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  • FACT FOCUS: Social media falsely claims heatwave threatens Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and bank

    FACT FOCUS: Social media falsely claims heatwave threatens Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and bank

    As Southern Europe grapples with a record-breaking heatwave that has sent temperatures across Italy soaring beyond 40 degrees Celsius, false and exaggerated claims about a looming disaster for one of the country’s most iconic culinary exports have spread rapidly across social media platforms. The viral posts allege that Italy’s brutal extreme heat has jeopardized both the production of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and the regional financial institutions that store the aged cheese wheels as loan collateral, dubbing the situation the “Great Parmesan Crisis.” But a full review of the facts from industry leaders and bank officials shows these warnings do not match reality.

    Parmigiano-Reggiano is not a generic cheese product: it is a protected, designation-of-origin good produced exclusively according to rigid, centuries-old specifications across a defined geographic footprint in northern Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region. Every wheel of the hard cheese is crafted from locally sourced milk, produced by dairy cattle fed only on regional forage, and aged for a minimum of 12 months, with many wheels left to mature for up to 40 months to develop the cheese’s signature rich, nutty flavor.

    To support small-scale producers through the lengthy aging process, a small network of regional banks developed a unique lending model that accepts the cured cheese wheels themselves as collateral for operating capital loans. The largest and oldest of these so-called “cheese banks” is Credito Emiliano S.p.A’s Magazini Generali delle Tagliate (MGT), a specialized storage and lending operation that has been in continuous operation since 1953. Today, MGT holds roughly 500,000 fully aged and maturing Parmigiano-Reggiano wheels across two climate-controlled storage facilities, with a total estimated market value of 300 million euros ($350 million).

    Giancarlo Ravanetti, MGT’s general manager, confirmed that while the ongoing heatwave has pushed the facility’s energy consumption for cooling systems up by 30% compared to average summer months, neither the cheese nor the bank’s operations face any risk. “The warehouses have not been affected and have continued operating normally, ensuring the cheese wheels are stored and aged under optimal conditions,” Ravanetti said. He added that even if extreme high temperatures persist through the summer and into future heat seasons, the facility is equipped to handle the strain, with no anticipated long-term disruptions. This preparation is no accident: MGT has invested heavily over the past several years to upgrade its infrastructure for climate resilience. The organization has replaced outdated, inefficient cooling units with modern high-efficiency systems, upgraded thermal insulation across both warehouse facilities, and installed 1.5 megawatts of on-site photovoltaic solar capacity to power its operations, cutting both energy costs and reliance on the external power grid.

    The Parmigiano-Reggiano Consortium, the governing body that protects the product’s legacy and enforces its production standards, also pushed back against the viral claims of an industry-wide crisis. The group acknowledges that recurring heatwaves and drought present a long-term challenge for dairy producers, noting that extreme high temperatures can reduce cow milk output by roughly 10% during peak heat events. However, the consortium emphasized that production of Parmigiano-Reggiano is not currently at risk.

    Producers have implemented adaptation measures to protect cattle and maintain consistent milk supplies: 70% of the milk used for the cheese comes from farms equipped with temperature control systems, including fans and automated water sprayers, to keep cattle cool and comfortable. All producers rely on stockpiled preserved and dried forage to feed cattle through drought and heat events, eliminating risks to feed supplies. The remaining 30% of the cheese’s milk supply is sourced from cooler hilly and mountainous regions within the designated production zone, where temperatures remain far lower than the record-breaking heat hitting lower-elevation areas of the country.

    This fact check is part of the Associated Press’ ongoing work to correct misinformation spreading across social media platforms. For more AP fact checks and verified reporting, visit the AP Fact Check hub.

  • Como mayor bans ‘beasts’ in city centre after being hit by bike

    Como mayor bans ‘beasts’ in city centre after being hit by bike

    Nestled on the scenic shores of Italy’s iconic Lake Como, the historic city of Como is now at the center of a heated public debate over new mobility restrictions, triggered by a personal incident that has reshaped its local traffic policy.

    Alessandro Rapinese, the city’s mayor, has announced a full ban on bicycle riding across roughly 30 streets in Como’s ancient city center, set to take effect in September. The sweeping rule, which applies equally to traditional pedal bikes and electric two-wheelers under Italian highway regulations, comes after Rapinese was struck by an electric bicycle earlier this year. The mayor framed the ban as a critical step to shore up public safety in the dense, tourist-heavy historic district, noting that his firsthand experience of the collision drove his decision-making.

