USAID food for nearly 30,000 hungry kids to be destroyed
Nearly 500 tons of emergency food meant for malnourished children in Afghanistan and Pakistan will be destroyed after expiring in a Dubai warehouse, following the shutdown of USAID under President Donald Trump.
The high-energy biscuits, worth $793,000, were left unused as the aid agency was dismantled on July 1. A portion was redirected to other countries, but the rest will now be incinerated at an added cost to US taxpayers, Al Jazeera reported.
Officials blamed the loss on the abrupt closure. Lawmakers had warned the administration months earlier to act before the food expired.
Nepalis stranded in Kerung being repatriated
Nepali citizens, who were rendered helpless in Kerung after the flood-fed Lhende Rivulet swept away the Nepal-China Friendship Bridge on last July 8, are to be repatriated soon.
According to Chief District Officer Arjun Paudel, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has requested the Chinese government to make arrangements for the return of 1,200 stranded people.
The Chinese side has made arrangements for food and accommodation for the Nepalis in Kerung.
Among those stranded are 91 vehicle drivers and helpers.
It has been reported that 117 people, who have been residing there for several works, had requested the Chief District Officer to arrange for their return.
Massive fire damages Tomorrowland's main stage ahead of festival in Belgium
A fire has badly damaged the main stage of Belgium’s iconic Tomorrowland festival, just two days before opening to an expected 100,000 attendees, Al Jazeera reported.
Organizers confirmed no injuries and said the festival will proceed as planned, with the campsite opening Thursday. Authorities believe the fire was accidental, and an investigation is underway.
Despite the loss of the main stage, performances by major artists including David Guetta and Armin van Buuren will continue, with events shifted to other stages.
Israel strikes Gaza and Syria amid ongoing conflict
At least 93 Palestinians, including 30 people waiting for food aid, were killed in the past 24 hours as Israeli attacks intensified across Gaza, medical sources say. The death toll has now surpassed 58,500, with over 139,000 wounded, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
In Syria, Israeli airstrikes hit several sites, including the Defense Ministry and areas near the presidential palace in Damascus, killing at least three and injuring dozens. Syria’s Foreign Ministry condemned the strikes, calling them an attempt to stir further chaos, according to Al Jazeera.
The violence follows Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, which left over 1,100 dead and more than 200 taken captive.
