Cities

After a five-storey building collapsed in Delhi, focus is on how urban areas can adapt to growing populations. Plus, Ahmedabad’s ace newspaper delivery driver goes viralRecently, I may have saved a woman’s life on the road. Somehow, this was something I had expected to happen.On that day, I saw a truck leave a construction site with a tangled wire trailing behind. I frantically looked to see what the wire was attached to and spotted the scaffolding a few meters ahead. I shrieked and grabbed the hand of the woman walking in front of me just as the metal pipes came crashing down. We hugged for a brief second, and then walked our separate ways. Continue reading...

Riyadh says it will retaliate after overnight attacks by Iran-backed Yemen group on oil facilities wound more than 70Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis have attacked four cities in Saudi Arabia, wounding more than 70 people and setting oil installations ablaze in what appeared to be a significant expansion of the Middle East war.Saudi Arabia said it would retaliate after the overnight strikes – reportedly involving dozens of drones and missiles – that targeted several oil facilities in the country’s south. Continue reading...

OS index examines which ‘urban heat islands’ suffer the most – and which cope the best with rising temperaturesPortsmouth, Leicester, Exeter, Bristol and Nottingham will be among the cities that warm the most by the end of this century as global heating turns British cities into urban heat islands, according to research.Analysis from Ordnance Survey (OS) has created a heat vulnerability index for all cities in Great Britain. Portsmouth, which sits on the south coast of England and is home to 208,000 people, is the most vulnerable to extreme heat today and into the future, according to the research from the OS, the Met Office and the data analysis company 4 Earth Intelligence. Continue reading...

Local governments working with firms also linked to fossil fuel giants, analysis of federal lobbying disclosures showsCongressional lobbyists working for fossil fuel firms that are exacerbating the climate crisis are simultaneously representing more than 300 local governments raising funding to recover from climate damage, according to a new analysis.The research by F Minus and Make Polluters Pay reviewed congressional lobbying disclosures for the first quarter of 2026, finding that another 568 local governments hired fossil fuel lobbyists to work on non-climate related issues during that time, some of which included climate adjacent issues, like healthcare and home insurance. Continue reading...

Similar initiatives have been launched from Barcelona to Bogotá, but they have misinformation, political pressure and vested interests stacked against themTen years ago, Alastair Harper was an advocate for young people’s health sitting in a stuffy meeting room in London planning an air pollution campaign. “My phone started buzzing,” he said. “I took the call, and then told the room I needed to leave immediately.“I had to get to UCLH [one of London’s major hospitals]. My own child was headed there in a blue-lit ambulance because she was struggling to breathe London’s toxic air.” Continue reading...

• Seoul experienced a surge in inbound tourism for seven consecutive months from January to July 2026, breaking global records and overtaking other South Korean cities. • The growth was primarily driven by the global popularity of K-culture and supportive government policies. • In June 2026 alone, six Southeast Asian markets—Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore—contributed a combined 230,000 tourists.

More air-conditioned spaces are open during extreme heat, but distance, stigma and risk perception keep many awayResponding to an uptick in extreme heat waves this summer, US cities have increased their efforts to establish cooling centers to keep people safe but continue to encounter a problem: actually getting people to enter the public air-conditioned spaces.Lower-income people, who often do not have – or cannot afford to operate – air conditioning, face a greater risk of heat-related illness or deaths, which means public agencies in the US concentrate their efforts on trying to reach them. Continue reading...

Zelenskyy says military managed to hit two refineries in targeted attacks At least six people were killed and 36 injured in another round of Russian overnight attacks on Ukraine, targeting the eastern city of Balakliia and the northern region of Sumy.But the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, noted that Ukraine’s military managed to hit two Russian refineries in targeted attacks, hitting “Russia’s oil revenues, which it uses to finance the war and the killing of Ukrainians.” Continue reading...

Move comes as fourth heatwave of summer intensifies, edging temperatures in some areas close to 40CItaly is to place all of its 27 major cities, from Trieste in the north to Palermo in the south, under the highest heat alert as the fourth heatwave to hit the country this summer intensifies.A red alert means there is a higher chance of an emergency owing to the health risk posed by prolonged extreme temperatures to the entire population. Continue reading...

