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Libyan Scholarship Students Travel, Never Return

Libyan Foreign Minister Najla el-Mangoush attends a joint press conference at the conclusion of the Libya Stabilization Conference, in Tripoli, Libya, October 21, 2021. REUTERS/Hazem Ahmed
Libyan Foreign Minister Najla el-Mangoush attends a joint press conference at the conclusion of the Libya Stabilization Conference, in Tripoli, Libya, October 21, 2021. REUTERS/Hazem Ahmed
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Libyan Scholarship Students Travel, Never Return

Libyan Foreign Minister Najla el-Mangoush attends a joint press conference at the conclusion of the Libya Stabilization Conference, in Tripoli, Libya, October 21, 2021. REUTERS/Hazem Ahmed
Libyan Foreign Minister Najla el-Mangoush attends a joint press conference at the conclusion of the Libya Stabilization Conference, in Tripoli, Libya, October 21, 2021. REUTERS/Hazem Ahmed

The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Libya’s interim Government of National Unity said around 2,000 students, who were studying abroad, didn’t return to the country although their scholarship term has expired.

Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Dr. Imran al-Qeib stated that 1,922 students from all Libyan universities received scholarships to study abroad “but their expedition ended, and they didn’t submit documents justifying their stay outside the country.”

He added that the Grievances Committee formed upon a ministerial decision wasn’t convinced with their justifications and decided to suspend their scholarships.

Families of the travelling students have expressed deep concerns over their future, so the minister decided to give the students a last chance to contact the grievances committee to explain their situation before April 28, or their names will be submitted to the ministry of finance to cancel their financial support.

Libyans have slammed the minister’s decision and expressed their objection on social media, accusing the concerned parties of “interference and corruption,” saying some students plan to appeal the decision.

Back in August, Imran al-Qeib requested the directors of universities to submit lists featuring the names of students with scholarships abroad, who didn’t return despite the end of their term to take the necessary measures.

At the time, the minister said the scholarships suspension decision “will be taken in accordance with the laws and the lists to protect the right of other eligible students of benefitting from future scholarships.”

Scholarships given to students abroad are among the corruption issues in Libya; the audit bureau in the capital, Tripoli, formerly advised the ministry of foreign affairs to form an independent committee to review the portfolios of all students who received scholarships abroad in accordance with a 2020 law, to verify if they meet the scholarship’s requirements and conditions.

Khalid Shakshak, head of the audit bureau, called Foreign Minister Najla el-Mangoush to “reconsider suspending all the individual decisions taken in violation of the 2020 law because they weren’t legally presented to the concerned committee.”

In a recent report, the audit bureau raised concerns over decisions taken by the former foreign minister, Mohammed Siala, and accused him of giving scholarships to suspicious employees, and issuing fake scholarships.

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Varieties

Europe Braces for Prolonged Heatwave as Temperatures Approach 40C

People wait in the heat the arrival of guests of the Prada's Spring/Summer 2027 men's collection presented in Milan, Italy, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP)
People wait in the heat the arrival of guests of the Prada's Spring/Summer 2027 men's collection presented in Milan, Italy, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP)
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Europe Braces for Prolonged Heatwave as Temperatures Approach 40C

People wait in the heat the arrival of guests of the Prada's Spring/Summer 2027 men's collection presented in Milan, Italy, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP)
People wait in the heat the arrival of guests of the Prada's Spring/Summer 2027 men's collection presented in Milan, Italy, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP)

A severe heatwave gripped much of Europe on Sunday, with temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), prompting nationwide warnings, transport disruption and signs of strain on wildlife and at tourist hotspots.

The heat surge on June 21, the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere and typically the start of the three hottest months of the year, raised concerns of an early and persistent onset of extreme conditions.

After several days of temperatures above 35C, Italian authorities issued a red alert for June 21 in eight cities, including Bologna, Florence, Milan, and Turin.

In Rome, pilgrims in St Peter's Square used parasols and umbrellas to shield themselves from the blazing sun as the ‌Pope led a traditional ‌Sunday prayer from a window of the Apostolic Palace.

The spike in ‌temperatures ⁠is being driven ⁠by a mass of hot air moving north from the Sahara, fueled by a strong high-pressure system known as the "African anticyclone."

Meteorologists say the system is creating a so-called "heat dome," trapping hot air over western and central Europe and allowing temperatures to build day after day. Madrid residents and tourists used fans and drank plenty of cold drinks as they browsed the city's famous El Rastro flea market.

“I'm dressed all in white because it's so hot, and I'm carrying my little electric fan everywhere ⁠I go,” said Haily San Cesario, a 22-year-old engineer from Miami.

Spain's ‌AEMET weather agency issued red and orange alerts across several ‌regions, warning of temperatures exceeding 39 to 40 C across large parts of the Iberian Peninsula and ‌Mallorca, and said the heatwave would last at least until midweek.

TRAINS CANCELLED IN FRANCE

The extreme ‌heat has begun to disrupt infrastructure.

Speaking from Paris’ Gare Montparnasse station, SNCF chief Jean Castex said the rail network was “strongly impacted” by high temperatures that risk damaging overhead power lines and expanding tracks.

