Author: HeraldStar

The Heydar Aliyev Foundation, under the leadership of Azerbaijan’s First Lady Her Excellency Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva, has made significant contributions to the welfare and development of communities in need, not only in Azerbaijan but also in various friendly countries, including brotherly Pakistan. Through a wide range of projects and charity programs, the Foundation has played a crucial role in enhancing healthcare, education, and social services in Pakistan, thereby strengthening the bond between the two brotherly nations. One of the notable initiatives by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in Pakistan was the vaccination campaign against the hepatitis B virus in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and…

Japan reported a trade deficit of 621 billion yen ($4.3 billion) in July, driven by a significant increase in import prices, according to data released by the Finance Ministry on Wednesday. The country’s imports surged nearly 17% year-over-year to 10.2 trillion yen ($70.6 billion), while exports rose by 10% to 9.6 trillion yen ($66 billion). The sharp rise in imports, particularly in meat, food products, and iron, reflects a relatively strong domestic economy where consumer spending has picked up amid rising wages. Despite the growth in exports, Japan’s trade balance remained in deficit. Exports to key markets such as the…

Influential Thai politician Prawit Wongsuwon is under formal investigation following allegations that he physically assaulted a female reporter. The 79-year-old Member of Parliament and former army chief was filmed striking the journalist several times after she asked him a question, an incident that has sparked widespread condemnation. The confrontation occurred on August 16, shortly after Paetongtarn Shinawatra of the Pheu Thai Party was elected as Thailand’s new prime minister. Paetongtarn, 37, is set to become the youngest premier in the nation’s history and the third from the prominent Shinawatra family. Prawit, who leads the Palang Pracharat Party and has a…

The recent downward revision of U.S. payroll figures by 818,000 jobs, the largest since 2009, has sparked debate over whether it signals an impending recession. The revisions, which cover the period from April 2023 to March 2024, have raised concerns about the accuracy of the economic models used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), with some economists questioning whether the data overstates the economy’s strength amid signs of softening in the labor market. Historical parallels have been drawn to 2009 when a similar revision overstated jobs by 824,000. At that time, the National Bureau of Economic Research had already…

The Iranian parliament has officially confirmed Seyyed Abbas Araghchi as Iran’s new Foreign Minister, securing a critical position in President Masoud Pezeshkian’s cabinet. Araghchi garnered strong support, receiving 247 out of 288 votes in Wednesday’s confidence vote. Araghchi, a seasoned diplomat with extensive experience, has held the position of Secretary of Iran’s Strategic Council on Foreign Relations since 2021. His career includes a significant tenure as Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs from 2017 to 2021, where he worked closely with former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. A key architect of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran’s…

A growing number of tennis players, including former top 10 player Denis Shapovalov, have voiced concerns over perceived double standards in the sport following the clearance of world number one Jannik Sinner, who was allowed to continue competing despite failing two drug tests earlier this year. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced on Tuesday that an independent tribunal had cleared Sinner after he tested positive for clostebol, a banned substance, during the Indian Wells tournament in March and in a subsequent test days later. Despite these positive tests, the tribunal concluded that Sinner’s explanation—that the substance entered his system…

A devastating explosion at a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Anakapalli district, Andhra Pradesh, has resulted in the deaths of at least 15 people, with the toll expected to rise. The blast occurred on Wednesday during lunchtime at Escientia Advanced Sciences, a privately held company that produces intermediate chemicals and active pharmaceutical ingredients. The explosion, which took place in a 40-acre (16-hectare) manufacturing unit that has been operational since 2019, also left nearly 40 workers injured, many of whom suffered severe chemical burns. Rescue operations, involving six fire engines and personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), continued late into…

Johanna Motlhamme, a 74-year-old grandmother, has spent over a decade fighting to reclaim her family home in Soweto after it was sold without her consent, leaving her and her four children without their rightful inheritance. Her struggle underscores the lingering impact of apartheid-era laws and the complications introduced by post-apartheid legislation, according to housing activists. Motlhamme’s story begins in 1977, when she married her husband under a community of property arrangement, which entitled both spouses to equal ownership of their assets. The couple moved into a small two-bedroom house in Soweto, where they lived together until their divorce in 1991.…

A devastating storm off the coast of Sicily has claimed multiple lives, including two recently discovered on a sunken superyacht. The luxury vessel, Bayesian, was caught in the violent weather on Monday, leaving six people missing, including British tech mogul Mike Lynch and several high-profile friends. Rescue efforts have been ongoing since the incident, with 15 of the 22 people on board surviving. However, hopes of finding more survivors are dwindling. The latest discovery brings the confirmed death toll to three, including the ship’s cook, Recaldo Thomas. Lynch, often referred to as “Britain’s Bill Gates,” had invited friends and acquaintances…

The COP29 Azerbaijan Operating Company has unveiled a daily television programme to be broadcast globally during the climate summit in November in Baku, Azerbaijan. Aligned with the Presidency’s goals of enhancing ambition and enabling action worldwide, the show aims to ensure accessibility to conference-related information by providing daily summaries of COP events for a global audience. The programme will be broadcast live from a studio on-site at Baku Stadium and distributed through television syndication, online streaming platforms, and official COP29 channels. It will feature in-depth interviews, expert analysis, and other insights into the climate negotiations. The show will focus on…