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‘Undefined mechanisms’: India halts US-mail including up to $100 parcels; postal service cites new tariff rules – The Times of India

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‘Undefined mechanisms’: India halts US-mail including up to 0 parcels; postal service cites new tariff rules – The Times of India


India stops postal shipments to US (Representative AI image)

India’s postal department has suspended all mail bookings to the United States, following new US governmental regulations that alter the protocol for incoming shipments.The official communication indicated that postal services, including letters, documents and gifts valued up to $100 destined for the US, will not be booked, as reported by Economic Times.“In view of the inability of carriers to transport US-bound mail, and undefined regulatory mechanisms, it has now been decided to completely suspend booking of all categories of mail, including letters/documents and gifts value upto 100 USD, destined to the USA,” the government announced in a notice.Officials, quoted by ET, confirmed ongoing monitoring of the situation and assured efforts towards swift service restoration.This came in place of an earlier governmental directive dated August 22, specifying that transmission of all US-bound mail items, barring documents/letters and gifts valued up to $100, would cease from August 25, 2025.The decision follows the US administration’s Executive Order No. 14324 issued on July 30, 2025, which removed duty-free allowance on imported goods worth up to $800- which were earlier exempted.Starting August 29, all US-bound goods incur customs duties under the International Emergency Economic Power Act (IEEPA) tariff structure, though gifts valued up to $100 remain duty-free. However, the uncertainty arising from the rule change, pushed India to stop deliveries of values up to $100 as well.The Department’s notice explained that US Customs and Border Protection requires comprehensive duty collection and data exchange mechanisms. Indian carriers servicing US routes have expressed their inability to transport postal items without these systems.Customers who have previously booked items that cannot be sent to the US are eligible for postage reimbursement.





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Greggs to reveal trading amid pressure from cost of living and weight loss drugs

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Greggs to reveal trading amid pressure from cost of living and weight loss drugs



Greggs is to shed light on demand from customers as the high street bakery chain contends with the rise of weight loss treatments and cost of living pressures on shoppers.

The high street chain is also wrestling with other factors including increases to labour costs and tax changes.

As a result, on Tuesday March 3, Greggs is expected to reveal pre-tax profits of around £173 million for the year to December 27, representing a 9% drop.

In its previous update shortly after Christmas, Greggs pointed to a strong finish to 2025 as sales growth accelerated in the final quarter of the year.

Like-for-like sales growth rose from 1.5% in the third quarter to 2.9% in the final months of 2025.

Totals sales were up 7.4% in the final quarter amid a boost from the group’s continued store opening programme.

The company opened 121 stores last year.

However, analysts at Deutsche Bank said expectations “have already been set low” for 2026 and are “unlikely to change”.

In January, Greggs said it was “cautious but hopeful” about its outlook for 2026, highlighting “subdued” consumer confidence.

Roisin Currie, chief executive of Greggs, also warned alongside its previous update that there was “no doubt” appetite-suppressing medication is having an impact on the bakery chain’s business.

It may provide more detail on how this continues to change customer eating habits.

Meanwhile, the group also announced that inflation was likely to be shallower than last year.

The group increased the price on a number of products and deals last year, so shareholders will also be keen to see how these changes have continued to impact trading.

Aarin Chiekrie, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “Investors are keen to hear how 2026 is shaping up in the early months.

“While the picture on the cost front is beginning to look more favourable, Greggs has plenty of other challenges still to wrestle with.

“Unhelpful changes to tax rules and minimum wages, slowing UK economic growth, and cost-conscious consumers are all weighing on the outlook.”



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Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Confirmed Martyred in US, Israeli Strikes – SUCH TV

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Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Confirmed Martyred in US, Israeli Strikes – SUCH TV



Major General Seyed Abdolrahim Mousavi, the Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, attained martyrdom in a cowardly Israeli-American aggression on Saturday.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, was also martyred in the Saturday aggression, alongside many top-ranking military commanders and defense officials.

Major General Mousavi succeeded Major General Mohammad Bagheri following the 12-day war in June last year and carried forward the remarkable legacy of his predecessor.

He played a particularly vital role in the June 2025 war, leading the Iranian armed forces in their retaliatory operations that forced the Israeli regime to beg for surrender.

Mousavi previously served as the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army and played an instrumental role in bolstering the might of the army.

On August 21, 2017, he was promoted from Brigadier General to Major General and appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army by the Leader, replacing Seyed Ataollah Salehi.

Later, on May 28, 2019, Ayatollah Khamenei appointed him as the commander of the Khatam al-Anbia Air Defense Base, while he continued to serve as the army’s top commander.

Mousavi was born in 1960 in the holy city of Qom in central Iran. He was a graduate of the Army’s Ground Forces Officers’ University and held a doctorate in defense studies from the Supreme National Defense University. He joined the Iranian army in 1979.

During the years of the Imposed War in the 1980s, Major General Mousavi served in the Army’s artillery unit on various fronts, including the western battlefields in Kurdistan (28th Kurdistan Division) and the southwestern fronts (33rd Artillery Group of the Ground Forces) in Khuzestan province.

He participated in many operations such as Valfajr 4, Valfajr 9, Beit al-Moqaddas 5, Qader, Nasr, and several others. He is recognized as a veteran of the war.

After the Imposed War ended in 1997, he completed the Advanced Command and Staff Course (DAFOS) and later earned a doctoral degree in defense management at the Supreme National Defense University.

From 1999 to 2005, he served as the Chief of Joint Staff of the Army, and from 2008 to 2016, he was Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Army. Following that, from 2016 to 2017, he held the position of Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces.

Mousavi held several significant leadership positions within Iran’s military. From 1999 to 2005, he served as the Chief of Joint Staff of the Army, later assuming the role of Deputy Commander-in-Chief from 2008 to 2016.

In 2016, he was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, a position he held until 2017, when he was named Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army, a role he held until today.

Additionally, since May 2019, served as the Commander of the Khatam al-Anbia Air Defense Base, further solidifying his central role in the country’s military strategy and operations.

Major General Mousavi also served as the Commander of Imam Ali (PBUH) Officers’ University, where he contributed to the training and development of military personnel.

He also led the Army’s Northeast Operational Base, overseeing strategic operations in the region.

In addition, he was the Deputy for Training and the Deputy for Planning and Programs within the Army Ground Forces, playing a key role in shaping military preparedness and strategy.

Mousavi’s expertise in operations led to his appointment as the Head of Operations for the Army, and later, he became the Director of the Army Strategic Studies Center, where he engaged in high-level research and policy development.



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Yorkshire Cat Rescue sees rise in abandoned cats as costs increase

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Yorkshire Cat Rescue sees rise in abandoned cats as costs increase



Yorkshire Cat Rescue in Haworth says it paid £282,000 in vet bills in 2025 and rescued 925 animals.



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