Tue, 21-Oct-2025

Jenna Ortega reunites with Tim Burton for Beetlejuice 2

Jenna Ortega
  • Reports confirmed that Jenna Ortega is interested in a role in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice 2.
  • Ortega, best known for her role as Wednesday Addams in Netflix’s recent series.
  • Beetlejuice received critical acclaim and grossed $74 million in North America.

Reports confirmed that Jenna Ortega is interested in a role in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice 2.

Ortega, best known for her role as Wednesday Addams in Netflix’s recent series reboot Wednesday, is in talks to play Lydia Deetz, the daughter of the original film’s star, Winona Ryder.

Jenna Ortega is working with Burton for the second time; he was an executive producer on Wednesday and directed four of its eight episodes. Michael Keaton will also return to play the title character.

Beetlejuice 2 had been in the works for some time at Warner Bros. before Brad Pitt’s production company Plan B officially boarded it in February of last year. The original ‘Beetlejuice’ revolves around Charles (Jeffrey Jones), Delia (Catherine O’Hara), and Lydia Deetz (Ryder), who live in a house that was previously occupied by the Maitlands (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis).

The Maitlands were killed in a car accident, but their ghost selves want to re-occupy their former home, so they hire Beetlejuice (Keaton), a “bio-exorcist,” to scare away the Deetzes.

Beetlejuice received critical acclaim and grossed $74 million in North America on a $15 million budget. According to reports, “Keaton pops up from his grave to liven things up when the antics pitting the good ghosts against the intruders become a trite cat & mouse game.”

A sequel was discussed in 2013, when Keaton confirmed that he and Burton were discussing it.

Burton said in 2014 that he missed the character of Beetlejuice, saying, “There’s only one Beetlejuice, and that’s Michael. There is a script, and I would love to work with him again. I think there is now a better chance than ever… I miss that character. There’s something that’s cathartic and amazing about it. I think it’s closer than ever.”

Ryder confirmed that Beetlejuice 2 would be appearing on ‘Late Night With Seth Meyers’ in 2015.

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Taylor Swift to get ‘Highly Unusual’ welcome in glendale

Taylor Swift
  • Taylor Swift is currently at the pinnacle of her career and has a massive fan base.
  • She began her musical career at a young age, and her first single, Tim McGraw.
  • Taylor Swift’s most anticipated tour, The Eras Tour, will begin on March 17.

Taylor Swift is unquestionably living her dream life. The singer is currently at the pinnacle of her career and has a massive fan base. As she prepares to embark on her new tour, she is being honoured by Arizona, which is temporarily renaming Glendale after Taylor for one day.

Taylor began her musical career at a young age, and her first single, Tim McGraw, was released in 2006. With her catchy and soulful songs, she gradually rose to fame and quickly became a teenage star.

Taylor Swift’s most anticipated tour, The Eras Tour, will begin on March 17. The singer will kick off the tour at Glendale’s State Farm Stadium. According to reports, the city of Glendale will be temporarily renamed in honour of Swift and her new tour.

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The Marvels delayed yet again due to Brie Larson

The Marvels
  • The Marvels film release date has been pushed to November 10, 2023.
  • Speculation began that the film needed more time in post-production.
  • Jeff Sneider revealed that Brie Larson has been a “nightmare” to work with.

The Marvels, Captain Marvel’s upcoming sequel, was supposed to feature a team-up between Carol Danvers (Brie Larson), Ms Marvel (Iman Vellani), and Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), but it was postponed yet again. According to reports, the film’s release date has been pushed from July 28, 2023 to November 10, 2023.

As soon as the news of the postponement hit the internet, speculation began that the film needed more time in post-production. But it now appears that it is about more than just that.

On a podcast, Jeff Sneider revealed that Brie Larson has been a “nightmare” to work with and that he had a falling out with Teyonah Parris, who will play Monica Rambeau. Not only that, but Sneider also stated that his sources told him that The Marvels may be in trouble because it is “just a shitshow” and “kind of chaos.”

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Met Gala 2023: Fashion show to be Kardashian-Jenners free?

  • The upcoming Met Gala may be devoid of Kardashian-Jenners.
  • Vogue editor in chief  is rescheduling the annual fashion event.
  • In 2013, the entire reality star family attended the gala for the first time.

The upcoming Met Gala may be devoid of Kardashian-Jenners. According to a new report, Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour is rescheduling the annual fashion event, which will take place on May 1 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

A source revealed that the famous family doesn’t make the cut. While Vogue declined to comment on the report, an insider close to ‘The Kardashians’ stars shot down the rumours, saying it’s not true that the reality TV’s first family isn’t invited to the big ball.

In 2013, the entire reality star family attended the gala for the first time. While Kim Kardashian attended her first Met Gala in 2013, her sisters Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian made their debuts at the event last year.

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Wednesday: Jenna Ortega hints eliminating romance in season 2

Jenna Ortega
  • Jenna Ortega web series Wednesday on Netflix was well received by viewers.
  • Fans have been eagerly awaiting for season 2 Wednesday series.
  • On a show she revealed that writing for Wednesday Season 2 is currently underway.

Jenna Ortega‘s web series Wednesday on Netflix was well received by viewers. The series, which revolved around the titular character of Wednesday Addams from the Addams Family, quickly became popular online. Jenna’s eccentric dance sequence in particular. While fans have been eagerly awaiting season 2, the series’ star teased the series’ possible focus point in the second season.

For the uninitiated, Ortega’s series set a new record for most hours viewed on Netflix for an English language series in its first week, with over 341 million views. Fans would have gone insane if the series had not been renewed for a second season, but thankfully it was.

We saw a love triangle between Wednesday, Tyler, and Xavier in the first season, and we all know how it ended. When it comes to the second season, Jenna Ortega prefers to tone down the romance. The young actress recently appeared on Jimmy Fallon’s The Tonight Show, where she revealed that writing for Wednesday Season 2 is currently underway. They are gathered around the writers to discuss the plot and everything.

