Israeli air strikes killed 32 people including children in Gaza on Saturday, according to the Palestinian territory's civil defence agency, as the military said it had attacked in response to a Hamas ceasefire violation. Despite a US-brokered truce entering its second phase earlier this month, violence in the Palestinian territory has continued, with both Israel and Hamas accusing each other of violating the agreement. The latest bloodshed comes after Israel announced it would reopen the crucial Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt on Sunday for the "limited movement of people". "The death toll since dawn today has risen to 32, most of them children and women," said the civil defence agency, a rescue force operating under the Hamas authority, updating an earlier toll of 28. "Residential apartments, tents, shelters and a police station were targeted," agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal said in the statement. A unit in an apartment building of Gaza City's Rimal neighbourhood was left entirely destroyed, and blood spatters were visible on the street below, an AFP journalist reported. "Three girls died while they were sleeping. We found their bodies in the street", Samer al-Atbash, a relative of the family, told AFP. "What truce are you talking about? Everyone is deceiving everyone else," added Nael al-Atbash, another relative. One strike hit the police station in the Sheikh Radwan district of Gaza City, the territory's largest urban centre. Gaza's general police directorate said seven people were killed in that attack, while Bassal said the dead included four female police officers. Ceasefire violations About a dozen first responders rushed to the devastated building and pulled bodies from the rubble, an AFP journalist reported. Another Israeli attack hit a shelter in Al-Mawasi, an area of south Gaza where tens of thousands of displaced Gazans live in tents and makeshift shelters, an AFP journalist reported. Large plumes of smoke rose above the thousands of densely pitched tents. The number of casualties from this strike was still not known. Although people have been killed almost daily in Gaza since the start of the ceasefire on October 10, Saturday's toll was particularly high. Israel's military said that the air strikes were retaliation for an incident on Friday in which eight Palestinian fighters exited a tunnel in the city of Rafah, in southern Gaza, which it said violated the fragile ceasefire. It said forces "struck four commanders and additional terrorists from the Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorist organisations across the Gaza Strip". Hamas political bureau member Suhail al-Hindi rejected the military's claims. "What happened today is a fully fledged crime committed by a criminal enemy that does not abide by agreements or respect any commitments," he told AFP. The health ministry, which operates under the Hamas authority, has said Israeli attacks have killed at least 509 people in Gaza since the ceasefire came into effect. Israel's military says four soldiers have been killed in the same period in Gaza in suspected militant attacks. Rafah reopening Media restrictions and limited access in Gaza have meant that AFP has been unable to independently verify casualty figures or freely cover the violence. Key mediators Egypt and Qatar condemned what they said were Israeli violations of the ceasefire. Egypt demanded that all parties "exercise the utmost restraint" ahead of Sunday's reopening of Rafah crossing, while Qatar said it denounced the "repeated Israeli violations of the ceasefire". The violence was a "dangerous escalation that will inflame the situation and undermine regional and international efforts aimed at consolidating the truce," the Qatari foreign ministry said. Israel has said reopening of the Rafah crossing will only allow the "limited movement of people". The reopening is a key element in the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. Israel had previously expressed its unwillingness to reopen the gateway until it received the remains of Ran Gvili, the last hostage to be held in Gaza, who was recovered earlier this week and laid to rest in Israel on Wednesday. The Gaza war was sparked by Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,221 people, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. Israel's retaliation flattened much of Gaza, which was already suffering from previous rounds of fighting and from an Israeli blockade imposed since 2007. The two-year war has left at least 71,769 people dead in Gaza, according to the health ministry, whose figures are considered reliable by the United Nations. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
