Mecca (Saudi Arabia) (AFP) – Muslim worshippers perform the “tawaf”, the circumambulation of the Kaaba, on the first day of the biggest hajj pilgrimage since the Covid pandemic began. “As I saw the Kaaba, I felt like I was in heaven,” says an Egyptian pilgrim at Mecca’s Grand mosque.
New Taipei City (Taiwan) (AFP) – Dressed in military camouflage with an assault rifle at the ready, “Prof” Yeh peers from behind a vehicle in a parking lot outside Taipei, scanning his surroundings and waiting for a signal to advance. Yeh actually works in marketing, and his weapon is a replica — but he is spending the weekend attending an urban warfare workshop, to prepare for what he sees as the very real threat of a Chinese invasion.
Pamplona (Spain) (AFP) – Locals and tourists in the city of Pamplona, located in the Navarre region of northern Spain celebrate the San Fermin festival (bull-running festival) in the town square whilst covered in wine. The ‘Chupinazo’ rocket is launched to mark the start of the San Fermin festivities (6th – 14th July) which have come back for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic.
In Flight (AFP) – AFP joins French air force pilots during their rehearsal for the 2022 Bastille Day military parade, which marks the national day of France on July 14th. It is the last time the pilots of the 2/5 squadron will fly in the Mirage 2000C fighter jet before being replaced by Rafales.
Isumi (Japan) (AFP) – Harumichi Shibasaki was nearly 70 when he began making YouTube art tutorials from his quiet home in the Japanese countryside. Five years on, he has 1.4 million subscribers. He has also built a global following thanks to the English subtitles on his videos demonstrating painting and sketch techniques, which sometimes feature his grandchildren and two cats.
Sulaimaniyah (Iraq) (AFP) – Tourists watch as members of an Iraqi paragliding team launch at sunset from Mount Azmar to glide over Iraq’s northeastern city of Sulaimaniyah, in the autonomous Kurdistan region.
Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – In his nightly address, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky says “to provide basic security to Ukrainians, basic protection against missile attacks” is a key task for Ukraine.
Copenhagen (AFP) – People gather in Copenhagen at Field’s mall for a memorial to the victims of a shooting there that left three dead, including two teenagers. The alleged perpetrator of the attack, a 22-year-old Danish man who authorities say was known to mental health services, was remanded in custody in a “closed psychiatric ward” on Monday on murder charges.
Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – On the eve of the opening match of Euro 2022, Austria coach Irene Fuhrmann says she is looking forward to her side facing England. A sell-out crowd of 71,000 will watch the game at Old Trafford, breaking the attendance record for a match at a women’s European Championship by over 30,000 in the process.
Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – England captain Leah Williamson says the Lionesses must embrace the expectation of a nation as they prepare to kick off Euro 2022 in front a record crowd for a women’s European Championship match against Austria.
Hanoi (AFP) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov meets his Vietnamese counterpart Bui Thanh Son in Hanoi on Wednesday. DURATION :00:31
Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he “believes” that Belarus, an ally of Moscow, will not be “dragged” into the war waged by Russia in Ukraine. He appears to be referring to comments by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who threatened to “retaliate” after claiming anti-aircraft systems had interpreted missiles fired at his country by Ukrainian forces.
