Kathmandu (AFP) – Nepal’s deadly earthquake eight years ago reduced swathes of centuries-old monuments to rubble, but the vast task of restoration has sparked a revival of once-fading traditional craft skills.
Paris (AFP) – French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna says that the deadly attacks that Islamist militant group Hamas carried out in Israel “are similar” to crimes against humanity.
Puerto Vallarta (Mexico) (AFP) – Hurricane Lidia has triggered floods and left at least one person dead after hitting Mexico’s Pacific coast. In the resort town of Puerto Vallarta, people awoke to downed trees and power lines.
Washington (AFP) – At least 22 US citizens have been killed since Hamas militants launched a massive attack against Israel, and 17 remain missing, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tells reporters.
Asuncion (AFP) – A riot breaks out at Tacumbu prison in Asuncion, Paraguay, which was taken over by hundreds of inmates after the Justice Minister publicly announced a plan “to retake power in the penitentiaries” where the Rotela Clan and Brazilian gangs reign supreme.
Zindah Jān (Afghanistan) (AFP) – “Our family was killed here. How could we live here?,” says 40 year-old Mohammad Naeem as he sits near the house where he lost 12 family members in a series of quakes that killed at least 1,000 people in western Afghanistan. Like him, thousands of Afghans who survived the quake on 7 October are bracing for a winter of homelessness, as rescuers make last-ditch efforts to find survivors. At least one person was killed and 130 injured on 11 October when western Afghanistan was struck by another 6.3-magnitude earthquake.
Auckland (AFP) – New Zealander Mike Heard, 41, smashes the world record Wednesday for the most bungee jumps in 24 hours after making a total of 941 leaps off Auckland Bridge. Heard said he was motivated to bring the record to New Zealand and raise money for a mental health charity.
Half Moon Bay (United States) (AFP) – A monster pumpkin weighing the same as a hippopotamus claims the world record for the mightiest gourd — and bagged its grower a $30,000 prize. Travis Gienger squashed the competition with his enormous fruit weighing in at an improbable 2,749 pounds at the Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival in California.
Vatican City (AFP) – Pope Francis calls for the immediate release of hostages taken in fighting between Hamas and Israel, and expresses his concern over the siege of Gaza.
Villa Carlos Paz (Argentina) (AFP) – Wildfires rage near homes in the city of Villa Carlos Paz, in Argentina’s central province of Cordoba, causing widespread destruction and prompting evacuations. Firefighters have been trying to control the blaze since it broke out on October 9. According to local media, a man admitted to lighting a fire to heat water for coffee, and said he lost control of the flames. The fires have been exacerbated by challenging weather conditions, with temperatures soaring to around 35 degrees Celsius and strong north winds gusting up to 70 kilometres per hour.
