(AFP) – 18-year-old Indian prodigy Gukesh Dommaraju has made history by becoming the world’s youngest undisputed world chess champion. Gukesh won the title after beating China’s Ding Liren in the final match of their series in Singapore. “It is one of the proudest moments in my life,” says a supporter.
The dramatic collapse of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s government has thrown light into many of the dark corners of his rule, including the industrial-scale export of the banned drug captagon. Victorious Islamist-led fighters have seized a warehouse on the outskirts of Damascus, said to belong to Maher al-Assad, military commander and the deposed strongman’s brother.
Conservationists in Cambodia weigh and tag critically endangered Mekong giant catfish after discovering six of them in the critical river, which is plagued by illegal fishing, habitat loss and plastic waste.
Dindigul (Inde) (AFP) – A fire at a private hospital in southern India has killed at least six people, with more than two dozen others injured. The blaze erupted late Thursday night in Tamil Nadu, a southern state. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
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.
