Bizanet (France) (AFP) – Firefighters battle a wildfire by air in the Aude region of southern France. The fire broke out yesterday and is now under control, according to authorities. Southern Europe has been in the grips of an intense heatwave now for several days – as southern Spain yesterday recorded highs of 46 degrees Celsius, a record June high for the country.
McLeod Ganj (India) (AFP) – Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, joins thousands of Buddhist followers for prayers to celebrate his 90th birthday which falls on July 6. The ceremony took place in McLeod Ganj in India, where he has lived in exile for decades since Chinese troops crushed an uprising in the Tibetan capital Lhasa in 1959.
Hong Kong (AFP) – One of Hong Kong’s last remaining opposition parties has officially disbanded, citing “immense political pressure” as Beijing presses on with its years-long crackdown on dissent. The League of Social Democrats (LSD), founded in 2006, championed democratisation and grassroots issues in Hong Kong’s legislature and on the streets.
Santiago du Chili (AFP) – People cast their votes in Chile’s primaries to choose the ruling coalition’s candidate for November’s general election. Polls opened at 8:00 a.m. local time (12:00 GMT), and on the ballot are two lawmakers and two former ministers from Gabriel Boric’s government, whose term ends in March 2026. IMAGES
Venice (AFP) – Amazon founder and billionaire Jeff Bezos travels by boat with his wife Lauren Sanchez Bezos to their wedding party in Venice. The newlyweds kissed during the boat ride, escorted by police and numerous photographers. The wedding has also attracted its fair share of criticism, with many protesting against what they see as the couple’s harmful economic and environmental footprint on the city.
Belgrade (AFP) – Clashes erupt between police and protesters in Belgrade following a rally that drew tens of thousands calling for the populist government to hold early elections, with dozens arrested.
Lisbon (AFP) – The Portuguese capital wakes up to a second day of heatwave, as climate change pushes thermometers on the world’s fastest-warming continent increasingly into the red. The Portuguese Meteorological Institute is forecasting a temperature of 42 degrees later today.
Waterloo (Belgium) (AFP) – Two hundred and ten years after the French were defeated at the Battle of Waterloo, marking the final defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte, the decisive clash is re-enacted. The event brought together more than 2,600 history enthusiasts from around the world and was narrated by French presenter Stephane Bern.
Rome (AFP) – Visitors in Rome, struck by the heatwave, arm themselves with hats and umbrellas to brave the hot temperatures. Italian hospitals have seen an uptick in heatstroke cases in elderly and vulnerable patients — particularly among those living in cities. Scientists say the “urban heat island” effect means the air in densely-populated and built-up areas experience is far more humid than in rural areas.
Belgrade (AFP) – Aerial images taken at night of tens of thousands of protesters in central Belgrade, who demand early elections after months of student-led strikes. Anti-graft protests have rocked the Balkan nation since November when the roof of a train station collapsed in the northern city of Novi Sad, killing 16 people — a tragedy widely blamed on entrenched corruption. IMAGES
Caracas (AFP) – Colourfully-clad revellers participate in Caracas’ Pride march. IMAGES
Glastonbury (United Kingdom) (AFP) – A massive crowd at Glastonbury welcomes Lewis Capaldi with huge cheers as the Scottish singer staged a surprise comeback at the British music festival’s main Pyramid Stage. The crowd sings “oh Lewis Capaldi” as he walks out, returning to the stage where two years previously he decided to take a break after being unable to finish his hit song – Someone You Loved. “It was sentimental,” says Charlie Boi, an entrepeneur. “We were here last time when he had the complications so it was nice seeing him make that comeback in full effect.”
