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Near Bakhmut (Ukraine) (AFP) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visits Ukraine special forces positions near the hotspot of Bakhmut as Kyiv ramps up its counter-offensive. “We know the situation is not easy, but you are powerful people and I wish you strength, health and victory”, he says. Ukraine last month began its highly anticipated fightback after stockpiling Western weapons and building up its offensive forces. Kyiv has however admitted to fighting difficult battles and called on the United States and other allies to provide long-range weapons and artillery.

Brussels (AFP) – Praised for their ecological virtues, night trains are once again increasingly plying the rails between European cities, but after decades of underinvestment, the adventure can turn into an obstacle course. “It’s cosy,” says Belgian traveller Arthur, adding “it’s better for the environment so it gives a good feeling when you don’t like flying and wasting the environment.”

San Francisco (AFP) – The new Twitter logo “X”, which replaces the world-recognized blue bird, is installed on the rooftop of the company’s headquarters in San Francisco. IMAGES

Creel (Mexico) (AFP) – Mexico’s “El Chepe” train takes adventure-seeking travelers on a spectacular journey through the Copper Canyon.

Readington (United States) (AFP) – Hot air balloons fly in the sky during the 40th annual New Jersey Lottery Festival of Ballooning at Solberg Airport in Readington, New Jersey. The festival, held from July 28-30, features mass ascensions of up to one hundred balloons twice a day, in addition to music, entertainment, and a drone light show.

Guatemala City (AFP) – The European Union’s electoral observation mission in Guatemala says arrest warrants against officials of the Supreme Electoral Court and of opposition party activists represents an “undue interference” in the electoral process.

Key Largo (United States) (AFP) – Record seawater temperatures in recent days have resulted in widespread coral bleaching in Florida’s coral reef, the third largest in the world.

Saint Petersburg (AFP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin says Moscow is “carefully” examining proposals made by some African leaders to end the conflict in Ukraine. “We respect your initiatives and we are examining them carefully,” Putin says on the second day of a Russia-Africa summit in Saint Petersburg.

Antakya (Turkey) (AFP) – For years, Emel Duman has produced cruelty-free “silk of peace” in her hometown of Antakya. But after a deadly earthquake struck southeastern Turkey in February 2023, Duman was forced to start her life’s work all over. Now she’s hoping to gain a protected designation of origin for her cloth.

Eastmain (Canada) (AFP) – Aerial shots of the wildfires which are continuing to rage across the forests of Quebec, mostly in the northern part of the territory which is mainly populated by isolated Indigenous communities. The province is experiencing an exceptional fire season, shattering all previous records. Canada, which is warming faster than the rest of the planet because of its geography, has been confronted with extreme weather events whose intensity and frequency have increased due to climate change.

Jiamusi (China) (AFP) – Hundreds of dancers twirl in unison by a riverside in northeastern China, thrusting their hips and shimmying their shoulders in a routine that has taken the country by storm.

Odesa (Ukraine) (AFP) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visits the historic Transfiguration cathedral in the southern port city of Odesa, a few days after it was damaged by a Russian strike.