World Brief: Austen celebration in Halifax, film controversy in India, Verona’s Juliet’s House enters paid-entry regime, IPL mega-signing, and Mexico’s new gecko
Canada marks Austen’s 250th birthday; India faces controversy over a Bollywood thriller; Verona introduces a ticket to Juliet’s House; cricket’s lucrative signing sets a new benchmark; a new gecko species is confirmed in Mexico.
Five countries dominated this week’s international news, spanning culture, film, tourism policy, sport and science. Canada celebrated literature with Austen-themed events in Halifax; India faced criticism over a Bollywood thriller; Verona moved to monetize Juliet’s House to curb crowds; Australia’s cricket market posted a historic overseas signing in the Indian Premier League; and scientists confirmed a new gecko species in Mexico.
In Halifax, the Jane Austen Society of North America marked Austen’s 250th birthday with teas, movie screenings and a book event for The Austens, a work by Sarah Emsley after 18 years of research, CBC reported.
In India, the spy thriller Dhurandhar has prompted debate over historical depiction. Critics say the film misrepresents Pakistan’s major city Karachi and features unauthorized images of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, leading the Pakistan People’s Party to consider legal action. The film stars Ranveer Singh as an undercover Indian agent.
Italy’s Verona implemented a paid-entry policy for Juliet’s House and Museum, requiring visitors to purchase a $14 ticket to tour the courtyard and view Juliet’s balcony, effective through Jan. 6 amid a surge in tourism.
Australian cricketer Cameron Green became the most expensive overseas signing in Indian Premier League history, joining the Kolkata Knight Riders for $2.8 million at the 2026 auction. The 26-year-old’s deal underscored a continuing trend of record-breaking earnings in cricket’s marquee league.
Mexico researchers confirmed a new gecko species native to the country, Phyllodactylus ngiwa, the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley gecko. Endemic to the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve spanning Puebla and Oaxaca, the nocturnal lizard was first documented in 2020 and required five years of study to confirm it is distinct from the Upper Balsas gecko. The reserve is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
