SYDNEY: Two Australian ministers were demoted from top cabinet posts on Monday as the ruling conservative party tried to draw a line under dual rape scandals that have convulsed national politics. Linda Reynolds was removed as defence minister and Christian Porter as attorney-general, as embattled Prime Minister Scott Morrison bowed to weeks of mounting public pressure. Porter — the government’s …

Pop star Britney Spears is all praises for fellow singer Miley Cyrus and the latter couldn’t be more thrilled. Earlier, the Oops I Did It Again crooner honoured the women in who inspire her in an Instagram post and amongst them was the former Disney star. Now, a source close to the Midnight Sky singer told HollywoodLife how she felt about getting praises from Spears. “Miley …

Kate Middleton paid a heartfelt homage to Princess Diana in a hidden portrait for her photography competition Hold Still. The Duchess of Cambridge uploaded a portrait of herself reminding everyone the distinct style of her late mother-in-law. In the photo, Kate can be seen looking away from the camera while flashing a warm smile, while donning a bright red sweater over …

Jessica Simpson said she contracted the coronavirus and it was really hard to overcome the harrowing effects of it. The former pop star shed light on her ordeal with the novel disease in a detailed essay she penned for Amazon Original Story Take the Lead. Simpson said that she started writing the essay when she tested positive for COVID-19 hoping that …

PEMBA: The key northern Mozambique town of Palma was all but deserted on Monday, its residents fleeing by road, boat or on foot as the militant Islamic State (IS) group claimed control after a prolonged onslaught. IS-linked militants attacked the town on Wednesday, escalating an insurgency that has spread bloodily across northern Mozambique since 2017. Dozens of people, according to …

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday received a telephone call from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who invited the premier to visit Saudi Arabia. Both leaders discussed bilateral ties. Meanwhile, the prime minister wrote a letter to Saudi royals, lauding their “Saudi Green Initiative and Green Middle East Initiative”. According to the Prime Minister Office, the crown prince …

JAKARTA: Indonesian state oil company Pertamina said on Monday it hoped to restore operations at its Balongan oil refinery in West Java in four or five days, as firefighters worked to extinguish a massive blaze that broke out overnight, injuring six people. Pertamina shut the plant and evacuated about 950 nearby residents, with videos shared on social media showing huge …

SUEZ: The MV Ever Given was refloated and the Suez Canal reopened to traffic on Monday, sparking relief almost a week after the huge container ship got stuck and blocked a major artery for global trade. Tugboat crews sounded their foghorns in celebration after the Japanese-owned megaship the length of four football fields was fully dislodged from the sandy banks …

MAE SAKOEP: Thai soldiers began sending back some of the thousands of people who have fled a series of airstrikes by the military in neighboring Myanmar, people familiar with the matter said on Monday. But Thai officials denied that insecurity on the border added a new dimension to an already volatile crisis set off by a coup in Myanmar. The …

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Tuesday said that Pakistan will continue to support a peaceful, sovereign and prosperous Afghanistan, at peace with itself and with it’s neighbours.   Besides facilitating the peace process, Pakistan is extending all possible support to Afghanistan, he said, adding that Pakistan had committed $1 billion to its development and reconstruction. “We also opened five …