AFP UK

London (AFP) – The world’s largest giant waterlily – and the first to be discovered in over a century – is unveiled at London’s Kew Gardens, whose herbarium has been home to misidentified plant species for 177 years. The species was uncovered by a team in the UK and partners Bolivia (where the plant is native) using a blend of modern science, including DNA analysis and molecular technology, and the centuries-old practice of botanical drawings. It is the world’s third giant waterlily.

Tokyo (AFP) – They say you never forget your first love, and after pining for his stolen guitar for almost half a century, Canadian rock star Randy Bachman has finally been reunited with the instrument which an eagle-eyed fan tracked down in Japan. Bachman, who wrote the original “American Woman” with his band The Guess Who, was in Tokyo for the emotional handover on Friday — 46 years after his cherished orange Gretsch was snatched from a Toronto hotel. DURATION: 02:16

Bogota (AFP) – Thousands marched with rainbow flags in an annual gay pride parade in Colombia’s capital Bogota. “I am marching for sensitivity, to create more opportunities on the road,” says a member of the LGBT+ community. 

Richmond (Australia) (AFP) – Images of Windsor Bridge flooded in Richmond, New South Wales. Rapidly rising rivers swamped swathes of rain-lashed Sydney on Monday, forcing thousands to flee “dangerous” floods as the city’s largest dam spilled torrents of water. DURATION: 00:59

Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Olympics chief Thomas Bach says the organisation would ensure that Ukrainian athletes could compete at the 2024 Games despite the Russian invasion. He was speaking during a visit to Kyiv to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. “Eighty nine athletes and coaches died as the result of the military combat. Thirteen are captured and are in the Russian captivity,” says Zelensky. 

Chipping Norton (Australia) (AFP) – Images of flooding at a street in Chipping Norton, a suburb in Australia’s Sydney on Monday. DURATION: 01:35 Australia’s emergency services ordered thousands of people in Sydney to evacuate Monday as overflowing rivers swamped swathes of land and the city’s largest dam spilled torrents of water. IMAGES

Chipping Norton (Australia) (AFP) – Images of flooding at a street in Chipping Norton, a suburb in Australia’s Sydney on Monday. Australia’s emergency services ordered thousands of people in Sydney to evacuate Monday as overflowing rivers swamped swathes of land and the city’s largest dam spilled torrents of water. DURATION: 01:35

Maputo (AFP) – A Mozambican park welcomes its first white rhinos in 40 years after 19 of the threatened animals completed a 1,600-kilometre (thousand-mile) truck ride from South Africa, conservationists said. The rhinos were reintroduced to Zinave National Park in southern Mozambique under an initiative to restore wildlife and boost the local economy.

London (AFP) – London celebrates the 50th anniversary of its first Pride parade, marking half a century of progress in the fight for equality and tolerance but with warnings that more still needs to be done.

Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – In his nightly address, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky looks ahead to a conference on Ukraine’s reconstruction set to start Monday in Switzerland. Leaders from dozens of countries and international organisations will gather in the city of Lugano with the aim of providing a roadmap for the war-ravaged country’s recovery. Zelensky says 10 regions of Ukraine have been affected in the war, with many towns and villages needing to be “rebuilt from scratch”.

Soka (Japan) (AFP) – A team of Ukrainian sumo wrestlers whose training was interrupted by Russia’s invasion are aiming for global glory after a month-long camp in the home of the ancient Japanese sport. The six-strong Ukrainian amateur sumo team will fly to the US state of Alabama on Tuesday to compete in the World Games, an Olympic-like event featuring sports that are not contested at the Summer Games.

Minsk (AFP) – Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko accuses Kyiv of “provoking” his country and says his army intercepted missiles fired at Belarus by Ukrainian forces “around three days ago”. The claim came one week after Ukraine said missiles struck a border region from Belarus, a long-term Russian ally that supported the February 24 invasion. But Lukashenko denied any involvement, which would represent an escalation of the conflict.