Venedig (AFP) – St Mark’s Square sees Venice’s past brought back to life as Venetians and tourists in sumptuous 18th-century gowns, gothic dresses and ornate masks launch the city’s 2026 carnival. Crowds pose for photos, browse mask stalls and celebrate with “no inhibitions, no restraints”.
San José (AFP) – Laura Fernandez, the 39-year-old candidate of outgoing President Rodrigo Chaves’s party and runaway favorite to become the next leader of Costa Rica, votes at a polling station in San José. IMAGES COMPLETE VIDI94QC7G3_EN
San José (AFP) – The first voters arrive at a polling station in San José, Costa Rica, to elect their president as well as their deputies. Laura Fernandez, the 39-year-old candidate of outgoing President Rodrigo Chaves’s party, is the runaway favorite to become the next leader of the Central American country to which tourists flock for its sandy beaches, especially from the United States. IMAGES
Caracas (AFP) – Exterior of the US embassy in Caracas. The new head of the US diplomatic mission to Venezuela arrived in the country and was welcomed by the South American country’s foreign minister, as relations gradually warm after the ouster of Nicolas Maduro in a US military raid. IMAGES
Teheran (AFP) – Billboards in central Tehran display coffins draped in American and Israeli flags, bearing the warning: “Watch out for your soldiers”. Iranian army chief Amir Hatami has warned the United States and Israel against an attack, saying his country’s forces are on high alert following Washington’s heavy military deployments in the Gulf.
(AFP) – Firefighters attend to houses set ablaze after an overnight strike in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region. According to the emergency services, there have been no casualties.
Tokio (AFP) – Britain and Japan have agreed to strengthen defence and economic ties, says visiting Prime Minister Keir Starmer, after his bid to forge closer links with China drew warnings from US President Donald Trump. “We’ve set out some clear priorities to build an even deeper partnership in the years to come,” Starmer says as he stands beside Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi after a bilateral meeting in Tokyo.
New York (AFP) – At the foot of skyscrapers on the southern tip of Manhattan, two excavators dump tons of snow into a steaming trailer. The goal: melting it in order to clear the streets of New York as soon as possible after last weekend’s storm. The snow melters, which are used at other cities and airports across North America, have not been used at such a high scale in New York since 2021.
Lons-le-Saunier (AFP) – In the Henry Jullien workshop, machines have been running at full speed since French President Emmanuel Macron appeared in Davos wearing the company’s sunglasses. Macron was trying to hide a broken blood vessel that had left him with a bloodshot eye, according to the Elysee’s chief physician. Founded in 1921 and specialising in high-end “made in France” eyewear, Henry Jullien has seen its sales and reputation skyrocket in just a few days.
Culiacán (Mexique) (AFP) – Mexico deploys Army and National Guard troops in the state of Sinaloa after two lawmakers were shot and ten workers at a Canadian-owned mine were kidnapped. The deployment of 1,600 military personnel coincided with a phone call between President Claudia Sheinbaum and her US counterpart to discuss security and trade. IMAGES
Caracas (AFP) – Families of political prisoners wait near the Helicoide detention center after interim president announces the closure of the notorious prison. IMAGES
Caracas (AFP) – Families of political prisoners wait outside the Zona 7 detention center just before interim president Delcy Rodriguez announces a general amnesty in Venezuela, just days before the first month since she took power following the overthrow of Nicolás Maduro in a United States military operation. IMAGES
