The U.S military has shot down a Chinese balloon, which it says was a surveillance craft, off the coast of South Carolina. China strongly condemned the military strike, saying the was used for meteorological and other scientific purposes, and had strayed into U.S. airspace "completely accidentally". Beijing saying it now reserved the right to use similar force against U.S vessels.

Surfside Beach

China: Spy balloon downing an 'overreaction'

A clear shot as it happened. A missile hits the high-altitude balloon and it begins. Its descent in end, two days of long debate about what to do about this massive air balloon. Suddenly saw some takeoff from the jet knew, it was a missile. And you can see the explosion. That was just stupid. I think it's Terrible that they let it get this far to start with. And what I've heard, there's more and more of them. China claimed. It was a weather balloon that was blown off-course. President, Biden says, he gave the order to shoot it down, last Wednesday. They decided that the best time to do that. Once we got over water. Sorry we didn't are within Twelve Mile limit. It successfully took a down lost a single missile to bring the balloon down into US. Territorial Waters in the balloon. They think it's going to be a fairly simple operation. There are already several US Navy and US Coast Guard ships on the scene. They plan to use u.s. navy divers and unmanned submersibles to bring it to the surface in the next few days. And then the US will decide if they want to publicly end the debate offering proof of what this was. It's still an open debate, huge balloon was, in fact, following the air streams of the area and that it hasn't activated. It is not loitering over. I Montana, it was shot off the Eastern Seaboard. So, at this juncture, this idea that this is somehow a spy ship that was deliberately sent by China. Seems a little bit far-fetched, but you as analysts say, the fact that they believe a similar balloon is traveling Latin, America makes this Dairy more likely. I do not believe that it was just a weather balloon blown off course it would be quite the coincidence if we have the balloon going into US airspace wall. Apparently, there's another one frosting, Latin, America simultaneously infringing upon other country's airspace relationship. Which was supposed to take steps toward improving on Saturday instead taking a step back patio, Hain, Al Jazeera, Washington, while I speak to Evan Resnick about. This is an assistant professor at the s rajaratnam. School of international studies at Nae on Technological. University is joining us from Singapore. Thank you so much for being with us. What do you make of China's reaction to the shooting down of the suspected spy balloon? It says the reaction from the US was excessive and that it retains the right to respond what might this response be? Oh yeah, I got you. I think this is the reaction. You would expect from both sides country spy on each other. Routinely adversary spy on each other quite routinely the US and trying to spy on each other a lot. It's been one country catches, the other red handed. The Temptation is is irresistible to make a serve propaganda Victory out of it. The Chinese did not buy. This was a spy a crap. They say, this was a civilian weather balloon, the Pentagon saying, that another Chinese balloon was seen over South America. Why would the Chinese need a balloon over the US? When they have advanced online systems that could do? The job could, could this have been a provocation by Beijing or more of a miscalculation? It would seem that in light of Secretary of State, Lincoln's imminent, visit to Beijing, but it was, it was unlikely to have been a deliberate Ploy by the Chinese to ramp up 10 on usual given given the time and it probably was a miscalculation. Now the relationship between Beijing and Washington has you take with you to visit a meeting? It. It would seem the Chinese wanted with will that still go ahead and where does it needs a relationship? It's unlikely to go ahead in the imminent. Future president, President Biden's facing strong, political headwinds, he doesn't want to seem like he's using the Chinese the time. When he's with you. He's just intercepted. This surveillance aircraft. This surveillance balloon. The Republicans are all created. Our car are criticizing him for not being strong-willed enough in dealing with that with that incident. So, it sounds like any, any chance of the meeting taking place in the immediate future is unlikely, which is unfortunate. Given, as you said, the relationship between the two countries has been extremely hostile over the last few years. Thank you so much. Thank you for your time.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese fought back tears on Thursday as he revealed the question the government wants to ask in a referendum on whether to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in the country's constitution. 

