zelensky says russia
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Zelensky says Russia deploying North Korean missil…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia used North Korean missiles in overnight strikes on Zaporizhzhia that killed at least six people and injured 19 others, as both sides continued exchanging attacks across the front line.

In a video address Monday evening, Zelensky said Russia has reached a point where it “cannot wage war without reinforcements from North Korea” for the first time. He warned that continued use of North Korean missiles and troops inside Ukraine and across Europe allows Pyongyang to identify and fix weaknesses in its weapons systems, calling this a growing danger that extends beyond the immediate conflict.

Zaporizhzhia regional governor Ivan Fedorov shared images of burning vehicles and damaged buildings, saying Russian forces struck the city with missiles and guided bombs. He said the attack damaged industrial sites, infrastructure and non residential buildings across the city, in addition to causing casualties.

The strikes followed a separate wave of Ukrainian drone attacks that killed at least 13 people, including a child, in Russia’s republic of Tatarstan, located more than 1,100 kilometers, or roughly 680 miles, from the Ukrainian border. Ukraine’s Armed Forces said the strikes hit the city’s Tanevo oil refinery, and verified social media footage showed large plumes of smoke and daytime flames at the site as air raid sirens sounded nearby. Officials said at least 75 people were injured in that attack, which ranks among the deadliest single strikes on Russian territory since the full scale invasion began in 2022. Uzbekistan’s consulate in Tatarstan said seven of those killed held Uzbek citizenship.

In Kyiv, air raid sirens sounded twice overnight and explosions struck the outskirts of the capital, sparking fires and injuring one person. A strike also damaged a hospital in the city, though officials said staff and patients had already moved to shelter. Separate strikes on power substations in Kherson and Kharkiv caused outages in both cities. In Sumy, a Russian drone strike injured two women, aged 52 and 66, according to Sergiy Kryvosheenko, head of the Sumy City Military Administration. He said both were treated at the scene and that the strike also damaged civilian vehicles, warehouse buildings and other infrastructure.

Ukrainian officials said Russia launched 120 drones overnight along with a mix of missile types, though for the first time authorities did not disclose how many missiles were fired or intercepted. The omission followed a statement from Ukraine’s Air Force on Monday asking media outlets to avoid sensationalized coverage or pessimistic framing regarding the country’s shortage of air defence interceptors.

Ukraine also struck Russian territory overnight, hitting warehouses belonging to online retailer Wildberries in the Voronezh region in southern Russia. Wildberries, often described as Russia’s answer to Amazon, has faced repeated attacks on its facilities in recent weeks. The company has not confirmed the latest strike but said it evacuated facilities in the border region as a precaution. In July, Ukrainian drone strikes on several Wildberries warehouses disrupted operations for a large number of small and medium sized Russian businesses. Kyiv said at the time that it was targeting logistics hubs Russian buyers used to acquire military equipment, part of a broader effort to disrupt supply lines feeding the Russian military.

In his Monday address, Zelensky also praised a separate strike on a Russian petrochemical plant in western Siberia, calling it a significant achievement for Ukraine’s military. He pledged additional long range Ukrainian strikes intended to convince Russia and the Russian public that peace remains necessary.

This is not the first time Zelensky has raised alarm over North Korean military support for Russia. He said over the weekend that as many as 50,000 North Korean soldiers have been deployed to fight alongside Russian forces, part of a growing pattern of cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang that Ukrainian officials say is reshaping the battlefield and raising broader security concerns well beyond the immediate conflict.

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    Hira Qaiser wins: Why is the internet divided?

    Faisalabad’s Hira Qaiser has been crowned the winner of Pakistan Idol Season 2, securing the title after a months-long singing competition that concluded with a grand finale on Sunday. Hira received a cash prize of Rs1.5 million along with the coveted trophy. Her victory came after a series of performances that earned her recognition from the judging panel and helped her reach the final stage of the competition. The emotional finale became particularly memorable when Hira walked onto the stage with her toddler. She received the trophy from host Shafaat Ali and became visibly emotional during the celebration. Hira, who comes from a middle-class family in Faisalabad, expressed her gratitude after being announced as the winner. She thanked the Pakistan Idol team, judges and viewers for supporting her throughout the competition. For her final performance, Hira performed a song by Mekaal Hasan, receiving appreciation from the judges, including singer Atif Aslam. However, her victory quickly became a subject of debate on social media. While many viewers congratulated Hira and praised her final performance, others questioned the judges’ decision and argued that another finalist was more deserving of the title. Some social media users described Hira’s singing style as distinctive but limited. They argued that she frequently performed folk and Punjabi songs and suggested that she showed less versatility when performing Urdu tracks. A section of viewers particularly backed Turab Nafees, saying the Karachi-based contestant demonstrated greater versatility and should have won the competition. Other viewers suggested that the audience should have had a greater role in selecting the winner. They argued that a public voting system could have produced a different result. Despite the criticism, Hira also received considerable support online. Many fans defended her victory and praised the quality of her performances throughout the season. Supporters said the singer had established a strong connection with audiences and demonstrated enough consistency to deserve the title. Some also highlighted the emotional significance of her journey from Faisalabad to the Pakistan Idol stage. The contrasting reactions have made Hira’s victory one of the most discussed moments of the season. While some viewers believe the judges made the right choice, others remain convinced that Turab Nafees or other finalists were stronger contenders.

