United Nations official says Palestinians in Gaza are experiencing ‘hell in all shapes’ as Israel steps up its Gaza City assault.
Bones and skin are all that is left of seven-year-old Mai Abu Arar.
The Palestinian girl is one of tens of thousands of children facing malnutrition in Gaza as Israel’s man-made famine deepens with the Israeli military stepping up its assault on Gaza City.
Mai’s mother, Nadia Abu Arar, says her child was once lively and joyous, but she is now fighting for her life after drastically losing weight.
“The doctors told me that she isn’t suffering from any disease or from any past condition. They’re saying it’s all due to malnutrition and I haven’t seen any improvement in her situation at all,” Nadia told Al Jazeera.
Hunger has weakened Mai to the point that she can now only consume liquid food through a syringe.
Hisham Abu Al Oun, paediatric director at the Patient’s Friends Hospital in Gaza City, said Israel has been preventing the delivery of medicines to the enclave, which has made it challenging to treat patients suffering from malnutrition.
“Potassium chloride is the easiest medication that any doctor can prescribe. We don’t even have that. We have babies dying because we don’t have it. Sometimes supplies come in, but unfortunately, very little,” he said.
On Friday, a United Nations-backed hunger monitor, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), confirmed for the first time that more than half a million people are experiencing famine in northern Gaza.
At least 289 people, including 115 childre,n have died due to starvation in the enclave so far.
Israel has been imposing a suffocating blockade on Gaza, allowing only a small amount of food through airdrops and the United States-backed group GHF, forcing Palestinians to risk their lives to reach aid sites deep inside areas under control of the Israeli military.
On Sunday, Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), said Palestinians in Gaza are experiencing “hell in all shapes”.
“This will haunt us. Denial is the most obscene expression of dehumanisation,” Lazzarini said in a statement.
“It’s time for the Government of Israel to stop promoting a different narrative + to let humanitarian organisations provide assistance without restrictions & allow international journalists to report independently from Gaza.”
In its report, the IPC said Israel’s ongoing war has led to at least 1.9 million people being displaced twice as the Israeli siege resulted in a man-made famine.
Liz Allcock, a rights advocate with Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP), told Al Jazeera that hunger is affecting everyone in Gaza.
“It plays out in the entirety of the [Gaza] Strip and on a daily basis. It’s not only children, small children … It is also elderly people who are unable to get access to any kind of food. It is also healthcare staff, aid workers who are fainting on the job because they don’t have enough sustenance to keep them going,” she said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly denied that people in Gaza are experiencing starvation, blaming aid agencies and Hamas for not delivering supplies to people in the territory.
The UN has said that despite the growing amounts of aid ready for delivery at crossings near Gaza, Israel has not granted aid agencies the necessary authorisation to deliver and distribute the assistance.
The Trump administration has canceled a sexual education grant to California worth about $12.3 million on the grounds that it included “radical gender ideology” after state officials refused to revise the materials.
The funding helps pay for sex education programs in juvenile justice facilities, homeless shelters and foster care group homes, as well as some schools, reaching an estimated 13,000 youths per year through 20 agencies.
State officials did not have an immediate response Thursday morning to the federal announcement, which was linked to a 60-day compliance deadline.
“California’s refusal to comply with federal law and remove egregious gender ideology from federally funded sex-ed materials is unacceptable,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Andrew Gradison, of the Administration for Children and Families. “The Trump Administration will not allow taxpayer dollars to be used to indoctrinate children. Accountability is coming for every state that uses federal funds to teach children delusional gender ideology.”
State officials had taken the position that its materials are accurate and did not violate the terms of the federal grant.
California is not being accused of failing to carry out the abstinence and contraception instruction funded by the grant. Rather, the state has included additional content that the Trump administration defines as objectionable and “outside the scope” of the grant’s purpose.
A June 20 letter to a senior California official cited, as one of several examples, sample wording from a middle school lesson:
“We’ve been talking during class about messages people get on how they should act as boys and girls — but as many of you know, there are also people who don’t identify as boys or girls, but rather as transgender or gender queer. This means that even if they were called a boy or a girl at birth and may have body parts that are typically associated with being a boy or a girl, on the inside, they feel differently.”
The California Department of Public Health responded in an Aug. 19 letter that it “will not make any such modifications at this time” because its materials already had been approved by the same agency that is now demanding change. In addition, officials described the materials as “medically accurate” and relevant to the instructional goals. California also challenged whether the Trump administration had authority to cancel the grant in this manner.
