Everest (Nepal) (AFP) – On Everest’s sacred slopes, climate change is thinning snow and ice, increasingly exposing the bodies of hundreds of mountaineers who died chasing their dream to summit the world’s highest mountain. So far, five bodies have been retrieved by Nepal’s 2024 mountain clean-up team.
La Paz (AFP) – Two Bolivian army leaders have been arrested after soldiers and tanks took up position in front of government buildings in what President Luis Arce called an attempted coup.
Koh Tao (Thailand) (AFP) – Nannalin Pornprasertsom is one of a growing number of scuba divers learning conservation and citizen science techniques as coral reefs experience the world’s fourth global bleaching event. The death spiral is everywhere in the waters around Thailand’s Koh Tao where Pornprasertsom uses her new skills to monitor the health of the reef.
Hong Kong (AFP) – Ten LGBTQ couples tie the knot in a mass wedding in Hong Kong attended by their families and friends. Despite exchanging vows in the Chinese city, the newly-weds had to legally register their marriages in the United States via an online process, as Hong Kong does not recognise same-sex unions.
Nairobi (AFP) – Kenyan President William Ruto says that a bill containing contentious tax hikes would “be withdrawn”, dramatically reversing course after more than 20 people were killed in clashes with police and parliament was ransacked by protesters opposed to the legislation on 25 June.
Canberra (AFP) – Julian Assange is a free man after a plea deal ended years of legal drama for the WikiLeaks founder, who had long been wanted for revealing US state secrets.
Kiew (AFP) – Kyiv presents its new outfits for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Some shirts feature ears of wheat, while others are embroidered with vyshyvanka braids, traditional embroideries widespread in Ukraine, forming the word “victory”.
Ankara (AFP) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accuses Western powers of backing what he says are Israeli plans to attack Lebanon and ‘spread war’ throughout the region.
Corumba, Mato Grosso do Sul (AFP) – Devastating wildfires ravage Brazil’s Pantanal area, the world’s largest tropical wetlands, triggering authorities to declare a state of emergency. The surge of fires before the peak of the dry season has raised alarm for the Pantanal, which extends into Bolivia and Paraguay and is home to a rich array of wildlife, including the world’s highest density of jaguars.
Nairobi (AFP) – Five people were shot dead and dozens wounded in Kenya in mounting anti-tax hike protests, NGOs said, as police clashed with demonstrators who stormed the parliament compound in Nairobi.
Beirut (AFP) – Senior Lebanese officials defend procedures at Beirut airport during a tour for journalists and diplomats after a British daily alleged Hezbollah was storing weapons at the facility. On 23 June, the Telegraph reported that Hezbollah was storing missiles and rockets at Beirut airport, where “whistleblowers” had reported the arrival of “unusually big boxes” from Iran. Hezbollah has not made any official comment.
Paris (AFP) – Draped, sequined, and in motion, the House of Dior pays tribute to the Olympics during Paris Fashion Week, almost one month before the start of the Paris Games, with mythological silhouettes and a sportier series of couture swimsuits.
