When Najat Janabi arrived in Australia with her 16-year-old son Ahmed Shalikhan in 2013, she thought they'd finally made it to safety. Their boat from Indonesia was the final leg in a decades-long journey, which included escaping persecution in Iraq under Saddam Hussein's regime and being stateless in Iran. In reality, it was the beginning of another nightmare. Nine years later, Ahmed is still locked in immigration detention — and there's no end in sight. "I lost hope, I lost my childhood, I lost my education. I always wanted to have a better life. This government. This department took everything from me," he told the ABC. Ahmed's case is complex. He last week returned to Sydney's Villawood detention centre after spending five months in the Mid North Coast Correctional Centre because he was charged with assaulting an officer in detention. He pleaded not guilty under the Mental Health Act, and the charge against him was dismissed. Body-worn camera footage from inside … [Read more...] about When Ahmed arrived in Australia he thought he was safe — he actually ‘lost his childhood’
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Nine more golds for Australia on ninth day of Commonwealth Games
The ninth day of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham has ended with another nine gold medals for Australia, strengthening the nation's lead in the overall tally. Two Australians made it to the final in the table tennis women's singles classes 6-10, ensuring two medals for the nation. Qian Yang won gold and Li Na Lei took home the silver medal. Australia also won gold in athletics, lawn bowls, diving and gymnastics. You can check out how the latest batch of medals were won in our Commonwealth Games blog , or have a look at the medal winners and the top 10 medal standings by country below: Day nine medal results: Gold: Alexandra Kiroi-Bogatyreva, gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics Jemima Montag, athletics, 10,000 metre race walking Oliver Hoare, athletics, 1,500 metre run Maddison Keeney and Anabelle Luce Smith, diving, 3-metre synchronised springboard Ellen Ryan and Kristina Krstic, lawn bowls, pairs Aaron Wilson, lawn bowls, singles … [Read more...] about Nine more golds for Australia on ninth day of Commonwealth Games
Australia still tops the Commonwealth Games medal tally with day eight’s silver and bronze haul
There were no gold medals for Australia on the eighth day of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, but two silvers and seven bronze medals kept the nation at the top of the leader board. There were podium finishes for Australian athletes in diving, wrestling, gymnastics and athletics. You can check out how the latest batch of medals were won in our Commonwealth Games blog , or have a look at the medal winners and the top 10 medal standings by country below: Day 8 medal results: Silver: Brittany O'Brien, diving, 1 metre springboard Daniel Golubovic, athletics, decathlon Bronze: Sam Fricker and Shixin Li, diving, synchronised 3 metre springboard Esther Qin, diving, 1 metre springboard Alexandra Kiroi-Bogatyreva, gymnastics, rhythmic individual all-around Jayden Lawrence, wrestling, 86 kilogram freestyle wrestling Sam Carter, ahtletics, T53/54 1,500 metre Domonic Bedggood and Cassiel Rousseau, diving, 10 metre synchronised platform … [Read more...] about Australia still tops the Commonwealth Games medal tally with day eight’s silver and bronze haul
Australia’s gold haul continues with a double cycling gold and medals in athletics
Australia has taken out gold in both the men's and women's cycling time trials on day seven of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. The gold haul continues in athletics, with other medals won in gymnastics, weightlifting and diving. You can check out how the latest batch of medals were won in our Commonwealth Games blog , or have a look at the medal winners and the top 10 medal standings by country below: Day 7 medal results: Gold: Matthew Denny, athletics, discus Madison de Rozario, athletics, T53/54 1,500m Rohan Dennis, cycling, time trial Grace Brown, cycling, time trial Silver: Ashari Jesse Gill, Lidiia Iakovleva and Alexandra Kiroi-Bogatyreva, gymnastics, team rhythmic gymnastics Sarah Edmiston, athletics, F42-44/61-64 discus Shixin Li, diving, 1m springboard Bronze: Hani Watson, weightlifting, women's heavyweight Angela Ballard, athletics, T53/54 1,500m Birmingham 2022 medal standings: POSITION … [Read more...] about Australia’s gold haul continues with a double cycling gold and medals in athletics
Boosting US-Pacific ties a priority, says top US diplomat during WWII memorial visit to Solomon Islands
Strengthening ties with the Pacific is a priority for the Biden administration, says a top US diplomat, while warning the region faces a struggle from countries that seek to coerce and pressure the Pacific Islands family. Key points: US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said the US was committed to "reinvesting" in their relationship with Pacific partners Ms Sherman criticised world leaders who used "coercion, pressure, and violence" to disrupt the rules-based international order An inter-agency US delegation was in the Solomon Islands to attend a memorial for the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman travelled to the Solomon Islands capital of Honiara as part of an inter-agency delegation to attend a memorial for the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal. In a speech Ms Sherman gave at the US-hosted event in Skyline Ridge, the site of the US Guadalcanal Memorial, she said the US was committed to … [Read more...] about Boosting US-Pacific ties a priority, says top US diplomat during WWII memorial visit to Solomon Islands
Caroline Kennedy speaks with surviving members of Australian military team that helped rescue her father during WWII
When a Japanese destroyer rammed a US patrol boat during World War II, it came perilously close to snuffing out an American political dynasty. Key points: Caroline Kennedy is the new US ambassador to Australia and this week visited the Australian War Memorial She spoke with the two surviving Australian Coastwatchers, whose elite team helped rescue her father, John F Kennedy The story of survival and rescue has become American folklore and was immortalised by Hollywood in the 1963 movie PT 109 On August 2, 1943, the patrol torpedo boat PT-109 was on the hunt for enemy shipping in Solomon Islands, when it was rammed in the dead of night by a Japanese destroyer. At the helm of the PT-109 was a young Lieutenant, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, who would go on to become president of the United States. His bravery in guiding his surviving injured crewmates to safety has become American folklore. But it took years before the true story of the Australian link to JFK's … [Read more...] about Caroline Kennedy speaks with surviving members of Australian military team that helped rescue her father during WWII