Lumajang (Indonesia) (AFP) – Clouds of ash and gas rise above Mount Semeru on Indonesia’s main island of Java after eruptions force officials to raise the alert status to its highest level. At least 300 people have been evacuated so far, according to Indonesia’s National Disaster Agency.
Chaumont-Gistoux (Belgium) (AFP) – Convinced that his farm has suffered for years from the effects of climate change, a Belgian farmer is taking the multinational TotalEnergies to court. Supported by several NGOs, Hugues Falys argues that the company plays a major role in the climate crisis and so should redirect its profits towards a sustainable transition, rather than exploring for new fossil-fuel reserves.
North Yorks (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Snow settles on the higher ground of the Yorkshire Dales, as the UK experiences its first arctic blast of the winter.
Glasgow (AFP) – Scotland fans celebrate with hugs, chants and cheers at Glasgow’s Clockwork bar as their team secures a dramatic 4-2 victory over Denmark, clinching a spot in the 2026 World Cup, a goal that has been “years in the making”. “It’s just amazing,” says 18-year-old Lewis Connolly, speaking from the bar.
Willemstad, Curaçao (Netherlands Antilles) (AFP) – The tiny Caribbean nation of Curacao celebrates after its national football team secured a historic qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The qualification adds Curacao to a growing list of debutants, including Cape Verde, Jordan, and Uzbekistan, as excitement builds ahead of next year’s World Cup in Mexico, US, and Canada. OF CURACAO
Montevideo (AFP) – A dust cloud originating in Argentine Patagonia enters Uruguay, according to the Uruguayan Institute of Meteorology. The phenomenon is expected to reduce visibility in coastal areas until the early hours of November 19. In Montevideo, the haze was visible along the city’s promenade, and by 5:00 PM local time (8:00 PM GMT), the sky over the capital had taken on a grayish hue. IMAGES
Belém (Brésil) (AFP) – The COP30 venue at night as Brazilian diplomats urge negotiators to work around the clock in the optimistic hope of reaching a first consensus by November 19, when President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva returns to Belem in a high-level bid to seal a deal. IMAGES
Awdheegle (Somalia) (AFP) – Roughly 35 kilometres outside Mogadishu, the Somalian capital, the strategic town of Awdheegle — or what’s left of it — is symbolic of the country’s ongoing battle with Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda-linked militant group. Awdheegle was recaptured from the group less than seven weeks ago and, like many other settlements in the area, lies in ruins. Hundreds of towns and villages have changed hands during years of fighting, passing between army control and militant occupation. “Our houses were destroyed, our rations burnt,” says Ruqiya Cumar, a resident of one such town. “Everything we had was destroyed.”
Belém (Brésil) (AFP) – EU climate chief Wopke Hoekstra participates in a meeting on Net Zero and Clean Growth during COP30 climate talks. Hoekstra rules out revisiting financial pledges or being “lured into a phony conversation about trade measures” after a draft agreement was released at the UN COP30 summit. IMAGES
United Nations (United States) (AFP) – The US ambassador to the United Nations thanks the Security Council for voting in favour of a “historic and constructive” resolution that endorses President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan, authorizing an International Stabilization Force. Speaking at the UN in New York, Mike Waltz says the resolution “represents another significant step towards a stable Gaza.”
Sydney (AFP) – Usually reserved for toast, Australia’s divisive Vegemite spread has made its way onto front pages around the world after being pulled into a bitter legal row. A convicted murderer in the state of Victoria has sued the prisons commissioner over his lack of access to the quintessentially Australian condiment. Andre McKechnie argues he should be allowed to enjoy the spread — banned in Australian prisons since 2006 — as a basic human right.
Caracas (AFP) – President Donald Trump says he will talk to Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro, as Washington’s military buildup stokes tensions in the region. Hours after Trump’s comments, Maduro said he was ready to talk “face to face”.
