Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo said she was confident water quality in the River Seine will be up to Olympic standards this summer — and that she’ll be able to prove it by swimming there, possibly alongside President Emmanuel Macron.The Seine is the venue for marathon swimming at the Games and…

An Australian hospital urged snakebite victims to stop trying to catch the slithery culprits when seeking medical attention after one patient came in carrying a serpent in a loosely locked box.”We honestly don’t want people interacting with snakes any more than they already have,” Dr. Adam Michael, director of emergency…

Spain on Tuesday approved a plan aimed at making reparation and economic compensation for victims of sex abuses committed by people connected to the Catholic Church.It also announced the future celebration of a public act of recognition for those affected and their families.The Minister of the Presidency and Justice, Félix…

Four Aboriginal spears that were taken to England by Captain James Cook more than 250 years ago were returned Tuesday to Australia’s Indigenous community at a ceremony in Cambridge University.The artifacts were all that remain of some 40 spears that Cook and botanist Joseph Banks took in April 1770, at…

The increase in China’s defense spending is concerning given its economy is “failing”, the head of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said on Tuesday.Speaking to reporters in Tokyo, Admiral John Aquilino said China’s economy had been battered by turmoil in its real estate sector and asserted that its official growth rates…

The same day Iran launched its first ever direct attack on Israel, it embarked on a less-noticed confrontation at home, ordering police in several cities to take to the streets to arrest women accused of flouting its strict Islamic dress code.Iranian authorities insist that their so-called Nour (Light) campaign targets…

Swedish customs made one of the country’s largest cocaine seizures ever, confiscating approximately 1.4 tons of the drug.The cocaine was found in a container at Nynashamn port, south of Stockholm.Six people were arrested on suspicion of involvement in its transport.Swedish customs made one of the country’s biggest-ever cocaine seizures after…

Vietnam, a major rice exporter, is aiming to transform its farming techniques by reducing its emissions of methane, a greenhouse gas.Rice paddies generate methane due to flooded conditions inhibiting soil oxygen, making up 8 percent of human-made methane emissions globally.The crop holds cultural and economic significance in Vietnam, with the…

The UK has pledged an additional $620 million in military supplies for Ukraine, including long-range missiles and ammunition.The announced aid includes 400 vehicles, 60 boats, 1,600 munitions and 4 million rounds of ammunition.The US recently approved $61 billion in aid for Ukraine, but it’s unclear when the UK’s aid will…

North Korea ran simulated nuclear counterstrikes against unspecified foreign enemies on Monday, according to state media. The rocket launches were conducted under the supervision of supreme leader Kim Jong Un at an undisclosed location within the small region surrounding the capital city of Pyongyang.Missiles fired Monday traveled over 300 kilometers and…