POLITICS & POLICY

Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper reiterated Canada’s support to Israel and blamed Hamas squarely for the death and destruction in Gaza. Harper was unfazed by the US criticism of Israel for the attack on UN schools in Gaza and said no one likes the suffering and loss of life. But the terrorist organization Hamas must be blamed for the bloodshed.

Theodore Dutch Van Kirk, the last surviving member of the crew that dropped atomic bomb on Hiroshima died in Georgia. He was 93. Van Kirk was just 24 when he became the navigator of Enola Gay. The atom bomb assault on Japan in 1945 and killed an estimated 140,000 people. But Van Kirk never bore any regrets about the mission and always called it a positive step that helped in ending the Second World War soon.

Asylum seekers who are being held in a remote detention centre in Western Australia have shown signs of torture and trauma. Australia Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said the claims came from a "very reliable source" which prompted her to visit the detention centre on July 30.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has declared he is more concerned about the recovery of bodies from the MH17 crash site in Ukraine than imposing more sanctions on Russia. Mr Abbott said Australia's priority was getting access to the site under the separatists' control.

WikiLeaks accused Australia of issuing an official order to Australian media to suppress any information involving multinational bribery allegations against international leaders in the country. The order was allegedly issued in the name of national security.

The United Nations as well as the United States condemned Israel after an Israeli missile attack on a Gaza school killed at least 15 people and injured more than 100 on Wednesday, July 30.

New Zealand's Labour Party has promised an additional $2 per hour to the minimum wage ahead of the September election. The party announced it will eliminate the 90-day work trial as part of Labour's work and wages policy.

Officials found it more difficult to investigate the MH17 crash site as reports emerged that there were landmines placed near the location.

Canada's Conservative government is getting ready with a new anti-prostitution bill. The move follows the Canadian Supreme Court striking down major statutes against prostitution last year. The court ruling had signalled a move towards decriminalisation of sex work. Critics fears that the provisions in the bill will turn counterproductive and appear draconian.

The election debate in New Zealand is getting into a high pitch with politicians being urged to confine their focus within relevant issues. According to a TVZ report, the Race Relations Commissioner has ticked off an ACT leader for his comments on the privileges enjoyed by Maoris, including seats in Parliament.

The Colmar Brunton opinion poll for Television New Zealand’s One News shows that the ruling National Party is way ahead of others with 52 per cent popular support, followed by Labour at 28 per cent and Green Party with 10 per cent. New Zealand goes to polls on Sept 20.

A national leader from Iran has asked the Muslims to supply arms to Palestine so that Hamas can fight Israel well.

.Canada is getting ready to clinch a trade deal with the European Union. The CBC CA report says the Canadian Trade Minister Ed Fast’s office is claiming excellent progress in the trade pact despite reports of Germany being unhappy.

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) has started targeting companies now that the carbon tax has been scrapped. It has specifically ordered airline companies Qantas and Virgin to explain why they cannot pass on to travelers the supposed savings they generated from implementing the said tax.

The United States and the European Union announced stricter sanctions against Russia on Tuesday, July 29.

Kim Dotcom, the Internet mogul and Megaupload founder facing extradition to the U.S., is confident his Internet Mana Party will get 5 per cent of the votes in New Zealand's upcoming election in September. According to reports, Dotcom's political party is predicted to appeal to the young and first-time voters.

The looming threat of an El Niño in 2014 is easing up and is unlikely to be a strong event should it strike during spring time, Australia's Bureau of Meteorology said on Tuesday.

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.