London (AFP) – Nurses hold a picket line outside St Thomas’ Hospital in London, as part of the UK’s biggest round of health service strikes, stepping up their demands for better pay to combat Britain’s cost of living crisis. As well as nurses, thousands of ambulance workers represented by the GMB and Unite unions are also going on strike.
Hong Kong (AFP) – Hong Kong’s largest national security trial opened Monday with 47 pro-democracy figures accused of trying to topple the government. The defendants, who include some of the city’s most prominent activists, face up to life in prison if convicted of “conspiracy to commit subversion” for involvement in an unofficial primary election. The case is the largest to date under the national security law, which China imposed on Hong Kong after huge democracy protests in 2019.
Santa Juana (Chile) (AFP) – Veterinarians treat pets with burn injuries at a primary care center for animals in the city of Santa Juana as wildfires continue to rage in south-central Chile.
‘Azmārīn (Syria) (AFP) – Rescuers search for survivors beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings in the village of Azmarin in Syria’s Iddlib province. At least 50 people have been killed across Syria as buildings collapsed after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake with its epicentre in southeastern Turkey, state media and a local hospital say.
A small group of protesters gather outside the Hong Kong court where the city’s largest national security trial was set to begin. “Crackdown is shameless,” read a banner carried by two people, adding: “Immediately release all political prisoners.”
A major 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit southeastern Turkey on Monday, the US Geological Survey said, levelling buildings across several cities and causing damage in neighbouring Syria. The quake struck at 04:17 am local time (0117 GMT) at a depth of about 17.9 kilometres (11 miles), the US agency said, with a 6.7-magnitude aftershock striking 15 minutes later.
Hong Kong (AFP) – The trial of 47 of Hong Kong’s most prominent pro-democracy figures begins Monday, in the largest prosecution under a national security law that has crushed dissent in the city.
Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov says that Kyiv would not use new long-range weapons from the West to strike targets in Russia. “On Friday our partners decided to provide us with weapons capable of firing at a distance of 150 kilometres,” or around 90 miles, Reznikov tells a news conference.
Lima (AFP) – A massive march against the Peruvian government of President Dina Boluarte ended with clashes between police and protesters in downtown Lima. The violent street protests happened hours after a Roman Catholic cardinal voiced dismay that the nation’s Congress again declined to advance elections to defuse Peru’s political crisis. Thousands of protesters skirmished with riot police once night fell, scattering amid tear gas volleys but regrouping in an effort to reach Peru’s Congress.
Chile (Chile) (AFP) – The Chilean government extends a state of disaster to include the region of Araucania as hundreds of forest fires whipped up amid a blistering heat wave in south-central Chile. The regions of Nuble and Biobio were already under a disaster designation. The death toll in forest fires raging through southern Chile has risen to at least 23 people, officials said Saturday night.
Idlib (Syria) (AFP) – Snow covers a camp for internally displaced Syrians in the Khirbet al-Joz area, in the west of the northwestern Idlib province near the border with Turkey. The cold temperatures have exacerbated the already difficult living conditions. “We were rushing to sweep the snow off the tents. We have children. We were afraid the tents would collapse on them due to the heavy snow,” says Um Ahmed.
Juba (AFP) – After two years of delay cause by the pontiff’s troubled knee, Pope Francis finally makes his promised visit to South Sudan – the first papal visit to the country since it gained independence from Sudan in 2011. His trip to the country raises hopes for a peace brokered by the Vatican – but finds a nation still divided and traumatised by a ethnic conflict.