The amount of money at stake is small compared with other issues that are being litigated between California and the Trump administration, but the dispute embodies now-familiar legal parameters that have resulted in more than three dozen lawsuits.
The grant cancellation also represents another front in the conflict between the Trump administration and California related to LGBTQ+ issues. These culture war-fueled disputes date back substantially to Trump’s Jan. 20 executive order that recognized two sexes, male and female, a dictum that has moved across all departments under his jurisdiction.
In youth sports, this divide has unfolded with Trump threatening to withhold vast sums of federal funding unless California bars transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s sports.
California has responded by creating dual-award categories for women’s sporting events, so that the success of a trans athlete, in a track-and-field competition for example, would not prevent another athlete from winning an award. The compromise does not address the issue of trans athletes in women’s team sports, such as volleyball.
The Trump administration does not accept these steps taken by California as compliance with its directives.
Within the classroom, the Trump policy opposes curriculum that allows for more than a binary — male or female — expression of gender. Historically, federal authority over local curriculum has been limited, but Trump has been quick to use federal funding as leverage.
In this case, it’s the Administration for Children and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that has been applying pressure.
The children and families department administers a grant program that annually distributes $75 million nationally “to educate adolescents on … both abstinence and contraception for the prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS,” according to federal statute.
For a three-year period, through the next fiscal year, California has been allotted funding worth more than $18.2 million, according to Health and Human Services. Under the federal decision, the state is expected to lose $12.3 million that it has not yet received, covering multiple years.
The federal grant supports the California Personal Responsibility Education Program, or CA PREP, which provides “comprehensive sexual health education to adolescents via effective, evidence-based or evidence-informed program models,” according to a statement from the state.
“Data show that participants who completed CA PREP had a better understanding of sexual and reproductive health topics and improved health outcomes,” the health department stated.
The Trump administration does not deny that the federal government had previously approved the California materials, but said the Biden administration “erred in allowing PREP grants to be used to teach students gender ideology.”
California law requires school districts to provide students with comprehensive sexual health education, along with information about HIV prevention, at least once in high school and once in middle school.
The Trump administration has asserted complete authority over federal grants, including those in progress. Many of its grant cancellations are being challenged in court. Some have been allowed to take effect; others have been blocked. In some instances, Congress has narrowly approved grant cancellations, including for foreign aid and to support the public broadcasting network.
Police said they believe the fire was started deliberately
A 14-year-old girl has been arrested after a fire engulfed an abandoned Grade I-listed manor house that had stood for hundreds of years in Liverpool.
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) arrived at Woolton Hall, on Speke Road, at about 20:20 BST on Tuesday to tackle the blaze overnight.
The 14-year-old girl, who is from Liverpool, was arrested on suspicion of arson and has been bailed after being questioned in custody, Merseyside Police said.
Det Insp Daniel McWhinnie said the fire, which officers believe was started deliberately, “appears to have been an extremely reckless act at a historic building”.
He said the community “will be rightly shocked by what happened” and the force as determined to find those responsible.
Reports of young people gathering by the hall shortly before the fire had been made to police on the night of the fire.
EPA
Built in 1704, Woolton Hall previously served as a hotel, an army hospital, a convent and a school but had fallen into disrepair in recent years.
The force has appealed to anyone with information about who was there to get in touch.
“If you are a parent or guardian in the area and your child was out that night, we ask that you enquire about their movements and what they might know,” Det Insp McWhinnie said.
Anyone who was driving in the area near Speke Road on Tuesday and may have dashcam footage relevant to the investigation has also been urged to contact police.
The main body of fire was extinguished put out at about 02:00 on Wednesday.
A joint Merseyside Police investigation with MFRS is ongoing to establish the cause of the fire.
Javon Riley was found guilty of three charges of attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm with intent
A man has been found guilty over his role in a gangland shooting that left a nine-year-old girl with a bullet lodged in her brain.
Javon Riley, 33, was convicted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to the girl who was hit in the head by the first of six bullets fired from a passing motorbike at the Evin Restaurant on Kingsland High Street in Dalston last May.
Riley was also found guilty of attempting to murder three men – Mustafa Kiziltan, 35, Kenan Aydogdu, 45, and Nasser Ali, 44 – who were sitting at tables outside the restaurant that night.
The gunman and weapon used in the shooting in east London have never been found.
The girl was an innocent victim of a bitter tit-for-tat feud between rival Turkish gangs, the Old Bailey heard.
“In a single moment, the future we had imagined for our daughter was torn away,” the girl’s mother said.
