Santiago (AFP) – During his visit to the country, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier holds a joint press conference with Chilean President Gabriel Boric at the Moneda Palace. IMAGES
Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine “can only regret what happened in the White House”, referring to his public bust-up with US President Donald Trump. Speaking to Ukrainians in his first evening address since Trump halted military aid to Kyiv, he tells the country that “Ukraine deserves peace” and “Ukrainians deserve respect”. In an address to US Congress, Trump said Zelensky has now told him Kyiv was ready for talks with Russia and the finalisation of a US minerals deal.
Ofunato (Japan) (AFP) – Wet weather brings some relief to northern Japan which is battling its worst wildfire in half a century in a region hit by record-low rainfall. The blaze around the northern city of Ofunato in the Iwate region has raged for more than a week, killing one person and forcing nearly 4,000 residents to evacuate their homes.
Tokyo (AFP) – Japan’s powerboat racing started more than 70 years ago and is one of only four sports in the country that can be legally bet on, alongside horse racing, speedway and cycling. But organisers are now keen to shake off its gritty image and attract new fans to the fast and furious sport.
Beijing (AFP) – China has set an annual growth target of around five percent, vowing to make domestic demand its main economic driver as an escalating trade war with the United States hit Beijing’s exports.
Washington (AFP) – Protesters gather outside the US Capitol as President Donald Trump gives his first address to Congress. During the speech, Trump declared “America is back,” while protesters said the US had become “fascist.”
Lima (AFP) – Peruvian firefighters battle a major fire that broke out in downtown Lima on the evening of March 3. IMAGES
Mexico City (AFP) – Images of the Mexican stock exchange and screens displaying exchange rates as the peso declines for a fourth straight session after the US imposes 25% tariffs on Mexican imports. SOUNDBITE
Sargodha (AFP) – Pakistan’s beekeepers typically move seasonally to spare their charges stifling heat or freezing cold. But weather patterns made unpredictable by climate change — coupled with some of the worst pollution in the world — mean beekeepers must move more frequently and travel farther. Three of the country’s four honey bee species are endangered. Their loss threatens not just the honey trade but food security in general, with a third of the world’s food production dependent on bee pollination, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation.
Belgrad (AFP) – Serbian opposition lawmakers light flares and discharge suspected tear gas during the opening day of the spring session of parliament in a sign of support for ongoing anti-corruption protests. Serbia has been rocked for months by student-led protests following the collapse of a train station roof last year that killed 15 people and ignited long-simmering anger in the country over corruption and the alleged lack of oversight for construction and development projects.
Inuvik (AFP) – The Muslim community of Canada’s Inuvik comes together to pray and break fast on the third day of Ramadan at the Midnight Sun Mosque, one of the world’s northernmost, in the Northwest Territories, above the Arctic Circle.
Washington (AFP) – Ukrainians react on the streets of Kyiv after US President Donald Trump suspended military aid to the country, heaping pressure on Ukraine to agree to peace negotiations with Russia. The move comes just days after a stunning public clash between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump, who is seeking a rapid end to the war.
