Kharkiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky inspects defensive fortifications in the northeastern Kharkiv region on 9 April amid an intensification of Russian aerial attacks in the area which saw Russia fire a guided bomb on the city of Kharkiv just as Zelensky announced his visit to the region.
Washington (AFP) – The White House says the response by Hamas to proposals for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal at talks in Cairo has so far been “less than encouraging.”
Dublin (AFP) – Ireland’s new Prime Minister Simon Harris greets cheering supporters as he leaves the parliament building after being sworn in as Taoiseoch.
London (AFP) – The cast and crew of “Back to Black”, a biopic on British singer Amy Winehouse, on the red carpet in London for the film’s world premiere.
Bogotá (AFP) – Colombians rally in the center of the capital, in Plaza Bolivar, in support of President Gustavo Petro. IMAGES
Kathmandu (AFP) – Nepali police fire tear gas and water cannons as thousands march in the capital Kathmandu demanding the restoration of a constitutional monarchy and a Hindu state.
Paris (AFP) – Security will be “considerably reinforced” at the Champions League match in the French capital between Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona after a “threat” from the Islamic State group, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin says. European football’s governing body UEFA has said every match would go ahead despite the jihadist group threatening all the quarter-final ties on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Orenburg (Russia) (AFP) – Russia has ordered mass evacuations in four of its regions as water levels in overflowing rivers in swathes of the country continue to rise, with cities braced for a new peak in the southern Urals and western Siberia. Moscow has called the floods the worst in decades, introducing a state of emergency as water covered entire cities and villages.
Chiang Mai (Thailand) (AFP) – A thick haze blankets Chiang Mai, Thailand’s second largest city, which appears frequently at the top of IQAir’s list of the world’s most polluted major cities. The picturesque historic city is hugely popular with visitors but annually suffers dire air quality in the early months of the year when farmers burn crops.
Beijing (AFP) – Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov holds talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, with both sides committing to strengthen cooperation as Moscow’s international isolation grows over its war in Ukraine. Russia and China have in recent years ramped up diplomatic ties, finding common ground in their confrontations with the West and the United States in particular.
Pahang (Malaysia) (AFP) – After breaking their Ramadan fast outside a mosque in Malaysia’s Pahang, people throw their leftovers into a machine that converts the food scraps into organic fertiliser for crops. The modest government initiative in the central state of Pahang aims to reduce wastage, especially during the Muslim holy month when huge amounts of food are thrown away daily.
Rafah (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) – Volunteers prepare traditional pastries called “ka’ak” in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, ahead of Eid al-Fitr celebrations which come at the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
