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As Nepal’s first openly gay parliamentarian, Sunil Babu Pant educated his colleagues on LGBTQ topics. More than a decade later, the former lawmaker and activist is sharing similar knowledge with locals and tourists on the capital’s streets. On Saturdays, Pant hosts a heritage walk through the heart of Kathmandu, which is dotted with ancient temples, stupas and decrepit old houses that have withstood haphazard urbanization. The three-hour tour introduces the city’s matriarchal religious sites while exploring elements of gender and sexuality. These sites, some in Hindu temples, feature paintings and wooden carvings with deities engaging in sexual acts, along with homoerotic illustrations and hermaphroditic figures. “You’ll see a lot of nudity, it’s very normal … living in Kathmandu, it should be taken as pride, not shame,” says Pant. As he navigates the dusty streets, the aroma of incense, along with freshly brewed chiya, or milk tea, and traditional morning breakfast items – gwara mari, or fried dough balls, and the sweet fluffy malpuwa – in nearby shops fills the morning air. Pant’s heritage tour, which he pioneered in 2010, is a personal endeavor, partly aimed at promoting LGBTQ tourism in the South Asian country. Now, the Nepal government is showing interest in investing in LGBTQ-specific services to tap into the multi-billion dollar “pink economy” and promote LGBTQ inclusion in the country’s tourism industry. STORY

The US Supreme Court has ruled that the Constitution prohibits American universities from considering the race of applicants as part of its admissions process. The court once again has divided sharply on ideological lines. The six conservative justices in the majority heralded the decision as a step toward a more colourblind society, where students will be measured by their accomplishments, not their race. The three liberals condemned the ruling, arguing that it ignored the ongoing reality of discrimination in America. The sweeping decision applies to every university, public and private, across the US. But it is the prestigious Ivy League institutions like Harvard, where tens of thousands of applicants compete for hundreds of spots a year, that could be affected the most by the ruling. The court did not say it was directly overruling a 20-year-old legal precedent that universities could consider race as a factor in a holistic effort to create a diverse student body. But University of Texas law professor Steve Vladeck says the effect will be just as significant. STORY

Security forces in Austria have seized hundreds of weapons, as well as Nazi flags and paraphernalia, during raids on properties linked to an extreme-right group. Six people were arrested during the operation, in which 13 properties in the provinces of Upper and Lower Austria were searched. The authorities believe they are members of "outlaw motorcycle gangs". Police also found illegal drugs and more than €1m (£860,000) in cash. The operation took place on Monday, but official details about it were released on Thursday. Among the weapons seized were "35 long firearms, 25 sub-machine guns, 100 pistols, over a thousand weapons components, 400 signal weapons", according to the interior ministry. Grenade launchers and more than 10,000 rounds of ammunition were also recovered. The house searches were part of a larger investigation into criminal motorcycle gangs in Austria. Story

Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic rocket plane has carried customers into space, in its first commercial flight. The 90-minute mission was purchased for the Italian Air Force and the Italian National Research Council. The unity vehicle climbed high over the New Mexico desert to the edge of space, before gliding back down to earth. The mission took off from Spaceport America at around 0830 local time (1430 GMT) and was livestreamed around the world. Story

Woman loses her leg after getting caught in an airport travelator: Passengers' horror as moving walkway at Bangkok airport mangles victim's limb forcing medics to amputate it in order to free her. Full Story

Activists and asylum seekers have won an appeals court challenge to the government's planned deportation program in Rwanda. Three judges have overturned a Supreme Court ruling that said the East African country could be considered a "safe third country" for migrant transfers. It is the latest court ruling in a long-running legal battle over the implementation of the controversial project, which was announced last April as part of an anti-Channel crossing scheme. Delivering his judgment, Chief Justice Lord Burnett said he did not think the migrants were at risk of being deported from Rwanda to their home countries, but that Rwanda was not a safe place for them while their asylum claims were being processed.. More on this story from © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2023-06-29

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said a Russian agent suspected of involvement in the deadly attack in Kramatorsk will be charged with treason. He said those who helped Russia destroy lives deserved the "severeest punishment". Twelve people, including three teenagers, were killed in a missile attack on a popular restaurant on Tuesday. Ukraine said the man, a resident of Kramatorsk, had sent video footage of the restaurant to the Russian military hours before it was vandalized. The victims included 14-year-old twin sisters Julija and Anna Aksenchenko and a 17-year-old girl. "The Russian missile stopped the heartbeats of the two angels," the education department of the Kramatorsk city council said in a statement. At least 60 others were wounded, including Colombian nationals and a prominent Ukrainian author. On Wednesday, Ukrainian security services released a photo of a local man they arrested, who they said was a Russian agent. More on this story from -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2023-06-29

