A former US Olympic canoeist has been indicted on a charge of felony destruction of property for allegedly vandalising the newly renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, court records showed on July 2.
The indictment accuses David Hearn, 67, of “maliciously” breaking or destroying lining material on the bottom of the reflecting pool on June 19, causing more than US$1,000 (S$1,300) in damage.
The charge, brought in local Superior Court in Washington, DC, carries a maximum of 10 years in prison.
President Donald Trump and members of his administration have repeatedly blamed problems with the pool following a US$14.7 million (S$19 million) renovation on vandals.
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PHOTO: REUTERS
Hong Kong bookseller Lam Wing Kee, who fled to Taiwan amid fears of Chinese persecution, has died at the age of 70, the South China Morning Post reported on July 2, citing Taiwanese media.
Lam had sought Taiwanese refuge in 2019 after he was detained by Chinese agents in 2015 while working at a bookshop in Hong Kong that sold works critical of the Chinese leadership.
He was admitted to Mackay Memorial Hospital in Taipei on June 30, but his condition worsened and he fell into a coma, the South China Morning Post cited local media as saying.
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PHOTO: REUTERS
A bomb blast at a cafe in central Damascus on July 2 killed nine people and wounded 20 others, Syria’s interior ministry said.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
Syrian state television said an explosive device had been planted at the cafe, near the Palace of Justice in the centre of the capital.
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PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO
The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) said on July 2 eight people had been arrested as part of a probe into an international network of men drugging and sexually abusing women they know.
The alleged offences were reminiscent of the high-profile case of Frenchwoman Gisele Pelicot, who was drugged and raped by her then-husband and by strangers for nearly a decade.
Since the 2025 trial and conviction of her ex-husband Dominique Pelicot, similar cases have come to light across Europe, from Germany to the Netherlands.
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PHOTO: EPA
Spain advanced to the World Cup round of 16 with a dominant 3-0 victory over Austria on July 1 powered by a double from Mikel Oyarzabal and another outstanding defensive effort.
Spain, who arrived at the tournament among the favourites and have yet to concede a goal, will next face Portugal or Croatia for a place in the quarter-finals.
The Spaniards started brightly, with Lamine Yamal repeatedly troubling Austria‘s defence as La Roja pressed for an early breakthrough on a sunny day in Southern California.
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