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New Delhi police forcibly moved activist Sonam Wangchuk to a hospital on Saturday over health concerns after a 20-day hunger strike in protest against India’s examination system.Wangchuk, 59, has been fasting since June 28 to demand the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in examinations to study medicine. A few hundred students have also joined Wangchuk around his stage at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar protest site in recent weeks, with other protests also organised by the satirical Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) online movement. “As per the orders of… high court and on expert medical advice due to deteriorating health condition of Sonam Wangchuk, he has been shifted to the hospital for essential medical care,” a deputy commissioner of Delhi police said in a statement. “While complying with the orders… the protestors tried to create obstruction, in which slight commotion ensued,” the statement said. A video from Jantar Mantar showed confusion among a few Wangchuk supporters as police, carrying white sheets, hurriedly moved Wangchuk from the stage. Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, said in a post on X that she was with her husband at the Delhi hospital. “Nothing should be administered to him orally or intravenously without consent from me, his family, and his doctors who have been monitoring his health for the past 20 days,” she said. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said after Wangchuk was moved the hospital that he would now start “an indefinite hunger strike”. “The government has made a serious mistake,” Dipke said at the Jantar Mantar site. A New Delhi court ordered government doctors on Thursday to monitor Wangchuk’s health daily.The “life of any citizen is precious”, it said after a petition filed by activist lawyer Rakesh Kumar Saini expressed concern for Wangchuk.”Whatever medical intervention is needed to save Sonam Wangchuk’s life should be done,” the Delhi High Court ordered on Thursday.An engineer by training, Wangchuk is best known for pioneering water conservation projects in the Himalayas.A few hours before he was picked up by the police, Wangchuk said: “Smaller movements have brought down many governments in India… and here it is about education.”Some 2.2 million aspiring medical students sat for a re-examination under tight security last month after the previous test was scrapped following a paper leak that triggered widespread outrage.The failure of the hugely competitive exam, along with a separate marking fiasco in high school tests, sparked an outcry and fuelled youth protests. Several members of opposition parties have supported Wangchuk and the student activists, while other protests on different issues are being planned at Jantar Mantar to coincide with the start of the monsoon session of India’s parliament on Monday. Former opposition lawmaker Priyanka Chaturvedi said the CJP should not make Wangchuk a “sacrificial lamb for their political ambitions”.”… we need you to live to fight another day,” she said on X Related Story Source link
A metal fence erected by the Israeli military is seen as it surrounds the town of Sinjil, north of Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian West Bank…
Spain and Argentina prepared to do battle in the World Cup final in New Jersey on Sunday as organisers said they were keeping a close eye on smoke from wildfires in Canada. Lionel Messi's Argentina are bidding to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cups, while Spain are trying to win a second title after their maiden victory in 2010. Organisers said they were ‘monitoring closely’ the smoke that has choked skies over large areas of the United States. ‘There's been discussion about it, and we have somebody with the National Weather Service that sits in FIFA headquarters there, so we're monitoring closely,’ Andrew Giuliani, White House World Cup task force executive director, told a briefing.US President Donald Trump will be among a crowd of over 80,000 spectators as the largest World Cup in history reaches its climax in the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.It will be the only game of the tournament that Trump will have attended.Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she would also attend the final after an invitation from the American president.Trump on Friday hailed the World Cup, also played in Mexico and Canada, as ‘the most successful sporting event perhaps in the history of the world’ as he held a reception in New York with FIFA chief Gianni Infantino. – Physical battle -Spain captain Rodri said he was bracing for a ‘physical’ battle with Argentina and would aim to ignore any possible ‘provocations’. Rodri, the 2024 Ballon D'Or winner, said he expected the final to be unlike any other game the European champions had faced. ‘I think Sunday's match will be quite different,’ the Manchester City star told reporters. ‘It will be a more physical one, and we must be prepared. But I believe that if we are known for something in this national team, it is that we know how to play different games based on the moment.’So we can adapt to having to defend, counter-attacking, to attacking. We are a very complete team, and that is why we are here.’ When asked if he expected Argentina to resort to ‘provocative’ tactics, Rodri replied: ‘Well, that's a part of football.’ Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni urged fans to make the most of seeing Messi lead out his team in another World Cup final at the age of 39. ‘He has made history. He is a legend,’ Scaloni said of the former Barcelona player, who helped Argentina to win the World Cup in Qatar in 2022.England arrived in Miami to play France on Saturday in the meeting of the beaten semi-finalists to determine who finishes third. England coach Thomas Tuchel admitted that their 2-1 defeat to Argentina in the semi-final had been painful. ‘We have to live with this, so it's our pain, my pain and the players' pain — we feel the most pain of all,’ Tuchel said at a press conference. ‘And it is our scar that we carry now. It is a very painful defeat, and we have to live with this defeat, first and foremost, not the critics, not the experts, not our family members who suffer as well with us and want only the best for us, but it's basically us.’ France coach Didier Deschamps vowed that no tears would be shed as he prepares to take charge of his final World Cup match with Les Bleus.’I know that the final curtain falls tomorrow,’ Deschamps said on Friday. ‘No one here is going to cry, but I know I'll miss the French team. For 15 years (he was appointed in 2012), I had the privilege of experiencing moments that were magical, and others that were difficult. ‘ Deschamps' talented team were favourites to win a third World Cup but lost 2-0 to Spain in the semi-finals. Source link
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the country’s first hydrogen-powered train yesterday, making it one of a handful of nations to use the zero-emission, clean fuel technology. India joins a select group of countries, including Germany, Japan, China and the US, with such trains. They produce only heat and water vapour as by-products, a cleaner alternative to traditional diesel locomotives. The 10-coach train set, which has a capacity of 2,600 passengers, will run twice a day between the cities of Jind and Sonipat in the northern state of Haryana, bordering the national capital of Delhi. After flagging the hydrogen train on its 90-km (55-mile) route, Modi said India would continue to find ways to improve efficiency, reduce costs and expand the network. “The project combines advanced propulsion technology with dedicated hydrogen storage, refuelling and operational infrastructure,” a government statement said on Thursday. The train set, designed, engineered and built in India, is expected to operate at a maximum speed of 75km (47 miles) per hour, powered by a 1,200-kilowatt hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system. India has electrified nearly all of its 70,000-km (43,500-mile) broad-gauge network, one of the world’s largest, in an effort to achieve net zero carbon emissions in its railways by 2030. Related Story Source link
A drone is intercepted in the sky over Erbil, Iraq, July 15, 2026, in this screengrab obtained from a social media video. Dlawer/X/via REUTERS THIS IMAGE…
There are rooftops draped in blue and white and murals of Lionel Messi everywhere — but this is not Argentina, it is Bangladesh where football-crazy fans are again celebrating their unique bond with the South American giants. The craze for Argentina has endured for decades in a country of 170 million people who have never qualified for the World Cup, but embrace the global showpiece with unmatched passion. The connection is once again on display ahead of Sunday's final in New Jersey, where the defending champions will face Spain.While fans in Buenos Aires prepare for what they hope will be another night of celebration, the mood more than 10,000 miles away in Dhaka is also reaching fever pitch. Football fans in Bangladesh have traditionally split their loyalties between Argentina and Brazil, South America's football powerhouses.But once Brazil were eliminated in the last 16 by Norway, many of their fans also threw their weight behind Argentina.By some accounts, Bangladesh is home to the largest number of fans of the Albiceleste outside Argentina.For many the love affair began with Diego Maradona's performances at the 1986 World Cup. – Shirt sales boom – Nurul Islam said his love for Argentina was inherited from his father, who supported Maradona. That passion has now passed to a third generation. The enthusiasm among is translating into booming replica shirt sales. Shamim Patwary, chief adviser of the Bangladesh Sports Accessories Merchant Manufacturers and Importers Association, said demand had surged.’There isn't any study on how many Argentina fans there are, but we have sold a huge number of jerseys,’ Patwary told AFP. Bangladesh, one of the world's largest garment exporters, manufactures football jerseys for fans around the globe. At Galaxy Sports, one of Bangladesh's largest sportswear retailers, Argentina jerseys account for roughly 30 percent of total sales.’Some parents have even bought Argentina jerseys for newborns,’ said Raihan Hossian. ‘We have sold almost all the Argentina jerseys we stocked, especially the player editions.’For many supporters, price is secondary to passion. – Emotional pull – In Dhaka's lower-income neighbourhoods, pavement vendors have swapped their usual merchandise for football shirts, selling affordable versions to fans. Local media have reported at least 12 deaths linked to football-related incidents during this World Cup, although AFP was unable to verify the figure.With the World Cup taking place in the United States, Canada and Mexico, many matches have kicked off late at night in Bangladesh, but that has not deterred fans. Zakia Musanna said she has been staying up through the night to watch Argentina play while wearing the blue-and-white.’I put on the jersey because it gives us the feeling that we belong to the team, a sense of oneness,’ said the 37-year-old.Musanna recalls watching Argentina's 2022 World Cup triumph alongside her father, and plans to return to the same venue for Sunday's final. ‘We are planning to go to the same venue, reminisce about the previous victory and celebrate another win.’ Source link
