Beijing (AFP) – People gather to catch a glimpse of China’s massive parade displaying its military might, with North Korean’s Kim Jong Un and Russia’s Vladimir Putin in attendance. “This puts China’s image fully on display for the outside world,” lawyer Lai Zhiqiu tells AFP.
Jerusalem (AFP) – Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich calls for the annexation of the occupied Palestinian territory of the West Bank, as a series of governments signal their intention to recognise a Palestinian state. Last month, Israel approved a major settlement project just east of Jerusalem that the international community has warned threatens the viability of future Palestinian statehood. Israeli settlements in the West Bank are considered illegal under international law.
Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) – Palestinians mourn relatives killed in an Israeli strike which targeted an appartement in western Gaza City. “We found my daughter, her husband, and their daughters in pieces,” says Umm Abd Abu Al-Jubain, as she holds her grandson.
Beijing (AFP) – North Korea’s Kim Jong Un tells Russian President Vladimir Putin that the two countries “should make efforts to strengthen our cooperation” as the leaders meet in Beijing to attend a parade marking the 80th anniversary of Japan’s World War II surrender.
Tel Aviv (AFP) – As Israel has begun calling up reservists ahead of a planned offensive to capture Gaza City, some are refusing to serve and instead protesting the war. The decision to launch the offensive is “being made by a messianic government that lacks public legitimacy” says Ron Feiner, who served in Gaza for 260 days and decided to stop.
Beijing (AFP) – A massive military parade begins in Beijing, attended by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russia’s Vladimir Putin, with the two guests of honour flanking Chinese President Xi Jinping. Soldiers march in ranks with tanks and missile systems on display for the showpiece extravaganza marking 80 years since the end of World War II. IMAGES
Hanoi (AFP) – Vietnam holds its largest-ever annual public celebration to mark 80 years since the declaration of independence, with legions of lock-stepped patriots marching under fluttering flags. “I am impressed by the military and public security forces in the parade, as well as by all of Vietnam’s military equipment that has been brought here,” says Thanh Tra, a Hanoi resident.
Kiew (AFP) – As air raid sirens blast over Kyiv, residents scramble once again to take shelter in the city’s metro stations, waiting out the prolonged alert. Among them, 18-year-old Artem Korneev, who says: “Students have no choice but to sit in shelters instead of learning or developing.”
Peking (AFP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin says that any deal to resolve the conflict in Ukraine must not compromise Moscow’s security. “Naturally, it is Ukraine’s own decision how to ensure its security,” Putin says in China at a meeting with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. Efforts to end the war appear to have lost steam, and Moscow has played down the likelihood of a Putin-Zelensky summit.
New York (AFP) – Hundreds gather outside Trump Tower in New York City to advocate for workers’ rights and voice criticism of US President Donald Trump’s policies. “We are here to make sure President Trump realizes that there are many of us that are not happy with his decisions,” says Jill Pitman, a protester and negotiator for Unions. “There are many of us that want him out of the White House because he doesn’t protect the middle class and he doesn’t protect workers.”
(AFP) – Rescuers treat the injured in Afghanistan’s Kunar province after a powerful earthquake struck the country’s east at the weekend. The 6.0-magnitude earthquake killed more 1,400 and injured 3,000 others, according to the Taliban government, making it one of the deadliest to hit the country in decades.
Caracas (AFP) – During a press conference in Caracas, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro shows off his mobile phone, a Huawei gifted by his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. “The best phone in the world, the Huawei. And it cannot be tapped, not even by the gringos, nor by spy planes, nor by satellites,” he says.
