AFP UK

Brussels (AFP) – A vice-president of the European Parliament, Eva Kaïli, has been arrested by Belgian police in connection with an investigation into corruption that implicates World Cup hosts, Qatar. Images show Kaili defending Qatar from criticism of its labour rights record and calls out Western hypocrisy. Speaking in front of the European Parliament in November, Kaili says “Qatar is a front-runner in labour rights, abolished Kefala, introducing minimum wage” and that “some here are calling to discriminate (against) them…but still, they take their gas, they have their companies profiting billions there.” SOUNDBITE

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Argentina fans in Buenos Aires celebrate after their team beat the Netherlands 4-3 on penalties following a thrilling 2-2 extra-time draw in a World Cup quarter-final classic.

Lisbon (AFP) – The Portuguese capital Lisbon has been hit by major flooding, triggered by heavy rains. “Everything is full of mud. The problem is not so much the water as the mud destroys more than water,” says one resident of the city’s Alcantara district.

Lima (AFP) – Peruvian police fire tear gas at protesters in Lima, during a demonstration in support of former President Pedro Castillo, who was ousted by lawmakers and arrested, accused of attempting a coup. IMAGES

New York (AFP) – Dubbed ‘Maximus Rex’, an approximately 67 million year-old skull of a Tyrannosaurus rex is due to be auctioned by Sotheby’s in New York, and could become one of the most valuable fossils to go under the hammer.

Puno (Peru) (AFP) – Supporters of ousted Peruvian President Pedro Castillo, hold a demonstration against the newly sworn-in President Dina Boluarte, in the Andean city of Puno. IMAGES

Reykjavik (AFP) – For the past month, visitors to The Lava Show in Reykjavik have been able to approach a re al flow of molten lava in a showroom located in the city center. “You wouldn’t be able to go near it in a normal natural setting, whereas this is a lot safer obviously. I just found it really fascinating,” says Jasmine Luong, visiting from Australia.

Bratislava (AFP) – Another day of the Russian war against Ukraine — another design for an anti-war poster. This is the pledge that Ukrainian graphic artist Mykola Kovalenko has stuck to since February, when Russian troops invaded his homeland. “Many of my friends are fighting the Russians, some of them have already been killed. I am not a warman, I am a graphic artist. My pen is my Kalashnikov,” says the 49-year-old artist, who has lived in Slovakia since 2015, using simple shapes to create posters that pack a powerful emotional punch.

Geneva (AFP) – Geneva wakes up under a snowy day with about 10 cm of fresh snow. Images of the UN Palais des Nations under snow. IMAGES

Houston (AFP) – Images of people leaving the plane that transported United States’ citizen and basketball star Brittney Griner to Houston, after she was released from a Russian prison in exchange for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. Griner was arrested in February on drug charges. IMAGES

Moscow (AFP) – Images of Russian opposition figure Ilya Yashin appearing before a Moscow court ahead of the judge’s verdict on charges of spreading “false information” about the Russian military amid its Ukraine offensive. The trial was postponed after the courtroom was evacuated on December 7. IMAGES

Moscow (AFP) – Russian opposition figure Ilya Yashin appears before a Moscow court ahead of the judge’s guilty verdict on charges of spreading “false information” about Russia’s army after he denounced Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine.