The couple’s lavish wedding in Venice, which has attracted the support of numerous activist groups, has taken place ahead of the multibillionaire Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s lavish wedding.
Two security boats were waiting for Bezos and Sanchez on Wednesday at the Aman Hotel, a five-star hotel on the Grand Canal, as they arrived in a water taxi.
Residents claim the lavish event exemplifies how their needs are ignored in the era of mass tourism to the historic and iconic lagoon city, and it has drawn protests from groups who view it as a sign of the growing disparity between the haves and have-nots.
About a dozen Venetian organizations have joined together to protest the multi-day event under the slogan “No Space for Bezos,” a play on words used to refer to the bride’s recent space flight. These include housing advocates, anti-cruise ship campaigners, and university groups.
They have set up small-scale demonstrations, placing anti-Bezos banners on renowned Venetian sites. Greenpeace and the British charity “Everyone Hates Elon,” which has reportedly smashed Tesla cars in protest of Elon Musk, joined them on Monday to protest allegedly provided billionaire tax breaks.
A mannequin of Bezos clinging onto an Amazon box and his fists full of fake dollars was displayed on a float down the Grand Canal on Wednesday. The stunt was not a protest against the wedding, but rather against unchecked wealth, media control, and the expansion of public space privatization, according to the British publicity firm that made the announcement.
Bezos’s representatives haven’t commented on the protests.
Before the festivities in the lagoon city of Venice, Italy, the pair of Amazon multibillionaires Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez arrive by boat at a hotel in the city.
The local activists had planned a more well-organized protest for Saturday that would block boats’ access to canals to impede traffic to a wedding venue.
Federica Toninello, an activist for the Social Housing Assembly network, predicted a “strong, decisive protest, but peaceful” demonstration. We want it to be like a party with music in order to show how our Venice should look.
Mick Jagger, Ivanka Trump, Oprah Winfrey, Katy Perry, and Leonardo DiCaprio are among the 200 guests who have confirmed to be guests at the wedding.
Venice, a city known for its romantic canal views, hosts hundreds of weddings annually, not the least of which are those of the wealthy and famous. The general public embraced prior celebrity weddings, such as those involving George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin in 2014. At City Hall, hundreds turned out to wish the couple well.
Tommaso Cacciari, a prominent figure in the movement that successfully advocated for the ban on cruise ships over 25, 000 tons traveling through the Giudecca Canal in central Venice, said Bezos has a different political and business profile.
Former governor Nasir El-Rufai claimed that all the projects President Bola Tinubu recently commissioned in the state were started under his administration, but the Kaduna State government refuted that claim.
El-Rufai, who presided over Kaduna between 2015 and 2023, claimed in a media interview on Monday that the projects President Tinubu inaugurated on Thursday were remnants of his (El-Rufai’s) presidency.
However, Ibraheem Musa, the governor’s chief press secretary, responded quickly by calling the former governor’s assertion a “bare-faced lie” and an attempt to defame facts.
Musa explained that the projects under consideration were either started or finished under the current administration in a statement released on Tuesday.
He noted the opening of the 300-bed Bola Tinubu Specialist Hospital, the 100-bed Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses, and the opening of three major projects during President Tinubu’s visit.
The governor’s human capital development agenda, which includes the Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa Institute in Rigachikun, Col. Dangiwa Umar Institute in Soba, and Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa Institute in Samaru Kataf, includes the vocational institutes.
Also read: The murder of two Kano independents in Benue sparks outrage
According to the statement, the facilities were created to provide industry-standard training to 36, 000 youths each year.
According to the government, the institutes have been hailed as Nigeria’s best-equipped skills development centers thanks to the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
No polytechnic or university of technology in the nation can compete with the facilities at these facilities, according to Prof. Idris Bugaje, the executive secretary of NBTE, who described Kaduna as “the hub of skills development in Nigeria.”
The state government added that the 300-bed Bola Ahmed Tinubu Specialist Hospital was first established by Namadi Sambo’s administration, but it was unfinished until the current administration took control.
Governor Sani reportedly arrived at the hospital without any medical equipment at 53% of the time.
The unfinished facility has evolved into a symbol of waste, mismanagement, and abandonment, according to the statement.
According to the statement, Governor Sani’s broader healthcare revitalization program, which also includes the rehabilitation of various general hospitals throughout the state, prioritized the hospital’s completion and equipment.
According to the government, these initiatives are already enhancing access to healthcare and reducing multidimensional poverty.
The statement noted that President Tinubu was “effusive in his praise” of Governor Sani’s influence on the health sector during the commissioning, calling the facility a “signature achievement.”
The government claimed that Governor Sani’s plans to mitigate the effects of the elimination of fuel subsidies included the introduction of 100 CNG buses.
For the first six months, the buses provide free rides for employees, retirees, and students, with significantly reduced fares for the general public afterward.
Mum-of-four Victoria Beckham has posted a number of new Instagram photos as she continues to put on a ‘ brave face ‘ amid the family’s ongoing feud with Brooklyn
Victoria Beckham breaks silence with ‘brave’ post after Brooklyn’s hurtful snub(Image: Getty Images for YouTube)
David and Victoria Beckham have maintained their polished public image this week, sharing upbeat content on Instagram, even as the strain with their eldest son Brooklyn becomes even more apparent.
Brooklyn, 26, raised eyebrows on Tuesday when he shared a glowing birthday tribute to his billionaire father-in-law, Nelson Peltz. “Happy birthday Nelson x We love you”, he captioned a photo of himself and Nicola alongside the powerful businessman.
The affectionate post stood in stark contrast to his continued silence toward his own parents – having ignored both of their birthdays and skipped David’s highly publicised 50th celebration altogether, as well as keeping quiet on Father’s Day and the news of his Knighthood.
