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Barquisimeto (Venezuela) (AFP) – Venezuela’s Easter tradition of burning a puppet of Judas has taken a political turn this year, with effigies of political figures accused of corruption set alight. In Barquisimeto, Lara state, the Judas puppet resembled president Nicolas Maduro, while in a square in the capital Caracas, a three-headed snake representing corrupt public officials was burned. In Barquisimeto, Lara state, the Judas puppet resembled president Nicolas Maduro, while in a square in the capital Caracas, a three-headed snake representing corrupt public officials was burned.

Pingtan (China) (AFP) – On Beigan island, part of Taiwan’s Matsu archipelago that is within eyesight of China’s mainland, 60-year-old chef Lin Ke-qiang says he does not want war. “The Russia-Ukraine war, that’s terrifying. I feel very emotional seeing the people there become destitute and homeless”, he says. China was due to hold live-fire drills on Monday to round off three days of military exercises in response to Taiwan’s president meeting with the US House speaker.

Les Contamines-Montjoie (France) (AFP) – UGC footage shows an avalanche which killed at least four people in the French Alps near Mont Blanc in southeastern France.

Jerusalem (AFP) – Thousands of Jewish worshippers flock to Jerusalem’s Western Wall for the Passover (Pesach) priestly blessing ceremony. The city is seeing a flare-up in tensions after renewed violence between Israelis and Palestinians.

Castagnaro (Italy) (AFP) – To mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Pablo Picasso, Italian artist Dario Gambarin uses a tractor to carve a giant portrait of the Spanish painter in a field in the Italian town of Castagnaro. The portrait stretches over a 25,000-square-metre area of wasteland, making it the largest portrait of Picasso in the world, according to Gambarin. Gambarin says he created the work of art freehand, using a tractor, plow and rotary harrow.

Vatican City (AFP) – Pope Francis underlines his “deep concern” over a flare-up in tensions between Israel and Palestinians, as he leads Easter Mass. He says the renewed violence “threatens the desired climate of trust and mutual respect needed to resume dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians,” as he addresses a crowd of tens of thousands gathered in Saint Peter’s Square.

Marseille (AFP) – The collapse of a four-storey apartment building in the centre of Marseille, France’s second largest city, has left at least five people injured. The fire brigade was on the scene through the night and into the morning, searching the rubble for possible victims.

London (AFP) – British cheese makers are producing a wider variety of soft cheeses — often influenced by France — alongside traditional British hard cheeses such as Stilton and Cheddar as the number of producers grows.

Taipei (AFP) – United States Representative Michael McCaul says during a trip to Taipei that the US will follow through on its promise “deliver weapons” as he calls for democracies of the world to “stand together against tyranny.”

Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky takes part in Iftar, the meal breaking the daily fast during the holy month of Ramadan, and gives a speech during which he criticises Russia’s treatment of the Muslim-minority Tatar community in Kremlin-controlled Crimea.

Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Every morning, pensioner Valentyn Dudkin takes his trombone with him outside his block of flats and plays the Ukrainian national anthem. He is supported every day by his wife Valentyna, who holds the Ukrainian flag. Valentyn is often joined by his neighbours for the morning ‘concert’.

Dong Nai (Vietnam) (AFP) – A thick layer of dust from the construction of a huge airport in Vietnam has been blanketing nearby neighbourhoods for months. Located 40 kilometres from Ho Chi Minh City, the four-runway Long Thanh airport is forecast to transport 100 million passengers and five million tonnes of cargo annually once finished.