Full Moon fever! Hundreds gather in Queretaro to enjoy Luke Jerram's huge celestial art installation

Full Moon fever! Hundreds gather in Queretaro to enjoy Luke Jerram's huge celestial art installation

"The 'Museum of the Moon', a seven-metre-wide replica of Earth's satellite, has captivated locals and tourists alike in Queretaro's Historic Centre as part of a cultural programme promoting art and science in public spaces. Footage filmed on Wednesday and Saturday shows locals and tourists taking pictures of the illuminated spherical installation at Plaza de Armas. Suspended by a metal structure, the replica Moon appears to float gracefully among the surrounding buildings. The installation, created by British artist Luke Jerram, offers visitors a rare chance to view the Moon up close - an experience usually reserved for telescope lenses. "This seven-meter-diameter sphere is made based on a NASA satellite scan. They are real topographic images," said Pablo Rodriguez, Director of REM for Mexico and Latin America. The project took more than six months to build and used over half a million topographic photographs of the Moon. "The satellite scan is what allows us to have all these images. And then, the resolution of the print is truly breathtaking," Rodriguez added. The installation attracted families, students, and tourists alike, not just for its size, but also for the evening activities it hosts, including astronomy talks, guided tours, and nighttime artistic performances. "It really looks quite real, it’s a magical experience, it looks very nice, I think it lights up Queretaro," said one of the event's attendees. Local authorities announced that the installation will be available throughout October in different parts of the city. Since its creation in 2016, the monumental replica has been presented in several cities across more than 30 countries, including the United Kingdom, India, Belgium, Australia, the United States, France, Canada, Romania, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, and Spain, among others."

'His youth withered away in prison' - Palestinian mother's tears flow as she awaits son's release under ceasefire exchange deal

'His youth withered away in prison' - Palestinian mother's tears flow as she awaits son's release under ceasefire exchange deal

"The mother of Palestinian prisoner Habes Bayyoud was overcome with emotion upon hearing the news that her son - detained in an Israeli prison for 24 years - would be released as part of the anticipated prisoner exchange. In an interview filmed on Saturday, Intisar Bayyoud explained that she was only granted permission to see her son three times since his arrest. The last time she visited him was at Gilboa prison nearly two years ago. "Habes is my life, my heart, my eyes through which I see the world. My heart was broken by his absence. The flower of his youth withered away in prison," she said. With tears in her eyes, Bayyoud's mother expressed overwhelming relief and gratitude over his anticipated relief, stating: "Praise be to God, I heard his name among those that will be freed under the deal. First, I thank God, then the mediators, the resilience who allowed for the release of our sons. Thank God." On Friday, Israel's Ministry of Justice released the names of 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences who are set to be released in the upcoming Israel-Hamas captive exchange, under the US-brokered ceasefire deal. The Israeli government has reportedly ordered the deportation or relocation of some of the released prisoners. "He will be deported as written in the declaration," Bayyoud's mother claimed, emphasising that "what's important is for him to be freed - to be freed, eating, walking freely, breathing and watching the sun". "God willing, if they allow us to travel, I will go and see him. How would I not go and see him?" she added. Habes Bayoud was arrested in 2002 following an Israeli military incursion into several West Bank cities, according to the Palestinian Prisoners' Media Office. He was later convicted for involvement in the killing of Israeli reserve soldiers who had stormed the old Ramallah police station - a site that was subsequently bombed and destroyed by Israeli fighter jets. The Israeli Prison Service confirmed that the transfer of deported prisoners to Ofer and Ketziot prisons has been completed. It added that its personnel are now awaiting "instruction from the political leadership to pursue the operations slated for the return of the hostages to Israel". The first phase of the agreement between Israel and Hamas came into force on Friday, covering a ceasefire, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, as well as an Israeli withdrawal to the 'yellow line', a boundary limit within Gaza. The truce forms part of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace proposal, unveiled on September 29 alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu."