Duty Editor: James Hossack Tel: +852 2829 6211 -- TOP STORIES -- + Biden promises bright future for America + Audio leak sows doubt on Iran nuclear talks + Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins dies at 90 + Giuliani's apartment raided in federal probe + New Zealand Rugby backs All Blacks sale US-politics-speech-Biden,WRAP WASHINGTON President Joe Biden declares that America is "on the move again" at the start of an upbeat and audacious speech to Congress, calling for trillions of dollars to rebuild the post-Covid US middle class and its "forgotten" workers. 750 words 0130 GMT by Sebastian Smith. Picture. File picture. Video. Live video Iran-politics-diplomacy,WRAP TEHRAN An audiotape of Iran's top diplomat bemoaning the military's influence was leaked to sow "discord" during talks on reviving an international nuclear deal, President Hassan Rouhani says, after the recording stirred domestic controversy. 800 words moved by Amir Havasi. Picture. Video US-space-Collins,OBIT WASHINGTON American astronaut Michael Collins, who piloted the Apollo 11 command module while his crewmates became the first people to walk on the Moon, dies after battling cancer. 700 words moved by Issam Ahmed. File picture US-justice-politics-investigation-Giuliani,lead NEW YORK Federal investigators raid the New York apartment of president Donald Trump's former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani as part of a probe into his dealings in Ukraine, US media report. 650 words moved by Catherine Triomphe RugbyU-NZL-investment,WRAP WELLINGTON New Zealand Rugby backs a "revolutionary" plan to sell a stake in the famed All Blacks to US investors, despite opposition from top players. 650 words 0200 GMT by Neil Sands. Picture. Video. -- SPOTLIGHT -- Afghanistan-religion-Judaism,FOCUS KABUL For decades, Zebulon Simentov refused to leave Afghanistan -- surviving a Soviet invasion, deadly civil war, brutal rule by the Taliban and the US-led occupation of his homeland. But enough is enough for Afghanistan's last Jew. 600 words 0330 GMT by Jay Deshmukh and Usman Sharifi. Video. Picture Lifestyle-Egypt-culture-sports,FOCUS CAIRO Egypt's tradition of tahtib (stick fighting), popular at festivities and dating back at least 5,000 years, has become a modern martial art that enthusiasts hope will eventually make it to the Olympics. 600 words 0300 GMT by Emmanuel Parisse. Picture. Video -- CORONAVIRUS -- Health-virus-India-oxygen,Q&A NEW DELHI A devastating surge in coronavirus infections has exposed India's dilapidated health infrastructure and a deep shortage in the supply of oxygen -- a key treatment for seriously ill patients as they battle the disease. AFP looks at the reasons behind the shortage. 600 words 0230 GMT Health-virus-UAE-India-aviation,FOCUS DUBAI Indians from the millions-strong expat community in the UAE, stranded in their homeland during a catastrophic coronavirus surge, are swamping private jet operators with requests to whisk them back to safety. 600 words 0300 GMT. Picture Health-virus-vaccines-variants,FACTS PARIS Fast-spreading coronavirus variants have ignited global concern over whether existing vaccines will be able to protect the world from a virus that is constantly mutating. 1,100 words moved by Paul Ricard Health-virus-Canada-US-trade,FOCUS DUNDEE, Canada The Canada-US border has been closed since the start of the pandemic more than a year ago, but not for Paul-Maurice Patenaude who operates a parcel handoff service from his house, which straddles the international boundary. 700 words moved by Eric Thomas. Picture. Video Health-virus-Argentina-poverty,FOCUS LA MATANZA, Argentina Before the coronavirus pandemic, Daisy Garcia used to serve meals to around 80 people at a soup kitchen in a poor slum on the outskirts of the Argentine capital Buenos Aires. Now she distributes meals for almost 1,000. 600 words 0130 GMT by Maria Lorente. Picture. Video -- AMERICAS -- Cuba-US-politics-music-diplomacy-culture,FOCUS HAVANA An ideological battle is being waged over Cuba's communist government between musicians in Havana and Miami, with political slogans set to reggaeton, salsa and rap. 700 words 0130 GMT by Katell Abiven with Leila Macor in Miami. Picture. Video US-politics-unrest-Capitol-court,FOCUS NEW YORK Free speech may be sacred in the United States but calling for the killing of US lawmakers on social media is unlawful, a New York jury rules after a weeklong trial that revisited the January 6 riot at the Capitol. 