AFP UK

London (AFP) – The final practice of Trooping the Colour takes place near Buckingham Palace in London before it is performed in public. The Trooping of the Colour will take place on June 2nd as part of celebrations to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee. The ceremony, performed by regiments of the British Army, has been a tradition of British infantry regiments since the 17th century and, since 1748, has marked the official birthday of the British sovereign.

Severodonetsk (Ukraine) (AFP) – Residents of Severodonetsk in Ukraine peek their heads out from behind the grey door of their Soviet-era residences to see if it is safe to step outside as the rhythm of shelling dictates their lives. “There is banging all the time, and shrapnel flying around. You can hear it from the basement. So we lock ourselves up,” says Anna Poladyuk, who’s outdoor cooking is constantly interrupted by shelling. The 66-year-old has been living below ground in the dark for much of the past month with 27 other residents.

Washington (AFP) – President Sauli Niinisto says Finland will address all concerns addressed by Turkey on its NATO bid and condemns “terrorism” — a key issue raised by Ankara. US President Joe Biden is hosting Niinisto and Sweden’s prime minister at the White House to discuss their applications for NATO membership.

Washington (AFP) – US President Joe Biden says Sweden and Finland “meet every NATO requirement, and then some” during an event at the White House alongside Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson.

Dallas (AFP) – In a speech in Dallas about Russia’s war in Ukraine, former US President George W. Bush calls the invasion of Iraq “unjustified and brutal” in a blunder, before correcting himself. SOUNDBITE

Berlin (AFP) – “There are no shortcuts on the way to the EU,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says, adding that an exception for Ukraine would be unfair to the Western Balkan countries also seeking membership. Back in April, Scholz had called for Western Balkan countries’ efforts to join the EU to be accelerated amid a “new era” in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. of Olaf Scholz

Amsterdam (AFP) – Russian prima ballerina Olga Smirnova starts a new life at the Dutch National Ballet in Amsterdam after leaving Russia to protest its invasion of Ukraine.

Beverly Hills (United States) (AFP) – We all know someone with a rubbish fashion sense, but Rob Greenfield is proud to be wearing garbage — it’s all part of a plan to show just how much trash we unthinkingly throw away every month. The campaigner is wandering the streets of Los Angeles and surrounding cities in a specially designed suit that holds all of the junk he has produced over the last few weeks. With just a few days left to go in his challenge, Greenfield is wearing around 62 pounds (28 kilograms) of rubbish generated from the drinks, snacks and meals he has consumed. “I want to create a visual that helps people to really see how much our trash adds up,” he says.

San Salvador (AFP) – Hundreds of people have been camping out for days outside a San Salvador prison where their relatives are imprisoned. El Salvador has arrested more than 30,000 suspected gang members since President Nayib Bukele in March launched his “war” on criminal groups terrorizing the country.

Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – The first war crimes trial since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, against a Russian soldier accused of killing an unarmed civilian, gets underway in Kyiv. 

Frankfurt (AFP) – Some 50,000 Frankfurt fans celebrate their team’s victory against Rangers in the Europa League final. The match was broadcast via Seville on a giant screen in Frankfurt. Eintracht Frankfurt defeated Rangers 5-4 on penalties to win the Europa League on Wednesday after the final in Seville finished 1-1 at the end of extra time. DURATION: 01:11

Yerevan (AFP) – Police in Armenia arrest hundreds of protesters as opposition supporters seek to spread their month-long anti-government demonstrations throughout Yerevan. Yerevan has been gripped by anti-government protests since mid-April, with opposition parties demanding Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s resignation over his handling of a territorial dispute with Azerbaijan.