Lahore (Pakistan) (AFP) – Heavy law enforcement presence outside Pakistan’s Supreme Court as it declares the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan “invalid”, in a ruling that came two days after his detention sparked protests nationwide.
Washington (AFP) – Migrants entering the US without documents as pandemic-era controls lift Thursday face long-term bans and possible prosecution, a top official warns hours before the United States implements a tough new immigration policy. SOUNDBITE
Sderot (Israel) (AFP) – Israel’s Iron Dome air defence system intercepts rockets launched from the Gaza Strip, seen from Sderot. Israel and Gaza militants traded heavy fire Thursday, the third day of the worst escalation of violence in months that has killed at least 29 people in the blockaded Palestinian enclave and one in Israel.
Washington (AFP) – Republican lawmakers pass an immigration package that would restart stalled construction of Donald Trump’s southern border wall as the United States braces for a sudden increase in migrant crossings from Mexico. The Secure the Border Act of 2023, which advanced from the Republican-led House of Representatives on a roughly party-line 219-213 vote, would reintroduce several signature Trump-era measures, from completing the wall to bolstering asylum restrictions.
Washington (AFP) – The United States, which recently held talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia, urges the two nations to seize peace initiatives after fresh clashes. SOUNDBITE
Washington (AFP) – The United States says it welcomes South Africa’s promise to probe allegations of arms shipments to Russia after Washington angered Pretoria by going public with a charge of covert weapons.
Rennes (France) (AFP) – Hundreds of young people take to the streets in Rennes, eastern France, to protest against the unpopular pension reform put forward by President Macron. “As young people… we need to show our opposition” says one of those voicing anger at the plans to raise the age of retirement from 62 to 64.
Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – A special art installation has popped up, In the centre of Ukraine’s capital Kyiv, of a postage stamp depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin facing trial. It has replaced another installation which illustrated the Kremlin burning and collapsing.
Images shared on social media show vehicles on fire and a thick column of black smoke rising from the Porta Romana area of Milan, northern Italy, after a van carrying oxygen cylinders exploded in the morning. Officials say the explosion destroyed a dozen vehicles but no one was injured.
The stakes are high in the world of Parisian baguettes, and one baker has won it all. “I cried” says Tharshan Selvarajah, a baker of Sri Lankan origin, describing the moment he found out that his stick had won the title of Best Baguette in Paris. This year’s competition holds extra significance, being the first since the iconic French bread was added to UNESCO’s list of the world’s intangible heritage.
Migrants who have recently made it to the US arrive in buses from detention centers to reunite with family members for the first time after being separated at the US-Mexico border near Brownsville’s bus station, in Texas.
Ciudad Juárez (Mexico) (AFP) – Migrants at the southern US border are facing a significant technological hurdle, as an app launched by the Biden administration throws up some frustrating issues. The “CBP One” app was launched in January with the aim of managing asylum claims following the expiration of Title 42, a Trump-era piece of legislation with the stated purpose of stopping migrants infected with Covid-19 from entering the country.
