Norway’s Princess Martha Louise wed her long-term partner, American spiritual guru Durek Verrett, on Saturday in a ceremony attended by the Norwegian king and other royalty. The event, held in the picturesque town of Geiranger, marked the end of three days of celebrations honoring the couple. However, the wedding has been criticized for its commercialization. The 52-year-old princess, who is fourth in line to the throne, and the 49-year-old Californian shaman, first announced their relationship in 2019. Martha Louise, the daughter of King Harald and Queen Sonja, stepped down from her official royal duties in 2022 to pursue her own…
Author: Hasnain Abid Khanzada
California’s Death Valley National Park has recorded its second heat-related death of the summer, following an incident on August 1 when temperatures soared to nearly 120 degrees Fahrenheit. The deceased, 57-year-old Peter Hayes Robino from Duarte, California, was seen staggering from the Natural Bridge Trailhead. Despite bystanders offering assistance and noticing his signs of confusion, Robino declined help and returned to his vehicle. He subsequently drove off a 20-foot embankment at the parking lot’s edge. Witnesses helped him back to the parking lot, found shade, and called 911. Emergency responders arrived within 20 minutes and performed CPR before transporting him…
Today marks the third death anniversary of Syed Ali Geelani, the veteran Hurriyat leader and symbol of the Kashmiri resistance movement. Geelani, who passed away on September 1, 2021, was under house arrest at his residence in Hyderpora at the time of his death. The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has called on the Kashmiri Diaspora to organize peaceful demonstrations worldwide to spotlight alleged Indian abuses in the region. Incarcerated APHC Chairman Masarat Aalam Butt, from New Delhi’s Tihar Jail, stated that India will not succeed in quelling the Kashmiri people’s quest for freedom. Posters have reappeared across Indian Illegally…
A civilian Mi-8 helicopter carrying 22 people has gone missing in Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka region, according to the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviation). The helicopter, operated by Vityaz-Aero, was en route from the Vachkajec volcano to the village of Nikolayevka, a distance of approximately 25 kilometers (15.5 miles). The helicopter had three crew members and 19 passengers onboard. A search operation is currently underway, involving another Mi-8 helicopter and a ground rescue team.
Azerbaijanis are voting today in an early parliamentary election to elect members to the 125-seat National Assembly. Polls opened at 8:00 a.m. local time (0400 GMT) and will close at 7:00 p.m. (1500 GMT), with over 6.4 million registered voters casting their ballots. A total of 990 candidates are competing for seats in this pivotal election. This election is notable as it is the first time in 30 years that parliamentary elections are being conducted across all of Azerbaijan’s territory, including newly liberated regions from Armenian occupation. The early election follows President Ilham Aliyev’s decision on June 28 to dissolve…
Pope Francis is set to visit Indonesia next week as part of his 12-day Asia-Pacific tour, which will also include stops in Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Singapore. During his visit to Jakarta, the Pope will tour the Istiqlal Mosque, which features a distinctive “Tunnel of Friendship” connecting it to the Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral. This 28.3-meter tunnel, built in 2020, symbolizes religious harmony and aligns with the Pope’s emphasis on interfaith dialogue. At 87, the Pope’s visit to Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, comes amidst concerns about his health. His itinerary includes an interfaith meeting…
An elderly detainee from the Gaza Strip, Nasr Zeyara, 65, has died “of systematic torture” in Israel’s Ayalon Prison in Ramla, according to rights groups. This incident brings the total number of Palestinian detainees who have died in custody since October 7 last year to 24. The Palestinian Commission of Detainees’ Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners Club reported that Zeyara, who was arrested on December 29 last year along with his son Jihad Zeyara, passed away on August 16. They accuse the Israeli government of concealing the identities of many detainees who have died and withholding their bodies. Zeyara, a…
Electricity was restored in Caracas and other areas of Venezuela on Saturday following a major blackout that had plunged much of the country into darkness on Friday. However, intermittent outages continued in the oil-producing state of Zulia, according to Reuters witnesses. The Venezuelan government attributed the blackout to an “attack” on the Guri Dam, the country’s largest, though no further details were provided. Residents in affected areas expressed frustration and concern. Jose Rincon, a teacher in Valencia, worried about food spoilage due to the power outage. Reyner Acosta, a retiree in Maracaibo, reported that while power briefly returned early Saturday…
South Korea has initiated disinfection efforts following the confirmation of an African swine fever outbreak at a pig farm in Gimpo, Gyeonggi province, local media reported on Saturday. This outbreak is the eighth case of the virus in the country this year. The timing of the outbreak, just before the three-day mid-autumn Chuseok holiday (Sept. 20-22), is particularly concerning. During this period, South Koreans traditionally hold rituals to honor their ancestors and visit their graves. Authorities have implemented emergency quarantine measures at the affected farm to prevent further spread of the disease. Kim Jong-ku from the Agriculture Ministry expressed concern…
Israeli airstrikes on Saturday resulted in at least 48 deaths in the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian health authorities. The violence has intensified ahead of a planned polio vaccination campaign by the United Nations, which aims to inoculate approximately 640,000 children in the area. The vaccination campaign relies on eight-hour daily pauses in fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas militants. Yousef Abu Al-Reesh, Gaza’s deputy health minister, emphasized that only a comprehensive ceasefire could ensure the campaign’s success, given the ongoing conflict. A baby in Gaza was recently diagnosed with type 2 polio, marking the first such case in 25…
