At least 25 people have been killed, including six women from the same family, after seasonal monsoon rains caused flash floods that wreaked havoc in Pakistan’s Balochistan province last week, prompting authorities to declare an emergency in Quetta district. There are fears that the death toll could go up as several people are still reportedly missing due to flash flooding in remote areas of the Balochistan province, said the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).
China, Pak navies to hold live-fire drills
The navies of China and Pakistan will commence a live-fire drill off the Shanghai coast as part of a four-day joint maritime exercise code named Sea Guardians-2, official media reported. Fleets participating in the drill will set off from a military port in Shanghai for the scheduled sea area. The joint exercise aims to enhance defence cooperation, exchange expertise and experience, deepen the traditional friendship between the two countries and militaries, and promote the development of the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. Professional and technical exchanges, tug-of-war and basketball matches took place on Monday.
Baby goat with 54 cm-long ears
A baby goat with extraordinarily long ears has become something of a star in Pakistan. Simba was born last month in Karachi with ears that were strikingly long - and have grown further to reach 54cm. Breeder Mohammad Narejo says he has approached Guinness World Records to see if his charge can be included as the Greatest Of All Time, although “longest eared goat” category doesn’t currently appear on its website.
Gunmen kill 15 at SA bar
Gunmen armed with rifles and pistols opened fire at people in a bar in the South African township of Soweto, killing 15 and wounding nine. Police said that the group of men entered the Orlando East tavern, in the township on the outskirts of Johannesburg, before “shooting randomly at the patrons.” Police confirmed that there had been a second shooting in a tavern in Pietermaritzburg, about 500 km southeast of Soweto, killing four people and wounding eight. “We do not think the incidents are linked,” said a police spokesperson. In both cases, the gunmen fled the scene and are now on the run.
Iran shuts three cafes over unveiled women
Authorities in Iran have closed three coffee shops in the city of Qom because female customers were not wearing headscarves, local media said. “Three coffee shops were closed in Qom due to numerous violations, including women’s lack of veils and other issues,” said a statement by Revolutionary Guards, Iran’s ideological army. “The owners of the cafes were summoned by police before legal action was taken,” the statement added. Qom, a city revered by Shias, is located 150 km south of the capital Tehran. Since the Islamic revolution of 1979, Iranian law has required all women to cover their bodies with loose clothing and veil their heads in public.
Putin to become dad again at 69
Russian president Vladimir Putin is having a ‘war baby’ with his ex-gymnast lover, reports claim. The 69-year-old Putin is said to have already fathered two kids by 39-year-old Alina Kabaeva. Now the couple are expecting a daughter, according to the General SVR Telegram channel. The same reports claim that when told of the news, Putin grumbled: “I have enough children as it is, and had enough daughters long ago”. Putin’s private life is shrouded in secrecy - and it is not known exactly how many children the despot has.
US hits out at Asean for not pressuring Myanmar
US secretary of state Antony Blinken has criticised Southeast Asian nations for not doing enough to press Myanmar’s military government to return the country to the path of democracy following last year’s power seizure. But as Blinken lamented the lack of progress in Myanmar, he also moved to strengthen US ties with key regional ally Thailand - part of efforts to counter Chinese influence across the Indo-Pacific. Speaking at a news conference in Bangkok, Blinken said it was “unfortunate” that repression in Myanmar was continuing nearly 18 months after the military takeover. He said he was disappointed that Myanmar’s neighbours weren’t applying pressure for it to end.
China recruiting students on spy missions
Hainan Xiandun, a Chinese technology company, is actively recruiting Chinese university students as English language translators even after US law enforcement agencies accused Beijing of setting up such companies as a “front” for spying operations against western targets. Hackers with suspected links to China’s intelligence agencies are still advertising for new recruits to work on cyber espionage, even after the Federal Bureau of Investigation indicted the perpetrators in an effort to disrupt their activities. In another covert move by China, Beijing is luring job seekers into committing state-sponsored espionage on western targets along with persuading them to translate stolen papers collected from govt agencies.
Four stabbed at major Shanghai hospital
Four people at a renowned Shanghai hospital were wounded by a knife-wielding assailant, in the second reported stabbing incident after a Covid lockdown of the financial hub was lifted in early June. At the Shanghai hospital, police found a man holding a crowd hostage with a knife on the seventh floor of the outpatient department. When the man threatened to hurt the hostages, the police opened fire, subduing him, police said. None of the wounded is in a life-threatening situation and the incident is being investigated, the police said.
Russian lawmaker jailed for denouncing war
A court in Moscow sentenced an opposition lawmaker to seven years in prison for denouncing Russia’s war in Ukraine, handing down the first prison term for what the government made a crime shortly after the invasion. The sentence is likely to have a chilling effect on Russian society by further raising the stakes for anyone who publicly opposes the war that began in February. The opposition lawmaker, Alexei Gorinov, was found guilty of spreading false information about the Russian army and its activities, the court said.