    “People act based on their own experiences, and I know what it’s like to be hit by one of these beasts,” Rapinese told Italian national news agency Ansa. He detailed the incident in an episode of his self-produced online video series RapiNews24, explaining that the collision occurred in July, just as his administration was debating new central city traffic limits, as he left Como’s city hall. Rapinese escaped the crash without requiring hospitalization, but said the experience pushed him to move forward with the restriction.

    The cycling ban is just one component of a broader package of traffic reforms designed to manage booming tourist numbers in Como, which draws millions of visitors annually to its Roman-walled center and lakeside vistas. The new rules expand the city’s existing Limited Traffic Zone (ZTL), imposing stricter access controls for cars and vans. Under the updated regulations, most private vehicles will require an annual permit to enter the zone, plus a €3 (£2.60) daily access fee. Commercial deliveries to local shops and restaurants are restricted to between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m., and only tourists staying at accommodations with on-site parking will be allowed to drive into the historic center.

    Many of the streets covered by the new cycling ban are among the widest thoroughfares in Como’s old town, and are regularly used by delivery cyclists, making the restriction a significant disruption to local daily logistics. While bicycles have long been a primary mode of daily transportation for local residents in the already car-limited city center, Rapinese’s new rule has drawn fierce pushback from the community.

    Local residents have launched an online petition to overturn the ban, and prominent local advocacy groups have publicly condemned the policy. Civitas Como, a local citizens’ organization, has challenged the legal and practical legitimacy of the restriction, calling it “questionable and erroneous.” The local association Nova Como has organized a mass protest bike ride for September 12 to demonstrate opposition to the new rule.

    This move places Como among a growing number of European cities that have tightened restrictions on lightweight personal mobility devices in dense urban areas amid growing safety concerns. Palermo, another major Italian city, implemented similar bicycle restrictions on busy central streets back in 2023. Beyond Italy, Paris implemented a full ban on rental e-scooters in 2023 and has since introduced stricter safety requirements for privately owned e-scooter users, reflecting a continent-wide trend of re-evaluating micromobility in historic and crowded city centers.

  • German neo-Nazi suspected of deadly 1970 fire at Jewish retirement home

    German neo-Nazi suspected of deadly 1970 fire at Jewish retirement home

    Fifty-six years after one of the deadliest attacks on Germany’s post-war Jewish community, German law enforcement has finally named the suspected perpetrator of a 1970 arson attack that left seven Holocaust survivors dead and 15 more injured in Munich.

    For decades, the identity of the person who set the deadly fire at the Jewish community center’s on-site retirement home on Reichenbachstrasse remained an unsolved mystery. Now, Munich prosecutors have confirmed they have compelling evidence pointing to a lone 25-year-old neo-Nazi with well-documented antisemitic views as the sole culprit. The suspect, named by German news outlet Der Spiegel as Bernd V, died in 2020, meaning no criminal trial will ever deliver formal justice to the victims’ families.

    The attack unfolded on the evening of February 13, 1970, at approximately 8:40 p.m. Prosecutors lay out that the suspect poured gasoline down the wooden stairwell of the retirement home before igniting it. The flames spread rapidly to the building’s top floor, trapping residents inside. While many occupants managed to climb to the roof to await rescue by firefighters, four victims died of smoke inhalation and burns in the stairwell, and a fifth died after jumping from an upper-story window to escape the blaze. All seven killed were Holocaust survivors between the ages of 59 and 71.

    The break in the cold case came last year, when a woman came forward with new credible information following the death of a close relative who had known Bernd V well. The witness’s testimony confirmed that the suspect had openly made violent antisemitic threats just 15 minutes before the fire broke out, stating nearby the community center that “the Jews had everything” and that he intended to “set them on fire”. These remarks have been corroborated by other members of the witness’s family.

    Additional records and witness accounts paint a picture of the suspect’s long-held extremist views: multiple witnesses recalled he was fixated on Adolf Hitler, and regularly played recordings of the Nazi dictator’s speeches in his youth. A former school headmaster told investigators that the suspect once used a Hitler Youth dagger gifted to him by his father during a violent confrontation. As a young person, he had already been convicted of a juvenile offense for blowing up two public phone kiosks.

    Der Spiegel’s reporting adds context to the suspect’s motive on the night of the attack: the female witness’s late relative was part of a burglary gang that carried out a failed raid on a jewelry store in Munich’s nearby Gärtnerplatz district that same evening. The botched robbery left Bernd V enraged, and he channeled that anger into carrying out his antisemitic attack.

