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Here are today’s picks from our editors.

Chinese premier arrives in Tajikistan for SCO meeting, official visit

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrived at Dushanbe on Thursday for an annual meeting of heads of government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states and an official visit to Tajikistan.

It is Li's first visit to Tajikistan. He was welcomed by senior Tajik government officials led by Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda at the airport.

Li said he expects to have in-depth exchange of views with Tajik leaders on deepening bilateral ties and advancing practical cooperation in all areas to let China-Tajikistan friendship bloom and bear more fruits to benefit people of the two countries.

While attending the 17th meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the SCO member states, Li is expected to map out practical cooperation plans for the SCO with other leaders, sign cooperation documents and hold bilateral talks with relevant parties. (Xinhua)

IMF chief warns trade wars could be detrimental to global growth

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde on Thursday cautioned that the ongoing trade wars could be detrimental to global economic growth and cause spillovers into other nations.

Speaking at the annual meeting of the IMF and the world bank in Bali of Indonesia, Lagarde said that the international body strongly suggests nations to de-escalate the trade tensions and work toward a global trade system that is stronger, fairer and fit for purpose and future.

"If these tensions were to escalate, the global economy would take a significant hit," Lagarde said in her speech. (Xinhua)

Michael weakens to tropical storm 

Michael weakened to a tropical storm Thursday after wreaking havoc along Florida's Gulf Coast, flooding homes and streets, ripping away roofs, and snapping trees and power lines as it roared ashore as a raging Category 4 hurricane.

Two deaths were blamed on the hurricane -- one in Florida and one in Georgia as the storm raced across the neighboring state, heading northeast.

Nearly 370,000 people were left without power, mostly in Florida, but also Alabama and Georgia, news reports said. (AFP)

Pentagon grounds global fleet of F-35s after crash

The Pentagon grounded the global fleet of F-35 stealth fighters on Thursday, as a result of the first ever crash of the costliest plane in history.

A Marine Corps F-35B was completely destroyed in a crash during training in South Carolina on September 28. The pilot safely ejected. 

According to Joe DellaVedova, a spokesman for the F-35 program, the US and its international partners -- including Britain and Israel -- have temporarily suspended F-35 flight operations for a fleet-wide inspection of a fuel tube within the engine on all F-35 aircraft. (AFP)

Shredded Banksy painting worth more than original, say experts

When street artist Banksy destroyed one of his works of art last week seconds after it was sold at an auction, he probably added to its value, with some experts suggesting it could now be worth double its original price.

No one knows how the secretive artist activated a shredder hidden within the frame of his painting "Girl with Balloon" just after it was sold last week by Sotheby's for $1.4 million.

The maverick British artist posted a video on Instagram in the wake of the prank accompanied by a quote attributed to Pablo Picasso -- "the urge to destroy is also a creative urge". (AFP)

Stock market drop spreads, Wall Street set to fall again

World stock markets sank Thursday, extending losses from Wall Street, as investors worried that higher interest rates will dent company earnings and a trade war will crimp global business.

France’s CAC 40 dropped 1.8 percent to 5,111 and the DAX in Germany lost 1.6 percent to 11,526. Britain’s FTSE 100 tumbled 1.9 percent to 7,011.

In Asia, Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 gave up 3.9 percent to 22,590.86 and the Shanghai Composite index lost 5.2 percent to 2,583.46, a four-year low.

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said the Federal Reserve “is making a mistake” with its campaign of rate increases. “I think the Fed has gone crazy,” he said. (AP)

Thanks for listening and be sure to catch us tomorrow.

And now for the Question of the Day:

What are the seven visible spectrum colors?

(Answer: Newton divided the spectrum into seven named colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.)

Today’s quote is from Greek scientist Euclid.

“There is no royal road to geometry.” 

(Produced by Nancy Yan Xu, Ryan Yaoran Yu, Raymond Mendoza, and Terry Guanlin Li.)