Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan vowed to turn up in court on Saturday after skipping hearings. He blamed the government for his legal challenges and repeated his demand that snap elections would end the political instability in the country. Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said Khan's allegations were a media narrative. He spoke with Bloomberg's Shery Ahn.

Tehran

Imran Khan claims Iran attempted to assasinate him

The question of course has to do with the fact that it court, again rejected that application for suspension of your arrest, will you still be appearing and Islamabad high court on Saturday? Yes, I plan to on the 18th on Saturday. I plan to be in Islamabad to present myself in front of the goat. The government is saying that you've been evading the cord that you have been trying to portray yourself as a martyr. What's your response? What is a government? I'm afraid want to put me in jail, whatever. This is about, the attempt was about the fifth attempt when they came to arrest me. And, and this is over the past 6 months. And so everytime, it's something is some different reason. Once they came to arrest me, this suddenly brought in a warrant on the weekend, so the new I can go to the to the, to the court. The problem Cherry hair is that there was an assassination attempt on me and I know it was the people sitting in government who did that, they were the ones who tried to kill me. So how did you know that was going to happen? Where did you hear that from? Have you seen any trail of evidence or documents that you could actually present your case? So I wasn't powerful, three and a half years. I had the intelligence agencies were working on the Zohan from them. I was coming right now with in your country happening because of the importance of early elections to you. Why is this important when we've heard from so many Ministry saying there are no funds, there's no Manpower law enforcement to make this happen. You know the reason why the government is saying this is because I'm petrified of Elections. The reason why they wanted to kill me is because they're petrified that my body elections are coming and the Prime Minister has said, it will happen from September to October. So why not let it happen at the appropriate time in the entire country. Instead of just a few provinces, the two provinces that my country. My my party was in power is 64% of Pakistan and and we deserve a government. Because the Constitution allows us to dissolve a gummy that we think we can fulfill the public mandate because the center wasn't giving us funds and we could go to a people and what we were promised them like development and soon we can do it. So because we can fulfil Amanda to the people would be a promise. So we we went for election. Whichever Democracy does it? I mean every democracy have the right and Bridge and they had elections Unit 203 election so we deserve a government and the lawyers that after 90 days you have to hold elections. The Constitution says that the Supreme Court then went and announced that the elections would be on 30th of April. In these two provinces the government is backtracking making lame excuses, like they don't have to have involved with this government difficult decisions. In this government having both raising Energy prices passes, as well as though some of the measures that you've been thinking. About once you get into Power, if you win the election, Look up. Raising taxes is not a difficult decision because that just means the easy way out because you're just putting all the button on the same people. Increasing the tax base, that is difficult. And that is only a government that has public. Confidence can do it s, a government corporation, stop beating this country, you have to restructure them that again, only a government with a public mandate can do take those tough decisions. And then who wrote the most important thing luxury, the most important thing in Pakistan is rule of law. Unless you have a governing system and the justice system with people that investors have confidence in contract enforcement in the rule of law,

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.