    The original arson investigation was first closed in 2017 due to a lack of conclusive evidence, but was reopened last year after the new witness testimony emerged. Prosecutors emphasized that even with a deceased suspect, the principle of presumption of innocence still applies to the case, and no credible evidence has been found to indicate any other co-conspirators were involved in the attack.

    While authorities have closed the case 56 years on, the investigation is widely expected to be remembered as a historic failure of German law enforcement. Der Spiegel reports that Bernd V’s name was first brought to investigators’ attention as early as the 1970s, by a man who had shared a prison cell with him. At the time, investigators dismissed the tip due to insufficient evidence and dropped all scrutiny of the suspect, leaving the case cold for decades.

  • ‘I feel I am imprisoning myself’ – Djokovic on drive & doubts

    ‘I feel I am imprisoning myself’ – Djokovic on drive & doubts

    At 39 years old, Novak Djokovic stands alone as one of the most decorated athletes in tennis history, yet his relentless hunger for more has never faded. With a record-tying 24 Grand Slam singles titles, the most ATP Masters 1000 crowns of any male player in the sport, and a newly minted Olympic gold medal added to his trophy case in 2024, Djokovic has already secured his legacy as one of the greatest to ever pick up a racket. But in a revealing new Amazon Prime documentary, the Serbian superstar opens up about his lifelong internal battle: no number of trophies has ever been enough to quiet the voice inside that pushes him to constantly do better.

    “I cannot say I feel content with what I have and who I am,” Djokovic shared in the film. “I am always looking to be more – better, faster, stronger. Oftentimes I feel I am imprisoning myself.” This unrelenting self-criticism makes Djokovic his own harshest judge. “I’m the number one doubter,” he explained. “I’m trying to prove myself wrong more than anybody else.”

    His wife Jelena Djokovic echoed this insight, confirming the tennis legend holds deeply conflicting feelings about the eventual end of his playing career. “He carries that burden that he’s never enough. No matter how much he does, it will never be enough,” she said. “Tennis is a fulfilling place for him – a place where he feels worthy.”

    Djokovic’s singular path to tennis greatness, and his complex relationship with the sport, is rooted in traumatic childhood experiences that few elite athletes can relate to. Born and raised in Belgrade, he was just a young boy when NATO bombing campaigns targeted the Serbian capital between March and June 1999. He recalled fleeing his residential building, which lacked any dedicated bomb shelter, in search of safety. On the way, he fell behind his family, and watched from the street as a warplane dropped two bombs on a nearby hospital. In the years that followed, daily life meant waiting hours in long lines just to secure basic necessities like bread and milk.

    Far from breeding resentment, Djokovic says these hardships became the foundational building blocks that forged his character and competitive drive. “These are defining moments, something I want to portray as a building block for me as a player and a person,” he told BBC 5 Live in a recent interview. “There is no regret or resentment. In contrary, it’s appreciation and gratitude. Everything in life happens as a reason.”

    As a young rising star, Djokovic was always an outsider in the historically expensive, elitist world of professional tennis. He opened up about his father having to borrow money from high-risk lenders just to fund his early training and travel for junior tournaments. When he finally broke into the upper echelons of the men’s game, he disrupted the decade-long rivalry between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal that had captivated global tennis fans. More emotionally expressive and outspoken on court than his two legendary rivals, Djokovic never enjoyed the universal adoration that the pair received early in his career. For years, he suppressed the stress and frustration of his early struggles, emotions that would later emerge during high-stakes matches. “On the court, that’s where I felt safe and comfortable. It was a familiar ground,” he said. “Tennis is much more than a game and competition. It is defining ground for who I am as a person.”

    Today, with both Federer and Nadal having retired from the sport – Federer in 2022, and Nadal in 2024, both forced out by persistent, career-ending injuries – Djokovic continues to compete at the highest level. In recent years, he has scaled back his playing schedule, focusing almost exclusively on Grand Slam tournaments to preserve his body. After falling to Jannik Sinner in the 2025 Wimbledon semi-finals, he acknowledged he was pushing through major events with his energy reserves already “half-empty.”

    Still, Djokovic rejects any talk of setting an expiration date for his career. Every Grand Slam tournament brings fresh speculation about when he will hang up his racket, regardless of his result, and the 2026 US Open will be no different. But for Djokovic, as long as he can still compete with and beat the best players in the world, retirement is not on the agenda.

