Al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya (Territoires palestiniens) (AFP) – Following the ouster of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, a Palestinian family who had lost contact with a relative since 1982 has discovered that he might have been imprisoned in Syrian jails all along. But after 40 years behind bars, they fear he might not be “in his right mind” and have trouble contacting them.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol vows to fight “until the very last minute”, defending his shock decision last week to declare martial law and deploy troops to the country’s parliament. He also denounces the opposition as pushing the country into a “national paralysis.”
Srinagar (India) (AFP) – Kashmir’s papier mache art, rooted in Persian tradition, has gained global attention for its unique Christmas decorations. Crafted by Muslim artisans, the handmade ornaments combine traditional Kashmiri designs with Western themes, and are exported worldwide.
Gjirokastër (Albania) (AFP) – “Donkey milk has the taste of love,” says Fatiko Basha, a farmer facing skyrocketing demand for donkey milk, used to make one of the most expensive cheeses in the world. The milk has long been praised for its numerous virtues and has become popular in cosmetics.
Vatican City (AFP) – Pope Francis welcomes Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas in the Vatican. According to the Holy See press office, the pair discussed the Catholic Church’s contribution to humanitarian aid in response to the Israeli offensive in Gaza.
Mexico City (AFP) – Catholic pilgrims wake at sunrise after camping outside the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City to commemorate the Virgin of Guadalupe on her feast day, the patron saint of Mexico. IMAGES
Chekka (Lebanon) (AFP) – In the northern Lebanon town of Chekka, Suheil Hamawi received a heartfelt welcome as he returned home after spending 33 years in deposed Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s jails, including the infamous Saydnaya facility.
Rome (AFP) – With a tape measure around his neck and a thimble on his finger, Raniero Mancinelli slides a needle into a black cassock with red piping destined for a Catholic cardinal. Mancinelli, one of Rome’s last ecclesiastical tailors, has dressed many popes and clergymen since he opened his business in 1962.
Tel Aviv (AFP) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country wants relations with the new Syrian government, but warns that Israel “will respond forcefully” if Iran establishes a presence in the neighbouring state or if Syria “permits the transfer of Iranian weapons or any other weapons to Hezbollah, or if it attacks us.”
Latakia (Syria) (AFP) – “We cried with happiness. Finally, we have been freed after a long period of oppression” says a resident of Syria’s port city of Latakia as she celebrates in the street after the fall of president Bashar al-Assad, outsed by an Islamist-led opposition alliance. Syria’s 14-year civil war killed 500,000 people and forced half the country to flee their homes.
Tabernas (Spain) (AFP) – A cowboy collapses after gunshots ring out outside a saloon — this is not America’s Wild West but Spain’s arid Almeria region, long a popular backdrop for Western movies. The elaborate sets featuring dusty streets and saloons now also serve as Western-themed amusement parks.
Qardaha (Syria) (AFP) – Rebel fighters joyously observe as the tomb of ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s father Hafez burns in his hometown of Qardaha. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor told AFP the rebels had set fire to the mausoleum, located in the Latakia heartland of Assad’s Alawite community.
