FRANCE
Redheads celebrate hair
Ginger, auburn, strawberry blonde; all types of redheads turned out on Saturday in their hundreds in the Brittany town of Chateaugiron for the first “Red Love” festival. “I was born red, I will stay red and I am beautiful like everyone around me,” said Simon, a 32-year-old farm worker. “I was teased when I was young, called names like ‘carrot-top … it’s the same as if you’re fat.” The 1,200 attendees enjoyed concerts and shows, including a fashion parade of 18 redheads in wedding dresses.
Photo: AFP
RUSSIA
Opposition leader detained
Alexei Navalny was detained outside his home in Moscow on Saturday for reasons that were not immediately clear, injuring a finger in the process, his spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said on Twitter. In an interview to radio station Ekho Moskvy, Yarmysh said it was “probably linked” to Navalny’s plans to hold protests on Sept. 9 against the government’s unpopular pension reform. In a blog post published on Saturday, Navalny said the protests would take place in Moscow and “in almost a hundred other cities.” Yarmysh said the 42-year-old was treated in a hospital after his arrest for a suspected broken finger.
EGYPT
Couple’s deaths ‘suspicious’
The nation’s top prosecutor dismissed speculation that the death of two British tourists in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada was caused by poisonous gas emissions in their hotel room, as the hotel attributed their deaths to “natural causes.” An inspection by the prosecutor’s team of John and Susan Cooper’s room found that there were no toxic or harmful gas emissions or leaks, the prosecutor’s office said in a statement. All devices in the room were “functioning efficiently without any defects,” it added. The statement came after the couple’s daughter, Kelly Ormerod, told Sky News that “something suspicious has gone on,” especially since her parents had not complained of any health problems prior to going on the holiday. The Cooper couple’s deaths prompted tour operator Thomas Cook to evacuate its 301 customers from the Steigenberger Aqua Magic hotel as a “precautionary measure.” About 100 decided to return home, the rest were moved to other hotels.
UNITED KINGDOM
Lindsay Kemp dies at 80
Dancer, choreographer and mime artist Lindsay Kemp, known for tutoring singers David Bowie and Kate Bush, has died at 80 at his home in Livorno, Italy. Director Nendie Pinto-Duschinsky, who is making a documentary about Kemp, on Saturday said that Kemp died suddenly after a “perfect” day rehearsing with his students. Kemp formed his dance company in the 1960s. He is credited with helping Bowie create his Ziggy Stardust persona and teaching Bush to dance.
UNITED KINGDOM
Cruise ship rescues trio
The Pacific Princess cruise ship late on Saturday afternoon turned around in the North Sea to rescue three men in a lifeboat who had sent up a flare. The ship, which was heading back to Dover after an eight-day cruise around the British Isles, changed its course to rescue the men off the coast of Norwich.
INDIA
Flood death toll hits 445
The death toll from devastating floods in the southern state of Kerala yesterday rose to 445 with the discovery of 28 more bodies as the waters recede and a massive cleanup gathers pace, government officials said. About 1 million people are still packed into temporary relief camps, and 15 are reported missing even as the government mounts an operation to clean homes and public places that have been filled with dirt and sand left by the floods. More than 130,000 flood-hit houses had been cleaned, or nearly one-third of those affected, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said in a tweet. The government said that more than 10,000km of roads have been destroyed or damaged, while a legislator said 50,000 houses had been wiped out. People returning to their homes have been told to stay alert as receding waters leave behind a glut of snakes.
AUSTRALIA
Rain brings scant relief
Widespread rain fell across drought-affected parts over the weekend, bringing relief to farmers struggling to cope with the driest conditions in more than half a century. Graziers have had to hand-feed sheep and cattle, sell down stock — and in some cases even shoot them to end their suffering — as they ran out of hay and grain in the severe conditions affecting Queensland and New South Wales states. The wet weather was the first farmers in some areas had seen for more than a year and even included hail. However, locals said the ground had become so dry in the past few months that more downpours over the next few weeks and months would be needed to make a difference.
