Aleks Phillips

A 55.6-metre Virgin Mary statue has been consecrated in Konotopie, Poland, making it one of Europe’s tallest such statues. Commissioned by a local millionaire couple, the monument was unveiled during the Feast of the Assumption with a ceremony attended by Bishop Krzysztof Wętkowski and former president Lech Wałęsa. The inauguration comes as the Catholic Church’s influence, particularly among younger urban Poles, declines.

Twelve people died and dozens were injured after a bus carrying Polish pilgrims overturned in a ditch beside Hungary’s M3 motorway. Authorities believe the driver may have fallen asleep and have taken him into custody. Hungarian emergency services reported one person with life-threatening injuries, nine with serious injuries and 37 with minor injuries. The passengers were returning from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Poland planned to send an aircraft carrying foreign ministry officials and medical personnel.

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has proposed talks with North Korea to formally end the Korean War, which technically continues because the 1953 armistice was never replaced by a peace treaty. He called for a multilayered security system around the Demilitarized Zone and discussions on containing North Korea’s nuclear capabilities. Pyongyang has not responded and has previously rejected Lee’s cooperation proposals, condemned US-South Korean military exercises and reaffirmed its hostile stance toward Seoul. North Korea continues to expand its nuclear arsenal and conduct ballistic-missile tests, including a launch shortly before a scheduled allied exercise, leaving the prospects for renewed dialogue uncertain.

Ecuadorian prosecutors have charged former interior minister José Serrano and six others over the alleged indirect involvement in the 2023 assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. The accused include Los Lobos leader Wilmer “Pipo” Chavarria, who is detained in Spain, and several fugitives believed to be in the United States or Venezuela. Five people were convicted over the killing in 2024, while the alleged gunman and six other suspects were killed. Pre-trial hearings will determine whether the new case proceeds to trial, with Ecuador seeking Interpol red notices and extraditions. The investigation highlights the influence of Los Lobos and its alleged links to Mexico’s Jalisco New Generation Cartel amid Ecuador’s escalating drug-related violence.

Ecuadorian prosecutors have charged former interior minister José Serrano and six others over the alleged indirect involvement in the 2023 assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. Suspects include Los Lobos leader Wilmer “Pipo” Chavarria, who is detained in Spain, and several fugitives located in the United States and Venezuela; prosecutors are seeking Interpol red notices and extraditions. Five gang-linked individuals were previously convicted over the killing, while others connected to the case were murdered in prison before trial. Pre-trial hearings will determine whether the new accusations proceed to a full trial amid Ecuador’s wider struggle with drug-trafficking gangs, corruption and violence.

Between 3,000 and 5,000 migrants, including thousands of children, reportedly remain in Ceuta after roughly 78,000 people crossed from Morocco by sea, with nearly 75,000 subsequently returned. Ceuta leader Juan Jesús Vivas described an ongoing humanitarian and public-order emergency and accused Spain's national government of ignoring earlier warnings. Spain has allocated €25m to support minors, but no children have yet been transferred to mainland Spain. The EU praised Spain's response and urged Morocco to cooperate, while Morocco blamed a Spanish Supreme Court ruling for weakening deterrence. New social-media calls for further crossings and tensions among EU countries have heightened concerns that the crisis could recur.

Massive crowds gathered in Tehran as funeral ceremonies began for former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose body lies in state at the Grand Mosalla before burial in Mashhad. Authorities expect up to 20 million attendees across Iran and Iraq during a six‑day procession that includes stops in Qom, Najaf and Karbala. Many mourners voiced anger toward the United States following the joint US‑Israeli strikes that killed Khamenei and several relatives in February. Ceremonial events will continue for 40 days, while attention remains on newly appointed supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared publicly since assuming the role.

Massive crowds gathered in Tehran as Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s funeral ceremonies began, with millions expected across Iran and Iraq. Khamenei’s body lies in state at the Grand Mosalla before a six‑day procession through Qom, Najaf and Karbala, concluding with burial in Mashhad. Mourners expressed anger toward the US, which, along with Israel, carried out the strikes that killed him. Security restrictions were imposed in central Tehran, and attention remains on whether his successor and son, Mojtaba Khamenei, will appear publicly during the ceremonies.

Keiko Fujimori was certified as the winner of Peru’s presidential runoff by a narrow margin, marking a rightward shift in regional politics alongside similar developments in Colombia. Rival Roberto Sánchez challenged the results, alleging irregularities and filing appeals. Fujimori campaigned on combating organized crime and boosting private investment, drawing on her father’s controversial legacy. She is set to take office on 28 July as Peru’s ninth president in ten years, joining a growing bloc of right-leaning Latin American leaders aligned with U.S. President Donald Trump’s regional interests.