He said 3,500 staff had been mobilized to monitor the network and 2,000 more would conduct emergency repairs. He urged vulnerable ‌passengers to delay travel. The operator has cancelled 71 intercity trains until Monday on key routes.

In Germany, where temperatures have already reached ⁠as high as 38C, ⁠the DWD weather service warned of severe thunderstorms in eastern regions including Berlin, where heavy rain disrupted the open-air Fete de la Musique festival.

Organizers had to evacuate the grounds of the Berlin Open as heavy rain and strong winds set in, and as fans awaited the tennis tournament's singles final between Jessica Pegula of the US and Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic.

HEAT STRESS ON NESTLINGS

Wildlife rescuers are also reporting mounting pressure.

A center near the Belgian city of Namur said it had taken in around 150 heat-stressed animals in recent days, with young birds particularly at risk.

“Nestlings prefer to jump rather than let themselves die and literally cook in their nests,” said CREAVES founder Romain De Jaegere, adding that centers across Belgium were overwhelmed.

Experts say the situation reflects a broader trend, with heatwaves in Europe becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change.

Varieties

France Presses Ahead with Music Festivals Despite Extreme Heat

Two women walk in front of the sea at the beginning of the "Promenade des Anglais" on the French riviera city of Nice, on June 20, 2026. (AFP)
Two women walk in front of the sea at the beginning of the "Promenade des Anglais" on the French riviera city of Nice, on June 20, 2026. (AFP)
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France Presses Ahead with Music Festivals Despite Extreme Heat

Two women walk in front of the sea at the beginning of the "Promenade des Anglais" on the French riviera city of Nice, on June 20, 2026. (AFP)
Two women walk in front of the sea at the beginning of the "Promenade des Anglais" on the French riviera city of Nice, on June 20, 2026. (AFP)

France on Sunday prepared to host its annual street music festival in boiling heat, with a third of the country placed on red alert and alcohol consumption banned.

Every year on June 21, musicians take over France, filling street corners and rooftops as revelers celebrate midsummer late into the night.

This year, however, the Fete de la Musique coincides with a ferocious heatwave, with a record 35 departments -- roughly a third of the country -- placed under the highest heat alert.

Weather service Meteo-France warned that temperatures could reach as high as 41C in some places.

While some cities have cancelled street events, celebrations in others - including Paris, Lyon and Strasbourg - will go ahead.

Last year, around two million people attended the festival in Paris alone, many of them travelling from Britain.

To ensure public safety, authorities will deploy 4,800 police officers and gendarmes, along with 2,500 firefighters, in and around the capital.

Gatherings along the lower banks of the Seine will be prohibited to reduce the risk of people falling into the water.

According to AFP estimates, around 53 million people in France will be affected by the heat on Sunday, with a further 45 departments under orange alert.

The number of departments on red alert has reached a record high, surpassing the previous peak of 20 recorded on July 24-25, 2019.

The Atlantic port city of Nantes is offering free access to swimming pools and museums until the end of the red alert period.

Varieties

After Samurai Blue Sweep Aside Tunisia, Japan Fans Clean Up Monterrey Stadium

A fan of Japan collects trash after the World Cup Group F match between Tunisia and Japan in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP)
A fan of Japan collects trash after the World Cup Group F match between Tunisia and Japan in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP)
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After Samurai Blue Sweep Aside Tunisia, Japan Fans Clean Up Monterrey Stadium

A fan of Japan collects trash after the World Cup Group F match between Tunisia and Japan in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP)
A fan of Japan collects trash after the World Cup Group F match between Tunisia and Japan in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP)

Japanese ‌fans celebrated their team's 4-0 victory over Tunisia in the 1,000th match in World Cup history on Saturday by staying behind at Monterrey’s stadium to collect rubbish from the stands.

The practice, known in Japan as gomi hiroi, reflects an emphasis on taking responsibility for shared spaces.

Ken Okawa, 30, said he was happy to bring this tradition to his very first World Cup match as he stooped down to collect discarded cups and other garbage ‌from the floor ‌around his seat.

"We are guests in ‌Mexico," ⁠he said. "I have ⁠been treated wonderfully, so this is my way of showing my appreciation."

The practice is instilled from a very young age in Japan, where schoolchildren are taught to clean up their own classrooms.

Miku Takeya, 41, said that the habit of tidying up after herself has become second ⁠nature.

"It's a natural part of our culture," she ‌said. "We do this to ‌ensure that everything we use is left clean so that the ‌next person can use it comfortably."

Images of Japanese ‌fans cleaning up in stadiums after Samurai Blue matches during this year's World Cup have gone viral.

Ahead of Saturday's match, Nuevo León Governor Samuel García said he had arranged for 20,000 ‌trash bags to be distributed in the stadium during the match, as well as ⁠at Fanfest ⁠and other tourist sites, following requests from Japanese fans, according to local media.

While this practice has captured global attention, many Japanese fans say it is nothing out of the ordinary for them.

"It's common sense in Japan," said Ichiro Oyo, 27.

Still, Ryo Matsuoka, 32, said he was proud to bring this part of Japanese culture to the world stage.

"I think it is a matter of great pride that this is being showcased in a stadium like this, where people from all over the world are watching," he said.