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Ottawa (AFP) – The deadly strike on the Ahli Arab hospital in the Gaza Strip on the evening of 17 October is “totally unacceptable”, says the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, insisting that the perpetrators must be held to account. Health authorities in Gaza say the strike on the hospital killed between 200 and 300 people. The World Health Organization has also condemned the deadly strike and demanded the immediate protection of civilians.

Beijing (AFP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin praises China’s “success” in its vast Belt and Road infrastructure project at a forum of international delegates from 130 countries in Beijing. The Belt and Road Initiative is a central pillar of Xi’s bid to expand China’s clout overseas and aims to connect Asia with Africa and Europe through land and maritime networks.

Erez (Israel) (AFP) – Footage released by the Israeli defense ministry on October 17, showing the damaged Erez crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip, following Hamas attack on October 7. IMAGES

London (AFP) – Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg has been detained by UK police while attending a protest outside the Energy Intelligence Forum in London. “Giving up is not an option,” says Thunberg outside the annual get-together which is attended by big energy bosses, including those from Aramco, TotalEnergies and Shell. The carbon-intensive sector has faced fierce criticism from the green lobby for failing to shift away from dirty fossil fuels and towards cleaner renewable energy.

Muscat (AFP) – A Gulf Cooperation Council meeting of foreign ministers is held in Muscat to discuss the developments in Gaza after waves of Israeli retaliatory air strikes on the Hamas-ruled enclave. IMAGES

barbados (Barbados) (AFP) – Venezuela’s government delegation arrives in Barbados where it will restart talks with the country’s opposition, seeking to end the country’s political and economic crisis after a nearly year-long suspension. IMAGES

Akmola (Kazakhstan) (AFP) – In Kazakhstan, the round-snouted Saiga antelopes were once on the verge of extinction. Today, with a population of around two million individuals according to the government, they are causing damage to farms and competing with the steppe’s livestock – resulting in the govnernment’s decision to legalise their hunting. The subject is sensitive in a country where antelopes are widely revered.

Egg (Austria) (AFP) – In scenic western Austria, Ingo Metzler’s goat breeding farm with its striking light wood panelling and big glass facades sets itself apart, aiming to survive in a sector in crisis. “We have architecture as an instrument to be different from others,” he says, after remodeling the family farm in Vorarlberg, a region which is a pioneer in sustainable design.

New York (AFP) – Former US President Donald Trump returns to his civil fraud trial in New York, a day after he was slapped with a partial gag order in a separate criminal case. “This is a disgraceful situation,” the former president says, calling New York State Attorney General Letitia James a “radical lunatic,” before entering the courtroom. The 77-year-old Republican is running in the 2024 presidential election.

New Delhi (AFP) – India’s top court has refused to legalise same-sex marriages, arguing that the fundamental right to marriage for same-sex couples was not guaranteed by the country’s constitution. But the court said that India nevertheless has a duty to acknowledge LGBTQ relationships and to protect them from discrimination. “I would still face challenges, but today’s verdict has reduced them to some percent,” says LGBTQ activist Pranav Grover. Marriages in India are governed by family laws for specific religions and Indian religious leaders oppose same sex unions.

Beijing (AFP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin is greeted by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the official welcoming ceremony for heads of delegations participating in the Belt and Road Initiative forum in Beijing. This is Vladimir Putin’s first trip to a major world power since Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine plunged the country into international isolation.

Kano (Nigeria) (AFP) – Nigeria’s Kano state holds all-expenses paid weddings for 1,800 couples and gives customary gifts to the newlyweds, in an effort to help the poor get married in a region facing harsh economic conditions. “Life is really tough, this is why I could not get married, though I wanted to,” says Yusuf Abdullahi, who participated in the giant ceremony over the weekend.