01 February,2026 02:48 PM IST | Gaza City, Palestinian Territories | AFPAn explosion tore through an apartment building Saturday in Iran's port city of Bandar Abbas, killing a 4-year-old girl as local media footage purportedly showed a security force member being carried out by rescuers. The blast happened a day before a planned naval drill by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all oil traded passes. The US military has warned Iran not to threaten its warships or commercial traffic in the strait, on which Bandar Abbas sits. State television quoted a local fire official as blaming the blast on a gas leak. Media reported at least 14 others injured in the explosion. A local newspaper, Sobh-e Sahel, aired footage of a correspondent speaking in front of the building. The footage included a sequence that showed a man in a green security force uniform being carried out on a stretcher. He wore a neck brace and appeared to be in pain, his left hand covering the branch insignia on his uniform. The newspaper did not acknowledge the security force member being carried out elsewhere in its reporting. Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard did not discuss the blast, other than to deny that a Guard navy commander had been hurt. Another explosion blamed on a gas explosion Saturday in the southwestern city of Ahvaz killed five people, state media reported. Iran remains tense over a threat by US President Donald Trump to potentially launch a military strike on the country over the killing of peaceful protesters or the possible mass execution of those detained in a major crackdown over the demonstrations. Ali Larijani, a top security official in Iran, wrote on X late Saturday that "structural arrangements for negotiations are progressing." However, there is no public sign of any talks with the United States, which Iran's 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has repeatedly ruled out. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi on Saturday called for de-escalation and said Egypt is working to bring the US and Iran to the negotiating table to achieve a "peaceful and comprehensive settlement to the Iranian nuclear file," according to a statement on his phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Qatar in a statement said Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani visited Tehran on Saturday and met with Larijani about "efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
01 February,2026 02:21 PM IST | Dubai | APPresident Donald Trump said Saturday that he has instructed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem not to intervene in protests occurring in cities led by Democrats unless local authorities ask for federal help amid mounting criticism of his administration's immigration crackdown. On his social media site, Trump posted that "under no circumstances are we going to participate in various poorly run Democrat Cities with regard to their Protests and/or Riots unless, and until, they ask us for help." He provided no further details on how his order would affect operations by U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement and DHS personnel, or other federal agencies, but added: "We will, however, guard, and very powerfully so, any and all Federal Buildings that are being attacked by these highly paid Lunatics, Agitators, and Insurrectionists." Trump said that in addition to his instructions to Noem he had directed "ICE and/or Border Patrol to be very forceful in this protection of Federal Government Property." The Trump administration has already deployed the National Guard, or federal law enforcement officials, in a number of Democratic areas, including Washington, Los Angeles, Chicago and Portland, Oregon. But Saturday's order comes as opposition to such tactics has grown, particularly in Minnesota's Twin Cities region. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul have challenged a federal immigration enforcement surge in those cities, arguing that DHS is violating constitutional protections. A federal judge says she won't halt enforcement operations as the lawsuit proceeds. State and local officials had sought a quick order to halt the enforcement action or limit its scope. Justice Department lawyers have called the lawsuit "legally frivolous." The state, particularly Minneapolis, has been on edge after federal officers fatally shot two people in the city: Renee Good on Jan. 7 and Alex Pretti on Jan. 24. Thousands of people have taken to the streets to protest the federal action in Minnesota and across the country. Trump's border czar, Tom Homan, has suggested the administration could reduce the number of immigration enforcement officers in Minnesota - but only if state and local officials cooperate. Trump sent Homan to Minneapolis following the killings of Good and Pretti, seeming to signal a willingness to ease tensions in Minnesota. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
