Category: INTERNATIONAL

Australia Steps Up Military Preparedness Amid Regional Tensions

Staff report

Australia Steps Up Military Preparedness Amid Growing Regional Tensions TOWNSVILLE: Military exercises in northern Australia have highlighted the country’s growing focus on defence preparedness as global conflicts and strategic competition reshape its security environment. In Townsville, soldiers recently conducted large-scale exercises involving a wide range of military equipment. Snipers, missiles, drones and helicopters were deployed during the drills, creating scenes designed to replicate the pressures of a potential conflict. The exercises are taking place in an area that has not experienced major fighting since the Second World War. Preparing for…

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Tamil Nadu Newborn Gold Scheme: Babies Born in Government Hospitals Get a Free Gold Ring

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Tamil Nadu newborn gold scheme: Chief Minister Vijay presents a one-gram gold ring to a baby at Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai

Tamil Nadu has started handing out a gold ring to babies born in its government hospitals. Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay launched the “Thai Maman Thanga Mothiram” scheme on Monday, under which eligible babies get a one-gram gold ring. The state says the Tamil Nadu newborn gold scheme is meant to celebrate childbirth and bring more families into public hospitals. It is one of the most unusual health-linked welfare offers in India right now. Background: A Poll Promise Turned Into Policy The idea did not come out of nowhere. Vijay…

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China Cuts Tariffs on US Farm Goods but Leaves Soybeans Out

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Cargo ship loading US corn and wheat at a port as China tariffs on US farm goods are cut but soybeans are excluded

BEIJING, Sept 28, 2026: China is set to cut tariffs on a broad range of US agricultural goods, including corn, wheat, meat and dairy. Soybeans, the biggest US farm item Beijing buys, are not on the list issued by the commerce ministry on Monday. US soybeans will keep facing an extra 10% tariff, which traders say is too high for private buyers to absorb. Background: How China US Trade Relations Reached This Point Markets had been waiting for this announcement since last week’s Washington summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping…

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Saudi Food 2026 Opens in Jeddah, Pakistan Showcases 30+ Food Companies

Amir Muhammad Khan

The three-day Saudi Food 2026 international exhibition has officially opened in Jeddah, bringing together leading companies and industry professionals from around the world. JEDDAH (Amir Muhammad Khan): Saudi Food Show 2026 and Saudi Food Manufacturing 2026 commenced at the Jeddah Superdome, with the opening ceremony attended by Saudi Deputy Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources for Industrial Affairs, **Eng. Khalil bin Ibrahim bin Salamah**. More than 1,000 exhibitors from over 95 countries are participating in this year’s event, showcasing more than 100,000 food and beverage products, food-processing solutions, packaging technologies and…

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16 Killed in Russia-Ukraine Strikes as War Enters Fifth Year

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Rescue workers extinguish a fire after a Russian drone strike hit a market in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine

Russian and Ukrainian strikes killed at least 16 people over a 24-hour period, officials from both countries confirmed. The two sides both reported the toll on Saturday, with the war now in its fifth year. The fighting shows no sign of slowing down. Attacks from both sides have picked up pace after what officials are calling the deadliest summer since 2022, the year Russia launched its full invasion of its neighbor. Diplomatic efforts led by Washington have not managed to bring the two sides any closer to a ceasefire.  Background…

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Athens Building Blast: Four American Tourists Among Six Killed Near Acropolis

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Rescue teams search the rubble of a collapsed building after the Athens building blast in Plaka

Six Dead as Blast Levels Athens Building in Tourist District The Athens building blast has left the Greek capital in mourning after a residential structure in the historic Plaka district collapsed at dawn on Friday. Six people lost their lives in the disaster, four of them American tourists who were due to fly home just hours later. The explosion tore through a narrow street lined with guesthouses and cafés, an area normally filled with visitors admiring the nearby Acropolis. Emergency crews worked through the night and into Saturday, using thermal…

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World Food Warehouse Weekly Specials: Great Savings in Houston

Nadeem Ali

World Food Warehouse weekly specials offer great prices and quality products for Houston shoppers from September 25–30   World Food Warehouse weekly specials are offering customers great savings and value from September 25 through September 30, 2026, with a wide selection of fresh and quality food products at competitive prices. World Food Warehouse Weekly Specials Customers looking for great prices and more value for every dollar can visit World Food Warehouse in Houston, Texas, during this week’s special promotion. The store is highlighting its selection of quality food products, giving…

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Japan eSports Whizz-Kid, 11, Wins Asian Games Gold

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Japan eSports whizz-kid Yuki Kurihara holds his Asian Games gold medal after the Puyo Puyo Champions final in Nagoya

A Historic Day for Japanese Sport A Japan eSports whizz-kid has made history. Eleven-year-old Yuki Kurihara has become an Asian Games eSports champion, and he did it in style. The Japanese primary school student beat opponents nearly three times his age on his way to the top of the podium. Kurihara took the gold medal in the Puyo Puyo Champions puzzle event on Saturday at the Aichi-Nagoya Games. He defeated South Korea’s Kang Dongshin, 24, in the final. The win instantly made him the youngest athlete in host nation Japan’s…

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US, China Extend Trade Truce to January 10 as Xi Begins Washington Visit

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Donald Trump and Xi Jinping shake hands at Joint Base Andrews during 2026 US-China trade truce summit

The United States and China have agreed to extend their fragile trade truce by two months, pushing the new deadline to January 10, 2027. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed the extension on September 23, just as Chinese President Xi Jinping landed in Washington for a rare state visit. The announcement came only hours before the original truce was due to expire on November 10. It buys both economies more time to negotiate a broader agreement, though officials on both sides admit a full deal remains far from certain. Background The…

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Pakistan Journalists Forum Appreciates Shehbaz Sharif’s Speech

Amir Muhammad Khan

 Pakistan Journalists Forum Pays Tribute to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for His Courageous SpeechPakistan Journalists Forum appreciates the Prime Minister’s clear and forthright position JEDDAH (Amir Muhammad Khan): The Pakistan Journalists Forum has appreciated the recent courageous and forthright speech of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and congratulated him on his address. The Forum’s office-bearers said that the Prime Minister presented Pakistan’s position at the international level with confidence, dignity and clarity, which is a matter of appreciation for the Pakistani nation. In a statement, the Pakistan Journalists Forum said…

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