Syrian government forces set to re-enter Sweida province after renewed Druze-Bedouin clashes

<p>-

  • Syrian government forces set to re-enter Sweida province after renewed Druze-Bedouin clashes</p>

<p>GHAITH ALSAYED July 18, 2025 at 12:54 AM</p>

<p>Syrian government forces sit on their armored personnel carrier, as they withdraw from Sweida city, southern Syria, Tuesday, July 15, 2025.(AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed) ()</p>

<p>DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Renewed clashes broke out overnight between Druze armed groups and members of Bedouin clans in southern Syria, and government forces were preparing to deploy again to the area Friday after pulling out under a ceasefire agreement that halted several days of violence earlier this week, officials said.</p>

<p>Government security forces agreed with some of the Druze factions that they would re-enter the area to impose stability and protect state institutions, according to two Syrian officials who spoke Friday on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.</p>

<p>Syrian government forces had largely pulled out of the Druze-majority southern province of Sweida after days of clashes with militias linked to the Druze religious minority that threatened to unravel the country's fragile post-war transition.</p>

<p>The conflict drew airstrikes against Syrian forces by neighboring Israel in defense of the Druze minority before most of the fighting was halted by a truce announced Wednesday that was mediated by the U.S., Turkey and Arab countries. Under that agreement, Druze factions and clerics would be left to maintain internal security in Sweida, Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa said Thursday.</p>

<p>The clashes initially began between Druze militias and local Sunni Muslim Bedouin tribes Sunday before government forces intervened and took the Bedouins' side against the Druze. The fighting killed hundreds of people over four days, with allegations that government-affiliated fighters executed Druze civilians and looted and burned homes.</p>

<p>Israel intervened, launching dozens of airstrikes on convoys of government fighters and striking the Syrian Defense Ministry headquarters in central Damascus in a major escalation of its involvement.</p>

<p>The Druze form a substantial community in Israel, where they are seen as a loyal minority and often serve in the Israeli military.</p>

<p>After the ceasefire and withdrawal of government forces, clashes once again flared between the Druze and Bedouin groups in parts of Sweida province. State media reported Druze militias carried out revenge attacks against Bedouin communities, leading to a wave of displacement.</p>

<p>The Druze religious sect began as a 10th-century offshoot of Ismailism, a branch of Shiite Islam. More than half of the roughly 1 million Druze worldwide live in Syria. Most of the other Druze live in Lebanon and Israel, including in the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Mideast War and annexed in 1981.</p>

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Syrian government forces set to re-enter Sweida province after renewed Druze-Bedouin clashes

<p>- Syrian government forces set to re-enter Sweida province after renewed Druze-Bedouin clashes</p> <p...

From setbacks to captaincy: Wilson ready to lead Australia against the British and Irish Lions

<p>-

  • From setbacks to captaincy: Wilson ready to lead Australia against the British and Irish Lions</p>

<p>JOHN PYE July 18, 2025 at 12:26 AM</p>

<p>1 / 5Australia Lions RugbyAustralian rugby union players Fraser McReight, left, captain Harry Wilson and Matt Faessler, right, go through a drill during their captain's run in Brisbane, Friday, July 18, 2025, ahead of the first match of a 3-test series agains the British & Irish Lions. (Jono Searle/AAP Image via AP)</p>

<p>BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Whatever the odds or the occasion, one thing that never changes for Harry Wilson is what he wants to be wearing.</p>

<p>After a stop-start beginning to his international career the rugged No. 8 has been picked to wear the gold Wallabies jersey again and to lead the Australian lineup in Saturday's series-opening test against the heavily-favored British and Irish Lions.</p>

<p>"I've just always wanted to be a Wallaby," Wilson told media Friday as he stood, hands on hips, hair ruffled, on the field at Suncorp Stadium. "To me, it's the biggest honor you can get.</p>

<p>"Being able to captain your country ... it's something I'll never take for granted."</p>

<p>How seriously he takes that responsibility was evident two weeks ago when, with a desperate, twisting lunge, Wilson dragged Fijian defenders over the line to score the decisive try that ensured Australia's preparation for the Lions series didn't start with an upset loss.</p>

<p>For head coach Joe Schmidt, who first chose Wilson to captain the Wallabies last year, it solidified his decision.</p>

<p>The absence of explosive runner Rob Valetini means Schmidt will be relying on Wilson to take on more load with the ball in hand against a powerful Lions pack led by lock and skipper Maro Itoje, something he expects his captain will relish.</p>

