China's Global Ambitions
Japanese Protest Against China's Weapons Test in the Pacific
China has conducted an unusual test firing of a ballistic missile from a nuclear submarine in the Pacific Ocean, Bloomberg reports. The missile has the capacity to carry nuclear weapons, but the warhead was a dummy during the test firing.
Japan protests the test and expresses "serious concern" over China's increased military activity in the region.
The Crack in the British Royal Family
Prince Harry Not Allowed to Sleep at Buckingham Palace
Prince Harry will not stay at Buckingham Palace during his visit to London this week, according to a statement from the British royal family. According to BBC sources, Harry has responded too late to an invitation.
A spokesman for Harry says the offer was "withdrawn at the last minute" and describes it as a "disappointment".
The visit has already been fraught with problems. It was initially intended to be Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's first family trip to the UK in four years and a chance for the children to meet their relatives. However, the family was denied police protection and now Meghan and the children are staying in the US.
The couple left the country and their royal duties in 2020.
Political situation in Turkey
Gay cruise ship stopped from docking in Turkey
Local authorities in Turkey have stopped a cruise ship carrying 2,000 gay tourists from docking in the port city of Kusadasi, reports The Guardian. The decision is justified by the passengers' "moral values".
Atlantis cruise company CEO Rich Campbell says it is worrying when a country "decides which tourists are welcome and which are not." According to him, this is the first time in the company's 36-year history that gay tourists have been stopped from disembarking.
Broadway star Patti LuPone, 77, is on board the cruise to perform “for all the wonderful men” and she writes on Instagram that she is “furious”.
Russian invasion The world’s response
Russia summons Sweden’s ambassador
The Russian Foreign Ministry says that Sweden’s ambassador has been summoned, writes Reuters, citing the Russian state-controlled news agency Tass.
The background is Russian information about a paint attack on the Russian embassy in Stockholm last week.
The Swedish Foreign Ministry confirms to Expressen that the ambassador has been summoned. Otherwise, the Ministry refers to the police, who in turn do not want to comment on the information about the paint attack.
At least 23 dead in prison riot in Sri Lanka
At least 23 people have died and over 100 injured in a prison riot in Sri Lanka, writes AFP. Four of the dead are said to have been security guards.
When the unrest spread, female inmates reportedly climbed onto the roof and asked to be rescued. Part of the roof collapsed and some of the women were injured, police said.
The riot is described as the deadliest in the last five years.
Volcanic eruption in Sicily – flights forced to be canceled
Several flights have been canceled after a volcanic eruption in Sicily, several media outlets report. Due to the high clouds of smoke from the eruption, visibility is being obstructed for flights.
The eruptions are said to have started last week, with another one on Monday night. All incoming and departing flights are canceled, it is unclear for how long.
“Passengers are kindly asked not to travel to the airport unless they have first checked the status of their flight with their airline,” Catania airport writes on its website.
The problems with mass tourism
Spain is expected to receive 100 million tourists this year
Spain is likely to receive 100 million foreign tourists this year, which would be a record. This is what the country's Tourism Minister Jordi Hereu said, according to Reuters.
Last year, 96.8 million tourists visited the country, which was already a record at the time. Compared to 2024, it was an increase of 3.2 percent.
Threats to biodiversity
Nairobi authorities want to stop viral "bird man"
Rodgers Oloo Magutha, a former homeless man in Nairobi, has gone viral for taking care of wild and injured birds. This is what AFP writes.
Popular videos on Tiktok and Instagram show how he lives side by side with the birds in his one-room apartment on the outskirts of the Kenyan capital.
- I love saving birds, says Rodgers Oloo Magutha, who feels that it has given his life meaning and helped him out of depression.
After a video of him sharing a plate with his feathered friends has drawn the attention of authorities. The risk of spreading diseases means that he is now being urged to release them.
Hurricane season
“Super Typhoon” Bavi has reached several islands in the Pacific
Typhoon Bavi has reached several islands in the Pacific Ocean on Monday, including the US territories of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam, writes NBC News.
– We are right now in the middle of Super Typhoon Bavi, so I want people to continue to stay indoors, says Guam Governor Lou Leon Guerrero in a video on social media.
The island of Rota, which is located about eighty miles north of Guam, has also been affected by the typhoon. For a short time, the island was in the eye of the storm. The wind had a speed of about 290 kilometers per hour and, according to local authorities, has caused “major damage” on the island, writes AFP.
