Better Believe It......Because They Actually Happen(ed) Collection 79
Johor shuts down Network School over licence breaches


Iskandar Puteri City Council personnel are seen at the Network School in Forest City, Johor to issue a Stop-Business Notice after the company was found to have breached its business licence conditions and the approved use of its premises. Photo Credit: Facebook/Onn Hafiz Ghazi


JOHOR BAHRU, July 18 — The Iskandar Puteri City Council (MBIP) has issued a Stop-Business Notice to premises linked to the operations of Network School in Forest City after the company was found to have breached its business licence conditions and the approved use of its premises.

Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the enforcement action followed an investigation by the local authority, which found that the company had misused premises licensed as business offices by operating educational activities there.

“Inspections found that the company was operating from two premises. One premise held a valid office business licence, while the other was operating without an MBIP business licence, despite being owned by a Malaysian citizen.

“In addition, the company was found to have breached the permitted business category by using premises licensed as an office for classroom activities and business promotions without submitting a detailed application for approval,” he said in a statement posted on Facebook yesterday.

Following the violations, he said MBIP officially issued Stop-Business Notice IP012N260714001 against the premises operating without a valid business licence.

The MBIP also issued an Advertisement Licence Notice (6103) under Section 107(2) of the Local Government Act 1976 for displaying signboards that did not comply with licensing conditions and were inconsistent with the approved permit.

Onn Hafiz stressed that the Johor state government views the matter seriously and that MBIP will continue investigating all aspects that fall within its jurisdiction.

“If any breaches of the law, licence conditions or applicable regulations are found, further enforcement action will be taken in accordance with the relevant legal provisions,” he said.

On the status of foreign nationals associated with the school, Onn Hafiz said the matter falls entirely under the jurisdiction of the Home Ministry, adding that the state government is urging the ministry to make a prompt and final decision regarding the status of the individuals involved and the school’s operations.

Full story at Malay Mail (July 2026)



India’s education minister resigns in victory for Cockroach youth movement protests


Dharmendra Pradhan steps down after demonstrations over exam leak scandal, prompting celebrations among thousands of protesters

Supporters of India's Cockroach Janata party in Delhi celebrate after the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters


By Hannah Ellis-Petersen


India’s education minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, has resigned after a week of mass demonstrations, handing a major victory to a new youth movement that has posed an unprecedented challenge to Narendra Modi’s government.

In a statement on Saturday afternoon, Pradhan said he had submitted his letter of resignation to the prime minister after student pressure.

“Considering the situation that has arisen at Jantar Mantar and ‌across the country, so that anti-national forces do not take advantage of this situation … I have sent my resignation letter to the prime minister,” Pradhan wrote in a social media post.

He said he had been “saddened by what unfolded over the last 10 days”, but added: “I deeply respect the aspirations, feelings, and legitimate expectations ‌of the country’s youth.”

During his 12 years in power, Modi has cultivated a strongman image and has maintained his ministers are not accountable to public pressure. This was the first time a mass uprising had forced one of his most loyal ministers to resign.

The protests were organised by a newly formed youth political movement, the Cockroach Janata party (CJP), which has escalated into a nationwide uprising of youth dissent this week.

The core demand of the CJP and its supporters was the resignation of Pradhan over an exam leak scandal that has devastated the lives of millions of students and led to more than a dozen students taking their own lives.

Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation marks the first time one of Narendra Modi’s ministers has been forced to step down due to public pressure. Photograph: Zuma/Alamy


The refusal by Modi to sack his minister over the scandal was widely seen as symbolic of the alleged lack of accountability of the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) and its repeated failure to address the issues faced by young people, particularly in the country’s flawed education system.

CJP organisers confirmed they had called off their demonstration after Pradhan’s resignation and a meeting with senior BJP ministers on Saturday afternoon.

In a speech to the crowds gathered at the Delhi Jantar Mantar protest site, CJP’s founder, Abhijeet Dipke, saluted the “courage” of students who had turned out in huge numbers, even when they were subjected to police violence.

“We have done it,” he said, to cries of “victory to India” and “long live the revolution”. But Dipke also emphasised Pradhan’s resignation was “just the beginning” in the movement’s push for systemic education reform and its fight for democratic rights.

He also cautioned against people making a hero of him. “Do not make this mistake,” said Dipke. “The country has been ruined by making one person a hero.”

Full story at The Guardian (July 2026)



Eggs back on the menu for free school meals in India's West Bengal after outcry


Students return to their classroom after receiving mid-day meals at a government primary school in Kolkata on July 9, 2026 - AFP/File


India’s West Bengal state will bring back eggs to free school meals after a backlash against a decision by its Hindu nationalist government to replace them with vegetarian alternatives, officials have said.

The reversal follows criticism from teachers, nutritionists and parents who argued that removing eggs from school lunches could deprive children from poor families a key source of protein.

The issue erupted last month after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, elected for the first time in the state in May, removed eggs from meals in some state-run schools and arranged for a Hindu religious charity to provide vegetarian food instead.