    “Why would I talk about retirement when I still keep proving to myself that I can still win?” he asked in the documentary. “As long as I have the drive, the passion, but most of all, as long as I feel like I can be one of the best players in the world, I want to keep going.”

    After claiming the long-awaited Olympic men’s singles gold medal at the 2024 Paris Games – a achievement Djokovic calls the pinnacle of his entire career – he has already set his sights on competing at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. “It seems a long way out. I feel like I can make it,” he said. “I would like to end with the Serbian flag on my shoulders. It would be a nice way to wrap up something I’m very proud of.”

  • What to know about Prince Harry’s move back to Britain with Meghan and the kids

    What to know about Prince Harry’s move back to Britain with Meghan and the kids

    Six years after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down from their official royal roles and relocated to North America, a shocking new development has emerged: Prince Harry, his wife Meghan, and their two young children are preparing for an extended stay in the United Kingdom – a move that has fueled widespread speculation about a potential thaw in the long-running rift between Harry and his immediate family, including King Charles III and heir to the throne Prince William.

    The 41-year-old prince, who remains fifth in the line of British royal succession, has not publicly addressed details of the upcoming move when approached by the Associated Press during a public event Wednesday evening. But insiders close to the couple confirm that key preparations are already underway: Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, have been enrolled at British schools and are set to begin classes this coming September. Multiple sources familiar with the Sussexes’ plans, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the topic, have confirmed the enrollment to the AP.

    Contrary to early rumors that the couple might be seeking a return to official royal duties, the Sussexes have no plans to resume working roles within the monarchy. The family will reside in a private, non-royal residence outside of London, while retaining their existing luxury home in the exclusive Montecito enclave of Southern California and their vacation property in Portugal’s Costa Terra resort. The couple will continue their independent commercial ventures: Meghan will oversee her lifestyle brand As Ever – which produces premium jams, teas, and wines – from the UK, while Harry will expand his work with UK-based charitable organizations.

    Since relocating to the US in 2018, Harry has only made sporadic, short trips back to the UK, many of which were tied to his ongoing legal battles with British tabloid publications. A notable shift came just last month, when Harry, Meghan, and their children made a private visit to meet King Charles and Queen Camilla at the monarch’s Highgrove House country estate. That meeting marked the first time Archie and Lilibet had seen their grandfather since the late Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee celebrations in 2022.

    According to British media reports, King Charles was only officially notified of the couple’s extended stay plans this past Sunday – a detail that has surprised veteran royal commentators. “If I was the king, I’d actually be thinking, ‘Hang on, you came to tea with me, and we sat down and we chatted, and you didn’t even mention this?’” former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told Sky News. “I find it entirely odd.” Buckingham Palace has maintained its longstanding policy of declining to comment on private matters involving non-working members of the royal family, and has issued no official statement on the news.

    The extended stay comes after Harry has publicly pushed for reconciliation with his family, particularly as King Charles undergoes ongoing treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer. “I would love reconciliation with my family. There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore,” Harry told the BBC in a 2023 interview, adding “I don’t know how much longer my father has.” While relations between Harry and Charles have warmed noticeably in recent months, mending ties with Prince William is expected to be far more complicated.

    The rift between the Sussexes and the royal family widened dramatically after the couple’s 2021 tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, in which they alleged that a senior royal had made racist comments about Meghan – who identifies as biracial – during her first pregnancy, and that senior palace officials had failed to address Meghan’s struggles with mental health. The divide deepened further with the 2022 release of Harry’s unflinching memoir *Spare*, in which he claimed William had physically attacked him during an argument over Meghan, and labeled Queen Camilla a “dangerous” figure who cultivated ties with tabloids to improve her public image at the expense of other family members.

    Veteran royal journalist Peter Hunt, another former BBC correspondent, argues that the unexpected announcement of an extended stay will put enormous pressure on William to engage with his brother. “In the short term, Harry will be able to deepen his rapprochement with his father,” Hunt told the Press Association. “And his presence back home will make it harder for his brother to duck a reconciliation.”

    The return also raises major questions about Harry’s long-held stance on security. For years, Harry has argued that the removal of his automatic publicly funded police protection detail when he stepped down as a working royal was the “heart” of his dispute with the palace. Citing the 1997 death of his mother, Princess Diana, in a car crash while being pursued by paparazzi, Harry has long insisted that he and his family face ongoing threats from the media, and previously stated he could not imagine bringing his wife and children back to the UK without formal security guarantees. It remains unclear whether the UK government’s VIP protection committee has revised its risk assessment for Harry, or if he will rely solely on his privately funded security team during his extended stay.