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Amber Heard claimed Johnny Depp left her embarrassed

Amber Heard
  • Amber Heard revealed how her clothing choices once sparked a feud between her and Johnny.
  • The Pirates of the Caribbean star and the Aquaman actress met in 2009.
  • The dress worn by Amber was a shimmery gold-coloured outfit with thin straps.

Throughout the trial, the internet was consumed by Amber Heard and Johnny Depp‘s troubled marriage and public divorce. It was during this trial last year that she revealed how her clothing choices once sparked a feud between her and Johnny, and how he made her feel embarrassed for wearing certain clothes.

According to reports, the Pirates of the Caribbean star and the Aquaman actress met in 2009 while filming The Rum Diary, and their relationship began around the end of 2011 or in 2012. The couple married in 2015 before splitting up fifteen months later.

During the trial last year, Amber Heard revealed that in 2012, she wore a low-cut dress to a charity event and that Johnny Depp made fun of her for it. As per a report Heard recalled, , “I wore a dress to an event once and I felt beautiful in it. Stupid as that sounds, I felt pretty in this dress I picked out and I showed him. I thought it was weird he wasn’t saying anything about it.”  For the record, the dress in question worn by Amber was a shimmery gold-coloured outfit with thin straps. She wore it for Art of Elysium’s 5th Annual Heaven Gala in 2012.

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Georgia’s parliament to drop foreign agents law after protests

Georgia
  • Georgia’s parliament formally revoked a “foreign influence” bill.
  • Senior officials in the United States and the European Union have also expressed concern.
  • Thousands of people protested outside Georgia’s parliament for a second night.

According to the country’s public broadcaster, Georgia’s parliament formally revoked a “foreign influence” bill that sparked major protests and an international outcry this week.

The announcement came a day after the country’s ruling party said it would scrap the proposed legislation, and just hours after tens of thousands of people protested outside Georgia’s parliament for a second night. Senior officials in the United States and the European Union have also expressed concern about the bill.

The contentious legislation would have required organisations that receive 20% or more of their annual income from abroad to register as “foreign agents” or face heavy fines – a proposal that rights experts warned would chill civil society in the country and harm democracy.

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North Korea fires ballistic missile towards sea

North Korea
  • North Korea launched at least six short-range missiles.
  • About 28,000 American forces are stationed in South Korea.
  • The missiles fired in North Korea’s test on Thursday were launched into the Yellow Sea.

North Korea launched at least six short-range missiles on Thursday afternoon, analysts said, in what could be the first salvo in weeks of military displays on both sides of the demilitarised zone separating the two Koreas.

Photos distributed by state-run media, published photos of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attending a fire drill for the Hwasong artillery unit on the western front on Friday.

“Kim Jong Un examined the actual war response posture of the 8th fire assault company under the unit charged with striking the enemy’s operation airport in the direction of the western front,” reported.

About 28,000 American forces are stationed in South Korea, where the US Air Force operates two major airfields: Osan, about 64 kilometres (40 miles) south of Seoul, and Kunsan, on the Yellow Sea coast in the country’s west.

The missiles fired in North Korea’s test on Thursday were launched into the Yellow Sea.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported shortly after the test that North Korea had fired a short-range ballistic missile from the Nampo area in the country’s west.

According to reports, Kim stated that artillery units should be ready for two missions: “first to deter war and second to take the initiative in war, by steadily intensifying various simulated drills for real war.”

The newspaper published several photos from the firing drill, including one of Kim Jong Un with his daughter and North Korean military officials. Kim’s daughter, believed to be named Ju Ae, has recently appeared alongside her father at major events in North Korea.

Pyongyang is conducting winter training, which is being monitored by US and South Korean intelligence agencies, according to a spokesman for South Korea’s Defense Ministry on Thursday.

“Training is usually held until March,” ministry spokesman Jeon Ha-kyu added.

On Monday, US, South Korean, and UN Command forces on the peninsula will begin the 11-day Freedom Shield exercises, which “will integrate elements of ‘live exercises’ with constructive simulations,” according to a statement issued by US Forces Korea last week.

Warrior Shield field training exercises will take place at the same time, according to the statement.

Meanwhile, the United States and South Korea have been conducting regular air exercises. According to USFK, a US B-52 bomber was escorted by South Korean fighter jets this week as it flew into the South’s air defence identification zone.

The US-South Korean exercises are expected to be the largest in years, after the two allies scaled back such military displays in 2017 when then-US President Donald Trump attempted to offer an opening for North Korea to negotiate an end to its long-range missile and nuclear weapons programmes.

That window has long since closed, with North Korea conducting a record number of missile tests last year while promising to expand its nuclear programme to arm the missiles.

In 2023, North Korean missile testing has slowed, but tensions on the Korean Peninsula remain high.

Analysts see little reason to believe that things will improve.

“This is likely only the beginning of a series of provocative tests by North Korea,” Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ehwa Womans University in Seoul, said of Thursday’s missile firings.

“Pyongyang is poised to respond aggressively to major US-South Korea defense exercises, as well as to President Yoon’s upcoming summits with (Japanese) Prime Minister (Fumio) Kishida and (US) President (Joe) Biden.”

“The Kim regime may order missile firings of longer ranges, attempt a spy satellite launch, demonstrate a solid-fuel engine, and perhaps even conduct a nuclear test,” Easley said.

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Xi Jinping handed historic third term as China’s president

China's Xi focuses on supporting 'Global South' at G20 summit
  • China’s leader, Xi Jinping has been elected to a historic third term as president.
  • The president’s functions in the Chinese system of governance are mostly ceremonial.
  • Last October, he was appointed to both positions at a party congress.

China’s leader, Xi Jinping, has been elected to a historic third term as president by the country’s rubber-stamp legislature.

It comes after a consolidation of power that has elevated Mr. Xi, 69, to China’s most powerful leader in generations.

