Australia
Andre McKennie, a 54-year-old inmate serving a life sentence for murder, is taking legal action against Victoria Prison. He argues that the prison’s ban on Vegemite violates his rights to enjoy Australian culture. McKennie has lodged a lawsuit with the Supreme Court of Victoria, and his case is anticipated to be heard next year.
China
Hong Kong’s soccer team, currently ranked 148th globally, has captured the attention of 50,000 fans, a significant increase, thanks to the new Kai Tak Sports Park. This 50,000-seat venue, built on the site of an old airport, opened in March and has seen enthusiastic crowds supporting local teams that typically attract fewer than 15,000 spectators.
Italy
Rome’s historic Antico Café Greco, a coffee house popular with notable figures like Charles Dickens and Audrey Hepburn, shut its doors last month after facing astronomical rent hikes of $120,000. The café, which has been around for two centuries, has been in a dispute since 2017 when its long-term lease expired. Owner Carlo Pellegrini expressed frustration, saying they are willing to pay a higher rent but not at such inflated amounts. “It’s very upsetting, but we’re going to fight this,” he noted.
Egypt
A high-speed train capable of reaching 255 miles per hour was introduced at the TransMEA 2025 event in New Cairo. This impressive locomotive, which can carry 489 passengers, will operate on Egypt’s upcoming 1,200-mile high-speed rail network. It aims to link major cities, significantly cutting travel times for about 90% of the population by as much as 50%.
Mexico
Frida Kahlo’s self-portrait, titled “El Sueño (La Cama),” made headlines when it sold for $54.7 million at Sotheby’s in New York on Thursday. This sale marks it as the highest price ever paid for a piece by a female artist at auction. The painting, which shows Kahlo resting in a canopied bed adorned with vines, breaks the previous record set by Georgia O’Keeffe.
with wire
