Arkadag (Turkmenistan) (AFP) – Turkmenistan inaugurates the city of Arkadag, named after the energy-rich former Soviet republic’s authoritarian ruler: former President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov. The former leader handed the presidency to his son, Serdar, who participated in the opening ceremony. The republic is one of the most secluded countries in the world. IMAGES
Jorj Cristea is one of a dwindling number of doctors providing badly needed care as a GP in rural Romania, a country fighting to stop a mass exodus of its healthcare professionals. The brain drain was exacerbated by Romania joining the European Union in 2007, with over 15,000 doctors having left since.
For the inhabitants of the northern Albanian village of Rec, wasps are proving to be their undoing. The insects wage war on the area’s chestnut trees, the impoverished village’s main source of income for the last centuries. By killing the trees, the Asian wasps, originally from China, are forcing villagers to pack up and leave.
Nanterre (France) (AFP) – The authorities believe that the investigation and a white march in Nanterre on Thursday will help to limit the firestorm of working-class neighborhoods following the death of Nahel, 17, who was shot dead by a police officer.
Mons-en-Barœul (France) (AFP) – Some 40,000 police will be deployed across France on Thursday to deal with any further protests following the killing of a teenager by police, which has sparked outrage across the country, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announces from Mons-en-Baroeul in northern France.
Paris (AFP) – Speaking at a meeting with ministers in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron says that overnight clashes in which cars were set ablaze and police attacked with fireworks were “unjustifiable”. The unrest comes after the police killing of a teenager.
Chicago (AFP) – Smoke from Canadian wildfires shrouds US cities, including Chicago, in a noxious haze again, delaying flights and disrupting outdoor events. Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland recorded some of the worst air quality in the United States, with residents told to stay inside or limit outdoor activity as smoke blanketed huge swaths of the country just weeks after communities suffered similar disruptions from Canada’s hundreds of active forest fires. AERIAL UGC IMAGES OF smoky conditions in Chicago
Bangkok (AFP) – Thitid Tassanakajohn has a degree in economics from Thailand’s top university, but turned his back on a stable career in finance to launch a high-end restaurant in Bangkok — a city famed for its street food. The 38-year-old, known as ‘Chef Ton’, is one of a group of top young cooks creating a buzz around fine dining in the capital, traditionally known for its affordable and spicy local fare.
Toronto (Canada) (AFP) – At the Collision tech conference in Toronto, respected AI scientist Geoffrey Hinton warns of the potential threats and “bad side effects” of artificial intelligence.
Mina (Saudi Arabia) (AFP) – Timelapse of Muslim pilgrims heading to perform the “stoning of the devil” ritual at the Jamarat complex in Mina, near the holy city of Mecca, as the biggest hajj pilgrimage since the Covid pandemic draws to a close in Saudi Arabia.
Nanterre (France) (AFP) – Fireworks are thrown in Nanterre, a Paris suburb where a 17-year-old was shot in the chest at point-blank range by police. About 2,000 police in riot gear have been deployed to prevent clashes in the Paris suburbs as anger simmers over the deadly shooting. IMAGES
Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) – Muslim worshippers perform Eid al-Adha prayers on the first day of the feast celebrated by Muslims worldwide.
