Al-Jadaa (Iraq) (AFP) – Awatef Massud is longing to reunite with her Iraqi family after years spent in Syria, but first she must do time in a vetting camp to ensure she has no links to jihadists. For four months now, since her return to Iraq, she has been living in the Jadaa camp, a compound near the northern city of Mosul presented by the authorities as a “rehabilitation” centre for those coming back from Syria.
Sfax (Tunisia) (AFP) – Three rescued loggerhead turtles are released into the Mediterranean off the Tunisian coastal city of Sfax, one, named Marwa, with a tracking beacon glued to its shell to help researchers better protect the threatened species.
Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train (Japan) (AFP) – On Japan’s bullet trains, dogs usually have to travel in a carrier, but on Saturday they could stretch their paws and enjoy the scenery on a special pet-friendly express.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanks US President Joe Biden for signing off on a $40-billion package of aid for the Ukrainian war effort, saying it’s a “historic contribution to the protection of freedom in Europe”, in a video address to the nation.
Lisbon (AFP) – “Mbappe has been playing both sides” say frustrated fans in Madrid after the star footballer rejected Real Madrid to stay at Paris Saint-Germain until 2025. Mbappe had made no secret of his desire to play one day for Real, but PSG have battled to hold on to their biggest asset. Kylian Mbappe
Yokota Air Base (Japan) (AFP) – US President Joe Biden lands in Japan on Sunday for the second leg of a trip to reinforce US alliances in Asia. Biden, making his first trip to Asia as president, flew from South Korea to Yokota Air Base outside Tokyo, and will meet with Japan’s prime minister and unveil a US-led trade initiative for the region on Monday, before joining a summit of the Quad regional grouping Tuesday before returning to Washington. DURATION: 00:35
Montevideo (AFP) – After a two-year hiatus, a tide of people once again flood the streets in Montevideo, Uruguay, to remember those who disappeared during the Uruguayan military dictatorship (1973-1985) and to demand action to find them.
Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Any alternative to Ukraine’s bid to join the European Union would be a “compromise” with Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says in response to the “European political community” project proposed by his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron.
Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Located in one of the largest and poorest favelas of Rio de Janeiro, the community garden in Manguinhos is considered the biggest in Latin America. The first seed was planted in late 2013 on a parcel of land known then as “crackolandia” because it was home to so many drug addicts. These days the garden feeds hundreds of families a month with produce that is pesticide free and affordable.
Odessa (Ukraine) (AFP) – The war with Russia has been particularly painful for Odessa, even as the city has avoided the brutal ground fighting ongoing across swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine. Founded during the reign of Catherine the Great, the city — with its baroque architecture and sandy beaches — became emblematic of the glory days of the Russian empire and was later one of the most valuable ports during the Soviet era. And as Ukraine gained independence, Odessa maintained its deep economic, familial, and cultural ties with Russia along with its own share of accusations in recent years of harbouring pro-Kremlin sympathies. But the sentiment has changed now. “Putin and his regime, with their own hands, destroyed our relationship as a whole,” says Odessa mayor Gennady Trukhanov, who was once regarded as a Kremlin sympathizer.
