Sharjah (United Arab Emirates) (AFP) – The domes and facades of mosques and government buildings are lit up in a colourful display for the 15th annual Sharjah Light Festival in the emirate of Sharjah.
Caracas (AFP) – Relatives of political prisoners chain themselves outside a detention center in Caracas after parliament postpones adoption of the amnesty bill. IMAGES
Brussels (Belgium) (AFP) – NATO must be “more European-led”, says Secretary General Mark Rutte. “How does that work out? It means Europeans spending more, taking more responsibility for their own defence,” Rutte tells a press conference at a NATO summit in Brussels.
Istanbul (AFP) – The UN’s climate chief urges countries to unite against an “unprecedented threat” to international cooperation from pro-fossil fuel forces — issuing his appeal as US President Donald Trump rattles the global order. Speaking in Istanbul, as Turkey prepares to host the COP31 climate summit later this year, Simon Stiell, the head of the United Nations climate body, says, “COP31 in Antalya will place and will take place in extraordinary times. We find ourselves in a new world disorder… the very concept of international cooperation is under attack.”
Caracas (AFP) – Thousands take to the streets of Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, on Youth Day as the government debates an amnesty bill. The landmark bill could be passed on February 12th, granting amnesty to political prisoners and marking an early milestone in the transition from the rule of toppled leader Nicolas Maduro. IMAGES
Sion (Switzerland) (AFP) – Anger for the families of the Crans-Montana bar fire victims, as co-owner of Le Constellation bar Jessica Moretti appears for court proceedings. “No reconciliation is possible when children have been killed and burned alive,” says Vinciane Stucky, mother of a fire victim. Jacques and Jessica Moretti face charges of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence and arson by negligence. The fire left 41 people dead and over 100 injured.
Tumbler Ridge (Canada) (AFP) – Residents of the remote Canadian town of Tumbler Ridge in British Columbia pay their respects to the eight victims of a mass shooting. “Schools should be safe because we are taking care of the new generations, the new minds of this country,” says one local woman. The shooting was carried out by an 18-year-old transgender woman, targeting a school after killing her mother and stepbrother. The motive is still unknown.
Cortina d’Ampezzo (Italy) (AFP) – An IOC spokesperson says that “if we start reflecting all of those conflicts in the world on the sporting field, there will be no sport,” after Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych’s disqualification from the Winter Olympics. The athlete was disqualified after refusing to back down over his banned helmet, which depicts victims of the war between Russia and Ukraine. Ukrainian fan Irina Nalivayko, in Cortina d’Ampezzo for the event, says she is “disappointed” with the decision, which she says is like “trying to erase a reality.”
Beijing (AFP) – China’s foreign ministry calls Taiwan’s leader Lai Ching-te a “war instigator” after he warned in an AFP interview that Beijing would target countries in the region should it seize control of the self-ruled island.
Japan (AFP) – Sparks fly in the soot-covered studio of swordsmith Akihira Kawasaki each time his apprentice hammers red-hot steel, showcasing the millennium-old craft behind Japanese swords now enjoying a resurgence in popularity. “I want people to see my swords not as products, but as works of art,” the 57-year-old tells AFP.
Taipei (AFP) – Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te speaks to AFP in his first interview with an international news agency since taking office in May 2024. In a wide-ranging discussion, Lai comments on the threat posed by China, saying that “if Taiwan were to be annexed, the next countries under threat would be Japan, the Philippines, and others in the Indo-Pacific region”. He says “we want to ensure that, for China, there is never a day that is a good day to invade Taiwan.”
Buenos Aires (Argentina) (AFP) – A group of protesters threw stones and Molotov cocktails at riot police in front of the Argentine Congress, and the officers responded with tear gas and water cannons, as thousands of people protested against ultraliberal President Javier Milei’s labor reform being debated in the Senate. IMAGES