As the new ‘Mission: Impossible’ film ‘Dead Reckoning’ prepares to hit cinemas, Geoffrey Macnab looks back at how Tom Cruise and a run of celebrated directors transformed a Sixties TV series into a blockbuster franchise You may well have seen the stunt already: Tom Cruise on a motorbike driving headlong off a cliff into a valley somewhere in Norway and then, a few nerve-wracking moments later, he finally opens his parachute. As his bike plummets toward the rocks below, he soars upward. Paramount leaked the video six months ago to whet appetites for the release of Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, out next month. Cruise has called it the most spectacular stunt in the movie and “the most dangerous thing he has ever attempted”. FULL STORY

£1.6m of the Sovereign Grant was spent on the late Queen’s funeral and housekeeping and hospitality rose £1.1m to £2.4m The Prince of Wales received a private income from the Duchy of Cornwall of nearly £6 million this year, but was criticised for not publishing an annual report in his first year as heir to the throne. William inherited the Duchy landed estate after the death of his grandmother the late Queen and the accession of his father the King, and is now entitled to its surplus profits every year. More on this story

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Turkey condemned a decision by Swedish authorities to approve a small Quran-burning demonstration outside a mosque in Stockholm on Wednesday, a move that may jeopardize Sweden’s bid to join NATO before the bloc’s key summit in July. A single person took part in the planned Quran burning in the Swedish capital and images of the event show he was the only person apart from his translator at the demonstration, which coincided with the Muslim holiday of Eid-al-Adha, one of the most significant in the Islamic calendar. The decision to permit the protest was made in accordance with the right of freedom of speech, Swedish police said, adding that the demonstration does not pose an immediate security risk. But allowing such an inflammatory protest stirred a backlash in Turkey, a NATO member state that has obstructed Sweden’s accession bid. Sweden and neighboring Finland both formally applied to join the bloc after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine.” Turkey’s foreign minister condemned the protest on Wednesday, calling it a “heinous act.” FULL STORY

President Biden is denying he was present when his son Hunter allegedly texted a Chinese business partner in 2017 demanding payment. IRS supervisory agent Gary Shapley says Hunter used his father as leverage to get the money. Hunter Biden’s attorney questioned the legitimacy of the message. NBC News’ Gabe Gutierrez has more details. FULL sTORY (VIDEO)

WASHINGTON — House Republicans are using the powers of their majority to carry out Donald Trump’s quest for retribution against his political adversaries, bolstering the indicted former president’s 2024 campaign message that he is the victim of a wide-ranging conspiracy by “villains” who must be brought down. The battle to avenge Trump began on the first day of the new Congress, and it has grown nearly six months into the GOP majority, led by Trump’s staunchest allies in the conference and usually getting a helping hand from Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. They’re fighting to “expunge” his impeachments. They’ve punished his most outspoken Democratic critics. They’re investigating law enforcement entities that charged Trump. They crafted a “weaponization” panel that channels his grievances. Swing-district Republicans are in a bind between the wishes of their pro-Trump GOP base and Trump-skeptical independents. “I accept Trump at his word that he will seek retribution,” said David Jolly, a former Republican congressman who is now a vocal Trump critic. “But what we’ve learned is: If he has a Republican Congress, that Congress will probably do what they can to ensure Trump has the executive authority to seek retribution.” FULL STORY

Protesters pray outside Dutch government buildings in The Hague, Netherlands, as the Upper House of Parliament began debating registration that will legalize euthanasia under strict guidelines. The slogan on the table reads, "Human considers, God decides." Netherlands programs have euthanized otherwise healthy individuals with autism and intellectual handicaps in recent years, researchers have found. Five individuals under the age of 30, who cited autism as a factor in their decision to seek legal euthanasia, are among the cases reviewed by specialists at the U.K.'s Kingston University. "Factors directly associated with intellectual disability and/or ASD were the sole cause of suffering described in 21% of cases and a major contributing factor in a further 42% of cases," Kingston University's report on the issue found. NETHERLANDS EXPANDS EUTHANASIA LAWS TO INCLUDE TERMINALLY ILL CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS 1 YEAR OLD The study noted that in many cases, doctors determined there was "no prospect of improvement" for intellectually challenged individuals because there is no treatment for their handicap. Story

