AFP UK

Malindi (Kenya) (AFP) – Titus Katana has been digging for days to find the remains of victims of a Kenyan starvation cult that once counted him as a follower. “I am here in solidarity to try and get justice for the victims,” he says. Katana says he knew Nthenge well but left due to differences over new restrictions pushed by the former taxi driver-turned-pastor. “The laws became stiffer and got to a level of killing people,” he says. The discovery of mass graves in Shakahola forest near the coastal town of Malindi last week shocked Kenyans, with the government warning that the death toll — currently at 109 — could rise even

Le François (France) (AFP) – To fight against the Sargassum scourge that is hitting the Caribbean countries hard, two entrepreneurs decide to join forces to collect seaweed blocked by an anti-Sargassum barrier off the coast, protecting the beaches from Sargassum strandings, sparing the inhabitants from the nauseating gases and protecting the economic activity of the seaside.

Tajura (Libya) (AFP) – War-ravaged Libya is better known for its oil wealth than its forests, but environmentalists hope to save the North African country’s last remaining green spaces from logging and the impacts of climate change.

Birmingham (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Dancers from the Royal Birmingham Ballet rehearse for a new full-length, three-act ballet inspired by British heavy metal band Black Sabbath which will open in September. The band’s co-founder Tony Iommi says he was “fascinated” by the idea presented to him by ballet director Carlos Acosta, and that it is good to “break out that box a bit and do something different”.

Amsterdam (AFP) – US band Metallica launches its M72 world tour at the Johan Cruyff ArenA in Amsterdam, drawing fans from across the globe for their first concert. The tour will feature “No Repeat Weekends” with different setlists and support line-ups for each of the two nights in the 22 cities it visits. “There’s nothing better” says one fan outside the stadium, while another from Australia adds that he has been to over 70 of their shows in 20 countries.

Orly (France) (AFP) – Orly airport, south-east of Paris, is experimenting with 3D scanners to simplify cabin baggage screening and allow security officers to “focus on the quality of service”. The 3D technology means passengers no longer have to remove liquids and certain electronic devices from their luggage, “a breath of fresh air”, according to one employee.

Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Ukraine’s Defence Minister, Oleksiy Reznikov, says the country’s military is ready for action as preparations for its highly-anticipated offensive on Russian positions draw to a close. “Preparations are coming to an end” he tells reporters in Kyiv, “training programs have been completed… in a global sense, we are ready.”