700 words moved by Catherine Triomphe. Picture -- ASIA -- SKorea-Samsung-economy-tech-telecommunication-results,WRAP SEOUL South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics posts a 46.3 percent rise in first-quarter net profits, largely driven by robust sales of its smartphones and home appliances due to continued stay-at-home demand. 700 words moved by Sunghee Hwang. File picture -- EUROPE -- Britain-politics-Johnson,WRAP LONDON Britain's Electoral Commission announces a formal probe into how Prime Minister Boris Johnson paid for a lavish makeover of his Downing Street flat, seriously escalating a simmering scandal. 700 words moved by Jitendra Joshi. Picture. Video EU-Britain-politics-trade,WRAP BRUSSELS The European Parliament overwhelmingly ratifies the EU's post-Brexit trade deal with Britain, but promises to keep a close eye on London with cross-channel bitterness still high. 600 words moved by Alex Pigman Britain-royals-William-Kate LONDON Prince William and his wife Kate mark a decade of marriage, with the popular couple increasingly seen as the British monarchy's future as other senior royals age or recede from view. 725 words 0230 GMT by Joe Jackson. File picture. File video France-politics-army,lead PARIS Eighteen French soldiers who signed an open letter warning about the risk of "civil war" in France will face sanctions before a military council, the armed forces chief of staff says. 300 words moved -- AFRICA -- Somalia-unrest-politics,WRAP MOGADISHU Somalia's government urges people who had fled violence in the capital to return home, as tensions eased after the president called for elections and renewed dialogue with his political rivals. 750 words moved. Picture. Video -- SCIENCE/ENVIRONMENT -- US-environment-animal-Florida-manatees,FOCUS TAMPA, Florida Baby manatee Lativa was so sick that her caregivers had to put a flotation device on her to allow her to come to the surface to breathe. Others have not been so lucky: the gentle marine mammals are dying at an unprecedented rate in Florida. 750 words moved by Leila Macor. Picture. Video Environment-conservation-animal-plant-IUCN-conflict,lead GENEVA Civil unrest and military exercises pose heightened risk to more than 200 threatened species, including elephant populations and the critically-endangered Eastern gorilla, conservationists warn. 750 words moved by Nina Larson. Graphic Also moved: Climate-glaciers-melt-acceleration -- BUSINESS, ECONOMY & TECH -- US-IT-pandemic-earnings,WRAP SAN FRANCISCO Apple and Facebook deliver blockbuster profits in the latest sign of Big Tech's strength as the sector faces scrutiny for its growing dominance during the pandemic. 650 words moved by Glenn Chapman with Rob Lever in Washington Sweden-US-Spotify-earnings,WRAP STOCKHOLM Spotify posts a rare net profit in the first quarter and a sharp increase in paid subscribers as the music streaming giant launched in dozens of new markets, but disappointing total users sent shares tumbling. 600 words moved US-aviation-earnings-aerospace-Boeing,WRAP NEW YORK Boeing reports its sixth consecutive quarterly loss as production issues drag down revenues, but points to signs of an uneven airline industry recovery as Covid-19 vaccines become more widespread. 700 words moved by John Biers -- SPORT -- Fbl-Eur-C1-FRA-ENG-PSG-ManCity,lead PARIS Manchester City are in pole position to reach the Champions League final after coming from behind to beat Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 away in the first leg of their blockbuster semi-final, with Riyad Mahrez curling in the winner from a free-kick. 650 words moved by Andy Scott. Picture. Video Fbl-Eur-C1-FRA-ENG-PSG-ManCity-semi,FOCUS LONDON After 10 years of trying and billions spent to make it possible, Manchester City are closer to winning the Champions League than they have ever been. 600 words 0200 GMT by Kieran Canning afp