POLITICS & POLICY

The Obama administration has charged Russia of violating a 1987 treaty on intermediate-range missiles (INF) by unilaterally testing a ground-launched cruise missile. According to reports in the Washington Post, the violation of the treaty was detected a few years ago. Raising the matter at the highest level, President Obama sent letter to Russian President Validimir Putin early this week.

A mother in New Zealand has approached the Human Rights Commission in the country with a complaint, charging her son’s school of discriminating her child for skipping religious instruction in the school. The report by 3 News said the complainant, Tanya Jacob of Christchurch, sought a ban on all religious practices in state-run schools because it contravenes the human rights of citizens.

New Zealand is bracing to get a big slice of the global satellite launch market with its unique space programme getting ready to blast off by 2015. The National Herald reported that private initiative Rocket Lab has Peter Beck at its helm as the founder and CEO.

Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Australian Dollar is slightly lower amid more signs the US economy is improving.

British Prime Minister David Cameron has announced ‘Britain First’ immigration policy and cut many perks for foreigners in the new immigration rules. Cameron announced his plans in an article contributed to The Telegraph.

There could be further sanctions against Russia in Europe, the U.S. government indicated. The White House feared that Vladimir Putin’s government might further get engaged in cross-border intrusion.

Israel’s missile found the house of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Tuesday, July 29, after Benjamin Netanyahu’s government declared an “unlimited truce.”

Canadian diplomatic staff stationed in Tripoli, Libya said the embassy continues to operate there, albeit withholding information where the facility is really currently located.

Parents were shocked when they saw a CCTV footage of their children being beaten to sleep and physically abuse at a nursery in Romania.

A row is brewing over the wrong use of photo that carried news report of young sergeant Guy Boyland of Kiwi origin, killed in Gaza. According to reports in TVNZ, the young soldier died in a battle with Hamas gunmen in Gaza on Friday. But the flip flop by a news paper New Zealand Herald made the news more controversial.

Colorado’s legalisation of cannabis (marijuana) has led to an increase in the number of young people living on the streets, reported Telegraph. Colarado made history in January this year when it opened stores licensed to sell marijuana legally. The Passage of Amendment 66 legalised marijuana and created a bonanza for green entrepreneurs and tax collectors.

In a noble gesture, some families of the victims on board the missing flight MH370 has come forward to counsel the distraught relatives of those died on flight MH17 recently, reports the Guardian.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has received the public's support for his active role and leadership in the investigation of the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 disaster. The results of a News Corp poll revealed 48 per cent of respondents believe Mr Abbott has displayed "more leadership" in response to the MH17 tragedy and his tougher stance on Russia compared to U.S. President Barack Obama.

The north Toronto city on Saturday night had a UFO experience with the social media abuzz with speculations by people spotting strange, flashing lights over the city, reported Guardian LV. North York residents tweeted that they saw colourful lights moving in sky at Yonge Street and Sheppard Avenue. The Toronto Police also confirmed having got calls from the public informing of pink, green and white lights in a single diagonal line.

The New Zealand polls became more intense with Georgina Beyer, world’s first transgender MP joining the Mana Party, reports ODT. Beyer was a former MP with the Labour Party. Beyer made news in 1995 when she won the Carterton mayor election with a huge margin.

Australian Treasurer Joe Hockey has hinted of helping Kiwis living and working in Australia. According to reports, Hockey indicated that the Australian government may be open to changes in rules affecting New Zealanders.

Public support for New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and the National part has increased in the recent polls. In survey conducted by One News-Colnar Brunton, 48 per cent backed Mr Key while 52 per cent said they supported the National party.

Hamas has agreed on a 24-hour ceasefire on humanitarian grounds as the Islamic world starts to celebrate Eid al-Fitr on Monday, July 28.

Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Australian Dollar has slipped below the .9400 level over the weekend as the latest US economic data was slightly better than expected.

It is often said that arranged marriages are more durable than love marriages. But the UK is facing a big problem from thousands of "arranged marriages," which are nothing but a ruse to settle in the country.

The Australian government has decided to bring the 157 Tamil asylum seekers detained at sea on a customs boat back to the mainland. Australia's stretch of six months without asylum seeker boats arriving in the mainland has come to an end as asylum seekers who were held in the Customs Ocean Protector for four weeks will finally be brought to the country.

The Australian government has decided to bring the 157 Tamil asylum seekers detained at sea on a customs boat back to the mainland. Australia's stretch of six months without asylum seeker boats arriving in the mainland has come to an end as asylum seekers who were held in the Customs Ocean Protector for four weeks will finally be brought to the country.

Tension in Ukraine may further increase as Australian Prime Minister deploys armed security forces to the Malaysia Airlines MH17 crash site. The plane wreckage lies in the territory of pro-Russian separatists. According to political analysts in Berlin and Brussels, the presence of 100 Australian Federal Police in rebel territory may prove to be "dangerous."

Hillary Clinton had reportedly revealed through a magazine interview that Bill Clinton' sex addiction was brought on by a traumatic childhood of physical abuse.

Death sentences in some US states by lethal injection has come under heavy criticism as a barbaric act and the clamour is up for its legal review by the apex court, reports Global Post. The latest trigger is the protests that followed after a convict struggled in agony for almost two hours to breathe his last after the botched execution.

New Zealand will be passing a new legislation shortly to make health and safety a top priority in workplaces, reported NZ Herald. According to leading a employment lawyer Shima Grice, New Zealanders have to study the implications of the new law and prepare themselves to operate within it.

The Labour Party in New Zealand will ensure higher funding to the adult and community education sector, reports NZ Herald. While taking out the education card the Labour party also accused the John Key government of stopping many innovative schemes in education. Certainly the Labour Party is trying to make all the right noises.

Police in Vancouver, Canada raided a medical marijuana store on Thursday for allegedly selling illegal recreational marijuana to the neighbourhood youth. The store was Jim's Weed Lounge.

Britain has warned Israel that the West is getting less sympathetic to the Jewish state and its offensive in Gaza.