“She was once an energetic, adventurous child – everything that celebrated movement, energy, and life,” the girl’s mother added.
“Now, weakness on her left side means she can only watch from the sidelines, living with a titanium plate in her skull and a bullet still in her brain.”
PA Media
The nine-year-old girl was eating an ice cream with her family
The shooting took place at about 21:20 BST on 29 May last year while the girl was eating ice cream alongside her family.
The three seriously injured men were said to be affiliated with the Hackney Turks organised crime gang, who had a rivalry with the Tottenham Turks, with whom Riley had links, the court heard.
Riley, of Tottenham in north London, played “a key role before, during and after the shooting”.
He carried out a reconnaissance, going past the scene several times to ensure the target or targets were present before the shooting and he helped the gunman evade capture in a car which was later burnt out, the court was told.
The motorbike used in the shooting – a Ducati Monster with a white body, red chassis and red wheels – was also later found.
CCTV shows the moment of the shooting
The girl’s mother added: “As parents, we are shattered – emotionally, physically, mentally, and financially.
“Each day brings new challenges, from her slower growth on one side to the emotional and mental scars that cannot be seen.
“The world we once believed was safe for our child now feels frightening and uncertain.”
By coincidence an off-duty police officer, who was riding a pedal bike in the same direction, caught the gunman on a camera attached to his bike as he stopped just a metre away away from the restaurant and reached for his gun.
CCTV from inside the restaurant showed it was the first shot that struck the nine-year-old girl on the right side of her head and she fell to the floor.
Immediately after the shooting, Riley “ensured the disappearance of the gunman and the firearm”, the court was told.
PA
Dalston’s Kingsland Road was closed off while police investigated
The Met Police has offered a £15,000 reward “for information that leads to the identification, arrest of and prosecution the man who fired the weapon”.
Giving evidence in his defence, Riley admitted being involved in drugs-dealing and robberies, but said he believed he was involved in a plan to snatch drugs and cash from outside the restaurant.
Riley refused to tell the court the identity of the man who recruited him – or to provide any information about the shooter apart from saying he was “mixed race”.
Det Insp Ben Dalloway, who led the investigation, said: “Javon Riley’s actions traumatically altered the trajectory of a little girl’s life.
“While this outcome serves as a slither of justice, the dangerous individual responsible for pulling the trigger remains on our streets.”
Exclusive footage newly obtained by Al Jazeera captures the harrowing moment an Israeli drone-fired missile killed a Palestinian girl carrying water in Jabalia, northern Gaza, in December 2024. Two men are later seen retrieving her body.
Rebecca Young thinks homelessness is a problem that “needs to be fixed”
A Glasgow school pupil has been named among Time magazine’s girls of the year for inventing a device to help homeless people keep warm.
Rebecca Young was 12 when she designed a solar-powered blanket, which engineering firm Thales then turned into reality.
The Kelvinside Academy pupil is now among 10 girls from across the world selected by Time who have inspired and helped communities.
She told BBC Scotland News that she was shocked and honoured by the recognition, which has also seen her turned into a Lego mini-figure, due to the awards being run in partnership with the Danish toy manufacturer.
Rebecca first came up with the idea when she was aged12 while attending an engineering club at school.
She explained: “Seeing all the homeless people, it made me want to help – it’s a problem that should be fixed.
“During the day, the heat from the sun can energise the solar panels and they go into a battery pack that can store the heat. When it’s cold at night people can use the energy stored in the battery pack to sleep on.
“In Glasgow it can be freezing at night and they [homeless people] will have no power, so I thought the solar panel could heat it.”
Thales
Rebecca’s solar-powered blanket is now being used by Homeless Project Scotland
Primary Engineer
Rebecca worked on the heat pack as a competition entry
Rebecca’s idea came out on top in the UK Primary Engineer competition, where more than 70,000 pupils entered ideas aimed around addressing a social issue.
Engineering company Thales then turned the idea into a working prototype, with 35 units given to Homeless Project Scotland to use in Glasgow.
That achievement led Rebecca to a spot on Time’s list, which the magazine’s chief executive Jessica Sibley said highlights “those who are turning imagination into real-world impact”.
Rebecca’s mum Louise told BBC Scotland News: “I couldn’t be more proud, it’s fantastic. It’s obviously all come from a drawing and going from that to it actually being made is amazing.”
TIME
Rebecca has been turned into Lego mini-figure as part of the award
As part of the honour, Rebecca and the other nine winners are appearing on a digital cover of the famous magazine, where they are styled as Lego mini-figures – something she said was both “really cool and crazy”.
