The Sheikh Zayed Festival at Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates breaks four Guinness World Records for a hour-long fireworks display and drone show during the New Year celebration. (Gulf News)
South African former Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius is released on parole after serving eight and a half years in prison for the 2013 murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. (France 24)
The Sudanese Army says that it has taken control of the national television and radio broadcaster in Omdurman from the Rapid Support Forces. (Reuters)
Taylor Swift releases her new album The Tortured Poets Department as a double album. On Spotify, the album breaks the record for most-streamed album in a single day and Swift becomes the most-streamed artist in a single day. (CBS News)
Dutch musician Joost Klein is disqualified from the Eurovision final over reported verbal threats, which are under investigation by Swedish authorities. This is the first time that a performer has been disqualified during the festival. (Aftonbladet)
2024 Cannes Film Festival Norah becomes the first film from Saudi Arabia to screen as part of the official calendar at the Cannes Film Festival. (Arab News) Black Dog, a Chinese film directed by Guan Hu, wins the Un Certain Regard prize for international films at the Cannes Film Festival. (Reuters)
Black Dog, a Chinese film directed by Guan Hu, wins the Un Certain Regard prize for international films at the Cannes Film Festival. (Reuters)
Norah becomes the first film from Saudi Arabia to screen as part of the official calendar at the Cannes Film Festival. (Arab News)
2024 Cannes Film Festival Anora, directed by Sean Baker, wins the Palme d'Or prize at the Cannes Film Festival. (Reuters)
Anora, directed by Sean Baker, wins the Palme d'Or prize at the Cannes Film Festival. (Reuters)
The American film Inside Out 2 surpasses $1 billion in worldwide box office earnings in less than three weeks, the fastest of any animated film in history. (Reuters)
French film director Benoît Jacquot is charged with the rapes of actresses Julia Roy and Isild Le Besco between 1998 and 2000, and "rape, sexual assault and violence" committed between 2013 and 2018. (AP) (Le Monde)
Thirteen people are injured when an elephant chases a crowd attending a Hindu religious festival in Kataragama, Sri Lanka. (Al Arabiya)
2024 Formula One World Championship 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix In auto racing, McLaren driver Oscar Piastri wins his first Formula One race at the Hungarian Grand Prix, becoming the first driver born in the 2000s to win a Formula One race. (AP)
2024 Hungarian Grand Prix In auto racing, McLaren driver Oscar Piastri wins his first Formula One race at the Hungarian Grand Prix, becoming the first driver born in the 2000s to win a Formula One race. (AP)
In auto racing, McLaren driver Oscar Piastri wins his first Formula One race at the Hungarian Grand Prix, becoming the first driver born in the 2000s to win a Formula One race. (AP)
American rock band Linkin Park emerges from a seven-year hiatus with the announcement of an upcoming studio album, a worldwide concert tour, and introduces Emily Armstrong as the band's new co-vocalist. The band went on hiatus in 2017 following the death of then-lead vocalist Chester Bennington. (Rolling Stone)
Afghanistan–Iran relations Iran summons the acting head of Afghanistan's embassy after saying that a visiting Afghan official disrespected the country's national anthem by not standing during a performance of the anthem, days after a similar incident occurred in Pakistan. The Afghan delegate apologizes, claiming that this was because the public performance of music is banned by the Taliban. (Al Arabiya)
Iran summons the acting head of Afghanistan's embassy after saying that a visiting Afghan official disrespected the country's national anthem by not standing during a performance of the anthem, days after a similar incident occurred in Pakistan. The Afghan delegate apologizes, claiming that this was because the public performance of music is banned by the Taliban. (Al Arabiya)
2024 Atlantic hurricane season Hurricane Oscar makes landfall in Cuba amid a national electrical blackout. (USA Today)
Hurricane Oscar makes landfall in Cuba amid a national electrical blackout. (USA Today)
Three people are killed and 48 others are injured in a bombing during a festival in Umphang District, Tak Province, Thailand. Two suspects are arrested. (Thai PBS)
