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Altadena (United States) (AFP) – Altadena was hardest hit by the fires that ravaged parts of the sprawling US metropolis of Los Angeles in January 2025, destroying thousands of homes and killing 19 people. Slowly, however, the suburb is coming back to life. Amid the thousands of empty lots, a few frames are beginning to rise from the ground. But there is palpable anxiety that this diverse town, home to a sizable African American population, will lose its soul because people cannot afford to rebuild.

Beijing (AFP) – People flock to a frozen lake in China’s capital as ice rinks open across the city, skating around on bikes, sleds and bicycles. Temperatures in Beijing regularly drop well below freezing in the winter months.

“It’s been a bad start from the beginning. I think he couldn’t cope with the pressure,” says a Manchester United fan after Ruben Amorim was sacked by the club, bringing a dramatic end to his turbulent 14-month spell as manager of the struggling Premier League giants.

Caracas (AFP) – People gather in the streets of Caracas near Venezuela’s congress, as a new legislative year is inaugurated. Delcy Rodriguez was recognized as the country’s interim president on January 4, after former president Nicolas Maduro was removed from power by US forces. Rodriguez served as vice president of Venezuela under Maduro. IMAGES

Paris (France) (AFP) – Opinions are divided on the streets of Paris after American actor George Clooney, his wife Amal Alamuddin Clooney, and their two children were granted French citizenship. While some view it as a good for France, others say it makes them question the fairness of the country’s immigration system.

New York (AFP) – Venezuelans gather in cities around the world following leader Nicolas Maduro’s arrival at a New York jail, just hours after American special forces seized and flew him out of his country — which Donald Trump said would come under effective US control. Maduro has led Venezuela with an iron fist for more than a decade through a series of elections widely thought to have been rigged. About eight million Venezuelans have fled the grinding poverty and political suppression of their homeland.

Caracas (AFP) – Pro-government supporters march in Caracas after US forces attacked the Venezuelan capital in the early hours of Saturday [January 3], bombing military targets and spiriting away Nicolas Maduro and his wife to face federal narcotrafficking charges in New York. IMAGES

Shanghai (AFP) – Fourteen-year-old Estella spends her weekdays studying Spanish, rock climbing or learning acupuncture as part of her homeschooling since she left China’s gruelling public school system. Her parents are among a small number in China who are rethinking the country’s demanding curriculum in the era of artificial intelligence (AI). Supporters say looser schedules centred around practical projects and outdoor activities help nourish creativity that is squashed by the national curriculum.

Unknown (AFP) – The British Ministry of Defence says it has cooperated with France to strike an underground facility in Syria that has likely been used by the Islamic State group to store weapons. According to the ministry, there was no indication that the bombing north of the ancient site of Palmyra had posed any risk to civilians. IS was territorially defeated in Syria in 2019 but still maintains a presence, particularly in the country’s vast desert.

Jerusalem (AFP) – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that Israel stands in solidarity with the people of Iran as protests rocked several cities in the Islamic republic this week. “We identify with the struggle of the Iranian people and with their aspirations for freedom, liberty and justice,” says Netanyahu during a weekly cabinet meeting.

Chilworth (AFP) – An English churchyard is covered in frost at sunrise as the UK braves freezing temperatures with warnings of snow and ice across the country.

Cúcuta (Colombia) (AFP) – Armored vehicles and soldiers guard the Colombian side of the Simon Bolivar International Bridge following the bombing of the capital, Caracas, and other cities, as well as the capture of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro by US special forces. Colombia announced on January 3 that it is preparing to declare an “economic state of emergency” on the border with Venezuela. IMAGES