AFP UK

Vienna (AFP) – Sixteen athletes from around the world send woodchips flying in an unusual competition, as they battle it out in Vienna for the Timbersports World Trophy.

Bogota (AFP) – Outgoing president Ivan Duque casts his vote as Colombians head to the polls in a first round of presidential elections with a leftist poised for victory for the first time ever, as voters clamor for “change.”

Kharkiv region (Ukraine) (AFP) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky makes his first trip to the country’s war-torn east since the launch of Moscow’s invasion, as Russian forces tighten their grip around key cities in the Donbas region. Zelensky’s office posted a video on Telegram of him wearing a bullet-proof vest and being shown destroyed buildings in Kharkiv and its surroundings, from where Russian forces have retreated in recent weeks.

Saint-Denis (France) (AFP) – Real Madrid stars express their delight after securing a 1-0 victory over Liverpool in the Champions League final in Paris to become kings of Europe for a record-extending 14th time.

Saint-Denis (France) (AFP) – Football fans line the streets of Paris as Real Madrid beat Liverpool 1-0 in the Champions League final. Brazilian winger Vinicius turned in Fede Valverde’s low cross in the 59th minute at the Stade de France and Liverpool could not find an equaliser as Jurgen Klopp’s side lost to the Spanish giants in a Champions League final for the second time in five seasons.

Horenka (Ukraine) (AFP) – Deminers are racing against time to clear lake Horenka on the fringes of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv of unexploded shells and missiles before the start of the summer season to prevent any casualties.

Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Ukraine says it is doing “everything” to defend Donbas, where an intensifying Russian offensive is prompting Kyiv’s forces to consider a strategic retreat from some key areas to avoid being surrounded. In his daily address to Ukrainians, Zelensky said the Russians had “concentrated maximum artillery, maximum reserves” in the area.

Houston (AFP) – Former US president Donald Trump rejects calls for tightened gun controls, following the Texas school massacre, saying decent Americans should be allowed the firearms they need to defend themselves against “evil.” Trump’s remarks came as he headlined an NRA event in Houston, three days after an 18-year-old gunman with a legally-bought AR-15-style rifle killed 19 children and two adults at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, marking the deadliest school shooting in the state’s history.

London (AFP) – Glammed up in satin knickerbockers, sequins and platform boots, ABBA fans stream into a concert hall in east London for the opening night of “ABBA Voyage”, the Swedish supergroup’s digital avatar show.

Barents Sea (Russia) (AFP) – Russia’s Defence Ministry releases images showing what it said was the latest successful test of their Zircon hypersonic cruise missile, as Moscow steps up its Ukraine offensive. The missile was fired from the Admiral Gorshkov frigate stationed in the Barents Sea and “successfully hit” a target stationed 1,000 kilometres (625 miles) away in the White Sea in the Arctic, the defence ministry said.

Pyongyang (AFP) – A North Korean army medic hands out medication to counter ‘fever’ — a term Pyongyang often uses to refer to Covid — and related sickness. The medic, Jong Jun Ho says the number of people receiving treatment for ‘fever’ has gone down in recent times. North Korea says its Covid-19 outbreak has been brought under control, but experts question the official numbers given the isolated country has one of the world’s worst healthcare systems and likely no Covid-19 drugs or mass testing ability.

Fairfax (United States) (AFP) – Lawyers for “Pirates of the Caribbean” star Johnny Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard deliver closing arguments after a six-week trial featuring blistering mutual accusations of domestic abuse.