At Nepal school, outpouring of grief for climber Nirmal Purja

As rescuers recovered the body of climbing legend Nirmal Purja on Sunday, grief rippled hundreds of kilometres away in Nepal at the school where he first displayed the grit that would make him world-famous.

At the Small Heaven School in Chitwan district, friends, teachers and students gathered around a framed photograph of the 43-year-old British-Nepali climber, adorned with flowers.

Lighting candles, they shared with AFP their memories of the boy they knew long before he became one of the most celebrated figures in modern mountaineering.

“When he was missing, we were praying for him and spent sleepless nights,” Dhiraj Bahadur Panta, a school friend of Purja, told AFP, his voice quivering with emotion.

“It was not only me and my friends. I think people all over the world who knew him… prayed for him. But it was his fate; no one could avoid it.” Purja was killed alongside nine other climbers after they were caught in a deadly avalanche on Pakistan’s Broad Peak on Thursday.

News of his death has prompted heartfelt tributes from across the climbing community and beyond, with figures such as Britain’s Prince William offering condolences.

Purja arrived at the boarding school in Nepal’s southern plains as a young boy before later joining the British Gurkhas, a path that eventually led him into elite military service and then to global mountaineering stardom.

He studied at the school for eight years, forging a close bond with fellow students and teachers.

‘Fearless’

On Sunday, students filed past his portrait, laying flowers and offering prayers as teachers remembered their courageous and disciplined pupil.

“Even when he was in class three, he was fearless and committed to achieving something,” Shailendra Baral, who supervised Purja in the school hostel, told AFP.

“He was honest and an obedient student, which made us happy. We found courage in him even when he was a child.” In 2019, Purja stunned the climbing fraternity by scaling the world’s 14 highest peaks in just over six months, shattering the previous record of seven years.

His feat was later chronicled in a Netflix documentary, helping inspire a new generation of climbers and elevating Nepal’s profile in a sport long dominated by Western adventurers.

In 2021, he was part of the historic all-Nepali team that completed the first winter ascent of K2, the world’s second-highest mountain and one of mountaineering’s most dangerous challenges.

In 2022, Purja received a hero’s welcome when he came to Chitwan for the screening of his documentary.
“I grew up here, running around with no shoes on,” he said in a social media post at the time.

“This is my hometown and so I wanted everyone here to see the film and inspire the younger generation.” For many of the students gathered on Sunday, Purja’s achievements were already part of the school’s folklore.

“It really feels bad to hear this news because we had always (heard) good things about him,” said student Sarbagya Paudel.

“His bravery has set a great example for our school. Not only has he made our school proud, but he has also brought pride to Nepal.

“It is heartbreaking to know that he is no longer with us. “

from Dawn - Home https://ift.tt/NyIx81B

US govt advises Americans to leave Mideast

• US embassies urge citizens to ‘consider departing’ the region
• Iran says any country acting as US defensive shield will be engulfed by flames of war
• Official insists Tehran planning for worst-case scenarios
• 30 commercial vessels redirected by US naval blockade, says Centcom
• Tanker struck by ‘unknown projectile’ off Oman; Kuwait destroys hostile drones
• Houthis deny plans to impose fees on ships sailing through Red Sea

TEHRAN: United States embassies in capitals across the Middle East urged Ame­rican citizens to beware of an “unforeseen escalation” in the regional conflict and asked them to be ready to leave on Saturday as Iran’s military accused the US of “escalating tensions” in the region and warned countries against cooperating with Washington.

US embassies in Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates posted the alerts online.

“Americans in the region should consider departing, or be prepared to depart should there be escalation,” said the security alert.

The messages urged citizens to check flight details and to follow safety advice from local authorities.

“Americans currently in the Middle East should exercise caution and heightened vigilance and should be prepared for flight cancellations, periodic airspace closures, and potential travel disruptions,” it said.

Americans in Jordan were told not to visit US military bases there, which have recently come under Iranian missile att­ack, and in Israel they were urged to seek the location of the nearest bomb shelter.

“The Iranian regime is unpredictable, as seen by its recent decisions to attack areas in the region without warning or provocations as well as to expand attacks to areas not previously targeted [such as Egypt],” said a post on the US Embassy Jerusalem site.

The US embassy in Beirut said that the mission remained on “ordered departure status”, meaning that non-emergency US government personnel were still relocated outside of Lebanon.

Iran’s warning

“The United States is rapidly moving down the path of escalating tensions in the region,” said Ali Abdollahi, head of Iran’s military central command.

“Any country serving as a defensive shield for criminal and aggressive America will be engulfed by the flames of war,” he said in a statement read on state television.

The remarks came after US President Donald Trump reiterated threats to hit Iran “very hard”.

US media reported he was considering renewed heavy attacks as soon as this weekend, including against energy infrastructure targets.

This week, Iran and the US resumed overnight exchanges of fire after a days-long lull in fighting although there were no reported strikes overnight Friday to Saturday.

Mohammad Mokhber, adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, also warned against any attacks on Iranian infrastructure.

“You calculate through military equations, but we respond with the logic of history,” he wrote on X. “Attacking Iran’s infrastructure directly awakens the fault lines on which 250 years of your hegemonic architecture have been built.”

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian praised the Iranian people as “heroes” for enduring the US-Israeli war on the country, Al Jazeera reported.

Despite having endured “wars, pressure, and relentless hostilities”, Pezeshkian wrote on X, “The future of Iran will be shaped by the people of Iran.”

