Indian youth assaulted, abused in Australia

Melbourne, May 22: A 25-year-old Indian taxi driver in Australia has been assaulted and knocked unconscious by two passengers, including a woman, who yelled racial slurs at him, a media report said today.

Pardeep Singh, who is studying hospitality in the country, was beaten at the Sandy Bay McDonald's drive-through in Australia's island state of Tasmania on Saturday night.

Singh said he was attacked when he asked his passenger to step outside the cab because she was going to vomit, The Mercury reported.

"If you mess up the car you have to pay a cleaning fee," Singh told the passengers.

Singh alleged the woman passenger told him in an expletive-filled rant that she wouldn't pay the fare or cleaning fee.

"They punched me too many times and kicked me," Singh said.

"[They said] 'You f.....g Indians deserve this'."

Singh was admitted to the Royal Hobart Hospital.

Inspector Ian Whish-Wilson said a man and a woman have been charged in relation to the assault on Singh.
They will appear in the Hobart Magistrates Court on June 26.

"It is alleged that the driver asked the passengers to leave his taxi after one of them was sick," Wilson said.
"There was a dispute over payment and it is alleged the passengers assaulted the driver and damaged the vehicle.

"It was alleged a racial comment was made during the assault but it does not appear that the incident was racially- motivated,"Wilson said.

It is the third attack on an Indian taxi driver in Australia in less than a year.

Indian cabbie Li Max Joy was assaulted by four teenagers in the Argyle St McDonald's in the early hours of March 25 and a third driver was assaulted by four men in June last year.

Wilson said charges have also been laid in relation to the March assault on Joy but no "special investigative unit" has been established.

Singh said he will not drive taxis again "because it's so dangerous".

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US attempted 93 ‘regime change’ operations across the world since 1946, admits envoy

News Network

December 7,2025

Since 1946, the United States has attempted 93 coups or “regime change” operations across the world — including two in Iran, US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack has admitted.

Speaking to the UAE-based IMI Media Group, in remarks published by The National, Barrack said Washington tried twice to overthrow the Iranian government but failed both times.

“For (Trump) then to be imputed with regime change — we had two regime changes in Iran already. Neither one worked. So I think wisely leave it to the region to solve,” said Barrack, who also serves as the US ambassador to Turkey.

His comments come six months after the US joined Israel in airstrikes against Iran during ongoing indirect nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington.

On June 13, Israel launched an attack on Iran that killed at least 1,064 people and hit civilian infrastructure. Days later, the United States targeted three nuclear facilities — Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan — in what Iran called a clear violation of international law. Iranian retaliation eventually forced a halt to the assault on June 24.

Barrack further claimed that US President Donald Trump and Foreign Secretary Marco Rubio are “not into regime change” and prefer a regional approach driven by Middle Eastern countries themselves. According to him, regional dialogue and non-interference by outside powers offer a more durable path forward.

He added that Washington is still open to an agreement with Tehran if Iranian authorities show “seriousness” and willingness to engage constructively.

However, Iran maintains the US has not shown readiness for meaningful talks. In an interview with Japan’s Kyodo News, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said negotiations could advance only if Washington acknowledges Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear energy and lifts unilateral sanctions.

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