<p>"We're very confident," Wilson said. "Preparation ... we've done everything we wanted to do, and we feel like we're in a really good place."</p>

<p>The Lions are 5-0 on their tour of Australia so far and there's improving odds they'll sweep the three-test series, speculation that Wilson's Wallabies are desperate to disprove.</p>

<p>"With Wilso, he just loves representing Australia," said Schmidt, a New Zealander who had great success as head coach of Ireland. "I just love the enthusiasm he has for the gold jersey and leading himself well.</p>

<p>"He doesn't say a lot, Harry, but what he does do well is he demonstrates well. I'm not saying he can't speak — he's just out of breath a lot of the time."</p>

<p>Just like he was two weeks ago after scoring two minutes from fulltime to seal that 21-18 win over Fiji. That victory came at a cost for the Wallabies, losing flyhalf Noah Lolesio to injury.</p>

<p>That has resulted in 22-year-old Tom Lynagh, Wilson's teammate at the Queensland Reds, starting a test in the No. 10 jersey for the first time.</p>

<p>"This week he's really has found a voice in the group," Wilson said, confidently leaving the playmaking duties to the rookie flyhalf. "He knows when he gets that No. 10 on his back it's his team. That's the way he's treated it."</p>

<p>Wilson knows what it's like to be thrust into international rugby at a young age. He burst onto the international scene at age 20 in 2020 in a 16-all draw with the New Zealand All Blacks, quickly earning a reputation as a tough and uncompromising competitor.</p>

<p>He played nine of the next 10 tests for Australia before missing selection for the end of the Rugby Championship, and then didn't go on the Wallabies' spring tour.</p>

<p>Wilson returned to the Wallabies in 2022 but then experienced a serious career setback when Eddie Jones didn't pick him in Australia's squad for the 2023 World Cup.</p>

<p>That, combined with Australia's failure to reach the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time, really lit the fire in a kid who grew up in a country town to get back into the gold jersey and help rebuild a reputation.</p>

<p>"You have your ups and downs — no one has a career where you don't have downs, and I've definitely had a fair few," he said. "But I've just always wanted to put myself in these situations. It definitely has made the lows all worth it, to get back."</p>

<p>___</p>

<p>AP rugby: https://ift.tt/nbcjeDw>

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From setbacks to captaincy: Wilson ready to lead Australia against the British and Irish Lions

<p>- From setbacks to captaincy: Wilson ready to lead Australia against the British and Irish Lions</p> <p...

India's First Formula One Driver Narain Karthikeyan Gets Biopic Treatment With Mahesh Narayanan's 'NK 370' (EXCLUSIVE)

<p>-

  • India's First Formula One Driver Narain Karthikeyan Gets Biopic Treatment With Mahesh Narayanan's 'NK 370' (EXCLUSIVE)</p>

<p>Naman RamachandranJuly 18, 2025 at 1:00 AM</p>

<p>Mahesh Narayanan, the acclaimed Indian director behind "Take Off," "Malik," and Locarno title "Ariyippu," is set to helm "NK 370" (working title), a Tamil-language feature film chronicling the extraordinary journey of Narain Karthikeyan, India's first Formula One driver.</p>

<p>The project, currently in development at India's Blue Marble Films, will be produced by Faraz Ahsan, Vivek Rangachari, and Pratik Maitra. The screenplay comes from Shalini Usha Devi, who penned the critically acclaimed "Soorarai Pottru."</p>

<p>More from Variety</p>

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<p>F1 Champion Nigel Mansell, Williams Racing Celebrated in Sky Documentary 'Red 5' - Global Bulletin</p>

<p>"Narain Karthikeyan's journey isn't just about racing. It's about belief — in yourself, your country, and a dream no one else can see. That's what drew me to this story," said Narayanan.</p>

<p>The film follows Karthikeyan's remarkable rise from a rebellious boy in Coimbatore to the international racing circuit, overcoming class, color, and crashes to reach Formula One's pinnacle.</p>

<p>Ahsan said: "India has some of the most dangerous roads in the world — just surviving traffic here takes skill. But what fascinated me was how someone like NK went from navigating those roads to racing at 365 km/h — a speed faster than a commercial aircraft at takeoff. I've been after Narain for years to secure the rights, and after a few honest conversations and the right team coming together, he finally said yes."</p>

