Mandas (Italy) (AFP) – Italian firefighters have been at work since the early morning to extinguish wildfires affecting the rural area of the Italian southern island of Sardinia and blazes that threatened a carriage museum in Calabria.
Albany (United States) (AFP) – SOUNDBITE New York Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul addresses New Yorkers for the first time since Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation over sexual harassment allegations. In just under two weeks, Hochul will succeed Cuomo as the state’s 57th governor.
Hachinohe (Japan) (AFP) – A cargo ship has run aground and broken into two pieces off northern Japan, with the crew of the Panama-flagged vessel reportedly taken to safety. Aerial images show the separated stern of the Crimson Polaris tipped upwards and the other part of the stricken boat floating into the sea. A fuel leak from the ship has spread around 24 kilometres (15 miles) according to a coastguard spokesman and the extent of any environmental impact remains unclear.
Quito (AFP) – Hundreds of union members in Quito, Ecuador, hit the streets to protest against an increase in fuel prices.
Zhengzhou (China) (AFP) – Endless rows of mud-caked vehicles damaged during deadly floods last month sit abandoned in a parking lot in the central city of Zhengzhou, a monument to the power of last months’ record floods to hit Henan province.
Callao (Peru) (AFP) – Police in Peru seize more than two tonnes of cocaine valued at $90 million that was to be transported to Belgium from the seaport of Callao.
Paris (AFP) – Lionel Messi says he is “dreaming” of winning a fifth Champions League after signing a two-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain. Hundreds of fans gather outside the Parc des Princes with supporters queueing near the club shop on the Champs Elyseees to buy Messi shirts.
Fort Brégançon (France) (AFP) – “The health crisis is very clearly not behind us (…), we are going to live with this virus for several more months,” warns French President Emmanuel Macron as he chairs a defence council on Covid-19 by videoconference from his holiday residence.
Paris (AFP) – Lionel Messi says he is “extremely happy” after signing a two-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain, as he speaks during a press conference for his official presentation at Parc des Princes.
Dufftown (United Kingdom) (AFP) – A distillery in the Highlands of Scotland is using waste from its whisky production process to create biofuel for trucks. Managers at the distillery say the fuel has the potential to save about 250 tons of carbon emissions for trucks on the road.
Albany (United States) (AFP) – Embattled New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announces his resignation after 11 women accused him of sexual harassment. New-Yorkers welcome his resignation, with one of them saying it was “a long time coming” and another qualifying it as “the wisest thing he’s done in a long time”.
Washington (AFP) – US President Joe Biden urges Afghanistan’s leaders to unite as US troops withdraw from the country.
