Nearly 98,000 hectares burned in France, a 'historic record' says government

Nearly 98,000 hectares burned in France, a 'historic record' says government

France 24 •

The threat posed by a wildfire raging in the southwestern French department of Gironde "remains very serious," the top regional official, Sophie Brocas, said Saturday."The threat remains very serious. We are still facing a grave situation," she said, adding however that the blaze has lost "some of its intensity thanks to lower temperatures and increased humidity."

New North Sea oil drilling faces delay after gear accidentally dropped in sea

New North Sea oil drilling faces delay after gear accidentally dropped in sea

The Guardian •

Exclusive: Blunder at Rosebank, UK’s biggest undeveloped oilfield, comes as government considers granting licenceProduction at Britain’s biggest undeveloped oil and gasfield could be delayed for months after equipment from a rig was accidentally dropped in the North Sea, the Guardian can reveal.Andy Burnham’s new government is under pressure from the fossil fuel industry to allow oil to be retriev...

Venezuela’s twin earthquakes: the toll one month later

Euronews •

One month after twin earthquakes struck Venezuela, the official death toll has surpassed 5,500, with 16,700 injured. Damage is estimated at $19.6 billion, while thousands remain homeless and the number of missing people has not been updated since late June.

Flavio Bolsonaro launches presidential bid in Brazil despite challenges

Flavio Bolsonaro launches presidential bid in Brazil despite challenges

France 24 •

Flavio Bolsonaro on Saturday formally launched his campaign for Brazil's October presidential election, seeking to extend his family's grip on the country's far-right movement despite a series of scandals that have dented his once-strong challenge to incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

The Battle Over Al-Aqsa

Al Jazeera •

What happened when thousands of Israelis stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound under Israeli police protection?

Troy Jackson secures Democratic nomination for Maine Senate seat after chaotic primary race

Troy Jackson secures Democratic nomination for Maine Senate seat after chaotic primary race

The Guardian •

Progressive former state senate president gains nomination after Graham Platner dropped out over sexual assault allegationsIn a race defined by scandal, withdrawals and a frantic hunt for a replacement candidate, Maine Democrats hit reset on their chaotic Senate primary on Saturday as Troy Jackson officially secured the party’s nomination.He took the stage at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor t...

Eight family members found dead in Michigan fire, some with gunshot wounds

Eight family members found dead in Michigan fire, some with gunshot wounds

The Guardian •

Firefighters responded to an emergency call and found the bodies, six of which were those of childrenA devastating tragedy has unfolded in Michigan after emergency crews responding to a house fire found eight members of the same family, including six children, dead. At least some of the dead inside the home had gunshot wounds.Deputies with the Ottawa county sheriff’s office and firefighters from t...

Zebra mussels spread across all Great Lakes within a decade of arriving in 1988

Zebra mussels spread across all Great Lakes within a decade of arriving in 1988

Times of India •

Zebra mussels, an aquatic invader from Eurasia, continue their continental spread after arriving in North America. These tiny shellfish are now infesting Lake Meredith in Texas, raising new concerns. Officials confirmed a reproducing population, marking the lake as a potential stepping stone. The mussels damage ecosystems and infrastructure by clinging to hard surfaces and multiplying rapidly. ...

How America’s 250-year China dream became its greatest strategic challenge

How America’s 250-year China dream became its greatest strategic challenge

SCMP •

One morning in February 1784, a converted privateer called the Empress of China sailed out of New York harbour. It was bound for a country almost no one aboard had ever seen – China, then ruled by the Qing dynasty. Six months later, it dropped anchor at Canton, the only port where the Qing government allowed Western maritime trade. At the time, the Declaration of Independence was less than a decad...

Kazakhstan's president urges Putin to ‘freeze’ war in Ukraine

Kazakhstan's president urges Putin to ‘freeze’ war in Ukraine

France 24 •

Kazakhstan's president on Saturday urged Russian leader Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine during talks in the Siberian city of Omsk. Hours earlier, Ukrainian drones struck an oil refinery in Siberia in one of Kyiv's deepest attacks inside Russia.