The Taliban authorities in Afghanistan are looking to capitalise on the country’s rich mineral resources by courting local and foreign investors and securing a crucial revenue stream — though experts warn of the risks of cutting corners.
Panama City (AFP) – US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives at Panama’s presidential palace to meet President Jose Raul Mulino, as he looks for how to follow up on President Donald Trump’s extraordinary threat to seize the Panama Canal. IMAGES
Samut Sakhon (Thailand) (AFP) – Four years after Myanmar’s military seized power in a coup, the country is in the grip of a bloody civil war that has driven many of the country’s young across the border to Thailand. There they scrape by doing hard jobs for little pay — often living in fear of being arrested and sent back to Myanmar.
Ottawa (AFP) – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced a round of tariffs against $106 billion worth of American goods in response to President Donald Trump’s trade action. Citing a threat from illegal immigration and drugs, Trump earlier announced broad tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China. [TO COMPLETE VIDI_36WU3MM]
Panama City (AFP) – Marco Rubio arrives in Panama on his debut trip abroad as US Secretary of State, to discuss Trump’s demands for canal. Rubio’s mission came as Trump imposed steep tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China — another step showing a far more aggressive US foreign policy. IMAGES
Buenos Aires (AFP) – Thousands gather in front of Argentina’s government palace in Buenos Aires to protest against Milei’s government’s rollback of diversity policies. During his first year in office, Milei dissolved the Ministry of Women, Gender, and Diversity, as well as the National Institute Against Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Racism. IMAGES
Ningde (China) (AFP) – A wizened farmer leads a buffalo into a misty clearing in the banyan trees in Xiapu, eastern China. The scene is idyllic, but entirely fabricated. The region’s popularity has soared among Chinese city dwellers nostalgic for an idealised agrarian past and able to look past the artificial creations. Residents’ scenes have gone viral on social media, with Xiapu appearing in hundreds of thousands of TikTok and Red Note posts.
Tokyo (AFP) – In front of around 3,500 fans gathered at Tokyo’s Meiji Shrine, sumo wrestling’s newest grand champion, or ‘yokozuna’, receives the ancient sport’s highest rank. Hoshoryu, a 25-year-old Mongolian-born wrestler, is sumo’s 74th yokozuna, with his promotion coming after he claimed two major titles.
Now living amongst the destruction caused by days of fighting between the Congolese army and the Rwanda-backed M23 group, residents of the eastern DR Congo city of Goma are plagued by fear and uncertainty. Many are without food and those wounded by the violence face a struggle to receive healthcare from strained hospitals. “We’re like a boat without a captain,” says Isaac Mastaki.
Thailand (AFP) – Footage retrieved from cameras damaged by heavy rain last year shows a rare Bengal tiger with three cubs in a national park in Thailand. Until the new footage was accessed, park rangers had last year only spotted a single cub with its mother in Kaeng Krachan National Park. The three cubs are estimated to now be around six months old.