The president’s functions in the Chinese system of governance are mostly ceremonial.

Mr. Xi wields considerable power as General Secretary of the Communist Party and Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC).

Last October, he was appointed to both positions at a party congress.

Confirmation of his third term as president had been widely expected. The appointment of a new premier and other ministers in the coming days is regarded as more important.

The majority of the new appointees are expected to be Xi Jinping supporters. This includes Li Qiang, who is expected to be Mr Xi’s deputy.

Mr. Xi was also re-elected as chairman of the People’s Republic of China‘s CMC on Friday. There are two CMCs in the country, one of which is a party organization and the other a state institution, but their membership is usually the same.

Mr. Xi has solidified his rule as China returns to normalcy following his bruising zero-Covid policy, which has fueled anti-government protests. The country is also dealing with a declining birth rate, which is threatening its economic growth engine.

Ties between Beijing and Washington remain strained, as evidenced by recent allegations that China was spying on the US using balloons.

“Whether a strengthened Xi and increasing centralisation is sufficient to overcome these problems – or perhaps make them worse – is unknown and perhaps not knowable at present,” Ian Chong, a political scientist at the National University Singapore, reports.

“In a sense, Xi is betting that centralisation under the party with him at the helm is a solution to these disparate issues,” he said.

The so-called Two Sessions of the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) this week will be closely watched because it will provide insight into China’s future direction.

Since Mao Zedong, Chinese leaders have been limited to two terms in office. When Mr. Xi had this restriction lifted in 2018, he became a figure with unprecedented clout since Chairman Mao.

The national legislature also appointed Han Zheng, a 68-year-old former Politburo Standing Committee member, as vice president on Friday.

Because the position’s functions are not fully defined, its importance varies. Chong stated that Mr Xi’s last vice president, Wang Qishan, led Mr Xi’s anti-corruption campaign.

Mr Han is likely to closely follow Mr Xi’s lead and enforce the president’s policies as needed, he added.

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Italy: migrant smugglers to face more than 30 years in jail

Italy
  • Italy’s prime minister has outlined plans for people smugglers.
  • Giorgia Meloni unveiled the proposals serving up to 30 years in prison.
  • The proposals were made during a cabinet meeting near the site of a shipwreck.

Italy’s prime minister has outlined plans that could result in extended prison sentences for people smugglers responsible for deaths and serious injuries.

Giorgia Meloni unveiled the proposals, which could result in smugglers serving up to 30 years in prison.

Ministers also agreed on measures to improve legal pathways for foreign workers entering Italy.

The proposals were made during a cabinet meeting near the site of a shipwreck that killed 72 migrants last month.

Ms Meloni insisted at the meeting in the Calabrian town of Cutro that she was determined to defeat people smuggling.

“Our response to what happened is a policy of greater firmness on the ground,” she said, adding that Italy would take action against smugglers on the boats as well as those in third countries who organized the trips.

The government has denied responsibility for the disaster, but Ms Meloni has stated that more improved and legal routes must be established to allow migrants to safely enter the country.

“I believe that another way to fight people smugglers is to send out the message that it does not pay to enter Italy illegally,” she said.

Separately, she stated that countries that assist in educating their citizens about the dangers of travelling to Italy through criminal networks would be given preferential quotas for legal migrant workers.

Protesters threw stuffed animals at passing cars as ministers were driven to a cabinet meeting in Cutro on Thursday. Some held up signs reading “They could have been saved”.

Ms Meloni’s right-wing government has come under fire for the February disaster, with questions raised about whether more could have been done to prevent it.

The majority of those aboard the 200-person wooden vessel were said to be from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, Iraq, and Iran.

The ship is believed to have sunk after colliding with rocks in rough weather while attempting to land near Crotone.

According to officials, 72 bodies have been recovered and 79 people have survived, but approximately 30 people are still missing.

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Afghanistan: Taliban governor of Balkh province killed in blast

Afghanistan
  • The Taliban governor of Afghanistan’s northern Balkh province killed in blast.
  • Mohammad Dawood Muzammil was the highest-ranking Taliban official.
  • The explosion occurred on the second floor of the governor’s office.

The Taliban governor of Afghanistan‘s northern Balkh province was assassinated by the Islamic State (IS) group in a suicide attack.

On Thursday, Mohammad Dawood Muzammil was assassinated in his office in Mazar-e Sharif, the provincial capital.

He is the highest-ranking Taliban official to be assassinated since the militants retook power in 2021.

The level of violence has since dropped dramatically, but pro-Taliban figures have been targeted by IS.

According to Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid on Twitter, “martyred in an explosion by the enemies of Islam”.

Muzammil previously served as governor of the eastern province of Nangarhar, where he led the fight against IS. He was transferred to Balkh in October of last year.

According to Balkh police spokesperson Mohammed Asif Waziri, the explosion occurred on the second floor of the governor’s office on Thursday morning.

“There was a bang. I fell on the ground,” Khairuddin, who was injured in the blast, spoke to AFP. He stated that he witnessed a friend lose a hand in the explosion.

Later that day, IS claimed that one of its soldiers had entered the building and detonated his suicide belt. The blast also killed some security guards, according to the statement.

The provincial Taliban authorities had said the day before that they had killed eight “rebels and kidnappers” in Mazar-e Sharif.

The Taliban were deposed as Afghanistan’s rulers in 2001, but the militant Islamist group swept back to power in August 2021, following the withdrawal of US-led forces.

Since then, a series of deadly bomb blasts have primarily targeted mosques and minority communities, many of which have been claimed by the regional affiliate of the militant Islamic State (IS-K) group, which is a bitter rival of the Taliban.

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Mexican drug cartel turns in own men for US kidnapping killings

Mexico
  • The Scorpions Group has apologized for kidnapping four US citizens.
  • The Scorpions Group allegedly left a letter with the men.
  • Mexican authorities handed over the bodies of the two deceased men to US.

