NewsNorth Macedonia declares emergency, Venice ends entry fee trial

North Macedonia declares emergency, Venice ends entry fee trial

The army and police have been involved in the fight against fires in North Macedonia.
The army and police have been involved in the fight against fires in North Macedonia.
Images source: © PAP | BARBAROUSIS SOTIRIS

6:08 AM EDT, July 15, 2024

It happened while you were sleeping. Here's what world agencies reported during the night from Sunday to Monday.

  • The Government of North Macedonia announced the introduction of a state of emergency for 30 days. Firefighters, the military, and police are currently battling seven fires in the country. The prime minister reported the arrival of international aid, according to the daily "Kurir." The fires have affected hard-to-reach mountainous regions, and planes and helicopters have been deployed to extinguish them. Authorities noted that there is currently no major threat to the local population. "We are fighting the elements caused by the heatwave. We are in contact with several friendly countries to whom we have asked for help in extinguishing the fires," said North Macedonia Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski on Sunday.
  • The experiment conducted in Venice in April, charging an entry fee of $5 to the city, has concluded. Tourists who stayed in local hotels were exempt from the fee. Venice authorities explained that this first-of-its-kind initiative aims to manage the influx of tourists. From Monday, as reported by the Italian press, the Venice authorities will start analyzing the experiment results, conducted over 29 selected days. Based on these findings, they will develop new entry rules for the city that will apply from next year. One possibility is to increase the fee from $5 to $11.
      
  • In response to the attack on Donald Trump, Serbia's Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin called on Sunday for increased security measures for President Aleksandar Vucic and his family. Vulin emphasized that the head of state "must prepare for a similar scenario," reported the Serbian daily "Danas".
  • Buckingham Palace confirmed on Sunday evening that King Charles III of the United Kingdom and Queen Camilla will visit Australia and Samoa in October. This will be the 75-year-old monarch's second overseas trip since he was diagnosed with cancer and the farthest visit he has undertaken as king.
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