Kelowna (Canada) (AFP) – 2023 was the hottest year on record, with Earth’s surface nearly breaching the critical limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius above late 19th century temperatures, says the EU climate monitoring service. The Copernicus findings come one month after a climate agreement was reached at COP28 in Dubai calling for the gradual transition away from fossil fuels, the main cause of climate warming.
Paris (AFP) – Paris names a street after music icon David Bowie, a first in honour of the singer eight years after his death. “Rue David Bowie” was officially inaugurated in the French capital’s 13th district on the left bank of the city. Local mayor Jerome Coumet, himself a Bowie fan, launched the idea for the street in early 2020, winning approval from city authorities later that year.
Thimpu (Bhutan) (AFP) – Bhutan begins voting in general elections with parties vowing to tackle economic challenges, calling into question its longstanding policy of prioritising “Gross National Happiness” over growth.
Yeonpyeong (South Korea) (AFP) – On South Korea’s remote border island of Yeonpyeong, heavily armed soldiers locked up beaches at dusk — a reminder of the picturesque spot’s proximity to the nuclear-armed North.
Cuenca (Ecuador) (AFP) – Inmates stand on the roof of the Turi prison, in Ecuador’s southern city of Cuenca, as they hold prison guards hostage inside, while police forces gather outside the facilities. One of the country’s most feared gangsters is believed to have escaped from prison on January 7 before an operation at the prison where he was serving his sentence, according to authorities. Following the escape of the head of the Los Choneros drug gang, incidents have been reported in several prisons nationwide. IMAGES
Rheda-Wiedenbrück (Germany) (AFP) – Legend Franz Beckenbauer, who left a unique imprint on German football as player, captain and coach, has died at the age of 78, the German football association said Monday. Former captain of the German team in the 1970s, Beckenbauer had in the last years been suffering from health problems and lived mostly withdrawn from the public eye in Salzburg, just across from the German border. Franz Beckenbauer
Vatican City (AFP) – Pope Francis condemns the “immense tragedy” and “useless slaughter” of civilians in conflicts such as in Gaza and Ukraine, and says those killed should not be considered “collateral damage”, in his New Year’s address to diplomats at the Vatican. In a speech dominated by calls for an end to conflicts around the world, the pontiff says people “need to realise more clearly that civilian victims are not ‘collateral damage’ but men and woman, with names and surnames, who lose their lives.”
Moscow (AFP) – As the second anniversary of the Ukraine conflict looms, the female relatives of Russia’s mobilised men are becoming more and more outspoken in calling for their loved ones to come home, with their pickets and impassioned appeals gaining traction on social media. Their activism, whilst largely ignored by state media, remains a sensitive issue for the Kremlin, which is keen to project an image of national unity around President Vladimir Putin ahead of his inevitable re-election in a vote in March.
Unknown (AFP) – French President Emmanuel Macron urges French people to start exercising daily as Paris prepares to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 200 days. Posting a video clip of himself on X, formerly Twitter, in a T-shirt, boxing gloves slung over his shoulder and with a punching bag in the background, the president encourages his compatriots to work out for 30 minutes a day, “and longer if you can”.
Abidjan (AFP) – The 2024 Africa Cup of Nations is the talk of Abidjan, where supporters from various nations are feeling confident. Africa’s premier football tournament takes place from January 13 to February 11.
Akasaki (Japan) (AFP) – The New Year’s Day earthquake in Japan demolished wooden buildings all across the Noto Peninsula, but thanks to decades-old smart architecture, one small fishing village stood strong.
Shika (Japan) (AFP) – Snow covers damaged buildings in the town of Shika close to the epicenter of Japan’s deadly New Year’s Day earthquake. The death toll has jumped to 161, authorities say, as snow complicates rescue efforts.
