San Antonio (AFP) – Dozens of people attend a candlelight vigil in San Antonio to remember those who lost their lives in the Texas floods over the weekend. More than 100 people are known to have died as rescuers continue to search for people swept away by torrents of water. “I don’t think there’s anybody at least in this crowd, that hasn’t been impacted,” says local resident Debra Guerrero.
Washington (AFP) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has nominated Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, presenting the US president with a letter he sent to the prize committee. “He’s forging peace as we speak, in one country, in one region after the other,” Netanyahu says at a dinner with Trump at the White House.
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) (AFP) – Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva says that emerging BRICS economies did not want to live under an “emperor” after US President Donald Trump declared a 10 percent tariffs hike on members for their allegedly anti-American policies.
Ciudad Juárez (Mexique) (AFP) – Images show US military reinforcing the wall on the border with Mexico by installing barbed wire. IMAGES
London (AFP) – A national service of commemoration is held at St Paul’s Cathedral to mark the 20th anniversary of the London July 7 bombings which killed 52 people. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan join victims’ families and survivors for the service. On July 7, 2005, four homegrown Islamist extremists detonated suicide bombs on three underground trains and a bus across central London.
Urk (Netherlands) (AFP) – In Urk, a fishing village in the northern Netherlands, the sea has long been the lifeblood for families — but has often taken loved ones in return. Advances in DNA technology and artificial intelligence are giving locals renewed hope. Researchers are now able to match remains with living relatives more accurately than ever before, offering families long-awaited answers and the chance to finally mourn properly.
Pamplona (Spain) (AFP) – Locals and tourists participate in the first bull run of the annual San Fermin festival in Spain’s Pamplona. Six bulls, led by some tame bullocks, are released at 8am local time to run around 850 metres through the city’s streets. “I still don’t even know what I’m doing. I’m shaking. This is crazy. This is unreal,” says a runner from Australia.
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) (AFP) – Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva slams NATO’s recent decision to “allocate 5% of GDP to military spending” as “fueling the arms race”, during his introduction speech at the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro. He also slams the decision as evidence that spending goals on aid and international development are not met due to “lack of political will”.
Abuja (AFP) – Nigerian hiking enthusiasts are defying fears of violence and kidnappings and a lack of public footpaths to explore the hills and countryside around the capital Abuja. Many join group hikes organised by companies like Naija Adventurers, who say they use an array of methods to prioritise hiker safety, including being joined by armed security. “We usually make sure that we have armed persons, you know, on the hike with us,” says Esesua Adeyemi, Brand partner for Naija Adventurers. “If anything happens now, you’ll be amazed the guns that will come out.”
Nangahale (Indonesia) (AFP) – A volcano in eastern Indonesia spews a colossal ash tower 18 kilometres (11 miles) into the sky. Dozens of flights to and from Bali have been cancelled as a result. The aviation disruption comes just weeks after the same rumbling volcano caused dozens of flight cancellations to and from the popular resort island.
Paramaribo (Surinam) (AFP) – Jennifer Geerlings-Simons leaves Parliament to greet a crowd of jubilant supporters after being officially elected Suriname’s first female president. The 71-year-old former opposition leader secured the presidency after her party won the most seats in May’s legislative elections, and her path was cleared when rival parties chose not to put forward a candidate. Her historic election marks a significant political milestone for the small South American nation. IMAGES
McLeod Ganj (India) (AFP) – Tibetan exiles, monks, officials and Hollywood star Richard Gere join the Dalai Lama in McLeod Ganj, northwest India, to celebrate his 90th birthday, while devotees celebrate in cities around the world including Taipei and London.
