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Canberra (AFP) – Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios arrives at a court in Canberra, where he will try to have an assault charge against him dismissed on mental health grounds.

Ainata (Lebanon) (AFP) – In the northern Lebanese mountains, home to forests full of over thousand-year-old trees, one policeman heads out on patrol. He is on the lookout for traffickers illegally chopping down ancient woods — a growing problem as impoverished people burning wood to stay warm during winter.

Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Moscow is gathering its troops to take “revenge” on Europe and Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky says at a press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Kyiv is urging the EU and its other allies to provide longer range weapons to help fight Russia’s invasion.

Volgograd (Russia) (AFP) – President Vladimir Putin says that Russia is being threatened by German tanks “again” as it was during World War II, warning that Moscow is ready to respond to aggression from the West. Speaking on the 80th anniversary of the Red Army’s victory over Nazi Germany in the Battle of Stalingrad, Putin compares the Third Reich’s invasion of the USSR to Germany’s supply of Leopard tanks to Ukraine.

Butaleja (Uganda) (AFP) – Musa Hasahya has a hard time even remembering the names of his 102 children, let alone providing for them, as well as his 12 wives and 578 grandchildren. The Ugandan is now finally saying enough is enough and putting his wives on birth control.

Montpellier (France) (AFP) – After Paris Saint-Germain’s 3-1 win at Montpellier was overshadowed by an injury to superstar forward Kylian Mbappe, coach Christophe Galtier plays down the prospect of him not being available for their Champions League tie against Bayern Munich in less than two weeks’ time.

Kinshasa (AFP) – Speaking at a stadium in Kinshasa to a crowd of around 65,000, Pope Francis calls on the young people of the Democratic Republic of Congo to dream of a “more united world”, on the third day of his visit to the conflict-torn country.

Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) – “They want to force me out of my beloved neighbourhood, where should I go?” laments Ramadan Abu Saif, after the Hamas-run government in Gaza began demolishing 62 houses in the Al-Shati refugee camp as part of a project to widen the territory’s main costal road, with Egyptian and Qatari funding.

Kinshasa (AFP) – Images show people arriving to Kinshasa’s Martyrs Stadium, as Pope Francis continues his visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The 86-year-old Argentine pontiff is to meet youngsters at the 80,000-capacity stadium before meeting Jesuit leaders and priests on the front line of the church’s work in the vast country, which has Africa’s biggest Catholic contingent. IMAGES

Ahmedabad (India) (AFP) – Under-fire Indian tycoon Gautam Adani says the fundamentals of his conglomerate are “strong” despite the massive falls in its share prices in recent days, in a video message released Thursday.

Manila (AFP) – US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrives at the Philippines’ Department of National Defense for talks on Thursday. The two countries announced a deal to give US troops access to another four bases in the Southeast Asian nation, as the longtime allies seek to counter China’s military rise.

Sydney (AFP) – As the late Australian Cardinal George Pell is laid to rest following his death in Rome last month, sexual abuse survivors have been speaking out about their pain in dealing with the Catholic Church. They accuse the Vatican powerbroker of using his influence to silence victims of the Church.