AFP UK

Warsaw (AFP) – Speaking outside the Royal Warsaw Castle, US President Joe Biden refutes the claims made by Russian President Putin that the West sought to harm Russia. “The United States and the nations of Europe do not seek to control or destroy Russia” he says, “the West was not plotting to attack Russia.” Biden’s comments come after a surprise visit to Kyiv earlier in the week, ahead of the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24. SOUNDBITE

São Sebastião (Brazil) (AFP) – Residents and rescue teams work to remove the mud that flooded the city of Sao Sebastiao, Sao Paulo State, after violent mudslides claimed the lives of at least 40 people.

Beijing (AFP) – China’s foreign minister says Beijing is “deeply concerned” about the conflict in Ukraine, which is “intensifying and even getting out of control”. Beijing will “work with the international community to promote dialogue and consultation, address the concerns of all parties and seek common security”, Qin Gang says in a speech on global security in the Chinese capital, as the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of its neighbour looms on February 24.

Luanda (AFP) – The Luanda carnival has come back in force in the Angolan capital after a pandemic hiatus.

Antakya (Turkey) (AFP) – A 6.4-magnitude earthquake on Monday rocked Turkey’s southern province of Hatay and northern Syria, killing multiple people and sparking fresh panic after a February 6 tremor that left nearly 45,000 dead in both countries.

Antakya (Turkey) (AFP) – A 6.4-magnitude earthquake on Monday rocked Turkey’s southern province of Hatay and northern Syria, killing multiple people and sparking fresh panic after a February 6 tremor that left nearly 45,000 dead in both countries.

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Samba school Paraiso do Tuiuti parades on the second day of Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival at the sambadrome Marques de Sapucai. IMAGES

London (AFP) – Nominees walk the red carpet at annual BAFTA awards where a gut-wrenching war movie from Germany and pitch-black Irish comedy were the big winners, with less than a month to go to the Oscars.

Dhaka (AFP) – Journalists from Bangladesh’s main opposition newspaper, Dainik Dinkal, take to the streets in Dhaka to protest against the government’s order to halt its production, a move that fuels fears about media freedom in the South Asian nation.

Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – US President Joe Biden visits the Heavenly Hundred Memorial in Kyiv with Ukrainian President Zelensky on a surprise visit to Ukraine’s capital.

Minsk (AFP) – The Belarusian army demonstrates combat training of its Military Academy cadets at a training ground in Zhodino in central Belarus, amid fears of Minsk entering Russia’s conflict with Ukraine. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has said his country would only join Russia’s offensive in Ukraine if Belarus were attacked first by Kyiv.

Antakya (Turkey) (AFP) – Images from Antakya, southern Turkey, show journalists and military responding to a new 6.4-magnitude earthquake that hit the region on Monday evening. The quake hit the town of Defne at 20:04pm local time (17:04 GMT) and was strongly felt by AFP teams in Antakya and Adana, 200 kilometres (300 miles) to the north.