AFP UK

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and French President Emmanuel Macron meet at a bilateral meeting during the G20 summit in Rio. IMAGES

Unknown (AFP) – US President Joe Biden has cleared Kyiv to use long-range American missiles against military targets inside Russia, a US official told AFP, prompting the Kremlin to accuse Biden on Monday of escalating the war in Ukraine. This comes as Moscow unleashed a second missile attack in as many days on the UNESCO-protected Ukrainian city of Odesa on the Black Sea that left ten dead and more than 40 wounded.

Gizeh (AFP) – Thanks to the viral footage of Apollo, a stray who became an overnight sensation last month after being filmed scaling the Great Pyramid of Khafre, interest amongst visitors in the dogs of Giza has grown, boosting tourism and local businesses.

Peking (AFP) – China reiterates calls for a peaceful settlement to the war in Ukraine after Washington cleared Kyiv to use long-range American missiles against military targets inside Russia.

Warsaw (AFP) – Ukrainians attempting to visit their loved ones in Russian occupied areas of their country are forced to make an arduous journey via Belarus to Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, where they are subjected to intense security checks. Many get rejected and sent back, according to people who have been through the process.

Tbilisi (AFP) – A Georgian opposition member in the Central Electoral Commission splashes its chair, Giorgi Kalandarishvili, with a black liquid, briefly disrupting the commission’s session. During this session, the commission confirmed the ruling party’s victory in a controversial parliamentary vote. The interior ministry says it has launched a criminal probe against the commission’s opposition member who threw the liquid, Davit Kirtadze.

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Activists from the “Rio de Paz” human rights group display 733 empty plates on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana beach ahead of the G20 summit to urge leaders to tackle hunger. The number symbolizes the 733 million people who suffered from hunger last year according to UN figures.

Ukraine (AFP) – Rescuers deal with the aftermath of a major Russian missile attack in the Odesa region. Russia pummelled Ukraine with a “massive” aerial barrage on Sunday, according to Ukrainian officials, killing at least nine people and forcing power cuts with fears of a precarious winter to come. Hundreds of missiles and drones streaked across Ukrainian skies as Russia’s invasion dragged past its one thousandth day, leaving more than 20 people wounded in addition to the deaths and damaging the country’s already beleaguered energy grid.

Vienna (AFP) – Chandeliers, glittering stars and sparkling red globes are among the designs illuminating 31 Viennese streets in an effort to bring festive cheer to struggling retailers. The Austrian capital has boosted spending on its end-of-year light displays as the country’s economy flounders.

Lima (AFP) – World leaders pose for a family photo at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Lima. Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for Asia-Pacific economies to “unite and cooperate” in the face of mounting “protectionism,” at a summit in Peru. IMAGES

Chiang Mai (Thailand) (AFP) – Thousands of lanterns light up the sky of Thai tourist hotspot Chiang Mai as the northern city celebrates the traditional Yi Peng festival.

Baku (AFP) – Former US Vice President Al Gore says it is “absurd” to host UN climate talks in petrostates and says the way decisions are made on who gets to be a delegate to the conferences should be reformed, with tests for oil companies wishing to attend. Azerbaijan, a major oil and gas producer is currently hosting COP29 in Baku.