Venice (AFP) – Numerous celebrities, including Kim Kardashian, Ellie Goulding, Tom Brady and Oprah Winfrey, leave their hotel in Venice to attend the wedding of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and former journalist Lauren Sanchez.
Seville (Spain) (AFP) – As a heatwave grips Europe, temperatures in Seville reach 42 degrees Celsius, prompting locals and visitors alike to seek ways to stay cool. In Rome, temperatures have reached highs of 38 degrees Celsius. The island of Sicily in the south has banned outdoor working during the hottest part of the day. Italy’s trade unions calling for the policy to be extended.
Bangkok (AFP) – Thousands of anti-government protesters rally in Bangkok, demanding Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra resign after a leaked diplomatic phone call stirred public anger over her leadership. IMAGES
Geneva (AFP) – All hypotheses on how the Covid-19 pandemic began remain on the table, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says following an inconclusive investigation into the global catastrophe’s origins. He says WHO aren’t ruling out any hypotheses — including a lab leak or zoonotic spillover (transmission from animal to human).
Lund (Sweden) (AFP) – Their little mouse houses, which appeared without warning on streets, have attracted crowds in Sweden and abroad for nearly a decade. But the previously-anonymous artistic duo “Anonymouse” announced in the spring the end of this project, after creating up to 40 urban artworks and gathering hundreds of thousands of followers on social media. Now, six of their buildings, which have decoration so intricate they resemble movie sets, are being exhibited for the first time in the Museum of Artistic Process and Public Art in Lund in Southern Sweden.
New York (AFP) – Magazine legend Anna Wintour has stepped down as editor of US Vogue after 37 years during which she was often hailed as the single most influential figure in the fashion world.
Berlin (AFP) – “We agree that we must do everything we can to significantly reduce irregular migration in Europe,” says German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during a press conference alongside his Austrian counterpart Christian Stocker. Merz says that at a recent European Council meeting, leaders discussed how to implement “decisive action” on migration.
Tel Aviv (AFP) – Israeli army spokesman Effie Defrin says the military’s mission in Gaza “is not yet complete” and that it was “preparing for a variety of scenarios and continuing to operate against Hamas in Gaza”.
Toubab Dialaw (Senegal) (AFP) – Surrounded by smiling students, dance pioneer Germaine Acogny leads a masterclass in the open-air studio of her school on the Senegalese coast. At 81, the founder of African contemporary dance continues to teach moves to new generations.
Venice (AFP) – Stars including Kim Kardashian, Leonardo Di Caprio, Orlando Bloom, and Oprah Winfrey leave their hotel in Venice to attend the pre-wedding party of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and former TV presenter Lauren Sanchez.
Sayama (Japan) (AFP) – As matcha becomes the new drink of choice in trendy cafes around the world, Japanese producers are struggling to keep up with the explosion in global demand for the powdered green tea.
Kuhmo (AFP) – In the Finnish town of Kuhmo, a stone’s throw from Russia, Moscow’s reported military build-up on its side of the border is raising concerns about the Nordic country’s security. Recent satellite images obtained by media outlets including the New York Times, Finnish public broadcaster Yle and Swedish broadcaster SVT have revealed an expansion of Russian military infrastructure in various locations near the Finnish border. “After a long period of peace, everyone is of course now talking about war,” says Samuli Pulkkinen, a market vendor in the town.