DR CONGO
Ebola outbreak kills 67
An outbreak of Ebola in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) has killed 67 people this month, authorities said on Saturday. A total of 105 cases have been reported since the flare-up of Ebola began on Aug. 1 in Mangina in North Kivu Province, according to the Ministry of Health, out of which 77 have been confirmed by laboratory tests. Eleven people have recovered from the virus and 67 had died, it said. Minister of Health Oly Ilunga Kalenga on Thursday traveled to Mangina and saw two patients being discharged after they were treated with a new prototype treatment called mAb114. Developed in the US, it is the first therapeutic drug to be used in an active Ebola epidemic in the nation.
CHINA
Hotelier held after deadly fire
Police in Harbin have detained the owner of a resort hotel, where a fire killed 19 people and injured 23. The public security bureau said on its official social media account that it was questioning the legal representative of the Beilong Hot Spring Leisure Hotel (北龍溫泉休閒酒店) on suspicion of negligence leading to Saturday’s fire.
IRAN
Minister voted out of office
The parliament yesterday voted to remove Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance Masoud Karbasian from office, state media said, amid a sharp fall in the rial currency and a deterioration in the economic situation. The move was the latest in a continuing shakeup of top economic personnel as the US reimposes economic sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear program and other issues. A total of 137 members of parliament voted for Karbasian’s removal, state media said, while 121 members voted in favor of him remaining in office.
FRAUD ALLEGED: The leader of an opposition alliance made allegations of electoral irregularities and called for a protest in Tirana as European leaders are to meet Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party scored a large victory in parliamentary elections, securing him his fourth term, official results showed late on Tuesday. The Socialist Party won 52.1 percent of the vote on Sunday compared with 34.2 percent for an alliance of opposition parties led by his main rival Sali Berisha, according to results released by the Albanian Central Election Commission. Diaspora votes have yet to be counted, but according to initial results, Rama was also leading there. According to projections, the Socialist Party could have more lawmakers than in 2021 elections. At the time, it won 74 seats in the
A Croatian town has come up with a novel solution to solve the issue of working parents when there are no public childcare spaces available: pay grandparents to do it. Samobor, near the capital, Zagreb, has become the first in the country to run a “Grandmother-Grandfather Service,” which pays 360 euros (US$400) a month per child. The scheme allows grandparents to top up their pension, but the authorities also hope it will boost family ties and tackle social isolation as the population ages. “The benefits are multiple,” Samobor Mayor Petra Skrobot told reporters. “Pensions are rather low and for parents it is sometimes
CANCER: Jose Mujica earned the moniker ‘world’s poorest president’ for giving away much of his salary and living a simple life on his farm, with his wife and dog Tributes poured in on Tuesday from across Latin America following the death of former Uruguayan president Jose “Pepe” Mujica, an ex-guerrilla fighter revered by the left for his humility and progressive politics. He was 89. Mujica, who spent a dozen years behind bars for revolutionary activity, lost his battle against cancer after announcing in January that the disease had spread and he would stop treatment. “With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of our comrade Pepe Mujica. President, activist, guide and leader. We will miss you greatly, old friend,” Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi wrote on X. “Pepe, eternal,” a cyclist shouted out minutes later,
CONTROVERSY: During the performance of Israel’s entrant Yuval Raphael’s song ‘New Day Will Rise,’ loud whistles were heard and two people tried to get on stage Austria’s JJ yesterday won the Eurovision Song Contest, with his operatic song Wasted Love triumphing at the world’s biggest live music television event. After votes from national juries around Europe and viewers from across the continent and beyond, JJ gave Austria its first victory since bearded drag performer Conchita Wurst’s 2014 triumph. After the nail-biting drama as the votes were revealed running into yesterday morning, Austria finished with 436 points, ahead of Israel — whose participation drew protests — on 357 and Estonia on 356. “Thank you to you, Europe, for making my dreams come true,” 24-year-old countertenor JJ, whose