AFP UK

Pattaya (Thailand) (AFP) – Around 5,000 US sailors and Marines arrive in Thailand’s resort city of Pattaya after a Middle East deployment that sparked concerns over conditions on board. Dressed in civilian shorts and T-shirts, some US service members are given traditional garlands at a welcoming ceremony at a central hotel. “We’re very, very happy to be here,” commanding officer Captain Dan Keeler tells reporters. “We really look forward to our time here to get a little rest and relaxation,” he adds.

Hollywood superstar George Clooney says the United States will get through an “unfortunate” time in its history under the Trump administration, calling it a government run by the “least qualified”. Speaking at Venice Film Festival, he says he is “ashamed” of the US government’s actions, adding that “we will get through it, and we will come out better on the other side”.

Kūhestak (Iran) (AFP) – The US and Iran exchange fire after claims that shrapnel from a US strike hit a wedding ceremony in southern Iran, killing at least four people. Reciprocal strikes from Iran hit US military targets in the Middle East. The latest strikes are the biggest in the last few weeks of the six-month conflict, and come as peace talks have been largely halted.

Virtual (AFP) – “We must make the overshoot as small and short as possible,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says of rising global temperatures. In a much-anticipated report, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) stated unequivocally that 1.5C would be surpassed. “Now is a time to raise ambition and accelerate action,” urges Guterres.

Oslo (AFP) – Norway’s King Haakon VIII swears an oath before parliament, the first major institutional step of his reign, after he automatically ascended to the throne after the death of his father King Harald V. “I promise and swear that I will govern the Kingdom of Norway in accordance with its Constitution and Laws,” he says.

Buenos Aires (Argentina) (AFP) – People in Buenos Aires express their admiration for Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi, as he announces his retirement from international football. “For me, he is one of the greats,” says vendor Dangelo Cayetano. “There will not be another one like him in the world,” he adds. Messi played for Argentina 207 times over his 21-year career and captained his team to a World Cup win at the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

Rasuwa (Nepal) (AFP) – Nepali army rescuers crawl through tunnels leading to the Rasuwagadhi hydroelectric power station site, searching for dozens of workers believed to be trapped. It is six days since devastating mudslides hit the border region between Nepal and Tibet. In all, 933 workers at hydropower plants in Nepal are unaccounted for.

London (AFP) – The Notting Hill Carnival, one of the world’s largest street festivals, returns to west London for its 60th anniversary, filling the streets with music, colourful costumes and dancing. The three-day celebration of British Afro-Caribbean culture traces its roots back to the 1950s after the first surge in arrivals from former British colonies post-World War II. “Let’s hope it goes for another 60 years,” says carnival-goer Stephanie. “It can only mean good things if it’s still here 60 years on,” she adds.

Zheng’an (China) (AFP) – Zheng’an, a sleepy town in China’s rural Guizhou province may seem an unlikely guitar manufacture and export hub. With more than 144 guitar-related factories, though, the town manufactures one in every seven of the instrument sold worldwide. The result of Chinese government policy, which often directs regional economies into specific industries, Zheng’an has become dominated by the guitar, with sculptures, murals and even rubbish bins paying homage to the popular instrument. The initiative launched in 2012 and within 10 years around 87 home-grown brands had set up shop.

Kathmandu (Nepal) (AFP) – Nepal’s foreign ministry confirms the latest death toll from a tsumani-like surge of glacial water, rocks and debris is now at least 903 people, with around 4,200 still missing. Addressing a press conference in Kathmandu, foreign ministry spokesperson Lok Bahadur Poudel Chhetri says “about 590 foreign nationals… from 38 countries” are among those missing six days after the disaster, adding that Nepal has received support from several countries as rescuers continue their search for survivors.

Pulang Pisau (Indonesia) (AFP) – Firefighters in Indonesia have intensified their battle against wildfires across the archipelago, using cloud seeding and water bombing as officials warn of the smoke and haze being produced by the blazes. On the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, more than five million people have been directly exposed to the haze, according to deputy health minister Dante Saksono Harbuwono. Between January and July this year, more than 200,000 hectares have been burnt across Indonesia, as the country experiences its latest El Nino season. The naturally occurring climate phenomenon brings worldwide changes in winds, air pressure and rainfall patterns, and is typically experienced as drought in Indonesia.

Beijing (AFP) – China’s foreign ministry insists the country has been “open, transparent and timely” in its release of information on the catastrophic flooding and landslides that hit parts of Nepal and Tibet. Asked about international reports that Beijing is censoring images of the disaster and underreporting deaths, spokesperson Guo Jiakun says “malicious smearing and sensationalism using the disaster situation will not receive popular support.” Chinese police say they have penalised 10 people, who are accused of spreading misinformation, with some suggesting that the number of dead or missing is much higher than official figures show.