<p>The story begins with young Narain sitting on his father's lap, gripping the steering wheel of an old rally car. His father, a former national rally champion, had filled their home with engines, tools, and unrealized dreams. At five, Narain received a homemade go-kart, crashing and spinning across the driveway — particularly enjoying wet conditions that made racing more challenging.</p>

<p>Despite his parents' concerns about the expensive sport and lack of government support, Narain's passion never wavered. After excelling in his 10th-grade exams, he convinced his parents to let him return to racing. His father modified a Maruti 800 into a training car and became his coach.</p>

<p>At fifteen, Narain entered his first Formula Maruti race at Sriperumbudur circuit in Chennai in 1992. Starting 17th on the grid, he fell to last place early but rallied in the final 10 laps, overtaking 16 racers to finish third — announcing the arrival of India's motorsport underdog.</p>

<p>To prove himself internationally, Narain attended the prestigious Winfield Racing School in France, where more than 30 F1 drivers had trained. As the only Indian and only brown-skinned driver, he faced racism and bullying from 20 white students from elite families. During his final test in wet conditions, he recorded the second-fastest lap time, earning recognition as "something special."</p>

<p>The film will chronicle both his triumphs — including wins in Formula Asia, British Formula Ford, and Formula 3 — and his devastating setback at the Macau Grand Prix, where he crashed at 270 km/h on the final lap while leading by six seconds. The crash cost him sponsors and friends, forcing a return to India and a period of reflection.</p>

<p>The narrative includes his romantic subplot, meeting his future wife in an elevator — a woman who knew nothing about racing but believed in him unconditionally. His redemption came when he returned to Macau, trained harder by driving dangerous mountain hairpins in Ooty, and won the race that had once destroyed his dreams.</p>

<p>In 2005, Narain Karthikeyan achieved his ultimate goal, becoming India's first Formula One driver with Jordan F1 team. On debut in Melbourne, he out-qualified seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher and started 12th on the grid. He later became the first Indian to score F1 World Championship points, finishing fourth at the United States Grand Prix, and subsequently joined Williams F1 as a test driver.</p>

<p>"Motorsport gave me everything. This film gives that story to the world," said Karthikeyan.</p>

<p>Cast announcements are expected soon, with the production targeting a global audience hungry for underdog stories that transcend cultural boundaries. The film aims to capture not just the high-octane world of Formula One, but the deeply personal journey of a man who refused to let geography, economics, or prejudice limit his dreams.</p>

<p>Best of Variety</p>

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<p>Final Emmy Predictions: Talk Series and Scripted Variety - New Blood Looks to Tackle Late Night Staples</p>

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India’s First Formula One Driver Narain Karthikeyan Gets Biopic Treatment With Mahesh Narayanan’s ‘NK 370’ (EXCLUSIVE)

<p>- India's First Formula One Driver Narain Karthikeyan Gets Biopic Treatment With Mahesh Narayanan's 'NK 370...

North Korea bans foreign tourists to newly opened beach resort

<p>-

  • North Korea bans foreign tourists to newly opened beach resort</p>

<p>HYUNG-JIN KIM July 18, 2025 at 12:07 AM</p>

<p>1 / 2North Korea TourismChildren run into sea at the Wonsan-Kalma resort in Wonsan, Kangwon Province, North Korea, Wednesday, July 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Chol Jin)</p>

<p>SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea is suspending the entry of foreign tourists to a recently opened mega beach resort, a move that dims prospects for the complex that leader Kim Jong Un hailed it as "one of the greatest successes this year."</p>

<p>DPR Korea Tour, a website run by North Korea's tourism authorities, said in a notice Wednesday that the eastern coastal Wonsan-Kalma tourist complex "is temporarily not receiving foreign tourists." It gave no further details including why a ban was established or how long it would last.</p>

<p>North Korea says the complex can accommodate nearly 20,000 guests. The resort opened to domestic tourists July 1 before receiving a small group of Russian tourists last week. Observers expected North Korea to open the resort to Chinese tourists while largely blocking other international tourists.</p>

<p>Ban comes after visit by Russia's top diplomat</p>

<p>The announcement came after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov flew to the complex to meet Kim and Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui for talks last weekend.</p>

<p>North Korea and Russia have sharply expanded military and other cooperation in recent years, with North Korea supplying weapons and troops to back Russia's war against Ukraine. During a meeting with Choe, Lavrov promised to take steps to support Russian travel to the zone.</p>

<p>"I am sure that Russian tourists will be increasingly eager to come here," he said.</p>