    Harry’s high-profile legal battles with British tabloids over phone hacking and privacy invasion have concluded for the most part, with mixed results. He secured a favorable ruling against the publisher of the *Daily Mirror*, and reached a settlement with News Group Newspapers, publisher of *The Sun*, that included an unprecedented public apology. But last month, Harry and a group of co-plaintiffs that included musician Elton John lost a high-profile privacy case against the publisher of the *Daily Mail*. A judge is set to rule this Friday on how much the plaintiffs will be required to pay to cover the *Daily Mail*’s 34.5 million pound ($47 million) in legal costs, leaving Harry facing a potentially massive financial bill on top of his own team’s legal fees.

    While former correspondent Bond has suggested the move is driven primarily by Harry’s desire to be closer to his father during his cancer treatment, noting that “Perhaps Meghan is taking one for the team here, because I’m not sure this is her life’s desire to live back in the U.K.”, the full implications of the Sussexes’ extended UK stay for the future of the monarchy remain to be seen.

  • Brazil great Ronaldinho arrives in Italy for beach ceremony after signing for third-tier Ravenna

    Brazil great Ronaldinho arrives in Italy for beach ceremony after signing for third-tier Ravenna

    MILAN, Italy — One of the most decorated and globally recognizable soccer stars in history, Brazil’s Ronaldinho, has touched down in Italy, kicking off a highly anticipated return to the country more than 12 years after he retired from top-tier professional play. The small northern Italian city of Ravenna, best known for its sun-soaked Adriatic coastline rather than its competitive soccer program, is gearing up to welcome the 46-year-old icon on what local organizers have officially named “Ronaldinho Day” this Thursday.

    Ronaldinho’s surprise move to Serie C, Italy’s third-tier league, first sent shockwaves through the global soccer community when the deal was announced back in June, more than a decade after he hung up his boots following a 20-year legendary career. The Brazilian great arrived via private jet at Forlì Airport, located roughly 19 miles outside Ravenna, around midday local time on the eve of his official welcome. After landing, he stopped to sign autographs on a pair of soccer balls for airport staff before heading directly to his vehicle on the runway, bypassing a small crowd of fans waiting in the terminal arrivals area.

    Joining Ronaldinho on his arrival was Ignazio Cipriani, president of Ravenna Calcio and heir to the globally renowned Cipriani restaurant hospitality brand. The public is set to get its first look at the soccer legend at a star-studded ceremony held on Ravenna’s iconic waterfront on Thursday evening. The event will double as the official seasonal presentation of the entire Ravenna squad, with event planners confirming that Ronaldinho will be the final player introduced to the crowd, building up to a highly anticipated moment of fanfare.

    A formal press conference with the Brazilian star is scheduled to take place ahead of the public beach ceremony. While excitement is running high, the club has confirmed that Ronaldinho will not feature in Ravenna’s opening Serie C match of the 2024-25 season, an away fixture against Reggiana scheduled for Monday. To date, details remain unconfirmed regarding how much match time the 2002 World Cup winner will see during the campaign. Still, Cipriani has shared that his personal dream for the historic deal is to see Ronaldinho score the final goal of his legendary professional career with Ravenna.

    Ronaldinho’s last appearance in top professional competition came in 2015, when he played for Brazilian top-flight side Fluminense. This new spell with Ravenna marks Ronaldinho’s second run of play in Italy, having previously suited up for Serie A giant AC Milan from 2008 to 2011. Over his career, Ronaldinho has claimed the sport’s highest honors, including a FIFA World Cup title with Brazil in 2002 and the Ballon d’Or award for the world’s best men’s player in 2005.

  • Iran dismisses US economic threats, and other developments in the Middle East

    Iran dismisses US economic threats, and other developments in the Middle East

    On a single Thursday, multiple interconnected developments unfolded across the Middle East, touching on long-running conflicts, diplomatic standoffs, and fresh rounds of international condemnation. From Tehran’s rejection of U.S. pressure to a somber mass gathering in Gaza for long-unrecovered victims, the day’s events underscored the region’s persistent volatility. The full breakdown of these updates is as follows.

    First, Iran pushed back sharply against escalating economic threats from former U.S. President Donald Trump. Hours after Trump pledged what he called unprecedented, crushing economic measures and widespread isolation for the Islamic Republic, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed the threats as a failed tactic that would only deepen public hostility toward the U.S. and lead to further American setbacks. In a public social media statement, Araghchi argued the threats were designed to distract U.S. voters from growing domestic economic problems inside the United States. He added that what he labeled U.S. “economic terrorism” poses a broader threat to the global economy and the national sovereignty of nations across every region.

