clear that if the coalition passes the legislation, the reservists wouldn't be able to continue serving in the defense force.
Ethiopia names senior TPLF official as head of Tigray interim govt
The Ethiopian government said Thursday it has appointed a senior official in the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) as head of an interim government for Tigray after a peace deal ended a brutal two-year conflict.
The announcement comes just a day after parliament removed the TPLF from an official list of terrorist organisations, a move it said would help bolster the November 2022 agreement between the rebels and the federal government.
"Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has appointed Getachew Reda as president of the Tigray region's interim administration," Abiy's office said in a statement posted on Twitter.
Iraqis still await special US visas 20 years after invasion
Nearly 100 applicants who applied for protective visas after working with US forces in Iraq remain in limbo.
Abdul Qadir Al-Dulaimi was shot three times — in the head, shoulder and kidney — in what he said was apparent retaliation for his work with United States government forces after they invaded Iraq in 2003.
He thought his work and the attack would qualify him for one of the 2,500 visas set aside for Iraqis who had experienced “an ongoing serious threat” as a result of their employment with the US.
But now, years later, he is among the Iraqis still struggling to receive a visa to flee the violence that continues to target them.
Could the US government actually block people from accessing TikTok altogether?
The US government is demanding that TikTok's Chinese owners sell the social media platform, or risk facing a ban.
It comes as more and more countries have been expressing concerns about what China might do with user data from the app.
But banning the app is not straightforward - here's what might be involved.
Why does the US want to ban TikTok?
TikTok gathers similar kinds of data as other apps, but US officials are concerned that this data could fall into the hands of the Chinese government.
The US says this data could be used to spy on Americans, or to spread propaganda. It has already banned the app from government devices, a move also taken by the UK, Canada and the EU. India also banned the app altogether in 2020.
Australia decides referendum question to create Indigenous Voice
By ROD McGUIRK
The Australian government on Thursday released the wording of a referendum question that promises the nation’s Indigenous population a greater say on policies that effect their lives.
Australians will vote sometime between October and December on the referendum that would enshrine in the constitution an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.
An emotional Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said such a body promoting Indigenous views to the government and Parliament was needed to overcome Indigenous disadvantage.
“We urgently need better outcomes because it’s not good enough where we’re at in 2023,” Albanese told reporters.
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