Canberra

Australia set to vote on indigenous referendum

Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan says it is only a matter of time before he is imprisoned or killed. He made the remarks in an online post, in which he spoke out against the government and the military. The Lahore district administration has granted permission to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to hold a rally at Minar Pakistan between the night of the 25th and 26th of March.

Lahore

Imran Khan wars 'matter of time' before his murder

The United States Federal Reserve has announced its latest interest rate hike, a move aimed at lowering inflation by making borrowing more expensive for consumers. The increase of a quarter of a percentage point on Wednesday sets the US central bank’s benchmark overnight interest rate in the 4.75 to 5 percent range, its highest level in 15 years.

Wall Street

U.S interest rates hiked again

Former U.K. prime minister Boris Johnson clashed with MPs at a hearing over parties held at Downing Street while the rest of the country was in lockdown. The scandal, which drove Johnson out of the prime minister’s office, could now get him booted from Parliament.

London

Boris Johnson grilled over Partygate

Seventeen Ukrainian children who were sent to camps in Crimea by Russian officials were reunited with their families in Kyiv today. They are among thousands who were transferred to Russia or the regions it occupies. It follows charges laid against Vladimir Putin over the alleged kidnappings levelled by the International Criminal Court.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Children 'taken' by Russia returned

The House of Commons voted 515-29 to back a key portion of The Windsor Framework, designed to resolve a trade dispute between the UK and Northern Ireland.

Westminster

Sunak's Brexit deal clears Commons vote

Two Defence Force personnel have been injured after an Australian Army helicopter crashed into the water during routine counterterrorism training on New South Wales south coast. There were 10 personnel on board the aircraft when the incident occurred and all have been recovered from the water. Chief of Army Lieutenant General Simon Stuart says the incident had the potential to end in "tragedy".

Jervis Bay

Two army personnel injured in helicopter crash

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited his troops near the frontline city of Bakhmut, the ongoing battle for the city being one of the bloodiest of the war. Footage released by the president's office shows him handing out medals and visiting wounded in the Donetsk region, where Bakhmut is located.

Bakhmut

Zelenskyy visits Bakhmut frontlines

Emmanuel Macron has defended his Government's decision to force the controversial pension reforms through Parliament during a rare national 
television address, designed to quell the violent protests that have gripped the country. The French President condemning the violence, saying he had 'no regrets' despite facing multiple no-confidence motions.

Paris

'No regrets': Macron defiance amid protests

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson insists he did not lie to lawmakers, defending himself at a parliamentary hearing as part of a probe into whether he misled lawmakers over rule-breaking Covid-19 lockdown parties. Johnson faced a grilling before a cross-party committee that has the powers to suspend the MP and force a by-election in his London seat.

'Hand on heart': Boris denies lying

Stocks on Wall Street have climbed after the rescue of Credit Suisse calmed nerves about a larger banking crisis. The United States treasury secretary, Janet Yellen, says the local financial sector is stabilising after it was put to the test by the collapse of two banks this month. But the world's largest economy is still facing some strong headwinds.

Banking Crisis

U.S bank failures 'very different' from 2008

Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin stress that'“responsible dialogue' is the best way to resolve the Ukraine crisis as Moscow reaffirms its commitment to peace negotiations. The Chinese leader says Beijing has an “impartial position” on the conflict in Ukraine and supports peace as Putin says China’s peace proposals could be used as the basis for talks.

Moscow

Xi's trip to Russia: A boost for Putin

A Virginia grand jury formally indicted 10 people, including police officers and hospital workers, over the death of Irvo Otieno - a Black man who was restrained before he died in a mental health facility. His family demanded justice and mental health reform. 

Richmond

Video shows police 'piling on' man before his death

Lawyers for Fox Corp faced a sceptical judge on Tuesday (March 21) as they sought to block a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit by Dominion Voting Systems from going to trial, while the voting-technology company accused Fox News of knowingly airing vote-rigging claims that the network knew were false.

