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Yokohama (Japan) (AFP) – “Plastic”, a new production by renowned Japanese ballet company K-BALLET, aims to draw attention to the scourge of pollution through some unusual set and wardrobe design.

Lima (AFP) – Thousands marched through Peru’s capital Thursday in a large anti-government rally punctuated by clashes with police. Some of the Lima protesters, who are demanding the resignation of President Dina Boluarte and fresh elections, threw stones and bottles at officers in the city center.

Queensland (Australia) (AFP) – Australian rangers have killed an invasive “monster” cane toad discovered in the wilds of a coastal park — a warty brown specimen as long as a human arm and weighing 2.7 kilograms (6 pounds). The toad was spotted after a snake slithering across a track forced wildlife workers to stop as they were driving in Queensland’s Conway National Park, the state government said. The animal was taken away and euthanised.

Lima (Peru) (AFP) – Riot police use tear gas to disperse protesters in Lima as they march to demand the resignation of President Dina Boluarte, the dissolution of parliament and immediate fresh elections. IMAGES

Arequipa (Peru) (AFP) – Anti-government protestors clash with police as they try to enter Alfredo Rodriguez Ballon International Airport in Arequipa, Peru.

Paris (AFP) – Demonstrators marching against pension reform arrive at Place de la Nation in Paris where police officers try to disperse them.

Rumah (Saudi Arabia) (AFP) – The cries of camel herders Hamad al-Marri and Mansour al-Qatula mean nothing to the untrained ear, but their animals respond instantly, gathering behind them to walk together across the Saudi desert. This special mode of communication, known as Alheda’a, was last month added to UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage, highlighting the deep traditional connection between camels and inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula.

Yakutsk (Russia) (AFP) – Russians brave the ice cold waters of the Lena river in Yakutsk, eastern Siberia, generally considered to be the world’s coldest city. The plunge is in celelbration of Orthodox Epiphany and has gone ahead despite local weather services warning that temperatures could sink as low as -62°C in some remote areas. “The feelings are always wonderful, it’s always a feeling of purity – wonderful sensations – of warmth, ” says pensioner, Irina Korsakova.

Bordeaux (AFP) – “It’s about having a nice end of life” says Philippe, a postman protesting in Bordeaux, south west France, as strikes rage across the country, triggered by deeply unpopular pension reform. The plans presented by President Emmanuel Macron’s government last week would raise the retirement age for most people from 62 to 64 and would also increaes the years of contributions required for a full pension.

Auckland (AFP) – People in Auckland share very mixed opinions of New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, as she announced her resignation. “I’m devastated that she’s resigning” is the reaction of one resident, while “this is the most wonderful day for New Zealand” is the feeling of another. Ardern, who has steered the country through natural disasters, the Covid pandemic and it’s worst ever terrorist attack, announced her shock decision to step down on Thursday, saying she no longer had “enough in the tank.”

Toyooka (Japan) (AFP) – Rare video captured by divers shows a 2.5-metre giant squid swimming in the waters off Japan’s west coast. Giant squid are known to live in the waters around the country and occasionally wash ashore, but seeing them alive in the wild remains relatively rare.

Taipei (AFP) – Shoppers in Taipei and Hong Kong crowd markets as the Lunar New Year approaches. Also known as the Spring Festival, lunar new year is a key date in the calendar for Chinese communities and in several southeast Asian countries, with citizens preparing to usher in the year of the rabbit.