She also had advice for any other girls who wanted to get involved in Stem subjects – an acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
“If you have an idea like I did, then join clubs and talk to people about it, it helps.”
Reflecting on the Time magazine recognition, she added: “All my friends think it’s awesome.”
However, Rebecca herself is aiming for a career in a different field rather than engineering, as she would like to be a musician when she is older.
TIME
The magazine cover will be available digitally, while the girls’ stories will be featured in Time for Kids
Colin McInnes, the founder of Homeless Project Scotland, said the initiative had already been successful.
He added: “When somebody is having to rough sleep because the shelter is full, we can offer that comfort to a homeless person, of having a warm blanket to wrap around them during the night.
“We would 100% take the opportunity to have more of them.”
Daniel Wyatt, the rector at Kelvinside Academy, said Rebecca was a “shining example of a caring young person”.
He added: “She is also a role model for any young person who wants to follow their own path in life.”
Who are the other 2025 Time girls of the year?
Rutendo Shadaya, 17, an advocate for young authors in New Zealand
Coco Yoshizawa, 15, an Olympic gold-medalist in Japan
Valerie Chiu, 15, a global science educator in China
Zoé Clauzure, 15, an anti-bullying campaigner in France
Clara Proksch, 12, a scientist prioritizing child safety in Germany
Ivanna Richards, 17, a racing driver breaking stereotypes in Mexico
Kornelia Wieczorek, 17, a biotech innovator in Poland
Defne Özcan, 17, a trailblazing pilot in Turkey
Naomi S. DeBerry, 12, an organ donation advocate and children’s book author in the United States
A MISSING girl lay dying in her flat alone after police deemed her a “medium” risk and left, an inquest heard.
Alex Duce, 18, was reported missing by her worried mum after she struggled to get in touch with her.
4
Alex Duce died after her worried mum reported her missing
A police officer went to her flat in Tredegar, South Wales, at 11am to try to speak to the beauty student but failed to get an answer.
An inquest heard PC Michael Lammert left the home because Alex was only deemed a “medium risk” because a pal told him “she does this from time to time”.
PC Lammert said: “To me I took that as she shuts off from people and doesn’t want contact with friends and family sometimes.”
This was despite Alex’s mum telling police she had been struggling with her mental health and had self harmed five weeks earlier.
PC Lammert said: “There was no immediacy. If there was a clear message relaying she was contemplating suicide then that would definitely have been a higher risk.”
The incident at that point was not deemed serious enough to allow Gwent Police to use powers of entry as there was not enough evidence that Alex was inside the flat.
The court heard police returned at 4pm to find Alex’s loved ones outside banging on the door.
But in another tragic delay, the officers had to wait for heavy equipment needed to gain entry to the flat.
At the time, there was only one entry kit per police station that contained the apparatus needed.
PC Lauren Smith, who had gone to the home, said it was common for officers not to be able to locate the kits and admitted it was “frustrating”.
The court heard it took 30 minutes to retrieve the kit – with police finally gaining entry at around 5pm.
Alex was discovered hanged in her room still showing signs of life before being rushed to hospital, the inquest was told.
She was put on advanced life support but her machine was switched off and she died five days later on September 16, 2022.
PC Smith said she began to realise more about the case after being told Alex had self harmed and in her mind the risk became higher.
She said: “That information was never made available to me. The sense of urgency increased while I was there as I gained more information.”
The inquest continues.
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.
4
Alex had previously struggled with her mental healthCredit: WNS
4
The beauty student was deemed a ‘medium’ risk by police
4
She was rushed to hospital but sadly couldn’t be savedCredit: WNS
The Pimlico Race Course Sign is seen in Baltimore, Maryland in May. One person was killed and five others, including a five year old girl, were injured during a shooting Saturday night. File photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 10 (UPI) — One man was killed and 5 others injured in a shooting in Baltimore Saturday night, police said.
Victims ranged in age between 5 and 52 years, and a 5-year-old girl was shot in the hand. A 38-year-old man died from his injuries, police reported. The other victims received non life-threatening injuries.
Witnesses reported a block party taking place in the 5100 block of Queensbury Ave. blocks from Baltimore’s famous Pimlico horse racing track shortly before the shooting, which police said was reported about 8:45 p.m. EDT, according to local news reports.
“Once on scene, officers located six victims suffering from gunshot wounds, four males and two females,” Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley said during a news conference. “One of the victims is a 5-year-old girl. All of the victims were transported to area hospitals for treatment.”
