The Daily Populous

Monday August 4th, 2025 evening edition

image for 5 Russian fighter jets hit by Ukraine's SBU in drone operation in occupied Crimea, one destroyed

Drones operated by Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) struck five Russian fighter jets overnight on Aug. 4 at an airfield in Saky, a city in Russian-occupied Crimea, the agency said.

Ukrainian drones, in a Special Operations Center "A" mission, destroyed a Su-30SM aircraft, damaged another, hit three Su-24s, and struck an aviation weapons depot.

"The successful special operation carried out by the SBU in Saky marks another step toward weakening the enemy's capacity to wage its war of aggression against Ukraine," SBU said.

Russia deploys these fighter jets for regular attacks on Ukraine, as well as for patrols, radar surveillance, target guidance, and escorting long-range aircraft.

This is not Ukraine's first successful drone operation against Russian aircraft.

Ukraine carried out an unprecedented mass drone strike as part of the Operation Spiderweb on June 1, targeting four Russian air bases deep inside the country.

Ukraine has also carried out several successful attacks against Russian targets in occupied Crimea and its vicinity, heavily degrading the Russian Black Sea Fleet. »

Suicide crisis in South Korea: Nearly 10 aged 65+ take own lives each day

Authored by malaymail.com

SEOUL, Aug 3 — Nearly 10 South Koreans aged 65 and above died by suicide each day between 2019 and 2023, according to a new medical study in the Journal of the Korean Medical Association.

According to the study, the suicide mortality rate among South Koreans aged 65 and older stood at 40.6 per 100,000 in 2023.

People aged 65 and above now make up 19.5 per cent of South Korea’s total population of 51.81 million. »

Chinese university students told to spy on classmates, report says

Authored by bbc.com
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Chinese university students told to spy on classmates, report says.

Chinese students at UK universities are being pressured to spy on their classmates in an attempt to suppress the discussion of issues that are sensitive to the Chinese government, a new report suggests.

However, the UKCT report says some universities are reluctant to address the issue of Chinese interference because of their financial reliance on Chinese student fees. »

Amsterdam is building tiny staircases to help cats exit its canals

Authored by independent.co.uk

Amsterdam has allocated up to €100,000 to install steps along city centre canals to help cats out of the water.

The tiny wooden staircases aim to save felines and other animals from drowning in areas with high walls.

Steps will then be built at the highest-risk locations later this year to help cats safely climb back onto the shore. »