Author: HeraldStar

In a breathtaking and audacious stunt, a climber was arrested by Paris police after attempting to scale the north face of the Eiffel Tower without any safety equipment on the final day of the Olympics. The incident occurred at approximately 2:45 pm when the climber was spotted making his way up the iconic structure, skirting the giant Olympic rings installed for the Games. Bare-chested and without ropes, the climber quickly gained attention as onlookers captured the daring feat on video. In one clip circulating on social media, the climber, grinning and seemingly unfazed by the risk, is heard joking with…

In a shocking and emotional twist, American gymnast Jordan Chiles has been stripped of the bronze medal she earned in Monday’s women’s floor final, following a controversial ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) confirmed that Romania’s Ana Barbosu, who had initially placed fourth, has now been awarded the bronze after CAS upheld an appeal by the Romanian Olympic Committee. The dispute arose when Chiles’ score was upgraded following an inquiry by her coach, Cecile Landi, regarding her difficulty rating. The adjustment briefly placed Chiles in third, bumping Barbosu to fourth. However, the…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently confirmed a significant offensive by Ukrainian forces into Russia’s western border region of Kursk, underscoring Ukraine’s determination to extend the conflict into the territory of the aggressor. Zelenskyy made this announcement during his Saturday evening address, where he commended the strategic operations carried out by the Ukrainian military. During his speech, Zelenskyy highlighted the efforts of Army Chief Oleksandr Syrsky, noting that Syrsky had repeatedly briefed him on the progress at the frontline and the advancement of the war into Russian territory. The president expressed deep appreciation for the Ukrainian Defense Forces units involved in…

From the time of their introduction in December 2020 through to March 2023, COVID-19 vaccines reduced deaths due to the pandemic by at least 59%, saving more than 1.6 million lives in the WHO European Region. These are among the findings of a new WHO/Europe study published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine. It reveals that today’s known COVID-19 death toll in the Region, currently at 2.2 million, might have been as high as 4 million without the vaccines. Most of those saved were aged 60 or older, the group at highest risk of severe illness and death from SARS-CoV-2. The study’s author, Dr…

WHO has today issued an invitation for manufacturers of mpox vaccines to submit an Expression of Interest for Emergency Use Listing (EUL). The WHO Director-General announced on 7 August 2024 that he had triggered the process for EUL of mpox vaccines given worrying trends in the disease’s spread. There is a serious and growing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) that has now expanded outside the country. A new viral strain, which first emerged in September 2023, has for the first time been detected outside DRC. The EUL procedure is an emergency use authorization process, specifically developed to expedite the availability…

At least 93 Palestinians lost their lives in an Israeli airstrike that targeted a school and mosque in Gaza, where displaced civilians had sought refuge, according to Gaza Civil Defense officials. The strike occurred overnight on Saturday at the Al-Tabi’in compound in the Al-Daraj neighborhood, as people were performing dawn prayers. Gaza Civil Defense Spokesperson Mahmoud Basal confirmed the death toll, stating, “We recovered at least 90 people who had been killed, many of them torn apart, many still unidentified.” Disturbing videos obtained by CNN show bodies scattered across the scene, with witnesses reporting no prior warning of the attack.…

The Paris 2024 Olympics witnessed a poignant moment of victory and reflection as Algerian boxer Imane Khelif secured the light welterweight gold medal amidst a backdrop of controversy and discrimination. Her journey to the top, however, evoked memories for South African track and field icon Caster Semenya, who has faced similar challenges in her storied athletic career. Khelif’s dominant performance on Friday night, where she defeated her Chinese opponent to claim gold, was a moment of redemption. But her path to the podium was marred by persistent allegations over her gender, rooted in a 2023 decision by a now-discredited boxing…

Islamabad, 09 August 2024 – Qaiser Nawab, President of the Belt and Road Initiative for Sustainable Development (BRISD) and a globally recognized youth climate leader, held a significant meeting with Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, the Minister of Planning and Development and Energy for the Government of Sindh, at Sindh House, Islamabad. The meeting centered on the Sindh government’s ambitious plans to switch to renewable energy as a key strategy in combating climate change. Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah shared his vision and mission for renewable energy in Sindh, emphasizing the province’s vulnerability to climate catastrophes, including flooding and heatwaves. He…

In a historic and unexpected turn of events, Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus, globally revered for his pioneering work in microcredit, has been sworn in as the head of an interim government in Bangladesh. His appointment comes on the heels of a national upheaval that has seen widespread violence, mass protests, and the dramatic resignation of long-time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The 84-year-old economist took the oath of office late Thursday night, marking a new chapter in Bangladesh’s turbulent political landscape. Yunus’s arrival at Dhaka’s airport earlier in the day was met with a grand reception by top military officials and…

A magnitude-5.3 earthquake struck Tokyo and eastern Japan on Friday evening, according to government reports, just one day after the country issued its first advisory about the potential for a massive earthquake in the western region. While the extent of damage near the epicenter remains unclear, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated that no significant damage had been reported as of his address at his office in Tokyo shortly after the tremor. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) identified the quake’s epicenter in Kanagawa Prefecture, located just south of the capital, at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles). Kanagawa is not…