Sectarian violence in Syria has been less intense than feared since Assad's ouster

Global country superstar Jelly Roll will perform his first concert in New Zealand at The Outerfields in Auckland on November 8 as part of his Down Under 2025 Tour. Pre-sale tickets go on sale today at 3pm, with general sales starting on August 11, featuring songs from his upcoming album Beautifully Broken and hits like "Liar" and "I Am Not Okay." Want More Context? 🔎

Bollywood actor Huma Qureshi's cousin, Asif Qureshi, was killed in a parking dispute in Delhi's Nizamuddin area, leading to the arrest of two brothers, Gautam and Ujjwal. The altercation, which escalated from a request to move a parked scooter, resulted in Asif being attacked with a sharp object, and he was pronounced dead at the hospital. Want More Context? 🔎

Britain’s minister for homelessness, Rushanara Ali, has resigned amid allegations of evicting tenants and raising rents on her property, which contradicts her previous stance against exploitation of tenants. Her departure marks the fourth resignation under pressure for Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose Labour government is trailing in polls behind Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party. Want More Context? 🔎

A brush fire, known as the Canyon Fire, ignited east of Lake Piru in Ventura County, California, on Thursday, quickly expanding from 50 acres to over 1,000 and prompting evacuations in the area. This fire is one of at least four active in Southern California, as wildfires continue to escalate in the state, with more than 4,400 reported and over 221,100 acres burned this year. Want More Context? 🔎

The M23 rebel group, backed by Rwanda, has not received an invitation to upcoming peace talks in Doha regarding the conflict in eastern Congo, jeopardizing efforts to end violence that has resulted in thousands of deaths and mass displacements. While both sides aim to negotiate a peace deal, delays in prisoner releases and respect for prior agreements have hindered progress, causing uncertainty about participation in the talks. Want More Context? 🔎

A couple from Geraldton, WA, won $100,000 on a Scratch ’n’ Win ticket and are celebrating by traveling to Adelaide to watch the Fremantle Dockers play Port Adelaide. They expressed disbelief at their win, recalling a previous smaller jackpot, and plan to treat their grown children to dinner to celebrate their good fortune. Want More Context? 🔎