A city of 126 islands, linked by 472 bridges, and the capital of Veneto.
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.
Two early‑season heatwaves have broken June temperature records across western Europe, pushing many locations above 40°C, triggering red alerts, disrupting transport and power, and causing dozens of deaths in France and other countries. Scientists have said human‑caused warming has made this event far more likely and night‑time temperatures have remained unusually high.
celebrities are staging a high-profile wedding during a heatwave in New York, drawing massive security, road closures, and public attention. Critics say the spectacle underscores a city increasingly tuned to the needs of the rich while ordinary residents bear the burden.
Two teenage boys have been found not guilty of murdering Amen Teklay in a sword attack in Glasgow's St George's Cross area. The 16-year-old admitted stabbing but the jury found self-defence or lack of concerted effort by the 17-year-old. Trial details and community reactions are included.
Venice is exploring surge-pricing for day-trippers, raising the fee beyond the current €10 on peak days to manage crowds and cover maintenance costs. The plan requires an amendment to Italy’s Venice law and involves researchers to calibrate the threshold, with €50 cited as an upper limit for experimentation.
George Clooney has been chosen to receive the Golden Lion at the 83rd Venice Film Festival, which runs from September 2–12. He has described the honor as tremendous and noted it may mean he is old. Venice holds personal significance for Clooney, including his 2014 marriage in the city.
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.
Migrants crossing from Morocco to Ceuta have triggered a renewed EU debate. Authorities have faced volatile scenes at the border, while disinformation and international responses shape the narrative. The flow of people and the political reactions highlight long-standing fortress Europe policies.
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.
A trio of travel features from Independent and The Guardian highlights luxury hotels in Crete, Dubrovnik and Crevan near Venice. Buyers are eyeing boutique stays, private villas and heritage properties as tourism recovers and high-net-worth buyers explore the lagoon and Adriatic coast. The Guardian notesCrevan’s Napoleonic fort conversion and private amenities as Venice’s market heats up.
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.
At Venice, May el-Toukhy’s Woman Unknown has won the Golden Lion, while Lee Chang-dong’s Possible Love takes Silver Lion and Ilya Khrzhanovsky’s DAU wins best director. Gaza documentary NAZA earns a special jury prize. The festival also highlights ongoing questions about female directors’ 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 launch the Gaza Cinema Academy in Venice to train a new generation in Gaza. The initiative, backed by leading regional and international industry figures, seeks to connect Gaza’s filmmakers with global audiences while building a sustainable local education and production hub.
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 world tour spanning the UK, Europe, and the US, with 11 Manchester shows and five Celtic Park dates in Glasgow. Richard Ashcroft will be the special guest on all dates. The news follows their 2025 reunion tour and a wave of teasers and drone displays ahead of the official announcement.
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.
A Venice-awarded documentary by Israeli filmmakers draws on testimonies from 24 insiders to claim AI-assisted targeting and anticipated civilian casualties were built into Gaza operations. Israeli leaders condemn the film as treasonous while pledging legal and policy responses; critics say the film raises urgent questions about accountability and press freedom amid a wartime backdrop.
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 controversial documentary chronicling Palestinian civilian deaths in Gaza has sparked a heated backlash in Israel, with officials threatening steps against the filmmakers. The debate highlights deep national divisions over war reporting and accountability.
The documentary NAZA, directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, has sparked a global debate after Venice award wins and intense Israeli backlash. The Guardian will stream the film for free on its site starting in November, broadening access amid claims of state harassment against the filmmakers.