The move rekindled a long-running debate over food and religion in the world’s most populous country, with critics accusing the government of trying to turn schoolchildren vegetarian.

On Wednesday, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said eggs would again be provided to schoolchildren from August.

Under the new arrangement, eggs will be provided separately through women’s welfare groups while the charity would continue to supply “pure” vegetarian meals.

“The state government will supply boiled eggs separately to these schools by engaging self-help groups from August 1,” Adhikari told reporters.

“Some guardians requested the government to ensure that eggs were included in the meals,” he added.

The BJP often promotes vegetarianism as a part of its broader nationalist agenda, although most Hindus eat meat and fish.

Eggs, which Hindus consider non-vegetarian, are also widely consumed.

Teachers and nutrition experts had criticised the move to remove eggs from the menu, saying they helped improve both nutrition and school attendance among children from low-income families.

Full story at AFP (July 2026)



Cambridge professor Jason Arday resigns amid accusations of plagiarism


Sociology professor to stand down after university announces investigation into his qualifications and career

Jason Arday is the youngest black person to be appointed a professor at the University of Cambridge. Photograph: Christian Sinibaldi/The Guardian


Richard Adams and Lanre Bakare


Jason Arday, the Cambridge professor accused of plagiarism and embellishment, has resigned after the university announced he was to face new investigations into his qualifications and career.

Arday, who had been dogged by a growing series of questions over his academic work and credentials, issued a statement on Wednesday night, saying the “relentless accusations, speculation and public commentary have taken a profound toll on me and on those I love”.

In the statement, published on the Good Law Project website, he wrote: “It is with profound sadness that I write to resign, with immediate effect, from my position at the University of Cambridge and Jesus College.

“When I accepted the extraordinary honour of becoming professor of sociology at Cambridge, it was, without question, the greatest professional privilege of my life.”

However, after days of detailed scrutiny of his previous work and statements highlighting apparent discrepancies, Arday said he had “concluded that the only way to bring this chapter to an end is to step away”.

Simon & Schuster had been preparing to publish Arday’s memoir, entitled Great and Unfortunate Things, later this month. His resignation may pause or even halt its publication and planned publicity tours.

Cambridge had initially defended Arday – the youngest black professor appointed in the university’s history, with a compelling life story of educational disadvantage – as “the victim of a vile campaign”. But as questions multiplied over Arday’s own claims, the university’s leaders felt that Cambridge’s reputation was in danger.

The Guardian published its own investigation uncovering discrepancies in Arday’s public accounts involving prodigious fundraising feats as well as claims he had been targeted by knife-wielding masked intruders.

Arday first faced allegations that he plagiarised parts of his PhD thesis and other academic research late last year, and has rejected the claims. An investigation by Liverpool John Moores University, which awarded his PhD in 2015, did not uphold the charges of plagiarism but said they were probably caused by “honest and reasonable error”.

Arday has denied all accusations of plagarism, telling the Guardian last week: “There have been multiple thorough investigations across several institutions as a result of the allegations, and immense scrutiny, including with an academic misconduct panel who concluded that there was no plagiarism or academic misconduct.”

On Wednesday evening, Cambridge announced it would launch an investigation after it said it received “new information” about his qualifications and career.

It said in a statement: “The University of Cambridge has begun an investigation following new information about Prof Arday’s academic qualifications and honorary appointments. In order to ensure a fair process, we will not comment further until this has concluded.

“Separately, there remains a number of ongoing complaints regarding academic misconduct, which are being handled in line with our misconduct in research policy. This is consistent with our previous statement on the matter.

“While we are fully aware of the public commentary and concerns around this matter, it remains vital that any process is thorough and adheres to both university policies and employment law.

“We also fully recognise that there is a person at the centre of this situation, and we continue to provide support to him.”

A spokesperson for Jesus College, Cambridge, said it was launching its own parallel “process”.

“Prof Arday’s college fellowship is linked to his university role and we will fully support the university.

“Prof Arday remains a fellow during this process. We recognise that this is a very difficult time for him and his family, and ask that they are treated with compassion and respect.”

Full story at The Guardian (August 2026)



Poor email etiquette among students spark debate in China


Commenters said students often treat emails like instant messages by sending them without subject lines and using overly casual language. PHOTO: EPA


BEIJING - A discussion on professional communication has gained momentum in China after a trending hashtag highlighting students' poor email etiquette prompted calls for universities to better prepare undergraduates for the workplace.

The online debate centred on complaints that many university students treat emails like instant messages, often sending messages without subject lines, greetings or attachments, while using overly casual language when contacting lecturers or potential employers.

Many netizens argued that email etiquette is a fundamental professional skill, particularly for students applying for internships or jobs, and should be taught as part of university education.

Responding to the issue, Peking University's School of Basic Medical Sciences published an Email Etiquette Guide on its official WeChat account in January.

