Ranchi (India) (AFP) – Tending crops by day then logging on for a night shift of data labelling, 27-year-old Chandmani Kerketta is part of a rising rural Indian workforce helping power an artificial intelligence revolution. The work is basic but essential for machine learning: data labelling, annotation and quality checks. “I have completed my studies and I also help out at home. I am able to earn enough to support myself,” Kerketta told AFP.
La Havane (AFP) – Vintage American cars and their drivers wait for tourists to drive around in downtown Havana. Tourism in Cuba suffered a sharp decline in 2025, closing the year with 1.8 million visitors, well below the government’s target of 2.6 million, according to official figures. IMAGES
Tehran (AFP) – Tehran is “reviewing and finalising the details of each step of the diplomatic process,” says Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, as President Masoud Pezeshkian orders the start of nuclear talks with the US. Baqaei also criticises European countries, accusing them of “contributing to the escalation of tensions”.
Crans-Montana (Switzerland) (AFP) – In Crans-Montana, the fire at a bar that claimed the lives of 41 people and injured 115 others was at the forefront of people’s minds a month after the tragedy, as the Swiss resort hosted the final stage of the Ski World Cup before the Winter Olympics. “It’s horrible, it’s a nightmare. But coming back here today, I still find it beautiful. It also shows that life goes on,” says visitor Shannon Bugnon.
Minneapolis (United States) (AFP) – For the two months that federal agents have been conducting immigration raids in Minneapolis, Ana, Carlos and their kids have locked themselves inside their home, feeling trapped behind their own deadbolt. “What they are doing is inhumane, in recent days I no longer felt like a normal person, I felt like a criminal”, says Carlos.
Argentina (AFP) – Forest fires burn in the Patagonian region of Chubut province, Argentina, fuelled by high temperatures and winds. Argentina’s government has declared an emergency in Patagonia, where wildfires have been ripping through vast tracts of forest since December. This comes after Argentina’s 2026 budget slashed funding for the fire service by 71% compared with the previous year, according to FARN, a local non-profit group.
San Pedro (Costa Rica) (AFP) – Supporters waving flags dance on the street as right-wing political scientist Laura Fernandez wins Costa Rica’s presidential election by a landslide. “Most importantly, the country did not head down the path of the left,” a supporter wearing a “Trump 2024” visor tells AFP.
Beijing (AFP) – Beijing says it opposes Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama’s Grammy win, calling the award a tool for “anti-China political manipulation”. The Dalai Lama won a Grammy for audio, narration and storytelling for his audiobook “Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama”. The Dalai Lama lives in exile in India and is known for his tireless campaign for greater autonomy for his Tibetan homeland, which Beijing says is an integral part of China.
Caracas (AFP) – Some of the most recently released political prisoners, including human rights activist Javier Tarazona, attend a vigil outside El Helicoide, one of Venezuela’s most important detention centers, joining the families of those still detained to offer moral support. Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, has been under pressure from Washington to free prisoners after the United States ousted Nicolas Maduro on January 3 and declared it is in effect running the South American country. IMAGES
San José (AFP) – Supporters of right-wing law-and-order candidate Laura Fernandez celebrate as she enjoys a commanding lead in the country’s presidential election, according to partial results, which was dominated by concern over drugs-related crime. With results from 31 percent of polling stations counted, the ruling party candidate had 53.01 percent of the vote, 13 points over the threshold needed to win election outright in the first round. IMAGES
Costa Rica (AFP) – Official in Costa Rica begin tallying votes after polling stations closed in the first round of the presidential election. Laura Fernandez, the ruling party candidate, is the runaway favorite to become the next leader of a country long seen as a beacon of stability in a volatile region, but now battling a crime wave. Vote counting begins after 12 hours of voting for one of 20 presidential candidates and 57 members of the Legislative Assembly. IMAGES
San José (AFP) – Polls close in Costa Rica’s presidential and parliamentary election, in which a hotly-tipped conservative candidate vowing a crackdown on drug trafficking is hoping for a landslide win. Vote counting begins after 12 hours of voting for one of 20 presidential candidates, including frontrunner Laura Fernandez, and 57 members of the Legislative Assembly. IMAGES
