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Tropical depression forms near southeast Mexico, expected to soon strengthen

It's expected to strengthen into a tropical storm over the weekend.

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Crowds gather for Budapest Pride march despite Orbán’s threat of ‘legal consequences’ – as it happened

Organisers of Budapest Pride said the government was attempting to restrict peaceful protests by targeting themJeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez are preparing for the last party of their three-day wedding festivities in Venice as demonstrators mobilise for a final protest against the couple’s opulent nuptials in the Italian lagoon city.The Amazon founder, 61, and the former TV journalist, 55, exchanged vows in front of around 200 celebrity guests in a black-tie ceremony on the nearby island of San Giorgio Maggiore on Friday evening. Continue reading...

Tens of thousands defy Hungary’s ban on Pride in protest against Orbán

Crackdown on Pride is part of effort to curb democratic freedoms ahead of a hotly-contested election next yearTens of thousands of people have taken to the streets of Budapest in defiance of the Hungarian government’s ban on Pride, heeding a call by the city’s mayor to “come calmly and boldly to stand together for freedom, dignity and equal rights”.Jubilant crowds packed into the city’s streets on Saturday, waving Pride flags and signs that mocked the country’s prime minister, Viktor Orbán, as their peaceful procession inched forward at a snail’s pace. Continue reading...

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Protesters in Bangkok demand resignation of prime minister over leaked phone call

Paetongtarn Shinawatra has angered Thai nationalists, who accuse the Thai leader of kowtowing to CambodiaThousands of protesters have gathered in Bangkok to demand the resignation of Thailand’s prime minister over a leaked phone call with a former Cambodian leader.Paetongtarn Shinawatra has faced growing pressure over her handling of a border dispute with neighbouring Cambodia that flared in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed during a brief exchange of fire. Continue reading...

Fans celebrate 'Squid Game' finale with Seoul parade

Thousands of fans gathered in Seoul on Saturday to celebrate the final "Squid Game" season, ending a global Netflix hit that is seen as a symbol of South Korea's cultural clout.The third and final season was released Friday, concluding the series that sees desperate people compete in deadly versions of traditional children's games for a massive cash prize.Director Hwang Dong-hyuk said he had "poured everything" into the series, which launched nearly four years ago."So while it's sentimental to see it end," he said, "there's also a sense of relief".Fans gathered near Seoul's Gyeongbokgung Palace, led by marchers dressed in the bright pink uniforms worn by the show's mysterious masked agents.They were followed by others carrying oversize toys from one of the games featured in the series, along with the show's flag.Park Sang-gyu, a fan who stayed up all night watching the final season, said the dystopian drama was "ultimately a story about people"."As you watch, you realise it's not just about the games -- it reflects many aspects of real life."The walls of the Seoul Metropolitan Library were lit up with key scenes, including Young-hee -- the giant motion-sensing animatronic doll featured in one of its brutal games.Lee Byung-hun, who played the masked Front Man overseeing the competition, said the show had become "something of a cultural phenomenon"."One that has drawn one of the boldest lines in the history of Korean content," he said. The first two seasons of the series are among Netflix's most-watched shows, and in 2022, Hwang and the show's leading actor, Lee Jung-jae, became the first Asian men to win Emmy Awards. The final season follows its hero Gi-hun, played by Lee, as he returns to the ultra-violent games to dismantle them from within after surviving the first round. Along with filmmaker Bong Joon-ho's Oscar-winning 2019 thriller "Parasite" and K-pop sensation BTS, "Squid Game" is considered one of the most powerful examples of South Korea's rise as a global cultural force.