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| - Duty Editor: Jenny Vaughan Tel: +33 1 40.41.46.36 -- TOP STORIES -- + Biden and Putin kick off tense summit in Geneva + EU opens to US travellers, Moscow virus cases soar + Israel strikes Gaza after incendiary balloons + Chinese astronauts set for first manned mission + Snipers 'ready to shoot' parachutist at Euro 2020 US-Russia-summit,WRAP GENEVA President Joe Biden presses Vladimir Putin at their summit to reset today's combustible US-Russian standoff with a more "predictable" relationship between "two great powers" capable of agreeing to disagree. 750 words 1430 GMT by Sebastian Smith and Maria Panina. Video. Picture. Graphics. -- Please see AFP's special advisory on the Putin-Biden summit -- Health-virus,WRAP BRUSSELS The EU agrees to lift coronavirus restrictions for US travellers as Western countries move toward a return to pre-Covid life, but in a stark reminder that the global pandemic was far from over, Moscow orders mandatory jabs over a "dramatic" rise in infections. 800 words moved by Dave Clark with AFP bureaus. Picture. Video. Graphic Israel-Palestinians-conflict,WRAP GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories Israel carries out air strikes on the Gaza Strip after militants in the Palestinian territory sent incendiary balloons into the south of the country, in the first flare-up between the two sides since a major conflict killed hundreds last month. 750 words 1430 GMT by Mai Yaghi with Hossam Ezzedine in Ramallah. Picture. Video China-science-space,WRAP JIUQUAN, China Astronauts blasting off for China's first manned mission to its new space station will have a choice of 120 different types of food and "space treadmills" for exercise, China's space agency says. 600 words moved by Ludovic Ehret. Picture. Video. Live Video. Graphic Germany-police-fbl-Euro2020-FRA-GER-environment,lead FRANKFURT The activist who parachuted into the Germany-France Euro 2020 match in Munich only avoided being shot down by snipers because police spotted his Greenpeace logo, Bavaria's interior minister says. 450 words 1430 GMT by Michelle Fitzpatrick. Picture. Video -- SPOTLIGHT -- Canada-pornography-internet,FOCUS MONTREAL, Canada For years, Rachel had no idea she had been sexually assaulted by her own husband as she lay unconscious. She only made the grim discovery last August when she stumbled across a video of the attack that had been shared all over the internet. 800 words moved by Anne-Sophie Thill. File Picture Health-virus-Mexico-lifestyle-internet,FOCUS MEXICO CITY Before the pandemic, Herlanlly Rodriguez worked as a manicurist. Today she is part of Mexico's new generation of social media stars and millennial influencers whose lives were transformed by confinement. 500 words moved by Natalia Cano. Picture. Video -- CORONAVIRUS -- Health-virus-Russia-Moscow,2ndlead MOSCOW The mayor of Moscow orders mandatory vaccinations for residents of the Russian capital working in the service industry, citing a "dramatic" rise in coronavirus infections. 600 words moved by Jonathan Brown. Health-virus-France-masks-curfew,2ndlead PARIS France says it is ending the obligation to wear masks outside and will bring forward the lifting of a nighttime curfew, as Covid infections fall and the country's vaccine drive picks up. 350 words moved Health-virus-EU-economy-Portugal-Spain,WRAP MADRID European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen arrives in Spain after giving the first green light to Portugal for its recovery plan seeking funding from the bloc's multi-billion-euro coronavirus rescue fund. 600 words 1530 GMT. Picture. Video Health-virus-vaccines,POINTS PARIS The Delta variant of the coronavirus, first identified in India, is a cause for global concern with studies showing it is more contagious and resistant to vaccines than other forms of Covid. 900 words moved by Paul Ricard Health-virus-Britain-entertainment-nightclubs,FOCUS LONDON Nightclubs in Britain are having to wait at least four more weeks to reopen, after the government delayed the full lifting of coronavirus restrictions because of a surge in cases. But business leaders say it could be a month too long for many venues. 735 words moved by Joseph Sotinel. Picture. Video -- EUROPE -- ICC-warcrimes-prosecutor,WRAP THE HAGUE Britain's Karim Khan takes office as the new prosecutor of the International Criminal Court with a promise to "revive" the troubled tribunal after a string of high-profile failures. 