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    Islamabad police receive 30 new vehicles after 14 …

    The Islamabad Police has received 30 new vehicles for 27 police stations in the federal capital after a gap of 14 years, in a move aimed at improving police mobility and reducing emergency response times. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry handed over the vehicle keys to police officials during a ceremony at Police Lines on Saturday. Speaking at the ceremony, Naqvi said modern policing could not be achieved without providing police with functional and adequate transport. He said the newly provided vehicles would help officers respond to emergencies more quickly and perform their duties more effectively. The interior minister said the government was making efforts to provide Islamabad Police with the resources required to improve public safety and maintain security in the capital. He also said work was underway on the construction and upgrading of police stations across Islamabad. According to him, the projects would be completed soon and would improve the working environment and operational capacity of the force. Naqvi highlighted the inclusion of electric vehicles in the government’s efforts to promote environmentally friendly policies. He said the use of electric vehicles would also help reduce expenditure on petroleum products. Tallal Chaudhry said the new vehicles had been distributed among all 27 police stations in Islamabad. He pointed out that police personnel had previously been operating vehicles that were around 14 years old, creating difficulties for effective field operations. The minister of state said rehabilitation and construction work at the capital’s 27 police stations was also in progress and was expected to be completed by the end of the year. He further disclosed that around 9,000 new personnel were being recruited to address the shortage of manpower in Islamabad Police. He said the recruitment process would be conducted strictly on merit.

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    PHA Kurri Road crisis: 2023 promise still unfulfil…

    Islamabad: A three year old promise to build an important access road for the PHA Officers Residencia Kurri Road has still not been fulfilled, leaving residents dependent on a narrow 12 foot road and a small bridge where rainwater can overflow and enter nearby homes. The Senate Standing Committee on Housing and Works has now given the Capital Development Authority a fresh deadline of three months to build the 400 metre access road, after officials were confronted over why a commitment made in 2023 had not been implemented. The issue became heated during the committee meeting when the PHA Kurri Road representative told senators that the CDA had given a written commitment in May 2023 to construct a dual 100 foot wide road extending towards the Head Start School. Three years have passed since that commitment, but the road has not been built. The PHA representative further told the committee that the CDA later informed the court in writing that the road would be constructed within five months. That promise also remained unfulfilled. According to the briefing, the existing road is only about 12 feet wide, and a small bridge along the route creates another serious problem during heavy rain. Water can overflow onto the bridge and, when wood and other material become trapped, the water flow can be blocked and pushed towards nearby houses. The committee chairman Senator Nasir Mehmood questioned the CDA representative about why the authority had not acted on its own written commitment. The CDA Member Planning and Finance, Muhammad Umair, said the authority’s rules required the sponsors of a housing scheme to provide a 100 foot wide access approach. He described the matter as disputed but said the road was about 400 metres long and that the authority could review the issue and work towards a final decision. The committee was not satisfied with the explanation. The chairman ordered the CDA to construct the road within three months and provide the committee with a written commitment. The chairman also made it clear that the committee would return to the CDA after three months to check whether the road had actually been built. The dispute became more serious when the Secretary Housing challenged the CDA’s interpretation of its own rules. He argued that the road existed before the PHA scheme and therefore represented the CDA’s existing right of way. He said that if there had been no road at all before the housing scheme was developed, PHA would have been responsible for acquiring land and constructing one. But, he argued, this was an existing CDA road. The Secretary Housing also pointed out that the road leads towards a Head Start School used daily by children and their parents. He told the CDA that even if the authority did not want to build the road for PHA, it should consider the needs of the school and the families using the route. He described the required road as only 400 metres long. The CDA representative also raised the authority’s financial problems. He told the committee that the CDA had a salary bill of about Rs24 billion and faced major financial constraints. He warned that if the CDA began constructing roads on the rights of way of different private societies, other societies could also demand similar work. The chairman rejected the delay and told the CDA that continued explanations could result in another six months passing without any work. He ordered the authority to complete the road within three months and submit its commitment in writing. The road dispute is only one part of a much larger problem at the PHA Officers Residencia Kurri Road project. According to the Housing Secretary’s briefing, residents have been facing nine different issues, including problems involving a community centre, school, commercial shops, streetlights, water supply, encroachment, access roads and the creation of new plots. The representative of PHA Officers Residencia told the committee that many of these problems had remained unresolved for about 10 years. The Housing Secretary personally visited the project despite heavy rains and examined the problems. On the community centre, the Housing Ministry said there was no major obstacle to providing the required plot once the terms and conditions were agreed. A school plot is also being processed. The ministry said documents had been prepared and a party would be brought in to operate a primary school at the site because a Head Start facility already exists nearby. The commercial shops in Block C also faced a problem because no buyers came forward at the offered price. The Housing Secretary said the price would be revised, and the shops would be put up for auction again. Streetlights remain another concern, with the ministry acknowledging financial problems but saying repairs would be carried out. Water supply is also being tested. Under the arrangement explained to the committee, the contractor will operate the tube well for two weeks. If water reaches the houses properly, the system will be taken over. Any leakage found during the process will have to be repaired by the contractor. The ministry expects this process to be completed within one month. The project also has a nine kanal illegal encroachment issue, but that matter is currently before the court. Another major issue involves proposals to create new plots in green areas. PHA needs money to clear its liabilities, but the Housing Secretary said there was no desire to sell green areas simply to raise funds. 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    Selena Gomez back in London to wrap Hulu filming after romantic birthday getaway

