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  • 195 killed, 4000 arrested amid police crackdown in Bangladesh

    195 killed, 4000 arrested amid police crackdown in Bangladesh

    Bangladeshi police detectives on Friday forced the discharge from the hospital of three student protest leaders blamed for deadly unrest, taking them to an unknown location, staff told AFP.

    Nahid Islam, Asif Mahmud and Abu Baker Majumder are all members of Students Against Discrimination, the group responsible for organising this month’s street rallies against civil service hiring rules.

    At least 195 people were killed in the ensuing police crackdown and clashes, according to an AFP count of victims reported by police and hospitals, in some of the worst unrest of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s tenure.

    All three were patients at a hospital in the capital, Dhaka, and at least two of them said their injuries were caused by torture in earlier police custody.

    “They took them from us,” Gonoshasthaya hospital supervisor Anwara Begum Lucky said. “The men were from the Detective Branch.”

    She added that she did not want to discharge the student leaders, but the police had pressured the hospital chief to do so.

    The trio’s student group suspended fresh protests at the start of this week, saying they wanted the reform of government job quotas but not “at the expense of so much blood.”

    The pause was due to expire earlier on Friday but the group had given no indication of its future course of action.

    Three senior police officers in Dhaka all denied that the trio had been taken from the hospital and into custody on Friday.

    Garment tycoon arrested

    Police said on Thursday that they had arrested at least 4,000 people since the unrest began last week, including 2,500 in Dhaka.

    On Friday, police said they had arrested David Hasanat, the founder and chief executive of one of Bangladesh’s biggest garment factory enterprises.

    According to its website, the Viyellatex Group employs more than 15,000 people, and the Daily Star newspaper estimated its annual turnover at $400 million last year.

    Dhaka Police inspector Abu Sayed Miah said Hasanat and several others were suspected of financing the “anarchy, arson and vandalism” of last week.

    PM Hasina continued a tour of government buildings that had been ransacked by protesters on Friday, visiting state broadcaster Bangladesh Television, which was partly set ablaze last week.

    “Find those who were involved in this,” she said, according to state news agency BSS. “Coop­erate with us to ensure their punishment. I am making this call to the nation.”

  • ‘I have indecent videos of Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar’, says main kidnapping suspect

    ‘I have indecent videos of Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar’, says main kidnapping suspect

    The main suspect in the kidnapping of controversial writer Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar has claimed to Aik News HD’s Syed Haider Ali that he has two videos of Qamar, each one and a half hours long, where he wants to get intimate with the woman who honey-trapped him.

    Hassan Raza, the main suspect, introduced himself as a real estate agent. He affirmed that he is in possession of a video where Qamar is drinking alcohol and swearing while being drunk. He said that the police have taken all the video evidence from his place. However, he is still in possession of a memory card that contains videos of Qamar.

    Raza proclaimed that Khalil has lied to the police and hoped the police will listen to him.

    The anchor then asked, “Is it true that Qamar came on his own and the woman did not convince the writer to meet with her to discuss the drama project?” To which Raza replied, “Regarding Amna, Qamar kept kissing her feet. He filed an FIR against us to obtain all these videos.”

    The anchor further asked, “According to the police, you used the woman to honey trap Qamar, is the police not telling the truth?”

    The culprit replied that Qamar did everything himself. “He used to message Amna first. If the police get the call data record (CDR) of Qamar’s phone, they will find out who is guilty.”

  • PTI submits list for reserved seats of women, minorities to ECP

    PTI submits list for reserved seats of women, minorities to ECP

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has submitted a list of candidates for reserved seats to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), including party loyalist Sanam Javaid, Aliya Hamza Malik, Yasmin Rashid and others, Geo News reported.

    PTI submitted its list to the ECP after the recent Supreme Court verdict regarding the reserved seats case, formally allowing the PTI to have reserved seats in assemblies.

    In its ruling, the top court ordered PTI to submit a list of their candidates for reserved seats of minorities and women within 15 days.

    PTI’s list includes 67 candidates for reserved seats for women and 11 for minorities.

  • CTD operations in different cities lead to arrest of 38 terrorists

    CTD operations in different cities lead to arrest of 38 terrorists

    The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) Punjab has arrested 38 terrorists in various operations across different cities of the province this month.

    According to a CTD spokesperson, the 38 terrorists were apprehended in 449 intelligence-based operations conducted by CTD in various cities of Punjab this month.

