Nicole Kidman’s daughter Sunday Rose made a rare public appearance with her at a recent event in Paris. As per a report by Page Six, the 16-year-old walked along with her mother for Omega’s Her Time event in Paris. The duo posed for pictures and were seen smiling on the red carpet.
For the event, Nicole looked radiant in an all white ensemble, as she paired a white cropped short-sleeved top along with a white tea-length skirt. Meanwhile, her daughter wore a gray cropped top with matching gray pants. Both Nicole and Sunday held hands and made goofy faces at each other as they walked the red carpet and posed for photographers.
Nicole shares two daughters with her husband Keith Urban- Sunday, and 13-year-old Faith Margaret. Meanwhile Nicole shares daughter Isabella, 31, and son Connor, 29, with her ex-husband Tom Cruise. Back in April this year, when Nicole was honoured with the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award, she brought her entire family along with her and posed happily on the red carpet.
During her acceptance speech, she also made sure to give a shoutout to her daughters and said, “There’s an enormous amount of luck in my life, but there’s also the most important thing — love, big, big love. Right there is the love of my life and the loves of my life. My daughters have never been anywhere publicly with me on a red carpet, tonight was their first night, so they’re here, Sunday and Faith. This is all because of you and I love you so much. There’s no place like home, as they say, click click. You’re my home.” Nicole was last seen in the romantic comedy A Family Affair, which also starred Joey King and Zac Efron. She will be seen next in the Netflix series The Perfect Couple, which also stars Bollywood actor Ishan Khatter in a supporting role.
Nicole Kidman reveals her
favourite Olympic sport
“I love sport and the Olympics,” she exclusively told News Corp.
“I’m here to cheer on the Aussies and the Americans and actually everyone because there’s something about the hope (of it) right now that’s really important.”
Her highlight so far is the gold medal haul from the female swimmers.
Kidman even joked that it would have been her sport had she ever been an athlete.
“I did swim at school and I did bring home a ribbon for breaststroke so maybe I would’ve been a breaststroker,’’ she said.
“I brought home a blue ribbon, it was the only ribbon I ever won at the school carnival.”
The actor will next be seen at the volleyball and gymnastics before heading back to Texas where she is filming TV series Lioness.
She plans to stay up to date with all the Australian results, particularly in track and field.
Month: August 2024
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Nicole Kidman’s daughter Sunday Rose makes rare red carpet appearance in Paris
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Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have ‘signed’ the divorce papers
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s fairytale romance appears to be nearing its end. Amid claims that the singer saw her husband as a knight in shining armour, sources close to the couple reveal that the divorce papers have been finalised, they have not yet been filed.
While the couple has been working on settling arrangements, they are strategically timing a public announcement with a carefully crafted joint statement. For months, Jen and Ben have been living separately, and although they have not commented on the separation, reports of their marital woes have skyrocketed.
“They finalised the divorce papers with her a month ago, but are waiting for the right time to drop them,” a source told Daily Mail. Friends of Lopez have described Affleck’s recent actions as a “stab to the heart,” including his decision to purchase a new home in Los Angeles and skip both his wife’s birthday and their second wedding anniversary in the Hamptons. Meanwhile, other insiders claim Affleck has been actively preparing for the split.
Another source has asserted that while the documents have been signed, the couple will maintain a cordial demeanour upon officially confirming the news. “At that time, they will release a joint statement that will say how they have much love for each other and how they fought to make it work, but couldn’t. Honestly, in the end they could not come to a compromise. What they had before is gone and they have both accepted it.” Multiple insiders and friends had previously noted how much Jennifer loves Ben and is not ready to throw in the towel just yet. However, the Accountant 2 star seemed to signal his intentions when he moved out of their shared mansion a month ago, settling into a separate home in Brentwood. The pair were last seen together on May 30th and have since made efforts to avoid each other. They even their summers apart with the pop star touring Europe and New York while Ben spent it with kids in LA.With the actor now buying his own mansion in LA and their Beverly Hills home on the market, reports are increasingly describing their divorce as inevitable. “Ben’s decision to move into his own home is the final insult,” one insider told Radar Online. “J.Lo had been holding onto hope that there could be a reconciliation if they were to spend some time apart, but this is like a stab in the heart.” -
‘Leave me alone’: Selena Gomez shuts down plastic surgery rumors
Selena Gomez often faces extra scrutiny over her changing looks and weight fluctuations. And the singer is fed up with all the rumours around her going under the knife, and wants people to leave her alone.
The 32-year-old singer addressed the speculations while responding to a TikToker video about the buzz around her changing looks in the comment section. The video was shared by a physician’s assistant working in a plastic surgeon’s office.