The U.S. Attorney who led the federal investigation into Hunter Biden was "briefed" on the key FBI form that contained allegations that then-Vice President Joe Biden and a foreign national were engaged in a criminal bribery scheme that involved influence over U.S. policy decisions, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee revealed Wednesday. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent letters to Attorney General Merrick Garland and the Trump-appointed Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss, who led the federal investigation into Hunter Biden demanding answers amid allegations from whistleblowers suggesting the probe was slow-walked and influenced by politics. GRASSLEY, GRAHAM DEMAND FBI TURN OVER KEY DOCUMENT LINKED TO BIDEN ALLEGATIONS Graham wrote to Garland and Weiss separately, seeking information on the alleged politicization that influenced decisions throughout the Hunter Biden probe. Full Story & Video

Russia's president has said members of the Wagner mercenary group were fully funded by the state. According to Vladimir Putin, Wagner was given 86.262bn roubles ($1bn) from May 2022 to May 2023 alone for salaries and bonuses, which came from the defence ministry and state budget. The private army's revolt on Saturday rocked Russia. Its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, arrived in Belarus on Tuesday after agreeing to leave Russia. His arrival was confirmed by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. Earlier, a private jet linked to Prigozhin was tracked landing in Minsk, the Belarusian capital. On Saturday, mercenary troops led by Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin took over the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, marched on Moscow and shot down Russian military helicopters and a plane on their way. Their mutiny was later aborted after a deal was struck with the help of Mr Lukashenko. The Russian authorities said Wagner will be disarmed but its members will escape prosecution over its short-lived rebellion. Full Story

Thousands of extra security forces are facing a second night of unrest in France after a 17-year-old driver was shot and killed by police near Paris on Tuesday during a traffic check. The teenager, named as Nahel M, was shot at point-blank range as he drove off and crashed soon afterwards. Paris police said they had contained "sporadic episodes" of fresh violence. In Toulouse, protesters started a fire and threw stones at firefighters as they tried to put it out. Demonstrators also clashed with police in the northern city of Lille. French President Emmanuel Macron said the shooting of Nahel was "unforgivable". But his comments drew an angry reaction from police unions, who accused him of rushing to judge the officers involved. The Alliance Police union called for them to be presumed innocent until found guilty, while the rival Unité SGP Police also spoke of political interventions that encouraged "anti-cop hatred". Full Story

Parts of the tourist submersible that imploded on a deep dive to the Titanic, killing five people, have been seen for the first time since the incident. Metal wreckage from the Titan sub was unloaded from the Horizon Arctic ship in St John's, Canada, on Wednesday. Photographs showed metal pieces from the sub covered in tarps before cranes lifted them on to trucks. US Coast Guard officials have said the submersible's landing frame and a rear cover were found among the debris. All five people on board the vessel died on 18 June after it imploded about 90 minutes into a dive to view the famous 1912 shipwreck, which sits at a depth of 3,800m (12,500ft) in the north Atlantic. The submersible's construction included at least one titanium end cap, a titanium ring and a carbon fibre cylinder. The debris brought ashore on Wednesday appeared to include at least one titanium end cap, the sub's porthole with its window missing, as well as a titanium ring, landing frame and the end equipment bay, according to BBC. Full Story

Joe Biden told reporters that Vladimir Putin is “clearly losing the war in Iraq” in his latest blunder. The US president on the South Lawn of the White House when he was asked how damaged Mr Putin was in the aftermath of Wagner Group’s aborted uprising. “He’s clearly losing the war in Iraq. He’s losing the war at home and has become a bit of a pariah around the world,’ Mr Biden said, clearly referencing the war in Ukraine. He was heading to Chicago to deliver an address on the economy when he made the gaffe. Story Video

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Paedophiles are using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to create and sell life-like child sexual abuse material, the BBC has found. Some are accessing the images by paying subscriptions to accounts on mainstream content-sharing sites such as Patreon. Patreon said it had a "zero tolerance" policy about such imagery on its site. The National Police Chief's Council said it was "outrageous" that some platforms were making "huge profits" but not taking "moral responsibility". The makers of the abuse images are using AI software called Stable Diffusion, which was intended to generate images for use in art or graphic design. AI enables computers to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. The Stable Diffusion software allows users to describe, using word prompts, any image they want - and the programme then creates the image. But the BBC has found it is being used to create life-like images of child sexual abuse, including of the rape of babies and toddlers. UK police online child abuse investigation teams say they are already encountering such content. FULL STORY