Zindah Jān (Afghanistan) (AFP) – A mass funeral ceremony for around 300 earthquake victims is held in rural western Afghanistan, as families remain trapped in the rubble of their ruined homes two days after powerful tremors killed more than 2,000 people.
Geneva (AFP) – The total siege of Gaza is ‘prohibited’ under international law, UN Human Rights Office spokeswoman says. Ravina Shamdasani’s comments come after Israel says it has cut off electricity, food, water and fuel for 2.3 million people in Gaza. Israeli rockets have rained down on Gaza for the fourth day following a surprise assault on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Tecpan de Galeana (Mexico) (AFP) – Streets are flooded by an overflowing river as tropical storm Max brings heavy rainfall to Guerrero State in southwestern Mexico. Further north on the Pacific coast, Mexicans are preparing for the arrival of Tropical Storm Lidia, expected to strengthen to a Category 1 hurricane before making landfall.
Kalyvia (Greece) (AFP) – Some 400 tortoises overall were rescued from blaze sites surrounding Athens and on the nearby island of Evia. Volunteers like Gkika treat the turtles so they can be released back into the wild. “The first thing we do is observe if there are any external wounds either on the shell or on the legs,” explains Gkika, “then we need to get close to smell to see if there is any internal infection”.
Hamburg (AFP) – French President Emmanuel Macron denounces “unacceptable blackmail” by Hamas after the Palestinian militant group threatened to execute some of the around 150 hostages it abducted in a weekend assault on Israel.
Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) – The World Health Organization calls for a humanitarian corridor to be established into and out of the Gaza Strip, which has been placed under total siege by Israel. “WHO is calling for an end to the violence… a humanitarian corridor is needed to reach people with critical medical supplies,” WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic tells a press briefing in Geneva.
Zindah Jān (AFP) – The death toll from a series of earthquakes in western Afghanistan rose sharply on Sunday to more than 2,000 as rescuers scrabbled for survivors among the ruins of razed villages. Saturday’s magnitude 6.3 quake — followed by eight strong aftershocks — jolted hard-to-reach areas, toppling rural homes.
Antananarivo (AFP) – Madagascar police disperse an opposition rally in the capital, Antananarivo, a few weeks ahead of the presidential election. Police used tear gas against rival candidates of the incumbent president, Andry Rajoelina. Opposition candidates were rallying to denounce what they call an ‘institutional coup’ to keep Rajoelina in power.
Paris (AFP) – France has been hit with an infestation of bedbugs, with several schools forced to closed in recent days over concerns. One-tenth of all French households are believed to have had a bedbug problem over the past few years, usually requiring a pest control operation costing several hundred euros, which often needs to be repeated.
Paris (AFP) – The family of Nobel Peace Prize winner and jailed activist Narges Mohammadi honours the fight against the oppression of women in Iran, many of whom are removing their hijabs despite a harsh crackdown. Mohammadi’s award comes after a wave of protests swept Iran following the death in custody a year ago of a young Iranian Kurd, Mahsa Amini, arrested for violating Iran’s strict dress rules for women.
