AFP UK

Beirut (Lebanon) (AFP) – Lebanon declares a national day of mourning after Israeli strikes pummelled the country on 8 April, killing more than 200 people and calling into question the ceasefire between the United States and Iran after conflicting messages about the country’s inclusion in the truce. While the US and Israel insist Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire deal, Iran has since said that Lebanon is an “inseparable part” of the agreement and other countries have urged the warring parties to extend the truce to Lebanon ahead of further peace talks in Pakistan.

Moscow (AFP) – Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says that Russia “poses no threat to any country” and concerns raised by France’s top general are “absolutely unfounded”. France’s chief of the defence staff General Fabien Mandon said the possibility of a war with Russia in the next few years remained his “primary concern” as he defended efforts to ramp up defence spending.

El Rosario (Mexico) (AFP) – A worker trapped for two weeks after a mine collapsed in northwestern Mexico is rescued by military divers. Rescuers continue to search for another miner who was trapped when the gold and silver mine in the state of Sinaloa caved in on March 25, trapping four men, killing two of them. Accidents are not uncommon in mines in Mexico, where some operate clandestinely or with substandard equipment and safety.

Vatican City (AFP) – Several Italian Winter Olympians express their “emotion” after meeting Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican. “The Olympics are ending, I think in the best possible way today… it was really emotional,” says speed skater Arianna Fontana, who was part of a delegation of Italian athletes who competed at the recent Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics and Winter Paralympics, visiting the pontiff.

Caracas (AFP) – Venezuelan police clash with protesters demanding salary rises near presidential palace in Caracas. The police fired tear gas to disperse around 2,000 protesters who marched towards the presidential palace to demand salary increases. IMAGES

Caracas (AFP) – Venezuelan police clash with protesters demanding salary rises marching towards the presidential palace in Caracas. The police fired tear gas to disperse around 2,000 protesters who were heading towards the presidential palace. IMAGES

Buenos Aires (Argentina) (AFP) – Environmental activists protested outside the Argentine Congress as lawmakers debated and later approved an amendment to the so-called Glacier Law, which authorizes mining in ecologically sensitive glacier and permafrost areas. Promoted by President Javier Milei, the bill opens the way for mining metals such as copper, lithium, and silver in frozen parts of the Andes Mountains.

Beijing (AFP) – A spokeswoman for the Chinese foreign ministry says “Lebanon’s sovereignty and security should not be violated” after Israel carried out strikes on the country, threatening a fragile truce.

Buenos Aires (Argentina) (AFP) – Environmental activists protested outside the Argentine Congress as lawmakers debated and later approved an amendment to the so-called Glacier Law, which authorizes mining in ecologically sensitive glacier and permafrost areas. Promoted by President Javier Milei, the bill opens the way for mining metals such as copper, lithium, and silver in frozen parts of the Andes Mountains.

London (AFP) – A new exhibition at Buckingham Palace pays tribute to the fashion of Queen Elizabeth II, in what is the largest display of her clothes ever mounted. The London exhibition runs until October 18 and marks 100 years since the late monarch’s birth.

Islamabad (Pakistan) (AFP) – Across the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, rooftops are dotted with solar panels, a sign of the country’s widespread adoption of the renewable energy source, which analysts say has cushioned it from the full impact of the Middle East war. According to a recent study from Renewables First and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, Pakistan avoided more than $12 billion in oil and gas imports up to February this year as a result of its uptake of solar around 2018, with projections that it could save a further $6.3 billion by the end of 2026.

Brussels (Belgium) (AFP) – The EU Commission hails the two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran as “a step back from the brink.” The truce was announced barely an hour before the deadline imposed on Tehran by US President Donald Trump to agree a deal or face obliteration. “It is crucial that negotiations for enduring solution to conflict continue,” says EU spokesperson Anouar El Anouni.