The House and Senate both passed the bill with a veto-proof majority. It compels the U.S. to penalize Chinese and Hong Kong officials responsible for abuses. The Senate on Tuesday passed a bill that compels the government to support Hong Kong pro-democracy activists by requiring it to

Israel says it has hit dozens of targets in Syria belonging to the government and allied Iranian forces. The Israeli military says the "wide-scale strikes" responded to rockets fired by an Iranian unit into Israel. Syria says two civilians died and that Syrian air defences shot down

Iran has been stepping up the amount of military hardware it purchases from Russia and China in the weeks since the nuclear accord with world powers, according to a new report that has tracked the Islamic Republic’s procurement of advanced weapons and technology. As it gears up to

Two United States service members were killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan on Wednesday, the U.S. military said in a statement. "The cause of the crash is under investigation, however preliminary reports do not indicate it was caused by enemy fire," the statement said. The

The Afghan Taliban have freed two Western hostages in exchange for three imprisoned senior militants, officials and Taliban sources say. American Kevin King and Australian Timothy Weeks were released three years after being kidnapped outside the American University of Afghanistan in

People in Sydney woke up to a city shrouded in smoke on Tuesday, as scores of bushfires rage across the region. Strong winds overnight brought smoke from fires inland, pushing the air quality in Australia's largest city to beyond "hazardous" levels at times. On social media,

The US has shifted its position on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, no longer viewing them as inconsistent with international law. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the status of the West Bank was for Israelis and Palestinians to negotiate. Israel welcomed the

Gambia will open its case against Myanmar before the UN's top court in December accusing Myanmar of genocide against its Rohingya Muslims, the tribunal said Monday (Nov 18). The country will ask the International Court of justice to make an emergency injunction to protect the

Fifteen people were killed and nine others injured in a coal mine gas explosion in north China's Shanxi Province, local authorities said Tuesday (Nov 19). Investigation showed that 35 miners were working underground at the coal mine in Pingyao County, when the blast happened at

Protesters inside Polytechnic University are said to be running low on supplies, with one lawmaker saying they could not last "another day". Those inside expect to be arrested and charged with rioting if they walk out. The university has turned into a battleground as anti-government

Bolivian officials have flown basic provisions into the capital, La Paz, amid reports of food and fuel shortages. The system, which officials want to roll out elsewhere, is a move to bypass road blockades erected by supporters of former President Evo Morales. Mr Morales resigned on

At least 10 people were shot and four of them were killed at a football watch party in Fresno, California, Sunday night, police said. The victims were attending a family and friends gathering in the backyard of a home when an unknown suspect approached and opened fire, Fresno Police

Police are surrounding a Hong Kong university campus after a fiery overnight stand-off with hundreds of protesters inside. Dozens of protesters tried to leave after sunrise but turned back as police fired tear gas and rubber bullets. The police said tear gas was fired because "a

A Hong Kong police officer has been wounded in the leg with an arrow as security forces and anti-government protesters engaged in renewed clashes. Images showed the arrow embedded in the leg of the media liaison officer outside the campus of the city's Polytechnic University

The Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind will file a review petition challenging the Supreme Court's Ayodhya verdict as it is "not based on evidence and logic", the prominent Muslim organisation's chief Maulana Arshad Madani said on Sunday. The apex court accepted most of the arguments and

Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards has secured a second term as Louisiana governor after a tightly fought election race. Mr Edwards faced a strong challenge from Republican Eddie Rispone, winning with 51% of the vote. It comes as a blow to President Donald Trump who backed his

The UN rights chief voiced alarm Saturday at the deadly crisis in Bolivia, warning that excessive force by police was "an extremely dangerous development" and could see the situation could spin out of control. Michelle Bachelet's comments came after she received reports that at

Fresh violence erupted around a besieged Hong Kong university campus on Sunday morning, as protesters braced for a possible final police push to clear them after fiery clashes overnight. Huge fires had lit up the night sky at Hong Kong Polytechnic University in Kowloon district hours

Sri Lanka's former wartime defence chief looks set to win the country's presidential election. Gotabaya Rajapaksa has claimed victory and his main rival has conceded, but official results are not confirmed. The election is the first the country held since a terror attack

Protests have erupted across Iran after the government unexpectedly announced it was rationing petrol and increasing its price, state media report. Prices went up by at least 50% on Friday. The authorities have reduced heavy subsidies on petrol prices to curb the impact of US