US shipping chaos: I fear my wedding sari is destroyed
Customers worry about missing parcels as shipping companies struggle to handle a flood of packages facing new customs and tariff rules.
Why is India prosecuting Muslims who said ‘I love Muhammad’?
More than 2,500 people have been charged as an initial crackdown on the expression has spawned broader protests.
Guaranteed Māori seats on New Zealand councils to be slashed by more than half
Controversial law change that forced councils to put the fate of Māori wards to a public vote saw 25 vote to disestablish the guaranteed seats
The number of guaranteed seats for Māori representatives on New Zealand councils will be slashed by more than half, following a controversial law change that forced local governments to put the fate of hard-won Māori seats to a public vote.
Māori wards, which may have one or more councillors depending on local population numbers, were established in 2001 to give Indigenous voters the option to vote for a guaranteed Māori representative in local and regional authorities. Initially, councils could only establish a Māori ward by first putting it to a public vote in their area. Communities often spent years generating local support and pushing their councils to create Māori wards.
Continue reading...Death toll from torrential rains in Mexico rises to 64 as search expands – NPR
- Death toll from torrential rains in Mexico rises to 64 as search expands NPR
- Dozens Are Dead and Dozens More Missing as Catastrophic Rains Devastate Mexico The New York Times
- Death toll from devastating Mexico flooding rises Al Jazeera
- Heavy rains flood Mexico towns, leave nearly 130 dead or missing Reuters
- Mexico looks for missing people and rushes to help after torrential rains killed at least 47 AP News
US news outlets say they will not agree to Pentagon reporting restrictions
Reporters must promise not to publish unauthorised material to obtain press credentials.
‘Your basis to live is checked at each and every step’: India’s ID system divides opinion
Keir Starmer is considering Aadhaar as model for UK, but detractors warn of ‘digital coercion’ and security breaches
It is often difficult for people in India to remember life before Aadhaar. The digital biometric ID, allegedly available for every Indian citizen, was only introduced 15 years ago but its presence in daily life is ubiquitous.
Indians now need an Aadhaar number to buy a house, get a job, open a bank account, pay their tax, receive benefits, buy a car, get a sim card, book priority train tickets and admit children into school. Babies can be given Aadhaar numbers almost immediately after they are born. While it is not mandatory, not having Aadhaar de facto means the state does not recognise you exist, digital rights activists say.
Continue reading...Indonesian MPs get extra allowance weeks after angry protests over perks
Thousands had earlier in August protested against an increase in housing allowances for MPs.
US Congress committee investigating Musk-owned Starlink over Myanmar scam centres
Provision of internet access to scam centres being investigated as Starlink swiftly becomes Myanmar’s biggest internet service provider
A powerful bipartisan committee in the US Congress says it has begun an investigation into the involvement of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite business in providing internet access to Myanmar scam centres, blamed for swindling billions from victims across the world.
The move comes as it was revealed that large numbers of Starlink dishes began appearing on scam-centre roofs in Myanmar around the time of a crackdown in February that was supposed to eradicate the centres, according to a investigation by Agence France-Presse
Continue reading...Cape Verde clinches historic first qualification for FIFA World Cup
The island nation, located off the African coast, becomes the second-smallest country to qualify for the World Cup.
Madagascar president flees country following military rebellion – Euronews.com
- Madagascar president flees country following military rebellion Euronews.com
- Andry Rajoelina: Madagascar president hiding in 'safe place' as he warns of coup attempt BBC
- Madagascar president dissolves lower house of parliament in midst of apparent coup attempt AP News
- Madagascar’s president has left the country after Gen Z protests, officials say CNN
- President of Madagascar flees to ‘safe location’ amid deadly protests Al Jazeera
Hamas Is Not Done Fighting – Foreign Affairs
- Hamas Is Not Done Fighting Foreign Affairs
- As Hamas renegs on the cease-fire deal, who’s going to step up and disarm it? New York Post
- Demilitarization of Hamas ‘next key step’ in ceasefire: John Bolton NewsNation
- Gaza agreement: Hamas as a risk factor eurotopics.net
- Justice leaders share insight on Vermont's plan to reduce case backlog in Burlington Yahoo
Dutch government takes control of China-owned chip firm
The move, which is aimed to protect supplies of technology, could raise tensions between the EU and China.
Trump says he may send Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine
Zelensky, due to visit Washington this week, wants long-range missiles to hit back at Russia - and Donald Trump says he may send Tomahawks.
Student’s alleged torture death by Cambodia scammers sparks turmoil in South Korea
South Korean president urges ‘all-out’ efforts to protect citizens after number of kidnappings in Cambodia soars in recent months
South Korean president Lee Jae Myung has called for “all-out” diplomatic efforts to protect citizens in Cambodia after a university student was lured there by a scam ring and allegedly tortured to death.
At a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Lee said “protecting the lives and safety of citizens is the government’s greatest responsibility” and called for all those caught up in the scams to be “swiftly repatriated”.
Continue reading...Trump plan to invite Netanyahu to Gaza summit aborted after Erdoğan warning – The Guardian
- Trump plan to invite Netanyahu to Gaza summit aborted after Erdoğan warning The Guardian
- The Peace Summit in Egypt, and Shutdown Lessons From U.S.A.I.D. The New York Times
- Celebrating a hard-won ceasefire, Trump pushes for 'lasting harmony' in the Middle East NBC News
- Five key takeaways from Donald Trump’s Gaza remarks in Middle East Al Jazeera
- At Sharm el-Sheikh, nations back Trump's plan for Gaza's future Le Monde.fr
Joyous but uneasy crowds greet Palestinians released in ceasefire deal – The Washington Post
Why AI is being trained in rural India
Smaller Indian towns are becoming centres for training and correcting artificial intelligence models.
Foul skies, fading light: How air pollution is stealing India’s sunshine
India’s sunshine hours have fallen over the past 30 years due to clouds, aerosols and local weather.
Freed hostages suffered torture, starvation and long periods of isolation — reports – The Times of Israel
- Freed hostages suffered torture, starvation and long periods of isolation — reports The Times of Israel
- Freed Israeli hostages recount brutal beatings, starvation and years underground in Hamas captivity New York Post
- 'We are inventing captivity medicine': Hospital prepares for freed Israeli hostages BBC
- Gaza hostages starved, tortured in Hamas captivity The Jerusalem Post
- Hospitals prepare to receive hostages from Gaza under special medical protocols Ynetnews
Trump’s 10 Moves That Changed the Middle East – The Free Press
- Trump’s 10 Moves That Changed the Middle East The Free Press
- Opinion | Mr. Trump, on the Middle East, Please Move Fast and Break Things The New York Times
- Letters to the Editor: Will Trump’s Middle East peace plan be enough? Readers are skeptical Los Angeles Times
- Trump’s Big Gamble on Tackling the Middle East’s Intractable Problems The Wall Street Journal
- When Biden visited Israel, wounds were fresh and tension was mounting. Two years later, Trump arrives with prospect of peace CNN