विदेश

SINGAPORE PM WONG: WILL IMPROVE MILITARY RECIPROCAL ACCESS TO FACILITIES AND DEEPEN COOPERATION IN DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY WITH AUSTRALIA

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

Coming off a win over then-No. 14 Iowa State on Saturday, its first over a ranked team in head coach Scott Satterfield's tenure, Cincinnati is on the cusp of the AP Top 25. Cincinnati (4-1, 2-0 Big 12) is 2-0 in the Big 12 for the first time in three seasons as a Power Four program, and expectations are rising both inside and outside the program as it prepares to host UCF on Saturday. The Bearcats, for starters, are one of three teams in the country to allow only one sack through six weeks. Their offensive line has been named the Big 12 Offensive Line of the Week three times, including for their performance this past week, when they paved the way for the Bearcats' 260 rushing yards and 474 total yards in a 38-30 upset. Quarterback Brendan Sorsby has thrown for 12 touchdowns and just one interception this season, with that one interception coming against Nebraska in Week 1. He's also rushed for 291 yards and five touchdowns. "This offensive line group is special. I believe that," Bearcats center Gavin Gerhardt said. "We have gotten better as time moves on." "It starts with (offensive line) Coach (Nic) Cardwell. I don't think there is a better offensive line coach in the country. I have had three offensive line coaches in my career, but Coach Cardwell is the best offensive line coach for many reasons." Cincinnati's offensive line will face a stiff test against the visiting Knights. UCF (3-2, 0-2 Big 12) boasts a strong defensive front, which has recorded nine sacks and 29 tackles for loss through five games. The Knights are coming off a 27-20 home loss to Kansas, where they were stuffed on three straight runs from the 1-yard line late in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Tayven Jackson left with an injury in the third quarter and was wearing a sling on the sideline later in the game. This was one week after he left UCF's game against Kansas State with a sprained left shoulder joint. If Jackson can't go Saturday, it will be Cam Fancher at quarterback for the Knights. "This team is good enough to win some of these games, and we just have to be much better in all phases, and more consistent," head coach Scott Frost said. "We're awfully close to where we need to be to win some of these games. We haven't done it yet." The winner of Saturday's game will take the lead in the all-time series, 6-5. Cincinnati won last year's meeting 19-13 on the road. Its last home win against UCF was in 2021, the same season Cincinnati went to the College Football Playoff. –Field Level Media

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

(Updates paragraph 6 to include response from Asahi Group) By AJ Vicens Oct 7 (Reuters) – Qilin, a ransomware group with a track record of cyberattacks on major entities around the world, claimed responsibility on Tuesday for a hack on Japan's Asahi Group Holdings that disrupted production at the beer and beverage giant. Asahi Group's beer-making subsidiary, Asahi Breweries, said on Monday it had restarted production at its six Japanese beer plants on October 2. It first said it had been hacked on September 29. Qilin, which operates a ransomware-as-a-service platform that allows users to carry out attacks in exchange for a percentage of extortion proceeds, posted 29 images to its website on Tuesday of what the group claims to be internal Asahi Group documents. The group claims to have stolen more than 9,300 files, or roughly 27 gigabytes of data, according to the entry on its website. Reuters could not immediately verify the authenticity of the documents. An Asahi Group Holdings spokesperson said in an email late Tuesday that the matter was still under investigation and the company declined to comment on Qilin's claims, or any details about extortion demands or negotiations. Qilin did not respond to a request for comment. Qilin has been a prolific ransomware service since first emerging in 2022 with 870 claimed attacks, according to data compiled by eCrime.ch, a cybercrime research platform. The group was behind the June 2024 hack of British diagnostic services provider Synnovis, which officials said in June 2025 contributed to the death of a London hospital patient. (Reporting by AJ Vicens in Detroit; Additional reporting by Raphael Satter in Washington and James Pearson in London; Editing by Sharon Singleton and Jamie Freed)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

