Taiwan holds military drills
Taichung (Taiwan): Taiwan’s military fired missiles from the air and the island’s shore facing China on Thursday in a live-fire exercise to demonstrate its ability to defend against any Chinese invasion.
Assault helicopters launched missiles and fighter jets dropped bombs on targets at sea, while tanks and missile trucks fired from a beach to deter a simulated invading force.
The drill was part of a five-day annual exercise that ends on Friday. (AP)
Rawalpindi jail allows visitors
RAwalpindi: Visitors have been allowed into Rawalpindi Central Jail after it banned all sorts of visits nearly four months ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The jail administration on Wednesday issued a schedule of the meetings which will be organised under the strict standard operating procedures (SOPs), reports The Express Tribune.
Under the latest rules, only family members will be allowed to meet their loved ones inside the jails.
But, there will be a restriction on inmates meeting with children and the elderly. (IANS)
Lourdes holds online pilgrimage
Paris: One of the Catholic Church’s holiest sites, Lourdes, is holding its first-ever online pilgrimage on Thursday, to mark the anniversary of claims by 19th-century girl Bernadette Soubirous that the Virgin Mary appeared to her.
July 16 marks the anniversary of Bernadette’s visions, and the discovery of allegedly healing spring waters. It led the church to build a cathedral there in southern France near the Pyrenees.
The day-long celebrations include Masses, processions and prayers, in addition to priests and guests speaking about how Lourdes has impacted their lives. It’s being called Lourdes United, and is being broadcast all day until 10 pm. (AP)
Black Lives Matter statue removed
London: A sculpture of a Black Lives Matter protester in the UK’s Bristol city was removed on Thursday from the plinth where a statue of slave trader Edward Colston once stood. The sculpture of Jen Reid was erected on Wednesday but removed by Bristol City Council just over 24 hours later, reports the BBC.
Reid had been photographed standing on the empty plinth after the Colston statue was pulled down during protests.
Mayor Marvin Rees said it was up to the people of Bristol to decide what would replace Colston’s statue. (IANS)
