Nir ‘Oz (Israel) (AFP) – Hundreds of people gather at a small cemetery in a southern Israeli community to bid a final farewell to Oded Lifshitz, a kibbutz founder who died in captivity in Gaza.
Santiago du Chili (AFP) – Images of streets and stores in Santiago as Chile suffers an unusual and extensive electricity blackout. Initial reports say the outage started at 3:16 pm (1816 GMT) and stretched all the way from Arica in the north of the long, narrow South American country to Los Lagos in the south. No reason has been given for the failure in the country of 20 million people in the middle of the southern hemisphere summer. IMAGES
Istanbul (AFP) – More than 130 people have already died this year after drinking bootleg alcohol in Turkey, where clandestine production is widespread, and bootleg alcohol is often tainted with methanol, a toxic substance that can cause blindness, liver damage and death. Although Turkey is a nominally secular country, alcohol taxes have risen sharply under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a Muslim who vociferously opposes drinking. Critics say such high prices are fuelling the production of moonshine.
London (AFP) – British luxury brand Burberry closes London Fashion Week with its new Autumn/Winter collection after a shortened edition this year, with several designers opting for a dinner or presentation instead of a pricier runway show. Shown at the Tate Britain Museum, it is the fifth collection by its creative director, Daniel Lee, who has been trying to give the traditional fashion house a facelift since arriving two and a half years ago.
Burbank (AFP) – A month after devastating wildfires struck Los Angeles, a film industry workers’ union continues to support struggling locals. Over the past five years, the industry has faced severe challenges, including the Covid-19 pandemic, historic actors’ and writers’ strikes, the rise of artificial intelligence and the worst natural disaster in the city’s history.
Kuala Lumpur (AFP) – A fresh search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has been launched more than a decade after the plane went missing in one of aviation’s greatest enduring mysteries. Maritime exploration firm Ocean Infinity has resumed the hunt for the missing plane, says Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke in Kuala Lumpur.
Jerusalem (AFP) – “We will not ignore the disgraceful display that undermined the dignity of our hostages and the cynical use of them,” says Israeli Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sharren Haskel. Israel delayed releasing more than 600 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday after the parading of Israeli captives and the display on stage of black coffins containing deceased hostages sparked outrage across Israel.
Buenos Aires (AFP) – Hundreds of Argentinians attend a mass to pray for the health of Pope Francis in Buenos Aires’s Constitution Square, where he used to give mass back when he was archbishop to denounce social exclusion. Pope Francis is critically ill, battling pneumonia in both lungs.
Anseong (South Korea) (AFP) – Four people, including two Chinese nationals, were killed and six injured after a bridge collapsed at an expressway construction site in South Korea.
Istra (Russia) (AFP) – After returning from Ukraine, where Yury fought in the Russian army, the 39-year-old is trying to adapt to living at home again, but his memories still haunt him.
Buenos Aires (AFP) – Crowds gather in Buenos Aires’ Constitution Square to listen to the city’s Archbishop, Jorge Ignacio Garcia Cuerva, lead a mass for Pope Francis’ health. Pope Francis, hospitalised in critical condition with pneumonia in both lungs, was showing a “slight improvement”, the Vatican says, while cautioning that doctors would not offer a prognosis. IMAGES
Puerto Suárez (Bolivia) (AFP) – On the border with Brazil, Bolivia inaugurates a massive steel complex funded by China, aimed at reducing iron ore imports amid a severe economic crisis driven by a shortage of dollars. IMAGES
