A village on Lake Como, Italy, has implemented fines of up to $228 for pedestrians found bare-chested or in swimwear outside of designated beach areas. Varenna, home to 650 residents, is enforcing its strict dress code on public streets, allowing exceptions only on its beaches, piers, and boat docks.
In sports news, following Argentina's World Cup semifinal victory over England, some players displayed a banner asserting Argentina's claim to the Falkland Islands, known as "Islas Malvinas" in Spanish. The banner read, "Las Malvinas son Argentinas," translating to "The Falklands are Argentine." The British government subsequently requested FIFA investigate the incident. However, the White House defended the Argentinian players' right to free speech, with Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House World Cup task force, stating, "We believe in our First Amendment rights here in the United States of America."
Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates is developing a $10.9 billion wellness island in Abu Dhabi. The Fahid Island project, slated for completion in 2029, will feature over 6,000 homes and focus on the physical and mental well-being of its inhabitants. It is being spearheaded by a real estate development company owned by the Abu Dhabi government.
In Canada, a petition initiated by Winnipeg video game store PNP Games has garnered over 320,000 signatures in response to Sony's announcement to cease manufacturing physical PlayStation game copies by 2028. The petition, titled "Don’t Kill the Disc," aims to protest the transition to digital-only games, with PNP's promotions manager Lee Skwarek asserting, "We definitely know that physical isn’t dead. We know there is demand."
Separately, 21-year-old Egyptian student Alie Wessam set two Guinness World Records in basketball on the same day. He achieved the farthest basketball hook shot from a distance of 82 feet and 10 inches, and the farthest basketball shot made backward from 90 feet and 6 inches away.