Rwanda on Monday severed diplomatic ties with Belgium and expelled all Belgian diplomats from the country. A Rwandan foreign ministry statement said the European nation had "consistently undermined" Kigali "during the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo". Belgium called the measure "disproportionate" and expelled Rwandan diplomats in response.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators in rebel-held Yemen rallied against the US and Israel on Monday, after US strikes on Saturday killed 53 people and injured dozens. US President Donald Trump ordered the strikes in a bid to end a campaign of attacks in the Red Sea by Yemen's Houthi rebels, which they claim is a show of solidarity with Palestinians.
Polymarket, the world's largest cryptocurrency-based political betting site, is taking bets on Yoon's fate. Its yes/no wager -- "Yoon out as president of South Korea before April?" -- has so far attracted more than $15 million in bets. As of Monday, the majority of gamblers -- 68 percent -- were betting on Yoon's ouster. A $1 bet on "Yes" -- meaning the court will approve the impeachment motion and strip him of his duties -- would return $1.47. But should the court throw out his impeachment motion... Читать дальше...
Local news channels across the affected region showed video of roofs torn off homes, trees felled, and trucks overturned by high winds. Eight people died in Kansas in a crash involving more than 50 vehicles, caused by low visibility during a "severe dust storm," local police said. In Oklahoma, four people were killed as wildfires and strong winds swept across the state, the local emergency management department said. Mississippi's state governor said in a post on X that at least six people had been killed there, with three still missing. Читать дальше...
On the 5th anniversary of the Covid-19 pandemic, people across the globe are still deeply affected physically and psychologically. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective on the long-term impact of the devastating once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, Eve Irvine welcomes Dr. Heather Sequeira, Chartered Psychologist specialising in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), OCD, and Trauma (PTSD). Dr. Sequeira is founder of PTSDTraumaWorkshops.
After the latest EU summit in Brussels confirmed the desire to rearm Europe in the face of American disengagement, Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken (NVA) is interested in the huge Audi site in Brussels - closed since February - as a means of producing weapons. But the idea is not popular with everyone. Here is an example of the profound remilitarization desired by the EU. The transition from civilian to military industries is being explored in several European countries. Report by Alix Le Bourdon and Dave Keating.
On March 17, 2020, France, like many other countries around the world, went into lockdown as Covid-19 rapidly spread. Five years on, many infected by the virus still suffer symptoms, a condition known as Long Covid. Complications vary, but often include exhaustion, muscle ache, regular fevers, heart conditions and difficulty concentrating. Some sufferers have seen their lives turned upside down, having had no choice but to give up work and face family members who question if their illness is “real”. Читать дальше...
The 28-year-old centre-back missed Bayern's 1-1 draw at Union Berlin on Saturday and is also out of South Korea's 2026 qualifiers against Oman and Jordan. Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said last week that Kim will be out for "several weeks". Speaking ahead of the home game against Oman on Thursday, South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo said that "Munich failed to properly protect him in terms of injury prevention". "Kim Min-jae is an extremely important player not only for his club Bayern Munich but... Читать дальше...
French Astronaut Michel Tognini talks to France 24’s Gavin Lee and shares his insight on the 9 month odyssey for his friends Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams at the International Space Station, having expected to be there for just 8 days. He also explains what it’s like to have coffee in space.
"Asterix in Lusitania" will be the second adventure penned by Fabcaro, whose 2023 "Asterix and the White Iris" earned the critics' plaudits while gaining a fair penny at the bookshop till, and a seventh outing for cartoonist Didier Conrad. The story will feature a call-back to the 1971 album "The Mansions of the Gods", published during the antiquity-themed comics' imperial phase under the dual oversight of late writer Rene Goscinny and cartoonist Albert Uderzo. In the upcoming jape, the returning... Читать дальше...
Japan's Imanaga will start for the Cubs in the first of two games against the World Series champion Dodgers in Tokyo, where he will come up against superstar compatriot Ohtani. The pair played together in Japan's World Baseball Classic-winning team in 2023, with Imanaga starting the final against the United States. Now they are preparing to square off in MLB uniforms at a sold-out Tokyo Dome, with Imanaga set to face Ohtani with his first pitch of the game. "Obviously he's a world-class player... Читать дальше...
A record influx of foreign tourists to Japan has sparked alarm about overcrowding on the nation's highest mountain, a once-peaceful pilgrimage site. Last year, Yamanashi region -- home to Mount Fuji -- introduced a 2,000 yen ($14) entry fee plus an optional donation for the active volcano's most popular hiking route, the Yoshida Trail. A cap on daily entries and online reservations were also brought in on that trail by officials concerned about safety and environmental damage on Fuji's majestic slopes. Читать дальше...
