London (AFP) – In a speech to Parliament, UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace announces that the UK government will supply Storm Shadow long-range missiles to Ukraine to use in its war againt Russia. By doing so, the UK will become the first country to provide longer-range weapons to Kyiv. “I can confirm that the UK is donating Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine,” says Ben Wallace. SOUNDBITE
Berlin (AFP) – German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock says Gaza “bloodshed” must end, after a meeting with her counterparts from Egypt, France and Jordan in Berlin, Germany.
Espoo (Finland) (AFP) – Images by the scene of a footbridge collapse in Espoo, close to Finland’s Helsinki, leading to some 27 young people being injured. The temporary footbridge situated by a construction site partially collapsed, causing the fall of a group of schoolchildren several metres onto a road, according to rescuers. IMAGES
Niigata (Japan) (AFP) – Political brinkmanship over raising the US debt ceiling risks “serious economic costs” even without the “catastrophe” of a default, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned at G7 finance talks in Japan.
Jerusalem (AFP) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu comments on the ongoing air strikes on the Gaza Strip in a televised speech, saying “we see you everywhere, you cannot hide, and we choose the place and the time to hit you.”
Sao Paulo (AFP) – Brazilians arrive at a vigil for rock-and-roll icon Rita Lee who died at age 75. The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter sang with the legendary group Os Mutantes and went on to a trailblazing solo career as one of Latin America’s first female rockers. TO COMPLETE 33ER9VL_EN
Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) – Israel’s army and Gaza militants trade heavy cross-border fire in the worst escalation of deadly violence in the Palestinian coastal territory in months.
Djerba (Tunisia) (AFP) – Tunisian soldiers patrol Djerba island the morning after a Tunisian police officer shot dead two visitors and two fellow officers late Tuesday, in an attack that marred the annual pilgrimage to Africa’s oldest synagogue.
New York (AFP) – A host of rare works including the world’s oldest near-complete Hebrew Bible headline New York’s spring sales. The Codex Sassoon is more than 1,000 years old and is tipped to fetch up to $50 million at Sotheby’s. Also appearing in the auctions are iconic works of art by figures including Jean-Michel Basquiat and Henri Rousseau.
Ciudad Juárez (Mexico) (AFP) – Migrants wait on the United States side of the border with Mexico to be processed by border patrol agents. A surge of migrants is expected at the US-Mexico border cities as President Biden administration is officially ending its use of Title 42, the strict protocol implemented by previous president Donald Trump to deny entry to migrants and expel asylum seekers based on the Covid pandemic emergency.