* Japan Aug real wages fall 1.3%, fastest drop in 3 months * Inflation outstrips nominal wages, one-off payments down * Weak wage growth adds headache to BOJ's rate hike schedule TOKYO, Oct 8 (Reuters) – Japanese workers saw real wages fall for the eighth straight month in August, with a double-digit decrease in one-off compensations on top of relentless inflation outpacing nominal pay growth, government data showed on Wednesday. Inflation-adjusted real wages, a key barometer of Japanese households' purchasing power, fell 1.4% in August from a year earlier, according to labour ministry data. That was the fastest decrease in real pay in three months and followed a 0.2% drop in July, which was a result of a downward revision from what initially appeared to be its first rise since December 2024. Consumer inflation has been at or above the Bank of Japan's 2% target for more than three years, but in recent months it has been decelerating, complicating the central bank's rate hike plans. The consumer inflation rate the labour ministry has used to calculate real wages, which includes fresh food prices but not rent costs, rose 3.1% year-on-year in August, the lowest in 10 months. But that was enough to outpace nominal wages, or total cash earnings, which rose 1.5% to 300,517 yen ($1,994) in August, the slowest increase in three months. Although regular pay or base salary rose 2.0%, around the same pace as in the previous four months, special payments were down 10.5%, likely because some firms could not offer as much summer bonuses as last year, a labour ministry official said. However, most companies pay summer bonuses to their workers in June and July, so August's special payment tally tends to be volatile, the official added. Overtime pay, a gauge of strength in corporate activity, rose 1.3% in August, down from a revised 3.0% growth in July. After keeping interest rates unchanged at last month's meeting, BOJ officials have repeated a view that wage hike trends would continue toward next year, while the impact of U.S. tariffs on Japanese business was still uncertain. ($1 = 150.6900 yen) (Reporting by Kantaro Komiya; Editing by Kim Coghill)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

SAO PAULO, Oct 7 (Reuters) – Brazilian waste management company Ambipar is working with advisers to prepare a bankruptcy filing for as soon as next week, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing sources. The company is set to file for bankruptcy protection in a Rio de Janeiro court, Bloomberg added, citing one of the sources. (Reporting by Andre Romani; Editing by Kylie Madry)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

IMF: REACHES STAFF-LEVEL AGREEMENT WITH PAPUA NEW GUINEA ON THE FIFTH REVIEW, UNLOCKS US$220 MILLION

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

IMF: REACHES STAFF-LEVEL AGREEMENT WITH PAPUA NEW GUINEA ON THE FIFTH REVIEWS UNDER THE ECF, EFF AND RSF ARRANGEMENTS

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

No. 24 South Florida is back in the Top 25 once and North Texas is on the verge of being ranked as the two sides prepare to clash Friday night in American Conference play at Denton, Tex. The Bulls (4-1, 1-0 in American) are coming off back-to-back wins over South Carolina State and Charlotte following their 49-12 loss to Miami on Sept. 13. Meanwhile, North Texas (5-0, 1-0) is unbeaten after five games for the first time since 1959, and is receiving votes in the latest Associated Press Top 25 and Coaches' polls for the first time since 2018. It's easily the most meaningful matchup ever between the two sides. USF leads the all-time series 2-0, but the teams haven't played each other since the Bulls swept a home-and-home series in 2001 and 2002. "I think you earn the right to play in these games, first and foremost," said North Texas coach Eric Morris on Tuesday. "I told the kids this week that we've earned the right to be on this stage and do this, but just like anything in life you have to seize the opportunities when they're there." The Mean Green have been more known for their passing attack heading into Morris' third season as coach. But this season, the running game has been a major factor in North Texas' perfect start. Makenzie McGill II has run for 318 yards and four touchdowns this season while Caleb Hawkins has run for 307 yards and seven touchdowns on 42 carries. Hawkins, who also has seven catches for 120 yards and a touchdown, is averaging 8.7 yards per touch, which is the third-most among all FBS running backs. "(Hawkins) and the running back room have been doing really well getting the run game established early so we can get them to bite down and open up lanes in the passing game," Morris said. USF's backfield has also been explosive this season, not only thanks to its backs, but also to the dynamic ability of dual-threat quarterback Byrum Brown. The Bulls racked up 407 of their 631 yards against Charlotte on the ground in last week's 54-26 win. Brown leads USF in rushing with 282 yards and three touchdowns on 64 attempts as well as having 1,194 yards and 10 touchdowns passing, along with four interceptions. It's been a balanced backfield for USF with Sam Franklin, Cartevious Norton, Alvon Isaac and Nykahi Davenport have all rushed for 125 or more yards this season. "There's a point in your preparation where you get to a level of confidence … and I thought we were incredibly confident going into the game," USF coach Alex Golesh said. But the Bulls' concerns are more about finishing games. USF stormed out to a 26-0 lead against Charlotte before struggling to put the game out of reach early in the second half. The Bulls committed four turnovers to match the four they forced. "I told our guys that elite teams put teams away when they have an opportunity to put them away," Golesh said. "I thought the start was intentional and an attempt to go put it away early. But from a fundamental standpoint, I thought it was really, really poor in a lot of ways." –Field Level Media