01 February,2026 02:12 PM IST | Washington | APAn earthquake of magnitude 3.0 struck Bangladesh on Sunday at about 4 am, a statement by the National Center of Seismology (NCS) said. As per the statement, the earthquake occurred at a depth of 20 km. The earthquake's latitude was reported to be 24.85 North, and the longitude was reported to be 92.07 East. In a post on X, the NCS said," EQ of M: 3.0, On: 01/02/2026 04:02:32 IST, Lat: 24.85 N, Long: 92.07 E, Depth: 20 Km, Location: Bangladesh." Bangladesh faces a high risk of major earthquakes due to its location along three active tectonic plate faults, experts warned recently following major tremors on December 4, 2025, stressing that preparedness, public awareness and modern technology are crucial to reducing casualties and damage, 'The Daily Star' reported following an earthquake of magnitude 4.1 at Dhaka. Bangladesh sits at a highly active junction of three tectonic plates: the Indian, Eurasian, and Burma plates. The Indian plate moves northeast at about 6 cm per year, while the Eurasian plate moves northward at around 2 cm per year over it. EQ of M: 3.0, On: 01/02/2026 04:02:32 IST, Lat: 24.85 N, Long: 92.07 E, Depth: 20 Km, Location: Bangladesh. For more information Download the BhooKamp App https://t.co/5gCOtjdtw0 @DrJitendraSingh @OfficeOfDrJS @Ravi_MoES @Dr_Mishra1966 @ndmaindia pic.twitter.com/cx11JMTGpl — National Center for Seismology (@NCS_Earthquake) January 31, 2026 The country lies near several major fault lines, including the Bogura fault, Tripura fault, Shillong Plateau, Dauki fault, and Assam fault, placing it within 13 earthquake-prone zones. Areas such as Chattogram, the Chattogram Hill Tracts and Jaintiapur in Sylhet fall in the highest-risk category. Dhaka, with more than 30,000 people per square kilometre, is one of the densest cities in the world and has been identified as one of the 20 most earthquake-vulnerable cities globally, according to The Daily Star. Earlier, an earthquake of magnitude 4.0 struck Afghanistan on Saturday at about 3:28 am, a statement by the National Center of Seismology (NCS) said. As per the statement, the earthquake occurred at a depth of 40 km. The earthquake's latitude was reported to be 36.40 North, and the longitude was reported to be 68.92 East. In a post on X, the NCS said, " EQ of M: 4.0, On: 31/01/2026 03:28:26 IST, Lat: 36.40 N, Long: 68.92 E, Depth: 40 Km, Location: Afghanistan." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
01 February,2026 02:00 PM IST | Dhaka | ANIA total of 57 terrorists were killed after they carried out attacks on security forces, law enforcement agencies and civilians at 12 different locations in Pakistan's Balochistan province, officials said Saturday. Ten security personnel were also killed during the operations that were conducted from late Friday night through Saturday afternoon. These operations come after Pakistani security forces killed 41 terrorists in two different counter-terror measures in Panjgur and Harnai of the province on Thursday and Friday. Shahid Rind, the spokesperson for the Balochistan government, said that the attacks were carried out at different locations, including at Quetta, Gwadar, Makram, Hub, Chaman, Naseerabad, in the province. "The attacks targetted police, frontier corps and civilians at different locations between Friday and Saturday night," Rind said on telephone. The terrorists killed a family of five, including a woman and three children, near Gwadar, Rind said. He said identification of the dead terrorists is in process and it would be confirmed only later whether they belonged to insurgent groups only or also included the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) outfit. Security forces are still continuing clean up operations in the affected areas where the militants fled after exchange of heavy gunfire with security forces and law enforcement agencies on Saturday afternoon, he said. Federal interior minister Mohsin Naqvi said that all the attacks by the terrorists were averted by the forces. He also confirmed that 10 policemen and paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) personnel were killed in these attacks. He added that terrorists had laid a large number of explosives on a railway track in the Naseerabad district, which were later removed by the bomb disposal squad. Earlier on Friday, the army and officials said that security forces killed 52 terrorists, mostly belonging to the Taliban, in separate operations across three provinces. Six terrorists were killed in Punjab province early Friday while on Thursday, 41 were killed in two separate intelligence based operations (IBOs) in Balochistan and five Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) men, including a commander, were killed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. There has been a surge in violence in Balochistan in recent years. Balochistan had an upward trend, with fatalities increasing from 787 to 956; an additional 169 deaths, which are nearly 22 per cent higher than the previous year's figures, data from think tank Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) showed in the January first week. An Islamabad-based think tank Pak Institute for Peace Studies said there had been an escalation by 34 percent in terror attacks and violence in 2025, with as many as 699 terrorist attacks recorded countrywide during the year. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
