Hong Kong (AFP) – Behind the doors of a terracotta-pink building with sloping arches is a facility unlike any other in Hong Kong — the city’s sole crematorium where bereaved parents can say goodbye to their unborn babies, an option only offered since 2018 for foetuses under 24 weeks.
Brussels (Belgium) (AFP) – Daft Punk, Bjork and Aphex Twin. All of electronic music’s greatest artists have passed through the Fuse in Brussels, one of the most iconic clubs in Europe. This year, having fended off noise complaints and endured temporary closure, the venue is celebrating its 30th anniversary, with clubbing now on the list of intangible heritage for the Brussels region.
Tunis (AFP) – With dancing, music, and even fire eaters, Tunis lights up for the third edition of the “Medina of Lights”, an event which takes place during the holy fasting month of Ramadan in the old city of the Tunisian capital.
Mymensingh (Bangladesh) (AFP) – Transgender hijra people in Bangladesh opened the Muslim-majority country’s first mosque for their community early this month, heralding a new era for the much-discriminated group.
Port-au-Prince (AFP) – “It’s up to the Haitians to unite to resolve this crisis”, says a resident of Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, the country being in the grip of a “cataclysmic” situation according to the UN and awaiting a political transition since the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry. Haïti, qui vivait déjà une profonde crise politique et sécuritaire, est en proie à un regain de violences depuis le début du mois, lorsque plusieurs gangs ont uni leurs forces pour attaquer des lieux stratégiques de Port-au-Prince.
Jerusalem (AFP) – Muslim devotees attend Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan in the Old City of Jerusalem.
Moscow (AFP) – A court in Moscow orders Nazrimad Lutfulloi, a Tajik citizen, to be remanded in custody and held in pre-trial detention until 22 May. The suspect stands accused of helping to finance the attack on 22 March that killed more than 140 people and was claimed by the Islamic State Group. Russia has detained 12 people in connection with the massacre, including the four gunmen who shot dozens of concert-goers and then set the Crocus City Hall venue on fire in the deadliest attack in Russia for two decades.
Nashville (AFP) – Megastar Beyonce’s highly anticipated country album is spotlighting both the long history of Black artists in the genre and contemporary efforts to circumvent the industry’s white-washed narrative and create a more inclusive Nashville.
London (AFP) – Strumming his acoustic steel string on a busy street in east London, singer-songwriter Dan Tredget aims to become the first person to busk at every London Underground station. With 272 stops on the network, it’s a daunting task.
Baltimore (AFP) – Investigators have boarded the cargo ship “Dali” that crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26th in Baltimore, United States, as search efforts continue to retrieve bodies of the victims.
