‘It’s been very tough’: hope of progress in gruelling battle against south Wales wildfire
The Guardian

‘It’s been very tough’: hope of progress in gruelling battle against south Wales wildfire

Efforts of emergency services and military in Blaenavon appear to be working but there are fears for the futureMore than three weeks after it began burning and two days after the military deployed to the area, there is hope that the huge wildfire on the hillside above the Ebbw valley village of Blaenavon may finally be coming under control.Emergency workers and soldiers described a gruelling battl...

US envoy Kushner visits Hamas leader in push for Gaza road map before Netanyahu meeting

US envoy Kushner visits Hamas leader in push for Gaza road map before Netanyahu meeting

SCMP

US negotiator and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner held a rare meeting with the Hamas chief on Sunday in a new diplomatic effort to make progress in the stalled Gaza ceasefire. Kushner will meet Israel’s prime minister on Monday. The talks aim to salvage the new 15-point, US-backed road map for Hamas to disarm in Gaza and Israel to withdraw from the Palestinian territory shattered...

Driver arrested after Hungary bus crash kills 12 people, injures at least 10

Driver arrested after Hungary bus crash kills 12 people, injures at least 10

SCMP

A passenger bus travelling on a highway in Hungary early on Sunday went off the road and into a ditch where it overturned, killing 12 and injuring others, police said. The bus, which was carrying a group of Polish tourists, was travelling on eastbound lanes near the town of Mezokeresztes when it overturned on the M3 motorway around 140km (87 miles) east of Hungary’s capital, Budapest, at around 1a...

Iran offers US$30,000 bounty for killing or capturing US soldiers

Iran offers US$30,000 bounty for killing or capturing US soldiers

SCMP

Iran’s military announced on Sunday that it was offering a bounty equivalent to US$30,000 for killing or capturing US soldiers, with the reward doubled if carried out by a woman. Army chief Amir Hatami said the plan had been drawn up following a “large number of requests” to take part, according to the IRNA state news agency. There has been no known deployment of US ground forces in Iran during th...

Democrats demand answers from Trump on USS Abraham Lincoln conditions

Democrats demand answers from Trump on USS Abraham Lincoln conditions

The Guardian

Senator Ruben Gallego calls carrier’s months-long deployment a ‘deep problem’ as wellbeing concerns mountDemocrats on Sunday intensified their demands for answers from the Trump administration over conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln as the aircraft carrier’s nearly nine-month deployment continued fueling concern over crew morale, mental health and living conditions.Ruben Gallego, a Democrat...

At 15, Lynne Cox broke the English Channel record for men and women; at 30...

At 15, Lynne Cox broke the English Channel record for men and women; at 30...

Times of India

In 1987, endurance swimmer Lynne Cox made waves by crossing the Bering Strait, swimming from Alaska to Soviet territory during a tense Cold War period. This monumental swim was more than a personal triumph; it represented a bridge of peace and understanding between two divided nations. Her bravery earned accolades from leaders in both the US and the Soviet Union, emphasizing the potential for coop...

BBC asks US court for help with testimony from the Trump family in defamation suit

BBC asks US court for help with testimony from the Trump family in defamation suit

SCMP

Britain’s BBC asked a US court for help in getting documents and testimony from members of US President Donald Trump’s family in connection with his US$10-billion defamation lawsuit against the British broadcaster, a court document showed. Lawyers for the BBC argued that Ivanka Trump, her husband Jared Kushner and Donald Trump Jnr have “personal knowledge” and are likely to have records relevant t...

Water companies in England and Wales explore ‘surge pricing’ during drought

Water companies in England and Wales explore ‘surge pricing’ during drought

The Guardian

Suppliers could factor water scarcity into charges as part of Ofwat proposal to reduce consumptionWater companies could be allowed to raise bills for customers during periods of drought under proposals being considered by the sector’s regulator for England and Wales.Suppliers would be permitted to factor “water scarcity” into bills as part of efforts to reduce consumption under Ofwat’s plans, whic...

Customs steps in after woman claims beauty chain Opatra cheated her out of HK$60,000

Customs steps in after woman claims beauty chain Opatra cheated her out of HK$60,000

SCMP

Hong Kong customs has said it is actively following up on a case involving a London‑based beauty chain after a woman complained that she cheated into paying more than HK$60,000 (US$7,700) for products and raised concerns about the company’s operations. Opatra London’s outlet at Sha Tin New Town Plaza shopping centre posted a notice over the weekend saying that it had “temporarily suspended” operat...