Compiled by graduate students, the guide outlines best practices for common situations, including corresponding with lecturers and submitting job applications. It offers practical advice on selecting an appropriate email address, writing clear subject lines, naming attachments and formatting messages professionally.

The guide also recommends using bold text rather than coloured fonts for emphasis, reserving red text only for urgent deadlines.

Opinions among students remain divided.

Feng Sijia, a postgraduate student at Beihang University in Beijing, said most communication with lecturers now takes place through WeChat but agreed that formal emails should include a clear subject line, concise message and properly labelled attachments.

She believes professionalism is more about attitude than following a rigid format.

“Email etiquette is part of basic manners. If someone is careful, they'll learn it on their own,” she said.

However, Wei Xiangming, a postgraduate student at Tsinghua University, said universities should provide formal guidance, arguing that email remains an important communication tool in both academic and professional settings.

She said well-structured emails create a positive first impression and help recipients identify key information quickly.

University lecturer Yao Jingyuan said the most common issues he encounters are emails without subject lines, blank message bodies and missing details such as students' names or identification numbers.

He said these omissions often require additional time to identify the sender and clarify missing information.

Rather than ignoring such emails, Yao uses each assignment submission as an opportunity to teach students better communication habits.

Full story at China Daily (August 2026)



Teen kills classmates, teachers, and his grandparents in Thai gun rampage, police say


By Helen Regan, Kocha Olarn, Angie Puranasamriddhi


Students shelter in place as audible gunfire heard during school shooting in Bangkok


Bangkok — A teenage gunman went on a rampage at his high school in Thailand on Friday, killing teachers and students, police said, in one of the country’s deadliest school shootings in recent years.

The suspected gunman, 14, stormed the school after allegedly killing his grandmother and grandfather in their home, according to police.

At least six people at the school were fatally shot, three of them students and three teachers, police spokesperson Lieutenant General Trairong Phiwphan said. More than 20 other people were wounded, with nine in a critical condition. The youngest victim was just 12 years old, authorities said.

Terrified students huddled together under their desks, sobbing as gunshots rang out nearby, video filmed inside a classroom and verified by CNN showed. Further video showed students running out of the school as a staff member helped them evacuate.

An unnamed rescue worker told the Reuters news agency that “it was total chaos” when they arrived at the scene, where they administered first aid to students who had wounds to their back, chest, and arms.

Police gather outside the house where a teenager is suspected of killing his grandparents before carrying out a school shooting in Thailand on August 7 (Chanakarn Laosarakham/AFP/Getty Images)
Emergency personnel work at Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Bang Kruai district in Nonthaburi province on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, August 7, 2026. (Chalinee Thirasupa/Reuters)


Using what police said was his grandfather’s handgun, the suspect opened fire at Debsirin Nonthaburi School, a well-known secondary school of about 3,000 students, located on a busy highway in the Bang Kruai district of Nonthaburi province, north of Bangkok.

While early reports had quoted police saying the suspected gunman had died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Trairong later confirmed he remains in critical condition and doctors are providing emergency treatment.

Most of the casualties are teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17, according to the provincial Emergency Operations Center.


“This is horrible, it shouldn’t have happened,” said Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Friday afternoon, expressing his sadness over the tragedy.

An 18-year-old student told Reuters that he initially thought there were firecrackers going off. “Then it started getting more frequent, like ‘bang, bang, bang’ and then it went quiet at one point. And the shooting started again,” they said.

Concerned parents rushed to the school as news of the shooting spread.

The son of CNN’s senior travel producer Karla Cripps attends the school but was overseas at the time of the shooting, which began at about 10 a.m. local time.


“My son called me from Japan in a panic, telling me that he’d heard there was a shooting at his school. The kids were told to lock down in their classrooms, and he obviously was very upset,” Cripps said from outside the school.

Cripps said there was a “really sad atmosphere” at the school as ambulances continue to stream in and out, and parents comfort their children.

“My son heard his friend’s brother is in the hospital right now. He’s among the injured...It’s been terrible for everyone.”

Emergency personnel work outside of Debsirin Nonthaburi School, on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, August 7, 2026. (Chalinee Thirasupa/Reuters)


Handgun found at school

A photo provided to CNN by a police official in Bangkok shows a single handgun and multiple rounds of ammunition scattered on the floor inside the school.

Authorities said he had been living with his grandparents rather than with his parents, but they have yet to determine how the boy gained access to the weapon.

This photo, provided by Thai police, appears to show the shooter's gun inside the Debsirin Nonthaburi School. (Bangkok Police)


Emergency worker Kiatikhun Verapongpradith described performing CPR on the wounded gunman.

“We rushed up and found that the perpetrator had shot himself in the right side of the head and collapsed,” he told Reuters. “As soon as we saw signs of life, we had the team bring a board to carry him to the hospital.”

Emergency workers rushed to the scene with stretchers. In one Reuters photo, one person is seen lying on a stretcher outside an ambulance, while another is attended to by a medic.

Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau told CNN the “situation is now under control.”

Full story at CNN (August 2026)