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American contractors guarding aid distribution sites in Gaza are using live ammunition and stun grenades as hungry Palestinians scramble for food, according to accounts and videos obtained by The Associated Press.

Two U.S. contractors, speaking to the AP on condition of anonymity because they were revealing their employers’ internal operations, said they were coming forward because they were disturbed by what they considered dangerous and irresponsible practices. They said the security staff hired were often unqualified, unvetted, heavily armed and seemed to have an open license to do whatever they wished.

They said their colleagues regularly lobbed stun grenades and pepper spray in the direction of the Palestinians. One contractor said bullets were fired in all directions — in the air, into the ground and at times toward the Palestinians, recalling at least one instance where he thought someone had been hit, Associated Press reported.

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has officially closed its doors after President Donald Trump gradually dismantled the agency over its allegedly wasteful spending, BBC reported.

More than 80% of all the agency's programmes were cancelled as of March, and on Tuesday the remainder were formally absorbed by the state department.

The shuttering of USAID - which administered aid for the US government, the world's largest such provider - has been newly criticised by former Presidents Barack Obama and George W Bush.

These aid cuts could cause more than 14 million additional deaths by 2030, according to a warning published by researchers in the Lancet medical journal, according to BBC.

England were held up by India captain Shubman Gill's patient century as their bowlers fought admirably on day one of the second Test at Edgbaston, BBC reported.

After captain Ben Stokes opted to bowl first again, his bowlers battled against Gill's calmness and another flat pitch to limit India to 310-5 at the close.

Chris Woakes bowled KL Rahul off the inside edge in a fine new-ball spell and Brydon Carse found extra bounce to have Karun Nair caught at slip for 31 shortly before lunch.

But opener Yashasvi Jaiswal complied an elegant 87 and after he was caught behind off Stokes, Rishabh Pant put on 47 with Gill as the new-ball zip faded in the Birmingham sunshine.

England hung in, however, and Pant's patience broke after tea when he hit Shoaib Bashir to long-on for 25. Nitish Kumar Reddy was bowled shouldering arms to Woakes in the next over, according to BBC.

That left India at risk of collapse but Gill remained unflustered and reached three figures for the second match in a row in 199 deliveries. He put on 99 with Ravindra Jadeja to see out the final 90 minutes of play.

More than 900 earthquakes have shaken a remote and sparsely populated island chain in southern Japan over two weeks, keeping residents anxious and awake all night, BBC reported.

Seismic activity has been "very active" in the seas around the Tokara islands since 21 June, authorities said after a magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck on Wednesday.

There have been no reports of damage and no tsunami warning has been raised but authorities have advised residents to prepare to evacuate if needed, according to BBC.

"It's very scary to even fall asleep," one resident told the regional broadcaster MBC. "It feels like it's always shaking."

Despite ongoing improvements in other areas, the 13-kilometer Daunne section of the Butwal–Narayangadh road remains in poor condition, causing significant difficulties for local residents and travelers. Although the project aims to ease travel across the route, slow progress by the Chinese contractor has drawn concern, with the company frequently cited for delays and lack of timely response.

Frequent accidents have been reported in the area, raising safety concerns, particularly during the monsoon and upcoming festival seasons. The project office attributed the delays to ongoing construction of culverts in the Daunne stretch, where 103 culverts are being built. While most are complete, work on several remains unfinished.

Shiva Khanal, Engineer and Information Officer at the Narayangadh–Butwal Road Planning Office (Eastern Section), said only four of the 65 kilometers from Daunne to Narayangadh are part of the problematic Daunne section. “All culvert work will be completed in a few days, and travel disruptions should ease,” he added. A diversion in Dumkibas is also set to be completed within five days. In the meantime, vehicles are forced to take a 20-kilometer detour via Hongshi Cement.

Dadhiram Kharel, President of Paschim Nepal Bus Entrepreneurs Pvt Ltd—Nepal’s largest public transport company—criticized the government for failing to ensure a passenger-friendly road system. “We knew the monsoon would come, but timely preparations were lacking. Passengers are suffering as a result,” he said. The company operates over 400 vehicles daily on this road. While vehicles heading to Kathmandu can divert via Palpa and Pokhara, those traveling east face major difficulties.

