Vatican City (AFP) – Pope Francis criticises the threat of nuclear disaster in Ukraine, and regrets that he sees peace ‘trampled’ in Europe. The Pope was speaking during an ecumenical event involving a prayer for peace at the Colosseum in Rome.
Kalapara (Bangladesh) (AFP) – Villages in southern Bangladesh are flooded after being hit by a cyclone, which left at least 16 people dead and prompted an evacuation of about a million people. Cyclone Sitrang made landfall in the south late Monday but authorities managed to get about a million people to safety before the monster weather system hit.
Firozabad (India) (AFP) – Firozabad, a small industrial town located nearly 200km from India’s capital, New Delhi, is known for its glass bangles. Firozabad has been producing glass bangles for more than 200 years now and is the biggest manufacturer of glass bangles in the world.
Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – A restaurant in Kyiv is forced to work by candlelight with Ukraine’s capital left partially without electricity as the government enforces cuts to try and stabilise the country’s energy system following Russian strikes. “It’s hard to work with papers and pen to do orders for (the) kitchen,” says barman Dmytro Lytvynenko.
Berlin (AFP) – Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal emphasises the urgent need for money to help the country “get through the winter and save people from a humanitarian catastrophe”. Shmyhal was speaking at the conference of International Experts for the Reconstruction of Ukraine.
Salvador (Brazil) (AFP) – Wearing a rainbow-striped football shirt, Ona Ruda walks confidently through the Arena Fonte Nova football stadium, home to his beloved Bahia team. The club in northeastern Salvador is a rare safe space for gay fans who often steer clear of football stadiums for fear of coming under attack. The group of supporters counts only 15 members, a far cry from other massive Brazilian fan groups. However, the fact that they can go to the stadium waving rainbow flags and wearing rainbow T-shirts, is no small matter.
Rome (AFP) – In her first address to parliament, Italy’s new far-right Prime minister Giorgia Meloni declares herself to be the “underdog” of Italian politics, and vows to “upset all predictions” in her quest for success. She also reaffirms her strong support for Ukraine and not give in to Putin’s “blackmail” on energy despite tensions on the issue between her and her coalition partners.
London (AFP) – UK politicians come and go at 10 Downing Street as new British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak forms his new government. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is one of the notable arrivals, retained from Sunak’s predecessor Liz Truss disastrous government. Sunak’s second cabinet appointment was his close ally Dominic Raab as deputy prime minister and justice secretary.
Krasnogorsk (Russia) (AFP) – Speaking via video link, US basketball star Brittney Griner asks a Russian court to reduce her ‘traumatic’ nine-year prison sentence, issued on drug charges.
London (AFP) – Thousands of people gather in the Shri Swaminarayan Mandirà temple in the London suburb of Neasden to celebrate Divali on the day that Rishi Sunak, a Hindu himself, was announced as the United Kingdom’s new prime minister.
New Delhi (AFP) – New Delhi residents react to the news that Rishi Sunak will be installed as Britain’s third prime minister this year. The 42-year-old Hindu will be Britain’s first prime minister of colour and the youngest in more than two centuries.
Meadowview (United States) (AFP) – The American chestnut tree, once a pillar of forests across the eastern United States, is struggling to survive. In the early part of the 20th century, a fungus discovered after Japanese chestnut species were planted in New York City spread across the continent, decimating the American chestnut tree in less than three decades. Now the American Chestnut Foundation is working to resurrect the species. Their mission: finding a way to fight the blight by combining crossbreeding with genetic modification.
