Trump order imposes additional 25% tariff on goods from India
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Deaf Palestinian uses social media to highlight Gaza's struggles through sign language
GAZA: Basem Alhabel stood amongst the ruins of Gaza, with people flat on the floor all around him as bullets flew, and filmed himself using sign language to explain the dangers of the war to fellow deaf Palestinians and his followers on social media. Alhabel, 30, who describes himself as a 'deaf journalist in Gaza' on his Instagram account, says he wants to raise more awareness of the conflict -- from devastating Israeli air strikes to the starvation now affecting most of the population -- by informing Palestinians and people abroad with special needs. Bombarded by Israel for nearly two years, many Gazans complain the world does not hear their voices despite mass suffering with a death toll that exceeds 60,000 people, according to Gaza health authorities in the demolished enclave. 'I wished to get my voice out to the world and the voices of the deaf people who cannot speak or hear, to get their voice out there, so that someone can help us,' he said through his friend and interpreter Mohammed Moshtaha, who he met during the war. 'I tried to help, to film and do a video from here and there, and publish them so that we can make our voices heard in the world.' Alhabel has an Instagram following of 141,000. His page, which shows him in a flak jacket and helmet, features images of starving, emaciated children and other suffering. He films a video then returns to a tent to edit -- one of the many where Palestinians have sought shelter and safety during the war, which erupted when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel in October 2023, drawing massive retaliation. Alhabel produced images of people collecting flour from the ground while he used sign language to explain the plight of Gazans, reinforcing the view of a global hunger monitor that has warned a famine scenario is unfolding. 'As you can see, people are collecting flour mixed with sand,' he communicated. Alhabel and his family were displaced when the war started. They stayed in a school with tents. 'There was no space for a person to even rest a little. I stayed in that school for a year and a half,' he explained. Alhabel is likely to be busy for some time. There are no signs of a ceasefire on the horizon despite mediation efforts. Israel's political security cabinet approved a plan early on Friday to take control of Gaza City, as the country expands its military operations despite intensifying criticism at home and abroad over the war. 'We want this situation to be resolved so that we can all be happy, so I can feed my children, and life can be beautiful,' said Alhabel - REUTERS
The Star
4 hours ago
- The Star
Hungry goat herds help fight fires in Spain's Catalonia
MATARO, Spain (Reuters) -Amid a symphony of tinkling bells, some 300 black, brown and dappled goats trot along a paved road in Spain's northeastern Catalonia region, stopping every now and then to nibble with gusto on the dry shrubs lining the edge of a forest. The herd wandering from town to town is part of a pilot project set up in the city of Mataro, which forms part of a broader European Union-funded effort to mitigate the risk of wildfires. Jose Antonio Ricis, Mataro's local councillor in charge of agriculture, said the project was a success and was "here to stay". Each summer, scorching heat sparks wildfires in countries across southern Europe ravaging vast swathes of land as climate change intensifies. In Catalonia last year, despite being in the third year of the worst drought in a century, the number of outbreaks decreased, with the regional government attributing the decline to improved fire prevention measures, of which goats are just one part. Goats are known for their voracious appetites, even feeding on thorny plants like cacti or thistles, making them ideal for clearing brush and other combustible materials to create natural firebreaks. The practice of using livestock to clear flammable undergrowth dates back centuries, but some farmers are turning away from machines favoured in modern times and back to goats and other animals in search of more sustainable farming techniques. In Spain's Galicia region, wild horses perform the job. Whistling in short bursts, Francesc Teixido and Pedro Alba, both 38, instruct their working dogs to get the goats moving along the perimeter of a residential area in wildfire-prone Maresme county, hugging central Catalonia's coast. The two business partners recently decided to combine their respective flocks and embrace the nomadic goat-herding life. Teixido's story began 14 years ago with a small experiment in goatherding in the Barcelona suburb of Badalona. However, others in the original group soon grew tired of the demanding lifestyle, and Teixido was left alone with his modest flock of seven goats. CHANGE OF LIFESTYLE "At first, it wasn't even a profession. I did it as a hobby, to learn," says Teixido, who had worked as a skiing, sailing and windsurf instructor before. "When you're an instructor, you're also looking after a group of children or adults and have to try to make sure they behave as well as possible," he quips, adding that he prefers his current sense of freedom. Alba also left a very different life behind: He had been a touring musician, but then the pandemic hit and travel restrictions became the norm. Faced with an unintended career change, he prioritised finding a job in which he could also spend time with his young son, so he started by buying a few goats from Teixido after meeting him at a party. Aside from the ability to bring his child along, Alba says he loves to consume high-quality milk and meat, but he intensely dislikes dealing with the red tape. The goatherders are paid by individual municipalities who use their services and by cheesemakers who particularly prize milk from the roving goats. However, these income streams also mean they have to deal with more bureaucracy related to tax and health regulations. The constantly moving animals graze on a wide variety of plants and don't require supplemental feed such as lucerne - resulting in a sweeter, fattier and more protein-rich curd with a higher yield and flavours that change with the season, the pair explain. "What seemed like a handicap at first became our main strength," Teixido says, referring to the goats' lack of fixed abode. Most of the income from milk sales and the municipalities that pay for the wildfire prevention programme is spent on getting better equipment. Ultimately, neither of them is in it for the money. "If you count the hours, it doesn't add up," says Alba. "We do it because we believe in another way of life and of managing the land." (Reporting by Albert Gea and Horaci Garcia; Writing by David Latona; Editing by Sharon Singleton)
