Sales of Vietnamese doll plunge over face marking like China’s ‘nine-dash line’

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One version of Baby Three doll appears to bear a mark resembling the shape of the ocean border on which China bases its illegitimate claim to most of the South China Sea

Regional tensions over the South China Sea have tanked the sales of a popular children’s doll in Vietnam after it was put under investigation and accused of being unpatriotic because a design marking appeared to resemble China’s “nine-dash line”.

The Baby Three doll is Chinese-made and had reportedly been hugely popular among children and Gen Z in Vietnam earlier this year. Between September, when it first gained popularity, and December the dolls reportedly generated US$1.6m in sales.

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French citizen Olivier Grondeau freed after imprisonment in Iran, Macron says – Yahoo

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  1. French citizen Olivier Grondeau freed after imprisonment in Iran, Macron says  Yahoo
  2. Iran releases French tourist held since 2022, Macron says  BBC.com
  3. Iran releases French citizen imprisoned for more than 880 days  The Guardian
  4. Iran Releases French Citizen After 2 Years in Detention, Officials Say  The New York Times
  5. French man returns home after nearly 900 days in Iranian prison  Euronews
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Indonesia passes controversial law allowing greater military role in government

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Activists in world’s third-largest democracy warn the legal changes signal a return to military dominance in civilian affairs that characterised Suharto years

Indonesia has ratified controversial changes to its military law allowing armed forces personnel to hold more civilian posts, a move that analysts fear could usher in a resurgence of the military in government affairs.

Activists in the world’s third-largest democracy have criticised the revisions, warning they signal a return to Indonesia’s “New Order” era, when the country was led by former authoritarian ruler Suharto, who stepped down in 1998.

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Malaysia approves a new search for MH370 wreckage in the Indian Ocean – NPR

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  1. Malaysia approves a new search for MH370 wreckage in the Indian Ocean  NPR
  2. New search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 approved more than a decade after disappearance  Fox News
  3. Malaysia green-lights new MH370 search in Indian Ocean  BBC.com
  4. MH370 News: Scientist says ‘bright pixel’ in new data could be the lost Malaysian plane  The Economic Times
  5. Malaysia agrees terms for restarting MH370 wreckage search  Reuters
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Women in business held back by mobile data’s cost in developing world – report

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Nearly half of female entrepreneurs surveyed by Cherie Blair Foundation for Women do not have regular internet access

The cost of a mobile data package is all that is holding back many female entrepreneurs in developing countries, according to recent research.

While social media marketing is reported to be crucial by female business owners who have access to it, 45% of women in business in low- and middle-income countries said they did not have regular internet access because of the expense and connection issues.

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Australia in discussions to avoid ‘devastating consequences’ of US aid cuts for Pacific nations

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Exclusive: Penny Wong says diplomats are consulting US government and ‘engaging with countries in our region’ to determine need for additional support

The Australian government is consulting Pacific nations to assess the “devastating consequences” of the Trump administration’s freeze on foreign aid and considering what additional support it can provide ahead of next week’s federal budget.

In a letter to a Liberal MP concerned the freeze could cause “irreversible” damage to Pacific communities, the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, said Australian diplomats were discussing its impact with US government officials.

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‘Operation Pursuit’: Inside the High-Stakes Arrest of Rodrigo Duterte – The New York Times

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  1. ‘Operation Pursuit’: Inside the High-Stakes Arrest of Rodrigo Duterte  The New York Times
  2. Philippines defends ex-President Duterte's transfer to ICC in Senate inquiry  Reuters
  3. Philippine ex-President Duterte appears by video link at International Criminal Court hearing  The Associated Press
  4. Filipino Evangelicals Celebrate—and Protest—Duterte’s Arrest  ChristianityToday.com
  5. Situation in the Philippines: Rodrigo Roa Duterte in ICC custody  the International Criminal Court
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What to know about the El Salvador mega-prison where Trump sent deported Venezuelans – The Guardian

