Author: HeraldStar

A military warplane bombed the Bangkok IDP Camp in Laei village, Pekon Township, on the Shan-Kayah border last week, killing at least 10 people and injuring many more. Over 650 displaced individuals, mostly children, had sought refuge at the camp, fleeing violence in the region. The devastating attack occurred just hours after “watermelons”—informants who secretly support democracy—warned residents of a possible strike. The bomb hit around 9:00 p.m., as most of the camp’s occupants were preparing to evacuate the following morning. The explosion killed eight children, including five girls aged 10 to 13, as well as two women. Twenty others…

In a dazzling display of skill, Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani achieved a historic milestone on Thursday, becoming the first player in Major League Baseball (MLB) history to reach both 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season. This remarkable feat unfolded during a game against the Miami Marlins, where Ohtani delivered a career-high performance with three home runs and ten runs batted in (RBIs), solidifying his place in baseball lore as he hit his 50th home run and stole his 50th base. By the end of the contest, he had amassed an impressive tally of…

England cricket captain Ben Stokes is reportedly “on track” to participate in the upcoming Test series against Pakistan, which is set to begin in just 12 days. Stokes, who has been sidelined since suffering a hamstring injury while playing for the Northern Superchargers in The Hundred at the start of August, underwent a scheduled scan on his injury on Wednesday, and the results have indicated a positive recovery trajectory. According to an official statement from the England cricket team, the scans confirmed that Stokes’s recovery remains on track, allowing him to potentially lead his team in the highly anticipated three-Test…

Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris is maintaining a narrow lead over former President Donald Trump in the race for the upcoming U.S. presidential election on November 5, according to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll. The survey indicates that Harris commands 47% of the support among registered voters, while Trump trails with 40%. This marks a slight improvement for Harris, whose lead has increased from five percentage points in a previous poll conducted earlier this month. The latest poll, which closed on Monday and has a margin of error of approximately four percentage points, shows Harris garnering support from 46.61% of respondents,…

The COP29 Presidency announced today that the Government of Azerbaijan will fund the participation of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) at COP29, as well as in the preparatory meetings preceding the Conference.The COP29 Presidency is committed to running an inclusive process that delivers tangible outcomes. Central to this inclusive process will be the active participation of those particularly vulnerable communities who stand to lose the most from the climate crisis.Funding will cover the participation of delegations from each SIDS Party at COP29 as well as at the preparatory meetings preceding the Conference, encompassing: The Government of Azerbaijan’s offer is in…

Members of the COP29 Presidency are in New York City for the 79th United Nations General Assembly and New York Climate Week, where they will continue to engage with Parties and non-party stakeholders and build momentum to enhance ambition and enable action at COP29.With leaders and stakeholders from all over the world gathering to focus on international cooperation and climate action, UNGA and NYCW are important venues for progress before COP29 in November.Throughout the week, the Presidency will participate in, and co-host, a series of events highlighting some of the most pressing climate issues and convening a variety of stakeholders…

China is launching an initiative to encourage its rapidly ageing population to engage in community services and support development efforts as part of a broader strategy to address a declining workforce. With a two-year population decline and fewer births expected in the coming decades, authorities are implementing measures such as delayed retirement to mitigate the demographic crisis. Last week, a national panel focused on ageing announced plans to revamp its ‘Silver Age’ scheme, initially introduced over two decades ago. This updated initiative aims to expand opportunities for elderly citizens to contribute to various areas, including education, sports, and grassroots governance.…

China successfully launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday, in a rare move that has heightened global concerns about its growing nuclear arsenal. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Rocket Force conducted the test at 8:44 a.m. Beijing time, launching a dummy warhead into the sea as part of what the Chinese defense ministry described as a “routine annual training exercise.” The test is seen as a demonstration of China’s advancing nuclear capabilities amid increasing geopolitical tensions. The Chinese defense ministry emphasized that the missile test was not aimed at any specific country, and China had…

A Tunisian court has sentenced presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel to six months in prison on charges of falsifying documents, his lawyer confirmed to Reuters on Wednesday. This marks the second prison sentence against Zammel within a week, just days before the country’s highly anticipated presidential election. Last week, Zammel received a 20-month prison sentence for allegedly falsifying popular endorsements, which his defense team denounced as politically motivated. The court’s decision has intensified concerns about the fairness of the upcoming election, with opposition parties and civil society groups accusing the Tunisian government of attempting to rig the vote to ensure President…

Somalia has accused Ethiopia of smuggling weapons into the country, escalating tensions between the two Horn of Africa neighbors amid fears that arms could fall into the hands of Islamist militants. The accusation came a day after an Egyptian warship delivered a shipment of heavy weaponry to Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, under a security agreement signed in August. This marks the second such delivery, heightening concerns over regional security and the potential for arms trafficking. The spat between Somalia and Ethiopia has grown following Ethiopia’s plans to build a port in the self-declared independent region of Somaliland in exchange for potential…