Mexico City (AFP) – A powerful earthquake struck western Mexico on Monday, leaving at least one person dead in Manzanillo and sparking panic hundreds of kilometres away in Mexico City on the anniversary of two devastating tremors. Mexico sits in the world’s most seismically and volcanically active zone, known as the Ring of Fire, where the Pacific plate meets surrounding tectonic plates.
Tokyo (AFP) – Thousands rally in Tokyo to protest the Japanese government’s plan to hold a $12 million state funeral for assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Abe was shot dead on the campaign trail in July, and the government expects dozens of current and former heads of state to pay condolences at the September 27 service in Tokyo.
Hong Kong (AFP) – A thundering thrash metal riff reverberates through a Hong Kong bar but the music is being live-streamed from a studio across town to obey pandemic rules that have outlawed small gigs for more than 650 days. Coronavirus restrictions decimated live performances around the world, especially in the first 18 months of the pandemic, but nowhere has that hardship hit longer than in Hong Kong.
Bavaro (Dominican Republic) (AFP) – Dominicans repair power lines and the roofs of makeshift houses in after the passage of Hurricane Fiona. The storm made landfall on the eastern edge of the Dominican Republic early Monday, packing winds of 90 miles per hour (144 kilometers per hour), the US National Hurricane Center said.
Nongoma (South Africa) (AFP) – Young women, known locally in the KwaZulu-Natal province as “maidens”, participate in a traditional “reed dance”, an age-old annual ceremony in celebration of sexual purity and promotion of sexual abstinence among young girls. It is the first time the dance is taking place since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
London (AFP) – In London, New York and Paris, locals rub shoulders with tourists at pubs and tea houses to watch the funeral service and procession for late Queen Elizabeth II.
New York (AFP) – Tears flow and flags are waved as 200 New Yorkers become US citizens during a special naturalization ceremony overseen by Attorney General Merrick Garland at the city’s famed Ellis Island, which once welcomed thousands of immigrants daily.
Newcastle (United Kingdom) (AFP) – On Eldon Square, in the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne, mourners gather to watch Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral on a big screen, with many in the crowd visibly emotional at the monarch’s passing. “I’m not ashamed to say, I’ve actually shed tears. It hit me harder than I ever thought it would,” retired serviceman Steve Baker admits.
Punta Cana (Dominican Republic) (AFP) – Hurricane Fiona lashes Punta Cana in the east of the Dominican Republic. The storm carried maximum sustained winds of 90 miles per hour (144 kilometers per hour) as it hit the Dominican Republic on Sunday, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).
London (AFP) – Soldiers place Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin in a hearse at Wellington Arch in London, after a service for the late monarch at Westminster Abbey. Members of the royal family watch as the hearse drives off to Windsor accompanied by the sound of God Save the Queen.
Windsor (United Kingdom) (AFP) – The cortege carrying Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin arrives in Windsor, where a committal service for the late monarch will be held at St George’s chapel. IMAGES
London (AFP) – Members of the Royal Family including King Charles III, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince William and Prince Harry follow Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin in a procession down The Mall in central London after her state funeral in Westminster Abbey.
