Millions in China cram for civil service exam and the hope of a job for life

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Amid troubled economic times, many in China are shifting back towards the certainty of a career in the public sector

A record number of people are set to take China’s notoriously gruelling national civil service exam this weekend, reflecting the increasing desire of Chinese workers to find employment in the public rather than private sector.

Around 3.7 million people have registered for the tests on Saturday and Sunday, which will be the first since the government increased the age limit for certain positions. The age limit for general candidates has increased from 35 to 38, while the age limit for those with postgraduate degrees has been raised from 40 to 43.

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The intelligence behind the assassination of Hezbollah’s military chief – Ynetnews

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  1. The intelligence behind the assassination of Hezbollah's military chief  Ynetnews
  2. Hezbollah struggles to recover as killing of military chief shifts power toward Israel  Haaretz
  3. The killing of a Hizbullah commander shows how fragile truces are  The Economist
  4. Who was Haytham Ali Tabatabai, Hezbollah official killed by Israel?  Al Jazeera
  5. Israel Says It Killed Top Hezbollah Commander in Beirut  The Wall Street Journal
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Trump officials announce sweeping immigration reviews after national guard shooting

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Donald Trump signaled after attack that refugee and asylum cases would be scrutinized

Trump administration officials say they are undertaking a broad re-examination of asylum cases and green cards issued to citizens of certain countries, after the shooting of two national guard members near the White House in Washington DC on Wednesday.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) named the suspect in the shooting as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the US under a policy set up under Joe Biden after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 and continued under Donald Trump.

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Flash flooding in Sumatra kills 69 as rescue crews search rivers for survivors

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Monsoon rains cause devastation on Indonesian island, sparking landslides and flash flooding

Flash floods and landslides on Indonesia’s Sumatra island have killed 69 people, with 59 missing as emergency workers search in rivers and the rubble of villages for bodies and possible survivors.

Monsoon rains over the past week caused rivers to burst their banks in North Sumatra province on Tuesday. The deluge tore through mountainside villages, swept away people and submerged more than 2,000 houses and buildings, the National Disaster Management Agency said. Nearly 5,000 residents fled to government shelters.

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Carney loses Cabinet minister over pipeline push – Politico

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  1. Carney loses Cabinet minister over pipeline push  Politico
  2. Carney's new Alberta oil pipeline deal already faces opposition  BBC
  3. Canada Lifts Climate Laws for Alberta Oil Sands, Planning Pipeline  The New York Times
  4. Canada, Alberta Ink Deal to Unlock Oil Pipeline, Build Carbon Capture  Bloomberg.com
  5. Danielle Smith’s pipeline clears another hurdle after deal with Mark Carney. Now, who will build it?  CBC
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Louvre Raising Ticket Prices for Non-European Visitors – The New York Times

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  1. Louvre Raising Ticket Prices for Non-European Visitors  The New York Times
  2. Louvre museum to hike entrance fee by 45% for non-European visitors  CNN
  3. Louvre to hike ticket prices for most non-EU tourists by 45%  BBC
  4. Louvre Surges Ticket Prices After Failing to Protect Its Own Art  The Daily Beast
  5. Paris’ Louvre museum to increase ticket price for visitors from outside the European Union  AP News
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Pope Leo to push unity at Nicaea, site of first Christian council – The Washington Post

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  1. Pope Leo to push unity at Nicaea, site of first Christian council  The Washington Post
  2. In Turkey, Pope Seeks to Soothe an Ancient Christian Divide  The New York Times
  3. Pope joins patriarchs at historic Christian site in Turkey to commemorate creed and pray for unity  NBC News
  4. Pope, Orthodox leader mark Christian milestone in historic Turkiye meeting  Al Jazeera
  5. Pope Leo meets Middle East Christian leaders, condemns religious violence  The Times of Israel
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South Africa hits back at ‘punitive’ Trump move to bar it from G20 meeting in Florida – The Guardian

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  1. South Africa hits back at ‘punitive’ Trump move to bar it from G20 meeting in Florida  The Guardian
  2. South Africa hits back after Trump says US won't invite it for G20 next year  BBC
  3. Trump will not invite South Africa to G20 in US  CNN
  4. Trump Says South Africa Is Not Invited to G20 Summit in U.S. in 2026  The New York Times
  5. Trump’s G-20 at His Miami Golf Resort Will Be an Invite-Only Event  Bloomberg.com
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