Brussels / AFP NATO’s commitment to defend all allies against any threat is “unconditional” and irrespective of whether they pay their dues, alliance head Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday. Asked his view of remarks by US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump that, should he win, US commitment would depend on members keeping up with their contributions, Stoltenberg stressed first …

  Gold Coast / AFP Two women and two men were killed at a theme park on Australia’s popular Gold Coast on Tuesday, police said, with witnesses describing how “everyone was screaming” after a raft apparently flipped on a water ride. Queensland police said the four victims died on the Thunder River Rapids ride at the Dreamworld park, as Prime Minister …

  Colombo/ AFP Sri Lankans went on strike across the island’s north on Tuesday as anger mounted over the police killing of two Tamil university students at a checkpoint. Shops, banks and other offices were closed across the war-ravaged Jaffna peninsula and public transport was halted in protest against the shootings last week. “The entire province is paralysed by the …