City parks and green spaces help counter heat, boost biodiversity, and instill a sense of calm in the urban jungle. . "We have more and better scientific evidence to increase and promote the use of urban green spaces," added Franco, who was not involved in the study. ia/jh
The White House on Wednesday put to bed speculation about a mystery line on President Joe Biden's face, explaining that he has begun wearing a CPAP device to help ward off sleep apnea.. As the oldest president ever in the White House and seeking another four years in office in the 2024 election, Biden's health is under constant scrutiny. sms/bgs
Nigerians marked the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha on Wednesday with prayers, celebrations and family dinners as many navigated high inflation, a steep currency devaluation and growing transport costs.. Eid al-Adha is one of the two largest Muslim celebrations and is meant to mark the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.
Hundreds gathered in the Sudanese capital Khartoum Wednesday to pray for peace on the first day of the Eid al-Adha Muslim holiday, but gunfire shattered the brief respite, residents said.. Similar prayer gatherings took place outside Khartoum, including in Jazira region where many have fled from the capital.
An earthquake in the Italian region of Tuscany sparked the brief evacuation of the cathedral and closure of museums Wednesday in the tourist hotspot of Siena.. The cathedral was evacuated for about an hour, its press office told AFP. The quake caused bits of plaster to fall off the famous monument, according to Italian media reports, but the cathedral's press office would not confirm.
Alsafi Mansur's "lifelong" wish to take part in the hajj pilgrimage came true this year, after Saudi Arabia lifted curbs that kept the elderly away from the compulsory Islamic ritual.. "My dream of hajj has come true again before I die," said the 76-year-old. ht/ho/th/hkb
Outside a bustling fruit market in Senegal's Dakar region, three trucks are blocking the road while a dozen men sweat to unload the precious cargo.. At the Sandika market in Pikine, workers laboured to empty the trucks that had just arrived, sorting the maad according to ripeness.
Wearing a pink dress that matches the bow in her hair, eight-year-old Agatha flashes a smile that belies all she has been through as a trans child growing up in Brazil.. Last year, she founded an organization called My Trans Child, which has nearly 600 members.
Florian Busmann used to enjoy sausages and steak on the barbecue in summer, but these days he prefers meat substitutes and grilled vegetables like aubergines and peppers.. Despite being known for their love of sausages and schnitzel, Germans have been steadily eating less meat over the past few years.
Lee Jung-hee was set to turn 60 next year but South Korea dropped its traditional age counting system Wednesday, so the Seoul-based housewife just got a year younger -- and she's thrilled.. "It feels good," Lee, a Seoul-based housewife, told AFP. "For people like me, who were supposed to turn 60 next year, it makes you feel like you're still young," she laughed.
