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World
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Bakersfield bomb threat latest: Chase bank in California city on lockdown as active hostage situation unfolds
Read more: Bakersfield bomb threat latest: Chase bank in California city on lockdown as active hostage situation unfoldsA man allegedly strapped a bomb to his body and barricaded himself inside a California bank Tuesday afternoon with an unknown number of hostages.
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Mahmood warns against ‘inflammatory’ remarks over Henry Nowak murder after Farage calls for ‘cold rage’
Read more: Mahmood warns against ‘inflammatory’ remarks over Henry Nowak murder after Farage calls for ‘cold rage’The killer’s family said they would ‘give anything’ for him not to have crossed paths with the murder victim
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Arrest made after waitress visiting Melbourne on a working holiday had a ‘plate smashed into her face’ by a stranger as she served customers
Read more: Arrest made after waitress visiting Melbourne on a working holiday had a ‘plate smashed into her face’ by a stranger as she served customersBackpacker Anais Poupon, 19, allegedly had a plate shoved into her face during a shift at cafe La Vallee in Essendon, north Melbourne , about 1pm on Anzac Day .
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Iran’s supreme leader threatens ‘hard slap’ for America after Trump ordered fresh strikes on Tehran: Live updates
Read more: Iran’s supreme leader threatens ‘hard slap’ for America after Trump ordered fresh strikes on Tehran: Live updatesLIVE UPDATES: Follow the latest developments in the Middle East as Donald Trump launches new strikes on Iran as negotiators engage in new talks to end the war.
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Court blocks Alabama congressional map with 1 majority-Black district
Read more: Court blocks Alabama congressional map with 1 majority-Black districtThe three-judge district court panel ordered Alabama to use a congressional map with two majority-Black districts in the upcoming midterm elections.
Asia
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Indonesia’s finance minister suggests imposing levy on ships transiting Malacca Strait
Read more: Indonesia’s finance minister suggests imposing levy on ships transiting Malacca StraitFinance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said the idea to impose a levy was inspired by Iran’s plan to charge ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Singapore and Malaysia have however said that there must be freedom of navigation through the Strait of Malacca.
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China unveils plan to make cities more youth, child friendly
Read more: China unveils plan to make cities more youth, child friendlyThe blueprint, released on Wednesday (Apr 22), aims to deepen the construction of “youth-development-oriented cities” – with measures spanning jobs, housing, healthcare, family support and urban services.
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Philippine purple yam boom under strain from climate pressures
Read more: Philippine purple yam boom under strain from climate pressuresGlobal demand for ube is rising, but the crop is vulnerable to erratic weather, prompting some farmers to switch to more resilient alternatives.
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India rice exports hit by Middle East conflict as shipments stall and prices fall
Read more: India rice exports hit by Middle East conflict as shipments stall and prices fallWhat was expected to be a bumper year for Indian rice exporters – on the back of a strong harvest – has instead been upended by the ongoing war in Iran.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping urges progress in his ‘city of the future’ project
Read more: Chinese President Xi Jinping urges progress in his ‘city of the future’ projectOfficial documents and state media have highlighted Xi’s personal role in planning, making decisions and advancing the Xiongan New Area in Hebei.
Thailand
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Asian tourists keep travel plans in place despite war
Read more: Asian tourists keep travel plans in place despite warThais and other Southeast Asian travellers are continuing to plan travel in the second half of the year, opting for regional destinations even though they might slash their budgets or number of trips, according to online travel agent AirAsia Move.
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Weekend storms will cool down scorching season
Read more: Weekend storms will cool down scorching seasonA storm alert has been issued for the weekend and Monday with rain expected to lower temperatures in the country, which is experiencing unusually hot weather despite it being the rainy season.
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Humanoid robots set to reshape manufacturing
Read more: Humanoid robots set to reshape manufacturingHumanoid robots are rapidly moving out of laboratories and into industrial reality as advances in artificial intelligence (AI) converge with growing global labour shortages, creating a pivotal moment for automation.
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Call for more migrants to ease labour shortage
Read more: Call for more migrants to ease labour shortageThe Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB) has urged the government to act swiftly in tackling worker shortages for Thailand’s labour-intensive industries.
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Thai visa exemptions cut by cabinet
Read more: Thai visa exemptions cut by cabinetTourism operators welcomed the government’s first step in revoking the 60-day visa exemption to curb illicit activities by foreigners, while urging authorities to provide proper guidance for genuine investors as well as advising frequent visa runners to apply for alternative long-stay visas instead.
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Indonesia’s finance minister suggests imposing levy on ships transiting Malacca Strait
Read more: Indonesia’s finance minister suggests imposing levy on ships transiting Malacca StraitFinance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said the idea to impose a levy was inspired by Iran’s plan to charge ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Singapore and Malaysia have however said that there must be freedom of navigation through the Strait of Malacca.
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China unveils plan to make cities more youth, child friendly
Read more: China unveils plan to make cities more youth, child friendlyThe blueprint, released on Wednesday (Apr 22), aims to deepen the construction of “youth-development-oriented cities” – with measures spanning jobs, housing, healthcare, family support and urban services.
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Mpox still a concern in Thailand, mainly among men
Read more: Mpox still a concern in Thailand, mainly among menMpox continues to be a public health concern in Thailand, especially among men with close contact or sexual intercourse with strangers, the Department of Disease Control warned on Tuesday.
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Thai military eyes AI-led warfare plan
Read more: Thai military eyes AI-led warfare planThe Royal Thai Armed Forces plan to establish a new Joint Capabilities Command (JCC) in the next fiscal year as part of a push to develop autonomous military systems and ramp up multi-domain warfare capabilities.
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Seven cops accused in first torture law prosecution case
Read more: Seven cops accused in first torture law prosecution caseThe Office of the Attorney-General has ordered the indictment of seven police officers in the country’s first case under the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act, linked to the alleged abuse of an innocent suspect in Sa Kaeo two years ago.