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Cultural life provided a vivid splash today as Shakira drew massive crowds on Rio’s Copacabana—reaffirming the global appetite for large-scale, free live events—while in France a three-day Teknival near Bourges attracted tens of thousands of techno fans and prompted a visit from the interior minister, underscoring the scale and civic attention such grassroots festivals can command. Trade and security authorities in Belgium continued efforts to protect supply chains at the port of Antwerp by enhancing inspection and scanning practices, reflecting tightened controls at a key European gateway. In politics and policy, Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, reiterated plans to pursue constitutional revision framed as modernisation, signalling a fresh phase in domestic debate, and France marked the 90th anniversary of the Front Populaire, a historical milestone remembered for its social reforms. Meanwhile, field reporting from Canada’s Arctic spotlighted the resilience and rigour of journalists operating in extreme sub‑zero conditions, and a UK study revealing that one in three HR leaders have faced pushback on inclusion initiatives may prompt renewed discussion on how organisations advance equity and hire more fairly.