Canberra (AFP) – Australia says it will no longer recognise West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, reversing a contentious decision by the previous conservative government. “The Australian government remains committed to a two-state solution,” says Australia’s foreign minister Penny Wong. “We will not support an approach that undermines this prospect.”
Iqaluit (Canada) (AFP) – A ‘V’ on the temples, dots on the cheeks or lines on the chin: in the great Canadian north, Inuit women are reclaiming the art of facial tattooing and its “therapeutic” virtues, banned for decades by the Anglican and Catholic churches. “Our generation, we’re taking it back,” says Micheline Kilabuk-Cote, after getting a tattoo. “And we’re very proud to be Inuit.”
Tokyo (AFP) – Japanese designers revolutionised Parisian catwalks, and the city hasn’t lost its allure for new talent, even as the loss of greats like Issey Miyake herald the end of a fashion era. Emerging designers in Tokyo dream of following in their footsteps, but say new challenges make it harder to grab attention and monopolise the world’s wardrobes.
Yeysk (Russia) (AFP) – Emergency fire crews fight to control a blaze after a Russian military plane crashed into a residential area in Yeysk, southwestern Russia, near the border with Ukraine. At least three deaths have been reported.
Doha (AFP) – For the first time, Syrian and Palestinian refugees are participating in the Street Child World Cup, an eight-day football tournament in Doha. The event aims to give youth a chance to show off their football skills and to stake a claim to a better life.
Nagakute (Japan) (AFP) – Beyond the gates, a whimsical world awaits, complete with a fluffy Cat Bus, the toothy grin of Totoro and a life-sized No-Face seated on a train: welcome to Ghibli Park. Media got a sneak peek at the highly anticipated new theme park from Studio Ghibli, creator of beloved titles like “My Neighbour Totoro” and the Oscar-winning “Spirited Away”.
Yerevan (AFP) – Locals and tourists see the Armenian capital Yerevan from a new perspective, as they take off for a ride in a hot air balloon from the Republic square, the very heart of the city during the “Discover Armenia from the sky” festival.
United Nations (United States) (AFP) – UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres tells reporters “the situation in Ethiopia is spiraling out of control,” as combat intensifies in the north of the country, where pro-government forces and rebels from the Tigray region have been at war for nearly two years.
Benicia (United States) (AFP) – One House Bakery Co-Owner Catherine Pervan and her daughter Hannalee Pervan baked a giant replica of “Star Wars” Han Solo dubbing it “Pan Solo.” The beloved, baked character is on display in Benicia, California, as a submission into the city’s annual scarecrow contest. The mother-daughter duo shares their track record for baking science fiction themed edibles and their process for making this year’s “Pan Solo.”
Moscow (AFP) – Images released by the Russian Defence Ministry show mobilised men saying goodbye to their relatives at a draft centre as Moscow’s mayor says military draft offices in the Russian capital are to close.
Britain’s new Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt announces sweeping changes to the government’s so-called ‘mini-budget’, which was announced less than a month ago by his predecessor Kwasi Kwarteng. The September fiscal event brought instability to financial markets and increased the UK’s borrowing costs. In a statement to media, Hunt announced that the base rate of tax will now not be cut ‘until economic circumstances allow it’, and said that the existing energy price support scheme will be redesigned in a more targeted way to help those most in need from next April, while also warning that government spending will need to be cut in other areas to deliver stability.
Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Ukrainian emergency workers hold a cat rescued from the rubble after multiple explosions caused by “kamikaze drones” hit the capital Kyiv, damaging residential and administrative buildings, according to Ukrainian officials.