01 February,2026 01:30 PM IST | Karachi | PTIPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday received a delegation of Foreign Ministers of Arab countries, Secretary General of the League of Arab States, and Heads of Arab delegations, who are in India for the second India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting, a statement by the Prime Minister's Office said. Prime Minister highlighted the deep and historic people-to-people ties between India and the Arab world, which have continued to inspire and strengthen our relations over the years. Prime Minister Modi outlined his vision for the India-Arab partnership in the years ahead and reaffirmed India's commitment to further deepen cooperation in trade and investment, energy, technology, healthcare and other priority areas, for the mutual benefit of the people of both countries. Prime Minister reiterated India's continued support for the people of Palestine and welcomed ongoing peace efforts, including the Gaza peace plan. He conveyed his appreciation for the Arab League's important role in supporting efforts toward regional peace and stability, according to the statement. Earlier in the day, Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi held talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. The talks, Jaishankar said, focused on trade, critical minerals and regional developments. In a post on X, he said, "A pleasure interacting with FM Badr Albusaidi of Oman this morning. Our discussions on trade, critical minerals and regional developments reflected the trust and comfort of our Strategic Partnership." Albusaidi landed in New Delhi earlier today for the 2nd India Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting. Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal said that Albusaidi's visit will strengthen the partnership between both nations. In a post on X, he said, "Warm welcome to Foreign Minister of the Sultanate of Oman H.E. Badr Albusaidi to Delhi for the 2nd India Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting. His visit will further strengthen the multifaceted strategic partnership between India and Oman." India will host the 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting (IAFMM) on Saturday. The meeting will be co-chaired by India and the UAE Foreign Ministers of other Arab League Member States and Arab League Secretary General will participate in the 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting, a statement by the MEA said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
01 February,2026 12:06 PM IST | New Delhi | ANIIsrael is set to partially reopen the Rafah crossing between the war-devastated Gaza Strip and Egypt on Sunday, following months of urging from humanitarian organisations, though access will be limited to the movement of people. The reopening comes amid ongoing violence in the Palestinian territory, with Gaza's civil defence agency reporting dozens killed in Israeli attacks on Saturday, while the Israeli military said it was retaliating against ceasefire violations. The Rafah crossing is a vital gateway for both civilians and aid, but has remained closed since Israeli forces seized control of it in May 2024 during the war with Hamas, aside from a brief and limited reopening in early 2025. Israel had previously said it would not reopen the crossing until the remains of Ran Gvili -- the last Israeli hostage held in Gaza -- were returned. His remains were recovered days ago and he was laid to rest in Israel on Wednesday. "The Rafah Crossing will open this coming Sunday (February 1st) in both directions, for limited movement of people only," COGAT, an Israeli defence ministry body overseeing civil affairs in the occupied Palestinian territories, said on Friday. Entry and exit "will be permitted in coordination with Egypt, following prior security clearance of individuals by Israel, and under the supervision of the European Union mission", it added. However, key details remain unclear, including how many people will be allowed to cross and whether those seeking to return to Gaza will be permitted entry. A source at the border told AFP that Sunday would be largely devoted to preparations and logistical arrangements. The crossing is set to open on Sunday on a trial basis to allow the passage of wounded individuals, ahead of a regular reopening scheduled for Monday, three sources at the crossing said. However, no agreement has yet been reached on the number of Palestinians permitted to enter or exit, the sources added, noting that Egypt plans to admit "all Palestinians whom Israel authorises to leave" the territory. "Every day that passes drains my life and worsens my