Srinagar, Aug 06: Russia is experiencing its sharpest population decline since the Covid-19 pandemic, despite President Vladimir Putin’s repeated claims that reversing the demographic crisis is a top national priority, according to a report by Bloomberg.

Recent research reported by Izvestia has raised concerns over the possible disappearance of more than 130 small towns across Russia, home to around 3.4 million people. These towns, many with populations under 50,000, are grappling with severe demographic decline and shrinking job opportunities.

Citing findings from the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), the TASS news agency noted that the population in these towns has dropped by over 314,000 in the past decade. The sharpest declines were observed in towns historically reliant on coal, metal, and lumber industries—particularly in northern regions.

Researchers identified towns in the Bryansk, Novgorod, Kirov, and Krasnoyarsk regions as being among the most vulnerable. Experts caution that without immediate policy intervention, many of these settlements may vanish entirely, potentially leaving thousands without access to essential services and livelihoods. The industrial crisis and continued population drift toward larger urban centres increase the risk of towns being lost entirely,” the researchers told Moscow TImes.

Among those most at risk are Verkhny Tagil in the Sverdlovsk region, Trubchevsk in Bryansk, Inta in the Republic of Komi, Kem and Medvezhyegorsk in the Republic of Karelia and Torzhok in the Tver region, all of which have seen steep population declines.

Official data from Rosstat, the Federal Statistics Service, shows that the number of births in 2024 dropped to 1.22 million—down 3.4% from 2023—marking the lowest birth rate since 1999. At the same time, the number of deaths rose by 3.3% to 1.82 million, the first increase since the peak of the pandemic in 2021.

Overall, the rate of population decline accelerated by around 20% compared to the previous year. Analysts attribute this worsening trend in part to the ongoing war in Ukraine, now in its third year, which continues to strain the country’s social and economic system.

Tel Aviv, August 06: The United Nations in its report stated that approximately 28 children are being killed daily in Gaza due to the ongoing conflict and its restrictions on the delivery of direly needed humanitarian assistance.

“Death by bombardments. Death by malnutrition and starvation. Death by lack of aid and vital services. In Gaza, an average of 28 children a day – the size of a classroom – have been killed. Gaza’s children need food, water, medicine and protection. More than anything, they need a ceasefire, NOW,” the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said in a post on X..

Since October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, more than 18,000 children have been killed in Gaza, approximately one child every hour, with total Palestinian deaths exceeding 60,933 and over 150,000 injured, as per Al Jazeera.

Israel has closed Gaza’s crossings since March 2, only allowing 86 trucks of aid into the besieged enclave daily, a figure equal to just 14 per cent of the minimum 600 trucks needed each day to meet the basic needs of the population, according to data from Gaza’s Government Media Office.

The lack of aid has led to an unprecedented famine in Gaza, as reported by Al Jazeera.

UN experts and more than 150 humanitarian organisations have called for a permanent ceasefire, to allow for aid deliveries and the psychological recovery of what they’ve dubbed a “lost generation”.

On Wednesday, at least 83 people were killed by Israeli attacks across Gaza, including 58 aid seekers.

The Palestinian Civil Defence appealed to the UN and aid agencies for “urgent assistance and intervention” to supply the enclave with fuel for equipment to rescue the wounded.
The Israeli army said that six countries have airdropped 110 more aid packages into the enclave, bringing the total amount of airdropped packages since July 27 to 785.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met top security officials to discuss war options, including the full occupation of Gaza, as per Al Jazeera.

Srinagar, Aug 06: A passenger onboard captured chaotic scenes from inside the plane, later recounting the terrifying experience to ABC News. Initially, they believed it was just turbulence.
“We thought it was the turbulence the captain mentioned, but then we started hearing a noise… and we were like, okay, something’s going on,” said the passenger.

Another video circulating on social media shows nearly half of the plane’s nose completely destroyed.

Following the incident, Iberia released the following statement assuring safety of all involved. “The entire flight crew, including pilots and cabin crew, acted with the utmost professionalism in managing the situation and attending to the passengers.

ABC News contributor Col. Steve Ganyard, USMC (Ret.), stated that bird strikes are very common. “Fewer than 10% of those bird strikes cause damage to the aircraft,” Ganyard said, “In this case, the damage was severe enough to one of the engines that it caused smoke coming into the cabin,”

The flight, headed for Paris Orly Airport, was forced to return to Madrid just 20 minutes after takeoff, according to the New York Post. Relief swept through the cabin as the plane landed safely, prompting passengers to break into applause.

New Delhi, Aug 06: Bangladesh’s interim government which is seen as an authoritarian rule has announced that the country will hold parliamentary elections in February 2026, its first since the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last year. The decision, declared by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus during a televised address marking the anniversary of the July Uprising, marks a key step in the country’s return to electoral democracy.

Yunus, who took over the leadership of the caretaker government following the collapse of Hasina’s regime in August 2024, said the interim administration would formally request the Election Commission to conduct the polls before the start of Ramadan. The Nobel laureate reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring free, fair, and inclusive elections, pledging full support to the electoral body.

The announcement comes amid ongoing political flux and deepening divisions over the timeline and legitimacy of upcoming elections. Yunus had initially proposed June 2026 as a possible date, but pressure from various political groups including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami, and the student-led National Citizen Party (NCP)pushed for an earlier schedule.

February’s vote will be the first since the toppling of Hasina’s 15-year rule, which ended after weeks of mass student-led protests last year. Hasina left the country in early August 2024. She currently faces trial in absentia in Bangladesh on charges related to a violent crackdown on protestors during her final months in office. The charges include allegations of crimes against humanity, which she denies.

As part of his address, Yunus also reiterated the interim government’s reform agenda by reading out the “July Declaration” a document that outlines a framework for constitutional reform, justice for past abuses, and the institutionalisation of democratic norms. While supporters of the declaration hail it as a turning point, critics argue that it lacks legal weight and could remain symbolic unless accompanied by concrete institutional changes.

Since Hasina’s departure, the Awami League has been banned and hundreds of its supporters have been detained without trial, according to human rights groups and local media reports. The situation remains volatile, with sporadic unrest and concerns about political violence still looming.