Leipzig (Germany) (AFP) – People gather in Leipzig to lay flowers and light candles near the site where a car ploughed into a crowd in the historic centre on 4 May, killing two people and injuring several others. “We are stunned by what has happened,” says mayor of Leipzig, Burkhard Jung. “It is impossible to find the right words to describe this horrific rampage”.
Gaborone (Botswana) (AFP) – From the stands of the stadium, Botswanan artists portray the “movements and muscles” of athletes competing in the Gaborone 26 World Athletics Relays. “Cameras and smartphones capture moments like this. Us we capture it using brushes, canvas and paint,” says Joe De, one of the artists commissioned for the project.
Yerevan (AFP) – Europeans have “heard” US President Donald Trump’s message of frustration over the Iran war, NATO chief Mark Rutte says after Washington announced it would withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany. “We have seen some disappointment on the US side with the reaction of Europeans to what is happening in Iran,” he explains. “But at the same time, I would say the Europeans have heard the message”.
Lübbenau (Germany) (AFP) – For 15 years, Andrea Bunar has been delivering post by boat in the UNESCO-designated Spreewald Biosphere Reserve in Germany. From April to October, she works using a hybrid approach: in the morning, delivering packages by electric car in the city of Lubbenau, and in the afternoon, transporting deliveries by boat to other households of Lehde. Her methods allow her to deliver around 600 letters and 80 packages per week to 65 residences.
Yerevan (AFP) – British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrives at the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Yerevan, where European leaders and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney are gathering as they seek to navigate a fraught geopolitical environment under an unpredictable White House. “We’re facing a war on two fronts,” says Starmer, adding: “Both of those are impacting every single household in the United Kingdom”.
Popayan (Colombia) (AFP) – Authorities work overnight after at least three people were killed and 38 others injured in an accident at a car festival in southwestern Colombia. “All I saw was the car veering off the road,” says Andres Hurtado, an eyewitness. “Once we saw the car heading toward the crowd, that’s when the tragedy began”.
Erevan (AFP) – French President Emmanuel Macron greets a crowd of Armenians in Yerevan while walking alongside Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, before the European Political Community (EPC) meeting. IMAGES
Goma (AFP) – A cyclist from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is embarking on a 14,000-kilometre journey that will take him through 17 African countries to promote peace, as conflict rages in the eastern part of the country. Miguel Masaisai is setting off from Goma and first headed for Rabat, Morocco. This is his second long-distance bike ride for peace, following a previous trip to South Africa.
Bureij (AFP) – Inside her tent in the Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip, Palestinian teacher Shireen al-Kurdi makes dolls. “I thought I would make dolls for my own children so they could play and have fun,” says the 36-year-old mother of five. “The dolls came as a lifeline for the children, bringing smiles to their faces,” she adds.
Bourges (AFP) – Up to 40,000 partygoers gather for an illegal rave at a military site in France, defying warnings about the risk of explosions from old ordnance. Thumping techno music echoes across a vast firing range near the central town of Bourges as revellers gather for the unauthorised event, known as a “free party.”
Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Latin pop queen Shakira delights crowds of two million packing Rio’s famed Copacabana beach under a full moon, delivering fan-favorite hits and words of love for Brazil. The 49-year-old Colombian superstar took the stage dressed in Brazil’s national colors shortly after 11 pm (0200 GMT), heralded by drones overhead forming the image of a she-wolf — Shakira’s nickname.
Vatikanstadt (AFP) – Pope Leo XIV remembers “the many journalists and reporters who have fallen victim to war and violence” as he marks World Press Freedom Day. “Unfortunately, this right is often violated, sometimes in a blatant manner and sometimes more covertly,” the 70-year-old pontiff tells the crowd at St Peter’s Square following his Regina Coeli prayer.
