City of canals, a lagoon-fortified capital of Veneto since the Middle Ages
Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday features a multi-universe lineup with Robert Downey Jr. returning as Doctor Doom. The film, slated for December 18, 2026, follows Doomsday’s clash with the Fantastic Four and the X-Men, as Comic-Con previews reveal. Gosling is cast as Ghost Rider, while Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart and others reprise or join roles across a sprawling ensemble.
Design Week in Jerusalem unfolds at Hansen House and surrounding venues, mixing sports-inspired art, trophies, and interactive installations. The event runs July 9–16, with free entry and a shuttle linking venues. Highlights include Trophy culture, Bezalel-led poster projects, and the Beitar vs. Hapoel fan-vs-fan video installation, alongside a Beit Shemesh garden of urban design.
Protests greet Tilman Fertitta’s Venice stop as part of a coastal diplomacy tour marking the US 250th anniversary. Demonstrators accuse the ambassador’s voyage of flaunting wealth amid tensions over Trump administration’s international stance. Venice’s authorities maintain the event showcases partnership and shared history.
UK music charts have seen Sam Fender and Olivia Dean’s Rein Me In extend its lead as the longest-running No. 1 in UK history, spending 19 non-consecutive weeks at the top. Reports from The Guardian, Reuters, Independent and BBC Business confirm the track’s record and discuss cultural implications amid streaming-driven fragmentation.
A record summer of heat, drought and wildfires has prompted an emergency Cobra meeting and voluntary retailer suspensions of disposable-barbecue sales. Green groups have written to Prime Minister Andy Burnham urging him to call the crisis 'climate change' and stop new North Sea drilling; Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice has questioned net zero and urged adaptation and celebration of warmer weather.
Europe endures a blistering heat wave with temperatures above 40C in several countries. Italy places all 27 major cities on red heat alerts; authorities extend evening hours at Rome’s Colosseum and Pantheon and open cooling measures. Wildfires, drought and energy stress accompany the heat, prompting precautions for residents and visitors.
Disinformation campaigns tied to the Ceuta border crisis are intensifying across Europe, with social media posts in seven languages reaching hundreds of thousands of views. Analysts say coordinated messaging from Russian-linked accounts and far-right networks is shaping public perception while migrants discuss routes online. Authorities stress the need for rapid, fact-based responses.
Como's mayor has announced a measure banning cyclists from riding on about 30 central streets, requiring them to dismount and walk. The move aims to boost public safety amid congestion and a surge in tourist traffic. The policy is part of a broader traffic plan that includes a limited-traffic zone in the historic centre.
Actor Mark Ruffalo has urged lawmakers to block Paramount Skydance’s $111 billion merger with Warner Bros Discovery, linking the deal to Oracle’s ties to Israel. Paramount calls the rhetoric antisemitic tropes; George Clooney defends Ruffalo’s right to speak. Over 170 Jewish artists have signed a letter supporting Ruffalo. The merger remains under antitrust scrutiny and on hold as debate intensifies.
New England faces a costly invasive-crab crisis. Scientists, fishermen and startups are turning soft-shell European green crabs into marketable products—from premium meats to pet treats and whiskey. Despite climate-driven spread and decades of grassroots work, supply and infrastructure hurdles limit harvests and market reach.
Israeli and international carriers are expanding routes and resuming services amid ongoing conflict-related volatility. Delta and United are returning to Ben Gurion, Israir is launching Tel Aviv-New York, and Israeli airlines are increasing capacity, while fares remain high in the near term. A direct Manila route is planned, and fares to the US show volatility through the fall travel season.
Two Venetian islands are on the market, with Crevan offering a Napoleonic fort-turned-villa and Isola Santa Cristina described as an exclusive escape. Buyers are eyeing private villas, vineyards and heritage properties as Italy's lagoon and Adriatic coast attract high-net-worth interest.
The Independent reports that the 48-year-old New York-born actor is joining General Hospital as William Baines, joining a wave of casting changes. Debuts are set for Thursday, September 3, as the soap continues its long-running tale in Port Charles. The moves follow recent departures and recastings, including Jack Brennan’s kill-off and Ethan Lovett’s recasting.
Venice Film Festival winners have spotlighted gender disparity in cinema. May el-Toukhy’s Woman Unknown has won Golden Lion; Lee Chang-dong’s Possible Love takes Silver Lion; Ilya Khrzhanovsky’s DAU wins best director. Gaza documentary NAZA earns a special jury prize. The festival continues to face questions about female representation in major competitions.
At TIFF 2026, studios are bypassing fall festivals while markets expand. Major releases skip screenings, while the market and Red Sea Fund-backed projects push Toronto as a hub for sales and international partnerships. TIFF’s evolving role mirrors a broader shift in how studios reach audiences and win awards amid a crowded fall slate.
A new Oasis documentary charts their 2025 reunion tour, showing Liam and Noel Gallagher reconciling and delivering a stadium-scale return. Directors Will Lovelace and Dylan Southern capture rehearsals, the Cardiff comeback, and fan ecstasy, while exploring why the music endures across generations.
Australia has proposed a Digital Duty of Care that will force social platforms to offer users aged 16 and over a choice between algorithmic recommendation feeds or a feed limited to accounts they follow. The draft bill will require platforms to notify users, target addictive design features for under‑18s and allow fines up to A$109.2m for non‑compliance.
A wave of art and urban-design initiatives is reshaping public spaces in European cities. From Aberdeen’s Bon Accord Baths hosting a large-scale art installation to Glasgow’s archives becoming public, the trend emphasizes accessible, site-specific works that invite community engagement.