The original video was posted back in 2023. However, Selena commented on it on July 27.
“Honestly, I hate this. I was on stripes because of flare up. I have Botox. That’s it. Leave me alone,” wrote the Only Murders in the Building actor.
Following the outburst by Selena, who suffers from lupus, the TikToker, who goes by the name Marissa Barrionuevo, posted an apology note. -
Taapsee Pannu says doing whopping 11 films post-pandemic wasn’t planned
If there is a Hindi film actor who matches the record of most number of films released post-pandemic set by Akshay Kumar (14 releases), it is Taapsee Pannu. The actor holds the rare distinction of being perhaps the only Bollywood actress, who, in August, will have her 11th film title up for release.
“This is not planned!” Taapsee told Indianexpress.com with a smile when pointed out that her latest release Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba will be her 10th release since 2021. Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha’s Thappad was Taapsee’s last theatrical release before the coronavirus pandemic shut the world down in 2020. Since then, the actor has had a slew of releases, starting from Haseen Dillruba, Vijay Sethupathi-starrer Annabelle Sethupathi, Rashmi Rocket, Loop Lapeta, Telugu comedy Mishan Impossible, Mithali Raj biopic Shabaash Mithu, Anurag Kashyap’s Dobaaraa, her production debut Blurr and Shah Rukh Khan–starrer Dunki.
“I am not sure if it landed the way I wanted it to land. I made the mistake of over-planning my successive years, where I thought every year, I would have two releases. In 2020, Thappad was released, and Haseen Dilruba was supposed to be released the same year, but we had the lockdown. So, nothing was released, until one and a half years!
Source: The Indian Express -
Kriti Sanon spotted vaping with rumored boyfriend Kabir Bahia from Greece vacation
Bollywood actress Kriti Sanon’s well-kept secret seems to be finally out in the open after photos of her exotic Greece vacation with rumoured boyfriend Kabir Bahia went viral online. While the Mimi actress continues to remain silent, a new set of pictures have now surfaced in which she can be seen sitting next to Kabir and enjoying with their friends.
Kriti can be seen enjoying a scrumptious meal with Kabir and friends at a crowded eatery in the pictures, however, eagle-eyed fans spotted that the actress was also using a vape. In the viral photos, Kriti can be seen vaping while being engrossed in a conversation with Kabir.
In the earlier photos and videos that had gone viral, the actress was spotted smoking by netizens. It came as a surprise since Kriti’s mother Geeta Sanon had once claimed that her daughter was “anti-smoking”.
She had claimed that Kriti did not smoke and had also stated that the actress makes sure that the others around her quit smoking too.
However, in the midst of all the chatter, Kriti seems to be unbothered as she shared a slew of photos from the Greece vacation on Instagram on Wednesday. While Kabir was MIA in the pictures, the actress posed with her sister Nupur Sanon and other friends while flaunting her svelte figure in vibrant bikinis.
Kriti reportedly celebrated her birthday on July 27 in Greece with her gang.
Kriti and Kabir have been rumoured to be dating for quite some time now, and the buzz got intense after the two were spotted celebrating the New Year with MS Dhoni and Sakshi Dhoni in Dubai. -
Janhvi Kapoor: Don’t know if industry has opened up to the actor in me
Actor Janhvi Kapoor, who is all set for her upcoming theatrical release ‘Ulajh,’ has been extensively promoting her film as she believes this is one of her finest performances to date. Janhvi’s last release, Mr and Mrs Mahi, didn’t clock in huge numbers but Kapoor’s performance and hard work didn’t go unnoticed. During the promotions of her film, Janhvi shared her take on whether the industry has opened up to the actor in her, looking beyond her vanity.
Speaking to IndiaToday.in, Janhvi said, “I don’t know whether the industry has actually opened up to the actor in me yet. Even if they have, it’s something that I’m probably not specifically thinking about as such, because acting is what I wanted to all my life. I feel I have evolved from my first film to now, but how the industry takes me is something I can’t tell for myself.”
“It would have been predictable and a much easier journey if I had done commercial movies with a wider reach that has the song, dance and glamour, because that would have come easily to me and has a higher guaranteed success rate and ensures more popularity. But I made a conscious decision a couple of years ago to challenge myself and surprise myself and try something different even though the risks and stakes are much higher,” the actor added.
Janhvi opened up about picking the ‘smaller films’ and stated, “So, yes, I do feel that I have picked a couple of high-risk films and ‘Ulajh’ is one of them. I sometimes make jokes about Insta Janhvi vs actor Janhvi. Honestly, I’m a little unaware of how the industry sees me, but all I can attest for myself is that with every film, I get more confident on another set because I feel that I can deliver what my director wants out of me.”
