In space (AFP) – Yogi, Paddington and Winnie the Pooh, move over. There’s a new bear in town. Or on Mars, anyway. Scientists operating the camera onboard NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have shared images of what appears to be a beaming face of a teddy bear a carved into the surface of the red planet.
Peshawar (Pakistan) (AFP) – Emergency services enter and leave heavily-guarded police compound, where a mosque blast on Monday killed more than 80 people and wounded 150 more. IMAGES
The Hague (AFP) – French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday he has not ruled out the delivery of fighter jets to Ukraine but warned against the risk of escalation in the conflict. “Nothing is excluded in principle,” he said after talks with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte when asked about the possibility of sending jets to Kyiv as it battles Russia’s invasion.
Cusco (Peru) (AFP) – Hundreds of people line up along the streets of Poroy village, in the outskirts of Peru’s Cusco city, to buy canisters of gas amid shortages following anti-government road blockades.
Monrovia (AFP) – Liberian President and former international football star George Weah said Monday that he would run for a second term in October, rejecting mounting criticism that he is out of touch with the majority of the population. About half of Liberia’s people live on less than $1.90 a day, according to World Bank figures.
Singapore (AFP) – Global growth is set to be higher than expected this year, the IMF said Monday, raising its forecast on surprisingly strong consumption and investment while China’s lifting of zero-Covid restrictions provides another boost.
Kherson (Ukraine) (AFP) – Footage shows the moment the Ukrainian city of Kherson was hit by Russian artillery on Sunday. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the strikes in the southern city left at least three people dead.
Peshawar (Pakistan) (AFP) – Security services stand on high alert after a blast at a mosque inside a highly sensitive Pakistani police headquarters on Monday left dozens dead and at least 150 more injured, prompting the government to put the country on high alert.
Volgograd (Russia) (AFP) – At the Stalingrad Battle Museum in Russia’s southern city of Volgograd, dozens of teenagers stand in a circle, waiting to take oath as they join the patriotic Youth Army movement. Though patriotism has always been a feature of being young in Russia, Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine has encouraged many to take their patriotism a step further.
Melbourne (AFP) – After his record-equalling 10th Australian Open win, Novak Djokovic says he hopes to return to action shortly but remains unsure about how quickly his injured hamstring will heal. His 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/5) victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas saw Djokovic equal Rafael Nadal’s men’s record of 22 Grand Slam tournament wins and go back to world number one in the rankings.