MARRIED At First Sight star Rozz Darlington has given birth to her first child with partner Jordan Morris.
The new mum shared the happy news with her fans on social media today, posting a photo of the adorable newborn.
2
MAFS star Rozz Darlington has given birth to her first child with her partner
2
The new parents welcomed a baby girl who they have called Arabella
Rozz was seen holding the small tot in her arms while lying on her hospital bed.
Her boyfriend Jordan looked over the moon as they both smiled for a photo with their little daughter, who they sweetly name Arabella.
They shared a series of snaps of their baby girl wearing a white baby grow, a pink beanie hat and wrapped in a yellow blanket.
There was also a close-up photo of her baby feet and another photo of doting dad Jordan.
The new parents shared the photos on Instagram and wrote: “A baby Girl!!! Arabella Morris – Darlington has arrived! 8th August weighing 6lb 10! We are totally in love.”
Rozz’s fellow MAFS co-stars were quick to share their congratulations to the pair.
Ella Morgan wrote: “My bestie is a mummy!!! She’s beautiful! I can’t wait to meet her!!! Love you! So proud of you both.”
Jay Howard posted: “I’m in love!! Obsessed with her 😍 I’m so proud of you Rozz well done babe she’s adorable. I can’t wait for a snuggle.”
Tasha Jay commented: “I’ve been crying since this morning. So so happy for you both and so proud of you! Can’t wait to give my little strawberry the biggest cuddle. Aunty Tasha loves you angel.”
Sharing a collection of snaps from the baby shower, Ella added the eyebrow-raising caption: “Our Baby Spice is having a mini Baby Spice @rozzdarlington @ellamorganc @itstashajayxx @jay_howard the Spice Girls reunited .. + 1!”
However, she did go onto add a hashtag reading “boy or girl” which could be to throw people off the scent.
Picking up on the hint, one fan said in the comments: “Is this confirmation Baby Spice is a pink one?!”
Following the programme, Rozz moved on with Jordan and went public with their relationship in June of last year.
Looking stunning at her baby shower, Rozz showed off her baby bump in a gorgeous yellow gown.
Her co-stars held onto her baby bump in one snap before she was seen posing with Jordan who sweetly planted a kiss on her cheek as part of the celebrations.
Rozz went all out for the day with a balloon wall being the centre of attention for the party.
She also had an elaborate flower display as well as a cake that appeared to read “baby M-D” in icing on the top.
A TEENAGER has died after a car she was travelling in crashed into a tree on a rural road in the early hours of yesterday morning.
The woman, 18, tragically passed away when the silver Renault Clio – which she was a passenger in – collided with a tree after veering off the road in Hartlepool at 4.18am on Thursday, Cleveland Police said.
A 26-year-old man, who was driving the vehicle, was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving as well as other driving offences.
He remains in police custody at this time.
The tragic crash took place on a road known locally as Greatham Back Lane, which connects the A689 to Greatham village.
Police said the woman suffered fatal injuries in the collision and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Her family have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers.
Cops are now looking to witnesses or anyone who may have CCTV or dashcam footage of the silver Clio in the village to come forward.
You can contact Cleveland Police on 101, quoting reference number 148268.
Alternatively, you can upload footage directly by following this link.
1
Police are appealing for any witnesses of the crash to come forwardCredit: Google Maps
Neighbours suggested that the youngster had suffered with a disability and required the use of a wheelchair, but was often heard playing in her back garden.
McGrath was taken to hospital before later being remanded into custody on suspicion of murder.
West Yorkshire Police previously said it was treating Hope’s death as an “isolated incident”.
Detective Chief Inspector Stacey Atkinson, of West Yorkshire Police’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: “We are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding Hope’s death.
“A photograph of the three-year-old has been released by her family. I would ask that people respect their privacy at this extremely difficult time.”
Shurina is a 15-year-old high school student in Hita in southwestern Japan. Her world shifts when she’s cast as a kamikaze pilot in a play about World War II directed by her piano teacher and performed alongside her best friend, Yua.
Tasked with reciting the pilot’s farewell letter and portraying the brutal realities of war, Shurina is overwhelmed by the emotional weight of her role. To prepare, Shurina and Yua travel across Japan to visit World War II memorial sites, culminating in Okinawa, the site of their final performance. As the performance nears, can Shurina find the strength to honour the story she’s been entrusted to tell?