Janhvi concluded by saying, “I am scared to try to become aware of what the outside narrative or perception is about me. I think that kind of awareness kills an artist, because it will start making me calculate things that I’m not meant to calculate in any case. It will either make me supremely confident or completely shatter my ego and both of these things will be very disruptive for me.” Source: India Today -
33 dead, many missing after rain hammers Uttarakhand, HP
New Delhi (TIP)- At least 33 people were killed, several injured and over 50 are missing following several rain-related incidents in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh where rain washed away many houses, bridges and roads. The death toll in Himachal Pradesh rose up to seven on Friday following a cloudburst in several areas of Kullu district. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is expected to visit the affected areas today. Over 50 people are missing following the incident.
Authorities recovered seven bodies of missing persons – three each in Shimla and Mandi and one in Kullu. With many missing, rescuers raced against time, scrambling through uprooted trees and collapsed buildings to look for survivors.
Teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and local administration have been deployed in the affected areas of the state to retrieve bodies.
A total of 35 people have been rescued at various places. Officials are using drones to locate missing persons.
Meanwhile, several state and national highways have been blocked by the landslides. The Manali-Chandigarh National Highway has been damaged at several places due to landslides, an official said. A breach was also reported in Malana Dam in Kullu, but the situation is under control, the officials said.
The Indian Army has established a control centre at Jhakeri, working alongside the state government’s control centre under the District Collector of Shimla. Around 20 houses have been completely washed away and buried under boulders and debris.
The strong water flow in the Nala and its confluence with the Satluj River is hampering rescue work. Rescue operations were halted at 5 pm due to heavy rains and started at 7 am with the use of earth-moving equipment.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh said that rescue and relief operations are in full swing and he would visit the areas that are most affected . Source: PTI -
IMD predicts above-normal rainfall in Aug-Sept, means high possibility of landslides and floods
New Delhi (TIP)- India is predicted to record above-normal rainfall in August and September, with a good chance of favourable La Nina conditions developing by the end of August, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday, August 1.
Prediction of above-normal rain means there’s a high possibility of landslides and floods.
The monsoon is critical for India’s agricultural landscape, with 52 percent of the net cultivated area relying on it. The primary rain-bearing system is also crucial for replenishing reservoirs critical for drinking water and power generation across the country.
The IMD said that rainfall over India in August and September would be around 106 per cent of the long-period average of 422.8 mm.
The country has so far recorded 453.8 mm of rainfall against the normal of 445.8 mm since June 1, a surplus of two per cent, owing to a wetter-than-normal July after a drier June. Normal to above-normal rainfall is predicted in most parts of the country in August-September. Below-normal rainfall is expected in parts of the northeast, adjoining east India, Ladakh, Saurashtra and Kutch, and pockets of central and peninsular India, IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said during an online press conference. The IMD chief anticipated deficient rainfall in parts of western Himalayan region in August-September.
La Nina, a buildup of cooler-than-normal waters in the central Pacific Ocean aiding monsoon rainfall in the Indian subcontinent, could set in by August end, he said.
Mohapatra said above-normal maximum temperatures are expected over most parts of the country. “Normal to below-normal maximum temperatures are likely in some areas in the Gangetic plains, central India, and the southeast coast of India.”
India recorded nine per cent more rainfall than normal in July, with the central region receiving 33 per cent excess rain.
Mohapatra said that central India, which heavily relies on monsoon rainfall for agriculture, has been receiving good rainfall for the third consecutive monsoon season, benefiting agriculture. Source: PTI -
Wayanad landslide disaster toll reaches 297, with 206 missing
Wayanad (TIP)- The death toll in the Wayanad landslide disaster on Friday, Aug rust 2, eached 297, said officials, adding that 206 people continue to be missing.
The rescue operations continued on the fourth day of the state’s worst-ever natural calamity.
More than one thousand-member rescue team drawn from various forces besides locals divided into nine groups are working tirelessly to help people and search for the missing ones. The worst-affected landslide areas are Churalpara, Velarimala, Mundakayil and Punchirimadom. With a 190-foot Bailey Bridge now erected, the connectivity between Churalmalai and Mundakayil has been restored.
Sniffer dogs have also been pressed into service. The rescue team is also equipped with heavy earth-moving equipment.
An officer heading the operations said there were some houses buried in one of the affected places where they were headed.
“Around 10 houses were there at the place we are reaching soon. According to what we are being told there might be some people, maybe alive,” said the official.
Currently, there are now 91 relief camps where 9,328 people have been evacuated safely.
National disaster, says Rahul Gandhi
Former Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi has termed landslides in the Kerala district a “national disaster” and sought a comprehensive action plan.
