Palestinians in Gaza begin Ramzan staring at hunger

Student sentenced to death, teenager gets life term in Pakistan for ‘blasphemy’

Palestinians began fasting for Ramzan on Monday as the Muslim holy month arrived with ceasefire talks at a standstill, hunger worsening across the Gaza Strip and no end in sight to the fivemonthold war between Israel and Hamas.

Prayers were held outside amid the rubble of demolished buildings late on Sunday. Some people hung fairy lights in packed tent camps, and a video from a UN shelter showed children dancing and spraying foam as a man sang into a loudspeaker.

But there was little to celebrate after five months of war that has killed over 30,000 Palestinians and left much of Gaza in ruins. Families would ordinarily break the daily fast with holiday feasts, but even where food is available, there is little beyond canned goods and the prices are too high. “You don’t

A Pakistani court sentenced a 22yearold student to death and gave a teenager a life sentence in two separate cases after finding them guilty of insulting Islam’s Prophet Muhammad, a defence lawyer and officials said on Monday.

Both had denied the charges and have the right to appeal.

Aslam Gujar, a lawyer who represented student Junaid Munir said that the judge in the city of Gujranwala in Punjab province announced the death penalty last week. The trial stemmed from charges brought in 2022 that Mr. Munir shared blasphemous content via WhatsApp.

Also last week, 17yearold Abdul Hanan was convicted and sentenced to life in prison in a separate case in the same court.

Mr. Munir’s father, Munir Hussain, denied the charge against his son. Mr. Hussain said by phone that he was living in hiding along with his family.

Under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, anyone found guilty of insulting the religion or religious figures can be sentenced to death. While authorities have yet to carry out a death sentence for blasphemy, just the accusation can provoke riots. see anyone with joy in their eyes,” said Sabah alHendi, who was shopping for food in Rafah. “Every family is sad. Every family has a martyr.”

The U.S., Qatar and Egypt had hoped to broker a ceasefire ahead of the month of dawntodusk fasting that would include the release of dozens of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and the entry of humanitarian aid, but the talks stalled last week.