London (AFP) – UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announces a fifth set of strikes by the Royal Airforce, alongside the US, against the Houthis in Yemen, who have been attacking shipping around the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November, citing solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has been at war with the militant group Hamas since October 7.
Teahupo’o (France) (AFP) – Vahine Fierro becomes the first French surfer to win the women’s Tahiti Pro on the waves of Teahupo’o on 29 May, two months before the Olympics surfing events are held at the French Pacific island. Fierro, 24, was born on the neighbouring island of Huahine and, with this success, marked herself down as one of the favourites for Olympic gold.
Donald Trump on Thursday became the first former US president ever convicted of a crime after a New York jury found him guilty on all charges in his hush money case, months before an election that could see him yet return to the White House.
“Up until 2022, I didn’t see myself as anyone,” says 29-year-old Anastasia, known as Nastya, whose life changed in the wake of Russia’s offensive in Ukraine, turning her into an activist. Now, she seeks to offer support to victims of repression by writing letters and sending parcels to prisons. Nastya says she “wouldn’t want to do anything else,” adding that she doesn’t “select” prisoners based on their cases. Among those she writes to is Vladimir Kara-Murza, who was sentenced last year to 25 years — the harshest sentence against an opposition leader in the history of modern Russia.
Hong Kong’s security chief Chris Tang confirms that several pro-democracy campaigners have been arrested outside the courthouse where 14 people were found guilty of subversion in the city’s biggest case since China imposed a national security law. “Outside the courtroom there were several people, they caused nuisance and conducted disorderly conduct outside the courtroom and they are being arrested,” Tang says.
Another volcanic eruption in Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula near the town of Grindavik has triggered the evacuation of the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, Iceland’s biggest tourist attraction. The eruption is the fifth in six months in this part of southwestern Iceland.
A Hong Kong court finds fourteen pro-democracy campaigners guilty of subversion and aquits two. The verdicts are part of a long-running trial in which 47 people were charged for organising an unofficial election in 2020, activities the court ruled were a threat to the government.
Monterrey (Mexico) (AFP) – Mexico’s center-right opposition hopeful Xochitl Galvez arrives for her final rally in the city of Monterrey, in Nuevo Leon State, ahead of the country’s June 2 election. IMAGES
Mexico City (AFP) – Mexico’s ruling party candidate, Claudia Sheinbaum, arrives at the Zocalo Square in the capital, where thousands of supporters gather for her closing rally ahead of the country’s vote on June 2. IMAGES
Mexico City (AFP) – Thousands of Mexicans gather at Zocalo Square in the capital for the closing campaign rally of ruling-party presidential candidate Claudia Sheinbaum. Mexico will hold a general election on June 2, and its next president will face an array of challenges, including managing migration, maintaining delicate relations with the neighboring United States, and addressing criminal violence that has left more than 450,000 people dead and tens of thousands missing since 2006. IMAGES