The deceased included 27 children and 76 women, and 107 bodies have been identified. “In all, 234 persons were admitted to hospitals,” said an official. Rahul and his sister Priyanka Vadra reached Wayanad today. Union Minister George Kurien continued to oversee rehabilitation efforts, having landed two days ago. Meanwhile, the Kerala Government today passed an order restraining scientists from sharing opinions or study reports with the media on Wayanad. -
80 crore out of poverty ‘simply by smartphones’: UN praises India’s digital boom
United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) President Dennis Francis praised India for its digital revolution and focus on expanding banking services to rural parts of the country, saying 800 million (80 crore) Indians were lifted out of poverty in the past five to six years “simply by the use of smartphones”.
He highlighted how people in rural India who earlier did not have access to banking or payment systems were now able to pay bills and receive payments for orders just by using a smartphone.
“Digitalisation provides the basis for rapid development (of a country). Take, for example, the case of India. India has been able to lift 800 million people out of poverty over the past five to six years simply by the use of smartphones,” Francis said at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on the topic of ‘Accelerating progress towards Zero Hunger for the current and future generations’.
He underlined the high internet penetration in India, citing it as a major factor for the country to be able to benefit from the smartphone boom coupled with easy access to banking services. He also said that other Global South countries did not face such scenarios, unlike India, and called for steps to embrace digitalisation.
“Rural farmers in India who never had a relationship with the banking system, are now able to transact all their businesses on their smartphone. They pay their bills and receive payments for orders. There is a high level of internet penetration in India as almost everyone has a cellphone,” he said. -
SC verdict on NEET-UG 2024: ‘No systemic breach of sanctity’ but NTA must avoid ‘flip-flops’
New Delhi (TIP)- The Supreme Court on Friday, August 2, said the National Testing Agency or NTA must avoid the “flip-flops” it made in relation to the NEET-UG 2024 exam. Such “flip-flops” in a national exam do not serve the interests of the students, it said. The Supreme Court was pronouncing its verdict containing reasons for not cancelling the 2024 NEET-UG medical entrance examination, despite a raging controversy over paper allegations and other irregularities in the exam.
A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, also said the expert committee must rectify the deficiencies in the exam system.
The Supreme Court said that in it’s judgment, it has highlighted all the deficiencies in the structural processes of the NTA. “We cannot afford this for the betterment of the students,” said the Supreme Court.
The top court added that the issues which have arisen must be rectified by the Centre this year itself so that it is not repeated. The Supreme Court, however, said there was no systemic breach of the NEET-UG 2024 papers, and the leak was only limited to Patna and Hazaribagh.
The Supreme Court, in its judgment, also said the committee constituted by the Centre also consider framing standard operating procedure (SOP) for technological advancements to identify potential weaknesses in the cyber security of the examination system, processes for enhanced identity checks, CCTV camera monitoring of exam centres.
The bench also issued a slew of directions and expanded the remit of the Centre-appointed committee headed by former ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan to review the NTA’s functioning and recommend exam reforms.
It said since the remit of the panel has been expanded, the committee would submit its report by September 30 on various measures to rectify deficiencies in the examination system. The bench said the Radhakrishnan panel should consider framing standard operating procedure for adoption of technological advancements to strengthen the examination system. The top court said the issues which have arisen during the NEET-UG examination should be rectified by the Centre.
On July 23, the top court dismissed the pleas seeking cancellation and re-test of the controversy-ridden exam, holding that there was no evidence on record to conclude that it was “vitiated” on account of “systemic breach” of its sanctity.
The Supreme Court, while pronouncing the order, said its detailed reasons would follow.
The interim verdict came as a shot in the arm for the embattled NDA government and the NTA, which were facing strong criticism and protests, on streets and in Parliament, over alleged large-scale malpractices like question paper leak, fraud and impersonation in the prestigious test held on May 5.
Over 23 lakh students gave the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) in 2024 for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses. Source: HT -
Oppn targets govt over NCERT textbooks revision, NEP
New Delhi (TIP)- The ongoing monsoon session of the Parliament in Lok Sabha witnessed a heated debate between the Opposition parties and ruling dispensation over the recent changes made to the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) syllabus.
The discussion took place during the debate on the demand for grants for the education ministry in Lok Sabha which was later passed through voice vote without any changes.
The All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MP Asaduddin Owaisi questioned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government for fudging with the existing textbooks.
“Direct connection can be drawn between policies of the government and the continued education backwardness of the Muslims. In both higher education and schooling, Muslims want to get formal education but because of government apathy and negligence, the Muslim dropout of education system is sooner than children of any other community”, Owaisi said.