According to reports from the Mexican border city of Matamoros, the Scorpions Group, a splinter group of the Gulf Cartel, has apologized for kidnapping four US citizens last week, killing two of them, and has turned over the men it believes are responsible.

Many Mexican newspapers published a photograph on their front pages that appears to show five men lying face down on the ground, their hands tied and their T-shirts pulled up above their heads. It was apparently taken just as police arrived.

The Scorpions Group allegedly left a letter with the men in which it apologized to the people of Matamoros, the US victims and their families, and a Mexican woman killed last week when the gang opened fire on a white minivan carrying Americans.

According to the reports, a copy of the letter was obtained from a law enforcement official in the state of Tamaulipas.

“We have decided to turn over those who were directly involved and responsible for the events”, the letter reads, saying the five had “acted under their own decision-making and lack of discipline”. The letter also accuses the men of breaking the cartel’s rules over “protecting the lives of the innocent”.

Meanwhile, police have cordoned off a health clinic in Matamoros where cartel members allegedly took injured US citizens for treatment. According to reports, the gang took the four Americans there, but the two with the most serious injuries, Shaeed Woodard and Zindell Brown, died soon after.

According to reports, Mexican authorities handed over the bodies of the two deceased men to US officials in Matamoros on Thursday afternoon, and their remains were repatriated.

The latest developments come as some in Mexico have questioned the initial version of events. The group was said to have travelled to Matamoros so that one of them, Latavia McGee, could undergo a cosmetic medical procedure at the city’s clinic. She was said to have been accompanied to the appointment by three friends.

According to Reports, three of the four Americans were convicted of minor drug-related offences, but one was charged with manufacturing prohibited narcotics with the intent to distribute.

According to Reports, the Mexican authorities are looking into the possibility that the four Americans were kidnapped because they were mistaken for rival cartel members encroaching on their territory.

The inquiry into the Americans’ background comes as the political temperature surrounding the Matamoros incident continues to rise. Several Republican politicians in the United States, including South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, have called for the use of US military force against Mexico’s drug cartels.

Specifically, he’s proposing a plan to designate Mexican drug cartels as “Foreign Terrorist Organisations” in order to, as he put it, “unleash the fury and might of the United States against (them)”.

That rhetoric prompted a furious response in Mexico from President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador who said “Mexico was not a protectorate or a colony of the United States”. Senator Graham’s proposal for military intervention was described as “unacceptable” by Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard.

In the midst of the tense relations, US Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall is in Mexico for a meeting with President Lopez Obrador to discuss the US’s worsening fentanyl and synthetic opioid crisis.

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Germany: shooting occurred at Jehovah’s Witness hall

Germany
  • According to reports, 6 dead and a number of people injured in shooting.
  • According to police, the gunman acted alone and is presumed dead.
  • Police discovered a dead person at the scene who they believe was a perpetrator.

A number of people were killed in a shooting at a Jehovah’s Witness meeting hall in Hamburg, Germany.

According to police, the gunman acted alone and is presumed dead. It is unclear whether the attacker is one of the six or seven people killed, as reported by German media.

As yet, “there is no reliable information on the motive”, police say.

The shooting on Deelböge street in the city’s Gross Borstel district also injured several people.

Police say they discovered a dead person at the scene who they believe was a perpetrator, and that their investigation is ongoing.

Police were called around 21:15 (20:15 GMT) to reports of shots fired in the building, according to police spokesman Holger Vehren.

Officers who went in found people who “may have been seriously injured by firearms, some of them fatally”, he said.

“The officers also heard a shot from the upper part of the building and went upstairs, where they also found a person. So far we have no indications that any perpetrators fled.”

He stated that police had not yet identified the victims and that work at the crime scene was ongoing.

“All we know is that several people have died here, several people have been injured, they have been taken to hospitals,” Mr Vehren said.

The reasons behind the shooting were “still completely unclear”.

An alert was sent on the federal warning app, NINAwarn, at around 21:00 (20:00 GMT) telling locals that “one or more unknown perpetrators shot at people in a church”.

Residents in the area were told not to leave their homes while the police operation was ongoing.

Footage showed police escorting people out of the meeting hall, some of whom were being taken to ambulances.

Andy Grote, the Interior Minister of Hamburg, announced on Twitter that police special forces and a large number of officers had been dispatched to the scene.

The police have urged the public not to make assumptions or spread rumours.

Jehovah’s Witnesses are a Christian-based religious organisation.

The denomination was founded in the United States near the end of the nineteenth century by Charles Taze Russell. The movement’s headquarters are in New York.

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Ukraine war: Russia launches new barrage of hypersonic missiles

Ukraine
  • At least nine people have been killed in a new wave of strikes across Ukraine.
  • Russia used powerful weapons such as rare hypersonic missiles.
  • The Ukrainian military claimed to have shot down 34 cruise missiles.

At least nine people have been killed in a new wave of strikes across Ukraine by Russia, which used powerful weapons such as rare hypersonic missiles.

Russia had not fired Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, which can evade air defences, since the early months of the conflict, according to reports.

The most recent barrage was the most severe to strike Ukraine in weeks.

It cut power to Europe’s largest nuclear plant, Zaporizhzhia, though it was later restored.

On Thursday Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said: “High-precision long-range air, sea and land-based weapons, including the Kinzhal hypersonic missile system, hit key elements of Ukraine’s military infrastructure.”

It was Russia‘s busiest day of strikes on Ukraine since the end of January.

The Ukrainian military claimed to have shot down 34 cruise missiles as well as four Iranian-made Shahed drones.

However, it stated that it was unable to intercept the six Kinzhal ballistic missiles, as well as destroy older weapons such as Kh-22 anti-ship missiles and S-300 anti-aircraft missiles.

“This was a major attack and for the first time with so many different types of missiles,” the Reuters news agency quoted a Ukrainian air force spokesperson as saying. “It was like never before.”

