Doha (AFP) – Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa warns that Israel’s demand for a demilitarised zone in southern Syria would endanger his country, as Israeli forces continue to operate in the area. US President Donald Trump, who has been pushing for a security pact between Israel and Syria, has told Israel to avoid destabilising Syria and its new leadership.
London (AFP) – Activists from a little-known, self-proclaimed civil resistance group called Take Back Power throw food — purportedly apple crumble and custard — at a display case containing Britain’s priceless Crown Jewels in the Tower of London. London police say four people were arrested following the incident.
Riad (AFP) – In Riyadh, women in niqabs and men in traditional white robes sip alcohol-free pints, with no expectation of a hangover. The incongruous scene signals the changes under way in the conservative kingdom, which is home to Islam’s holiest sites, while gently prodding at deep-seated taboos. Booze has been banned in Saudi Arabia since 1952.
New York (AFP) – In the corridors of New York’s 26 Federal Plaza, US immigration police agents arrest asylum seekers as they leave the courtroom. Since returning to the White House in January, US President Donald Trump has made tackling illegal immigration a priority, with the push for a massive wave of deportations central to his 2024 presidential campaign.
Islamabad (AFP) – Winter smog blankets Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad. The South Asian country regularly ranks among the world’s most polluted countries. Experts say the pollution is primarily caused by factory and traffic emissions, worsening in winter as cooler temperatures and slow-moving winds trap the deadly pollutants. The smog can cause sore throats, stinging eyes and respiratory illnesses, while prolonged exposure can trigger strokes, heart disease and lung cancer.
Washington (AFP) – Brazil football coach Carlo Ancelotti says his side should not be “scared” of aiming to win the 2026 World Cup. “We have to be brave enough to say it and work towards that,” says Ancelotti at a press conference in Washington after Brazil were drawn in a group with Morocco, Scotland and Haiti.
Conakry (AFP) – 33-year-old Guinean Safiatou Bah has made her decision. She will leave behind her young children to try to secure their future by migrating to Europe from the Guinean coast – a new, even more perilous migration route emerging in West Africa. With few economic opportunities and little hope for the country, thousands of young Guineans have been risking their lives in clandestine migration attempts in recent years.
Switzerland (AFP) – Spain, Ireland and the Netherlands have announced that that they will not participate in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest, in opposition to Israel’s war in Gaza. This comes after organisers of Eurovision — the world’s largest live music competition — opted to allow Israel to take part in next year’s event.
Chengdu (China) (AFP) – French President Emmanuel Macron cautions against the growing “rivalry” between the United States and China, saying it could reshape global dynamics and risk “dividing continents”. Speaking at Sichuan University in Chengdu on the final day of his visit to China, he says that “we are undoubtedly living through a time of extreme complexities and transformations like few we have experienced before”.
Chengdu (China) (AFP) – French President Emmanuel Macron cautions against the growing “rivalry” between the United States and China, saying it could reshape global dynamics and risk “dividing continents”. Speaking at Sichuan University in Chengdu on the final day of his visit to China, he says that “we are undoubtedly living through a time of extreme complexities and transformations like few we have experienced before”.
London (AFP) – Thousands gather to watch the lighting ceremony of Trafalgar Square’s Christmas tree in London, gifted by Norway in a yearly tradition going back to 1947. Mayor of Oslo Anne Lindboe says the 20-metre spruce is “a symbol of friendship”, adding that “in these troubled times that we’re living in, I think that’s more important than ever”.
Ruhengeri (AFP) – Former fighters of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), among them recent recruits and those who participated in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, take part in a rehabilitation camp. The FDLR was initially formed by those who fled across the border after committing a genocide in which around 800,000 people were slaughtered. The militia has been pushed to the brink of annihilation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) this year as a Rwanda-backed armed group, the M23, seized large parts of the region. Now, US President Donald Trump has hosted the leaders of Rwanda and the DRC to sign a deal that the US leader has hailed as his latest peace triumph despite ongoing violence on the ground.
