Sheikhupura (Pakistan) (AFP) – The Iran war has put Asia in an energy crisis. From Japan to Sri Lanka, countries across the continent are cutting work weeks, weighing up stimulus packages, and introducing fuel subsidies as they attempt to respond to global fuel shortages.
New York (AFP) – Supporters and opponents of Nicolas Maduro gather outside a Manhattan federal court as the ousted Venezuelan leader returns for a pre-trial hearing. Maduro, who was arrested in January and is currently detained in Brooklyn, is facing US drug trafficking and narco-terrorism charges and has pleaded not guilty.
Pyongyang (AFP) – Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko gifts Kim Jong Un an automatic rifle during his maiden visit to Pyongyang. The two Moscow and Beijing-aligned leaders signed a “friendship and cooperation” treaty on Thursday after Kim gave a lavish welcome to Lukashenko, declaring the two countries were now “entering a new phase”.
Washington (United States) (AFP) – US President Donald Trump claims Iran allowed 10 oil tankers to pass through the strategic Strait of Hormuz as a “present” to show it was serious about negotiations to end the war. Referring to cryptic comments earlier this week about a “gift” from Tehran, Trump said Iran allowed eight “big boats of oil” to transit the waterway earlier this week, followed by two others later on.
Foxborough (United States) (AFP) – “No, the information claiming they [Real Madrid] examined the wrong knee is not true,” says Kylian Mbappe, France captain and Real Madrid forward, speaking on the eve of France’s friendly match against Brazil in the United States. Mbappe had avoided undergoing surgery after scans he had in Paris at the beginning of March revealed he would not require an intervention.
Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – A Los Angeles jury finds Meta and YouTube liable for harming a young woman because of an addictive design of their social media platforms, ordering the companies to pay $6 million in damages, including $3 million in punitive damages. Campaigners for greater online safety for children welcome the decision outside court. “I feel like we’re about something that is incredibly socially important and responsible. And I feel like we’ve made a great step forward,” says plaintiff attorney Mark Lanier.
Caracas (AFP) – People in the Chacao municipality of Caracas, home to the Venezuelan’ capital’s financial district, watch in intrigue as they observe two new characters on the street: Turbo and Voltio, state-of-the-art robotic dogs that will carry out patrol operations as part of a trial by local police. These autonomous units are equipped with high-precision sensors and real-time surveillance cameras.
Moskau (AFP) – Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov tells reporters at the Kremlin that Europe is acting against its own interests by continuing to reject Russian oil despite the war in the Middle East, which has led to turmoil in the global energy markets. “They are paying a very high price for it. I don’t think they have changed their minds,” Peskov says.
Madrid (AFP) – Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says the Middle East war presents a “far worse” scenario than Iraq in 2003, in a speech to the Spanish Parliament. The Socialist premier has refused Washington’s requests to use Madrid’s military bases against Iran, despite US President Donald Trump’s threat to sever trade with Spain as a result.
Ropoto (AFP) – Sitting at a 17 degree angle, a church in the unassuming Greek village of Ropoto has become a tourist magnet for curious visitors keen to test their balancing skills. “The tilt is unimaginable, it’s incredible, it makes you feel dizzy,” says primary school teacher Yiorgos Giorgoulas. “You just can’t comprehend it,” he adds. After a landslide carried the church from its original position, it has been left at a tilt which far exceeds that of the world-famous Tower of Pisa.
Bogor (AFP) – Indonesians fire wooden cannons as part of post-Eid celebrations in Bogor, West Java province. Two villages separated by a river compete to create the loudest battle fire by packing the cannons made from kapok trees with carbide stones.
Tyrus (AFP) – As Israeli strikes take out bridges and pound Lebanon’s largest southern city, residents in Tyre say they worry they may be soon be cut off from the rest of the country. Israel says that its military will take control of south Lebanon up to the Litani River, around 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the border, as deadly strikes hit across the country.