condition," said Mohammed Shamiya, 33, who suffers from kidney disease and requires dialysis treatment abroad. "I'm waiting every moment for the opening of the Rafah land crossing." - Anxious wait - Safa al-Hawajri, who has received a scholarship to study overseas, is also eagerly awaiting the reopening on Sunday. "I'm waiting in the hope of fulfilling my ambition, which is tied to the reopening of the crossing," said Hawajri, 18. "I hope to be able to travel as soon as it opens." Located on Gaza's southern border with Egypt, Rafah is the only crossing into and out of the territory that does not pass through Israel. The crossing lies in an area held by Israeli forces following their withdrawal behind the so-called "Yellow Line" under the terms of a US-brokered ceasefire that came into effect on October 10. Israeli troops still control more than half of Gaza, while the rest remains under Hamas authority. The ceasefire has now entered its second phase and calls for reopening the crossing following the release or return of all Israeli hostages held by Palestinian militants. Hamas had called for its full reopening in both directions after the remains of Gvili were brought back to Israel. The reopening is expected to facilitate the entry of a 15-member Palestinian technocratic body, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), established to oversee the day-to-day governance of the territory's 2.2 million residents. The committee is to operate under the supervision of the so-called "Board of Peace" chaired by US President Donald Trump. The NCAG, headed by former Palestinian Authority deputy minister Ali Shaath, is expected to enter the Gaza Strip once the Rafah crossing reopens. Violence continued ahead of the crossing's reopening. At least 32 people, including children, were killed on Saturday in Israeli air strikes in Gaza, reported the civil defence agency, which operates as a rescue force under the Hamas authority. Israel's military said the strikes were retaliation for an incident on Friday in which eight Palestinian fighters exited a tunnel in the city of Rafah, which it said violated the ceasefire. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
01 February,2026 11:58 AM IST | Rafah, Palestinian Territories | AFPCatherine O’Hara, a gifted Canadian-born comic actor and “SCTV” alum who starred as Macaulay Culkin’s harried mother in two “Home Alone” movies and won an Emmy as the dramatically ditzy wealthy matriarch Moira Rose in “Schitt’s Creek,” died Friday. She was 71. O’Hara died at her home in Los Angeles “following a brief illness,” according to a statement from her agency, Creative Artists Agency. Further details were not immediately available. Macaulay Culkin, who played O’Hara’s son in two “Home Alone” movies, on Instagram, “Mama. I thought we had time. I wanted more. I wanted to sit in a chair next to you. I heard you. But I had so much more to say. I love you. I’ll see you later.” O’Hara is survived by her husband, Bo Welch, sons Matthew and Luke, and siblings Michael O’Hara, Mary Margaret O’Hara, Maureen Jolley, Marcus OHara, Tom O’Hara and Patricia Wallice. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
01 February,2026 08:22 AM IST | Los Angeles | AgenciesThe release of the new Epstein files, claims involving Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, including allegations concerning an alleged sexually transmitted disease, were revived. Epstein claimed in July 2013 that Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates asked one of his advisers to provide him with medicine to treat sexually transmitted diseases, the consequences of “sex with Russian girls”. In a separate draft email addressed to Gates, Epstein alleges Gates asked for antibiotics so they could be given to Melinda without her knowledge, and urged the deletion of emails referring to the alleged STD. The new Epstein files suggest that Bill Gates got the STD as a result of ‘sex with Russian girls’. PIC/X@JamesPGoddard90 A huge new tranche of files on millionaire financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, released on Saturday, revealed details of his communications with the wealthy and powerful, some not long before he died by suicide in 2019. The Justice Department said it was disclosing more than 3 million pages of documents, as well as thousands of videos and photos, as required by a law passed by Congress. A spokesperson for Gates strongly rejected the claims contained in the documents, calling them “absolutely absurd and completely false.” “The only thing these documents demonstrate is Epstein’s frustration that he did not have an ongoing relationship with Gates and the lengths he would go to entrap and defame,” the spokesperson said. Musk’s wild party Elon Musk. PIC/X@dohagames Billionaire Tesla founder Elon Musk emailed Epstein in 2012 and 2013 about visiting his infamous island compound, the scene of many allegations of sexual abuse. Epstein inquired in an email about how many people Musk would like flown by helicopter, and Musk responded that it would likely be just him and his partner at the time. “What day/night will be the wildest party on our island?” he wrote, according to the Justice Department records. It’s not immediately clear if the island visits took place. Spokespersons for Musk’s companies, Tesla and X, didn’t immediately respond to emails seeking comment on Saturday. Musk has maintained that he repeatedly turned down the disgraced financier’s overtures. “Epstein tried to get me to go to his island, and I REFUSED,” he had posted on X in 2025. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
