Peking (AFP) – Beijing says any claims of ongoing trade talks with Washington were “groundless” after US President Donald Trump played up the prospects of a deal to lower hefty tariffs he imposed on China.
Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – A “massive” Russian missile attack on Kyiv on Thursday killed at least nine and wounded dozens in one of the deadliest strikes on the Ukrainian capital since Moscow launched its invasion more than three years ago.
Lao Cai (Vietnam) (AFP) – Nguyen Thi Kim’s small verdant community in northern Vietnam no longer exists, wiped away in a landslide triggered by Typhoon Yagi’s devastating heavy rains last September. She and dozens of other survivors have been relocated to a site that authorities hope will withstand future climate change-linked disasters.
Rome (AFP) – Tens of thousands of mourners have gathered in the Vatican City to pay their respects to the late Pope Francis, who died aged 88 on Monday 21 April. A long line of pilgrims and tourists stretches around the sprawling St Peter’s Square, with the Argentine pontiff lying in state ahead of his funeral.
New York (AFP) – Lorelei Crean, 17, is busy visiting colleges, finishing school work, and trying to enjoy Spring Break like any other American teenager. But US President Donald Trump’s crackdown on the rights of the LGBTQ community in his first 100 days has forced Crean, who is trans, to take to the streets and become a full-time activist. “It seems like a lawless land,” they say, “so all we can do is keep fighting.”
Torkham (Afghanistan) (AFP) – Islamabad, accusing Afghans of links to narcotics and “supporting terrorism”, announced a new campaign in March to expel hundreds of thousands of Afghans, with or without documents. Many Afghans had lived in Pakistan for decades after fleeing successive wars and crises.
Taif (Saudi Arabia) (AFP) – After decades of pruning thorny bushes and working arduous harvests, Khalaf Allah al-Talhi has perfected the art of capturing the fragrant aroma of the desert rose in a bottle. Known as “the city of roses”, the hills of Taif produce around 300 million of the area’s signature pink roses annually at its 800 flower farms. During harvest, workers on Al-Talhi’s farm are able to pick tens of thousands of flowers daily. But after working more than 40 harvests, the greater frequency of erratic weather — including searing summer heat, frigid winters and unexpected flooding — has presented a potent threat to Taif’s famed roses.
Vatican City (AFP) – Pope Francis’s body arrives in the Vatican’s St Peter’s Basilic, where it will lie in state until Saturday’s funeral. The late pontiff’s coffin rests before the Altar of the Confession underneath Michelangelo’s soaring dome.
Srinagar (India) (AFP) – A day after gunmen opened fire on tourists in Pahalgam, a town in Indian-administered Kashmir, the popular summer retreat lies empty. On Tuesday 22 April, gunmen emerged from the forests and killed 26 people in the region’s deadliest attack on civilians since 2000, sparking a major manhunt and global outrage.
Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky pushes back against calls for Kyiv to recognise Russia’s control of Crimea. Speaking ahead of fresh talks on ending the war, Zelensky says “there is nothing to talk about… this will not happen”. His comments come amid US media reports that President Donald Trump is ready to accept recognition of annexed land in Crimea as Russian territory.
Washington (AFP) – US President Donald Trump says the country “can’t have a trial” for every undocumented immigrant and hopes for “cooperation from the courts” to deport “very bad people”. Speaking in the White House, Trump says “we have thousands of people that are ready to go out,” adding, “we’re going to have a very dangerous country if we’re not allowed to do what we’re entitled to do.”
Afghanistan (AFP) – In March 2001, the Taliban shocked the world by blowing up the giant Buddhas of Bamiyan. Two decades later, back in power in Afghanistan, they claim to be making strides to preserve the country’s cultural heritage. While the group’s apparent commitment to protecting ancient artefacts has surprised some, experts have highlighted that Taliban authorities do not extend the same concern to intangible heritage like music, dance, folklore and anything involving women.