<p>But experts say North Korea likely decided to halt foreigner travels to the zone, including visits by Russians, because of a newspaper article by a Russian reporter who travelled with Lavrov that implied North Koreans at the zone appeared to be mobilized by authorities and not real tourists.</p>

<p>"The North Korean government is believed to have determined that it would face some negative consequences when it opens the site to foreigners," said Oh Gyeong-seob, an analyst at Seoul's Korea Institute for National Unification.</p>

<p>Lee Sangkeun of Seoul's Institute for National Security Strategy said the ban could be associated with difficulties in recruting Russian tourists because many would consider the zone too far away and expensive.</p>

<p>Ban likely won't remain for long</p>

<p>Experts say North Korea must open the Wonsan-Kalma zone, the country's biggest tourist complex, to Russian and Chinese tourists after what was likely a huge construction and operational expenditure from the country's tight budget.</p>

<p>"If foreign tourists aren't allowed to the site, no Russian rubles, Chinese yuans and dollars won't come in. Then, North Korea can't break even and it has to shut down the resort," said Ahn Chan-il, head of the World Institute for North Korean Studies think tank in Seoul.</p>

<p>Kim has said the site would be "one of the greatest successes this year" and "the proud first step" in tourism development. North Korea's state media reports the Wonsan-Kalma site has been crowded with local tourists.</p>

<p>North Korea has been slowly easing the curbs imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic and reopening its borders in phases. But the country hasn't said if it would fully resume international tourism.</p>

<p>Chinese group tours, which made up more than 90% of visitors before the pandemic, remain stalled. In February, North Korea allowed a small group of international tourists to visit the northeastern city of Rason, only to stop the program in less than a month.</p>

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North Korea bans foreign tourists to newly opened beach resort

<p>- North Korea bans foreign tourists to newly opened beach resort</p> <p>HYUNG-JIN KIM July 18, 2025 a...

In Liberia's version of baseball, there are no bats and no men

<p>-

  • In Liberia's version of baseball, there are no bats and no men</p>

<p>MONIKA PRONCZUK July 17, 2025 at 11:22 PM</p>

<p>1 / 5Liberia KickballWomen on the Girls of Aries kickball team, part of Liberia's professional kickball league, talk together before a match at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium in Monrovia, Liberia, June 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Annie Risemberg)</p>

<p>MONROVIA, Liberia (AP) — It was a perfect pitch. The ball sped straight across home plate, where it was met with an equally powerful kick. Perryline Jimmie sprinted toward first base after her kick as her teammates erupted in cheers on the sidelines.</p>

<p>Jimmie, 23, is a professional player of kickball, a close cousin of baseball that is beloved by women in Liberia and played all over the country from schoolyards to public squares and dirt fields. Since its introduction in the 1960s, it has become the nation's second-most popular sport after soccer.</p>

<p>Kickball in Liberia has the rules of baseball but there are no bats, and players kick a soccer ball instead of the larger, lightweight ball used for the game in other places.</p>

<p>There also are no men.</p>

<p>"In Liberia, (kickball) is our tradition," said Jimmie, who noted many girls start playing kickball from an early age. "This is why you see women playing kickball in Liberia."</p>

<p>How kickball came to Liberia</p>

<p>In 1964, Peace Corps volunteer Cherry Jackson noticed that, unlike boys, the students at the all-girls school where she taught in Monrovia, the capital, didn't play any sports, according to Emmanuel Whea, president of Liberia's National Kickball League.</p>

<p>Jackson, an American, tried to teach the girls baseball but quickly realized they were much better at hitting the ball with their feet. That was the start of what became a custom for girls in the country of about 5.6 million people.</p>

<p>"When you're a girl growing up in Liberia, you will play kickball," Whea said.</p>

<p>Kickball is played in other parts of the world, including in the United States, where it is a common elementary school game for girls and boys. But only in Liberia is there a women-only professional league.</p>

<p>A league for women and peace</p>

<p>The National Kickball League was created in 1994 to bring people together as Liberia was reeling from a civil war.</p>

<p>The league was set up "to bring the ladies together and use them (as part of) the reconciliation process of Liberia," Whea said. "We had just left the civil war, and everybody had just scattered ... So kickball was one of those sports used to bring Liberians together so they could have the time to hear the peace messages."</p>

<p>Whea has big plans for the league, including expanding it to men and introducing the game to other African countries. However, his mission has been complicated by a lack of resources, especially in a region where women's sports often are underfunded.</p>