Japan: Girl Meets War is a documentary film by Cheng Herng Shinn.
A TEEN boy who tortured, killed and dismembered two kittens with a girl in a warped bid to reduce his urge to kill a human has been locked up.
The depraved pair used rope to tie up the defenceless animals before “mutilating” them.
2
The teens were captured on CCTV carrying the animals
2
They later fled the scene after killing the animals
One of the kittens was found cut open on the ground in Ruislip, North West London, while the other was hanging from a tree.
Chillingly, the boy, 17, wrote how he “really wanted to murder someone” and killed cats to “reduce my urges”.
He also made a number of harrowing searches about sacrificing animals to Satan.
The boy has been detained for 12 months after pleading guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the protected animals by “mutilating and killing” them.
His co-defendant will be sentenced for the same charge this afternoon.
The teens, who legally can’t be named, also admitted one count of possession of a knife.
Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court was told the horror unfolded on May 3.
Footage released by police showed the girl, 16, and 17-year-old boy strolling through a residential street.
The boy could be seen clutching a bag that is believed to have been used to carry the kittens.
CCTV then captured the twisted pair running back down the same street after killing the baby cats.
Prosecutor Valerie Benjamin said the animals were discovered with their flesh and fur cut off and burnt.
As well as the tragic kittens, knives, blowtorches and scissors were found at the scene.
Police later discovered a note on the boy’s phone that read: “I really wanted to murder someone and I was searching how to get away with murder.
“I have come close.
“I have killed cats to reduce my urges.
“I have skinned strangled and stabbed cats.”
The boy had also carried out a number of chilling searches for “killing cats and dogs” and “how to kill a human”.
Ms Benjamin said: “There were concerns about his desire to go on to killing humans.
“He questioned how easy it would be get away with murder and how to kill homeless people.”
It also emerged the teens had chillingly put out adverts for the kittens and went to pick them up before killing them.
Sentencing, Judge Hina Rai also imposed a lifetime ban from caring for animals on the boy.
She said: “You have caused extreme suffering to those two kittens. You knew exactly what you were doing and it would result in their suffering.
“Without a doubt these are the most awful offences I have seen against animals in this court.”
SEOUL — When South Koreans start to obsess over a movie or TV series, they abbreviate its name, a distinction given to Netflix’s latest hit “K-pop Demon Hunters.” In media headlines and in every corner of the internet, the American-made film is now universally referred to as “Keh-deh-hun” — the first three syllables of the title when read aloud in Korean.
And audiences are already clamoring for a sequel.
The animated film follows a fictional South Korean girl group named “HUNTR/X” as its three members — Rumi, Mira and Zoey — try to deliver the world from evil through the power of song and K-pop fandom.
Since its release in June, it has become the most watched original animated film in Netflix history, with millions of views worldwide, including the U.S. and South Korea, where its soundtrack has topped the charts on local music streaming platform Melon. Fans have also cleaned out the gift shop at the National Museum of Korea, which has run out of a traditional tiger pin that resembles one of the movie’s characters.
Much of the film’s popularity in South Korea is rooted in its keenly observed details and references to Korean folklore, pop culture and even national habits — the result of having a production team filled with K-pop fans, as well as a group research trip to South Korea that co-director Maggie Kang led in order to document details as minute as the appearance of local pavement.
There are nods to traditional Korean folk painting, a Korean guide to the afterlife, the progenitors of K-pop and everyday mannerisms. In one scene, at a table in a restaurant where the three girls are eating, viewers might notice how the utensils are laid atop a napkin, an essential ritual for dining out in South Korea — alongside pouring cups of water for everyone at the table.
“The more that I watch ‘Keh-deh-hun,’ the more that I notice the details,” South Korean music critic Kim Yoon-ha told local media last month. “It managed to achieve a verisimilitude that would leave any Korean in awe.”
::
“K-pop Demon Hunters” has nods to traditional Korean folk painting, a Korean guide to the afterlife, the progenitors of K-pop and everydaymannerisms.
(Netflix)
Despite its subject matter and association with the “K-wave,” that catch-all term for any and all Korean cultural export, “K-pop Demon Hunters,” at least in the narrowest sense, doesn’t quite fit the bill.
Produced by Sony Pictures and directed by Korean Canadian Kang and Chris Appelhans — who has held creative roles on other animated films such as “Coraline” and “Fantastic Mr. Fox” — the movie is primarily in English and geared toward non-Korean audiences. But its popularity in South Korea is another sign that the boundaries of the K-wave are increasingly fluid — and that, with more and more diaspora Korean artists entering the mix, it flows in the opposite direction, too.