650 words 1600 GMT by Danny Kemp. Video -- MIDDLE EAST -- Iran-vote,WRAP TEHRAN The candidate field thins out for Iran's presidential election in two days, in which a victory by ultraconservative cleric Ebrahim Raisi is widely seen as a foregone conclusion. 800 words 1500 GMT by Marc Jourdier and Frank Zeller. Picture. Video. Graphic Also moved: Iran-vote-youth,FOCUS Iran-vote,FACTS Iran-vote-Iraq-refugees-Kurds,FOCUS Lebanon-military-aid,WRAP BEIRUT Lebanon is unable to pay its soldiers enough, the army warns ahead of a UN-backed conference during which donors will seek to shore up one of the bankrupt country's key institutions. 650 words moved by Hachem Osseiran with Valerie Leroux in Paris. File Picture. Video Yemen-conflict-fishing ADEN, Yemen For Yemeni fisherman Fares Abdulhakeem and his friends, the day was like any other as they headed out to sea to earn a living in the war-torn country -- until they hit the jackpot in the belly of a whale. 450 words 1500 GMT. Video -- AFRICA -- Ethiopia-vote-politics-economy,FOCUS NAIROBI After taking office three years ago, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed promised a spectacular overhaul of Ethiopia's economy that would lift millions out of poverty. Today, as elections loom, his agenda remains largely unrealised and the country is burdened by debt, the economic pain of the coronavirus and a costly war in Tigray. 800 words moved by Marion Douet. File pictures Health-virus-Togo-economy,FOCUS LOME Businesses in the tiny West African state of Togo used to make a prosperous living from doing day-to-trade in neighbouring countries -- today, many have been crushed by a decision to close frontiers to help combat coronavirus. 650 words moved by Emile Kouton. Picture. Graphic -- AMERICAS -- US-justice-politics-Breyer,FOCUS WASHINGTON Pressure on US Chief Justice Stephen Breyer to retire is growing: progressive Democrats are anxiously eyeing his seat, Republicans have laid down the gauntlet, and issues from abortion to voting rights could all be at stake. 800 words moved by Charlotte Plantive -- ASIA -- China-France-nuclear-energy-environment-safety,lead BEIJING A handful of damaged fuel rods is behind a build-up of radioactive gases at a nuclear power station in southern China, authorities say, describing the problem as "common" with no need for concern. 500 words moved. File picture Afghanistan-conflict-Taliban,FOCUS ANDAR, Afghanistan With Afghan troops in retreat and soon to lose vital American air support, Taliban commanders are voicing exuberance about quickly seizing full control of the country and re-establishing their version of an Islamic state. 850 words moved by Jay Deshmukh. Picture. Video Japan-environment-coal-climate,INTERVIEW TOKYO Kimiko Hirata has spent nearly half her life fighting to wean Japan off its dependence on coal, and now is not the time to slow down, the award-winning activist warns. 700 words moved by Natsuko Fukue. Picture. Video Malaysia-France-Ireland-Britain-court KUALA LUMPUR A Malaysian court overturns an inquest verdict of "misadventure" in the death of a French-Irish schoolgirl who vanished in the jungle, replacing it with an "open" ruling in a victory for her family. 400 words moved. File picture -- BUSINESS/ECONOMY -- US-China-EU-diplomacy-G7,FOCUS WASHINGTON The global infrastructure plan announced by G7 leaders aims to offer developing nations a credible alternative to China's much-criticized Belt and Road Initiative -- but it faces major hurdles on the ground. 600 words 1730 GMT by Delphine Touitou. File picture US-economy-bank-rate,WRAP WASHINGTON The Federal Reserve opens the final day of its two-day policy meeting, and though it is not expected to announce any changes policymakers could offer reassurances that it is keeping a watchful eye on rising prices. 500 words 1500 GMT by Heather Scott. Graphic -- CLIMATE -- UN-climate-talks-Espinosa,INTERVIEW PARIS UN climate negotiations have not broached the crucial issue of how the world pays for the fight against global warming, the organisation's climate chief told AFP Wednesday as three-week virtual talks approached their conclusion. 600 words 1500 GMT by Patrick Galey -- SPORTS -- Fbl-Euro-2020-2021,WRAP PARIS Wales are bracing for a hostile reception when they face Turkey in Baku at Euro 2020 while rejuvenated Italy can seal their place in the last 16 with victory against Switzerland. 700 words 1530 GMT. Picture. Video afp
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