In the age of US President Donald Trump, Mexican-American wrestler Rey Mysterio hopes to promote Latino pride, whether it’s his colourful luchador attire or his iconic mask. 

It was a major reason that pushed Mysterio back to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) last year, after having left the WWE back in 2015.

“I am representing my people. I feel it, I know it, I’ve known it from day one, and it’s the most important part of my journey,” he told Al Jazeera.

Arguably the most successful wrestler of Mexican origin in WWE history, Mysterio had 12 title reigns during his previous 13-year stint. He has also won the world championship three times.

But today, he recognises his presence in WWE means a whole lot more than just championships, given the difficulties facing his community in the United States.

“Doing my part in the entertainment world to be able to be a distraction whether for a second or forever for my people, it’s a blessing to be able to do that,” Mysterio said. “It’s very hard to have everybody tuned in in the same state of mind, where we all get equal opportunities and we all get equal love from each and every race that is out there. Unfortunately, some people do not think that way.”

At a time when the US federal law enforcement says hate crimes are spiking, many critics point the finger at President Trump and his administration’s rhetoric and policies. 

Trump has attempted to drum up fear of migrants and refugees, deploying troops to the border with Mexico and vowing to build a wall along the frontier.

Mysterio, who spent part of his childhood crossing the border from Tijuana to San Diego each day to attend school, worries that Trump “is definitely not helping”.

“A lot of people have been protesting about it,” he said. “A wall is definitely not the solution.”

‘Promoting Latinos’

Mysterio’s return couldn’t have come at a better time, according to broadcaster Cristian Moreno of ESPN Deportes, the network’s Spanish language sports channel.

“Rey Mysterio, being the great charismatic figure that he is, does a great job promoting how Latinos are hard-working, good people that come to this great country to try and make a better life for themselves,” Moreno told Al Jazeera.

“While some of the points of the Trump administration make sense, much of their rhetoric is absurd, and I believe other Latinos with big platforms should feel encouraged to follow Mysterio in shining to the public eye the good that Latinos contribute,” Moreno added.

Mysterio nearly crossed paths with Trump 12 years ago as part of a WWE storyline, according to former WWE creative writer Court Bauer.

In the supposed plot, Trump was at war with WWE chairman Vince McMahon, which culminated in a showdown at WWE’s showpiece event, Wrestlemania. Each would select someone to fight for them, and Mysterio was in line to represent Trump. But in the end, Trump picked Bobby Lashley.

Explaining that he was unaware of those plans, Mysterio says it is difficult to imagine himself representing Trump in such a scenario.

“Imagine some of those images popping up at this time if I was that person,” he joked. “It would have been interesting to see those pictures floating around these days; Donald Trump with the Mexican-American wrestler Rey Mysterio.”

Rey Mysterio says he takes pride in his Mexican ancestry [Courtesy of WWE]

Mysterio’s motivation to continue making a difference stems from his own personal struggle. Standing at just 5 feet 4 inches (162.5 cm), he admits that he didn’t have a “normal” physique for a business filled with giants.

But he didn’t let that stop him. Having started training at just eight years old, he would practise every day after school for hours; honing his high-flying craft under the tutelage of his uncle Rey Mysterio Senior, who was a famous luchador in Mexico.

He debuted on the independent circuit at just 14 years old, earning less than $20 a fight in those days. His persistence eventually paid off: he moved on to professional circuits like ECW and WCW before landing at WWE.

‘Leave something behind’

Now a shoo-in for the WWE Hall of Fame, Mysterio believes one of the best ways he can serve his people is making sure the company has a Latino core on its roster that will be there long after he’s gone.

“I want to leave something behind. A lot of fans will still be talking about Rey Mysterio after I am gone. But my purpose isn’t just to leave memories behind,” he said. “My purpose is to help those up-and-coming Latino superstars that are bringing in this lucha libre style, and help them revolutionise the sport.”

Despite being just months into his full-time comeback, Mysterio has already had a string of matches with promising Mexican talent Andrade.

Although not a single Latino performer featured on Wrestlemania’s main card last year, the battles between Mysterio and Andrade have created a buzz in the online wrestling community, which is often difficult to please.

“After going head-to-head with Andrade, the fans are expecting more great matches, and that’s what we’re hoping to do,” he said.

Arguing that he is still at the peak of his career, Mysterio hopes to maintain his recent calibre of performance in order to positively affect his people and inspire future luchadores.