Those barriers have already long since broken down in music: many K-pop artists and songwriters are non-Korean or part of the Korean diaspora, reflecting the genre’s history of foreign influences such as Japanese pop or American hip-hop.
“Once a cultural creation acquires a universality, you can’t just confine it to the borders of the country of origin, which is where K-pop is today,” said Kim Il-joong, director of the content business division at the Korea Creative Content Agency, a government body whose mission is to promote South Korean content worldwide. “Despite what the name ‘K-pop’ suggests, it is really a global product.”
In “K-pop Demon Hunters,” Zoey is a rapper from Burbank. In addition, the soundtrack was written and performed by a team that includes producers, artists and choreographers associated with some of the biggest real-life K-pop groups of the past decade.
Streaming productions are increasingly flying multiple flags, too: Apple TV’s “Pachinko” or Netflix’s “XO, Kitty” are both American productions that were filmed in South Korea. But few productions have been able to inspire quite the same level of enthusiasm as “K-pop Demon Hunters,” whose charm for many South Koreans is how accurately it captures local idiosyncrasies and contemporary life.
While flying in their private jet, the three girls are shown sitting on the floor even though there is a sofa right beside them. This tendency to use sofas as little more than backrests is an endless source of humor and self-fascination among South Koreans, most of whom would agree that the centuries-old custom of sitting on the floor dies hard.
South Korean fans and media have noted that the characters correctly pronounce “ramyeon,” or Korean instant noodles. The fact that ramyeon is often conflated with Japanese ramen — which inspired the invention of the former decades ago — has long been a point of exasperation for many South Koreans and local ramyeon companies, which point to the fact that the Korean adaption has since evolved into something distinct.
It’s a small difference — the Korean version is pronounced “rah myun” — but one that it pays to get right in South Korea.
Apple TV’s “Pachinko,” with Sungkyu Kim, Eunchae Jung and Minha Kim, is an American production filmed in South Korea.
(Apple)
The girls’ cravings for ramyeon during their flight also caught the eye of Ireh, a member of the real-life South Korean girl group Purple Kiss who praised the film’s portrayals of life as a K-pop artist.
“I don’t normally eat ramyeon but whenever I go on tour, I end up eating it,” she said in a recent interview with local media. “The scene reminded me of myself.”
South Korean fans have also been delighted by a pair of animals, Derpy and Sussy, which borrow from jakhodo, a genre of traditional Korean folk painting in which tigers and magpies are depicted side by side, popularized during the Joseon Dynasty in the 19th century.
In the film, Derpy is the fluorescent tiger with goggle eyes that always appears with its sidekick, a three-eyed bird named Sussy.
“K-pop Demon Hunters” is peppered with homages to Korean artists throughout history who are seen today as the progenitors of contemporary K-pop.
(Netflix)
Though they have long since been extinct, tigers were once a feared presence on the Korean peninsula, at times coming down from the mountains to terrorize the populace. They were also revered as talismans that warded off evil spirits. But much like Derpy itself, jakhodo reimagined tigers as friendlier, oftentimes comical beings. Historians have interpreted this as the era’s political satire: the magpie, audacious in the presence of a great predator, represented the common man standing up to the nobility.
The movie is peppered with homages to Korean artists throughout history who are seen today as the progenitors of contemporary K-pop. There are apparent nods to the “Jeogori Sisters,” a three-piece outfit that was active from 1939 to 1945 and is often described as Korea’s first girl group, followed by the Kim Sisters, another three-piece that found success in the U.S., performing in Las Vegas and appearing on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”
Longtime K-pop fans might recognize the demon hunters from the 1990s as S.E.S., a pioneering girl group formed by S.M. Entertainment, the label behind present-day superstars Aespa and Red Velvet. (Bada, S.E.S.’s main vocalist, recently covered “Golden,” the film’s headline track, on YouTube.)
For a long time, South Korean audiences have often complained about outside depictions of the country as inauthentic and out of touch. Not anymore.
“Korea wasn’t just shown as an extra add-on as it has been for so long,” Kim said. “‘K-pop Demon Hunters’ did such a great job depicting Korea in a way that made it instantly recognizable to audiences here.”
He ploughed into the little girl, her mother Sara, and their neighbour on Upper Highgate Street.
She was an extraordinary young girl, only four-years-old, full of life and joy, and her absence leaves an irreplaceable void in our lives
Mayar’s grieving father
Paramedics tragically pronounced the tot dead at the scene, while Sara and her friend were rushed to hospital with serious injuries.
