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Beijing (AFP) – French President Emmanuel Macron arrives at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, speaking to Chinese Premier Li Qiang ahead of his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Blumenau (Brazil) (AFP) – Residents of Blumenau in southern Brazil light candles and pray outside the Good Shepherd Center, a private preschool, to mourn the four children who were killed with a hatchet-like weapon by a 25-year-old man. The attacker also wounded four other children, before turning himself into the police. IMAGES

Simi Valley (United States) (AFP) – Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen thanks US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and members of the US Congress for their hospitality during remarks at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California. “Their presence and unwavering support reassure the people of Taiwan that we are not isolated and we are not alone,” Tsai says.

Simi Valley (United States) (AFP) – US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and members of the US Congress meet with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California.

Washington (AFP) – The White House is “extremely concerned” after clashes inside Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque compound and urges restraint by both Israelis and Palestinians. “It is imperative now more than ever that Israelis and Palestinians work together to deescalate tensions and restore calm,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tells reporters during a briefing in Washington.

Amman (AFP) – In Jordan, a traditional dish finds its roots in ancient history and remains a cherished symbol of hospitality, most recently added to UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage list. 

Simi Valley (United States) (AFP) – US Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy welcomes Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen outside the Reagan Presidential Library, in Simi Valley, California.

Karachi (AFP) – Hanging from a crane, 17-year-old Noor Jehan has just been seen by a team of international vets at Karachi Zoo. The 3.5-ton African elephant, who could barely walk across her enclosure due to a large growth between her back legs, caught the eye of Four Paws International after images of her were shared on social media. “It was a very risky procedure” says vet Amir Khalil, after knocking Noor Jehan to perform the diagnosis.

Lisbon (AFP) – Speaking at the 47th UEFA Congress in Lisbon, Portugal, Aleksander Ceferin says “football is, and will always stay, the sport of people”. The UEFA chief rails against the “privatisation” of football, citing clubs being “bought up by investment funds” the loss of “local identities” and the “reckless” spending of certain club owners. Ceferin’s comments come after he was re-elected for a third term as president of European football’s governing body.

Bentiu (South Sudan) (AFP) – It may be an invasive pest, known for choking waterways in many parts of the world, but water hyacinth is proving an unlikely source of fuel in flood-stricken South Sudan. The fast-growing aquatic weed is rich in biomass, organic material that produces energy, and is being harvested and turned into briquettes for use in heating and cooking. As a fuel, it’s cheaper than wood-based charcoal and safer to collect than firewood.

Kahramanmaras (Turkey) (AFP) – Two months after a deadly earthquake killed more than 50,000, and weeks before a presidential election, Kahramanmaras, in southeastern Turkey, has creaked back into life. Much of the fury directed at President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government in the wake of the disaster has begun to fade in a province that gave him three quarters of its vote in Turkey’s last election. One Kahramanmaras resident, shopkeeper Latif Dalyan, believes “we couldn’t have done better. It wasn’t easy.”

Beijing (AFP) – French President Emmanuel Macron says China can “play a major role” in resolving the war in Ukraine. Speaking in Beijing, at the beginning of a three-day trip, the French leader looks to China’s “close relationship with Russia” as a way to stop the fighting.