China Imposes 75.8% Duty on Canadian Canola, Escalating Trade Tensions The Chinese government announced a provisional 75.8% duty on Canadian canola, effective Thursday, in a move that has shocked Canada’s agriculture sector. Canada strongly disputed the decision, saying it does not dump canola and expressing “deep disappointment” over the ruling, while remaining open to dialogue. […]
Kuwait Plans Major Increases in Service Fees; Tourist Visa Rules Eased for GCC Residents KUWAIT CITY — Kuwait is set to introduce a series of fee hikes for government services, including company registration and temporary commercial licences, following a Cabinet directive to review service pricing nationwide, Gulf News reports. Under the new plan, establishing a […]
Luxon Slams Netanyahu Over Gaza Crisis, New Zealand Considers Recognising Palestine WELLINGTON — Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has strongly condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza, calling the situation “utterly, utterly appalling.” In unusually blunt remarks, Luxon added, “Netanyahu has gone way too far. I think he has lost the plot. He is not listening to the […]
Grok AI Faces Brief Suspension Amid Gaza Comment Controversy Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok, was briefly suspended from X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, sparking a fresh wave of debate over free speech and misinformation on the platform. No official reason was given for the suspension. When reinstated, Grok returned with a tongue-in-cheek post: “Zup beaches, […]
Powerful Typhoon Podul Slams Taiwan With Fierce Winds, Torrential Rains TAIPEI — Taiwan is bracing for the full force of Typhoon Podul, which is packing winds of 155 km/h (96 mph) at its centre and continuing to strengthen, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA). Forecasters say the storm is expected to make landfall in […]
Russian Forces Push Near Dobropillia as Trump, Putin Prepare for Alaska Summit In one of the largest offensives of the year, Russian troops have advanced toward the coal-mining town of Dobropillia in eastern Ukraine, part of Moscow’s push to seize full control of the Donetsk region. Ukraine’s military says it has deployed reserve units and […]
South Korea’s Former First Lady Kim Jailed Amid Bribery and Fraud Probe SEOUL — Former South Korean first lady Kim has been taken into custody, becoming the nation’s first ex-presidential spouse to be arrested. She now joins her husband, ousted president Yoon Suk Yeol, in detention as he faces trial on insurrection charges following his […]
Lapid Calls for Nationwide Strike on Sunday in Support of Hostages and Their Families Yair Lapid has urged all Israelis — including supporters of the current government — to join a strike on Sunday, the first day of the workweek in Israel. Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Lapid emphasized that the strike is not about […]
Israeli Media Shifts Tone as Gaza Humanitarian Crisis Deepens Amid Hostage Crisis In late July, images of starving civilians in Gaza began to stir a wave of concern in parts of the Israeli media, prompting some journalists and public figures to call for stronger humanitarian aid. Yonit Levi, the lead news anchor on Channel 12, […]
Trump Invites Putin to Alaska for First Face-to-Face Meeting Since Ukraine Invasion In a surprising move, former U.S. President Donald Trump has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to Alaska this Friday for their first in-person meeting since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. The meeting comes amid Trump’s criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr […]