Seeded to win Group C and automatically qualify, a Nigerian team boasting the past two African Footballers of the Year Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman lie fifth in a six-team section. In a qualifying competition spanning three years, the Super Eagles drew with Lesotho, Zimbabwe and South Africa, then crashed to Benin in pursuit of a seventh World Cup appearance. Since finishing 2024 Africa Cup of Nations runners-up to hosts Ivory Coast, Nigeria have had three coaches -- locals Finidi George and Augustine Eguavoen and now Eric Chelle. Читать дальше...
Slow-cooked with various spices in giant pots and stirred with oversized ladles, bubur lambuk is traditionally prepared by volunteers in mosque courtyards before being distributed to the public for iftar, the fast-breaking meal in the largely Islamic nation. But the broth, specially prepared at Masjid India, a well-known Kuala Lumpur mosque, serves a unique version of the porridge using a recipe originating from India. The recipe is known as Nombu Kanji, according to the mosque's imam, Muhammad Nasrul Haq Abdul Latif. Читать дальше...
For the first time, the Syrian authorities will be represented at the annual conference in Brussels -- with interim foreign minister Assaad al-Shibani set to attend. Western and regional powers are desperate to steer Syria onto the road to stability after 14 years of civil war that have sent millions of refugees over its borders. But an outbreak of deadly violence this month -- the worst since Assad was toppled in December -- has rocked confidence in the new Islamist-led authorities. "There can... Читать дальше...
On his first foreign visit as Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney meets with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Monday before heading to London in a bid to seek alliances as he deals with US President Donald Trump’s threats to Canada’s sovereignty and economy.
The 61-year-old head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees has, along with his organisation, withstood a barrage of criticism and accusations from Israel since Hamas's deadly October 7, 2023 attack inside Israel and the devastating war in Gaza that followed. "Of course it is stressful. No one could really be prepared for something like this," Lazzarini told AFP in a recent interview. It has been rough from the start. The softly-spoken Swiss father of four began his tenure in 2020 under Covid lockdown... Читать дальше...
"I want to be a tattoo artist and open my own tattoo palour," he told AFP in his booth at a Bangkok tattoo expo, where fascinated attendees paused to film his work. "I like art so I like to tattoo." Tattooing is a centuries-old tradition in Thailand, where tattoo parlours are omnipresent and offer designs ranging from the ancient and spiritual to the modern and profane. Napat's father Nattawut Sangtong said he introduced his son -- who goes by the nickname "Knight" -- to the craft of tattooing to swerve the pitfalls of contemporary childhood.
The Hamburg-born 27-year-old also has a Japanese wife, speaks the language and is thinking of studying at a Japanese university when he retires. "I think everybody has an otaku inside," Brodersen told AFP, wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the title of his favourite Japanese comic, "One Punch Man". "Mine is not so big, but it's there. It's definitely there." Brodersen moved to Japan in 2021 and now plays for top-tier J. League side Fagiano Okayama, but he admits that initially he felt like he was "on another planet". Читать дальше...
Since the war in Gaza broke out with Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, aid organisations have been contending with a "slippery slope" when it comes to Israeli authorities' tolerance for their work, said one senior NGO staffer. But after COGAT, the Israeli body responsible for overseeing Palestinian affairs, presented a plan last month for reorganising aid distribution, that slope has gotten "much steeper", with some NGOs deeming the proposed changes unacceptable, she added. COGAT did not respond to AFP's request for comment. Читать дальше...
AFP Sport looks at what we learned from the rain-hit opening race of the 24-stop calendar: - McLaren set gold standard - McLaren came into the race as the pre-season favourites and lived up to the billing. After a front row lock-out, pole-sitter Norris led from start to finish, weathering a late charge from Verstappen. Teammate Oscar Piastri was ninth, but only because he slid on to the grass late in the race, when running second, after being fast all weekend. The two McLaren drivers opened... Читать дальше...
Yemen's Houthi rebels, supported by Iran, announced attacks on an American aircraft carrier group twice within 24 hours on Monday, describing it as retaliation for US strikes that killed at least 53 people. There was no immediate comment from the United States.
As deep-sea mining interests in the Pacific Ocean grow, scientists have discovered several rare and as yet unnamed aquatic species. Campaigners warn that mining in the waters between Hawaii and Mexico will endanger the biodiversity in one of the Earth's largest and least understood environments.
The Trump administration initiated mass layoffs at Voice of America and other US-funded media on Sunday, signaling a drive to dismantle outlets long seen as crucial for US influence. Following a mass furlough, contractual staff received termination notices effective by March's end.
"Maybe it's happening fast, but I like it," Andreeva said after ensuring she will climb to a career-high sixth in the world on Monday. "If it's happening fast, I take it." Andreeva says she tries not to gauge herself against the teen prodigies of the past, but the comparisons are calling. Having already become the youngest ever winner of a WTA 1000 title in Dubai last month she added another elite title to her resume and at 17 years 321 days old became the third-youngest woman to hoist the Indian Wells trophy after Martina Hingis (17 years... Читать дальше...
