Bangkok (AFP) – US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says that Russia bears ultimate responsibility for a deadly blast in Poland, where an initial probe blamed Ukrainian air defences, during his media address at APEC summit in Bangkok. “Whatever its final conclusion, we already know the party ultimately responsible for this tragic incident — Russia,” says Blinken.
Sharm el Sheikh (Egypt) (AFP) – ‘This is a demand that is equitable (…) and should be accepted,’ says G77 chief negotiator Nabeel Munir about climate reparations during a speech at the COP27 summit in Egypt’s Sharm el Sheikh.
Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Speaking via videolink at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in Singapore, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky slams a fresh wave of rocket strikes across the country as “another Russian terrorist attack”.
Medinaceli (Spain) (AFP) – The “Toro de Jubilo” festival in the central Spanish town of Medinaceli, dating back to the 16th century, is criticised for its practice of setting fire to a metal frame placed on the horns of a bull. “The animal’s been inside a box for several hours” explains Jaime Posada, an activist, “he can’t defend himself, he can’t run, he can’t do anything”. “It’s just animal abuse and they enjoy it” he says of the event’s organisers, who did not respond to AFP’s requests for comment.
Przewodów (Poland) (AFP) – Exclusive aerial footage of the grain warehouse in Przewodow, Poland where a missile fell on Tuesday, killing two people. Western leaders moved to calm fears of a dangerous escalation in Russia’s war in Ukraine on Wednesday, saying the blast was likely an accident caused by Ukrainian air defence systems. The United States, like NATO, has firmly supported Warsaw’s assessment that the deadly missile was probably fired by Ukraine, despite Kyiv pointing the finger at Russia. EXCLUSIVE AERIAL IMAGES
Vatican City (AFP) – The Vatican erects a 26-metre high silver fir tree at the centre of St. Peter’s Square, just over a month before Christmas. The 62-year-old tree comes from a forest in the Abruzzo region of Italy.
Bangkok (AFP) – French President Emmanuel Macron visits the Rajadamnern Thai boxing stadium in Bangkok. Macron is joining other world leaders in Thailand for the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting.
Brooklyn (United States) (AFP) – The Brooklyn Botanic Garden in New York kicks off the holiday season with giant luminous sculptures and artworks nestled in the landscapes. “You can hear the holiday music, it’s a good gateway into the season”, says a visitor.
Bangkok (AFP) – Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Thailand on Thursday for a summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, which is due to focus on pandemic recovery and the war in Ukraine.
Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – The first snow of the winter falls on Maidan Square in Kyiv, blanketing its statues and anti-tank obstacles as the Ukrainian capital faces blackouts and power outages from a fresh series of Russian strikes targeting the country’s energy infrastructure.
Dubai (AFP) – Every weekend, migrant workers in Dubai play informal cricket matches on spare patches of ground.
Bangkok (AFP) – Thai prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha welcomes French President Emmanuel Macron who will join rulers from the 21 members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum for the high-level talks. IMAGES