    Across the Israeli-occupied West Bank, a long-planned Israeli settlement expansion project drew sharp condemnation from multiple world capitals. Israel’s Construction and Housing Ministry had recently issued a tender for more than 1,200 new residential units on open land east of Jerusalem, advancing a proposal that has sat under consideration for more than 20 years. Critics warn the project would effectively split the occupied West Bank into two disconnected segments, eliminating any possibility of forming a geographically contiguous Palestinian state, a core goal of long-stalled two-state peace negotiations.

    British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband called the tender’s publication “an unacceptable and destructive act,” and also denounced ongoing settler violence against Palestinian communities in the occupied territories. The British government summoned the Israeli chargé d’affaires to formally demand an immediate reversal of the tender. Egypt and Jordan joined the condemnation, with Cairo noting the project would cut off East Jerusalem from surrounding Palestinian communities. In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar defended the plan, asserting the Jewish people hold a historic right to build a national home across all of what Israel considers the Land of Israel, including the disputed area east of Jerusalem. Saar also criticized the British government for singling out Israel for blame while ignoring what he called Palestinian extremism.

    In Gaza City, thousands gathered for a somber mass funeral for 50 Palestinians who were killed in Israeli airstrikes during the opening months of the Israel-Hamas war, but whose remains were only recovered from collapsed rubble in recent weeks. Mourners carried the flag-draped remains through streets still strewn with debris from three years of conflict, many holding portraits of the deceased to honor their memory. Lina Karam, who lost her father and multiple other family members in the 2023 strikes, spoke to reporters about the long wait to lay her loved ones to rest. “We were able to recover them after three years of war, after three years of anguish, pain and torture,” Karam said. “We were able to recover them, and dignify them in their final resting place.” All 50 victims belonged to three extended families killed in airstrikes carried out in November and December 2023. Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry reports that the nearly three-year conflict has killed more than 73,400 Palestinians, a count that U.N. agencies and international observers consider broadly reliable. While the toll does not distinguish between civilian and combatant deaths, the ministry notes that women and children make up roughly half of all those killed.

    In northern Syria, a recent Israeli airstrike on the Abu Duhur air base sparked diplomatic pushback from Turkey. The strike, carried out early Tuesday, caused significant infrastructure damage but no reported casualties. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office justified the attack by claiming Syria was close to violating long-standing security arrangements by allowing Turkish troops to deploy to the base. While Syrian officials claimed a Turkish military delegation had visited the base to inspect ongoing rehabilitation work before the strike, Turkey issued a formal denial of the claim, and pledged to continue supporting Syrian efforts to rebuild its national military.

    Meanwhile, Syria’s top diplomat, Foreign Minister Assad al-Shibani, traveled to Islamabad, Pakistan for talks focused on de-escalating regional tensions across the Middle East. His visit comes just days after the Israeli airstrike on the northern Syrian air base. Pakistan has taken a leading diplomatic role in efforts to calm tensions between the United States and Iran, following the expiration of a 60-day ceasefire and talks window that was agreed to in a June memorandum of understanding brokered by Pakistan with backing from other regional states. Pakistani political and military leaders remain in regular contact with both Tehran and Washington to push for a resumption of diplomatic negotiations. In a separate development related to regional tensions, Pakistan has repatriated the bodies of two Pakistani sailors killed in a recent Houthi attack on a Tanzanian-flagged commercial cargo ship transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Six other Pakistani sailors injured in the attack have also returned safely to Pakistan, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed in a post on social media platform X.

  • Belgian car salesman becomes prince after royal parentage confirmed

    Belgian car salesman becomes prince after royal parentage confirmed

    A new chapter of unpublicized change has emerged in Belgium’s royal household, more than half a year after Prince Laurent quietly completed legal proceedings to recognize 26-year-old Clément Vandenkerckhove as his biological son and official heir. Details of the quiet town hall ceremony held six months ago have only recently come to light, shedding new light on the decades-long secret relationship between the royal and Belgian singer Wendy Van Wanten, whose real name is Iris Vandenkerckhove.

