Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa declared June 26 a national holiday following the country's World Cup victory over Germany. Noboa, present at the match, celebrated the team's achievement, stating on X that the win brought "immense joy to the entire country."
In Italy, a statue of St. Padre Pio at Santa Maria delle Grazie in Casalba has begun to exhibit what appears to be blood-like tears. The phenomenon was first noticed by a parishioner who observed a red-colored tear on the statue, which had been on display for two decades. The parish priest attempted to clean the statue, but the markings remained, leading to its removal for further examination. St. Padre Pio, an Italian friar, was canonized in 2002.
Elsewhere, Japan's Cultural Affairs Agency is developing a plan to increase the global reach of Japanese print culture. The agency aims to facilitate the promotion of Japanese literature by establishing an inquiry desk for international publishers and translators. This initiative follows a noted rise in interest for Japanese literature, with works by Japanese authors receiving recognition from major literary prizes in the UK and US.
London's Tate Modern museum has seen record-breaking attendance for its new Frida Kahlo exhibition, "Frida: The Making of an Icon." The exhibition, which opened on June 25 and features over 30 of Kahlo's works, sold more than 41,000 tickets before its opening, making it the most pre-sold exhibition in the museum's 25-year history.
In Canada, a boat owner faces a lawsuit after an oil leak from his vessel in a Nova Scotia harbor resulted in an estimated $2.88 million in cleanup costs. The Canadian Coast Guard managed the removal and dismantling of the ship, the Craig Trans, from Marie Joseph.