“I know I’m there to represent how I was raised, the lucha libre style… I will know it until I have to hang up my mask.”

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused NATO allies of supporting “terrorists” with thousands of truckloads of weapons, while ignoring Turkey’s request to purchase their arms.

“What kind of NATO alliance is this?” Erdogan said on Monday during an election campaign rally in southwestern Turkey’s Burdur region.

“You give terrorists around 23,000 truckloads of weapons and tools through Iraq, but when we asked you won’t even sell them to us,” he added. 

“We have a 911-kilometre border [with Syria]. We’re under threat at any moment.”

Erdogan did not specify which nations were allegedly supplying arms through Iraq.

US-allied ‘terrorists’

Turkey also expects Syria’s Manbij region to be rid of “terrorists” and left to locals as soon as possible, said the Turkish leader.

Manbij has been held by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a militia spearheaded by the Kurdish People’s Protection Unit (YPG), since 2016.

This has angered neighbouring Turkey, which views the influence wielded by the YPG in northern Syria as a national security threat.

Ankara considers the YPG a “terrorist group” with ties to the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Turkey. PKK has waged a decades-long armed conflict in the country, killing an estimated 40,000 people.

Ankara has threatened to target Manbij in a military operation to wipe out the YPG. 

But the Kurdish militia has been Washington’s main ally in the ground war against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, ISIS) in Syria for several years. The United States has warned Turkey against attackingthe armed group.

The YPG controls a swathe of territory in northeast Syria from the eastern banks of the Euphrates River to the Iraqi border. 

Referring to northern Syria, Erdogan said, “in this region, only those who do not stand against Turkey but side with it will win”.

US withdrawal 

Tensions have risen in Syria since US President Donald Trump’s surprise announcement of the withdrawal of about 2,000 American troops from the country who operate alongside Kurdish forces in Syria’s northeast.

The SDF’s commander-in-chief called on Monday for about 1,000 to 1,500 international forces to remain in northern Syria to help fight ISIL and expressed hope the United States, in particular, would halt plans for a total pullout.

“We would like to have air cover, air support, and a force on the ground to coordinate with us,” Mazloum Kobani told a small group of reporters after talks with senior US generals in Syria.

Days after Trump’s December pullout decision, Erdogan pledged Turkey will take over the fight against remnants of ISIL in Syria, and announced the operation against the YPG was on hold for now.

Since then, the discussion has included the establishment of a “safe zone” in northern Syria, but Turkey has insisted the area must be free of the YPG and under its control. 

The Kurdish fighters say any such zone must have “international guarantees … that would prevent foreign intervention”. 

Turkey has for years criticised the United States for supplying weapons and training to the YPG – one of the most potent ground forces in the fight to defeat ISIL.

Abuja, Nigeria – President Muhammadu Buhari has warned of grave consequences for those who steal ballot boxes or attempt to disrupt re-scheduled elections.

Buhari spoke during an emergency meeting of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the nation’s capital, Abuja, on Monday.

“Anybody who decides to snatch ballot boxes or lead thugs to disturb it [the vote], maybe this is the last lawful action you will take,” Buhari said.

“I am going to warn anybody who thinks he has enough influence in his locality to lead a body of thugs or to disturb the voting system, he will do it at the expense of his own life.”

The president’s speech was condemned by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and civil society organisations.

“The last time we checked, the death penalty wasn’t a sanction in the 2010 Electoral Act. So threatening people with death could be considered an incitement to electoral violence, which is an offence under the act,” PDP spokesman Phrank Shuaibu said.

“Recall this is coming from the same party which said that foreigners who intervene in the election would be sent back in body bags,” Shuaibu added.

Poll delay probe?

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the delay of polls by a week on Saturday following an emergency meeting in Abuja.

INEC said the postponement was made because of delays in transporting electoral materials.

Buhari also questioned the election delay, calling for an investigation of the role of the electoral body.

“INEC had all the time and all the resources they wanted and then they have to wait for only six hours to casting the votes to tell us that it is not possible. Definitely the reasons why such incompetence manifest itself has to be explained to the nation,” Buhari said.

“The constitution and the laws protected INEC, but they must not take us for granted,” he added.

The president’s comments further raised concerns about the electoral commission’s independence.

A political science lecturer at the University of Abuja, Abubakar Kari, has called on INEC to remain “transparent, impartial and neutral”.