Congress MP and Whip in the House Mohammad Jawed also reiterated that Mughals’ historical presence cannot be erased merely by removing their names from textbooks. “Mughals were here for 330 years, they are not going to be removed just because you remove the name,” Jawed said. “If there were no Muslims in this country, the BJP could not have opened its account”, he added.
He continued his verbal tirade asking BJP to not discriminate and criticised the government over the recent cases of paper leaks.
“Outside Parliament, test papers are getting leaked and inside Parliament, the roof is leaking…”, he said.
Not only the textbook revision issue, but the Opposition also tried to corner the government on the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP) too.
Reacting to the opposition party MPs’ comments, Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan defended the NEP, saying that it is based on principles of accountability, affordability, accessibility, equitability, and quality.
He highlighted the expansion in spending on higher education by 63% and primary education by 40% since 2013-14.
Pradhan also noted that the new education pattern includes a 5+3+3+4 system and said that there has been an increase in female teachers from 36 lakh to 48 lakh.
Addressing the controversy over the NCERT syllabus, Pradhan said, “Western influence in the Indian education system has to be removed?”, he said. “The National Education Policy is not just a 60-page policy document. It is a philosophical element for the rebuilding of India, enhancing brotherhood in the world, and solving global problems. The entire nation unanimously accepts it today”, Pradhan said. Source: HT -
Pakistani woman saving money for her hernia surgery dies by suicide after she gets inflated electricity bill
Gujranwala (TIP): A 65-year-old woman, Razia Bibi suffering from a hernia, committed suicide after using her treatment money to pay an unexpected electricity bill, ARY News reported. She had carefully set aside funds for her treatment, but the sudden bill left her with no other option, leading to a tragic sequence of events. She had diligently saved money for her hernia operation. However, when faced with an unexpected electricity bill of Pakistani currency (PKR) 10,000, she had no choice but to use her medical savings to settle the payment, as per ARY News.
Following this, the son of Razia Bibi stated that his mother had gone out to buy medicine but was deeply distressed over the financial setback, overcome by despair, she jumped into a nearby drain, as per the police officials. “I met traders and industrialists here in the past week and they lamented, ‘we are at our limits and cannot run our factories anymore,’” Rehman said, as reported by Dawn. He highlighted the broader economic impact, pointing out that the closure of a single factory results in thousands of people losing their jobs. (ANI) -
Pilot in Nepal crash survived as cockpit split from aircraft
Kathmandu (TIP): Captain Manish Raj Shakya, the lone survivor of a deadly plane crash in Nepal that killed 18 people, was saved after the aircraft’s cockpit was sheared off by a freight container seconds before the rest of the aircraft went up in flames, a report said on August 1.
Airport Security Office Ram Dutt Joshi said: “We rescued Shakya from inside the container.” Doctors said the pilot was “free from danger” and can speak. He can also consume liquid food.
Meanwhile, Nepalese authorities on Thursday recovered the black box of the aircraft that crashed here a day before and handed it over to a probe team formed to inquire into the tragic accident that killed 18 persons, including a child. (PTI) -
Mobile Internet restored in Bangladesh
Dhaka (TIP) : The mobile Internet connection was restored in Bangladesh on July 28, 10 days after it was restricted by authorities across the country to stop the spread of fake news on social media amidst the deadly nationwide violence over reforms in the quota system in government jobs. Minister of State for Information and Communication Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak announced that 5GB Internet will be given for free to all users for three days after the connection is restored, the Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported. (PTI)
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Bangladesh bans BNP ally Jamaat under anti-terrorism law
Dhaka (TIP): Bangladesh on August 2 banned the Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir under anti-terrorism law following nationwide unrest over the quota system for government jobs, accusing the fundamentalist party of instigating protests that left at least 150 people dead. A notification issued by the Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed the ban on the Islamist party, a key ally of former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party. The ban on Jamaat, Chhatra Shibir and other associated groups came through an executive order under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
“They (Jamaat-Shibir and BNP) just used the students as their shield,” PM Sheikh Hasina said on Thursday when Italian Ambassador Antonio Alessandro called on her at her here. (PTI) -
150 people killed in student unrest, says Bangladesh govt; announces nationwide mourning
DHAKA (TIP): For the first time, the Bangladesh government on July 29 officially acknowledged that 150 people were killed across the country during the students’ unrest over the quota system.
Violence gripped Bangladesh recently and the government called in the army to quell protests against job quotas.
The protests, which started in universities and colleges earlier this month, quickly turned into a more widespread agitation against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government.
The unrest has left several thousand people, including policemen, wounded and major government installations damaged.
