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‘Fight until the end’: high jump gold medalist Mahuchikh’s appeal to Ukraine
In between jumps, Yaroslava Mahuchikh returns to her bench, crawls beneath the sleeping bag she always brings into the arena, rests her head on her rucksack, and closes her eyes. She allows her thoughts to wash over her. Sometimes, she opens her eyes and looks up at the night sky. Ironically, Mahuchikh can only find serenity in the cauldron of an Olympic final, surrounded by an 80,000-strong crowd. She doesn't really fall asleep. "But I close my eyes," Mahuchikh explains. "I have a camping blanket that stays cool in any temperature. Everything can be hot or cold, and everything will be fine. It's my pre-jump relaxation, focusing solely on the jumps and noticing how comfortable I feel."
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is Kamala Harris’ vice presidential nominee
Harris was scheduled to make an announcement later today, but multiple individuals who spoke with the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity verified her choice before the formal announcement. Kamala Harris, a US presidential candidate, has chosen Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her vice presidential running mate for 2024. The Democratic Party candidate confirmed earlier claims in a post on X, saying: "I am delighted to announce that I have requested @Tim_Walz to be my running mate.
PM flees Bangladesh, dissolving parliament
Bangladesh's parliament was dissolved one day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was removed from office. Ms Hasina quit and fled the country after weeks of student-led protests descended into fatal violence. Demonstrators' fundamental demand for the dissolution of parliament opens the path for the formation of an interim government. Bangladeshis are waiting to see what happens next as the country's military head meets with political leaders and protest organisers.
UK riots: Boy who flung paving slab comes in court with mother, guy confesses carrying metal rod as weapon as rioters plead guilty
Dozens of individuals are appearing in court throughout the UK today after nearly a week of riots in response to a stabbing incident that killed three girls. A 15-year-old kid appeared in court with his mother to acknowledge hurling a concrete slab at a member of the public during the rioting in Liverpool on Saturday night. The adolescent is one of scores of people who have appeared in court today or will do so tomorrow on charges relating to the UK-wide riots over the last week.
The former football coach and instructor is now Harris’s VP pick
With one viral cable TV comment - 'these guys are just crazy' - Tim Walz jumped into the hunt for Kamala Harris' running mate position. The 60-year-old offers a folksy, plainspoken, and sharp-tongued approach to confronting the Republican opposition. He also has an impressive record, having worked as a public school teacher, football coach, and member of the National Guard before entering politics.
After Southport attack, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital ‘safely discharged’ all children
Alder Hey has stated that all of the children treated following the stabbings in Southport have been discharged. One week after the victims' deaths, hundreds gathered in the town to remember them. According to the children's hospital, all of the children under Alder Hey's care following last Monday's incident in Southport have been "safely discharged home." On Monday, July 29, three children died as a consequence of an attack at The Hart Space community centre: six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, and nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar.
I checked my bank statements using a VR headset—is NatWest’s new VR app the future of banking?
As I looked around the room, I noticed lists of the most detailed bank account records suspended in the air in front of me. There are thousands of transactions made in the last year. Welcome to the brave new world of banking, where you can apply for a mortgage agreement in principle with the flick of a wrist in ten minutes. I'm visiting NatWest's headquarters in Liverpool Street, London, to try out the company's new virtual reality (VR) banking app, which launched two weeks ago. Through the VR headset's goggles, a variety of bank statements, direct debits, and account balances appear in the centre of my field of vision. The centre of the screen appears identical to NatWest's iPad app.
Even after a year in jail, Imran Khan continues to dominate Pakistan’s politics
Imran Khan, Pakistan's former Prime Minister, has been in prison for a year, yet you wouldn't know it at times. Mr Khan remains the major force in Pakistan's opposition politics, with his name regularly appearing in the newspapers and courts. His social media supporters have been relentless. With no public appearances, the few persons who can see the former cricketer on a regular basis - his attorneys and family - have become his conduit for messages to the outside world. They are eager to convey the notion that his 365 days in prison have left him unbowed.
Jordan tries last ditch to stop Iran from retaliating for Haniyeh killing
Jordan's foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, has paid a rare visit to Iran in a last-ditch attempt to persuade it to refrain from bombing Israel in reaction to the killing of Hamas senior leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last week. The Western ally with a sizable Palestinian minority is facing a tricky balancing act as internal pressure mounts to cut ties with Tel Aviv and stop shielding it after shooting down Iranian missiles aimed at Israel earlier this year. The visit seemed sure to fail, as Iran emphasised on Sunday that there was no place for compromise and that it would respond decisively to the assassination. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated the death of Haniyeh was a "major mistake by the Zionist regime [Israel] that will not go unanswered" during a meeting with Safadi, according to Iranian state TV.
Nearly 100 slain in Bangladesh riots as curfew imposed statewide
The current turmoil comes after last month's violent student protests, which killed at least 200 people and injured hundreds. Fresh violence in Bangladesh has killed dozens and injured hundreds, with internet services shut down and a statewide curfew imposed. Almost 100 people were reportedly killed on Sunday as student demonstrators demanding the prime minister's resignation battled with police and ruling party supporters.
Why has America risked everything in Gaza?
It has been nearly ten months since Israel launched a horrific war in Gaza. Its army has broken practically every aspect of international humanitarian law in its relentless attack on an unimaginably vulnerable populace. Israel has denied the Gaza concentration camp the bare essentials of life, including food, water, medication, sanitation, electricity, and fuel. And its attacks on civilian infrastructure have rendered the bulk of Gaza inhabitants homeless. No Israeli military purpose necessitates the destruction of Gaza. Killing 40,000 Palestinians and injuring many more serves no apparent strategic purpose, with some estimates putting the death toll as high as 186,000. Neither does the systematic and widespread damage to Gaza's universities, schools, hospitals, and neighbourhoods. If Israel wants to invade and absorb Gaza, it should expect to inherit more than just a bombed-out area.
Noah Lyles wins men’s 100m gold in exciting Olympic final
This was an Olympic 100m final that seemed like a brawl: chaotic, thrilling, spectacular, and raw. The world's eight finest male sprinters crossed the finish line in an immense heap, their form deteriorating as their desperation rose. The giant stadium displays showed little indication of the outcome. Everyone's name only had the word "photo-finish" in it. In the next desperate seconds, Noah Lyles, track and field's finest showman, approached Kishane Thompson, a rising Jamaican star. "I think you've got the Olympics, big dog." For once, Lyles was mistaken. But only just.