Three other pedestrians were also hurt in the crash.
Cops later detained and charged 23-year-old Tavener with causing death by careless driving, causing death whilst driving uninsured and two counts of causing serious injury by careless driving.
He pleaded guilty to all charges at Birmingham Crown Court on Wednesday this week.
The defendant has been remanded in custody while awaiting a sentencing date.
In a statement, released via West Midlands Police at the time of her death, Mayar’s grieving father said words failed to capture his grief.
He said: “It is with profound sadness and a heavy heart that we share the devastating loss of our cherished daughter, Mayar.
“She was an extraordinary young girl, only four-years-old, full of life and joy, and her absence leaves an irreplaceable void in our lives.
Three pedestrians injured by falling rubble as van crashes through multi-storey car park wall in UK city centre
“Among all, she held a special place in my heart.
“Words fail to capture the depth of our grief and the magnitude of this loss.
“However, we find solace and strength in the unwavering support and compassion shown by the police officers, our community, family, and friends.
“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you who have stood by our side, offering your love, prayers, and support during this incredibly difficult time.”
Detective Sergeant Paul Hughes, from WMP’S serious collision investigation unit, said: “Mayar was just four years old when her life was tragically taken away from her.
“She was walking back with her family and friends after celebrating Eid.
“Pedestrians should be afforded and be reassured of protection when walking on the pavement and a split-second decision by Tavener to overtake where he did has led to this tragic chain of events.
“I would urge all drivers to think about this incident and how those decisions can have such catastrophic consequences.”
The road where Mayar was killed is now set to be pedestrianised after a campaign led for safer streets and roads.
It will stop traffic from reaching a stretch of Upper Highgate Street near New Hope Community Park.
5
The road where Mayar was killed is now set to be pedestrianised after a campaign led for safer streets and roadsCredit: Better Streets for Birmingham
5
The scene of the collision on Upper Highgate Street last AprilCredit: BPM
A SHOWJUMPER and horse rider had a threesome with a teen girl in a stable before hatching a “pact of silence”, a court heard.
Guy Simmonds, 37, and Lauren Jarvis, 26, are accused of targeting the girl despite knowing she was under 16.
4
Lauren Jarvis allegedly had a threesome with a teenage girlCredit: WNS
4
Guy Simmonds is accused of abusing the girl in a horseboxCredit: WNS
Equestrian boss Simmonds called himself “daddy” in messages to the youngster and would abuse with her while his girlfriend was away, jurors heard.
Prosecutor James Hartson said there was a “clear element of grooming behaviour” from Simmonds, who had “no doubt at all” about the girl’s age.
He added: “At all times he knew how old she was and so did Jarvis. The victim told him herself in one of the very first messages she sent him.
“The defendants didn’t care about her age when they were planning and engaging in a so-called threesome with the victim.
“They also knew what they did was wrong and they agreed a pact of silence when they got wind she had started to talk about it.”
Cardiff Crown Court heard Simmonds ran a riding school that offered “showjumping horse production and sales, coaching and schooling” in the village of Undy in Wales.
The experienced showjumper would allegedly regularly take the girl into a horsebox to sexually abuse her while they were alone at the stables.
Jurors heard that at one point, this was happening every couple of days when Simmonds’ girlfriend was away.
In January 2024, he messaged fellow rider Jarvis to organise a threesome at her home – asking when he should “pop over”, it was said.
Simmonds later messaged again asking whether the girl had arrived as he did not want to “turn up at the same time that her mum drops her off”.
Jurors heard the youngster had also text Simmonds about the threesome, asking what she would be made to do.
He replied: “You will both do what daddy says.”
Afterwards, Simmonds text Jarvis, saying: “Hey, I have a feeling that [name of alleged victim] has said about us. If anyone asks for sake of both of us nothing ever happened that night xx.”
Jarvis replied: “Hey, who’s she told? Oh god has she really, what’s she trying to do, make our lives hell? Of course I will xx.”
The court heard the alarm was raised when the girl told her dad what had allegedly happened and he alerted police.
Simmonds told police he did not have any from of sexual contact with the victim.
He also claimed any messages about a threesome were “banter and a wind up.”
Simmonds denies six counts of sexual activity with a child, while Jarvis has pleaded not guilty to one charge of sexual activity with a child.
The trial continues.
4
Jarvis allegedly entered into a ‘pact of silence’ with SimmondsCredit: WNS