Kuwait’s General Staff of the Armed Forces said on Saturday its air defense systems were responding to hostile Iranian missile and drone attacks.The General Staff said in a statement that any explosions heard across parts of the country were the result of its air defense systems intercepting hostile missiles and drones, urging the public to follow safety instructions issued by the relevant authorities.Earlier on Saturday, the General Staff said Kuwait’s air defenses had intercepted Iranian drone attacks. Related Story Source link
Brazil forward Neymar returned in January 2025 to his boyhood club Santos from Saudi club Al Hilal, and his contract runs out in December. (AFP) Neymar returns to his home club Santos on Friday with only a few months left in his contract and questions over his future after indicating he would no longer play for Brazil following the country’s World Cup disappointment.The injury-plagued Neymar was included in the World Cup squad almost three years after he last appeared for Brazil, and played only 37 minutes across two matches.His only goal – a penalty – was not enough to prevent an early exit for Brazil after a 2-1 defeat to Norway in the Round of 16.An AI-generated video created by a fan circulated on social media, showed a young Neymar asking the current Neymar to chase a sixth World Cup title with Brazil in 2030.Brazil’s all-time leading scorer added a comment: three laughing/crying emojis.The striker returned in January 2025 to his boyhood club Santos from Saudi club Al Hilal, and his contract runs out in December.After undergoing left-knee surgery late last year, Neymar played in only eight of the 19 matches Santos contested in the 2026 Brasileirao – the country’s top football league.Nevertheless, he tallied four goals and two assists, offering glimpses of the footballer who dazzled fans at Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.A source at Santos told AFP that the renewal of Neymar’s contract will largely depend on board elections in December.Santos president Marcelo Teixeira, who spearheaded Neymar’s return, has not said whether he will seek re-election.”The first question was whether Neymar would stop playing,” a club official told AFP on condition of anonymity.”It ends here,” Neymar said after Brazil’s loss to Norway, which saw him collapse in tears after the final whistle.Amid press speculation about a permanent retirement, his father and agent Neymar Santos Sr urged him not to give up.”Son, keep playing football. Feel the joy of having the ball at your feet again; smile on the pitch again,” he wrote in a letter released via an Instagram video.”Don’t be afraid of tomorrow.”Media reports have indicated that Neymar is considering continuing his career with US Major League Soccer (MLS), and that negotiations had taken place with FC Cincinnati, but fell through.The MLS is home to veteran stars such as Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Frenchman Antoine Griezmann (Orlando City), and German Thomas Mueller (Vancouver Whitecaps). …
The United States and Iran traded drone and missile strikes yesterday, as Tehran announced that it had targeted American assets across the region, in the biggest escalation since the two foes returned to outright war.A month after the two sides agreed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at ending their conflict, Iran accused US forces of hitting civilian infrastructure, including an airport, a railway station and two bridges.Iranian state media reported at least seven people dead and 20 wounded.It signalled an apparent expansion of American strikes with a focus on Iranian infrastructure, which US President Donald Trump has previously threatened to hit, but there was no immediate comment from US officials.At sea, where the renewed conflict has again cut off energy supplies from the Gulf, US Marines boarded a tanker near the Strait of Hormuz.Armed men seized another vessel off Yemen, raising concern over security in the Middle East’s other big choke point for oil shipments at the mouth of the Red Sea.Washington and Tehran have been testing the limits of escalation since their ceasefire agreement collapsed last week, raising the prospect of a return to all-out war.After reports of the escalation emerged yesterday, benchmark Brent crude oil prices climbed 3% and were on track for a third consecutive weekly gain.Global share prices fell, with Wall Street opening sharply lower.US President Donald Trump has threatened to launch broad-based air strikes on Iran’s infrastructure and has also declined to rule out a ground assault on Iran’s coast or islands.US officials have said attacks on southern Iran are designed in part to give Trump options.Such moves risk provoking Iran to escalate in turn by hitting the vital infrastructure of vulnerable neighbouring Arab states, or having its allies in Yemen further disrupt global energy supplies by attacking shipping from the Red Sea.UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was concerned