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US special envoy Steve Witkoff announced that President Donald Trump will chair a White House meeting on Wednesday to discuss a comprehensive plan for Gaza, aiming to end the ongoing conflict by the end of the year. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is also scheduled to meet Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar in Washington, according to Reuters.

Trump, who pledged a swift resolution to the war during his 2024 campaign, has faced challenges as violence continues. Since October 2023, Israeli strikes in Gaza have killed over 62,000 Palestinians, triggered a severe humanitarian crisis, and displaced the entire population, while Hamas’ initial attacks on Israel killed around 1,200 people and left 250 hostages.

Witkoff said Israel and Hamas are open to continued discussions, but offered few details on the US plan, Reuters reported.

Ukrainian forces have stopped a Russian push into Dnipropetrovsk, marking the first large-scale attack in the region. Fighting continues in key villages, though Russia has made limited progress.

The region, Ukraine’s second-largest industrial hub, remains a potential morale target, even as diplomatic efforts falter. President Trump met both Putin and Zelenskiy, but a peace summit remains uncertain, with Moscow resisting negotiations, BBC reported.

Western leaders warn against ceding territory. Meanwhile, Ukraine eased travel rules for men aged 18–22, allowing them to go abroad while avoiding conscription, keeping young citizens connected to their country.

SpaceX has scored a major milestone with the first successful test flight of its Starship rocket, breaking a streak of fiery failures, BBC reported.

The world’s largest and most powerful rocket blasted off from Texas and completed a tense 60-minute flight, soaring nearly 200km above Earth before returning damaged but intact. Parts of the engine appeared to explode and flaps caught fire during descent, but the mission proved the rocket’s resilience.

NASA has contracted Starship to carry astronauts to the Moon under its Artemis programme, officially set for 2027 though delays are widely expected. According to BBC, Elon Musk praised the achievement, saying it reflects SpaceX’s “fail fast, learn fast” approach as the company pushes toward reusable rockets and future crewed missions to Mars.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised major tax cuts to soften the blow of new US tariffs that threaten millions of Indian jobs. Speaking on Independence Day, he pledged a simplified goods and services tax (GST) system and urged citizens to back his “Made in India” call for self-reliance, according to BBC.

The reforms, paired with earlier income tax cuts, are expected to boost consumption by putting more money in people’s hands. Analysts say this could lift demand for everyday goods, cars, housing and support economic growth despite global headwinds.

Markets have reacted positively, with India also securing its first sovereign rating upgrade in 18 years. But experts warn that strained US-India trade ties and slowing growth remain serious challenges, BBC reported.

The UN has demanded accountability after an Israeli strike on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis killed at least 20 people, including five journalists and four health workers. The UN human rights office said the attack raised “many questions” about Israel’s targeting and stressed that investigations “must yield results” and deliver justice, noting a lack of accountability in past cases, BBC reported.

Israel’s military said it was aiming at a Hamas camera near the hospital but admitted gaps in its initial probe. The incident has drawn global condemnation, with calls growing for independent investigations as Gaza continues to face mass casualties, destruction, and worsening famine.

Teej, one of Nepal’s most vibrant and widely celebrated women-centered festivals, carries layers of meaning that change across generations. For some, it’s deeply spiritual, rooted in the devotion of Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva, symbolizing faith, sacrifice, and family well-being. For others, it has grown into a celebration of sisterhood, self-expression, and women’s empowerment, reflecting the changing roles and choices of women in society. ApEx spoke to three women to know what they think of the tradition of fasting, prayer, and devotion; balancing rituals with personal freedom, cultural pride, and modern values.

Jyoti Adhikari, 64

Teej is a festival dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, celebrating Parvati’s devotion and penance to unite with Shiva. Traditionally, it symbolizes unmarried women’s desire for an ideal husband through faith and devotion, and married women’s prayers for their husbands’ well-being through fasting. However, modern celebrations often emphasize outward rituals—feasting, dressing up, and socializing—over the spiritual essence. While Teej fosters joy and togetherness, practices like women refraining from food or drinking water from their husbands’ feet raise concerns about gender equality. Ideally, Teej should promote love, mutual respect, devotion to God, and women’s dignity, aligning with the true purpose of festivals: to inspire joy, unity, and moral values in society.

Kavyashree Adhikari, 24

For me, Teej isn’t just about rituals but also about togetherness, meeting friends, reflecting on the importance of Lord Shiva, and sometimes observing fasts depending on my health and situation. We live in a male-dominated society and, since ancient times, traditions have been shaped and narrated largely from men’s perspectives. Teej has always been supported but rarely highlighted or valued as much as male-centered festivals. The essence of devotion and cultural bonding is there, yet in some cases, it has become more about show rather than meaning. However, positive changes are also happening. People today are more health-conscious, and many women celebrate in ways that suit their well-being. For instance, in earlier days, my mother would scold me if I ate anything during Teej. Today, no one can force such practices upon us. Women celebrate it in ways that feel right to them, balancing devotion with personal choice. This shows that while Teej carries tradition, it’s also evolving with modern values.

Rachana Kharel, 29

Teej is a celebration of sisterhood and femininity. I feel a deep joy seeing women enjoy Teej in their own ways. Even though I don’t celebrate it, witnessing their happiness feels like a personal win and, in a way, it has healed me. Teej is one of the few women-centered festivals, yet it’s often sidelined in male conversations. This is exactly because society still undervalues women’s joy, dismissing singing, dancing, and celebration as ‘misusing freedom and power women have received.’ So Teej to me feels like a form of self-expression and reclaiming space. It reminds us that women’s voices and happiness deserve to be central in our cultural dialogue. Teej is no longer about blind rituals but women are redefining it as a celebration of freedom, bonding, and unapologetic joy. In a world where traditions often confine us in, Teej now feels like a reminder that we get to decide what womanhood means. It’s evolving into a festival of bonding, joy, and owning one’s femininity in whichever way feels right. Holding onto outdated customs that limit us isn’t honoring tradition; it’s holding women back. Teej must evolve with us, or it risks becoming irrelevant.

Pakistan has begun evacuating over 100,000 people from Punjab’s border areas after India released water from overflowing dams, marking the first direct contact between the two countries since May’s brief conflict.

Authorities warned further rainfall in India could raise river levels, increasing flood risks. This comes amid Pakistan’s deadly monsoon season, which has claimed at least 800 lives since June, and recent cloudburst floods in the northwest that killed over 300, highlighting the country’s vulnerability to climate change, according to Al Jazeera.

Qatar said Israel has yet to respond to a ceasefire proposal accepted by Hamas earlier this month, raising doubts over its willingness to end the war in Gaza. According to Al Jazeera, the plan calls for a 60-day halt to Israeli operations, partial troop withdrawal, humanitarian aid entry, and a prisoner exchange.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said mediators Egypt and Qatar are awaiting an official reply, while Israel continues military action. He urged the international community to press Israel to engage, warning that Gaza faces worsening destruction and displacement.