Machala (Ecuador) (AFP) – Firefighters and emergency services clear the streets in the town of Machala in Ecuador’s El Oro province, a day after a deadly 6.5 magnitude earthquake hit southern Ecuador and northern Peru. Saturday’s quake, whose epicenter was in the Ecuadoran municipality of Balao, near the border with Peru, left dozens dead.
Pretoria (AFP) – Police offers are deployed in Pretoria as South Africa braces for protests after a leftwing party called for a “national shut-down”, sparking fears of a repeat of unrest that turned deadly two years ago. Authorities said there would be a heavy police presence to deal with any possible violence, after the third largest party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) urged South Africans to take to the streets and bring the country to a halt.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany) (AFP) – The white-coloured humanoid “Garmi” does not look much different from a typical robot — it stands on a platform with wheels and is equipped with a black screen on which two blue circles acting as eyes are attached. But retired German doctor Guenter Steinebach, 78, said: “For me, this robot is a dream.” Not only is Garmi able to perform diagnostics on patients, it can also provide care and treatment for them. Or at least, that is the plan.
Mariupol (Ukraine) (AFP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin makes a surprise trip to Mariupol, according to video distributed by the Kremlin, his first visit to territory captured from Ukraine since the start of Moscow’s offensive
Dublin (AFP) – Ireland Head coach Andy Farrell says it is “unbelievably fitting” that “the greatest player to play for Ireland”, Johnny Sexton, ended his Six Nations career by captaining the Irish to the Grand Slam.
Machala (Ecuador) (AFP) – At least 14 people were killed, several were wounded and buildings were damaged in a powerful earthquake that shook Peru and Ecuador on Saturday 18.
Kigali (AFP) – Britain’s interior minister defends a controversial plan to deport asylum seekers arriving in the UK to Rwanda during a visit there, when she inspected the centres where they will be held.
Vatican City (AFP) – Pope Francis greets refugees brought to Europe by Christian charities, recognising their difficult journeys.
Washington (AFP) – US President Joe Biden and Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day — and tout Biden’s expected visit to Ireland and Northern Ireland for the anniversary of the Good Friday peace accords on April 10. Biden’s much-anticipated visit has led to speculation it could coincide with power-sharing restarting in Belfast. But Northern Ireland’s largest pro-UK party said it would not be rushed on giving its verdict on the Windsor Framework post-Brexit trade deal that could pave the way for a resumption of devolved governance in Northern Ireland.
London (AFP) – Monday marks 20 years since Blair joined US president George W. Bush in launching an invasion of Iraq under Saddam Hussein’s rule, without a UN mandate and in defiance of some of the biggest demonstrations ever seen in Britain. For its many critics, the war was exposed as a reckless misadventure when no weapons of mass destruction were found, and hampered the West’s ability to stand up to the rise of autocrats in Russia and China. But Blair rejects the notion that Russian President Vladimir Putin profited by defying a weakened West with his own aggression against Ukraine, starting in 2014 and extending to last year’s full invasion.
Sao Paulo (AFP) – In Brazil, women Sumo wrestlers are used to people saying they are too small or too fragile to practise a sport typically associated with hulking Japanese men. But they insist that is just fuel for their fighting spirit when they get in the “dojo,” or ring.
Çanakkale (Turkey) (AFP) – Turkey announces the extension of a deal that has allowed exports of Ukrainian grain to resume following Russia’s invasion, but it was unclear if it had been prolonged for 60 or 120 days. Russia said it had agreed to a 60-day extension, while Ukraine’s infrastructure minister said the deal had been extended for 120 days. Turkey and the United Nations did not specify the duration.