“The government has decided that a nationwide mourning will be observed tomorrow…People have been urged to wear black badges to mourn the deaths (during the violence),” Cabinet Secretary Mahbub Hossain told a media briefing after a meeting chaired by Hasina at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
He said mosques, temples, pagodas and churches across the country were also urged to offer prayers for the departed souls and the wounded people.
The top bureaucrat said Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal presented a report at the meeting about the overall situation and confirmed 150 deaths in clashes across the country.
The announcement came on a day when the military and paramilitary troops patrolled the streets of the capital Dhaka while police in riot gear enforced a strict vigil as a faction of the protesting students overnight called a new round of protests.
The group called the new protest after six of their coordinators announced the withdrawal of the demonstrations, which the protestors said was obtained under duress in police custody.
The six student leaders in an appearance before the media overnight announced the withdrawal of the street demonstrations as their demand for reforms in the quota system was met by the government following a Supreme Court order.
“We have mobilised forces to prevent fresh violence,” a police official said.
Witnesses and live TV footage showed the security forces guarding major points in the capital with military and police armoured personnel carriers patrolling the streets alongside the paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh.
The protests subsided after the apex Appellate Division of unitary Bangladesh’s Supreme Court on July 21 ordered a massive quota reform, keeping only seven per cent of reserve posts instead of the existing 56 per cent.
The government subsequently issued a Gazette notification in line with the order saying 93 per cent of jobs would be open to candidates on merit.
“Our main demand for logical reforms to the government job quota system has been met,” student coordinator Nahid Islam on Sunday said in a video message, calling for educational institutions to re-open. (PTI) -
30 killed, 145 injured in clashes between two tribes in Pakistan
Peshawar (TIP) : At least 30 people were killed and 145 others injured in armed clashes between two tribes fighting over a piece of land in Pakistan’s restive tribal district in northwest, officials said on July 28.
Officials said that heavy clashes started five days ago in Boshera village in Upper Kurram district, which has witnessed deadly conflicts among tribes and religious groups as well as sectarian clashes and militant attacks in the past. Police said the tribal clashes left 30 people dead and 145 others injured in the last five days in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram district, bordering Afghanistan. Officials with the help of tribal elders, military leadership, police and district administration have brokered a truce between Shia and Sunni tribes in Boshera, Malikhel and Dandar areas a short while ago, police said.
However, firing is still continuing in some other parts of the district. An official said efforts were being made to reach a ceasefire in the remaining areas too.
Clashes broke out between the two tribes over a land dispute four days ago. The clashes spread to other areas such as Peewar, Tangi, Balishkhel and Khaar Kalay. (PTI) -
Hezbollah says top commander Shukr was in Beirut building hit by Israel
BEIRUT (TIP): Hezbollah said July 31 that senior military commander Fuad Shukr was inside a south Beirut building hit by Israel the previous day but that his fate remained unknown. The strike, which was followed by another, hours later, which killed Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, triggered fears the war in Gaza could escalate into a region-wide conflict. The Israeli military said its Tuesday strike had “eliminated” Shukr, a top Hezbollah commander it blamed for carrying out a weekend rocket attack on the annexed Golan Heights that killed 12 children in a Druze Arab town. Hezbollah said in a statement that “the great jihadist commander brother Fuad Shukr (Hajj Mohsen) was present” in the building targeted by “the Zionist enemy”. Rescue teams “have been working since the incident happened… to remove the rubble… and we are still waiting for the results of this operation regarding the fate of the great commander and other citizens. (AP)
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Italian PM Giorgia Meloni for reviving ties with China
Rome/Beijing (TIP): Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni vowed on July 29 to “relaunch” cooperation with China, signing a three-year action plan during her first official visit to Beijing since taking office.
Meloni, who has led a right-wing government since 2022, made the announcement during a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, as Rome seeks to improve trade ties with Beijing after it exited President Xi Jinping’s flagship Belt and Road infrastructure investment scheme last year.
The Italian leader said her five-day trip was a “demonstration of the will to begin a new phase, to relaunch our bilateral cooperation”. The action plan aims to experiment with new forms of cooperation, she added in a video shown Italy’s RAI state television network.
The industrial cooperation memorandum signed by Italy and China “includes strategic industrial sectors such as electric mobility and renewables,” Meloni said later in the day.
Meloni, who sees Chinese investment as a way to spur Italy’s anaemic economic growth, will meet Xi and China’s top legislator, Zhao Leji, third in the leadership hierarchy. — Reuters -
Russia launches its biggest drone barrage against Ukraine in 7 months; No injuries reported
KYIV (TIP): Ukrainian forces shot down all 89 Shahed drones launched by Russia in a nighttime attack on the country, Ukraine’s air force said July 31, in what was one of the largest drone barrages this year. No damage or injuries were immediately reported in the bombardment, which mostly targeted the region of Kyiv, the capital.
