Photo: Ai Weiwei via Instagram
TSIPRAS FACES SYRIZA REBELS
As Greek deputies prepare to vote for a second time on a set of reforms needed for bailout talks to continue, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has lashed out at critics within his own ruling party. In comments to colleagues, Tsipras reportedly accused Syriza dissenters of "hiding behind the safety of his signature." Though the vote is expected to go his way, Tsipras is struggling to sway some of his own party members, including former Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis, who voted against the first set of bailout measures last week.
EXTRA!
Turkey is mourning the victims of this week's suicide bombing in the city of Suruc, along the border with Syria. "Turkey Cried," today's headline in the Turkish daily Milliyet reads. The story includes heartbreaking images from yesterday's funeral of 28 of the 32 people who were killed during a meeting of young Kurdish activists discussing the reconstruction of the Syrian town of Kobane. Read more in our Extra! feature.
BLAND ARREST VIDEO INVESTIGATED
Authorities are investigating potential tampering with the newly released footage of Sandra Bland's July 10 arrest by a Texas trooper. The 28-year-old African-American woman from the Chicago area was found dead in her jail cell three days after the arrest. Although the coroner ruled her death a suicide, Bland's family has asked for an independent autopsy. The 52-minute dashcam video, released today by the Texas Department of Public Safety, shows Bland being pulled over for failing to signal and then arguing with the arresting officer. People following the story quickly noticed apparent breaks and gaps in the video, pointing to the possibility that the footage had been doctored, NBC News reports.
VERBATIM
"Yes, I'm a double agent sent by the Right and Marine Le Pen is a reptilian alien," National Front Vice President Florian Philippot quipped today in a televised interview on French channel BFMTV. Philippot, one of the main advisors of the far-right party's leader Marine Le Pen, was reacting to a comment by her father — disgraced former party chief Jean-Marie Le Pen — accusing him of sabotaging the National Front from the inside.
WEIWEI ON HIS WAY
"Today, I received a passport," Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei wrote on his Twitter and Instagramaccounts. Ai became a cause célèbre in 2011 when his criticism of the Chinese government led to an 81-day detention and a prohibition on traveling abroad that has now been lifted. For more about Ai Weiwei, we offer thisLe Monde/Worldcrunch article.
WORLDCRUNCH-TO-GO
President Barack Obama is restoring U.S. influence in Latin America, a reminder of the importance of neighbors. "It is not hard to see the interest of Latin American states in reconciling themselves with the United States. Havana is just 160 kilometers from Florida, and renewing its diplomatic and trade ties with the U.S. is far more beneficial to it than to its big neighbor," America Economia writes in an editorial. "Less obvious are the motivations driving Obama's Latin American diplomatic flurry. Very few Americans seem to care about what goes on outside their country, unless it is a terrorist threat. Reconciliation with leaders Raul Castro, Nicolas Maduro and Dilma Rousseff barely registers on the radar of the wider public, and would certainly not seem to earn the U.S. president or the next Democratic presidential candidate popularity."
Read the full article, How Obama Conquered Latin America (In A Good Way).
3.1 MILLION
More than 3.1 million Iraqis have been displaced by conflict since the beginning of 2014, including 250,000 from Ramadi alone, the International Organization for Migration reports. Of these, 67% are living in relatively safe private housing, but 20% are making due in "critical shelter arrangements, which include unfinished buildings, religious buildings, informal settlements and schools." The organization says another 8% are living in camp settings.
ANGRY FRENCH FARMERS
French Agriculture Minister Stéphane Le Foll announced today that emergency financial aid totaling 600 million euros will be offered to struggling livestock farmers, France Info reports. French farmers have been protesting for weeks, blocking roads and access to tourist sites, to denounce falling meat and dairy prices.
ON THIS DAY
Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar escaped from prison 23 years ago today, only to be killed later by Colombian National Police. Your 57-second shot of history.
MY GRAND-PÈRE'S WORLD
EMOJI MOVIE
Who in their right mind would think that a movie about emojis, the annoyingly ubiquitous pictorial symbols, sounds like a good idea? Sony Pictures, that's who.
