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Hong Kong leader John Lee unveiled the city's first five-year plan on Wednesday, aiming to boost residents' livelihoods and cement its position as a global financial hub, while beefing up technology ties with the mainland.The sweeping plan, which follows two months of government consultations with lawmakers and residents, spans areas from the economy and investment to land, homes, jobs, education and health.The plan envisages speeding development of the 30,000-hectare (116-sq-mile) Northern Metropolis, near the mainland China border, as a new growth engine, bolstering ⁠technological links

China defence minister urges an end to 'provocative acts' to open security forum

Poll shows rising trust in global institutions, less comfort with US as global leader

Arts|Finance|World

Trump faces tight timeline to appoint judges as midterms loom

With Republican control of the U.S. Senate in doubt, President Donald Trump's White House is pushing to confirm a raft of new federal judges before the year's end.Trump announced he was nominating 13 new judges during a nine-day span in August while the Republican-led Senate was in recess. Six of those nominees will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, joining five others already pending before the full chamber, which confirms judges by majority vote.If Democrats during the November 3 midterm elections win control of the Senate from Republicans, who now hold a 53-47 majo

China's slower loan growth is the new normal, central bank governor says

Warsh on collision course with Trump administration

Crime|Europe|MidEast|Political|World

Hague court to deliver verdict in war crimes trial of Kosovo’s former President Thaci

Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci will learn his fate Wednesday when international judges at a court in The Hague deliver verdicts in his war crimes trial. Thaci is facing multiple counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity including murder, torture and persecution alongside three other former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army who fought Serb forces in the 1998-99 war. They are widely regarded as national heroes in their homeland. Thousands of people rallied in Pristina over the weekend in support of the four men. The protesters filled a central square

Sydney housing slump creates pandemic-sized hole in state tax take

Asian stocks mostly higher ahead of Fed's interest rate decision

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Interview|Political|US

"The President Threw A Tantrum": Dem Congresswoman Recounts Heated Clash with Trump

The Kennedy Center board voted to close the center Tuesday after a tense meeting in which President Donald Trump called in to berate a Democratic congresswoman who serves on the panel, according to three sources familiar with the matter.“It was f**king crazy,” said one source familiar with the exchange between Trump and Rep. Joyce Beatty, whose lawsuit has prevented Trump’s name from being added to the building.Another source said Trump screamed, blaming Beatty for getting the courts involved and leading to the downfall of the performing arts center. Beatty told Trump he had put the Kenn

Election|Finance|Political|Stock Markets|US

What’s next for mail voting after the Supreme Court ruled against Trump

Election officials in both Democratic and Republican-led states breathed a sigh of relief when the Supreme Court blocked President Donald Trump’s sweeping restrictions on mail-in balloting Monday, which they had warned would upend vote-by-mail and potentially disenfranchise millions of voters in the midterms.The decision means the voters can cast ballots by mail as the laws in their state previously allowed. While election officials have been anxious about Trump’s attempts to severely complicate the process, they have spent the last several months assuming — correctly — that courts wou

Iran war expected to cause a spike in US inflation, according to budget watchdog

Mitch McConnell returns to the Senate after three-month absence due to health issues

Why the Supreme Court blocked Trump and the Postal Service from restricting mail-in voting for the midterms

Mail voting in the 2026 midterm elections will go on as usual – now that the Trump administration’s major efforts to disrupt how Americans vote by mail have been blocked by the U.S. Supreme Court. The U.S. Postal Service had recently implemented new rules placing unprecedented restrictions on the practice of mail voting in federal elections. State officials and voting rights organizations immediately challenged these rules, arguing that the executive agency has no authority under the U.S. Constitution to unilaterally regulate election practices. On Sept. 14, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court

10-year Treasury yield hits 5%, critical threshold for US economy and markets

The rise in bond yields reached a critical threshold on Monday, with the 10-year Treasury yield hitting 5%, a level briefly touched in 2023 and otherwise not seen since 2007.The 10-year yield’s rise to multi-year highs could mean higher costs for Americans who want to buy a home, finance a car or take out other loans.Bond yields have marched higher this year, pushing up borrowing costs for consumers, businesses and the US government. Yields have climbed despite efforts by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to quell concerns in the bond market.The global bond market, dominated by the almost $32

A Sacramento woman was fatally shot by a longtime stalker. DHS says he was in the country illegally

Can pilots be criminally charged after a plane crash? Here’s what experts say

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This country is paying its people to read. Can it stop brain rot?

