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Syria will hold parliamentary elections between September 15 and 20, according to Mohammed Taha al-Ahmad, head of the country’s election committee.

These will be the first elections since the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad, following a rapid rebel offensive in December, according to Al Jazeera.

Of the 210 seats in the People’s Assembly, one-third will be appointed by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, while the remaining will be elected through provincial electoral colleges, officials said.

Yemen’s Houthi group has warned it will target all vessels linked to Israel, regardless of destination or nationality, in retaliation for Israel’s blockade of Gaza, according to Xinhua.

A Houthi spokesperson Yahya Sarea, urged companies to stop dealing with Israeli ports and called on the international community to pressure Israel to end its campaign in Gaza.

The group has attacked several ships since late 2023, claiming the actions are in support of Palestinians, Xinhua reported.

President Vladimir Putin marked Russia’s Navy Day by overseeing large-scale military exercises, “July Storm,” highlighting the navy’s vital role in defending national sovereignty.

The drills, involving over 150 vessels, 120 aircraft, and 15,000 personnel, are being held across multiple regions, including the Pacific and Arctic. Putin said the exercises draw on lessons from the Ukraine conflict and aim to boost combat readiness, according to Xinhua.

He also announced plans to upgrade five Marine brigades into divisions to strengthen naval capabilities.

Due to security concerns, the traditional St. Petersburg naval parade was canceled, Xinhua reported.

At least 13 people have died and dozens remain missing after a wooden boat capsized in Nigeria’s Niger State, officials confirmed Sunday.

The overloaded vessel, carrying traders and farm produce from Gunu to a weekly market in the Shiroro area, overturned on Saturday. Only three people, including the boat operator, have been rescued so far, while the total number of passengers remains unknown due to the absence of a manifest, according to Xinhua.

Local divers and volunteers are continuing search and rescue efforts. Boat accidents are frequent in Nigeria, often linked to overloading and poor safety measures.

US President Donald Trump said the United States provided $60m in food aid to Gaza but received no acknowledgment. Speaking in Scotland alongside EU Chief Ursula von der Leyen, he called the assistance a humanitarian necessity despite the lack of recognition, according to Firstpost.

Trump also confirmed the discovery of Israeli hostages’ remains in Gaza and said Israel now faces difficult decisions. On Iran, he criticised the regime’s nuclear ambitions and warned against continued uranium enrichment.

The World Health Organization says malnutrition in Gaza has reached “alarming levels,” with aid falling short despite a partial pause in Israeli military operations, BBC reported.

Jordan and the UAE airdropped 25 tonnes of aid on Sunday, and over 100 trucks entered Gaza. The UN welcomed the move but warned it’s not enough to prevent famine.

Despite the pause, nine people were reportedly killed near an aid route. Israel denied targeting civilians, claiming it only fired warning shots.

The UN says a third of Gaza’s population goes days without food, and a quarter face famine-like conditions. Over 100 deaths from malnutrition have been reported, according to BBC.

While Israel insists it allows aid, the UN cites ongoing restrictions. Locals remain doubtful the temporary pause will ease the crisis.

The US and European Union have reached a trade agreement, ending months of tension. After talks in Scotland, President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen agreed to a 15 percent US tariff on EU goods—half the 30 percent Trump had earlier threatened, BBC reported.

In exchange, the EU will open its markets to select US products with zero tariffs and invest over $1.3trn in the US, mainly in energy and defense. Some key goods like aircraft parts and chemicals will be exempt from tariffs, though Trump’s 50 percent steel and aluminium tariff remains.

Both leaders hailed the deal as a breakthrough. While the US expects major economic gains, EU leaders responded cautiously, warning the new terms still raise trade costs, according to BBC.

Recently, we, the students of grade 10, were shown a movie in our school to help us learn how to write a movie review in English. The review about the same movie has been included in our textbook. The movie made me marvel over something which I had always taken for granted. Yes, it’s the sense of loyalty in a dog towards its master. This article is my general reflection as a result of watching the movie. It is not a review of the movie. 

Even if dogs bring out their fierce self at times, there always lies an unassuming being underneath. The haters and non-sympathisers of dogs squarely blame the latter’s instinctive nature. But there are methods to their madness. It’s the government’s responsibility to check their menace. If we somehow had some unpleasant experiences with dogs, it would be more because of stray dogs. Developed countries with proven track records of humane treatment of animals never have stray dogs in their streets. Respect to dogs shouldn’t limit to worshipping them on Kukur Tihar and forgetting them the rest of the year. 

We can say that dogs are the only animal who defines loyalty, even better than the supremely sentient human. They stay with us through thick and thin even though people leave us like rats deserting a sinking ship. 

I have heard of a true story of a dog named Charlie in the USA. In an emergency situation, his mental reflex worked to our bewilderment and sacrificed his life to save his master’s life in a house fire. The dog rushed into the burning house and woke up the master but the dog got trapped inside. 

It is often said that God has created dogs as an apology for creating humans. God has sent dogs to heal something inside us that dogs didn’t break. We humans can learn unwavering loyalty and love at its purest form from dogs.

Mohishu GC

Grade: X

Sanskar Pathshala, Dang