Delays in road construction have been attributed to multiple factors, including the Covid-19 pandemic, intergovernmental coordination gaps, delays in tree felling, and seasonal work stoppages during monsoon. Kharel noted that despite the introduction of modern buses in the transport sector, poor road conditions continue to discourage operators. “Once this road is completed, many travelers may opt for road travel instead of flying,” he said.

Last year, a bus en route to Nepalgunj from Kathmandu was swept away by the overflowing Triveni River while crossing a diversion late at night. Fortunately, all 38 passengers, including three infants, were rescued using an excavator. Such incidents, transport entrepreneurs say, are becoming increasingly common.

Ghanshyam Giri, Chair of Binayi Triveni Rural Municipality in East Nawalparasi, stated that local authorities and Nepal Police are regularly involved in rescue operations in the Daunne area. “While some work has been done, the contractor appears to lack urgency, and progress has slowed,” he said.

The Butwal–Narayangadh road spans 113 kilometers. The Butwal to Daunne section measures 48 kilometers and falls under the western section of the project. According to Bikash Khanal, Engineer and Information Officer of the Western Section Planning Office, physical progress there has reached 67.95 percent, while financial progress stands at 62.43 percent. The Daunne portion of this section is 10 kilometers long. Khanal said the target is to complete work by the 2024/25 fiscal year, although construction pauses during the monsoon. So far, 60.92 percent of the road has been blacktopped, with eight out of nine bridges completed and work ongoing on the Bhalhi main bridge. The total cost of this section is Rs 7.86bn, including VAT.

From Daunne to Narayangadh—a stretch of 65 kilometers—physical progress stands at 69 percent and financial progress at 68 percent. Of the planned 33 culverts, only six remain incomplete. So far, 53 kilometers have been blacktopped on one side and 34 kilometers on both sides. The budget for this section is Rs 130m, including VAT.

Both sections are being constructed by China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC-China) under a project led by the Department of Roads with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The deadline for project completion has been extended three times, with the current deadline set for July 22. However, preparations are underway to seek a fourth extension due to incomplete work. A four-lane road is being constructed in forest areas and a six-lane road in market areas.

On 10 Nov 2024, local representatives from Rupandehi, East Nawalparasi, and West Nawalparasi submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, urging faster progress. This led to a high-level meeting involving federal and provincial MPs, district chiefs, and relevant ministries, after which the stalled work briefly gained momentum.

Bhagauti Yadav Rudal, Chair of the District Coordination Committee, Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta West), emphasized the hardships locals have faced due to dust and poor road conditions for years.

Chairperson Ghanshyam Giri reiterated that if the roads in Daunne and Dumkibas are completed, long-standing issues in the Butwal–Narayangadh corridor would be resolved. He noted that the current challenges stem from delayed culvert construction and added that slum dwellers in the area may see some relief soon. However, only basic maintenance work is being carried out during the rainy season. The overall budget for this section has reached Rs 9.13bn, including VAT.

Seven people are missing after a series of explosions at a fireworks warehouse in Esparto, Yolo County, Northern California, United States. The blasts, which occurred Tuesday evening, ignited a wildfire that remains uncontained, according to Cal Fire.

Mandatory evacuations were ordered within a one-mile radius of the site, and residents have been urged to stay away. The incident also caused power outages affecting nearly 2,200 Pacific Gas and Electric customers. Emergency teams continue to search for the missing as investigations are underway, Xinhua reported.

Iran has once again closed its central and western airspace to international transit flights, just five days after reopening it. The move, announced Wednesday, follows a new security and safety assessment approved by the Civil Aviation Organization of Iran, according to Xinhua.

Flights to and from the country’s northern, southern, and western airports remain suspended until at least 14:00 local time (1030 GMT) Thursday. However, Iran’s eastern airspace, reopened on June 29, remains operational.

Iran initially shut its airspace on June 13 after Israeli airstrikes, later reaching a ceasefire with Israel on June 24 following 12 days of conflict, Xinhua reported.

At least two people have died and 43 others are missing after a ferry sank off the coast of Indonesia’s Bali island late Wednesday. The ferry, KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya carrying 65 people, went down about 30 minutes after departing from Ketapang port in East Java en route to Bali’s Gilimanuk port, Xinhua reported.

According to Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency, the vessel was transporting 53 passengers, 12 crew members, and 22 vehicles. So far, 20 people have been rescued, with many found unconscious after hours adrift in rough seas.

Rescue efforts involving nine boats continue amid waves up to two meters high, according to Xinhua.