While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, July 29
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Druze elders and mourners surround the coffins of 10 of the 12 people killed in a rocket strike from Lebanon.
PHOTO: AFP
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Hezbollah evacuates positions ahead of expected Israel raids: Source close to group
Hezbollah has evacuated positions in south and east Lebanon after Israeli threats of reprisals for a deadly strike on the annexed Golan Heights, a source close to the group said July 28.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant vowed to “hit the enemy hard” a day after rocket fire from Lebanon killed 12 minors in Majdal Shams, again raisings fears that the war in Gaza will spread.
Israel blamed Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement for firing a Falaq-1 Iranian rocket but the Iran-backed group – which has regularly targeted Israeli military positions – said it had “no connection” to the incident.
Turkey debates fate of millions of stray dogs
REUTERS
The Turkish parliament on July 28 started an emotional debate on a law aiming to clamp down on millions of stray dogs that opponents say could lead to a vast animal euthanasia campaign.
The government estimates there are four million stray dogs and the law, which will be debated over several days, will allow the killing of sick animals and those with “negative behaviour”.
The maximum fine for abandoning dogs would be increased 30-fold to 60,000 lira (S$2,439).
Paris Olympic opening creator defiant, denies Last Supper reference
via REUTERS
The mastermind of the ambitious Paris Olympics opening ceremony on July 28 rejected criticism his boundary-breaking show had gone too far, saying it had created a “cloud of tolerance” and denying any reference to the Last Supper that angered the Church.
Some Catholic groups and French bishops have condemned what they saw as “scenes of derision and mockery of Christianity” in July 26’s parade choreographed by Thomas Jolly, a leading theatre director.
Criticism has focused on a scene involving dancers, drag queens and a DJ in poses that recalled depictions of the Last Supper, the final meal Jesus is said to have taken with his apostles.
Loh Kean Yew beats Jan Louda for Paris 2024 Olympics opening win
Sporting a new perm, Singapore’s top badminton player Loh Kean Yew enjoyed a relatively straightforward start to his Paris 2024 Olympics Group M campaign with a 21-13, 21-10 win over Czech Republic’s Jan Louda on July 28.
One of the fastest players on the world tour, the world No. 13 took a short while to get going against his 63rd-ranked opponent in front of a sell-out crowd at the Porte de la Chapelle Arena, as he trailed by four points early on and 9-11 at the interval of the opening game.
But once his engines were greased, and he started to find his smashing range, it was business as usual as Loh reeled off 11 straight points to take the first game.
Lewis Hamilton wins Belgian Grand Prix after teammate George Russell is disqualified
EPA-EFE
Lewis Hamilton won his fifth Belgian Grand Prix on July 28, after initial race winner and Mercedes teammate George Russell was disqualified as his car was found to be underweight.
The car was found to be 1.5kg below the minimum weight required and all other drivers moved up one place in the classification.
“During the hearing, the team representatives confirmed that the measurement is correct and that all required procedures were performed correctly,” the governing FIA said in their release.