Barnama
10 hours ago
- Barnama
Growing Up In A United Malaysia
At nearly all 30 or so houses in the small U-shaped enclave of the JKR quarters off Jalan Connolly (now Jalan Tun Perak) in Ipoh, life moved a little faster than usual toward the evening. KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 8 (Bernama) -- It was that day of the week when RTM would screen a Tamil film on television. One house belonged to a Chinese family, the other to an Indian family, and both opened their doors to everyone. Even in the late '60s, after television was introduced in Malaysia in December 1963, few homes could afford such a luxury. So, when RTM screened a film – especially a Tamil one – it was carnival time. The multiracial residents of the quarters were getting ready for their weekly 'show' at one of the two houses that owned a television set. That was just one facet of life in the '60s and '70s that I grew up in – an atmosphere where unity in diversity wasn't just seen, it was deeply felt. As the black-and-white film flickered on, Indian viewers would quietly translate the dialogue for their Malay and Chinese neighbours. Someone always brought snacks, and they were shared as naturally as stories and laughter. Children crowded the front of the television set, sitting cross-legged on the floor. Adults settled wherever they could – on chairs, on the floor, or even at the one open window of the cramped, one-bedroom quarters. There was more. We played together – top-spinning, kite-flying, 'police and thief', football and badminton. We shared traditional delicacies during festive seasons. We stood by one another during weddings and funerals. Race and religion were simply part of who we were, never a reason to divide. One memory remains especially vivid: the morning of 14 May 1969, a day after the racial riots erupted in Kuala Lumpur. A curfew had been imposed in Ipoh. The residents of the JKR quarters – Malay, Chinese, Indian – gathered at the centre of the enclave, quietly trying to comprehend the news from the capital. Racial violence? It was beyond our imagination. The crowd only dispersed when a police patrol car passed by, blaring a warning to stay indoors. Today, those quarters no longer exist. Where once stood homes full of life and laughter, now lie only crumbling concrete and overgrown undergrowth. But many of the people who once called that enclave home are still around, now nurturing grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They may have left their beloved quarters, but they carry with them the memory of a time lived in mutual respect and harmony, helping to shape the spirit of the nation. In every corner of Malaysia, the real story of this country has always been one of shared struggle, collective hope, and quiet acts of unity. That's why year after year, our National Day and Malaysia Day themes echo a familiar message: Malaysia is strongest when her people are placed at the heart of the national narrative. This year's theme – Malaysia MADANI, Rakyat Disantuni – reaffirms that commitment. It calls for a society guided not just by development, but by compassion, inclusion, and dignity. Introduced by the government, the MADANI framework champions six core values: sustainability, prosperity, innovation, respect, trust, and compassion. At its core lies a belief that unity is essential, not just for harmony but for every citizen to thrive. In 2025, as we navigate new and complex challenges, Rakyat Disantuni reminds us that progress must be people-centred. Beyond policies and infrastructure, what matters is whether the people – the schoolteacher in Sabah, the fisherfolk in Terengganu, the urban poor in Kuala Lumpur – feel seen, heard, and supported. Their wellbeing is the true measure of our national success. So let us reflect on the deeper meaning of disantuni. It speaks not merely of assistance, but of empathy, respect, and nurture. It reminds us that true patriotism is not loud or boastful; it is humble, inclusive, and rooted in kindness. At a time when the world often feels divided, Malaysia must hold fast to what makes it special: our ability to live, work, and dream together despite our differences. That strength does not lie in any one group or leader, but in all of us. As we raise the Jalur Gemilang this National Day and Malaysia Day, let us remember that the future of Malaysia will not be built by slogans alone, but by how we treat one another. Because, at the heart of Malaysia MADANI lies this enduring truth: The rakyat is not an audience to be addressed, but a family to be cared for. -- BERNAMA * M. Govind Nair is the Special Projects Editor at BERNAMA. BERNAMA provides up-to-date authentic and comprehensive news and information which are disseminated via BERNAMA Wires; BERNAMA TV on Astro 502, unifi TV 631 and MYTV 121 channels and BERNAMA Radio on FM93.9 (Klang Valley), FM107.5 (Johor Bahru), FM107.9 (Kota Kinabalu) and FM100.9 (Kuching) frequencies. Follow us on social media : Facebook : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatv, @bernamaradio Twitter : @ @BernamaTV, @bernamaradio Instagram : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatvofficial, @bernamaradioofficial TikTok : @bernamaofficial