• The U.S. Department of Justice is monitoring polling sites in Detroit, Hamtramck, Lansing, and East Lansing during the August 4 Michigan primary. • The agency notified Detroit, Lansing, and East Lansing of its intent to deploy election monitors via letters sent in late June. • This oversight ensures federal monitoring of the voting process to maintain election integrity and protect voter rights in key urban areas.

• The U.S. Justice Department deployed election monitors to four Michigan cities on Tuesday to oversee a critical primary election. • The primary is essential for determining the November candidates for an open U.S. Senate seat, which is expected to be one of the most competitive races of the 2026 midterms. • This move ensures federal oversight of voting processes to maintain integrity and accessibility during a high-stakes electoral cycle.

• The UN Security Council convened on Monday at Ukraine's request to address the escalation of large-scale Russian military strikes. • Recent attacks, including an overnight strike on Kyiv on July 19, resulted in at least one civilian death and over a dozen injuries. • The strikes caused significant damage to residential homes and critical civilian infrastructure across the capital and other cities and ports.

In April Japan coined new term kokushobi for days above 40C as country advises workers to wear shorts to the office to cope with stifling heatJapan logged its first official kokushobi or “cruelly hot day” on Tuesday since the new term for when temperatures top 40 degrees Celsius was introduced in April. The Japan Meteorological Agency coined the new designation to warn the public of the heat dangers of days that were once freak weather events but have now become more common.The central Japan cities of Gujo and Tajimi in Gifu prefecture, along with Toyota in Aichi prefecture, all hit 40C. Gujo’s 40C and Toyota’s 40.1C were all-time highs recorded at their respective weather stations. Continue reading...

Residents in Bandar Abbas and Sirik regions describe communities in fear and ‘feeling abandoned’ after US launch fresh strikes over two-day periodResidents in southern Iran have described two nights of fear this week after explosions shook coastal communities as the US launched fresh strikes on targets including the port cities of Bandar Abbas and Sirik.US Central Command confirmed the attacks, saying they were carried out to “further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the strait of Hormuz”. Continue reading...

• The Economic Times has launched the "ET Most Innovative AI Product Awards 2026" to honor AI products creating a measurable impact across India. • A key focus is the "AI in Bharat & Inclusive Innovation" category, which highlights tools designed for users outside major metropolitan areas. • These awards prioritize solutions that address accessibility, provide regional language support, and offer practical business applications for underserved populations.

• Musician Charli xcx announced her upcoming album, 'Music, Fashion, Film', on June 1 via an Instagram post featuring the album cover. • To promote the release, the artist will host a series of listening sessions across 25 different cities globally. • The album's title and cover art are represented by figures John Cale, Marc Jacobs, and Martin Scorsese, symbolizing music, fashion, and film.

Agency says drones had been caught across all 11 US host cities in restricted airspace since tournament beganMore than 600 drones flying over restricted World Cup airspace in the US have been seized since the tournament began in June, the FBI said on Saturday – including 99 captured flying in Miami, 77 in Atlanta and 32 in Kansas City.In a statement on X, the law enforcement agency said that drones had been caught across all 11 US host cities by FBI and the federal Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Continue reading...

• Rebel fighters besieging El Obeid, Sudan, are using drone attacks that have put approximately 500,000 civilians at risk of large-scale atrocities. • The ongoing conflict has displaced over 14 million people internally and pushed millions toward famine while severely limiting humanitarian access. • Sudan is facing a public health crisis with concurrent outbreaks of malaria, dengue fever, and cholera, the latter causing 120 deaths and 1,102 cases since Monday.

More than half of homes taken to auction not selling while median property price in Adelaide started to slide in JuneGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastHouse prices are now falling in four capital cities with the Adelaide market beginning to slide in June, while Sydney values have dropped by $48,000 since the start of the year.Data from Cotality, released on Wednesday, showed Sydney and Melbourne recorded their biggest one-month decline in values since August 2022, falling 1.2% and 1% respectively. Continue reading...