Whether it’s while waiting for the train or chilling solo at a cafe, a tiny nation in Southeast Asia is nudging its people toward an increasingly elusive habit: reading.Singapore this month launched a novel five-year national campaign to nurture reading habits, with incentives including small payments to citizens who log their reading minutes on a government website.Officials are betting, the gamification strategy – using a points system to track the habit for a modest reward – and a sense of public participation can help to restore a habit being fast replaced by brain rot-inducing dooms

Election|Political|World

US Congress Democrats probe Russian oligarch financing of Trump Jr. wedding parties

Democrats in the U.S. Congress launched an investigation this week into reports that a Russian oligarch paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for the wedding celebrations of President Donald Trump's son earlier this year.The Democrats' move comes on the heels of an article by ProPublica that Umar Kremlev, a wealthy Russian businessman and president of the International Boxing Association, paid for wedding festivities for Donald Trump Jr. in the Bahamas in May.The report said that Kremlev has close ties to the Russian government."Why is a Russian oligarch and friend of Vladimir Putin financial

For the first time, Japan has more than 100,000 centenarians

New warnings about the risks of AI to humanity revive a long-running debate

Europe|Sports|World

US wins fifth straight women's FIBA World Cup title, beating France 97-79

Breanna Stewart had an American flag draped around her body as she soaked in the moment. The U.S. captain delivered again and the Americans continued their domination of international play, winning a fifth straight women's FIBA World Cup title with a 97-79 victory over France on Sunday. The Americans have won 36 straight World Cup games, dating to the semifinals of the 2006 World Cup, where they lost to Russia. “We are the standard,” said Stewart, who scored 22 points in the victory and earned MVP honors of the tournament for the second time. “U

Sports|World

After 18 years in Baltimore, John Harbaugh faces his biggest challenge yet: Turning around the New York Giants

The start of the new NFL season always brings a few things that take getting used to. Perhaps one of the most head-turning sights will be walking the sidelines of MetLife Stadium during the first game on Sunday.John Harbaugh will be making his regular-season debut with the New York Giants that night in New Jersey in a divisional matchup vs. the Dallas Cowboys that could set the tone for both teams’ seasons. It’s bound to be a disarming sight: For the first time in 18 years, Harbaugh won’t be in the black-and-purple of the Baltimore Ravens.It’ll be a new home stadium, new colors, a bunc

Ukraine is fighting Russia anywhere it can – even in the deserts of Africa

Indonesia continues search for at least 129 missing after ferry capsizes, 6 bodies recovered

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Federal authorities allege more than $10M in childcare payment fraud in California

Economy|Science|Technology

US Senator Sanders and Trump ally Bannon call for stronger AI oversight

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US Republican lawmaker seeks Hegseth's impeachment over Iran

Republican U.S.

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10-year Treasury yield hits highest level since 2007 ahead of Fed rate decision

Crime|Election

Kash Patel defends removing bestiality as automatic disqualifier for FBI applicants

Arts|Political

Judge blocks Kennedy Center board from putting Trump's name on the building or grounds in any way

A federal judge has blocked the Kennedy Center from returning President Donald Trump’s name to the iconic performing arts venue in a move meant to recognize his renovation efforts

Economy|Europe

Canada is pursuing a ‘unique alliance’ with the EU as US ties remain fraught. Here’s what we know

Election|Political

Trump lashes out at Supreme Court justices after ballots ruling

President Donald Trump lashed out on Tuesday at his own Supreme Court appointees a day after the top U.S. judicial body declined to allow a U.S.

Election|Opinion|Political

Trump lashes out at Supreme Court justices, saying his appointees ‘are not the people I interviewed’

Arts|Economy

Median US income rises to highest on record even as Americans feel affordability pinch

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From LA to Scottsdale: The Founder Behind AdDynamix Is Building the Bridge Between AI and Business Tools

An LA digital advertising veteran of 28 years has moved to Scottsdale and is building what he calls the missing piece between business software and the AI assistants people now use every day. SCOTTSDALE, AZ. When Benoit Pecqueur talks about his latest company, he sounds less like a founder pitching a product and more like an operator who got tired of watching the same problem repeat itself. “Most small business owners are watching the AI revolution from the sidelines,” he says. “Not because they don’t want it. Because their tools don’t talk to ChatGPT or Claude. Their accountant still pulls