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Swabi (Pakistan) (AFP) – Protesters across Pakistan are calling for the release of former prime minister Imran Khan. The demonstrations were called for by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.

Hong Kong (AFP) – Twenty elderly couples, averaging 70 years old, reaffirm and cement their love at a special mass wedding ceremony in Hong Kong organised by the NGO Volunteer Space. The event took place on Senior Citizens Day, on the 17th November, and seeks to highlight the importance of love for mental well-being among older adults. 

Villahermosa (Mexico) (AFP) – Police cordon off an area after at least six people were killed and 10 wounded in an armed attack at a bar in the city of Villahermosa, in the southeastern Mexican state of Tabasco. At least five people were found dead at the scene, a venue known as “DBar,” while another died after being taken to hospital, according to officials. The shooting occurred two weeks after a similar attack in the city of Queretaro, a region of central Mexico that until now had been spared from violence linked to organized crime. IMAGES

Manila (AFP) – A huge fire has broken out in the Philippine capital of Manila. Footage released by the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office shows flames engulfing houses in Isla Puting Bato in Tondo, with thick plumes of black billowing into the sky.

Baku (AFP) – A new climate finance deal is agreed at the COP29 conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, following an exhaustive two weeks of negotiations. The deal commits developed nations to pay at least $300 billion a year by 2035 to help developing countries green their economies and prepare for disasters.

Madrid (AFP) – Three football fans have been arrested in Spain over the racist abuse of Barcelona players Lamine Hamal and Alejandro Balde during last month’s Clasico against Real Madrid, Spanish police say. Two adults and a minor are accused of having “made xenophobic statements that harmed the dignity and moral integrity of the two footballers” during the match which Barcelona won 4-0 in Madrid, police say.

Beirut (Lebanon) (AFP) – Rescue teams continue to clear heavy destruction in the Basta area of central Beirut, after an overnight Israeli strike targeted the area bringing down a residential building. The Israeli strike, which hit the working-class Basta neighbourhood, killed at least 11 people and wounded 63, Lebanon’s health ministry said, adding it had also left behind “a large amount of body parts that are being identified”.

Afrin (Syria) (AFP) – A group of volunteers from Syria’s White Helmets civil defence force have set up a mobile puppet theatre, travelling across displacement camps in the country’s northwest to perform educational shows. “We wanted to bring smiles and joy to the faces of our children, who have endured the long years of war and the aftermath of the earthquake,” explains Wasim Jabra, a White Helmets volunteer and puppeteer who animates Dr. Burhan, the star puppet of the show.

Baku (AFP) – At the COP29 climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock says that “we Europeans bear a special responsibility” for climate change. She adds that it’s “a historical responsibility, which we have not always lived up to in the last century”.

Tokyo (AFP) – Lost your umbrella, keys, or perhaps a stuffed Cookie Monster? In Tokyo, the police are almost certainly taking meticulous care of it. In Japan, lost items are rarely disconnected from their owners for long, even in a mega city like Tokyo — population 14 million.

Istanbul (AFP) – Pep Guardiola says he will remain at Manchester City even if the club were to face relegation from the Premier League over alleged breaches of financial rules. A hearing into the Premier League’s 115 charges against City has been ongoing for several weeks, with a verdict expected before the end of the season. Guardiola this week signed a two-year contract extension, committing him to the English champions till 2027.

Brussels (Belgium) (AFP) – In Brussels, a century-old beer institution produces its beverages using a traditional recipe. This limited production of “Gueuze” beer generates interest that extends well beyond Belgium’s borders. The Cantillon Brewery has established itself in the “lambic” market, which is known for its unique sour beers. These beers are created through open-air fermentation, followed by a maturation period of several months or even years in wooden barrels.