It’s been yet another weird week in the world: Kim Jong-un going viral on TikTok to Parisians vowing to go #2 in the Seine, and a millennial catholic saint…!
Not nearly enough Kyles
WHERE?
Kyle, Texas, U.S.
WHAT?
“Only” 706 Kyles?! Sorry guys, but that’s not enough to beat the record for greatest gathering of people with the same name… The city of Kyle, in Texas, wanted to beat the world record for the largest gathering of people with the same name, which was set in 2017 by a town in Bosnia that got 2,325 people named Ivan together — way more than the meagre 706 Kyles who showed up this weekend in Texas.
South Korea says “no” to Kim propaganda on TikTok
WHERE?
Seoul, South Korea
WHAT?
South Korea has banned a song that went viral on TikTok, saying it “glorified” North Korean strongman Kim Jong-un. Seoul’s media regulator said the song “Friendly Father”, which has been a TikTok hit for the past two months, is in violation of the country's National Security Act. The trending song includes lyrics such as “Let’s sing about Kim Jong-un, the great leader / Let’s praise Kim Jong-un, our friendly father.”
More dogwalk than catwalk, right?
WHERE?
New York, U.S.
WHAT?
Move over, Met Gala — here comes the much more adorable Pet Gala. A couple of weeks after the rich and famous paraded their fabulous haute couture at the Metropolitan Museum in Manhattan, their canine counterparts wore it better at the inaugural “Pet Gala”, hosted by New York’s AKC Museum of the Dog.
In-Seine Olympic outrage in Paris
WHERE?
Paris, France
WHAT?
Thousands of social media users vowed to #PoopInTheSeine, ahead of President Macron and Paris mayor’s highly anticipated dip in the river. The peculiar hashtag went viral on French social media this week, in reaction to President Emmanuel Macron and Anne Hidalgo’s upcoming swim in the Seine — a publicity stunt slated for June 23, a few days before the start of the Olympics, to reassure about the quality of water in the river for sporting events, including triathlon. That is, unless their plans are thwarted in the most yucky way possible by disgruntled social media Parisians...
Exctinct birds of expensive feather…
WHERE?
Auckland, New Zealand
WHAT?
A single feather from the extinct New Zealand huia bird set a world record, selling for a little under $30,000 at auction. The feather surpassed the previous record for the same species by 450%. The huia bird, sacred to the Māori people, was last confirmed seen in 1907. The auctioned feather was in excellent condition and is protected under New Zealand law, restricting its sale to licensed collectors.
The world’s first millennial saint
WHERE?
Vatican City, Vatican
WHAT?
The Pope recognized an Italian influencer as the first millennial saint. Pope Francis has attributed a second miracle to Carlo Acutis, who died of leukemia in 2006 at 15. The teen had been dubbed “God’s influencer,” for having used his digital skills to spread the Catholic faith.