• British lawmakers have presented evidence to the UK Parliament regarding alleged civilian killings and human rights abuses committed by security forces in Pakistan-administered Kashmir (PoK). • The MPs are urging the UK government to take stronger diplomatic and political action against the administration of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. • These developments place the Pakistani government and military leadership, specifically Field Marshal Asim Munir, under increased international scrutiny for their conduct in the region.

Temperatures expected to hit 40C in parts of the UK, as extreme heatwave spreads slowly eastwards, sparking warnings in Italy and the NetherlandsFrance records hottest day ever as 40 people drown across countryTell us: how is the heatwave in the UK and across Europe affecting you?Europe is braced for another day of an unprecedented heatwave that has smashed records in many countries.Italy’s health ministry has declared a red heatwave alert in 16 cities for Wednesday, including Milan and Rome, and in the UK, temperatures are expected to reach 40C in some areas. Continue reading...

Foreign Office failed to act on warnings of genocide due to ‘pressure’ from emirates, Yale human rights investigator will tell a parliamentary select committeeThe British government had received intelligence that Ethiopia appeared to be supporting a genocidal militia in Sudan’s civil war as far back as 2024 but did not go public with the news for fear of upsetting the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a parliamentary committee will hear.In May 2024, officials from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) told Nathaniel Raymond, an American human rights investigator at Yale University, that “significant private pressure” from the UAE meant the UK would not publicly divulge information linking Ethiopia and the emirates to their support for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Continue reading...

Police make several arrests as rival demonstrators take to streets of Brighton, Liverpool, Sheffield and GlasgowFar-right marches took place across the UK on Saturday after violent unrest in Belfast and Southampton in recent days.Several people were arrested on Saturday afternoon as far-right groups clashed with anti-racist and anti-fascist demonstrators in Brighton, Liverpool, Sheffield and Glasgow. Continue reading...

Amazon and Sony among firms that may have sourced coltan, used in phones, from supply chains controlled by the M23 rebels, says Global WitnessLeading global brands including Amazon, Ericsson and Sony are “likely” to have sourced minerals linked to a militia accused of widespread sexual violence, summary executions and torture, a new investigation claims.The companies allegedlybut unknowingly, acquired coltan smuggled from mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) that are occupied by the M23 militia, which has committed myriad atrocities in eastern DRC. Continue reading...

More than 120 groups issued warning to 10 million visitors about ‘serious rights violations’ under TrumpWith the Fifa World Cup just two weeks away, immigrant rights advocates in the 11 US host cities are mobilizing to protect fans and residents from immigration enforcement activities this summer.In Los Angeles, a labor union representing more than 2,000 hospitality workers at SoFi Stadium is threatening to strike if agents do not stay away from the venue, which is expected to draw about 70,000 fans per match. Continue reading...

Markwayne Mullin, DHS secretary, said move would come in response to protests outside ICE facility in New JerseyThe Trump administration has threatened to stop processing international flights in major cities around the country as a reaction to protests against immigration enforcement.Markwayne Mullin, the homeland security secretary, said on Tuesday that the administration is “drawing up plans” to take the action, in response to days of clashes at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in New Jersey. Continue reading...

• Sports travel is significantly altering tourism patterns across European and British cities as fans prioritize stadium visits and major race events over traditional sightseeing. • Economic impact is substantial, with sports-related travel spending reaching over 50 billion euros in a single year. • This shift highlights a growing preference for "real-time" experiential travel, where visitors seek the atmosphere of live crowds and sporting history.

As communities push for publicly owned electricity, private utilities may be deploying dark money and local front groups to stop themThe utility industry is quietly dispatching a network of front groups to thwart the growing push for public power across the US – a push that comes amid mounting frustration over sky-high utility bills, electric outages, a slow transition to clean energy and private utilities’ soaring profits.Communities from Ann Arbor, Michigan to San Diego, California and St Petersburg, Florida are exploring municipalizing their grids to join the country’s approximately 2,000 public power companies. Continue reading...