Briefly

SAUDI ARABIA

King expresses hope for direct Iran talks

Saudi Arabia's monarch expressed hope on Wednesday that the kingdom's direct talks with Iran will lead to confidence building as the two regional rivals take small steps toward dialogue following several years of heightened tensions. King Salman bin Abdulaziz made the remarks in a prerecorded speech delivered to leaders gathered for the United Nations General Assembly. He said Iran is a neighbor of Saudi Arabia, and that the kingdom hopes talks between the two nations can lead to tangible results that pave the way to achieving the aspirations of the region's people. Iran has also vowed to strengthen relations with neighbors.

AUSTRALIA

Victoria braces for more lockdown protests

Police in the state of Victoria were preparing on Thursday to continue to confront and contain demonstrators who have been rampaging through the state capital Melbourne's central business district. Police made more than 200 arrests on Wednesday as throngs of protesters flooded through the streets, bringing traffic to a grinding halt. Victorian Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton, speaking to local media on Thursday, said riot police, armed with tear gas and rubber bullets, would continue to be out in force. The protests were initially orchestrated by construction workers opposed to new vaccine mandates placed on their industry. Other people, including anti-vaccine and anti-lockdown demonstrators, quickly joined the fray in a defiant show of opposition to the state's handling of the pandemic. Victoria reported 766 new locally acquired cases on Thursday, topping its previous daily high of 725 hit on Aug 5, 2020.

Xinhua - Agencies