Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sacks his chief prosecutor and the head of the country’s security agency amid a high number of cases of suspected treason by Ukrainian law enforcement officials.
Fort Lauderdale (United States) (AFP) – Images of the Fort Lauderdale courthouse where Nikolas Cruz, a young man who gunned down 17 people at his former high school in Parkland, Florida, goes on trial, with jurors set to hand down either the death penalty or a life sentence.
Brighton (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Britons flock to Brighton beach at the weekend as they prepare for unusually high temperatures forecast on Monday and Tuesday. In the United Kingdom, the weather office issued a first-ever “red” warning for extreme heat, cautioning there was a “risk to life”. The Met Office said temperatures in southern England could exceed 40C on Monday or Tuesday for the first time, leading some schools to say they would stay closed next week. Scientists blame climate change for the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme heatwaves.
Vatican City (AFP) – Pope Francis says in his Angelus address that next week’s visit to Canada, where he will meet indigenous survivors of abuse committed at residential schools run by the Catholic Church, is “a penitential pilgrimage”.
Damascus (AFP) – A ghost town since a 2018 Syrian operation to flush out jihadists, Hajar al-Aswad found new purpose as the setting for a Jackie Chan-produced action movie. “Home Operation” is inspired by China’s evacuation of Chinese and other foreign citizens from the war in Yemen, an operation that was seen as a landmark for Beijing. Jackie Chan is the main producer of what the film’s synopsis pitches as a blockbuster that will glorify the role of the Chinese authorities in a heroic evacuation.
Munich (Germany) (AFP) – The departure of Robert Lewandowski leaves Bayern Munich with the unenviable task of finding a replacement for the Bundesliga’s most prolific contemporary striker after his relationship with the club turned sour. ‘What Robert has achieved here is more than extraordinary. He won everything here and contributed to many titles,’ says Bayern Munich CEO Oliver Kahn.
Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) (AFP) – US President Joe Biden tells Arab leaders that Washington will remain fully engaged in the Middle East and will not cede influence to other world powers.
Seoul (AFP) – Thousands of LGBTQ supporters gather at Seoul City Hall Plaza for the Seoul Queer Culture Festival for the first time in three years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Outside of the police-barricaded plaza, a counter-protest against gay rights goes ahead. The police barricades were put up to separate the two large groups and prevent any clashes.
Landiras (France) (AFP) – Aerial images filmed from a helicopter show the ongoing operation to tackle wildfires in Gironde, southwest France, in the Landiras area.
Boom (Belgium) (AFP) – Festival-goers from around the planet return to Tomorrowland, one of the world’s biggest electronic music festivals after a two-year break due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mexico City (AFP) – Mexican authorities have captured notorious drug kingpin Rafael Caro Quintero, who was on the FBI’s list of 10 most-wanted fugitives for the murder of a US undercover agent that strained the countries’ diplomatic relations. Quintero, 69, is accused by the United States of ordering the kidnap, torture and murder of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) special agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena in 1985.
Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) (AFP) – US President Joe Biden and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bump fists before heading inside the Al-Salam Royal Palace for a meeting with King Salman, in the coastal city of Jeddah. Jeddah marks the final stop on Biden’s Middle East tour, following Friday’s talks with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas and meetings with Israeli officials a day earlier.
