Poll

• India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has dismissed local elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as a "farce," accusing Islamabad of using the polls to mask a violent crackdown on dissent. • The MEA alleges that Pakistani security forces have killed at least 90 civilians since June during clashes with protesters led by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC). • The unrest stems from accusations of political interference and electoral manipulation by Pakistan, while the Pakistani government denies targeting civilians and defends its security measures.

• India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has condemned local body elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), labeling the process a "complete farce" and a "hollow electoral exercise." • The MEA asserts that Pakistan is using these polls to mask severe public unrest, which has seen massive protests since last month over political discrimination and inflated living costs. • The situation is critical as a security crackdown by Pakistani forces has reportedly led to the deaths of dozens of protesters.

• India has condemned the recent elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), labeling the process a "complete farce" amid allegations of electoral manipulation. • The region has faced severe turmoil since June, driven by widespread protests against inflation and high electricity tariffs. • Indian officials report that Pakistani forces have killed 90 people in the region since June to suppress the unrest.

Survey finds party members see health, the economy, cost of living and climate crisis among biggest challengesAndy Burnham has inherited a Labour membership that is sceptical about increased welfare spending, supportive of higher defence spending, and ranks the climate crisis as one of the country’s biggest challenges, according to new polling.The survey of 788 members between the end of June and the end of July shows them ranking health (43%), the economy (42%), cost of living (39%) and climate change (29%) as Britain’s most important issues, ahead of welfare benefits (7%) and immigration (6%). Continue reading...

• Newsweek is analyzing 27 critical midterm election races across 19 states to determine which contests will likely decide the balance of power in Congress. • The analysis focuses on a mix of House toss-up seats and high-stakes Senate battles to gauge current political momentum. • This evaluation is significant as it utilizes polling data and market trends to predict shifts in legislative control three months before the election.

• The European Union is deploying its largest-ever firefighting force to southern Europe to assist member states in battling ongoing wildfires. • The initiative aims to provide critical resources and personnel to high-risk regions currently facing extreme fire conditions. • This escalation highlights the growing challenge of climate-driven wildfires and raises questions about whether current EU resources are sufficient for long-term protection.

A Guardian investigation finds irrigation canals polluted with microplastics in Turkey, a major destination for UK waste• ‘Nobody cares’: Turkish farmers bear the burden of UK’s plastic waste problemHigh levels of microplastics and other plastic contamination have been discovered in a waterway close to a major recycling hub in Turkey supplied with plastic waste by British companies.The polluted waterway, which floods into agricultural fields after heavy rain, feeds into a larger canal used for irrigating crops on the Çukurova plain, in the city of Adana, in the south of the country. It is one of the largest and most fertile agricultural basins in Turkey. Continue reading...