Fifteen years after the Afghanistan war began and nearly three years since Australians withdrew from the Southern province of Oruzgan, insurgent fighters are reportedly within kilometres of the provincial capital amid heavy fighting. Source The Sydney Morning Herald
China’s monthly trade surplus with the United States rose to a record high of US$34.1 billion in September on the back of an escalating trade war that shows little sign of cooling. The figure, released on Friday by the customs administration, represented a 10 per cent increase from the US$31.05 billion surplus booked for August, suggesting Washington’s tariffs on imports of Chinese products have yet to have the desired effect of narrowing the trade gap between the two countries. Source South China’s Morning Post
The U.S. federal government closed the 2018 fiscal year $779 billion in the red as tax cuts hit revenues and the government paid more to service a growing national debt, according to Treasury Department data released on Monday. Source Reuters
CHINA has issued a stern new direct warning to Australia, saying we’re walking a “tightrope” between the US and China. In a blistering editorial, state media outlet The China Daily warned the nation not to be “led by the nose by America, cautioning the Morrison government against adopting a “Cold War” mentality. Source News.com.au