Russia used the same number of Shahed drones in a Jan. 1 attack, an air force statement said.
Both Ukraine and Russia have relied extensively on explosive drones during the war and have scrambled to come up with more countermeasures.
The Russian drones are being shot down by Ukraine’s Soviet-era aircraft, according to Anatolii Khrapchynskyi, an aviation expert in Kyiv.
“The air force is using electronic jamming against the drones’ GPS which forces the drones to fly at a higher altitude, which then makes it easier for Ukrainian aircraft to strike them down,” he told The Associated Press.
He said that tactic will likely also be used when U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets are delivered in coming weeks by Kyiv’s European partners.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces said they struck more military targets on Russian soil overnight. They hit a warehouse for weapon storage and military equipment in the border region of Kursk, a statement from Ukraine’s General Staff said. (AP) -
China condemns ‘assassination’ of Hamas chief in Iran
BEIJING (TIP): China on July 31 said it condemned the “assassination” of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in a strike in Tehran, warning it could lead to further instability in the region.
“We are highly concerned about the incident and firmly oppose and condemn the assassination,” foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said.
“We are deeply concerned that this incident may lead to further instability in the regional situation,” he added. “China has always advocated resolving regional disputes through negotiation and dialogue,” he added.
“Gaza should achieve a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire as soon as possible to avoid further escalation of conflict and confrontation,” Lin said.
Hamas said Wednesday that Haniyeh had been killed in an Israeli strike in Iran, where he was attending the inauguration of the country’s new president, and vowed the act “will not go unanswered”. China has historically been sympathetic to the Palestinian cause and supportive of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It has positioned itself as a more neutral actor on the Israel-Palestinian conflict than its rival the United States, advocating for a two-state solution while also maintaining good ties with Israel.
This month, China hosted rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah in Beijing, where they signed an agreement to form a “national unity government” in post-war Gaza. (AFP) -
Venezuelan opposition says it has proof its candidate defeated President Maduro in disputed election
Caracas (TIP): As thousands of people demonstrated across Venezuela, opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez on July 29 announced that his campaign has the proof it needs to show he won the country’s disputed election whose victory electoral authorities handed to President Nicolas Maduro.
Gonzalez and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado told reporters they have obtained more than 70 per cent of tally sheets from Sunday’s election, and they show Gonzalez with more than double Maduro’s votes.
Both called on people, some of whom protested in the hours after Maduro was declared winner, to remain calm and invited them to gather peacefully at 11 am Tuesday to celebrate the results.
“I speak to you with the calmness of the truth,” Gonzalez said as dozens of supporters cheered outside campaign headquarters in the capital, Caracas.
“We have in our hands the tally sheets that demonstrate our categorical and mathematically irreversible victory.” Their announcement came after the National Electoral Council, which is loyal to Maduro’s ruling Unites Socialist Party of Venezuela, officially declared him the winner, handing him his third six-year term.
In the capital, the protests were mostly peaceful, but when dozens of riot gear-clad national police officers blocked the caravan, a brawl broke.
Police used tear gas to disperse the protesters, some of whom threw stones and other objects at officers who had stationed themselves on a main avenue of an upper-class district.
A man fired a gun as the protesters moved through the city’s financial district. No one suffered a gunshot wound.
The demonstrations followed an election that was among the most peaceful in recent memory, reflecting hopes that Venezuela could avoid bloodshed and end 25 years of single-party rule. The winner was to take control of an economy recovering from collapse and a population desperate for change.
“We have never been moved by hatred. On the contrary, we have always been victims of the powerful,” Maduro said in a nationally televised ceremony.
“An attempt is being made to impose a coup d’eacute;tat in Venezuela again of a fascist and counterrevolutionary nature.”
“We already know this movie, and this time, there will be no kind of weakness,” he added, saying that Venezuela’s “law will be respected.” Machado told reporters tally sheets show Maduro and Gonzalez received more than 2.7 million and roughly 6.2 million votes respectively.
“A free people is one that is respected, and we are going to fight for our freedom,” Gonzalez said. “Dear friends, I understand your indignation, but our response from the democratic sectors is of calmness and firmness.” Venezuelans vote using electronic machines, which record votes and provide every voter a paper receipt that shows the candidate of their choice. Voters are supposed to deposit their receipt at ballot boxes before exiting the polls.
After polls close, each machine prints a tally sheet showing the candidates’ names and the votes they received.
