Australia to cull thousands of camelsJanuary 9, 2020 - 11:03 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Thousands of camels in South Australia will be shot dead from helicopters as a result of extreme heat and drought, the BBC reports. A five-day cull started on Wednesday, January 8, as Aboriginal communities in the region have reported large groups of camels damaging towns and buildings. "They are roaming the streets looking for water. We are worried about the safety of the young children," says Marita Baker, who lives in the community of Kanypi. Some feral horses will also be killed. Hot and dry conditions have led to huge bush fires across Australia in the last few months, but the country's drought has lasted for years. The camel cull is not directly linked to the fires crisis. Camels aren't native to Australia - they were brought over by British settlers from India, Afghanistan and the Middle East in the 19th century. Estimates of numbers of camels vary but there are thought to be hundreds of thousands of them across the central parts of the country. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Cyprus parliament honors Armenian genocide victims Acting House President Zacharias Koulias noted that April 24 marks the “black anniversary” of the Armenian genocide. Armenia PM, France envoy discuss regional matters Issues related to the consistent development of Armenia-France cooperation were discussed. Azerbaijan razes historic Armenian church to ground Azerbaijan has demolished the historic Armenian Church of St. John the Baptist (known as Kanach Zham). Russia to begin assessing migrant workers' speaking skills Rosobrnadzor is planning to change the Russian language exam for migrant workers and include an assessment of speaking skills |