Saint Petersburg (AFP) – Russia is not preparing for “any kind” of conflict with Europe, President Vladimir Putin says, following warnings from some European NATO members of potential Russian attacks on the alliance’s territory. “There is no real motive to escalate the situation with Europe, no matter what anyone says, no matter who says it,” he says.
Bangkok (AFP) – Continuous rain has caused heavy flooding in Bangkok, prompting city authorities to declare on Saturday a disaster across all 50 districts of the Thai capital. The governor said almost 300 millimetres (11.8 inches) of rain had fallen since Thursday. Residents received alerts from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration warning of critical water levels in canals, which are expected to rise further. IMAGES
London (AFP) – England captain Harry Kane says this season represents his “best chance so far” of winning the prestigious Ballon d’Or award, after scoring 73 goals while leading Bayern Munich to a German domestic double and England to third in the World Cup. “It was my best year, without a doubt,” he says at a press conference in London ahead of England’s Nations League clash against world champions Spain.
London (AFP) – England captain Harry Kane says this season represents his “best chance so far” of winning the prestigious Ballon d’Or award, after scoring 73 goals while leading Bayern Munich to a German domestic double and England to third in the World Cup. “It was my best year, without a doubt,” he says at a press conference in London ahead of England’s Nations League clash against world champions Spain.
Sanaa (AFP) – Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree says the group has struck “sensitive” targets in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh and Aramco facilities in the western coastal city of Yanbu. “The two operations successfully achieved their objectives,” he says. The missiles are the latest in a series of escalating Houthi attacks since July.
Sanaa (AFP) – Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree says the group has struck “sensitive” targets in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh and Aramco facilities in the western coastal city of Yanbu. “The two operations successfully achieved their objectives,” he says. The missiles are the latest in a series of escalating Houthi attacks since July.
Middlesbrough (United Kingdom) (AFP) – An exhibition of contemporary artworks — from a giant elephant to lifesize metal figures — by four artists shortlisted for the Turner Prize 2026 is opening to the public at northeast England’s Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (MIMA) ahead of the announcement of the winner in December.
Noida (India) (AFP) – In Noida, just outside New Delhi, Swami Prem Parivartan, long known as India’s ‘tree father’, presses a young tree into the earth, continuing a nearly half-century mission to restore the country’s vanishing green cover. “It is not about planting one tree or two trees or thousand trees or 500 trees. It’s about how you manage the land on which those plants have been planted,” the 60-year-old says. His ‘Give Me Trees’ trust estimates it has planted or preserved 26 million trees, restoring vegetation across an area about 3.5 times the size of New York City.
Noida (India) (AFP) – In Noida, just outside New Delhi, Swami Prem Parivartan, long known as India’s ‘tree father’, presses a young tree into the earth, continuing a nearly half-century mission to restore the country’s vanishing green cover. “It is not about planting one tree or two trees or thousand trees or 500 trees. It’s about how you manage the land on which those plants have been planted,” the 60-year-old says. His ‘Give Me Trees’ trust estimates it has planted or preserved 26 million trees, restoring vegetation across an area about 3.5 times the size of New York City.
Paris (France) (AFP) – Pope Leo XIV warns against losing humanity in a “paradise of machines” as he makes his first papal trip to France with concerns high worldwide about artificial intelligence. “If we are to avoid losing our humanity amid a paradise of machines invading and conditioning our daily lives, there is an urgent need for education in ethical discernment and the capacity to acknowledge the moral good,” he says at the French presidential palace.
Paris (France) (AFP) – Pope Leo XIV warns against losing humanity in a “paradise of machines” as he makes his first papal trip to France with concerns high worldwide about artificial intelligence. “If we are to avoid losing our humanity amid a paradise of machines invading and conditioning our daily lives, there is an urgent need for education in ethical discernment and the capacity to acknowledge the moral good,” he says at the French presidential palace.
Kabul (AFP) – Taxi drivers in Afghanistan are turning on the tunes in their cars, defying a ban imposed by the Taliban government despite the fear of getting caught by morality police. The music that used to flow constantly out of restaurants, cafes and shops in the capital Kabul has been muted for five years, replaced only by religious or patriotic songs supported by the Taliban authorities in power since 2021.
