Residents of the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza dig through the rubble, searching for casualties after an Israeli airstrike. “There are around nine martyrs,” says Mohammed Abu Zeina, who lost relatives in the strike, which came as the Red Cross warned that humanitarian aid in the territory was “on the verge of total collapse” due to a two-month Israeli blockade.
Srinagar (India) (AFP) – Business is booming at Basit Bashir’s tattoo removal clinic in the Kashmiri city of Srinagar. Since a deadly attack on tourists in the Himalayan region, in which 26 people were ambushed and killed, tensions have soared and thousands are rushing to erase “resistance tattoos” inked in opposition to Indian authority, fearful of police retribution. Bashir has seen an uptick in people seeking the removal of AK-47 or Islamic symbol designs.
Sant Joan Despí (Spain) (AFP) – Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal is “unbelievable,” says head coach Hansi Flick after the 17-year-old’s star turn in the side’s Champions League first-leg semi-final draw against Inter Milan. Speaking ahead of the La Liga leaders’ match against Valladolid, Flick says “we are really happy that he’s playing with us and he’s on this level at the moment.”
Caracas (AFP) – Pro-government demonstrators march through Caracas demanding the release of Venezuelan nationals imprisoned in El Salvador, before gathering to hear President Nicolas Maduro address the May Day rally. Over 250 Venezuelans have been transferred to El Salvador’s high-security CECOT prison facility under an agreement worth $6 million between Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele and the Trump administration. The Venezuelan government strongly condemns the detentions. IMAGES
Undisclosed (Ukraine) (AFP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a surprise three-day truce from May 8-10, coinciding with Moscow’s large-scale World War II Victory Day celebrations. But Oksana Osaulko, a 44-year-old Ukrainian volunteering to feed her country’s troops, holds little hope. “On the part of Russia, I see no serious decisions and no truce,” she says. “They say one thing and do something else.”
Edinburgh (AFP) – The traditional Celtic Beltane Fire Festival, which takes place every year on Calton Hill in Edinburgh, marks the end of winter and the beginning of summer. In an elaborate display, participants celebrate through the night from April 30 to May 1.
Kavajë (Albania) (AFP) – Tourism is booming in the Baltic country of Albania, but the country’s coast is being threatened by rising sea levels due to climate change. In the protected area of Velipoja, close to the border with Montenegro, the sea has already eaten 210 metres into the coastal forest, threatening an entire ecosystem that cannot live in salt water. Albanian authorities say that rising sea levels pose severe flood risks to many of the country’s urban areas.
Jerusalem (AFP) – “I call on the international community to fulfil its role in protecting the minorities in Syria, especially the Druze, from the regime and its gangs of terror,” says Israeli Foreign minister Gideon Saar, following two days of deadly sectarian clashes near Damascus.
Rugezi (Rwanda) (AFP) – Rwanda faces many accusations of rights abuses, but it has been praised for its conservation work, which is key to its vital tourism sector. Spearheading efforts to preserve the Grey Crowned Crane is conservationist Olivier Nsengimana, whose work has seen the migratory bird make a comeback in recent years. N°43DK462
Beirut (Lebanon) (AFP) – Lebanon holds the the 21st edition of the Beirut Marathon after it was delayed from November 2024 due to the war between Israel and Hezbollah.
Odesa (Ukraine) (AFP) – A Russian drone strike overnight has killed at least two people and wounded 15 others in a residential area of Odesa. The strike came as the United States and Ukraine on Wednesday signed a minerals deal. Kyiv has accepted the minerals accord as a way to secure long-term investment by Washington.
Muzaffarabad (Pakistan) (AFP) – School playing fields in Pakistan’s Kashmir are being transformed into first aid camps for children to learn how to respond if war breaks out with India.