The strike at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, according to Energoatom, has severed the facility’s connection to the Ukrainian power grid.

The facility ran on diesel generators for the sixth time since Russia took over a year ago, until the link was restored later Thursday.

Electricity is required to cool radioactive material at the plant.

“Today’s loss of all external power once again demonstrated how fragile and dangerous the situation is for the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant,” said Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Following a series of strikes since the invasion began, he had earlier on Thursday called for an international commitment to protect the plant.

“Each time we are rolling a dice. And if we allow this to continue time after time then one day our luck will run out,” Mr Grossi said.

Emergency services responded to blast sites in Kyiv’s western and southern districts.

A missile also struck an energy facility in Odesa, causing power outages, according to the city’s governor, Maksym Marchenko. There were also reports of casualties in residential areas.

In other news, Ukraine’s military says it has repulsed intense Russian attacks on the besieged eastern city of Bakhmut, despite Russian forces claiming control of its eastern half.

Moscow has been attempting to take Bakhmut for months, despite heavy losses on both sides in a grinding war of attrition.

“The enemy continued its attacks and has shown no sign of a let-up in storming the city of Bakhmut,” the general staff of the Ukrainian armed forces said. “Our defenders repelled attacks on Bakhmut and on surrounding communities.”

According to reports, between 20,000 and 30,000 Russian troops have been killed or injured in the battle for the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut since it began last summer. The figures cannot be independently verified.

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Deployment of Army will be ensured during election, says ECP

ECP
  • The Secretary of the Election Commission briefed the attendees on the preparations for the elections.
  • The meeting was chaired by the Chief Election Commissioner.
  • The Election Commission demanded security arrangements.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is taking extra measures to ensure fair and safe elections. As preparations continue for the upcoming elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the ECP confirms plans to deploy the army for extra security measures to protect the election process.

According to sources, the ECP recently conducted its most important meeting to discuss electoral preparations for Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, chaired by the Chief Election Commissioner.

During the meeting, the Secretary of the Election Commission briefed the attendees on the preparations for the elections, including the allocation of 25 billion rupees for election spending in the two provinces.

Furthermore, the Election Commission demanded security arrangements for the elections from the Special Secretary, who will reportedly provide Rangers and FC personnel for election security in coordination with the Defense Secretary.

The Ministry of Finance also committed to fulfilling its constitutional responsibility to provide adequate election funds.

Secretary of Finance Hamid Yaqub Sheikh attended the meeting and stated in an informal conversation that “we have never refused to give funds, that we have asked the Election Commission to review the demands, and that we will implement the Supreme Court’s decision, that conducting elections is a constitutional responsibility and elections. The commission will issue a revised demand that will be presented to the government.”

Special Secretary Interior Syed Ali Murtaza was also present at the meeting.

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Chicago Upcoming event: Preparing for Ramadan, Cultivating a Spiritual Mindset

Chicago
  • Aisha Fatima Community accepts monetary donations to help us keep running.
  • Aalimah Romessa will guide the women about practical Ramadan preparation.
  • Aalimah Romessa Mirza was born in Pakistan and reared there.

Aisha Fatima community in Chicago for an evening as Muslims around the world prepare for Ramadan mentally, spiritually, and logistically with practical tips.

About the Event: 

Join Aalimah Romessa for an evening of practical Ramadan preparation as we prepare intellectually, spiritually, and logistically.

Aalimah Romessa Mirza was born in Pakistan and reared there. She holds an MBA from Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) as well as a Bachelor of Business Administration and Accounting from the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) in Karachi. Nevertheless, after time, she learned that her genuine interest is ilm. In 2013, she left the corporate business to pursue traditional Islamic learning, completing her alimiyyah through Wifaq ul Madaris and receiving ijazah (license to teach) in several Islamic subjects such as Tafseer, Hadeeth, and Fiqh. Alimah Romessa currently resides in the Chicago suburbs with her husband and two lovely children.

The event is open to women ages 12 & older. 

The doors will open at 6:45 p.m. Grab some coffee and a nice morning while learning more about the Aisha Fatima Community. The session begins promptly at 7 p.m. Nursing infants are welcome.

Additional parking at Mcdonald’s & Pita Restaurant

The event will take place at 330 E Roosevelt Rd. Ste 100 Lombard, IL 60148. Their space is at the front of the building.

Aisha Fatima Community is a women-only space

Aisha Fatima Community is a non-profit organization that caters to and is run by Muslim women to create a space for women to form a relationship with their Deen and Muslim culture.

Their Objectives: The Aisha Fatima Community seeks to help Muslim women of all ages and backgrounds. We want this place to be a source of comfort for you as you navigate the complexity of womanhood, no matter where you are in life.

Aisha Fatima Community accepts monetary donations to help us keep running.

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Pakistan embassy in Riyadh held events to highlight the dispute of IIOK

Kashmir Solidarity Day
  • Kashmir Solidarity Day is a public holiday in Pakistan on February 5 each year.
  • Pakistan embassy held an Art exhibition and an essay writing competition in Riyadh.
  • The Ambassador distributed the prizes among the winning students.

The Pakistan embassy held an Art exhibition and an essay writing competition in Pakistan community schools in Riyadh, to highlight the longstanding dispute of Indian Illegally occupying Jammu & Kashmir. The Ambassador distributed the prizes among the winning students.

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Kashmir Solidarity Day is a public holiday in Pakistan on February 5 each year. It focuses on showing Pakistan’s support and unity with the people of Indian-occupied Kashmir, their ongoing freedom struggle, and paying homage to Kashmiri martyrs who lost their lives fighting for Kashmir’s freedom.

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Saudi FM met Pakistan’s FM Bilawal Bhutto Zardari

Saudi
  • Prince Faisal bin Farhan meets with H.E Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference 2023.
  • They reviewed the strong Saudi-Pakistani relations.
  • The two Ministers also discussed the importance of strengthening multilateral action.

Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia HH Prince FaisalbinFarhan meets with H.E Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference 2023.

During the meeting, they reviewed the strong Saudi-Pakistani relations and ways to support and enhance them to serve common interests, in addition to discussing the most important issues raised at the Munich Security Conference 2023. 

The two Ministers also discussed the importance of strengthening multilateral action to achieve international peace and security. The meeting was attended by the Director-General of the Office of His Highness the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdulrahman Al-Dawood.

The Munich Security Conference (MSC) is the world’s leading forum for debate on international security.

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Pakistan is America’s third-largest source of foreign doctors

Pakistan
  • About 30% of the 800,000 doctors in America are of foreign origin.
  • The USA will be short of doctors by 2025.
  • There are about 12,000 Pakistani doctors practicing in the USA.

Pakistan has been a reliable source of foreign doctors for the United States. Currently, a third of all practicing physicians in the United States are of foreign origin, and about 30% of the 800,000 doctors in America are of foreign origin. It is estimated that the United States will be short by approximately 160,000 physicians by 2025, a void that will almost certainly be filled by more foreign doctors.

As of 2013, there were about 12,000 Pakistani doctors practicing in the United States, making Pakistan the third-largest supplier of foreign-trained physicians in the world, with India and the Philippines ranking first and second, respectively. India and Pakistan are also the top two sources of foreign doctors practicing in the UK. The Dow University of Health Sciences in Karachi has produced 3,100 doctors, making it the largest pool of doctors among the 12,000 Pakistani doctors practicing in the United States.

It is worth noting that India has six doctors for every 10,000 inhabitants, and Pakistan has eight, while the United States has 25 doctors per 10,000 people. Despite this, the United States continues to import hundreds of doctors from India and Pakistan to ease the current shortage of physicians.

 

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PAD celebrates International women’s day

PAD
  • The Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD) organized the event to bring women of the community together.
  • The event hosted by Ms. Sitawat Hassan Khan was attended by diplomats from several countries.
  • PAD-PMC presented them with pink flowers.

Dubai: Women around the world observed International Women’s Day in a bid to promote equal rights, fair treatment, and representation. The Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD) organized the event to bring women of the community together.

A special IWD event hosted by Ms. Sitawat Hassan Khan was attended by diplomats from several countries, including PAD and Ladies Forum. It was a constructive occasion where topics related to women’s role in building community engagement and participation were discussed.

 

To honor the ladies of PAD-PMC on this special day, PAD-PMC presented them with pink flowers.

 

This year’s campaign, #EmbraceEquity, urges us all to challenge gender stereotypes, confront discrimination, draw attention to bias, and strive for inclusion. At the same time, the United Nations is promoting “DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality.”

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International Women’s Day, Bindi Irwin discusses her 10-year battle with endometriosis

International Women's Day
  • She had surgery for endometriosis following a decade-long fight with the uterine illness.
  • Irwin’s posts fell on International Women’s Day as well as Endometriosis Awareness Month.
  • Pelvic pain, heavy bleeding during periods, and reproductive concerns are all possible symptoms.

Bindi Irwin, an Australian conservationist, disclosed Wednesday that she had surgery for endometriosis following a decade-long fight with the uterine illness.

“For 10 years I’ve struggled with insurmountable fatigue, pain, and nausea,” Irwin shared in posts on social media alongside an image of her in a hospital bed.

“A doctor told me it was simply something you deal with as a woman and I gave up entirely, trying to function through the pain.”

Irwin’s posts fell on International Women’s Day as well as Endometriosis Awareness Month.

Endometriosis is “a condition in which the tissue that normally lines the uterus grows outside the uterus,” according to the United States National Institutes of Health.

Pelvic pain, heavy bleeding during periods, and reproductive concerns are all possible symptoms.

Irwin, 24, said doctors had found 37 lesions, some of which were “very deep and difficult to remove,” but she was now “on the road to recovery.”

“I’m sharing my story for anyone who reads this and is quietly dealing with pain and no answers. Let this be your validation that your pain is real and you deserve help,” she added.

The condition can affect anyone of reproductive age who has a uterus, but it is most frequent in women in their 30s and 40s. According to the World Health Organization, approximately one in every ten people born with a uterus has endometriosis. Globally, the disease affects around 190 million women and girls.

Irwin is a celebrity conservationist who has been in the reality TV show “Crikey! It’s the Irwins,” which follows her family’s activities at the Australia Zoo in Queensland, which her mother runs.

She won “Dancing With the Stars” in 2015 and hails from a conservationist family, including her late father Steve, the late “Crocodile Hunter,” who was murdered by a stingray while filming in the Gerat Barrier Reef in 2006.

She gave birth to a daughter, Grace, in March 2021.

“Please be gentle and pause before asking me (or any woman) when we’ll be having more children,” Irwin wrote in her post-Wednesday. “After all that my body has gone through, I feel tremendously grateful that we have our gorgeous daughter. She feels like our family’s miracle.”

Soon after her posts, her family took to social media to share their support.

Her husband Chandler Powell said, “Seeing how you pushed through the pain to take care of our family and continue our conservation work while being absolutely riddled with endometriosis is something that will inspire me forever.”

Irwin’s brother Robert added on Instagram, “You never know who’s suffering in silence, let’s make this a topic that we all freely talk about.”

Irwin is the latest in a long line of celebrities to speak up about their endometriosis difficulties.

Amy Schumer detailed her decades-long fight with what she dubbed a “lonely disease” in a docuseries broadcast by Paramount Plus last year. Schumer had her uterus removed in 2021 and documented the procedure on Instagram. Lena Dunham and Padma Lakshmi, both comedians, have spoken up about their experiences with the condition.

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People experience dizziness and fever as oil leak blankets coast of Philippine island

Philippine
  • More than 50 residents had been affected.
  • The island province of over 900,000 people is reeling from the disaster’s aftermath.
  • The sinking tanker is spewing oil at a rate of 35,000 to 50,000 litres.

