Gianni Infantino is on track for a fourth term as FIFA president after more than 200 of the 211 soccer associations have formally expressed their support. Only a handful of associations—mainly from Europe, with Germany being the most notable absentee—have not yet confirmed their support.
A couple from Regina, Canada, was killed in a bear attack near McTavish Lake in northern Saskatchewan. The province has confirmed that a black bear was involved and that the animal has since been euthanized.
Israel is taking a new step toward its controversial plan to guard Palestinian prisoners with Nile crocodiles. The government has revoked the reptiles’ protected status, which appears to pave the way for a detention complex surrounded by crocodiles.
Now that the Taliban is actively promoting tourism, the regime is trying to position Afghanistan as a destination for adventurous travelers. Yet for many visitors, the country remains a destination with clear risks, even as the first Western tourists are once again flocking there for its natural beauty, historical sites, and Afghan hospitality.
In the United States, a parasite is causing thousands of infections, resulting in severe diarrhea. The culprit is believed to be iceberg lettuce served at restaurants in the Taco Bell fast-food chain.
Thirty years after its sinking, the sunken Soviet submarine Komsomolets continues to cause a stir in the Norwegian Sea. Although recent measurements show that the nuclear-tipped torpedoes are not yet leaking plutonium, the wreck’s nuclear reactor is indeed still emitting radioactive substances.
The Japanese parliament has approved a reform of the imperial line of succession, but a female emperor remains excluded. With this decision, Tokyo has opted for a limited modernization of the centuries-old succession system, without altering the male line that has formed the basis of the Chrysanthemum Throne for generations.
Shocking details are emerging about the severe wildfire currently ravaging the Fontainebleau forest in France.
The British government wants to introduce a nighttime social media curfew for 16- and 17-year-olds. Apps such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube would be unavailable by default between midnight and 6:00 a.m., although users could disable that setting themselves.
Vladimir Putin has unexpectedly granted Russian citizenship to Belgian car designer Pierre Leclercq. This is evident from an official decree published on the Kremlin’s website. This was reported by the Russian news site Meduza, among others. It's not yet clear exactly why the Belgian top designer is receiving a Russian passport.