ITALY
The mayor of the town of Pesaro, where an ice skating rink was built around a bronze statue of the famed Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti, struck the wrong chord. Mayor Andrea Biancani recently posted an edited photo of the statue to Facebook, showing the late singer’s statue holding a hockey stick, along with a hashtag asking that skaters #daiUnCinqueAPavarotti” or “high-five” the statue, which sparked outrage among those who thought it disrespectful as well as dangerous. Pavarotti’s wife, Nicoletta Mantovani, told the Italian newspaper Il Resto del Carlino, “I’m sorry the city allowed something like this, because it affects Luciano’s image and the respect he deserves.” Biancani issued a formal apology to Mantovani, but his controversial post remains online.
ECUADOR
A pro soccer team just agreed to sign 16-year-old twins from Ecuador. England’s Arsenal F.C. committed to recruit Edwin and Holger Quintero of Esmeraldas, who will join the team in August 2027 when they turn 18. Arsenal announced this week that they will be “collaborating closely with Independiente del Valle,” Ecuador’s pro soccer team, on the pair’s “development and well-being.”
MOROCCO
Royal Air Maroc will be launching Africa’s first direct flight to Los Angeles in June, just in time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The historic route will begin at Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport in Nouaceur, Morocco, and land at Los Angeles International Airport. It will operate three days a week using Boeing 787s.
DUBAI
The highly anticipated opening of the world’s tallest hotel took place last month. Ciel Dubai Marina stands at a staggering 1,236 feet above Dubai, and boasts 82 floors and 1,004 rooms. “This extraordinary hotel reflects Dubai’s status as a global destination for tourism and business,” its managing director said.
CHINA
A robot earned a Guinness World Record by taking a 66-mile walk. Chinese tech firm AgiBot managed the impressive feat when its humanoid robot, A2, made the record-breaking trek from Jiangsu Province to Shanghai. The robot was able to keep walking due to a system the Shanghai-based company created which allowed it to change its batteries while remaining in motion.
With Wires
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