Gaza, August 07: The medical nonprofit Doctors Without Borders has urged an immediate end to Israel’s militarised food distribution programme in Gaza, calling it a system of “institutionalised starvation and dehumanisation,” Al Jazeera reported.

In a report released Thursday titled “This is not aid. This is orchestrated killing,” the medical aid group said it operates clinics near two Global Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid distribution sites in Rafah, southern Gaza, that are under Israeli military and US private contractor control.

According to Al Jazeera, Doctors Without Borders, better known by its French-language acronym MSF, said these sites, operational since May, have witnessed “stampedes, suffocating crowd surges, violent looting and lethal ‘crowd control’ measures”.

“The GHF distribution sites fall dangerously short of any recognised standard for safe and dignified humanitarian distributions,” the report said. “Nowhere else in the world where MSF operates – including in the most volatile conflict zones – would this level of violence around an ‘aid distribution’ site be tolerated. This must stop now.”

MSF said its teams were “mentally prepared for responding to conflict – but not to civilians killed and maimed while seeking aid.”

According to Al Jazeera, the nonprofit noted that its primary care clinics have turned into mass casualty units since GHF took over aid distribution.

Between June and July, MSF received 1,380 injured people and 28 bodies at its clinics in Gaza’s al-Attar and al-Mawasi areas, located near the two GHF sites, Al Jazeera reported.

Of those treated, 174 suffered gunshot wounds, including women and children. “A significant number of patients from GHF sites in Khan Younis arrived with gunshot wounds to their lower limbs bearing a precision that strongly suggests intentional targeting of people within the distribution sites, rather than accidental or indiscriminate fire,” the report said.

Al Jazeera further cited MSF, stating that patients also sustained injuries from “crowd control” measures like pepper spray and physical assault. Many arrived covered in dust and sand, “from time spent lying on the ground while taking cover from bullets.”

“People are being shot like animals,” an MSF coordinator said in the report. “They’re not armed. They’re not soldiers. They’re civilians carrying plastic bags, hoping to bring home some flour or pasta. And my question is: how high is the price they have to pay for one bag of food?”

Peshawar, Aug 07: At least three people were killed and 13 others, including three police personnel, injured in a bomb blast in northwestern Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Thursday, police said.

District Police Officer Tahir Shah said the improvised explosive device (IED) blast occurred close to a police patrol vehicle near a taxi stand in Wana tehsil in South Waziristan district.

At least two people were killed on the spot and another succumbed to his injuries at a hospital.

Tahir said security forces have been deployed in the area following the blast and subsequent firing. The injured were shifted to Wana Headquarters Hospital.

Pakistan has seen a sharp rise in terrorist attacks, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, since the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) called off its ceasefire with the government in November 2022.

Moscow, Aug 07: Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India is expected at the end of August, a leading news agency of the country reported on Thursday citing comments made by National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval during his ongoing visit to Moscow.

“We have now established very good relations, which we value very much, a strategic partnership between our countries. We interact at a high level… We were pleased to learn about President Putin’s visit to our country, scheduled for late August,” the Interfax news agency quoted NSA Doval as saying at a meeting with Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu in Moscow on Thursday.

Earlier, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov had confirmed that Putin is expected to visit India following an invitation from Prime Minister Modi.

The visit is being planned as part of the ongoing commitment to annual meetings between the two leaders.

“Our leaders have an agreement to meet once a year. This time, it is our turn,” Ushakov had said during a press briefing.

The last visit by the Russian President to India took place on December 6, 2021, during the 21st India-Russia Annual Summit in New Delhi.

PM Modi, meanwhile, held two high-profile visits to Russia last year, attending the 22nd Russia-India Summit in July and later participated in the BRICS Summit held in Kazan in October.

Citing that the political dialogue between India and Russia is “developing dynamically” and is facilitated by the fact that Moscow and New Delhi “have close or even coinciding views on the objectively emerging multipolar world order”, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had also indicated that preparations are being made for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s upcoming visit to India.

“Relations between our countries have a long history. It can be said that they have stood the test of time more than once. Today, Russia and India are developing equal cooperation based on sincere, mutual respect and consideration of each other’s interests,” Lavrov told the participants of the first international conference ‘Russia and India: Towards a New Agenda for Bilateral Relations’ which was also addressed by External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar in March, this year.

“It is difficult to overestimate the contribution of our leaders to this process. It is symbolic that Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his first bilateral foreign visit after his re-election last year to Russia. Now it is our turn. Russian President Vladimir Putin accepted the invitation of the head of the Indian government. The visit of the head of the Russian state to the Republic of India is being prepared,” he added.

In June, the Russian President sent a message of condolences to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the passenger plane crash in Ahmedabad.

“Please accept the deepest condolences over the tragic consequences of a passenger plane crash in Ahmedabad. Kindly convey the words of sincere sympathy and support to the families and near ones of the victims, as well as wishes for a speedy recovery to all those injured in this catastrophe,” said Putin

In May, President Putin also called Prime Minister Modi and “strongly condemned” the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, offering “full support” to India in its ongoing fight against terrorism.

A statement issued by the Kremlin said that Putin expressed sincere condolences to PM Modi over the death of Indian citizens as a result of the barbaric terrorist attack on April 22 and emphasised the need for an “uncompromising fight” against terrorism in any form.

“During the conversation, the strategic nature of Russian-Indian relations of a special privileged partnership was emphasised. These relations are not subject to external influence and continue to develop dynamically in all directions,” read the statement issued by the Russian President’s office.

“The Indian leader reiterated his invitation to the Russian President to visit India for the traditional annual bilateral summit. The invitation was accepted with gratitude,” it added.

PM Modi, who had also been invited by Putin for the participation in the Victory Day celebrations, however could not travel to Russia.

The Russian President had earlier extended his condolences to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Modi over the tragic consequences of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam.

Srinagar, Aug 07: The full moon in August is traditionally known as the Sturgeon Moon, a name rooted in the seasonal rhythms of the Great Lakes region in North America. According to TimeandDate, the name reflects the historical abundance of sturgeon fish during this time of year, when they were most easily caught.

The lake sturgeon is a fascinating freshwater species—males can live up to 55 years, while females can reach 150 years. These ancient fish can grow over 2 meters long and weigh as much as 90 kilograms.

The Center for Native American Studies stated that it’s called the Wild Rice Moon by the Anishinaabe people. According to NASA, it is known as the Green Corn and Grain Moon elsewhere in North America.

As The Old Farmer’s Almanac explains, the name “Sturgeon Moon” comes from the giant lake sturgeon once found in large numbers in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain. They were a vital food source for Native American communities during late summer. Though once plentiful, lake sturgeon are far less common today due to habitat loss and overfishing.

On August 9, Venus and Jupiter will appear close together in the eastern pre-dawn sky, creating a rare celestial event. The Moon will make a close pass to Saturn and Neptune on August 12, although only Saturn will be visible to the naked eye.