Sydney (AFP) – Hundreds of endangered Green and Golden Bell frogs huddle inside a sauna, protected from Sydney’s winter chill. The sauna -– a small greenhouse containing ten black-painted bricks — may offer a pleasant warmth, but it also protects the frogs from a deadly fungus called chytrid that would otherwise drive them to extinction.
Lagos (AFP) – Nigeria’s megapolis Lagos is looking at waterways as a “potential jewel in the crown” of its plan to ease road congestion woes that add hours to commutes for millions. The state government has ambitious plans for more integrated public transport as Lagos barrels towards becoming the world’s most populated city by the end of the century.
Abs (AFP) – At least 24 people have been killed in flash floods in western Yemen, a United Nations agency says, as search efforts continue for those still missing. Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of seasonal rains in the Yemeni highlands, much of which are controlled by the Huthi rebels. A decade of war with the internationally recognised government propped up by a Saudi-led coalition has ravaged healthcare infrastructure and left millions dependent on international aid.
Aleppo (AFP) – In northern Syria, four souks in old Aleppo have reopened after being badly damaged in the fighting that ravaged Syria’s commercial centre between 2012-16. Carpet weaver Omar al-Rawas says business is getting better as people return to Aleppo, adding that he felt his “spirit return” when he reopened his shop.
Al-Fara refugee camp (AFP) – Palestinians mourn in the occupied West Bank as Israel’s large-scale military operation enters a third day, with both sides reporting at least 19 Palestinians killed. Israel has described its raids on towns and refugee camps across the northern West Bank as “counter-terrorism” operations. Violence has surged in the West Bank since Hamas’s unprecedented 7 October attack on Israel triggered war in Gaza.
Venedig (AFP) – Film stars such as Cate Blanchett, Antonio Banderas, Angelina Jolie and Nicole Kidman arrive and walk the red carpet at the 81st International Venice Film Festival.
Vólos (Greece) (AFP) – Authorities in central Greece are racing to deal with an inundation of dead fish that locals say could threaten their livelihoods. It is the second recent environmental catastrophe to hit the port of Volos, a three-and-a-half-hour drive north of Athens, after floods hit the Thessaly region last year.
Paris (AFP) – The 2024 Paralympics opened in Paris in a colourful and hope-filled ceremony, starting 11 days of competition in a city still riding the wave of the successful Olympics. French President Emmanuel Macron declared the Games open during a ceremony in a balmy Place de la Concorde in central Paris — the first time a Paralympic opening ceremony has taken place away from the main stadium.
Vereinte Nationen (AFP) – The UN Security Council calls for “maximum restraint” to avoid a nuclear disaster in Ukraine that “could be catastrophic to the region and the world,” warns Miroslav Jenca, assistant secretary-general for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas. International agencies have repeatedly warned of the dangers of fighting around nuclear plants following Russia’s full-scale military offensive into Ukraine in February 2022.
Salé (AFP) – In Sale, Morocco, the Shems’y school offers young people training in circus arts to promote their social integration. “It’s better to spend our time here than wasting our time on the streets,” says Mohamed, a 23-year-old circus student.