    Selena Gomez is back to work after a memorable birthday week spent with husband Benny Blanco. The singer and actress, who has been based separately from him since May due to work commitments, has resumed filming for her Hulu series. On Tuesday, July 28, Selena was spotted walking through London, having just returned from a romantic trip to Italy to get back to wrapping up her show. She appeared cheerful despite the chilly UK weather, stopping to wave and greet fans along the way. In photos that have since gone viral, courtesy of Hello, Selena is seen bundled up in layers, sipping on a soft drink while out and about. For her remaining scenes in the upcoming season, she was dressed in a long maroon coat paired with a brown-and-black sweater, finished off with matching leggings and leather shoes. Despite his own hectic schedule, Benny made time to fly out to London to celebrate his wife’s birthday, since she’s currently based there temporarily for filming. The two reunited on July 22 to mark her 34th birthday, notably her first as a married couple, with the celebrations taking place in Italy. New photos show the couple enjoying a relaxed day on a yacht along the French Riviera, riding jet skis together while safety staff supervised nearby. Selena also shared glimpses of the trip on her Instagram, giving fans a look at their getaway. The trip marked a rare stretch of time together after months of being apart due to their respective schedules, and it also helped put an end to speculation that the couple might be heading for a split. Selena is currently working on the sixth season of Only Murders in the Building, having started filming earlier this year alongside co-stars Steve Martin and Martin Short. The new season is expected to premiere later this year, giving fans another round of the mystery-comedy series to look forward to.

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    Karachi braces for cloudy, humid weather and night…

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    PPP workers’ convention in Lahore faces hurd…

    LAHORE: Preparations for the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) workers’ convention at Greater Iqbal Park were halted on Friday after the Lahore district administration said the party had not secured formal written permission to hold the event. The party had already set up a stage and made extensive arrangements for the convention, which is scheduled for July 25. The gathering was also expected to be followed by celebrations marking President Asif Ali Zardari’s birthday on July 26. District authorities questioned the use of the public venue without official approval and asked the PPP leadership to explain why preparations had begun before the necessary permission was obtained. Lahore PPP President Faisal Mir insisted the party had moved forward after receiving verbal assurances that there was no objection to the event from the Punjab Chief Minister’s Office. According to him, the preparations were launched in good faith based on those assurances, but officials later intervened and stopped the work. Mir criticized the administration’s actions, claiming access to the venue had been restricted and vehicles carrying chairs and other equipment had been prevented from reaching the site. He maintained that the party remained committed to holding the convention peacefully and said he was prepared to face arrest if necessary. The Chief Minister’s Office did not comment on claims that approval had been communicated through the chief minister’s principal secretary. PPP leaders also shared videos on social media showing workers at the venue, along with the stage and seating arrangements prepared for the convention, reaffirming the party’s determination to proceed with the event. Party sources acknowledged that written permission had not been obtained but argued that verbal approval was sufficient to begin preparations. They added that local police had been informed in advance about the gathering. The convention was expected to feature a large stage, with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari scheduled to address workers via video link. Senior party leaders, including Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Hassan Murtaza, and Qamar Zaman Kaira, were also expected to attend. Officials indicated that permission could still be granted if the required formalities were completed. However, they noted that approving the PPP event without following standard procedures could complicate decisions on similar requests from other political parties, including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which has sought permission for a public gathering in Lahore next month.

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