01 February,2026 08:19 AM IST | Washington | AgenciesA 55-year-old man in the UK, Martyn Walker, stole more than £28,000 (about Rs 35,00,000) from two bank accounts belonging to his 83-year-old mother Christine Hoggett, who has dementia. He allegedly spent a large sum of the cash on Legos, the building blocks toy. The Norwich Crown Court was informed that Walker had tried to help with managing his mother’s finances after she was placed in a care facility in 2022. The prosecutor, Samantha Lowther, said that Walker had been approached by the care facility regarding outstanding fees owed. While initially informing the facility that he was “struggling” with payments, he ended up admitting that he had “spent his mother’s money”. The prosecutor also revealed that while some money was used to cover petrol and bills, “he spent a lot of money on Lego” as well. On Monday, Walker appeared for sentencing after pleading guilty to two counts of theft. The Judge, David Pugh sentenced him for a pretty mean offence of theft from his 83-year-old mother, adding that there had been a “breach of a high degree of trust” by Walker. He received an 18-month jail sentence, suspended for two years. He also admitted that while he had made a mistake, he took advantage of his mother and must pay for what he did. He was additionally ordered to complete 180 hours of unpaid work and up to 15 days of Rehabilitation Activity Requirement. Fit and fine? Leisha Bond, a lawyer, decided to give it a spin on the pole after a court day Leisha Bond claims that she feels fitter than ever, and her diabetes is also better. PIC/THE MIRROR A 52-year-old lawyer in the UK, Leisha Bond, claims that taking up pole dancing is the reason she is in the finest condition of her life. After a busy day in court, Bond changes from her robes into thigh-high boots to rehearse pole routines by evening. The family solicitor attempted this novel exercise last January after sensing something missing in her life, and now practises five times weekly. She also claims that pole dancing has proved miraculous for her Type 1 diabetes. Bond explained, “I thought it would be a challenge and so far out of my comfort zone.” Well your honour, everybody needs to give it a spin sometimes. Dress to impress PIC/INSTAGRAM@NATASHA_SOMERVILLE A fashion designer bride, Natasha Somerville, doesn’t want to go to her wedding wearing something basic. One of her dazzling ideas involves wearing a mini frock made from the “most transparent” natural latex, causing a social media sensation. Though Natasha loves the dress, commenters joked, “A little too modest for me, but you do you.” We hope it stays as an idea. Berry is the new black PIC/ODDITYCENTRAL A black strawberry variety known as “Black Pearl” has gone viral in China. These dark red fruits, dubbed “the Hermes of strawberries”, are said to also be much sweeter than most other varieties, but will set you back more than Rs 9,000 per kilo. Strawberry growers in China claim that Black Pearl strawberries have a lower yield than normal strawberries. As per experts, the dark colour of Black Pearl is caused by their high anthocyanin content, which is a natural pigment. Age no bar! PIC/ODDITYCENTRAL Bad news for over-40 clubbers! Now, a bar in Shibuya, Japan only accepts patrons between the ages of 20 and 39. An employee said, “Basically, our customers are young, so when older customers visit, complaints about the noise increase. We wanted to narrow our target demographic where everyone can enjoy themselves comfortably.” One man’s trash, another’s gold PIC/ODDITYCENTRAL A China-based blogger claimed to have successfully refined more than 191 grams of gold from scrap SIM card chips and electronic trash after using strong acid dissolution and electrolytic reduction. He even shared a video of the so-called ‘SIM alchemy’ process causing quite a reaction on social media. Boy gets a cool bull ring Why do children love living on the edge? This boy in China’s Hunan province in Huaihua sent his nose to jail by getting a lock pad stuck in it. The local firefighters were as astounded as we are. Fearing injuries to the child, they decided to cut through the lock with shears. Surprisingly the boy held his calm the entire operation. Of course, he promised to never lock his nose up again.
