Swimmers in Paris are now able to take a dip in the Seine for the first time in more than 100 years. The new swimming spots are part of a legacy project linked to the 2024 Olympics, after more than a billion dollars was invested to clean up the river.

Paris

Swimming in the Seine River is now permitted for the first time in more than a century, following the completion of a $1.5 billion clean-up project. Three official swimming areas have opened to the public, each with monitored capacity and safety requirements such as compulsory inflatables. The initiative is part of a legacy project linked to the 2024 Paris Olympics, where the river served as a centrepiece for events including the opening ceremony and triathlon. City officials and residents have expressed pride and excitement, highlighting the ecological and recreational benefits of the restored waterway.

Paris opens Seine to swimmers for the first time in a century

Taking the plunge, people in Paris jump in as swimming in the river Seine is allowed for the first time in more than a century. Enthusiasm was high at one of three official swim spots, now open to the public. I am so proud of Paris because it's really fighting hard to give a little bit more space, area, a little bit more nature to the citizens who live here. Ecstatic, that's the first word in my mind and I feel like I'm 12 years old. Each area is monitored, capacity is limited to a few hundred swimmers and inflatables are compulsory. For decades, swimming in the river Seine was banned because of dangerous levels of pollution, but a massive clean-up operation has transformed the river. The $1.5 billion project took more than a decade and was finished in time for last year's Paris Olympics. The Seine was a centrepiece of the Games, the location of the opening ceremony and the swim leg of the triathlon. The mayor of Paris had promised to make the Seine safe for swimming and Hidalgo clearly delighted to see people taking a dip. It's possible to have clean water. It's about fulfilling an ecological promise. In Paris, we have to adapt to a warmer climate as we saw this week. It's about pleasure, joy, sport and making the city more beautiful and being able to swim in iconic locations. Winding through the centre of Paris, the Seine's long been a symbol of the French capital. But as temperatures rise because of climate change, it's now also a fun way to stay cool. Natasha Butler, Al Jazeera, Paris.

Ukraine has appointed a new prime minister, 39-year-old Yulia Svyrydenko, as part of a sweeping government reshuffle announced by President Volodymyr Zelenkskyy. This marks the most significant political shift since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

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Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, currently on trial at the Supreme Court, has been ordered to wear an electronic ankle monitor. Bolsonaro is accused of leading an alleged attempt to stage a coup to overturn the 2022 election.

Rio de Janeiro

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Los Angeles

Three killed in explosion at L.A. County Sheriff's Department facility

The UK's Labour Party has passed a landmark electoral reform, aligning with Scotland and Wales in lowering the voting age from 18 to 16. The change fulfills a key promise by the ruling party but garnered criticism from the Conservative Party.

London

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The U.S. House of Representatives approved a rescissions package to slash $9 billion in foreign aid and public broadcasting funding, sending the bill to President Donald Trump's desk.

Washington

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U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday night ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to help facilitate the release of grand jury transcripts related to Jeffrey Epstein as the administration faces pressure to share more materials on the case.

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The European Union has agreed to impose a new round of sanctions against Russia, targeting the country's energy and financial sectors in a bid to tighten the screws on the Kremlin's war machine and force a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine.

Moscow

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Jerusalem

Middle East Conflict

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Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has suggested that TSA may soon end its restrictions on liquids in carry-on bags.

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A Tennessee judge on Thursday set Kilmar Abrego Garcia's criminal trial date for January 27, 2026. Abrego Garcia is facing human smuggling charges. CBS News justice correspondent Scott MacFarlane reports.

Tennessee

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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday that President Trump has been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency.

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Ahmedabad

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Damascus

World reacts to Israeli attacks on Syria’s Damascus

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz makes his first state visit to the United Kingdom to sign a historic defence cooperation treaty—the first of its kind between Germany and Britain since the Second World War. The agreement includes plans for joint defence efforts, boosting economic collaboration, and tackling illegal migration.

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Donald Trump says American-made weapons bought by NATO are being shipped to Ukraine. Trump's also threatening sanctions, saying his aim is to force Putin to negotiate an end to the war. But with Ukraine under nightly attack, there’s scepticism over whether he'll achieve anything.

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Syria condemns Israel for fatal strikes on several government buildings in Damascus. The escalation threatens to disrupt new U.S.-brokered security talks between Israel and Syria, with both sides expressing concerns over stability in the region.

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Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said that she spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and that the two had agreed to strengthen trade collaboration, particularly in light of the tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump set to go in effect on August 1.

Mexico City

Global Tariffs

Mexico plans to strengthen trade with Canada

Former President Barack Obama joined his wife, former first lady Michelle Obama, on her latest podcast episode with her brother Craig Robinson to address divorce rumors.

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Israel struck Syrian military targets as well as central Damascus on Wednesday (July 16) as it continued its campaign to protect Druze minority communities in southern Syria.

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Tel Aviv-Yafo

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President Donald Trump on Tuesday said the U.S. would impose a 19% tariff on goods from Indonesia under a new agreement with the Southeast Asian country and more deals were in the works as he continued to press for what he views as better terms with trading partners.

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At least 20 Palestinians were killed on Wednesday (July 16) at an aid distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in what the U.S.-backed group said was a crowd surge instigated by armed agitators. This video contains graphic images.

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Police in Los Angeles have arrested a 22-year-old suspect in the double homicide of American Idol executive Robin Kaye and her husband, Thomas Deluca. The couple, both 70 years old, was found shot to death in their home earlier this week.

Encino

Police make arrest in murders of American Idol executive, husband

Streaming shows dominated nominations for the 2025 Emmy Awards. "Severance" earned the most series nominations with 27. Meanwhile, "The Studio" earned the most-ever nominations for a debut comedy series with 23.

Hollywood

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The United Torah Judaism party has decided to quit Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition over its failure to secure military service exemptions. Members of the ultra-orthodox community have been exempted from enlisting in the army since 1948.

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New information about the Jeffrey Epstein case may soon be made public after a reversal from U.S. President Donald Trump and weeks of criticism — the loudest of which has come from within the MAGA movement.

Breakdown