    During this period, a trained terrorist affiliated with the banned TTP was also reportedly arrested in Lodhran and a main commander of Daesh was captured in Bahawalpur.

    Operations were also carried out in Lahore, Rahim Yar Khan, Narowal, Rawalpindi, and Multan.

    Intelligence-based operations were conducted in Jhang, Sargodha, Khanewal, Wahari, Bahawalpur, Lodhran, and Bahawalnagar resulted in the recovery of explosive materials, hand grenades, weapons, mobile phones, and cash from the terrorists.

    The spokesperson further disclosed that the arrested terrorists were planning attacks on law enforcement agencies and important installations.

  • ‘I love to be single’; Yumna Zaidi is living her best life

    ‘I love to be single’; Yumna Zaidi is living her best life


     
    With her captivating performances, actress Yumna Zaidi has gained immense fame following the success of her blockbuster drama serial ‘Tere Bin.’ Even before this triumph, Yumna was already a renowned and phenomenal actor, known for delivering stellar performances in numerous hit television dramas.
     
    In a meet-and-greet session with fans in Dallas, USA, alongside co-star Wahaj Ali, Yumna talked about her personal life, revealing the reason why she’s still single. 


    Responding to a fan’s question, she said, “I am a very difficult sort of a person that is why I am still single. I don’t know why. Yes, it is a weird reason but I love to be single.”
    Currently, Yumna is starring in the new drama Gentleman, playing the central character of Zarnab.

    Here are the video of Yumna Zaidi:

  • CM Gandapur says won’t allow military operation in KP

    CM Gandapur says won’t allow military operation in KP

    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on July 26 stated that his government won’t allow a military operation in the province as the federal government criticised him for following “a man imprisoned in Adiala Jail.”

    “As a chief minister, I announce that we will not allow any operation in this province,” Gandapur said while addressing a gathering of Bannu Aman Jirga.

    His statement came after CM Gandapur chaired an apex committee meeting, in which he assured the jirga of their demands, including the increased role of police in KP.

    The Aman jirga was held after the Bannu incident in which at least four people were killed while several were injured after a protest turned violent.

    In his fiery signatory speech, Gandapur also remarked, “Any highhandedness, if committed in the province, will be perceived as being against me.”

    However, Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, responding to CM KP’s statement, said that the Gandapur had to make such remarks because he was answerable to “only one man.”

    He also said that the KP government has no plans to deal with terrorism, claiming that terrorism incidents had increased during PTI’s tenure as “they brought TTP back.”

  • The unexpected shaadi ki raat of Fahad Mustafa, Hania Aamir in ‘Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum’

    The unexpected shaadi ki raat of Fahad Mustafa, Hania Aamir in ‘Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum’

    Episode 5 of ‘Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum’ is winning hearts with its unexpected twists and engaging storyline. The drama features Fahad Mustafa and Hania Aamir in lead roles.

    Mustafa and Sharjeena’s wedding night scene has gone viral. Fans can’t stop talking about the emotional and memorable moment on social media. It’s the most talked-about scene right now.
    Mustafa, played by Fahad Mustafa, makes a spontaneous decision to help Sharjeena, played by Hania Aamir, leading to their sudden marriage. The twist came up when Mustafa, who wasn’t prepared for the responsibilities of marriage, finds himself in a state of confusion as they return home.

    The episode shows the couples’ different personalities on full display, making for a hilarious and heartwarming start to their new life together.

    The main plot of the drama revolves around the concept of opposites attract, where Hania, aka Sharjeena, portrays the role of a bibliophile and class topper with a practical approach, while Fahad’s character is a little laid-back.

    ‘Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum’ airs every Monday and Tuesday at 8:00 PM on ARY Digital. The drama is written by Farhat Ishtiaq, directed by Badar Mehmood and produced by Big Bang Entertainment.
    Will they find love amidst the chaos, or will their differences tear them apart? Let’s see what happens in the next episode.
    Here are a few shots of episode 05:

  • Social media calls for boycotting Marvel movie with Israeli ‘superhero’

    Social media calls for boycotting Marvel movie with Israeli ‘superhero’

    The global anti-Israel movement led by BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions ) and other pro-Palestinian groups are calling for a boycott of the Disney and Marvel film Captain America: Brave New World, featuring Israeli comic-book superhero Sabra (Ruth Bat Seraph).