01 February,2026 07:54 AM IST | China | A CorrespondentAt least 16 houses belonging to members of the Hindu minority community in Bangladesh have been set ablaze since December 1, 2025, while 17 Hindus were killed in targeted attacks during the same period, the Rights & Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) said in a report released on Friday. According to the rights body, seven of the arson attacks took place in the past one week alone, amid what it described as election-related violence marked by targeted attacks on Hindu minorities, particularly arson and murder by Islamist groups. The incidents were reported from Mirsarai and Raozan in the Chittagong region, as well as from Pirojpur and Sylhet. The report named victims whose houses were allegedly set on fire in Mirsarai, including Tapan Dhar, the family of late Amio Dhar, Kanu Nath, Ashok Dhar, Anup Dhar and Mridul Saha. In Raozan, the affected families include Sukh Shil, Anil Shil, Bimal Talukdar, Rubel Das, Sadhan Barua, Sona Pal and Kamini Mohan Pal. One member of the Saha family in Pirojpur and Bikash Ranjan Deb in Sylhet were also reported to have lost their homes in similar attacks. Explaining the alleged modus operandi, RRAG Director Suhas Chakma said the attacks involved deliberate arson. “Fires were deliberately set on temples, residential homes and haystacks. The doors of Hindu and Buddhist homes were locked from the outside before being set on fire. The aim was to burn them alive,” Chakma said, adding that the Chittagong region had witnessed the highest number of such incidents, particularly in Mirsarai and Raozan. The report further alleged that at least 17 Hindu minorities were murdered in targeted violence between December 2, 2025 and January 23, 2026. Some of the killings were described as having been carried out in a “Taliban-style” manner, including throat-slitting, while in one case, Chanchal Chandra Bhowmik was allegedly killed after the garage where he was sleeping was set on fire. Those killed during the period include Chanchal Chandra Bhowmik (January 23, 2026); Samir Das and Prolay Chaki (January 11, 2026); Joy Mohapatra (January 10, 2026); Mithun Sarkar and Sarat Mani Chakraborty (January 6, 2026); Rana Pratap Bairagi (January 5, 2026); Khokon Chandra Das (December 31, 2025); Bajendra Biswas (December 29, 2025); Amrit Mondal (December 24, 2025); Dipu Chandra Das (December 18, 2025); Shanto Chandra Das (December 12, 2025); Jogesh Chandra Roy and Suborna Roy (December 7, 2025); and Prantosh Kormokar and Utpol Sarkar (December 2, 2025). Rights group flags denial of communal angle, cites Yunus’ remarks on minority attacks in Bangladesh RRAG also criticised the Bangladeshi authorities for repeatedly dismissing any religious motive behind the attacks. The report referred to statements by Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus, who has previously said that many incidents involving minorities were linked to political perceptions and criminal activity rather than communal violence. In September 2024, Yunus had stated that there was a perception that many Hindus supported the deposed Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina, and that those associated with it had faced attacks. More recently, on January 19, 2026, he said that of around 645 incidents involving minority communities reported between January and December 2025, the “overwhelming majority” were criminal in nature rather than communal. “This denial of any religious angle by the authorities has emboldened religious fundamentalists,” Chakma said, alleging that many victims, fearing reprisals, described the targeted burning of their homes as accidents or acts of foul play despite losing all their assets or narrowly escaping death.
31 January,2026 04:17 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
-1769859114270_d.png "These operations come after Pakistani security forces killed 41 militants on Thursday and Friday. Representational Pic")
-1769863819357_d.png "Oman's Foreign Minister Albusaidi, left, being welcomed upon his arrival to attend the 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting, in New Delhi. PIC/PTI")