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

(Adds company comment in paragraph 3) By Sneha S K and Siddhi Mahatole Oct 7 (Reuters) – Peter Marks, the former top vaccine regulator who was ousted from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration earlier this year, has joined Eli Lilly, the drugmaker told Reuters on Tuesday. Marks will oversee molecule discovery and infectious diseases at Lilly, starting this month. "Peter's expertise strengthens our abilities across multiple areas, both in our existing portfolio and in our work in emerging areas," the company said. Lilly added it continually evaluates breakthrough science which could benefit patients. Marks, who played a key role in U.S. President Donald Trump's first term in developing COVID-19 vaccines, resigned in March after being forced out by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Shares of U.S. drugmakers fell, when reports on Marks' ouster from the FDA first came out in late March. As director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Marks had publicly supported programs that expedited the development of rare disease treatments and gene therapies during his tenure. "We believe that Dr. Marks can bring significant value to Lilly given his tremendous experience and background," said Leerink Partners analyst David Risinger. Marks' move follows similar transitions by other senior FDA officials such as former head of the FDA's drug evaluation unit, Patrizia Cavazzoni, who joined Pfizer in February as its chief medical officer. Former U.S. FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb is also a member of Pfizer's board. (Reporting by Siddhi Mahatole and Sneha S K in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

The Washington Capitals enter the 2025-26 season aiming to build on their Eastern Conference-best record a year ago, while the Boston Bruins embark on a new era following their first playoff miss since 2016. Though the two teams are largely projected to be at opposite ends of the standings, hope springs eternal when they clash Wednesday in the nation's capital. Washington's roster has undergone little change since a second-round playoff exit last spring. Alex Ovechkin still leads the way, entering his 21st season sitting just three goals away from becoming the first 900-goal scorer in NHL history. There are still milestones left for "The Great 8" to chase, but there's plenty more to get reigning Jack Adams Award winner Spencer Carbery and the whole team going as well. "I think it's just continuing to push the envelope," Carbery said. "I think we have a highly motivated group, not only as a team, but individually. "And that's one of the main points … to bring to the forefront, is we need to be trying to push to get to another level." The Capitals also benefited from Dylan Strome's career-high 82 points, making him one of seven 20-goal and 50-point scorers on the team. Ryan Leonard made his debut in the NHL after consecutive 30-goal campaigns at Boston College. Fellow top-liner Tom Wilson also produced his first 30-goal season. Defenseman John Carlson and goalie Logan Thompson return in back. "Whether you get drafted here, whether you sign here, get traded here, or you just come in the locker room, I think everybody expects to win," Carlson said. "And there's more to it than that, but I think just the mentality of winning is important, and I hope that I would play some part in that." Only former Florida Panthers forward Justin Sourdif and ex-Minnesota Wild defenseman Declan Chisholm are new to the fold in Washington. On Boston's side, it's a fresh start in many ways after tying for an Eastern Conference-low 76 points last season. It starts with first-year coach Marco Sturm. The former Bruins forward took over for Joe Sacco, who was the interim replacement when now-St. Louis Blues boss Jim Montgomery was fired last November. "My players, my staff, everyone was pulling together. That shows me that we are on the right track. Everyone's really excited," Sturm said. "I think (Tuesday) was one of our best practices to date." Boston returns star David Pastrnak, aiming for his fourth straight 100-point season, but will play without either Patrice Bergeron or Brad Marchand in a season opener for the first time since 2002-03 after the latter was traded to Florida in March. Otherwise, the forward group is revamped. Old friend Sean Kuraly returned from the Columbus Blue Jackets in free agency. Michael Eyssimont (Seattle Kraken) and Tanner Jeannot (Los Angeles Kings) also arrived, hoping to add more grit to the lineup. The Bruins have both Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm healthy on defense after the duo missed 97 combined man-games last season due to injuries. Lindholm (knee) played just 17. The quality of training camp was also a topic of discussion. After goalie Jeremy Swayman's holdout caused distraction during a poor preseason last year, defenseman Nikita Zadorov was impressed with how things went this time. "In my 13-year career, probably one of the best camps I've seen," he said. "I thought guys were sharp, I think everybody worked their butts off. … It was direct, it was quick. It was really exciting. Like fresh air for us." But now, it's for real. –Field Level Media

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)