<p>Saydah A. Yarbah, a 29-year-old mother of two, admits it is hard to make ends meet on her athlete's salary despite playing kickball for 10 years. Her earnings are "not even near" what male athletes earn, she said.</p>

<p>An all-women sport headed by men</p>

<p>In Liberia, many sports, including soccer, are male-dominated. Despite kickball being a sport played by women, the league is led by men from the coaches to the referees and league officials.</p>

<p>The league encourages women but they really don't want to be coaches, Whea said.</p>

<p>"Their husbands might have a problem with them working full time (and) for some, their relationship will not allow it," he said</p>

<p>Yarbah plans to change that narrative by becoming a coach when she retires, allowing her to share her passion for the sport with others, including her two sons, she said.</p>

<p>"They are not going to play kickball for now," she said. "But probably in the future, they are going to introduce kickball to men."</p>

<p>For the moment, kickball remains a women's game. Men sometimes come during their practice, Yarbah said, but they do not stand a chance.</p>

<p>"They don't know the techniques of the game," she said. "So we always win."</p>

<p>___</p>

<p>For more on Africa and development: https://ift.tt/yE4hbi2>

<p>The receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find the AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.</p>

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In Liberia's version of baseball, there are no bats and no men

<p>- In Liberia's version of baseball, there are no bats and no men</p> <p>MONIKA PRONCZUK July 17, ...

Paige Bueckers Confirms She's Dating Long-Rumored Girlfriend Azzi Fudd

<p>-

  • Paige Bueckers Confirms She's Dating Long-Rumored Girlfriend Azzi Fudd</p>

<p>Ingrid VasquezJuly 17, 2025 at 10:57 PM</p>

<p>The Hapa Blonde/GC Images</p>

<p>Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers at 'Good Morning America' on April 16, 2025</p>

<p>Paige Bueckers confirmed she's dating Azzi Fudd during an interview with WAG Talk at a 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star event on Thursday, July 17</p>

<p>During the conversation, she answered questions about her "D1 girlfriend"</p>

<p>The former teammates have long been rumored to be dating</p>

<p>Paige Bueckers knows a thing or two about UConn Huskies' Azzi Fudd.</p>

<p>The Dallas Wings star, 23, was put to the challenge of answering questions about her former teammate, 22, in an interview with WAG Talk at a 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star event on Thursday, July 17.</p>

<p>"How well do you know your D1 girlfriend?" the interviewer asked, prompting a smile from Bueckers.</p>

<p>The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!</p>

<p>M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty</p>

<p>Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers speak with media after the 2025 NCAA Div I Women's Championship Final Four game between UConn Huskies and UCLA Bruins on April 4, 2025</p>

<p>Soon after, the WNBA athlete correctly answered a series of questions, including the name of the high school Fudd attended, the year she was named Gatorade Player of the Year, her ranking in the class of 2021, and the year she made her first collegiate start.</p>

<p>Other correctly answered questions included the college basketball team that Fudd's dad played for, the basketball player she was named after, the award she won for her national championship performance, and what her phone case says.</p>

<p>As fans recall, Fudd went viral after she posted a selfie showing her holding a phone with a case that read, "Paige Bueckers' Girlfriend."</p>

<p>After the WAG Talk interviewer asks, "Girlfriend reveal it's..." Bueckers says, "Azzi Fudd."</p>

<p>In the comment section, fans were happy to see Bueckers confirm their romance.</p>

<p>"GIRLFRIEND, we've come a long way," one person wrote. "She's cheesing mad hard too, that's her girl fr," another comment read.</p>

<p>Madison McGaw/BFA.com/Shutterstock</p>

<p>Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers in 2023</p>

<p>The basketball stars and former teammates have long been rumored to be in a relationship. After the 2025 ESPYs on Wednesday, July 16, Bueckers shared a photo of Fudd on the red carpet on her Instagram Stories, accompanied by a series of hot face emojis, according to Parade.</p>

<p>— sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.</p>

<p>Other instances of the two showing affection for one another have included Fudd sharing a selfie of the two wearing matching athleisure, being seen holding hands at a Wings road game and wearing matching "A" and "P" necklaces.</p>

<p>on People</p>

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Paige Bueckers Confirms She’s Dating Long-Rumored Girlfriend Azzi Fudd

<p>- Paige Bueckers Confirms She's Dating Long-Rumored Girlfriend Azzi Fudd</p> <p>Ingrid VasquezJul...

 

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