AFP Video

Singapore (AFP) – Nazeri Lajim beams at the camera, fingers raised in “V” signs, wearing a shirt with large motifs and showing no signs of his impending hanging. The picture on Nazira Lajim Hertslet’s phone is among the last mementos she has of her 64-year-old brother and was taken days before his execution at Singapore’s Changi prison. In the city-state — which ended a two-year hiatus on executions in 2022 — prison officials hold a photo shoot shortly before an inmate’s hanging, sometimes with simple props like chairs or religious texts. Usually taken against a pale-green flowery backdrop, the photos offer a glimpse into the last days of the condemned.

Novosofiivka (Ukraine) (AFP) – Sergiy Yablonsky, a farmer from Novosofiivka in the southern Ukrainian area of Mykolaiv, keeps harvesting his crops even though it’s no longer profitable. Yablonsky’s barley field was flooded, due to the damage caused by the collapse of the Kakhovka dam on June 6, and he lost 63 hectares out of the 300 hectares planted.

Washington (AFP) – The United States celebrates an Independence Day overshadowed by a wave of shootings, which killed at least eight and injured 12.

Washington (AFP) – The United States celebrates an Independence Day overshadowed by a wave of shootings, which killed at least eight and injured 12.

Dakar (AFP) – After Senegalese President Macky Sall’s announcement that he will not stand for a third term, people in Dakar express relief. The uncertainty surrounding his candidacy had raised tensions in this West African country known for its relative stability. Deadly clashes erupted last month between opposition supporters and security forces, claiming at least 16 lives.

Paris (AFP) – A look back on a week of riots in France after a teenager was killed by police at a traffic stop, rekindling long-standing accusations of systemic racism among security forces.

Madrid (AFP) – The Spanish government declares the end of “the health crisis caused by Covid-19” and lifts the compulsory use of face masks in places like hospitals or pharmacies, where up until now they were still required. The Spanish health minister says that the government still recommends the use of masks for people with “symptoms of respiratory infection”.

Courmayeur (Italy) (AFP) – French artist Saype is inviting onlookers to contemplate nature through his latest giant fresco produced at the foot of Mont Blanc. Known internationally for his monumental artwork, the artist’s latest piece, depicting a child and an elderly person, is located at more than 2,000 metres above sea level, in the northwestern Italian region of Aosta.

Nanterre (France) (AFP) – Despite the recent riots in France, people from all over the world continue to visit the country’s capital. Some restaurant owners nevertheless complain about a reduction in visitors and worry that the unrest will diminish France’s appeal as a destination in the long term.

Dakar (AFP) – Senegal’s President Macky Sall says that he would not seek re-election for a third term, ending months of uncertainty over whether he would seek to remain power in the West African nation.