While Brooklyn has poured love on the Peltz family, the Beckhams kept their focus on work. This week, Victoria, 51, uploaded clips from her facial treatments, showing herself lying on a spa bed mid-procedure.
Victoria has been focusing on work amid the family feud(Image: @victoriabeckham/Instagram)
One video read: “Inside Victoria’s skincare routine – From professional treatments with the incredible Keren Bartov to the everyday rituals she swears by, it’s all part of a considered approach”. She added, “Mini lift – ultrasound with radio frequency to build collagen and lift the skin”. Victoria also shared her full product lineup from her beauty brand, detailing her daily routine for clear, radiant skin.
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David, 50, also stayed in promo mode, posting a light-hearted ad for Ninja, where he made watermelon margaritas with one of their juicers. Meanwhile, their middle son Romeo, 22, took to Instagram in a red Balenciaga top, posting a carousel of selfies and mirror snaps.
However, behind the cheerful updates lies a growing divide as reports have long suggested that David and Victoria are concerned about Nicola’s influence over Brooklyn, especially as his ties to the Beckham clan appear to be tearing apart.
Brooklyn is reportedly not on speaking terms with his parents(Image: Getty Images)
The distance was first noticed when Brooklyn failed to post any birthday message for Victoria in May – a sharp contrast from previous years, where his social media tributes were a regular occurrence. Neither he nor Nicola publicly acknowledged her 51st, even as David, Romeo, and Cruz shared heartfelt messages.
Brooklyn also missed every single one of David’s 50th birthday events, including a private family party in the Cotswolds, a luxury getaway in France, a celebratory dinner at Core in Notting Hill, and a fishing trip with the Beckham men. Despite being in London at the time, he was absent from them all.
Brooklyn wished his father-in-law a happy birthday – but not his own dad(Image: @brooklynpeltzbeckham/Instagram)
Brooklyn and Nicola, who were there with Moncler for a fashion shoot less than two miles from the Beckhams’ Holland Park home, reportedly didn’t inform David or Victoria of their visit, nor did they attempt to meet.
Though the Beckhams continue to present a united front, the silence from Brooklyn also continues speaks volumes. The Mirror has contacted the Beckham’s for comment on this story.
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Emma Smith
journalist for BBC Sport
After capturing the world’s No. 13 Tommy Paul in Eastbourne with an impressive win, an emotional Dan Evans declared that he had been waiting for a chance to prove himself in a difficult season.
In the late afternoon sunshine, the 35-year-old advanced to the quarter-finals by defeating the former Queen’s champion 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
Two weeks prior, Evans defeated world number 14 Frances Tiafoe at Queen’s, and he also defeated Miomir Kecmanovic from Serbia in round one at Eastbourne.
After winning in front of a cheering home crowd, Evans threw his arms wide in celebration before appearing visibly teary during an on-court interview.
He said, “It was a good match to serve for.” I simply said to myself, “Enjoy this,” and I ended up playing good tennis.
“I am certain that I have carried out the task. The work was in the bank once I gained confidence.
After briefly falling out, Evans, who has a main-draw wildcard for Wimbledon, has just resurrected. Two years ago, he was ranked among the top 30.
As Paul’s tension grew, the Englishman threw his fist on. Evans added 26 unforced errors to Paul’s 43, which compared to Paul’s 17 winners.
When he faces American champion loser Jenson Brooksby in the quarter-finals, he will aim to be even more patient.
Billy Harris’ recent success at Eastbourne was matched up by the Englishman’s second-straight quarter-finals.
Mattia Bellucci defeated Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci 6-3, 6-4, in the main draw as a lucky loser.
Next up is French fourth seed Ugo Humbert, who could face Evans in the semi-finals.
However, Marcos Giron, the second-ranked British citizen, humiliated Jacob Fearnley.
The Scot hit five double faults and lost his serve five times, sweeping past Fearnley 6-3, 6-1.
JavaScript must be enabled in your browser to play this video.
Emma Smith
journalist for BBC Sport
After capturing the world’s No. 13 Tommy Paul in Eastbourne with an impressive win, an emotional Dan Evans declared that he had been waiting for a chance to prove himself in a difficult season.
In the late afternoon sunshine, the 35-year-old advanced to the quarter-finals by defeating the former Queen’s champion 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
Two weeks prior, Evans defeated world number 14 Francis Tiafoe at Queen’s, and he also defeated Miomir Kecmanovic from Serbia in round one at Eastbourne.
After winning in front of a cheering home crowd, Evans threw his arms wide in celebration before appearing visibly teary during an on-court interview.
He said, “It was a good match to serve for.” I simply said to myself, “Enjoy this,” and I ended up playing good tennis.
“I am certain that I have carried out the task. The work was in the bank once I gained confidence.
After a difficult few years, Evans, who has a main-draw wildcard for Wimbledon, has just made it back to the top 200.
As Paul’s tension grew, the Englishman threw his fist on. Evans added 26 unforced errors to Paul’s 43, which compared to Paul’s 17 winners.
When he faces American champion loser Jenson Brooksby in the quarter-finals, he will aim to be even more patient.
Billy Harris’ recent success at Eastbourne was matched up by the Englishman’s second-straight quarter-finals.
Mattia Bellucci defeated Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci 6-3, 6-4, in the main draw as a lucky loser.
Next up for the semi-finals is French fourth-seed Ugo Humbert, who could face Harris.
However, Marcus Giron’s humiliating defeat to British number two Jacob Fearnley was.
The Scot hit five double faults and lost his serve five times, giving the American a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Fearnley.
