While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, July 21, 2025
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Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba meeting the media following upper house elections, at the Liberal Democratic Party's headquarters in Tokyo on July 20.
PHOTO: AFP
Japan PM’s future in doubt after election debacle
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s future was unclear on July 21 after his coalition appeared to have disastrously lost its upper house majority in elections that saw strong gains by a right-wing populist party.
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has governed almost continuously since 1955, and its partner Komeito had to win 50 seats in the July 20 vote but they secured only around 41, according to local media projections.
Voters angry at inflation turned to other parties, notably the “Japanese first” Sanseito, which made strong gains with its “anti-globalist” drive reminiscent of US President Donald Trump’s agenda.
The debacle comes only months after Mr Ishiba’s coalition also lost its majority in the lower house, suffering the LDP’s worst result in 15 years.
Indonesia ferry fire kills five as hundreds rescued
PHOTO: FACEBOOK/ABDUL RAHMAN AGU
An Indonesian ferry fire killed at least five people on July 20, the country’s coast guard said, while more than 200 others were saved with many jumping overboard to flee the huge blaze.
The KM Barcelona 5 ferry was engulfed in flames off the coast of Sulawesi island, Indonesia’s Maritime Security Agency said, just weeks after at least 19 people were killed when a ferry sank off the popular resort island of Bali.
“Five people were reported dead, two of whom have yet to be identified. Meanwhile, 284 people have been evacuated safely,” the agency, also known as Bakamla, said in a statement.
Pakistan arrests suspect in viral ‘honour’ shooting
SCREENSHOT: X/@SHERRYREHMAN
Pakistan on July 20 arrested a suspect after a video emerged on social media of a woman and a man being shot and killed for marrying against the wishes of their families, in a so-called honour killing, authorities said.
The couple, who were not identified, were shot dead on the orders of a local tribal council in June in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, according to provincial authorities, who investigated after the video went viral.
One of the suspects has been arrested after the location and people in the video were identified, the provincial chief minister, Mr Sarfraz Bugti, said in a statement.
Drama at London opera as performer unfurls Palestinian flag
London’s Royal Opera House on July 20 condemned as “wholly inappropriate” the actions of a performer who held up a Palestinian flag onstage at the end of a performance.
Video footage posted online shows a brief scuffle at the edge of the stage as a figure dressed in a shirt and tie unsuccessfully attempts to stop the performer.
The incident in the British capital on July 19 during the curtain call came on the closing night of an 11-night run of Il Trovatore, a four-act opera by Giuseppe Verdi.
Scheffler a class apart as he romps to first Open title
PHOTO: AFP
A relentless Scottie Scheffler sealed his first British Open triumph by four shots as he turned the final day of the tournament into a procession at Royal Portrush on July 20.
The 29-year-old American world number one started out with a four-stroke lead and apart from one mid-round blip, never looked like relinquishing his iron-like grip as the chasing pack were left scrapping for minor places.
Scheffler resembled a towering giant amongst men all week on the glorious Causeway Coast, rekindling memories of 15-times major winner Tiger Woods in his pomp, and he rubber-stamped his fourth major title with a clinical final-round 68.