But the ruling party wields tight control over the voting system, both through a loyal five-member electoral council and a network of longtime local party coordinators who get near unrestricted access to voting centres. Those coordinators, some of whom are responsible for handing out government benefits including subsidised food, have blocked representatives of opposition parties from entering voting centres as allowed by law to witness the voting process, vote counting and, crucially, to obtain a copy of the machines’ final tally sheet. (AP) -
Taiwan’s President Lai calls for unity in face of China threat
TAIPEI (TIP): Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te said July 30 “a threat from China to any country is a threat to the world”, emphasizing to lawmakers of more than 20 countries that global democracies must unite against “authoritarian expansion”.
China has in recent years stepped up military and political pressures on democratic Taiwan, which Beijing claims as part of its territory.
While Taipei officially only has a dozen diplomatic allies, it has strengthened partnerships with democracies around the world — especially the United States, its largest weapons provider — as Beijing ups the rhetoric of unification being “inevitable”.
On Tuesday, Lai attended a summit of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) — a group of parliamentarians hailing from Uruguay and Canada to Japan and Britain concerned about how democracies interact with Beijing.
Praising the 49 lawmakers from 23 countries and the European Parliament for making the journey to Taipei, Lai said the delegation demonstrates “the importance and support” that various countries have for Taiwan.
“They send a crucial message to democratic partners worldwide: democracy requires unity and protection,” he said.
“I want to emphasize that a threat from China to any country is a threat to the world. Taiwan will do everything to join democratic partners to uphold the umbrella of democracy, (and) protect democratic nations from the threat of authoritarian expansion.”Lai, who took office in May, is regarded by China as a “dangerous separatist” for his staunch defence of Taiwan’s sovereignty.
Three days after later China launched war games, encircling the island with fighter jets and naval vessels, as a “punishment” for Lai’s inauguration speech which Beijing said was a “confession of Taiwan independence”.
Lai has repeatedly made overtures for dialogue with Beijing — severed after his predecessor Tsai Ing-wen came into office in 2016 for her stance that Taiwan is not part of China.
But like Tsai, he has also maintained that the island must be united in ensuring its sovereignty by building up its defence capabilities, as China maintains a near-daily military presence by deploying warships, fighter jets and drones around Taiwan.
Lai reiterated Tuesday that Taiwan must “prepare for war to avoid war, and achieve peace through strength”.
“We are also willing to take dialogue instead of confrontation with China, and take exchanges instead of containment based on the principle of mutual respect and dignity, to reduce conflicts and achieve peace and stability,” he said. (AFP) -
Taylor Swift says she is ‘in shock’ after 2 children died in an attack on a UK dance class
London (TIP): Police were questioning a suspect and working on July 30 to understand what motivated a 17-year-old boy to attack children at a Taylor Swift-themed dance and yoga class, leaving two dead and six in critical condition.
A total of 9 children and two adults were hurt in the rampage in Southport in northwest England. Both adults and six of the children were in critical condition in local hospitals.
Swift said she was “completely in shock” and still taking in “the horror” of the event.
“These were just little kids at a dance class,” she wrote on Instagram. “I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families.”
A 17-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.
Local people left flowers and stuffed animals in tribute at a police cordon on the street lined with brick houses in the seaside resort near Liverpool — nicknamed “sunny Southport” — whose beach and pier attract vacationers from across northwest England.
Witnesses described scenes “from a horror movie” as bloodied children ran from the attack just before noon on Monday. The suspect was arrested soon after on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. Police said he was born in Cardiff, Wales and had lived for years in a village about 3 miles (5 km) from Southport. He has not yet been charged. Police said detectives are not treating Monday’s attack as terror-related and they are not looking for any other suspects.
“We believe the adults who were injured were bravely trying to protect the children who were being attacked,” Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said.
It is the latest shocking attack in a country where a recent rise in knife crime has stoked anxieties and led to calls for the government to do more to clamp down on bladed weapons.
The attack happened during a Taylor Swift-themed yoga and dance workshop for children aged about 6 to 11.
“They were in the road, running from the nursery,” said Bare Varathan, who owns a shop nearby. “They had been stabbed, here, here, here, everywhere,” he said, indicating the neck, back and chest.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the attack “horrendous and deeply shocking”. King Charles III sent his “condolences, prayers and deepest sympathies” to those affected by the “utterly horrific incident”.
Prince William and his wife Catherine said that “as parents, we cannot begin to imagine what the families, friends and loved ones of those killed and injured in Southport today are going through”.
Britain’s worst attack on children occurred in 1996, when 43-year-old Thomas Hamilton shot 16 kindergarteners and their teacher dead in a school gymnasium in Dunblane, Scotland. The UK subsequently banned the private ownership of almost all handguns. (AP)