Moskau (AFP) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says any presence of European troops in Ukraine would be “absolutely unacceptable”, as Kyiv’s allies work on security guarantees for the country. “I hope strongly that those who are entertaining such plans […] understand what the consequences will be,” says Lavrov during a press conference in Moscow.
Shanghai (AFP) – Asia Pet Fair kicks off in Shanghai, with “smart technology” emerging as one of the key themes of this year’s event. A smart pet cabin is now equipped with interactive screens, allowing users to control them via mobile apps and even translate human speech into cat language for their feline companions. An industry report shows that the number of pets in China has been increasing in recent years, reaching 120 million by 2024, with the pet related market surpassing 300 billion yuan ($ 42 billion).
Yokohama (AFP) – UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres reiterates calls for an immediate ceasefire as Israel approves a military plan for the control of Gaza City. “It is vital to reach immediately a ceasefire… to avoid the massive deaths and destruction that a military operation against Gaza City would inevitably cause,” he tells reporters in Japan on the sidelines of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development.
Beijing (AFP) – Rows of neatly dressed soldiers march in unison at a training ground in a humid Beijing ahead of a massive parade that China says will see the Asian giant unveil new domestically produced military hardware. President Xi Jinping will inspect troops in the capital’s Tiananmen Square at the event on September 3 to mark 80 years since the end of World War II, with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and other world leaders expected to attend.
Sabaneta (Colombie) (AFP) – Former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe who was previously under house arrest makes first public appearance in Sabaneta, Antioquia, a day after being granted freedom. A court ordered the immediate release of former president Uribe while he appeals a witness tampering conviction for which he was sentenced to 12 years of house arrest. IMAGES
Guzara (Afghanistan) (AFP) – 78 people have died after a bus carrying Afghan migrants collided with two other vehicles in western Afghanistan. The state-run Bakhtar News Agency says it was one of the deadliest accidents in the country in recent years.
Kumamoto (Japan) (AFP) – UGC footage filmed by the dashcam of a motorist in the Kita Ward Of Kumamoto city shows a fireball streaking across the sky above southern Japan. Toshihisa Maeda, head of Sendai Space Museum in the Kagoshima region in southwestern Japan, says the phenomenon was a fireball, an exceptionally bright meteor.
Ensuès-la-Redonne (France) (AFP) – Once limited to the surrounding hills, thousands of stray goats now wander villages freely on the outskirts of Marseille. As the herd keeps multiplying, so too does the debate over whether the goats are a loveable quirk or a problem that needs urgent control. There are now almost two thousand according to the first deputy mayor of Châteauneuf-les-Martigues.
Khan Yunis (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) – Palestinians mourn loved ones, including an infant, killed in an airstrike that targeted their apartment in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza. “Find us a solution Donald Trump,” pleads one Gazan. “Either we live a decent life or just drop a nuclear bomb on us.”
Moscow (AFP) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accuses European leaders of making “clumsy and unethical attempts” to change US President Donald Trump’s position on Ukraine. “We did not hear any constructive ideas from the Europeans,” he adds, referring to Trump’s meeting on Monday with European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Kjustendil (Bulgaria) (AFP) – Hundreds of pilgrims gather in Bulgaria’s Rila mountains to welcome their “spiritual” new year with a special meditative dance known as “paneurhythmy” and singing. They are followers of the Universal White Brotherhood, an esoteric society that combines Christianity and Indian mysticism.
London (AFP) – London Zoo carries out its annual weigh-in of animals, including Ring-tailed lemurs, penguins and tortoises. The data collected from over 10,000 animals across 400 species is shared on a database so zookeepers across the globe can preserve endangered species.
