Tripoli (AFP) – Libyan boxers fight and train in Tripoli, as they participate in various competitions. The sport was banned by former dictator Moamer Kadhafi from 1979 until his downfall in 2011. Since then, athletes have strived to revive boxing.
Ankara (AFP) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ends months of delays by asking parliament to vote on Finland’s bid to join the NATO defence bloc – paving the way for the Nordic nation to join the alliance without its neighbour Sweden. Finland and Sweden ended decades of military non-alignment and decided to join the US-led defence alliance in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Munich (Germany) (AFP) – After being drawn against Manchester City in today’s Champions League draw, Bayern Munich Coach Julian Nagelsmann calls the tie “extremely difficult, singling out star striker Erling Haaland as a man to watch. “He is an exceptional player who is extremely dangerous”, Nagelsmann warns, calling him better physically than PSG’s Kylian Mbappe.
Paris (AFP) – Bertrand Panchet, leader of one of the political opposition groups in France’s National Assembly, files a motion of no-confidence against the government, which garnered 91 signatories. “I regret that my colleagues from LR (The Republicans, eds.) are not signatories, but I hope that many will vote for it,” Panchet adds. The motion comes amid anger over the government’s use of article 49.3 of the constitution to force President Emmanuel Macron’s highly contested pension reform into law without a vote.
Paris (AFP) – Angry demonstrations sprang up across France after French President Emmanuel Macron forced a contentious pension reform through parliament without a vote. Despite two months of strikes and some of the biggest protests in decades, Macron’s government insisted on imposing the bill to hike the retirement age from 62 to 64, which is opposed by two-thirds of the French public.
Sydney (AFP) – After shredding the world record for the longest surfing session, Australian surfer Blake Johnston admits he feels “pretty cooked” from catching the waves for more than 40 hours. The 40-year-old former surfing pro took on South African Josh Elsin’s previous record of 30 hours 11 minutes to raise money for mental health, marking 10 years since losing his father to suicide.
Beijing (AFP) – Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Russia next week, Beijing’s foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin says at a regular briefing on Friday, adding that the diplomatic visit will be “for peace” where China will uphold its “fair position on the Ukrainian crisis”. Xi will be in Russia from Monday to Wednesday, where he will hold talks with his strategic ally Vladimir Putin just over a year into Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Bria (Central African Republic) (AFP) – IDPs in Central African Republic hope to leave PK3 camp in Baria but despite Improvements in the security situation, the lack of humanitarian and financial assistance is making it difficult for most.
Chasiv Yar (Ukraine) (AFP) – Civilians gather to receive water in the centre of Chasiv Yar, a small eastern Ukrainian town close to conflict hotspot and Russian target Bakhmut.
Bordeaux (AFP) – Thousands in the southern French cities of Bordeaux and Marseille join nationwide protests against President Emmanuel Macron’s reform to pensions after the government pushed the bill through parliament without a vote.
Adiyaman (Turkey) (AFP) – People living in tents and container housing in earthquake-stricken areas of southeastern Turkey face a new challenge after flash floods killed at least 14 people on Wednesday.
North Korea (North Korea) (AFP) – Images from North Korean state media show the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile, which was fired amid joint military drills conducted by the United States and South Korea.
