Skip to main content

Israeli occupier attacks threaten historic Christian presence in West Bank town

In Taybeh, one of the few Palestinian communities with a Christian majority in the occupied West Bank, fears are growing that Israeli occupier attacks on farmland and property could push more families to emigrate, threatening the town’s demographic character and historic Christian presence. Local officials and clergy warned of the impact of rising violence by Israeli occupiers, which has coincided with worsening living and economic conditions in the town. Taybeh, east of Ramallah, is one of the few Palestinian towns in the West Bank that still has a Christian majority, according to church and local accounts. Residents say the town’s Christian roots go back thousands of years. Residents say the attacks have deepened fears in the town, even as they stress their determination to remain on their land. Also Read: Pakistan raises red flag over illegal settlements in West Bank, calls for Israel accountability In recent years, Israeli occupiers have established several ill...

Australia rolls out visa app for Pakistani applicants

The Australian government has expanded digital access for Pakistani visa applicants with the rollout of the Australian Immi App, allowing eligible users to submit passport details and facial biometrics through their smartphones rather than travelling to biometric centres. The Australian High Commission said in a media release on Tuesday that the app was now available to visa applicants in Pakistan. “The process to apply for an Australian visa just got easier in Pakistan, thanks to the rollout of the Australian Immi App.” According to the High Commission, “from today, eligible applicants in Pakistan can use the free Australian Immi App to submit passport details and facial biometrics directly from their smartphones—without needing to travel to a biometric collection centre”. The media release added that “to be eligible, clients must have previously provided their biometrics (facial image and fingerprints) to the Department of Home Affairs, and hold a valid passport”. Applying for an Australian #visa from 🇵🇰Pakistan just got easier! From today, eligible applicants can use the Australian Immi App to provide their passport details and facial biometrics straight from their smartphone. Learn more 👉 Australian Immi App: https://t.co/Nke3N5xX0G pic.twitter.com/RIZlAcy4nW — Tim Kane (@AusHCPak) November 24, 2025 Australian High Commissioner Timothy Kane called it “a major step forward in making the Australian visa process easier and more accessible for people in Pakistan". “The Australian Immi App allows travellers, students and skilled workers to provide their details securely from their phone, saving time and travel costs.” The media release noted that the app, “launched in 2024… has already proven to be a success across the Pacific and Asia, helping thousands of applicants complete visa requirements quickly and securely”. With the latest rollout, “the app is now available in 34 countries, including new access across the Middle East, North Africa, Latin America and Europe”. “We encourage all eligible visa applicants in Pakistan to use the app. It’s secure, simple to use, and helps speed up visa applications—making travel to Australia easier and more convenient,” said High Commissioner Kane. According to the release, “This rollout is part of the Department of Home Affairs’ ongoing program to modernise visa services and improve traveller facilitation worldwide”. It added that “the final global implementation of the app across all remaining countries in Australia’s Biometric Collection Program is scheduled for early 2026”. More information, including eligibility details and user guidance, is available on the Department of Home Affairs website: https://ift.tt/V37vIG4

from Latest World News, International News | Breaking World News https://ift.tt/fhAODum

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

At least 32 miners dead after bridge fails at cobalt site in southeast DR Congo

A bridge collapsed at a cobalt mine in southeast Democratic Republic of Congo killing at least 32 wildcat miners, a regional government official said Sunday. The bridge came down Saturday onto a flooded zone at the mine in Lualaba province, Roy Kaumba Mayonde, the provincial interior minister, told reporters. He said 32 bodies had been recovered and more were being searched for. The DRC produces more than 70 percent of the world supply of cobalt, which is essential for batteries used in electric cars, many laptop computers and mobile phones. More than 200,000 people are estimated to be working in giant illegal cobalt mines in the giant central African country. Local authorities said the bridge collapsed at the Kalando mine, about 42 kilometres (26 miles) southeast of the Lualaba provincial capital, Kolwezi. "Despite a formal ban on access to the site because of the heavy rain and the risk of a landslide, wildcat miners forced their way into the quarry," said Mayonde. He said ...

Indian devotees splurge on jets, gold idols as Hindu temple opens

The private jet parking lots at airports near the Indian city of Ayodhya are full and the shops have run out of gold-plated idols, as wealthy devotees prepare for the invite-only opening ceremony of one of Hinduism's holiest temples. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Asia's richest man Mukesh Ambani are among the 8,000 or so attendees at Monday's inauguration event for the Ram Temple, which devotees believe is built on the birthplace of Lord Ram, a sacred Hindu deity. The construction of the temple, which began after the Supreme Court awarded the site to Hindus in 2019 more than two decades after a Hindu mob razed a mosque there, triggering deadly riots, fulfils a key campaign promise of Modi and his Hindu nationalist party. Read BJP-promised temple transforms Ayodhya: Muslims, locals feel neglected The opening ceremony, organised by the trust that built the temple, comes months before a national election which the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is widely expected to w...

Indian opposition supporters detained ahead of protest at Modi's home

Police in the Indian capital detained dozens of opposition supporters on Tuesday as they attempted to march to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence to protest against last week's arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Kejriwal, a key opposition leader whose Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has governed the national capital territory for a decade, was arrested by the financial crime-fighting agency on corruption charges relating to the city's liquor policy, weeks before India begins voting in general elections on April 19. He was remanded to the custody of the Enforcement Directorate until March 28, with the lawyer for the agency arguing he was the "kingpin" in the case and needed to be interrogated. Kejriwal's party, all of whose main leaders are now imprisoned in connection with the case, says he has been "falsely arrested" in a "fabricated case". The federal government and Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) deny political interfere...