about the escalation, particularly over “attacks on civilian infrastructure in Iran and across the region”, his spokesperson said.In the latest strikes, the US military’s Central Command (Centcom) included “military logistics infrastructure” in the list of targets that it said it had hit, the first time it has mentioned infrastructure in more than a week.Iranian state media said at least five bridges had been struck in the south.Seven people were reported killed in attacks on bridges in the southern port of Bandar Khamir, where the train station was also hit.An airport was reported hit further east and away from the coast in Iranshahr, in a province bordering Pakistan.Video online showed rubble, broken railings and a damaged vehicle on a smashed bridge in Bandar Khamir, with the location confirmed by Reuters.Iran’s energy ministry meanwhile urged citizens to reduce their electricity use and switch off air conditioners in peak hours – even as temperatures in some areas soared – after the power grid came under strain from what it said were US strikes on energy facilities.Iran announced attacks on Gulf countries that host US airbases, including Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait.Authorities in Kuwait said one of the country’s power generation and water desalination stations had been hit in an Iranian attack, causing damage to facilities, a fire and the disruption of a large number of electricity generation units.Firefighters brought the blaze under control, while technical teams began assessing the damage, securing the station and working to restore power generation as soon as possible, the Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy said.The rich Arab Gulf states depend on plants that produce electricity and remove salt from seawater to make their desert cities habitable.When Iran hit a Kuwaiti desalination plant on March 30, it was seen as a major escalation that helped push the US to declare the war’s first ceasefire a week later.Iran said that it had struck US bases in Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, and a US radar station in Oman.Iran also said it fired at Syria, apparently for the first time in the war, targeting what it described as a US Special Forces base in Tanf, which Damascus and Washington say US forces vacated earlier this year.A Syrian military source said the strike hit near the base and caused no damage or casualties.Centcom said that no US troops were killed or captured.Last month’s interim agreement to end the war has collapsed since July 7, when Iran struck ships in the Strait of Hormuz and the US responded with air strikes.Iran has since announced the closure of the strait, and Washington has reimposed its own blockade of Iranian ports.In the latest action at sea, the US military said it had boarded a tanker to enforce the blockade, releasing photos of Marines rappelling down from a helicopter onto the deck where one posed in front of an Iranian flag.Beyond the Gulf, armed assailants boarded and seized a small chemical tanker off Yemen in the Gulf of Aden, close to the mouth of the Red Sea.One maritime security source said the incident appeared to be related to Somali piracy rather than action by Iran’s Yemeni allies, the Houthis.However, security sources in the Horn of Africa have spoken in the past of concern about the potential for the Houthis to assist, encourage or arm pirates in the area.Iran has signalled that it could prod its Houthi allies in Yemen to close another key strait: the Bab al-Mandeb at the mouth of the Red Sea, potentially cutting off the main alternative route for Middle East oil bypassing the Gulf.Sources have told Reuters that Iran has already instructed the Houthis to act if Washington attacks Iran’s infrastructure.The war began on February 28 with deadly US-Israeli strikes on Iran, which retaliated by effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz and launching attacks on Israel and American interests across the Gulf. 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The ICC said Mohammad Nawaz accepted the offence. Pakistani spinner Mohammad Nawaz has been banned for three months over a doping violation, the International Cricket Council said Friday, backdating the punishment from May this year.The ICC said Nawaz tested positive during the men’s T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka on February 7.”Nawaz had tested positive for a Substance of Abuse (Carboxy-THC) under the ICC Anti-Doping Code following a doping test carried out after Pakistan’s match against the Netherlands in Colombo,” the ICC said.The ICC said Nawaz accepted the offence.”With Nawaz accepting the sanction and agreeing to a substance abuse treatment programme, his provisional suspension was lifted after having served a two-and-a-half-month suspension, which is already over.”Once the programme is complete, the suspension will ultimately be reduced to one month,” said the ICC which is a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) since 2006.”Nawaz admitted the offence and demonstrated that the substance had been used out-of-competition and in a manner unrelated to sport performance,” the ICC said.Nawaz’s records from the match against the Netherlands on February 7 and in subsequent matches until 1 May 2026 have been disqualified.Nawaz has played six Tests, 44 one-day internationals and 98 T20 internationals for Pakistan but has not been selected for an ongoing training camp in the build-up to next year’s World Cup. Related Story Source link