Over 75 migrants drown off Tunisia, Libya
Le Matin reports at least 43 migrants drowned in a shipwreck off Tunisia as they attempted to cross the Mediterranean from Libya to Italy. The boat left Zuara with 127 people on board, 84 of whom were rescued by the Tunisian coast guard. A Ministry of Defense spokesman said the migrants, aged between three and 40 years, were of Bengali, Sudanese, Eritrean, Egyptian and Chadian origin. In the afternoon another broken boat was rescued near Sfax. Three people were missing while 19 had been rescued and taken to the nearby port. Meanwhile, in Libya, 14 bodies of migrants, including a woman and a child, were found on the beach of Zawia.
Cardinal among 10 charged in Vatican embezzlement trial:
Avvenire reports a Vatican judge has ordered 10 people, including Cardinal Angelo Becciu, to stand trial for alleged financial crimes relating to a multi-million-dollar property purchase with Church funds in London. The cardinal has become the highest-ranked cleric in the Vatican to be indicted over charges that include embezzlement and abuse of office. The 73-year-old cardinal, who denies wrongdoing, was forced to resign last September, but retains his title.
Brazil: tens of thousands in the streets against Bolsonaro
According to O Globo, tens of thousands of Brazilians demonstrated across the country against President Jair Bolsonaro, the subject of an investigation on charges of failing to report an attempted corruption in the purchase of vaccines. Rio, Sao Paulo, in all the major cities tens of thousands of people paraded with banners against the president. This was the third day of mobilization since the end of May to demand the resignation of Bolsonaro, accused of mismanagement of the coronavirus pandemic that has already killed more than 500,000 people in the country of 212 million inhabitants.
Single Use Plastic Directive comes into force
The EU’s Single Use Plastic Directive, banning a series of the most polluting disposable plastic objects, has come into force. Ansa says the directive, approved in 2019, bans disposable plastic objects like plates and cutlery, straws, cotton buds, cocktail stirrers, balloon sticks, polystyrene food and drink containers. Stores will still be able to sell them while stocks last. Meanwhile, a group of 14 scientists from Germany, Australia, USA, Switzerland, New Zealand, Finland and Rwanda, has published in the journal Science an appeal for an international agreement that will even ban virgin plastic from 2040.
England trash Ukraine to reach first semi-final in 25 years
EURO 2020: Under the heading “Four! What a schorcher!”, The Mail on Sunday says a rampant England are in their first European Championship semi-final for 25 years after destroying Ukraine 4-0 in Rome. Celebrations in both England and Denmark continued late into the night as the two teams won their quarter-final matches against Ukraine and the Czech Republic respectively.
Celebrations turned sour as chaos reigned on the streets of London as police came up against England fans to try to take control as unmasked fans chanted and let off a handful of flares in Piccadilly Circus. A number of people have been arrested.
The BBC says that on the field at the Olimpico in Rome, England produced a magnificent display as they thrashed Ukraine 4-0 to set up a Euro 2020 semi-final against Denmark at Wembley next Wednesday. To add to England and Manager Gareth Southgate’s side satisfaction, they kept their fifth successive clean sheet to maintain their record of not conceding a goal at Euro 2020. Denmark beat the Czech Republic 2-1 in Baku, and after 22 years returns to the top four of Europe. The first semi-final of EURO 2020 will be played on Tuesday when Italy meet Spain.
Copa America: Columbia and Argentina have secured a place in the semi-finals of South America’s top football tournament. Columbia beat Uruguay in a penalty shoot-out after their match ended 0-0. Argentina beat Ecuador 3.0 The first semi-final, between Brazil and Peru, will be played in Rio de Janiero next Tuesday.
