Author: HeraldStar

Ipswich Town midfielder Massimo Luongo has withdrawn from Australia’s World Cup qualifiers against China and Japan next week due to an ankle injury, as announced by Football Australia on Sunday. Luongo’s absence marks a significant blow for the Socceroos, who are in desperate need of points in the qualifying round. He did not feature in his Premier League club’s recent 4-1 defeat to West Ham United, indicating that his injury had already sidelined him prior to the announcement. Joining Luongo on the injury list is fellow midfielder Connor Metcalfe, who also missed his club St. Pauli’s 3-0 Bundesliga loss to…

Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te firmly stated on Saturday that it is “impossible” for the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to be considered Taiwan’s motherland due to Taiwan’s older political heritage. Speaking at a concert leading up to Taiwan’s national day celebrations on October 10, Lai emphasized the historical roots of Taiwan, which he asserts is a sovereign nation known as the Republic of China (ROC). This stance is in stark opposition to Beijing’s claims of sovereignty over Taiwan, which the PRC has labeled as a “separatist” territory. Lai highlighted the ROC’s origins, tracing back to the 1911 revolution that ended…

Severe flooding in northern Bangladesh has resulted in the deaths of at least five people and left over 100,000 stranded, officials reported on Sunday. The flooding, caused by relentless heavy rains and torrents from upstream, has significantly impacted Sherpur, one of the most severely affected districts, where rising water levels have submerged new areas and displaced thousands of families. Local authorities are concerned about potential widespread damage to agriculture, particularly to rice fields and crops, as many homes and roads are submerged under several feet of water. Villages remain cut off, leaving residents in dire need of rescue. “I have…

The new British government is set to host its first international investment summit on October 14, featuring prominent executives from leading companies such as Google, Wayve, and Brookfield Asset Management. This summit aims to enhance foreign direct investment in the UK, a key objective for Prime Minister Keir Starmer since he assumed office in July. The event will showcase notable speakers, including Ruth Porat, President and Chief Investment Officer of Alphabet and Google; Alex Kendall, CEO of Wayve; and Bruce Flatt, CEO of Brookfield Asset Management. The summit will be sponsored by major financial institutions, including Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, M&G,…

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, Sue Gray, has announced her resignation just over three months after the Labour Party’s significant victory in the parliamentary elections. Gray’s departure comes amid swirling rumors of internal strife within Starmer’s team, raising concerns about the cohesion of the new government. In a statement, Gray expressed her desire to avoid becoming a distraction from the government’s essential work. “In recent weeks, it has become clear to me that intense commentary around my position risked becoming a distraction to the government’s vital work of change,” she said. Despite her resignation from the chief…

Pope Francis announced on Sunday his intention to appoint 21 new cardinals from diverse countries worldwide, a significant decision aimed at reshaping the future leadership of the Catholic Church. This announcement was made during his weekly prayer gathering in St. Peter’s Square, where he shared details about the upcoming ceremony, known as a consistory, scheduled for December 8. This will mark the 10th consistory he has called since his election 11 years ago as the first pope from Latin America. The new cardinals come from an impressive range of countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Italy, Britain, Serbia, Japan, Indonesia,…

Donald Trump is set to return to Pennsylvania on Saturday for a rally at the venue where he narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in July, framing the event as an essential moment in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election. During an interview with NewsNation, Trump described the trip to Butler, located an hour north of Pittsburgh, as “unfinished business,” fulfilling a promise he made after the assassination attempt that left one dead and two injured. “I said that day when I was shot, I said, ‘We’re coming back. We’re going to come back,’” he remarked, emphasizing the importance of…

Tunisians began voting on Sunday in a pivotal election that sees President Kais Saied aiming for a second term, amid a backdrop of political turmoil and growing criticism of his administration. Saied, who has been in power since 2019, faces two challengers: his former ally turned critic, Chaab Party leader Zouhair Maghzaoui, and Ayachi Zammel, who had been considered a formidable opponent until his sudden imprisonment last month. Once regarded as a beacon of democratic progress following the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, Tunisia’s political landscape has shifted dramatically in recent years. Rights groups contend that Saied has reversed many of…

Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe announced on Saturday that his Congolese counterpart had declined to sign an agreed-upon deal aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict involving the M23 rebel group in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This conflict has led to the displacement of over 1.7 million people and further exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in the region. The Tutsi-led M23 has been engaged in an insurgency in the DRC’s eastern regions since 2022. The Congolese government, along with the United Nations and various international observers, has accused Rwanda of providing military support, including troops and weaponry, to the…

Burkina Faso’s junta leader, Ibrahim Traore, announced plans on Saturday to withdraw mining permits from certain foreign companies as part of a broader strategy to boost domestic gold production. Speaking during a radio address commemorating the second anniversary of his rise to power following a coup, Traore expressed frustration with the presence of multinationals in the country’s mining sector, stating, “We know how to mine our gold and I don’t understand why we’re going to let multinationals come and mine it.” However, he did not specify which permits would be canceled or provide additional details about the initiative. Gold is…