Facing budget crunches, Chinese tax collectors descend on companies

Chinese authorities are chasing unpaid taxes from companies and individuals dating back decades, as the government moves to plug massive budget shortfalls and address a mounting debt crisis.

Khelif wins gold amid gender eligibility row

Imane Khelif won Olympic women’s boxing gold a year after being disqualified from the World Championships for reportedly failing a gender eligibility test.

US debt heading towards unsustainability

“Today, we grieve yet another dubious milestone in the fiscal decline of the most powerful and prosperous nation in history,” stated the US House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington last week when referring to the alarming accumulation of gross national debt that hit a new record of $35 trillion.

Third teenager arrested over foiled Taylor Swift concert attack

A third suspect has been arrested in connection with a foiled terror attack on Taylor Swift’s now-cancelled concerts in Vienna, the Austrian interior minister has said.

East Turkistan Government in Exile urges community to refrain from travelling to China

The East Turkistan Government in Exile (ETGE) urged the Uyghur community living abroad to refrain from travelling to Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), claiming that it would aid the Chinese oppression and forceful invasion in the region and would weaken the efforts of the international community and help spread Chinese propaganda.

US, Egypt and Qatar call on Israel and Hamas to resume talks

The United States, Egypt and Qatar have released a joint statement calling on Israel and Hamas to resume negotiations over a ceasefire and hostage-release deal.

Chinese surveillance ship follows Japan-Philippines naval drills in South China Sea

The Philippine Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force conducted their first-ever Maritime Cooperative Activity in contested waters, emphasizing regional collaboration and stability. However, it was reported that the exercise was closely monitored by a suspected Chinese Navy ship, highlighting ongoing tensions in the South China Sea.

Sheikh Hasina to return to Bangladesh for elections, says son

Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will return to her country when its new caretaker government decides to hold elections, her son has said.

Venezuela’s Maduro blocks X access in country for 10 days

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday took tensions with social media platform X and its owner Elon Musk to new heights, banning the platform in the South American country for 10 days amid furore over a disputed presidential election.

British crocodile expert jailed for sexually abusing dozens of dogs

A renowned British zoologist has been sentenced to 10 years and five months in prison in Australia after admitting to a series of shocking crimes involving the sexual abuse and torture of dozens of dogs.

Japan issues tsunami warning after strong earthquake hits Kyushu

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake registering a lower 6 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale struck southern Kyushu on Thursday afternoon, triggering a tsunami advisory for Kyushu’s east and southern coast and the southern coast of Shikoku, the Meteorological Agency said.

Presidential Election looms as Sri Lanka faces economic recovery challenges

As Sri Lanka approaches its Presidential election, the nation finds itself at a critical juncture. The economic landscape, shaped by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout program, has seen remarkable improvements under President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

India-UK defence, security cooperation extends across sea, land, air: UK envoy Lindy Cameron

The British High Commissioner to India, Lindy Cameron, congratulated India and the United Kingdom on the ongoing multilateral exercise Tarang Shakti and said the defence and security cooperation between the two countries extends beyond sea, land and air.

Taylor Swift concerts canceled after ISIS plot narrowly foiled by police

Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour shows in Vienna have been canceled because of what Austrian police say was a planned terrorist attack targeting the concerts.

US representative to UNHRC joins panel demands status of Uyghur doctor

Country Garden Holdings’ sales slump dragged on in July, adding to the Chinese developer’s woes as it tries to avoid liquidation. Contracted sales for July dropped 72 per cent from a year earlier to 3.4 billion yuan (S$630 million), following a 73 per cent slide in June, corporate filings show. The tally was 21 per cent lower from the previous month.

’’We risk ending up like Pakistan’’: Sheikh Hasina’s son urges forces to prevent unelected govt in Bangladesh

Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the son of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has called on the Police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and the military to uphold the constitution and prevent any unelected government from assuming power.

US expected to propose barring Chinese software in autonomous vehicles

The US Commerce Department is expected to propose barring Chinese software in autonomous and connected vehicles in the coming weeks, according to sources briefed on the matter.

Kamala Harris names Tim Walz as running mate

Kamala Harris, the de facto Democratic nominee for US president, has named Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota, as her running mate ahead of the November election.

PoGB villages face imminent threat due to climate change as administration ignores residents’ appeals

The Passu and Shigar areas in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit Baltistan (PoGB) for the past several days have witnessed an unprecedented threat due to severe flow in the Hunza and Shigarrivers due to heatwave and the melting of glaciers, caused by climate change, Pamir Times reported.

India stands to gain as global oil prices decline to 8-month low

India, the world’s third-largest importer of crude oil, stands to gain as oil prices have fallen to an eitht-month low at $75.8 a barrel in the international market, with a more than $4 a barrel decline since Friday as the slowdown in the US and Chinese economies have raised fears of dampening demand.

Bangladesh president orders release of ex-PM Khaleda Zia

Bangladesh’s President Mohammed Shahabuddin has ordered the release of jailed former prime minister and key opposition leader Khaleda Zia, hours after her archrival Sheikh Hasina was ousted and fled the country.

Google has an illegal monopoly on search, US judge finds

A U.S. judge ruled on Monday that Google violated antitrust law, spending billions of dollars to create an illegal monopoly and become the world’s default search engine, the first big win for federal authorities taking on Big Tech’s market dominance.

Chinese duality in Tajikistan raises concerns

China’s increasing influence in Central Asia, particularly in Tajikistan, has become a topic of significant concern. The Telegraph recently reported that China has been constructing a secret military base in Tajikistan along its border with Afghanistan for a decade. Despite quick denials from Beijing, the situation raises critical questions about China’s ’’dual-purpose infrastructure’’ in the region.

Nearly 400 arrested after six days of violence in UK

Nearly 400 people have been arrested after six days of riots in parts of England and Northern Ireland, police say.

Bangladesh PM Hasina quits and flees as protesters storm palace

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has reportedly resigned and left the capital Dhaka amid violent protests demanding her resignation, a source close to the embattled leader told the news agency AFP.

China’s proposal to create a cyber ID system faces criticism

Concern is rising among China’s more than 1 billion internet users over a government proposal portrayed as a step to protect their personal information and fight against fraud. Many fear the plan would do the opposite.

US sues TikTok over child privacy

The Chinese-owned short-video platform has ’’unlawfully collected and retained children’s personal information,’’ according to the Justice Department

Bangladesh imposes indefinite curfew

The government of Bangladesh declared an indefinite nationwide curfew starting at 6 p.m. (1200 GMT) on Sunday, the first time it has taken such a step during the current protests that began last month.

India Committed to Addressing Global Food Security Challenges: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said India has become a food surplus country and is working to provide solutions for global food and nutritional security.

Schools in China closing amid population decline

Faced with a declining birth rate and ageing population, China is experiencing a shortage of schoolchildren. As a result, multiple provinces are scaling back teacher hiring, according to a report in South China Morning Post.