Moscow (AFP) – Moscow residents voice optimism about talks between Ukraine, Russia and the United States ending the four-year war. Meanwhile, Russian strikes batter Kyiv’s power plants, leaving many without heating or electricity amid subzero temperatures.
Washington (United States) (AFP) – Colombian President Gustavo Petro and US President Donald Trump appear to bury the hatchet during a White House meeting, after a year of sparring that culminated in threats by Trump to topple the left-wing leader like in Venezuela. “My impression of the meeting a few hours ago is first and foremost that it was positive,” Petro tells reporters after the meeting, while says he “got along very well” with the leader whom he recently accused of pumping drugs into the United States, as he did with Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela.
Havana (AFP) – Havana residents wrap up warm as Cuba experiences an unusual drop in temperatures, brought on by the arrival of an intense cold front that has dragged a mass of polar air from North America into the Caribbean. The island has registered a record low of zero degrees Celsuis (32 farenheit), the first time freezing point has been documented on the Caribbean island, according to its Institute of Meteorology.
Moscow (AFP) – On a video call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin praises relations between the two countries as a “stabilising” factor amid global “turbulence”. Moscow and Beijing have sought to present a united front against the West, with ties deepening since Russia’s 2022 Ukraine offensive. “When it comes to Russian-Chinese relations, you can say with confidence that any season is spring,” Putin says, speaking on the day of Lichun — the beginning of spring in the traditional Chinese calendar.
Washington (United States) (AFP) – US President Donald Trump calls on Americans to move on from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, saying he has been cleared by the latest release of millions of documents. “Nothing came out about me other than it was a conspiracy against me, literally, by Epstein and other people. But I think it’s time now for the country to maybe get on to something else,” he tells reporters at the White House while signing a spending bill ending a partial goverment shutdown. Trump spent months trying to block the disclosure of files linked to Epstein, before relenting late last year when an initial tranche of files was released.
Minneapolis (United States) (AFP) – Inside a Native American community center in northern Minneapolis, Jessica Glidden is getting her tribal identity card issued for protection as the city has become the focus of President Donald Trump’s immigration operations.
Caracas (AFP) – Hundreds of university students and relatives of political prisoners also march in Venezuela’s capital, calling for the quick approval of an amnesty law promised by interim president Delcy Rodriguez. A protest was also staged by supporters of Nicolas Maduro, with demonstrators demanding he be released one month after his ouster by US forces.
Khan Yunis (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) – The Red Crescent in Gaza evacuate patients and injured Palestinians from Khan Yunis, in the south of the Gaza Strip, towards Egypt, after the reopening of the Rafah crossing. “In coordination with the World Health Organization, we were able to evacuate 45 patients,” says a Red Crescent official. No official figures have been released from Jerusalem or Cairo yet.
Quindalup (Australia) (AFP) – A 13-year-old boy recounts how he swam for hours through choppy waters off western Australia to get help for his family. The boy, named in local media as Austin Appelbee, made it across four kilometres (2.5 miles) of ocean to raise the alarm after his mother and two younger siblings were swept out to sea off the tourist town of Quindalup. The boy said he was trying to think of happy things, at one point singing the “Thomas the Tank Engine” theme song to keep himself going.
Ksar El Kebir (Morocco) (AFP) – Moroccan rescuers evacuate residents from Ksar El Kebir city in the Larache province, about 100 kilometres (62 miles) south of Tangier, following severe flooding. According to the interior ministry, more than 50,000 people have been displaced from their homes across northern Morocco due to severe weather and heavy rainfall. The floods have killed seven in nearby countries Tunisia and Algeria.
Caracas (AFP) – Protesters in Caracas rally for full amnesty in Venezuela. Interim president Delcy Rodriguez announced a general amnesty, which is expected to be adopted by the national assembly this week. IMAGES
Lwengo (Uganda) (AFP) – Far from the fictional skies of Hogwarts, in a remote village in Uganda, a young woman sprints after a “snitch” during a game of quadball, an adapted version of Quidditch, the sport made famous by author JK Rowling’s Harry Potter books. There are no magic broomsticks here, but instead, players run with sticks between their legs, united by the same ambition — reaching the Quadball World Cup. “I will die a happy man when I see the team of Uganda going to the World Cup,” says team founder, John Ssentamu.