The Guardian, Business Insider UK, The Guardian and Independent pieces report on Alex Gibney’s four-hour Musk documentary. Ashley St Clair alleges Elon Musk discussed having a child to build a “legion” before civil conflict, with a $40m NDA offer later declined. The film questions Musk’s power, algorithm changes at X, and his political shift. Venice premiere provided a harsh critique of Musk’s influence.
A tour across Italy’s lesser-known towns—from Tropea in Calabria to Torre di Palme in Marche and Barga in Tuscany—highlights regional hospitality, cuisine, and luxury travel, amid new luxury hotels and evolving cultural offerings.
The EU Commission has proposed a framework to let cities curb short-term rentals in areas facing housing stress, with rules that require evidence-based, non-retroactive measures. The plan aims to stabilize urban housing by guiding local enforcement while protecting the housing supply and noting industry pushback.
John Malkovich has cancelled a Tel Aviv date for The Music Critic after a PR firm attributed quotes to him. He says he never made the statements and will not participate in the performance. The Israeli promoter and the PR firm apologize for the error. The show’s tour continues elsewhere.
Palestinian filmmakers have unveiled a Gaza Cinema Academy initiative advancing a nine‑month Gaza Filmmaking Diploma and planning to create an accredited degree, with aims to connect Gaza’s storytellers to global audiences and festivals.
The government has given English regional mayors the power to charge an overnight visitor levy as a percentage of accommodation costs with no statutory upper limit. Industry groups and major hotel chains have warned the uncapped power will raise prices, reduce demand and cost jobs; mayors say revenue will fund local services and infrastructure from 2028.
NAZA, an 80‑minute documentary by Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, has premiered at the Venice Film Festival, won a special jury prize and prompted sustained criticism from Israeli officials. The film presents anonymous testimony from 24 Israeli military and intelligence personnel alleging AI‑assisted targeting and frequent civilian deaths in Gaza; Israel’s defence establishment has rejected the claims and ordered inquiries.
Oasis has revealed a 2027 tour spanning the UK, Europe and the US, with 11 Manchester shows, five Celtic Park dates in Glasgow, and four at Knebworth. Richard Ashcroft will headline all dates. The tour follows their 2025 reunion and weeks of teaser posts and a drone reveal in Manchester.
Meta is developing a camera-free variant of its Ray-Ban AI glasses to address privacy concerns while preserving AI chat features. The move follows sustained criticism of camera-enabled glasses and regulatory scrutiny in Europe and Norway. The company is pushing audio and AI capabilities with safeguards like an LED recording indicator and anti-tampering features.
The Guardian and The Times of Israel report on the Venice-winning NAZA documentary by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor. Israeli ministers have condemned the film, with the culture minister threatening citizenship revocation for the directors. The IDF denies allegations of planned or approved strikes in Gaza and challenges the film’s anonymous whistleblower approach. The Gaza death toll exceeds 73,000.
The Venice Special Jury Prize for NAZA has triggered a political firestorm in Israel. Culture Minister Miki Zohar calls to strip the filmmakers’ citizenship, while Prime Minister Netanyahu and other officials condemn the film as treasonous. The documentary cites 24 anonymous Israeli insiders and alleges AI-assisted targeting and anticipated civilian casualties in Gaza; the filmmakers say the film seeks accountability.
The Novig advertising campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney, showing her in minimal clothing while posing with sports gear, has prompted widespread criticism from athletes and commentators about the sexualisation of women in sport. The backlash has seen outspoken responses from figures like Amy Hunt, Ariarne Titmus and Gracie Kramer, while Sweeney defends the project and highlights other nude campaigns.
B’Tselem reports detail a five-front strategy—violence, movement limits, economic strangulation, social destruction, and ethnic cleansing—driving Palestinians to lose daily life, with checkpoints, land seizures, and rising unemployment reshaping the landscape since late 2022 and the Gaza war’s 2023 onset.
The Venice film festival features a four-hour documentary on Elon Musk that critics say is highly critical. Musk has branded the film a hit piece, while director Alex Gibney defends it as rigorous inquiry. The documentary includes AI-generated Musk commentary and details about Musk's business ventures and public presence.
A Yale study analyzes New York Times coverage of the Gaza war, arguing it underreports Palestinian casualties and civilian suffering while overemphasizing Israeli agency; Times counters that it covers the war rigorously from multiple angles. The debate centers on framing and balance as the conflict continues.
The Guardian-produced NAZA has sparked a fierce backlash in Israel after its Venice premiere and North American rollout. The film features 24 anonymous Israeli soldiers and intelligence officers describing AI-assisted targeting and civilian casualties in Gaza. Israel denies the allegations and promises to defend its soldiers, while the filmmakers face calls to revoke their citizenship.
Unreleased Oasis recordings from the 1990s, including 63 live shows and hours of rehearsals, have been withdrawn from auction after legal action by the band. Littleton Auctions had planned a sale in October, but Oasis has intervened, delaying the auction while the dispute proceeds. Other memorabilia remains on offer.
A review of recent articles shows the Malacca Strait crisis is intensifying, with maritime blockades constraining energy flows and testing international law. Analysts say diversifying routes and boosting military presence will shape global trade and security dynamics.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has demanded an urgent criminal investigation into participants in NAZA, a documentary whose anonymous testimony from 24 Israeli military personnel accuses the IDF of using intelligence systems and AI in strikes that killed civilians in Gaza. The IDF has published a 17-page rebuttal and denies using AI to select targets; filmmakers have won international awards and faced threats at home.