AFP UK

London (AFP) – German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier says Brexit “has created obstacles” that need to be addressed but, citing the lyrics of the Oasis hit “Don’t Look Back in Anger”, says disappointment and confusion over the UK’s decision to leave the EU has changed. “We decided not to stay stuck in these feelings,” he tells the UK parliament, on the second day of the first visit by a German head of state in 27 years, adding: “I think that this is typically British. Keep calm and carry on — look ahead pragmatically, move on.”

(AFP) – Democrats in the US Congress release photos and videos showing the luxury island home where convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein allegedly forced underage girls into sex with powerful men. According to US media, the images were taken in 2020, the year after the death of Epstein in custody. He was convicted in 2008 on two sex crime counts, including solicitation of prostitution with a minor. He served only about a year in detention with unusually lenient conditions. He then avoided more serious charges until 2019, when he was arrested and charged with sex trafficking of minors.

London (AFP) – A UK inquiry concludes that Russian President Vladimir Putin bears the “moral responsibility” for the 2018 poisoning death of British woman Dawn Sturgess, after a failed assassination attempt against former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal. “The conduct of Petrov and Boshirov, their GRU superiors, and those who authorised the mission up to and including, as I’ve found, President Putin, was astonishingly reckless,” says the inquiry chair, former senior judge Anthony Hughes.

Ashburn (AFP) – The once-quiet town of Ashburn in Northern Virginia, near Washington, has transformed into the heart of the world’s digital infrastructure, handling an estimated 70 percent of global internet traffic and earning the moniker Data Center Alley in the process. Among its 40,000 citizens, Ashburn alone has 152 data centers currently in operation over its 40 square kilometers (15.4 square miles), with more bursting from the ground. But as tech giants race to build ever more massive structures, as part of an AI investment boom, it is also reshaping daily life for residents.

Ashland (AFP) – Photographs released by the Hanover Animal Protection and Shelter show a drunk raccoon passed out in the bathroom of a Virginia liquor store after ransacking the shop. The raccoon was safely returned to the wild after sobering up at the shelter.

London (AFP) – Kate Winslet attends the global premiere for ‘Goodbye June’, her directorial debut film written by her son, Joe Anders. “I think I always knew that I was never going to do it unless I really felt ready – technically as well as emotionally, mentally, all of it – so I couldn’t be happier that it was this one”. The Christmas drama debuts in UK and US cinemas on December 12 and will be available on Netflix on Christmas Eve.

Maiquetía (Venezuela) (AFP) – An Eastern Airlines plane carrying Venezuelan migrants expelled from the United States lands at Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia, Venezuela. The Latin American country reauthorizes US flights to deport migrants, which had been suspended following President Donald Trum’s warning of a ‘total closure’ of Venezuelan airspace. IMAGES

Colombo (AFP) – Survivors of Cyclone Ditwah, which has ravaged Sri Lanka in recent days, return to their devastated homes, faced with a massive clean-up as they start rebuilding their lives. The powerful storm brought record rains that triggered landslides and floods across the island country, killing at least 474 people, according to disaster officials.

New Delhi (AFP) – New Delhi recorded more than 200,000 cases of acute respiratory illnesses at six state-run hospitals between 2022 and 2024, highlighting the adverse effects of toxic air on health. Each winter, New Delhi is shrouded in toxic smog, as cooler air traps pollutants close to the ground, creating a deadly mix of emissions from traffic, factories, and crop-burning.

Chan Junis (AFP) – Waving UAE flags, cheerful crowds celebrate the mass wedding of 54 Palestinian couples, held amid the ruins of destroyed buildings in Gaza’s Khan Yunis. The initiative, dubbed ‘The Dress of Joy’, is organised by the United Arab Emirates to coincide with its 54th National Day. “It’s an indescribable feeling that after all this war, destruction, and everything we’ve lived through, we can return, rejoice once again, and start rebuilding a new life,” says a groom.

Peking (AFP) – China says it is “strongly dissatisfied” with Britain’s latest delay to a decision on whether to allow Beijing to build a sprawling new embassy in London. “The United Kingdom’s further delay in its approval is completely unreasonable,” foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian tells a regular news briefing.

Tokyo (AFP) – Christmas kicks off in Japan as KFC opens its Tokyo Christmas pop-up restaurant. The fast-food chain offers customers dishes inspired by Japan’s “Christmas chicken” tradition, dating back to 1974. “While it’s common overseas to eat turkey during Christmas, it wasn’t available in Japan during the 1970s. Instead, we provided chicken,” explains KFC marketing officer Takuma Kawamura.