“They must be firm but fair and be open and accountable in all they do. This way whatever is the outcome will be credible and acceptable,” Kari told Al Jazeera.

Warsaw, Poland – Kazik, a 61-year-old moustached man, rarely leaves western Warsaw, an area known for simple summer houses, orchards and community gardens.

In recent years, it has become popular with the city’s homeless, Kazik among them.

For the past 10 years, he has been living in a small cottage, which although surrounded by apple and walnut trees is far from idyllic.

His homelessness came after years of personal challenges.

“I got on the ‘wrong train’ and I travelled with it for 40 years,” Kazik explains. “And then I ended up here.” 

He has arterial disease and is unable to move without his crutches. But his garden with small plants in flowerpots and an old nesting box brings him some joy. 

“I made it four years ago for my partner. She liked to watch birds. It used to look different, now it’s falling apart,” Kazik explains.

In winter, Kazik and his partner would fill the birdhouse with sunflower seeds and in spring, the birds would sing at their window. 

Since his partner died three years ago on a hot July day, loneliness has become the permanent melody of his life.

But the little box and Kazik’s woodwork skills were to change his life.

They have no one and neither do we.

Madina, 36-year-old Chechen refugee

Two years ago, he met Marina Hulia, an energetic human rights activist and volunteer from the Polish capital who has long worked with disadvantaged groups: the homeless, prisoners, refugees and the elderly.

Her goal has centred on connecting these groups to create a strong community of marginalised people who support each other, learn from each other and use their skills to empower others. 

“Help should be mutual, both sides should benefit from it,” Hulia told Al Jazeera.

Hulia became known for her support of Chechen refugees, who having fled persecution and violence at home were stranded at the border between Poland and Belarus.

In August 2016, thousands of people started arriving at the border city of Brest to cross into Poland – the first European Union country – to ask for international protection.

Hulia spent months helping those in need. 

She would visit Brest with other volunteers, including her Chechen friends, to provide stranded refugees with food, clothes and other aid.

She also organised educational activities for children. During the peak of the crisis, many families lived at the central train station, each day making attempts to claim asylum in Poland. Hundreds of families were denied entry by Polish border security and many of them needed several months to finally enter what they saw as a better world. 

Madina, 36, and her three children spent four months in Brest before they were allowed to claim asylum in Poland.

“When I first came, I stayed at the train station not to waste money. Then we rented a one-bedroom flat,” Madina told Al Jazeera. “We were five families, and we lived there all together.”

Madina first met Hulia in Brest. After 17 attempts, she finally crossed into Poland and became one of Hulia’s most devoted volunteers.

Almost three years later, Madina and her family are still waiting for their papers. But they have already found a community, friends and a support network.

Kazik’s garden is now one of the places Chechen refugees visit regularly [Marta Rybicka/Al Jazeera]

When Hulia first offered Chechen women to visit Kazik’s garden, they were unimpressed; stereotypes about homeless people being drunk criminals ran deep.

“When I went there for the first time, I thought, ‘What is this, where have they taken me?’ I had a feeling as if I was brought to a kind of rubbish dump,” Madina said. “But then we thought the same could happen to us. We are homeless too, in the end. We had to leave our land and live in a foreign country.”

At the time, Kazik’s garden was full of items he had hoarded and acquired; he was unable to afford waste disposal. 

But his birdhouse stood out among the piles of rubbish.

Hulia encouraged Kazik to make more, paint them with the help of Chechen children and sell them at a local auction. From the money earned, Hulia ordered waste containers to clean up the garden.

“Apart from accepting rice or canned food, they have a lot to give and teach us,” Hulia said of the refugees.

As Kazik flips through photographs taken last summer, his face lights up when he sees pictures of Chechen boys helping him make nest boxes and Chechen woman preparing traditional food.

“I started believing in people,” said Kazik, who does not accept money for his work. “I saw their joy, the smiles on their faces and the painted birdhouses. It was incredible.

“I may not have a home, your children may not have a home, but let the birds have one.”

Kazik’s garden was tidied with the help of Chechens and other allotment dwellers. He has also received more orders for birdhouses, which he continues to make with the help of refugee children. When the snow melts, they are planning to make sledges for pugs.

For the Chechens, many of whom still live in refugee centres with little space to spare or opportunities to integrate with Poles – especially amid growing nationalist tendencies – the time spent at the allotments is important too.

“They have no one and neither do we,” Madina said.