    Clément’s journey to becoming an officially recognized prince is a years-long story of gradual connection. Born out of Prince Laurent’s relationship before his 2003 marriage to Princess Claire, Clément grew up unaware of his father’s true identity. It was not until he turned 16 that his mother revealed the royal lineage running through his blood. A chance unexpected encounter with Prince Laurent in a Belgian shopping center in 2013 passed without Clément recognizing who the man in front of him was. Four years after learning his father’s identity, Clément gathered the courage to reach out by phone, and a series of conversations eventually led to an in-person meeting. To confirm their biological connection, the pair agreed to take a DNA test at a local hospital. Clément later recalled that Prince Laurent volunteered to give his sample first to put him at ease. When the results came back, they confirmed a 99.5% match, cementing their paternal bond.

    Now formally recognized as a prince of Belgium, Clément’s new status comes with significant limitations. Unlike Prince Laurent’s three children with Princess Claire – Princess Louise, Prince Aymeric and Prince Nicolas – Clément holds no place in Belgium’s official line of royal succession. He also will not participate in any official public engagements on behalf of the monarchy, and per Belgian royal financial rules, he will not receive any annual public royal allowance, a provision that aligns with 2013 changes to Belgian law that restrict public royal funding to only a small circle of core royal family members: currently King Philippe, former King Albert II, Prince Laurent himself, and Princess Astrid.

    The 26-year-old former car salesman, who rose to public attention after a Flemish VTM documentary chronicled his story last September, has made clear he holds complicated feelings about adopting his father’s family name, Saxe-Coburg. In an interview with local newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, Clément explained that while he has not ruled out taking the royal name in the future, he remains deeply proud of his existing surname Vandenkerckhove, which he shares with his mother. Giving up that name, he said, would feel like a betrayal of everything his mother has done for him over the course of his life.

    This recognition echoes a high-profile paternity case that rocked the Belgian monarchy just a few years ago, involving Prince Laurent’s own father, former King Albert II. After a years-long public legal battle, King Albert II formally acknowledged in 2020 that he had fathered an out-of-wedsted daughter, artist Delphine Boël, during an extra-marital affair. Boël eventually won her court fight for official recognition, gained the title of princess, and now uses the royal surname Saxe-Coburg. The ongoing paternity scandal was one of the key factors that led Albert II to abdicate the Belgian throne in favor of his son Philippe in 2013, marking a major turning point in modern Belgian royal history.

  • Brotherly touch and English flavor could see Inter dominate Serie A, Como looks to surprise again

    Brotherly touch and English flavor could see Inter dominate Serie A, Como looks to surprise again

    As Italy’s top football division prepares to kick off its new campaign this weekend, all eyes are on defending champion Inter Milan, where rookie head coach Cristian Chivu’s unconventional, brotherly leadership style has emerged as an unlikely catalyst for continued dominance.

    When Chivu was tapped last year to replace seasoned incumbent Simone Inzaghi at the San Siro, the appointment sparked widespread skepticism across the football world. The Nerazzurri were still reeling from a historic 5-0 Champions League final thrashing at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain, and critics questioned how a coach with only 13 prior Serie A matches under his belt could steady a fallen giant. As Inter midfielder Hakan Çalhanoğlu recalled in a recent interview with beIN Sports Australia: “Everyone was thinking that Inter was, let’s say dying, after what happened.”

    What followed defied all expectations. Chivu’s fresh tactical vision and people-first approach reinvigorated a demoralized squad, steering Inter to a historic domestic double of Serie A and Coppa Italia in his first full season in charge. Unlike more autocratic managers who separate leadership from personal connection, the 45-year-old Romanian has built his program on close, trusting bonds with his players. “With Chivu it is something different, he cares more about the person, not about the football,” Çalhanoğlu explained. “For him it’s more important how you are, how you feel, and he’s open to everything. He gives you the confidence to feel good. Of course, he has tactical things … but outside of the football he’s like a brother or a friend, you can talk to him about whatever you want, he’s always close to you. That helped me a lot.”

    Inter has further strengthened its title credentials this offseason with a notable injection of English talent. The club has already secured the signings of England defenders Djed Spence and John Stones, and is closing in on a deal for Liverpool and Three Lions midfielder Curtis Jones to add further depth to its starting lineup. Inter will open its title defense at home against newly promoted Monza this Saturday, kicking off what is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable Serie A campaigns in recent memory.

    While Inter enters the season as the favorite, multiple challengers are poised to push for the Scudetto, with off-season coaching changes reshaping the competitive landscape. Last season’s runner-up Napoli, who were held back by a crippling injury crisis that prevented them from mounting a closer title fight, is now led by Massimiliano Allegri, the veteran former Juventus and AC Milan manager. The appointment comes after Antonio Conte stepped down at the end of the last campaign, marking Napoli’s sixth head coaching change in just over three years. Allegri himself is returning to management after being fired by AC Milan last season following what the club called an “unequivocal failure” of a campaign.