Officials reported that tens of thousands of gallons of oil seeping from a sunken tanker off the coast of the Philippines has coated pristine beaches and diving locations in an island province, sickening hundreds of locals and endangering the country’s tourist business and rich marine wildlife.

On February 28, the MT Princess Empress sank off the coast of Oriental Mindoro, southwest of Manila, spilling its cargo of industrial fuel oil into the waters around the province, where authorities declared a state of calamity for nine towns and banned swimming and fishing as they battled one of the region’s worst-ever disasters.

Jennifer Cruz, mayor of the seaside village of Pola, which has been severely impacted by the spill, stated on Thursday that more than 50 residents had been affected.

“In the span of nine days, it’s getting worse. The stench from the oil is getting stronger as the weather is also getting hotter,” Cruz told sources. “More people are also getting sick. I also was not able to visit one of the affected areas because I started feeling unwell due to the smell.”

Pola photos show black pools of oil floating in the water and washing towards the shore against a gorgeous backdrop of palm trees, while reaction crews manually pick away fuel-stained detritus.

The island province of over 900,000 people is reeling from the disaster’s aftermath, with beach resorts reporting that guests have cancelled bookings only weeks before the peak Holy Week holiday season.

“The oil has reached our beachfront property and it’s sticking to the sand,” said Marino Enriquez, operations manager of the Blue Star Beach Resort in Pola. “Some people also feel unwell from the strong smell of the oil that’s been washing ashore for days now.”

According to authorities, the extent of the environmental effect has yet to be determined.

If the spill is not contained, at least 21 protected maritime areas featuring coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangroves might be destroyed, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

According to Pola Mayor Cruz, oil is already coating mangroves, which help to minimise coastal erosion and provide protection from harsh weather events like the typhoons that visit the Philippines on a regular basis.

Japan is sending a disaster relief team to assist with cleanup, according to the country’s ambassador in Manila, who announced the move on Twitter on Wednesday. According to the Philippine Coast Guard, efforts to contain the spill have been halted multiple times for the health and safety of reaction team members.

Meanwhile, authorities are still working to rescue the tanker, which went down near the Verde Island route, a vital marine transport lane connecting Manila to the main island of Luzon.

According to the Philippine Coast Guard, the MT Princess Empress was carrying 800,000 litres (211,340 gallons) of industrial fuel oil when it sank en route from the northern Bataan province to the centre province of Iloilo after its engine overheated.

According to DENR, the sinking tanker is spewing oil at a rate of 35,000 to 50,000 litres (approximately 9,240 to 13,200 gallons) each day.

According to DENR, the spill has reached the remote Cuyo Island island group, and it is expected to continue spreading in the southwest direction, threatening northern Palawan, another biologically diverse region.

The Philippine Coast Guard has also deployed officers to monitor the resort island of Boracay, a popular tourist destination that only reopened in 2018 after extensive repair work.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated that he believes the cleanup will be done within four months.

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Republican leader of US Senate admitted in hospital after fall

Republican leader
  • US Senate Republican tripped in Washington, DC hotel.
  • No other information concerning his condition was provided.
  • Mr. McConnell previously injured his shoulder in a tumble in early August 2019.

US Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell was transported to the hospital after collapsing in a Washington, DC hotel, according to a spokeswoman.

“At a private dinner, Leader McConnell tripped at a local hotel,” a spokeswoman said.

No other information concerning his condition was provided. Mr. McConnell, 81, is in his seventh term in the Senate.

Mr. McConnell is one of the Republican Party’s most senior lawmakers, currently serving as Senate Minority Leader.

According to sources, Mr. McConnell previously injured his shoulder in a tumble in early August 2019.

Since 2007, he has served as Senate Republican leader. He has represented Kentucky in the Senate since 1985.

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Indonesian court sentenced soccer official for role in deadly stadium crush

Indonesian court
  • More than 130 people died during a crowd crush.
  • Judged sentenced head of the Organizational Committee for soccer club Arema FC.
  • Harris was determined to be guilty of selling too many tickets.

A senior soccer official was found guilty of negligence by an Indonesian court on Thursday for his role in the deaths of more than 130 people during a crowd crush at a match in the country’s East Java province last year, one of the biggest disasters in the sport’s history.

A judge sentenced Abdul Haris, Head of the Organizational Committee for soccer club Arema FC, to a year and a half in prison, making him the first person imprisoned in connection with the disaster.

Harris was determined to be guilty of selling too many tickets, surpassing the stadium’s maximum capacity.

After Arema FC supporters stormed onto the pitch following their defeat to rival Persebaya Surabaya in a match on October 1, police sprayed tear gas, causing a crowd crush as many ran towards the exits.

With 135 people killed, it was one of the world’s deadliest stadium stampedes.

An inquiry last year revealed that tear gas, a crowd control measure prohibited by FIFA, was the primary cause of death.

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MSF closes hospital in Haiti due to gang violence

Haiti
  • Patients and workers at its Cité Soleil hospital had been endangered.
  • Gang violence and kidnappings in Haiti have skyrocketed.
  • Some schools were also closed as the number of kidnappings increased.

Doctors Without Borders has announced that gang violence in Haiti‘s capital has prompted the temporary closure of its facility in Port-au-Prince.

It claimed that patients and workers at its Cité Soleil hospital had been endangered.

It claimed that Haitians seeking treatment had become collateral victims of fighting just meters from the hospital.

Since President Jovenel Mossé was assassinated in 2021, gang violence and kidnappings in Haiti have skyrocketed.

The Caribbean country has been experiencing a rising economic crisis.

The organization, generally known by its French name MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières), made the decision when heavily armed gangs increased their territory in Port-au-Prince and adjacent cities.

Some schools were also closed as the number of kidnappings increased.