    On July 12, Marvel dropped the first teaser for the film, set to release next February, which portrays Sabra as a “high-ranking US government official” instead of a Mossad agent, which she is in the comics.


    The change has come in the context of critique that was showered upon Marvel after it announced that the character will be part of the new movie. The character of Sabra was first introduced in the 1980s Hulk comics but Marvel studios has said that it would be “taking a new approach to the character.”


    While this change of approach is criticised by pro-Israel factions, it was also heavily lambasted by pro-Palestinian groups. In a social media post, BDS stated: “Palestinians call for intensifying pressure on Disney and Marvel to drop anti-Palestinian character.”


    “We call for boycotting Disney+ subscriptions, Marvel merchandise and all screenings of Captain America: Brave New World,” the BDS National Committee, Jewish Voice for Peace, and Movement for Black Lives collectively posted. “Disney’s superficial changes to the character cannot erase its decades-long complicity in Israeli propaganda,” the post added.


    The slider, posted by BDS, emphasised that “By reviving this racist character in any form, Marvel is promoting Israel’s brutal oppression of Palestinians.”


    The criticism is also deeply rooted in the casting of Shira Haas, who has previously volunteered for the genocidal Israeli military even though she was exempted due to “stunted growth” because she suffered from a form of cancer while she was a toddler. She voluntarily enlisted herself in the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) Military Band and theatre unit.


    “The character has long glorified violence against Palestinians, working for the Israeli government and military, which are now annihilating Palestinians in Gaza,” the post elaborated.


    A user on X shared that “(Marvel) has announced the character on the 40th anniversary of the event. BDS are calling for a boycott. Don’t watch.”


    Another user shared her stance by writing, “Just a reminder now that a new Deadpool & Wolverine trailer was released that Marvel is being boycotted just like McDonald’s and Starbucks because the next Captain America movie is going to have an Israeli superhero, Sabra, played by a literal IDF soldier, Shira Haas.”

  • Kamala Harris ‘will not be silent’ on suffering in Gaza

    Kamala Harris ‘will not be silent’ on suffering in Gaza

    United States Vice President Kamala Harris, who is now running for candidacy in the upcoming presidential election, has asserted that she will not remain “silent” on the suffering in Gaza.

    “What has happened in Gaza over the past nine months is devastating. The images of dead children and desperate hungry people fleeing for safety, sometimes displaced for the second, third or fourth time,” Harris said while speaking to reporters following her meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington DC.

    At the same time, she maintained that “Israel has a right to defend itself”, deeming Hamas as a “brutal terrorist organisation” that led to the “war” and had carried out ‘“horrific acts of sexual violence”.

    Harris later added that “We cannot look away in the face of these tragedies [in Gaza]. We cannot allow ourselves to become numb to the suffering and I will not be silent.”

    She also urged the creation of a Palestinian state, further calling for Netanyahu and Hamas to accord a ceasefire and hostage release deal to end a war that has killed “far too many” civilians.

    “As I just told Prime Minister Netanyahu, it is time to get this deal done,” she said.

  • Paris Olympics opening ceremony ‘worst in history’?

    Paris Olympics opening ceremony ‘worst in history’?

    The opening ceremony of the Olympics is always a highly anticipated moment, marking the beginning of a global event that unites countries in the spirit of sportsmanship and unity. Olympics 2024 aimed to break new records in Paris with an innovative approach, but many sports fans slammed it as unrehearsed.

    For the first time in history, organizers decided to hold the ceremony along the famous Seine River instead of in a stadium.

    The bold move was adopted to showcase Paris’s beauty, but many viewers were left disappointed. Fans especially didn’t like the boat parade, feeling it lacked the impressive style expected for an Olympic opening.

    The streaming quality could have been better with fleeting and distant shots.

    Most Malaysian fans were disappointed with the ceremony. One fan expressed frustration, saying, “I’ve been waiting for more than one hour, and they just gave us a few seconds of screen time? I sacrificed my sleep for nothing and have work at 7 a.m.”

    Another fan criticized the planning and execution of the ceremony, stating, “Worst Olympic opening ceremony ever… super boring. It was a waste of beautiful outfits, but they didn’t match the occasion. Where are the lights to showcase the gold colour? @MSNMALAYSIA and @KBSMalaysia didn’t check the opening details before choosing the outfits for the contingent?”

    However, some fans appreciated the ceremony, praising the picturesque backdrop of the Seine River and the creative use of boats for the parade.