Hualien (Taiwan) (AFP) – People staying at a government-run shelter set up at an elementary school describe how they escaped their buildings after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake hit Taiwan’s Hualien a day earlier. “That one was scary, the other ones were quite okay. The other earthquakes so far in Taiwan were quite okay. That one was different,” says Hendri Sutrisno.
Saint-Denis (France) (AFP) – French President Emmanuel Macron has “no doubt” that Russia is targeting the organisation of the Olympic Games, “including in terms of information”, by suggesting that Paris is not ready.
Washington (AFP) – US state department spokesperson Matthew Miller says Washington backs Palestinian statehood but after talks with Israel and not through full membership at the United Nations. “That is something that should be done through direct negotiations through the parties and not at the United Nations,” Miller says, going on to call the Israeli army strike that killed seven aid workers of the food charity World Central Kitchen “a tragedy that should have never happened”.
Kharkiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Rescuers rush to evacuate people from damaged buildings after overnight Russian air strikes in Ukraine’s second largest city Kharkiv killed four people and injured 11, according to officials. Three of them were rescue workers, killed in a strike on a residential building.
Riyadh (AFP) – Stranded abroad by almost a year of war, Saudi Arabia’s swelling Sudanese community are drawn to Riyadh’s “Little Khartoum” where they can eat, pray and console each other about the conflict ravaging their country.
Tokyo (AFP) – Tourists and residents packed Tokyo’s top cherry blossom spots on Thursday to enjoy full bloom which has arrived in the Japanese capital later than usual due to cold weather.
Hualien (Taiwan) (AFP) – Emergency workers use heavy machinery in the eastern Taiwan city of Hualien after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the area on Wednesday morning.
Gandanchusma (Afghanistan) (AFP) – Two and a half years after the return of the Taliban to power, malnutrition is rife in Afghanistan, a country beset by economic, humanitarian and climatic crises.
Kigali (AFP) – As Rwanda approaches the 30th anniversary of the 1994 genocide, a group of young Rwandan artists is helping to preserve the memory of the 800,000 victims by creating portraits of some of them copied from old and often damaged photographs.
Brussels (Belgium) (AFP) – As NATO foreign ministers debate the creation of a 100-billion-euro fund for Ukraine, alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg urges member states to guarantee long-term arms supplies for Kyiv’s outgunned forces in its fight against Russia’s invasion.
Vantaa (Finland) (AFP) – Finnish people, including students of Viertola school, lay candles and flowers to pay respect to the victims of yesterday’s school shooting.
Vatican City (AFP) – Pope Francis expresses his “deep sorrow” for the deaths of seven charity workers killed by an Israeli strike while they were delivering aid in Gaza. Addressing the crowd in St Peter’s Square as he delivers his weekly audience, the 87-year-old pontiff also renews his appeal for access to humanitarian aid for the “exhausted and suffering civilian population” of Gaza, and for the hostages taken by Hamas to be released.
