(AFP) – Ukrainian and Russian soldiers get ready to return home after a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine that sees the countries handing over 103 captured soldiers each. Prisoner exchanges and the repatriation of soldiers’ remains have been among the few areas of cooperation between Russia and Ukraine since Moscow launched its offensive in February 2022.
Granada (Spain) (AFP) – Granada’s treasured Alhambra palace shut on Tuesday with minor damage after a second major earthquake in days sent debris falling and injured three people in the Spanish city, say authorities. The Alhambra complex, a UNESCO-listed jewel of medieval Islamic architecture, welcomed 2.7 million visitors last year. A first inspection found no “significant structural damage” or a “risk of collapse”, said Antonio Sanz, the Andalusia region’s top emergencies official.
In Ukraine (AFP) – Ukraine’s popular ex-defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who was sacked last month, calls for a move towards elections that have been put off because of the Russian invasion. “Democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia… We must find a legal, safe, and realistic mechanism that will allow Ukraine to restore a full democratic process even amidst a prolonged war,” he says in a video posted to YouTube. Fedorov was removed after months of behind-the-scenes clashes with the army command, who he said resisted his calls to change. His dismissal led to widespread anti-government protests in Ukraine.
Beijing (AFP) – Chinese humanoid pioneer Unitree, whose backflipping robots wowed the world earlier this year, made a much-anticipated market debut in Shanghai on Wednesday with a similarly impressive leap in share price of more than 600 percent. OF UNITREE HUMANOID AND QUADRUPED ROBOTS
Kimana (Kenya) (AFP) – A young male elephant lies on the ground, kicking up the dust in Kenya’s Amboseli National Park, unable to stand. Since AFP visited the park a week ago, 11-year-old Genghis Khan has died, succumbing to a mystery ailment that has killed at least 20 elephants in Kenya since June. Early toxicology tests run by the Kenya Wildlife Service have suggested cyanide poisoning from pesticides, but others, including local wildlife experts are not convinced. Patrick Papatiti, head of operations at the Olgulului communal lands, points out that scavengers eating the elephant carcasses don’t seem to end up poisoned themselves.
Munich (Germany) (AFP) – England captain and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane says he is set to start contract extension talks with the German champions, which would see him stay at the club beyond 2027. Speaking at a media day in Munich, the 33-year-old tells reporters that both he and the club are “calm” ahead of the discussions. Kane joined Bayern in 2023, scoring a remarkable 146 goals in 147 games across all competitions.
Tehran (AFP) – Iran’s top negotiator says that the strategic Strait of Hormuz will not be opened until the United States meets Tehran’s demands, including lifting a naval blockade of the country’s southern ports. Speaking in Tehran, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf says the Strait “will not be opened until the American commitments stipulated in the memorandum of understanding… have been implemented,” listing the ending of the blockade, the lifting of oil sanctions and the unfreezing of Iran’s assets abroad among the demands.
Bandar Abbas (Iran) (AFP) – Iranian fishermen mend torn nets and return to sea off Bandar Abbas, along the Strait of Hormuz, after months of fighting kept many ashore and damaged boats and fishing equipment. Unable to put off working any longer, Mohammad-Amin is one of those venturing into the strait, which has been at the centre of fighting between the United States and Iran. He says his nets now snag on the wreckage of vessels damaged during the conflict.
Zaozernyi (Kazakhstan) (AFP) – Its population dropping from 10,000 people to just 216, the village of Zaozerny is one of hundreds of rural settlements in Kazakhstan hollowed out by waves of migration to the country’s ever-expanding cities. The majority of these villages are in northern Kazakhstan, where 1.2 million people have left since the Soviet collapse in 1991, driven out of the countryside by dwindling economic prospects. The shift in population has prompted the government into action designed to stem the flow, with measures including financial incentives to return to the villages and a ban on resident permits in the three major cities for foreigners and repatriating Kazakhs.
Kishangarh (India) (AFP) – Crowds are flocking to a sprawling white marble waste dump in northwestern India, attracted by the site’s otherworldly appearance. The dump in Kishangarh — a major marble-processing hub — is coated in a white slurry, the byproduct of marble and granite block cutting and polishing, which has given the area its seemingly snow-covered appearance and deep blue pools of water. While visually striking, the scene is the result of uncontrolled marble waste disposal, which poses a threat to both health and the environment.
Tanegashima Space Center (Japan) (AFP) – At the Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan, scientists are readying a mission to the moons of Mars, where they hope to collect samples that could unlock the origins of the Solar System and life on Earth. The unmanned Martian Moons eXploration (MMX), is set to blast off in the coming months, before orbiting Mars for around three years. During this time, a lander will collect sample material from the surface of Phobos, before returning to Earth in 2031. The mission is a collaboration between Japan’s space agency JAXA and counterparts from France and Germany, as well as NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and a score of universities and tech firms.
Taipei (AFP) – Taiwan’s government will propose record defence spending for 2027, says President Lai Ching-te, with the island facing growing military pressure from China. Announcing spending of just over 35 billion US dollars, Lai says the funding plan “demonstrates Taiwan’s determination to strengthen its self-defence.” China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has threatened to use force to annex the island of 23 million people.
