Fontainebleau (AFP) – Hundreds of firefighters from all over France are battling a wildfire in the Forest of Fontainebleau, about 60 kilometres (40 miles) southeast of Paris. The blaze erupted the previous day in the sprawling forest, a former royal hunting preserve that today is dotted with quiet villages. “The fire is still spreading unchecked,” says firefighter Sylvain Wdowik.
Brüssel (AFP) – EU chief Ursula von der Leyen calls for “phased and gradual” access for young people to digital platforms as she presents an expert report on protecting children online. Children need “time to shape their own identity, their own personality, before an algorithm shapes them instead,” she says.
Moskau (AFP) – Russia dismisses a summit in Paris of Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky and key allies — the so-called Coalition of the Willing — as a “coalition of warmongers”. “It’s the group of countries who don’t want peace and want to continue the war,” says Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
Sumy (AFP) – CCTV footage from a cafe in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy shows the moment of a Russian strike on 11 July, with people outside throwing themselves to the floor and customers inside rushing to take shelter. The strike came as Russia launched missiles, drones and guided bombs at cities across Ukraine, including Kyiv, Sloviansk and Odesa in addition to Sumy, killing a total of eight people, authorities said. Five were killed in the attack on Sumy.
Deir el-Balah (AFP) – Mohamed Saad arranges rescued books and welcomes customers at a roadside tent bookstore in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza, after rebuilding his library with volumes recovered from the rubble of his home in Beit Lahia. “I say, whoever has books, don’t burn them. I’ll buy them from anyone who has books,” Saad says. “Books have value and books are life for a person.”
Bangkok (AFP) – Investigators comb through the wreckage of a huge fire at a Bangkok bar that killed least 27 people and injured dozens, Thailand’s worst such incident for almost two decades.
Hong Kong (AFP) – With a flick of their wrists, two players launch their Beyblades – customisable spinning tops that collide in a whirlwind battle to be the last one standing. They are part of a growing wave of enthusiasts in Hong Kong, as well as other parts of Asia, where the early 2000s toy craze has spun its way back into the mainstream. The toys are gaining popularity across East Asia —- including in Taiwan and Japan — fuelled by nostalgia for the Japanese manga Beyblade X and amplified by a global community on social media. Images and soundbites
Damascus (AFP) – Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa addresses the new transitional parliament as it convenes for its first session, around two weeks after the president appointed its remaining members, in what experts say will be a test for the new authorities. Syria’s new authorities dissolved the country’s rubber-stamp legislature after toppling longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, and adopted a temporary constitutional declaration to cover a five-year transition period.
Quito (AFP) – Decked out in a pink-and-black dress made specially for the occasion, Diana Tupiza and Andres Alquinga’s pet dog, Luna, signs the couple’s marriage certificate with a flourish and a paw print. The couple chose to make use of a recent change in the law, allowing Ecuadorian pets to serve as symbolic witnesses at civil weddings. “We are adapting to these current, modern needs, which we address in an empathetic and modern way toward the public,” says Otton Rivadeneira, director of Ecuador’s Civil Registry.
Caraballeda (Venezuela) (AFP) – Relatives of victims place candles around the rubble of a collapsed building in Caraballeda, La Guaira state, 17 days after deadly twin earthquakes hit Venezuela. The death toll from last month’s quakes has topped 4,300, says a top lawmaker.
Unknown (AFP) – Videos released by the US Central Command (CENTCOM) and Iran’s sepahnews.com show the two foes launching fresh strikes on one another. The US says it targeted at least 140 Iranian military targets, while Iranian media reported that one Iranian soldier was killed in the strikes. It comes after a 60-day ceasefire was declared “over” by US President Donald Trump, in response to Iranian strikes on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Turre (Spain) (AFP) – The “devastating, complex, difficult and terrible fire” that killed at least 12 people in southern Spain has been stabilised, according to the head of the regional government of Andalusia, Juan Manuel Moreno. “Yesterday, 600 residents were authorised to return to their homes, but this return will take place in stages, as it must be carried out with every possible safeguard and precaution in place,” he says.