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  1. What to know about the El Salvador mega-prison where Trump sent deported Venezuelans  The Guardian
  2. Videos of Shackled Venezuelan Migrants Have History in El Salvador  The New York Times
  3. What to know about El Salvador's mega-prison after Trump sent hundreds of immigrants there  The Associated Press
  4. Beatings, overcrowding and food deprivation: US deportees face distressing human rights conditions in El Salvador’s mega-prison  The Conversation
  5. Look inside El Salvador’s CECOT mega-prison, where the Trump administration is sending some deported immigrants  Yahoo
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Finland takes top spot, US gets lowest-ever rank in World Happiness Report – Al Jazeera English

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  1. Finland takes top spot, US gets lowest-ever rank in World Happiness Report  Al Jazeera English
  2. These are the world’s happiest countries in 2025  CNN
  3. This Country Has Been Named the Happiest in the World for the 8th Year in a Row, but Where Does the U.S. Rank?  PEOPLE
  4. Strangers twice as kind as we think, happiness study suggests  BBC.com
  5. US happiness ranking hits all-time low, Germany climbs  DW (English)
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30 years after deadly Tokyo subway gassing, survivors and victims’ families still seeking closure – The Associated Press

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  1. 30 years after deadly Tokyo subway gassing, survivors and victims' families still seeking closure  The Associated Press
  2. Death In A Plastic Bag: Why Japan Has No Public Dustbins  NDTV
  3. The day a religious cult brought terror to Tokyo  The Japan Times
  4. TODAY IN HISTORY: Millions boarded subway then their eyes were hit with a burning pain  9News
  5. Today in History: Harriet Beecher Stowe’s ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’ published  Chicago Tribune
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Australia news live: Albanese asked if he ‘trusts’ Trump; Dutton says he is confident an Aukus ‘plan B’ is not needed

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On the issue of Aukus, the opposition leader said the Coalition is committed to increased defence spending. Follow today’s news live

‘Israeli government does not have a lot of palatable options’ – Sharma

The Liberal senator and former ambassador to Israel Dave Sharma was up on ABC News Breakfast earlier to discuss the latest strikes carried out by Israel on Gaza.

If any of us were in their position, we would be single-mindedly focused on the return of our loved ones. I can understand that. This is a politically contentious issue in Israel, there’s no walking away from that, but I don’t think the government has a lot of good choices.

Continuing the ceasefire was not going to lead to the release of further hostages, at least according to the mediators involved in the talks. Hamas had basically said they weren’t planning on returning any more. As I said, in that situation, the Israeli government does not have a lot of palatable options.

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Starmer ignores Putin to keep pushing Ukraine peacekeeping plan – POLITICO Europe

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  1. Starmer ignores Putin to keep pushing Ukraine peacekeeping plan  POLITICO Europe
  2. Military leaders to discuss peacekeeping force for Ukraine as partial ceasefire plans are worked out  The Associated Press
  3. Europe Hatches Plans for Ukraine Peacekeepers Without U.S.  The Wall Street Journal
  4. UK PM Starmer speaks to Ukraine's Zelenskiy on ceasefire talks progress  Reuters
  5. UK Rejects Putin’s Demand to Suspend Military Aid to Ukraine  Bloomberg
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Lehrmann inquiry head Walter Sofronoff to challenge finding he engaged in ‘serious corrupt conduct’

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Lawyers for former judge say he has filed application with federal court disputing lawfulness of ACT Integrity Commission report

The former Queensland judge Walter Sofronoff will challenge findings that he engaged in “serious corrupt conduct” by leaking his inquiry into the prosecution of Bruce Lehrmann to two journalists before it was made public.

The Australian Capital Territory Integrity Commission’s report, released on Wednesday, found Sofronoff’s conduct fell within “several elements of the definition of ‘corrupt conduct’”, through his disclosures to two journalists: Janet Albrechtsen at the Australian and Elizabeth Byrne at the ABC.

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