Earlier this year, an MSF-supported public hospital south of the city was similarly closed when a patient was killed by a bullet as he exited the emergency room.

Cité Soleil, an underprivileged neighborhood on the outskirts of Haiti’s capital, today has only one private hospital and one MSF facility that is scaling back operations.

Vincent Harris, a medical adviser for the aid group, said: “We are living scenes of warfare just meters [yards] from the establishment.

“Our hospital has not been directly targeted but we have been a collateral victim of the fighting since the hospital found itself on the frontline.”

In a second interview with a local news affiliate, Mr. Gwynn stated that the broad agreement among American law experts is that a six-year-old “cannot form the requisite criminal intent to be guilty of an aggravated assault”.

Alexandre Marcou, field communication manager, said a youngster on oxygen died in a security room, where patients are moved for protection from shooting around the facility.

A 70-year-old man was also shot as he attempted to cross the street to the hospital.

After Mose’s death, Haiti has been headed by Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who has failed to reign in the gangs who rule much of the capital.

Mr. Henry has consistently urged for the deployment of an international force to assist police in combating criminal groups.

So yet, no country has offered to head such a force, despite Mr. Henry’s assertion that it is critical to maintaining security so that long-delayed elections can take place.

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US: Six-year-old who shot teacher won’t be charged – prosecutor

US
  • Authorities have yet to decide if any adults would face criminal charges in the case.
  • The child carried the gun to Richneck Elementary School on January 6th in his backpack.
  • Teacher Abigail Zwerner, 25, was wounded in the hand and chest but survived.

A prosecutor has suggested that a six-year-old kid who shot his teacher in a primary school in the US state of Virginia is unlikely to face charges.

However, authorities have yet to decide if any adults would face criminal charges in the case.

According to police, the child carried the gun to Richneck Elementary School on January 6th in his backpack.

Teacher Abigail Zwerner, 25, was wounded in the hand and chest but survived.

Commonwealth‘s Attorney Howard Gwynn stated on Wednesday that his office would not press charges against the kid.

He stated that “the thought of a six-year-old standing trial is troubling” since the child is too young to understand the legal system.

“Our objective is not just to do something as quickly as possible,” Mr. Gwynn added.

“Once we analyze all the facts, we will charge any person or persons that we believe we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt committed a crime.”

Ms. Zwerner is suing the school district after being shot through the hand and upper chest during an “altercation” with a first-grader, according to police.

According to authorities, the pistol was properly purchased and belonged to the child’s mother.

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Black couple in the US has settled a lawsuit over a ‘white-washed’ home valuation

US
  • Properties in black and Hispanic neighborhoods were consistently underestimated.
  • Official numbers show that 92.4% of house appraisers are white.
  • The couple chose to refinance their mortgage in 2020 when interest rates were historically low.

A black couple in the United States has settled a lawsuit with a real estate appraiser who they accused of undervaluing their home because of their race.

Tenisha Tate-Austin and Paul Austin’s home was assessed at over $1 million (£845,000) in 2020, far less than projected.

They requested another appraisal, this time with a white acquaintance posing as the owner of the California home. It was worth approximately $1.5 million.

Official numbers show that 92.4% of house appraisers are white.

In 2021, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation disclosed the results of a five-year study of 12 million evaluations, which revealed that properties in black and Hispanic neighborhoods were consistently underestimated.

Ms. Tate-Austin and Mr. Austin purchased the house in the San Francisco suburb of Marin City in 2016 for around $550,000.

The city has a substantial African-American population (38%), contrasting to the largely white Marin County, where it is located, which has only 2.8%, black residents.

The couple chose to refinance their mortgage in 2020 when interest rates were historically low.

The previous year, a company valued their four-bedroom property for $1,450,000 after making significant upgrades, including expanding square footage.

But, when they tried to refinance in 2020 to take advantage of low-interest rates, they were appraised at only $995,000.

So they devised an experiment. What if their white acquaintance posed as the homeowner instead?

They cleaned up after themselves, including their African-themed artwork and photographs.

The practice is known as “white-washing,” and black homeowners around the country have reported using it to sell their homes.

A separate appraiser inspected the house for the fake white homeowner several weeks after their first estimate.

This time, it was appraised at $1,482,500 – almost half a million dollars more than the initial estimate, according to the lawsuit.

“You feel a sense of relief like, ‘I told you.’ Then you just feel a sense of sadness.”

“We had to do what we had to do in order to have our house appraised for what it should have been appraised for from the start.

“I mean, it’s the financial impact, but it’s the emotional impact. It’s the feeling every day like, the tax of being African-American in this country like you don’t know, it’s a coin toss.”

The couple filed a lawsuit against the first appraisal firm for breaching the Fair Housing Act, a federal law.

On Wednesday, the lawsuit was resolved for an unknown sum.

The defendants are not required to admit any liability in the case as part of the deal, but they must view a documentary about discriminatory real estate and attend a training session on the history of racial discrimination in real estate.

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International Women’s Day, Istanbul women disobey a protest ban

International Women's Day
  • Authorities prevented them from reaching Taksim Square.
  • Many people were arrested by police during the march.
  • Over 600 women have been killed by men in Turkey.

Thousands of Turkish women have violated a prohibition on protests on International Women’s Day and assembled in the city of Istanbul for what they called a “feminist night march”.

Authorities prevented them from reaching Taksim Square in the city center, but they were permitted to continue marching for a while before using tear gas to disperse them.

People scuffle with police officers as demonstrators try to march to Taksim Square to mark the International Women's Day in Istanbul, Turkey March 8, 2023

 

Many people were arrested by police during the march.

The major opposition Republican People’s Party honored the occasion by issuing a report claiming that over 600 women have been killed by men in Turkey since 2021 when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan withdrew the country from the Istanbul Convention.

The treaty’s goal is to prevent domestic violence.

 

A woman shouts slogans during a rally to mark International Women's Day, in Istanbul, Turkey March 8, 2023

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