Kilgoris (Kenya) (AFP) – Hundreds of Maasai “Moran” (warriors), aged 18 to 26, take part in the “Eunoto” ceremony in western Kenya, a vital rite of passage that marks their transition into adulthood. The Maasai have three rites of passage, all of which are on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in need of urgent safeguarding.
Adré (Chad) (AFP) – Sudanese refugees are seeking safety from militia fighting in Darfur by making the treacherous journey on foot to neighbouring Chad. Carrying their children on their backs, more than 430,000 people have crossed into Chad since fighting erupted in April. They now shelter under canvas tents supplied by international humanitarian groups.
Pontimia (Switzerland) (AFP) – Spending the night in the chilly Swiss mountains, volunteers for the Organization for the Protection of Alpine Pastures (OPPAL), a Swiss NGO, are protecting both wolves and grazing livestock. By chasing the predators away, they hope to prevent and deter the wolves from attacking.
Beijing (AFP) – Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin says that Japan’s push to discharge nuclear wastewater from the stricken Fukushima power plant is ‘unjust, unreasonable, and unnecessary’. Analysts say that while China may have genuine safety concerns, its strong reaction is also at least in part motivated by its economic rivalry and frosty relations with Japan. The release has been endorsed by the UN’s nuclear watchdog — the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) — which said it will have staff on site on 24 August, when the release is set to begin.
Kasur (Pakistan) (AFP) – Around 100,000 people have been evacuated from flooded villages in Pakistan’s Punjab province, according to an emergency services representative. Several hundred villages in the central province were inundated and thousands of acres of crops were destroyed when the Sutlej river overflowed on August 20, leaving families without homes and livelihoods.
Johannesburg (AFP) – Leaders of the five BRICS countries arrive for the plenary session of a summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, as the loosely-defined club of large emerging economies pursues a bigger role in shaping world affairs. In attendance are the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, South African president and host Cyril Ramaphosa, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and representing Russia, the Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Seoul (AFP) – South Koreans in Seoul protest against the plan to release wastewater from Japan’s stricken Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean, an operation that is due to begin on 24 August.
Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and top military officials take part in the National Flag Day ceremony in Kyiv, where they hoist the country’s largest Ukrainian flag, signed by servicemen fighting on the front lines.
Mecca (Saudi Arabia) (AFP) – Lightning strikes the clock tower near the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, as heavy rain floods the streets of the holy city during an intense storm.
Atlanta (AFP) – Images of Fulton County jail’s exterior as former US President Donald Trump plans to surrender to authorities in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday.
