Top News Stories –

Taiwan Water Park Blast Leaves Hundreds Injured –
Hundreds of people were injured at a water park in Taiwan on Saturday when a cloud of colored powder ignited in the air over a crowd during an event, erupting into a huge fireball. No deaths were reported, but at least 516 people were injured, 194 seriously, including eight with life-threatening injuries, the island’s official Central News Agency reported. The injured, many suffering burns, were overwhelmingly young, in their 20s or younger, according to a roster posted on the news agency’s website. Color Play Asia bills itself as Asia’s biggest color party, an event where people dance to music while spraying each other with colored powder. A promotional video for the event on its Facebook page shows employees on a stage blasting colored powder onto the crowd. [NY Times]

Thousands attend London Pride march –
Thousands of people have taken to the streets of London for the annual Pride parade. More than 250 groups took part in the parade, which started in Baker Street at 13:00 BST. Police said there was extra security on the route following terror attacks in France, Tunisia and Kuwait on Friday. The United States flag joined Ireland and Mozambique’s at the front of the march, recognising recent gay rights progress in the three countries. [BBC] See List of the Day below

2 Charged in Confederate Flag Removal at South Carolina Capitol –
A protester climbed a 30-foot flagpole and removed the Confederate battle flag from its perch outside the South Carolina State House early Saturday, before she was arrested and the flag replaced, the police said. The protester, an African-American woman, was nearly halfway up the pole when a State Capitol police officer on routine patrol ordered her to come down. The authorities said the woman, who was wearing climbing gear, had ignored the command. She continued her climb to the top of the flagpole and unhooked and removed the flag before descending. An officer from the Bureau of Protective Services arrested her and a white male who had aided her. [NY Times] See Video of the Day

Video of the Day –

#KeepItDown Confederate Flag Takedown

List of the Day –

Legal status of same-sex marriage [from Wikipedia]

Top Twitter Trends –

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Suspected Islamist militants attack an army base in Nara, Mali leaving three soldiers and eight attackers dead. (Voice of America) (Reuters via News24)
• 2015 Kuwait mosque bombing
  • Kuwait declares a day of mourning for the victims of the bombing of a Shia mosque yesterday. (AFP via Melbourne Age)
  • A mass funeral for the victims of the bombing draws thousands of mourners in Kuwait City. (Brisbane Times)
• 2015 Sousse attacks
  • Tunisia announces plans to close down 80 “propagandist” mosques following yesterday’s attacks in which 39 people died. (BBC)
  • Nineteen victims have so far been identified with fifteen from the United Kingdom and one each from Belgium, Germany, Ireland and Portugal.[Boston Herald)l(BBC)

Arts and culture

• Tonga begins an 11 day coronation ceremony of King Tupou VI. (ABC Australia)

Business and economy

• The People’s Bank of China cuts interest rates for a fourth successive time to help stablize growth. (Wall Street Journal)
• Greek government-debt crisis
  • Eurozone finance ministers reject a request by Greece to extend debt negotiations past Tuesday’s deadline. (New York Times)

Disasters and accidents

• Malaysia Airlines Flight 17
  • Malaysia announces that they will host a memorial for the victims of MH17 on July 11 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. (Channel NewsAsia)
• 2015 Taiwan water park explosion
  • A midair explosion from flammable powder at a recreational water park in Taiwan injures at least 472 people with about 100 in serious condition. (CNN)

Politics and elections

• The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees claims that instability ahead of Burundi‘s Legislative and presidential elections is creating a refugee crisis. (Al-Jazeera)
• Greek economy referendum, 2015
  • The Hellenic Parliament approves the holding of a referendum on a proposed bailout on Sunday 5 July 2015. (AP, Reuters via Breaking News)

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