Delaware

Fox News fights to avoid trial by jury

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday a Chinese peace plan could provide a basis for a settlement of the fighting in Ukraine when the West is ready for it. Speaking after talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Putin charged that Ukraine’s Western allies so far have shown no interest in that.

Russian Sanctions

Putin: Ukraine 'doesn't want' peace

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is battling for his political future as he tries to convince a cross-party committee that he 'unintentionally' misled Parliament over the Partygate scandal. If the committee decides he 'recklessly' misled MPs, he faces a suspension from Parliament that could force a by-election in his West London seat.

Boris Johnson in trouble again

A magnitude 6.5 earthquake was felt across huge swathes of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and parts of India on Tuesday night, forcing people to spend the night outside.

Islamabad

Deadly earthquake rocks Pakistan, Afghanistan

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has offered strong support to Ukraine during a visit to Kyiv, inviting President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to the G-7 Summit in May.

In Kyiv, Japan's Kishida backs Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping discussed Beijing's proposal for a ceasefire in Ukraine in talks in Moscow, while displaying a warm friendship forged on a mutual rivalry with the West. China has refrained from condemning Russia or referring to Moscow's intervention in its neighbor as an "invasion". It has also criticized Western sanctions on Russia.

Xi urges Ukraine ceasefire during Putin talks

The NATO Secretary General said China needs to "understand Ukraine's perspective" and engage with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

China 'must condemn' Russian aggression; NATO

Russian authorities on Tuesday detained human rights activists including members of the Nobel-winning Memorial organisation after raids on homes and offices, sparking an outcry among the international human rights community. 

Tsentralnyy administrativnyy okrug

Russian Police raid homes of Nobel Prize winners

Protesters are trying to pressure lawmakers to bring down the government and doom the unpopular retirement age increase President Macronis trying to impose without a vote in the National Assembly.

Protestors rally as Macron survives no-confidence vote

U.S. President Joe Biden signed a bill that requires declassification of information related to the origins of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Whether the pandemic was the result of a lab leak from China's Wuhan Institute of Virology, or jumped from animals to humans at a Wuhan market remains a hotly contested debate. China has said there is no credibility behind the lab leak theory.

Wuhan

Biden orders release of COVID intelligence

Russia has opened its own criminal investigation into the International Criminal Court's (ICC) prosecutor and judges. Russia’s Investigative Committee says the ICC has knowingly accused an innocent person of a crime, in another show of defiance against the court.

Russia retaliates after Putin arrest warrant

A damning report by an independent member of Britain's House of Lords has found that London's Metropolitan Police force is institutionally racist, sexist, and homophobic. In her report, Louise Casey says officers are not properly vetted and calls for wide-ranging reform.

London Police 'racist, sexist and homophobic'

Anticipation is building over reports that former U.S. President Donald Trump could be indicted as early as today. Barriers have been erected around a Manhattan courthouse in anticipation of protests after Trump called on his supporters to protest any moves to arrest him. 

New York

U.S braces for 'unprecedented' Trump arrest

China's Xi Jinping received a warm welcome from Russian president Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Western allies will be watching this visit closely for signs China may be considering supplying weapons for Russia’s war in Ukraine, despite China’s claims of impartiality.

Xi Jinping calls for Ukraine ceasefire

Top climate scientists released their final assessment report on climate change, declaring this is the last chance to limit human-caused global warming to 1.5 C above pre-industrial levels before the damage becomes irreversible.

Climate Crisis

Report finds global warming 'likely' to hit 1.5C

The French government has survived two no-confidence votes in the lower chamber of parliament after its push last week to raise the retirement age to 64.

Macron survives no-confidence votes

New York City police officers erected security barricades outside Manhattan Criminal Court and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office Monday ahead of a possible indictment of former President Donald Trump and potential civil unrest from his supporters.