A late night roadside bombing in eastern Afghanistan struck a vehicle carrying members of the Pakistani Taliban group, killing a senior leader and three other militants, several Pakistani officials and militant figures said. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the killing of Abdul Wali, widely known as Omar Khalid Khurasani, in Afghanistan’s Paktika province. His death is a heavy blow to the Pakistani Taliban or the Tehrike-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) The TTP blamed Pakistani intelligence agents for the killing, without offering evidence or elaborating.
Pak EC holds Imran party guilty of illegal funding
Pakistan’s election commission (EC) ruled that former PM Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) was a “willing recipient” of $2,121,500 of prohibited funding from abroad and asked the party in a showcause notice why the money should not be confiscated. It also hauled up the party leadership for operating undeclared bank accounts. A three-member EC bench declared in a unanimous verdict that PTI took donations from foreign companies and individuals from the US, UK, Australia, UAE and other countries in violation of the law.
Israel, Palestine agree to truce; 32 killed
Israel and Palestinian militants have agreed to a truce in Gaza from Sunday evening as mediated by Cairo, sources said, after a weekend-long pounding of Palestinian targets by Israel triggered longer-range rocket attacks against its cities. Meanwhile, the death toll in Gaza has risen to 32, including six children, the health ministry in the Palestinian enclave said. It said the victims had been killed since Friday in Israeli strikes that also wounded 215 people. The rockets have paralysed much of southern Israel and sent residents in cities, including Tel Aviv and Ashkelon to shelters.
Police arrest man who sat on President’s chair
A 28-year-old man has been arrested for illegally entering the Sri Lankan President’s House and taking photographs while sitting on the President’s chair, a media report said. Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) in Deraniyagala arrested the man for illegally entering the President’s House on July 9 when anti-government protesters stormed the iconic building, the Daily Mirror reported.
The then-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa had vacated his official residence a day before the protesters stormed the building.
Fire at pub in eastern Thailand kills 13
At least 13 people were killed and dozens injured when a fire broke out at a crowded music pub in eastern Thailand, police and rescue workers said.
Video circulating on social media showed people fleeing the pub while thick black smoke billowed from the door and then the entrance through which people were escaping was suddenly engulfed in flames. Rescue workers said more than three dozen people were injured. Several witnesses described seeing smoke and fire on the ceiling near the venue’s stage followed by the sound of explosions.
Man tries to kill spider sparks wildfire
A man has been arrested in the United States for causing wildfire on a 60-acre hillside while trying to kill a spider. The incident took place in Utah’s Springville, which, according to sheriff’s office, was the result of the man trying to burn the spider alive using a lighter. The fire was accidentally set by Cory Allan Martin, 26, who claimed to have been trying to burn a spider with his lighter when he discovered it. Martin was detained. The blaze spread between Springville and Provo regions.
