At least 18 killed in northern Nigeria blasts

AFP

Nigeria’s military has been fighting Boko Haram militants in Borno

At least 18 people have been killed and 30 injured in a series of deadly blasts in Nigeria’s northeastern Borno state, officials say. One of the suspected bombings is reported to have killed six people and injured others at a wedding ceremony on Saturday.

The state’s emergency management agency said the suspected suicide bombers attacked a wedding, funeral and hospital in the town of Gwoza. Borno state has been at the centre of a 15-year insurgency by Boko Haram Islamist militants, which has displaced more than two million people and killed more than 40,000.

Boko Haram gained international notoriety in 2014 when it kidnapped more than 270 schoolgirls from the town of Chibok, also in Borno state. Authorities said 18 deaths had been confirmed on Saturday, a toll that included children, adults and pregnant women.

Far right hopes to make history as France votes in snap poll

BBC

France is voting on Sunday in a parliamentary election that could make history, with the far right closer to power than it has ever been in modern times.

The National Rally (RN) of Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella are well ahead in the polls – three weeks to the day since they won European elections and President Emmanuel Macron reacted by calling a national vote.

More than 2.6 million people of France’s 49 million voters have registered to vote by proxy, an indication of the high turnout expected for such a pivotal election.

This is a two-round election, and most of the National Assembly’s 577 seats will not be decided until the second-round run-off vote next Sunday.

Hong Kong launches series of activities to mark 27th anniversary of return to motherland

Xinhua

A poster on the 27th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is seen on the Immigration Tower in Hong Kong, south China, June 23, 2024.

A launching ceremony marking the 27th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the motherland was held in Victoria Park of Hong Kong on Saturday, kicking off a series of celebration activities.

John Lee, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), said at the ceremony that this year is of great significance as it marks not only the 27th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the motherland, but also the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.