New York (AFP) – Flashing peace signs and with a cocktail in hand, American rapper Post Malone walked the red carpet at the Songwriters Hall of Fame gala before receiving the Hal David Starlight Award, honoring songwriters at the apex of their careers and making a significant impact in the music industry.
Washington (AFP) – US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says that his coming visit to China aims to open up better communications “by addressing misperceptions and avoiding miscalculations.”
Saint Petersburg (AFP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin calls Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, who is Jewish, a “disgrace” to the Jewish people. “I have many Jewish friends from my childhood. They say that Zelensky is not Jewish, that he is a disgrace,” Putin tells an annual economic forum in Saint Petersburg.
Idlib (Syria) (AFP) – Real bullets and rebel rockets: members of the Syrian rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham hone their skills in a live fire graduation drill for a new batch of fighters. The Islamist group, widely seen as the strongest of the factions opposed to President Bashar al-Assad, control the rebel bastion of Idlib in the northwest.
Yerevan (AFP) – Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan accuses Azerbaijan of pursuing a policy of “ethnic cleansing” in the Armenian-populated region of Nagorno-Karabakh, which sits at the centre of a decades-long territorial dispute between the Caucasus arch-foes. On April 23, Azerbaijan set up a border checkpoint at the entrance to the Lachin corridor, the only road linking Armenia to the separatist region, after a months-long roadblock.
Fano (Denmark) (AFP) – Thousands of kites soar in the strong winds of the North Sea just off the west coast of Denmark during the island of Fano’s international kite festival, which attracts kite enthusiasts from all over the world.
San José del Guaviare (Colombia) (AFP) – After giving up cattle ranching a decade ago, the Zapata family now devote themselves to caring for the forest and animals of the Colombian Amazon. Instead of cutting down trees for pasture they now plant them, and have turned their home and garden into a nature reserve for injured animals.
Rome (AFP) – Pope Francis leaves Rome’s Gemelli Hospital in a wheelchair after undergoing a hernia operation. The 86-year-old pontiff has suffered a series of health issues since his election in 2013.
Paris (AFP) – Ukrainian artworks including precious Byzantine icons have been exfiltrated from Kyiv in secrecy to be kept safe in the Louvre while war continues in Ukraine. Five of the works are on show to the public as part of the exhibition “The Origins of the Sacred Image”, which runs until 6 November.
Denver (AFP) – Thousands of supporters watch along the streets of Denver as the NBA champion Nuggets celebrate their first league crown with a victory parade three days after beating the Miami Heat to win the NBA Finals. On the night of the win, the team celebrated with champagne and cigars in the locker room.
Pylos (Greece) (AFP) – The Greek Air Force released footage of its Super Puma helicopter participating in the rescue operation of shipwrecked migrants off the coast of Pylos. At least 78 people are confirmed to have died in the shipwreck with possibly hundreds more still missing, according to reports.
Sin el Fil (Lebanon) (AFP) – Angry Lebanese depositors burn tyres and vandalise branches of several banks in the Sin el-Fil area, an eastern outskirt of the capital Beirut. Lebanon has been mired since 2019 in an economic crisis that the World Bank has dubbed one of the worst in modern history.
