Washington (AFP) – Protesters gather outside the US Capitol as President Donald Trump gives his first address to Congress. During the speech, Trump declared “America is back,” while protesters said the US had become “fascist.”
Lima (AFP) – Peruvian firefighters battle a major fire that broke out in downtown Lima on the evening of March 3. IMAGES
Mexico City (AFP) – Images of the Mexican stock exchange and screens displaying exchange rates as the peso declines for a fourth straight session after the US imposes 25% tariffs on Mexican imports. SOUNDBITE
Sargodha (AFP) – Pakistan’s beekeepers typically move seasonally to spare their charges stifling heat or freezing cold. But weather patterns made unpredictable by climate change — coupled with some of the worst pollution in the world — mean beekeepers must move more frequently and travel farther. Three of the country’s four honey bee species are endangered. Their loss threatens not just the honey trade but food security in general, with a third of the world’s food production dependent on bee pollination, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation.
Belgrad (AFP) – Serbian opposition lawmakers light flares and discharge suspected tear gas during the opening day of the spring session of parliament in a sign of support for ongoing anti-corruption protests. Serbia has been rocked for months by student-led protests following the collapse of a train station roof last year that killed 15 people and ignited long-simmering anger in the country over corruption and the alleged lack of oversight for construction and development projects.
Inuvik (AFP) – The Muslim community of Canada’s Inuvik comes together to pray and break fast on the third day of Ramadan at the Midnight Sun Mosque, one of the world’s northernmost, in the Northwest Territories, above the Arctic Circle.
Washington (AFP) – Ukrainians react on the streets of Kyiv after US President Donald Trump suspended military aid to the country, heaping pressure on Ukraine to agree to peace negotiations with Russia. The move comes just days after a stunning public clash between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump, who is seeking a rapid end to the war.
Peking (AFP) – China says it will not be “intimidated” or allow itself to be “domineered or bullied” after US tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China kick in.
Lima (AFP) – Peru’s ousted ex-president Pedro Castillo goes on trial in Lima for attempting to dissolve Congress and rule by decree to avoid impeachment. Castillo, a leftist former schoolteacher who was dubbed Peru’s “first poor president” on his election in 2021, has been in preventive custody since his failed bid to disband parliament in December 2022. IMAGES
Kawazu (Japan) (AFP) – Thousands flock to the town of Kawazu to see early-blooming cherry blossoms. Unlike those found in Tokyo and Kyoto, Kawazu’s sakura trees bloom in early February — offering some of the first blossoms in the country. Located around 175 kilometres south of Tokyo, Kawazu boasts over 800 cherry blossom trees that stretch for about 4 kilometres along the local river.
Allentown (United States) (AFP) – The parishioners of St Mary’s Ukrainian church in Allentown, Pennsylvania are still in shock following US President Donald Trump’s stunning “slap” of Ukraine’s president as they gather for Sunday mass.