    AC Milan, which finished fifth last season after a late-season slump, has turned to Rúben Amorim, the highly rated young Portuguese coach whose stock dipped during a disappointing spell at Manchester United. The Rossoneri have already made a major statement in the transfer market, smashing their club record to sign Portugal forward Gonçalo Ramos from Paris Saint-Germain for more than €70 million ($80 million) to add much-needed attacking firepower.

    Coaching turnover has hit other top half sides too: Lazio and Atalanta both appointed new managers this off-season, with long-time Lazio boss Maurizio Sarri switching to Atalanta in its first full campaign after legendary manager Gian Piero Gasperini’s departure. Former Italy head coach Gennaro Gattuso has stepped into Sarri’s old role at Lazio.

    Against this wave of change, two top contenders have leaned into stability to mount their title pushes. Roma, which secured Champions League qualification for the first time since 2018 in Gasperini’s debut season at the club, is retaining the veteran manager despite a high-profile public falling out with former special adviser and ex-coach Claudio Ranieri that ended in Ranieri’s exit from the club. Gasperini has added exciting young talents Santiago Castro and Rodrigo Mora to his squad, putting Roma in position to challenge for its first Serie A title in more than 25 years. At Juventus, Luciano Spalletti will lead the side in his first full campaign after taking over in October last season. Though the Bianconeri narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification and finished sixth, Spalletti earned a new two-year contract for the club’s strong late-season form.

    The most surprising contender to watch this season is Como, the Cinderella side that shocked Italian football last term by pipping Juventus and AC Milan to fourth place and the final Champions League spot. It is a staggering rise for the 119-year-old club: just seven years ago, it was competing in Italy’s fourth division, and it had never qualified for any continental competition in its history until last season. This remarkable turnaround has come under the leadership of Cesc Fàbregas, the former Arsenal, Barcelona and Spain midfield legend who has taken the club to new heights in just two years in charge.

    Last season’s success was no fluke: Como boasted the tightest defense in the league while playing an expansive, attacking style of football that won plaudits across the country. This off-season, Fàbregas has strengthened his backline with the €30 million signing of Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah, and pulled off a major coup by retaining star playmaker Nico Paz for at least one more season. After last year’s historic overachievement, few are willing to count out an unlikely Como title push. The big unanswered question remains, however: how will the club’s young, inexperienced squad, almost all of whom have never competed in Champions League football, handle the increased physical and mental demands of balancing European and domestic competition?

  • Bodies of 2 hikers missing for decades in Swiss Alps turn up as glacier melts

    Bodies of 2 hikers missing for decades in Swiss Alps turn up as glacier melts

    GENEVA — More than 30 years after two Belgian mountaineers vanished while exploring the Swiss Alps, their remains have been recovered, a discovery that has again thrown a spotlight on the accelerating pace of glacial melt driven by global warming. Swiss authorities confirmed the identification this week, linking decades-old missing person cases directly to the dramatic environmental shifts reshaping the iconic Alpine region.

    According to officials from Valais, the southwestern Swiss canton that maintains a century-long database of people reported missing in its mountain areas, the steady retreat of Alpine glaciers is steadily uncovering the remains of people who disappeared while climbing or hiking decades ago. In late June, a long-distance hiker stumbled on human remains that had been exposed by the melting of Trift Glacier, located south of the city of Lucerne. The find triggered an official recovery operation, and forensic experts launched a DNA analysis to identify the deceased.

    Forensic testing carried out at a hospital in Valais confirmed that the remains belong to two Belgian hikers who were 39 and 41 years old when they went missing near Weissmies mountain, roughly 40 kilometers south of Trift Glacier, in 1992.

    While the discovery of long-buried remains from glacial melt is not a new phenomenon, such findings have become far more common in recent years as Switzerland’s glaciers shrink at an unprecedented rate. In 2020, for example, DNA testing confirmed that a body recovered from a glacier near the famous Matterhorn peak belonged to a German mountaineer who disappeared in the area in 1986.

    Climate scientists across the globe have repeatedly linked the sharp surge in glacial melting across the Alps and other mountain regions to human-caused global warming. The ongoing retreat of Switzerland’s glaciers is not only transforming one of the world’s most famous mountain landscapes but also continuing to unlock long-frozen mysteries that have been hidden for decades.