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Canada has announced a $3 million emergency aid package to support relief efforts in Afghanistan following a deadly magnitude 6.0 earthquake that struck the country’s eastern provinces last week, leaving more than 2,200 people dead and thousands injured. Image Source: Canada PM The funding, confirmed by Secretary of State for International Development Randeep Sarai, comes as humanitarian agencies struggle to reach survivors in remote and heavily damaged areas, particularly in Kunar, Nangarhar, and Laghman provinces. The quake struck on August 31 in Kunar’s Nurgal District near the Pakistan border, with aftershocks and landslides continuing to hamper rescue and recovery operations.  The U.S. Geological Survey estimated that up to 10,000 deaths were possible, with nearly 900,000 people exposed to severe shaking. Entire villages were destroyed, and as much as 98% of structures in some districts were damaged. Canada’s financial commitment will be distributed through multiple internat...

U.S. President Donald Trump has denounced a €2.95 billion (~$3.5 billion) fine imposed on Google by the European Commission. He has called it an attack on American innovation and threatening retaliatory trade action under Section 301 of the U.S. Trade Act. Image Source: Michael Shellenberger on X The fine -- one of the largest antitrust penalties in EU history -- stems from the Commission’s conclusion that Google abused its dominant position in the advertising technology sector.  The decision follows a four-year investigation launched in 2021 into Google's ad business practices, which the EU claims have harmed competition, raised costs for advertisers and publishers, and potentially pushed up prices for consumers. “This is very unfair, and the American taxpayer will not stand for it,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.  He accused the EU of systematically targeting American technology companies through fines and regulations, citing the earlier $17 billion fine against Appl...

United States President Donald J. Trump hosted leading American technology executives at the White House, in a high-profile meeting focused on advancing U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence. Image Source: Maverick Approach The event was attended by CEOs and founders from OpenAI, Google, Apple, Microsoft, Meta, Oracle, AMD, and Alphabet, among others. Discussions centered on AI innovation, domestic infrastructure, semiconductor expansion, and strategic coordination between the federal government and the private sector. The meeting builds on the Trump Administration’s AI Action Plan and First Lady Melania Trump’s push to promote AI education nationwide. The First Lady also attended the event. The tech executives offered public remarks following the meeting, praising the administration’s approach.  “Thank you for being such a pro-business, pro-innovation President. It’s a very refreshing change,” said Sam Altman , CEO of OpenAI. “The ability to get the power of the industry ba...

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday issued a stark warning that any foreign military personnel deployed to Ukraine -- even in the context of a post-ceasefire mission -- would be treated as “legitimate targets for defeat,” escalating tensions as international partners push forward with plans for postwar security guarantees for Kyiv. Image Source: MFA Russia Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Putin said that any Western deployment into Ukraine, especially during active hostilities, would violate Russian red lines and be met with force.  “If any troops appear there, especially during the ongoing hostilities, we assume they will be legitimate targets for defeat,” he stated. His comments follow a summit in Paris where 26 nations, including NATO and Indo-Pacific allies, pledged long-term military and economic commitments to Ukraine.  French President Emmanuel Macron announced the formation of a “Coalition of the Willing” that could deploy forces “by land,...

India stated its independent foreign policy and strategic autonomy once again in a wide-ranging media briefing on Friday, tackling pointed questions about its energy ties with Russia, US-China rivalry, border disputes, multilateral roles, and diaspora concerns. Image Source: Shubhangi Sharma Responding to US criticism, including a disparaging remark by former Trump aide Peter Navarro accusing India of being a "laundromat for the Kremlin," the Ministry of External Affairs dismissed the statement as “inaccurate and misleading.”  The government made clear that India’s decisions--especially regarding Russian oil--will remain guided by national interests, costs, and logistics. “We reject these comments. India-US ties are anchored in shared democratic values and mutual respect,” the spokesperson said, brushing aside President Donald Trump’s claim that the US had “lost” India to “deepest, darkest China.” On the Indo-Nepal border issue, Delhi stood by its previously stated position...

India will continue purchasing oil from Russia based on its own national interest and economic calculus, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Friday, in a pointed response to escalating criticism from the United States over India’s energy ties with Moscow. Image Source: PM NaMo Speaking in an interview with Network18, Sitharaman stated clearly: “Whether it is Russian oil or anything else, we will take a call based on what suits our needs in terms of rates, logistics or whatever. Where we buy our oil from, especially it being a big-ticket foreign exchange-related item, is a call we will take based on what suits us best. So, we will undoubtedly be buying Russian oil." The remarks come at a time when trade relations between India and the U.S. have become increasingly strained.  Last month, the U.S. administration doubled tariffs on Indian exports to 50%, citing India’s continued purchase of discounted Russian crude as one of the triggers. The criticism has been most vocal fr...

Thailand’s parliament has elected Anutin Charnvirakul as the country’s new prime minister, following the Constitutional Court’s dismissal of Paetongtarn Shinawatra last month.  Anutin, leader of the Bhumjaithai Party and a longtime figure in Thai politics, secured 311 votes in the 492-member House of Representatives, well above the required 247-vote threshold. Image Source: lhsingapura The vote followed an agreement between Anutin and the liberal People’s Party -- the largest bloc in parliament -- which pledged support in return for his commitment to call a general election within four months.  His opponent, Pheu Thai candidate Chaikasem Nitisiri, received 152 votes, with 27 lawmakers abstaining. Anutin’s appointment now awaits formal endorsement from King Maha Vajiralongkorn. The vote caps weeks of political uncertainty after Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, was dismissed on August 29 for breaching ministerial ethics ...

United States President Donald J. Trump has signed an executive order officially implementing the United States–Japan Trade Agreement, a sweeping accord that restructures trade between the two countries, imposes a 15% baseline tariff on most Japanese imports, and secures an unprecedented $550 billion in Japanese investment into the American economy. Image Source: Eric Daugherty The executive order follows the July 22 announcement of the agreement’s framework and marks a significant escalation in the administration’s broader push for reciprocal trade terms and reduced trade deficits.  The order invokes multiple authorities including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, linking the trade deal directly to national security interests. Under the new tariff regime, any Japanese product entering the United States with a current tariff below 15% will now be subject to additional duties to bring the total to 15%. Products already subje...

United States First Lady Melania Trump  hosted a high-level meeting of the White House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence Education.  The meeting, according to the White House,  brought together education leaders, industry stakeholders, and federal officials to push forward the Trump administration’s national agenda on AI literacy and ethical innovation. Image Source: White House Archives In her opening remarks, she framed the meeting as both a policy imperative and a generational responsibility, warning that while artificial intelligence holds immense potential, it must be developed and deployed with moral clarity and safeguards -- especially where young Americans are concerned.  “We must manage AI’s growth responsibly. During this primitive stage, it is our duty to treat AI as we would our own children—empowering, but with watchful guidance,” said the First Lady.  “We are living in a moment of wonder, and it is our responsibility to prepare America’s childr...