Barikot (Afghanistan) (AFP) – The UN estimates about 12,000 schoolchildren in Afghanistan have been displaced or had their education severely disrupted due to the ongoing conflict with Pakistan. AFP visited the Afghan border village of Barikot where the school has been smashed by shells and the playground left deserted after weeks of war.
Tokyo (AFP) – Table tennis robot ‘Ace’ competes against a professional ping pong player during project tests, in footage shared by Japanese tech group Sony. The robot uses a network of cameras and AI to perform complex, real-time interactive tasks with accurate predictions of the ball’s trajectory.
London (AFP) – Members of the British public express mixed opinions as both chambers of the country’s parliament approve a bill to ban children aged 17 and under from buying cigarettes during their lifetime. “I think it’s a really good idea,” says nurse Christine Methnani. “Teenagers will never start to smoke and be peer pressured into smoking cigarettes,” she adds. Meanwhile, 18-year-old Reece Mellor argues that “it will 100% become more of a black market thing where people get them (cigarettes) off the streets”.
Al-Zawayda (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) – In an art studio in the Gaza Strip, children meet rabbits, dogs, hedgehogs and birds as part of a psychological support session. “The natural presence of animals and birds with their vibrant colours, absorbs negative energy,” says project leader Rashid Anbar. “Interacting with them fosters an atmosphere of happiness and positive energy”. Anbar rescued abandoned animals from the streets of Gaza and gave them a new purpose supporting children in the area.
London (AFP) – Film stars and creatives behind glamorous sequel “The Devil Wears Prada 2” walk the red carpet at the film’s European premiere in London. Lead actor Anne Hathaway reflects on how she and her character Andy Sachs have changed in the 20 years since the first film. “I think we’re both more confident,” she says. Director David Frankel reflects on the expectations surrounding the sequel. “I felt crushing pressure to get it right.”
Strait of Hormuz (AFP) – Images released by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on 23 April 2026 show what it says are its naval forces seizing two commercial ships attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz. This comes amid a fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran, which President Donald Trump has extended indefinitely. The Strait of Hormuz is usually the gateway for about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquified natural gas.
Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – A video published by Ukraine’s national railway operator shows Britain’s Prince Harry arriving in Kyiv for a surprise trip: his latest visit to show support amid the Russian invasion. Harry has previously visited the war-torn country to support wounded veterans as part of his Invictus Games Foundation.
Seoul (AFP) – The sound of tinkling bells drifts through an alley in central Seoul, an unmistakable sign that a shaman is near — although in this case the mystic is a program powered by artificial intelligence. The cultural products store, Vinaida, is offering readings by computer-generated avatars on screens. “I saw something that said ‘AI’, which made me curious,” visitor Kim Da-ae tells AFP.
Panama City (AFP) – The war in the Middle East has boosted demand to move vital cargo through the Panama Canal to such an extent that one vessel carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG) paid $4 million to skip the line and avoid a wait that can take up to five days, according to an official report. A surge in such payments has been recorded since the US-Israeli attacks on Iran began on February 28, which led to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for one-fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas exports from Gulf countries.
Saint-Jean-de-Luz (France) (AFP) – A dolphin swims alongside people in the bay of Saint-Jean-de-Luz in southwestern France. The young female dolphin, believed to be about 5 years old, is said to have made her home for the past six months among the breakwaters that surround the Basque town.
Rome (AFP) – Tourists and pilgrims in Rome pray and share fond memories near the tomb of Pope Francis on the first anniversary of his death. Pope Francis, a charismatic reformer, died aged 88 on April 21 last year — Easter Monday — after having led the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics since March 2013.
San Juan Teotihuacán (Mexico) (AFP) – Authorities have continued carrying out forensic work at Mexico’s Teotihuacan archaeological site, a day after a gunman shot and killed a person and injured 13 people at the tourist attraction before taking his own life. Julio Cesar Jasso Ramirez, the 27-year-old gunman behind the shooting, has drawn inspiration from pre-Hispanic sacrifices and the notorious 1999 US shooting at Columbine High School, according to investigators.