Separately, Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref was quoted by the semi-official Fars news agency as saying that the country was preparing supplies for the next two years, without elaborating on the types of supplies, Al Jazeera reported.

The official said maintaining peace among the people would continue to be the main priority and that the government was planning “even for the worst conditions”.

Kuwait ‘destroys hostile drones’

On Wednesday a drone struck a US-owned gas vessel moored in an Egyptian port, causing a fire. Egypt is investigating but has not yet accused any group of launching the attack.

Meanwhile an “unknown projectile” struck a tanker off the coast of Oman, a British maritime agency said on Saturday, as the United States and Iran vie for control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Kuwait’s army also said on Saturday it had detected and destroyed hostile drones in the country’s airspace since dawn, and that what it described as an Iranian attack had targeted several vital facilities.

A government facility in northern Kuwait and civilian property belonging to a company on Bubiyan Island were hit, it said, adding that falling shrapnel caused material damage but no casualties.

Iran has effectively maintained control over navigation through Hormuz since the outbreak of the war, requiring vessels to obtain permission and pay transit fees before using the waterway.

Maritime trade tracking firm Kpler said on Friday that traffic through the Hormuz strait has dropped “sharply”.

US Central Command (Centcom) said that as part of the naval blockade of Iranian ports, American forces have redirected 30 commercial vessels, boarded two and disabled two others.

Meanwhile, a merchant vessel safely passed through the Red Sea under the protection of the Italian frigate Bergamini, the European Union naval mission ASPIDES said on Saturday.

ASPIDES, the EU’s defensive maritime security operation in the Red Sea, did not identify the vessel or disclose its flag, ownership or cargo details.

Houthis deny plans to impose fees

Separately, Yemen’s Houthi-run maritime coordination body denied on Saturday that it planned to impose fees on commercial ships transiting the Bab al-Mandeb strait, saying no such decision had been taken and that passage through the strategic waterway remained free.

The Houthi-run Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOCC) said its “safe transit service was a voluntary and cost-free service”.

“The HOCC categorically confirms that any individual or entity requesting the payment of money in exchange for transiting the Bab el-Mandeb strait does not represent the Republic of Yemen or HOCC in any capacity whatsoever,” it said in a statement.

“The HOCC urges shipping companies not to make any payments or provide any information to unauthorized individuals or entities,” it said.

Published in Dawn, August 2nd, 2026

from Dawn - Home https://ift.tt/R8K2Ixg

Second phase of AJK elections on Sunday in 9 Muzaffarabad division, 12 refugee constituencies

MUZAFFARABAD: Polling for the second phase of elections to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly will be held on Sunday in nine constituencies of Muzaffarabad division and all 12 constituencies reserved for Kashmiri refugees settled in Pakistan, where more than 340 candidates are contesting 21 seats.

According to the AJK Election Commission, 207 candidates are in the fray for the nine constituencies in Muzaffarabad division, comprising five seats in Muzaffarabad district and two each in Neelum and Jhelum Valley districts.

Another 137 candidates are contesting the 12 refugee constituencies, including six seats representing refugees from the Kashmir Valley and six from Jammu.

A total of 809,621 voters are registered in Muzaffarabad division, including 427,955 men and 381,666 women.

The 12 refugee constituencies have a combined electorate of 438,834, comprising 247,776 male and 191,054 female voters.

Internet services were suspended again on Friday, less than 45 hours after being restored, as part of efforts to discourage elements attempting to disrupt the election process. Official sources said the services were likely to be restored on Sunday.

However, the Election Commission made it clear that polling would be held as scheduled in all nine constituencies of Muzaffarabad division and the 12 refugee constituencies.

It added that polling would continue from 8am to 5pm without a break.

Election material had been delivered to all polling stations in the 12 refugee constituencies, the commission said, adding that the distribution of polling material had also been completed in all constituencies of Neelum and Jhelum Valley districts, while the process had entered its final stage in the five constituencies of Muzaffarabad district.

Polling staff had also been dispatched to their respective polling stations under stringent security arrangements.

According to the commission, 1,483 polling stations have been established across Muzaffarabad division, of which 533 have been declared highly sensitive, 741 sensitive and 209 normal.

Another 1,057 polling stations have been set up for the 12 refugee constituencies.

It said all administrative and security arrangements had been completed and security personnel had already been deployed at polling stations to ensure the peaceful conduct of polling.

Separately, in a televised message to the public on the eve of polling, Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Ghulam Mustafa Mughal urged voters to exercise their right to franchise, saying the vote was the only means through which citizens could choose a better future and capable leadership.

“There is no substitute for the vote, and every citizen should fulfil this national responsibility,” he said, adding that the vote was a trust that should be entrusted to an honest and competent candidate.

Mughal appealed to the electorate to participate wholeheartedly in the democratic process and demonstrate responsible citizenship. He said all arrangements had been finalised to ensure peaceful, transparent and fair elections.

During the first phase of elections in Mirpur division, the PML-N grabbed nine out of the 13 constituencies.

Polls in AJK are being held in three phases over security concerns, with the first set of polls held in Mirpur division on June 27. Scuffles, violence and allegations of rigging had marred the polling process, with the PML-N and PPP accusing each other of electoral malpractice.

According to preliminary results issued by the AJK Election Commission (Forms-27), the PML-N emerged as the winner in nine constituencies, while the PPP could secure only four seats.

from Dawn - Home https://ift.tt/a4yTlUE