AFP UK

London (AFP) – With pots clanging and oil sizzling in the background, chef Imad Alarnab maps out his journey. In 2015, he fled war-torn Syria, crossing Europe in the back of lorries, on trains, on foot and even by bicycle, to reach the UK. A decade later, he welcomed Britain’s King Charles III to one of two restaurants set up in London. “Leaving Syria was so difficult,” Alarnab says, “I would say it was the most difficult decision I ever made.”

London (AFP) – With pots clanging and oil sizzling in the background, chef Imad Alarnab maps out his journey. In 2015, he fled war-torn Syria, crossing Europe in the back of lorries, on trains, on foot and even by bicycle, to reach the UK. A decade later, he welcomed Britain’s King Charles III to one of two restaurants set up in London. “Leaving Syria was so difficult,” Alarnab says, “I would say it was the most difficult decision I ever made.”

Tehran (AFP) – Buildings lie in ruins in Tehran following four days of US-Israeli air strikes on the Iranian capital. Fresh explosions have been reported in the city and fighter jets seen overhead, with US President Donald Trump threatening to escalate the conflict. Iranian media have reported hundreds of casualties in the country, although AFP journalists have not been able to verify tolls independently.

Tehran (AFP) – Iran warns European countries against joining its conflict with Israel and the United States, after Germany, Britain and France said they could take “defensive action” to destroy Iran’s missile-launching capabilities. This comes four days after the US and Israel launched strikes, killing Iran’s supreme leader and triggering a regional war.

Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – In Woodland Hills, a neighborhood in Los Angeles, the Arya Football Club gathers on Sunday mornings for friendly matches. Most of the club’s players are Iranians who are fervent supporters of their national team, Team Melli, which is set to play all its World Cup group matches in the US. As Israel and the US carry out strikes against Iran, these players are hoping for an end to the conflict by the time the World Cup starts in June.

Kathmandu (AFP) – Hundreds of Nepalis and foreign tourists dance and throw paint at each other to celebrate Holi, the Hindu festival of colours, at Kathmandu’s historic Durbar Square. This year’s Holi coincides with the last day of campaigning for Nepal’s upcoming election.

Sidon (Lebanon) (AFP) – Vehicles flood roads as people in Lebanon flee after Israel issued a mass evacuation warning. Israeli forces launched strikes on Lebanon including the capital Beirut, the military said, after Tehran-backed militant group Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran’s supreme leader.

Ezeiza (Argentina) (AFP) – Argentine Gendarmerie officer Nahuel Gallo, who had been imprisoned in Venezuela since December 2024, arrives in Argentina following his release from prison. Gallo was being held in Rodeo I, a political prison on the outskirts of Caracas. IMAGES

Brussels (Belgium) (AFP) – EU chief Ursula von der Leyen calls for urgent de-escalation to prevent the US-Israeli conflict with Iran from “spreading” across the Middle East. Speaking to reporters in Brussels, von der Leyen says she condemns Iran’s strikes across the Gulf, as Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia enters the fray and a British airbase in Cyprus is targeted.

Tel Aviv (AFP) – The Israeli military says it is carrying out simultaneous strikes in Iran and Lebanon, warning Hezbollah it would “pay a heavy price” after opening fire on Israel. A war that began with joint US-Israeli attacks on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has engulfed the Middle East, with explosions also heard in Dubai, Bahrain, Iraq and elsewhere.

Buenos Aires (Argentina) (AFP) – Argentina president Javier Milei arrives at National Congress in Buenos Aires to deliver his annual speech before legislators and government officials. IMAGES

Tehran (AFP) – Images shared on social media show cheers echoing across parts of Iran as reports of supreme leader Ali Khamenei’s death started to trickle out. The Ayatollah was killed after Israel and the United States launched an attack of unprecedented scale against the Islamic republic.