Risk

Lake has formed at epicentre of flood, forcing rescue teams to withdraw, Chinese state media reportNepal flash flood – latest updatesNearly 1,400 missing, mostly tourists, and hundreds killedVisual guide: how the deadly flooding unfoldedTell us: have you been affected by the flash floods?China has paused rescue work at the epicentre of the catastrophic flooding in Tibet this week amid fears that a lake ⁠formed at the ⁠site ⁠was ⁠at risk ​of ‌bursting, as the overall death toll in Nepal rose to 469 people, with more than 1,300 missing.A lake formed by immense piles of debris has begun overflowing towards the area where rescue teams were headed, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Friday. Continue reading...

Australian government announces 24 expeditioners based at research station on Macquarie Island will be evacuated over possible ‘prolonged psychological stress’A dolphin has died from H5 bird flu in South Australia, marking the second native mammal species known to have contracted the virus.It comes as the federal government announced it would withdraw researchers from the subantarctic Macquarie Island research station due to the “psychosocial risk” of witnessing potential mass seal deaths from H5N1 during the upcoming seal breeding season. Continue reading...

The catastrophic flash flood has killed at least 389 people and left more than 1,300 missing, with hundreds of tourists unaccounted forNearly 1,400 missing, mostly tourists, and hundreds killedVisual guide: how the deadly flooding unfoldedTell us: have you been affected by the flash floods?Chinese authorities have warned that an artificial lake formed after a catastrophic flash flood hit the China-Nepal border on Wednesday faces a “high risk of breaching and sending flood waters downstream”, according to state media.“According to forecasts, inflows into the lake could reach about 3 million cubic meters over the next three days amid continued rainfall, increasing the risk of a breach that could send flood waters downstream and potentially cause further damage in areas including Gyirong Port and elsewhere downstream”, state news agency Xinhua reported late Thursday.Rescue teams and military helicopters are searching for hundreds of missing people along the mountainous Nepal-Tibet border after a huge torrent of water and mud swept through communities following a glacier collapse on Wednesday.More than 390 people were killed, authorities in Nepal and China said, and more than 1,400 were missing, including hundreds of foreign citizens and pilgrims.More than 500 foreign citizens were among 826 people missing in Nepal, police and tourism ⁠officials said. Among those unaccounted for were 177 from India, 90 from the US, 34 from Australia, 33 from Britain and 25 from Canada.Chinese state media said at least 558 were missing on the Tibet side of the border, of whom at least 260 were foreign nationals.UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said he ordered the release of $2m from the UN’s central emergency response fund to help with medical care, shelter and water.US president Donald Trump said the flooding was terrible to see, describing how “strong, well-built buildings were wiped out like they were toothpicks”.Nepalese officials said dozens of bridges were destroyed and nearly 40km of roads damaged, complicating search efforts.The Nepalese army had rescued more than 100 people by helicopter, an army spokesperson said. Army teams also evacuated people trapped inside facilities linked to the Trishuli hydropower project, he said.Dozens of injured people were transported to Kathmandu for medical care.Rescuers found bodies in Nepal’s Chitwan district, hundreds of kilometres downstream from the hardest-hit areas.The Nepal Red Cross Society said the agency has shifted its focus from rescue to large-scale relief operations in the flood-hit districts.China’s premier, Li Qiang, arrived on Thursday in Gyirong to direct rescue efforts, alongside 500 military and paramilitary personnel. Continue reading...

• Massive flash floods in central Nepal have resulted in numerous deaths and left over 750 people missing, including 133 Indian nationals. • Indian authorities report that at least 290 Indian citizens currently remain "uncontactable" following the deluge. • Both Nepal and China have issued warnings regarding fresh flood risks, indicating that the region remains under significant threat.

Government measures to improve resilience are not due until 2030 and July’s hack has not altered this timeline Hundreds of Britain’s smallest power plants could remain at a higher risk to state-sponsored cyber-attacks until the 2030s despite a successful Iran-linked hack last month, it has emerged.Officials this week briefed energy bosses on the breach, which is understood to have shut an unnamed small gas power plant for four days last month, and put the industry on alert over the growing cyber threat facing energy infrastructure. Continue reading...

Findings from research into illnesses associated with bathing in lakes and rivers come amid boom in hobbyWild swimming has been linked to a higher risk of stomach bugs and skin rashes, according to the largest ever controlled study of illnesses associated with bathing in rivers and lakes.The research found that swimmers at locations in Hungary were more than twice as likely to develop skin problems, while the risk of contracting a stomach bug rose significantly in water with higher concentrations of E coli and other bacteria linked to faecal pollution. Continue reading...

• Tech companies are racing to develop quantum computers capable of revolutionizing fields such as finance, climate research, and medical science. • While these devices promise immense processing power, they pose a severe threat to current cybersecurity by potentially breaking standard encryption methods. • This tension creates a critical vulnerability for global data security, as existing cryptographic protections may become obsolete.

Scientists found those who had used hormone replacement therapy were 10% less likely to be diagnosed with dementiaHormone replacement therapy may reduce the risk of dementia, a study has found.Scientists tracked more than 180,000 postmenopausal women in the UK in the largest study of its kind. They found that those who had used HRT were 10% less likely to develop any type of dementia and 16% less likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the most common form, compared with those who had never used it. Continue reading...

President sharply criticises proposal, saying ‘elections right now are a tsunami for the state that will split Ukraine’Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said holding elections in Ukraine during wartime would risk splitting the country at a time when Russia is amassing ballistic missiles and considering whether to mobilise an extra 300,000 soldiers.The Ukrainian president, responding for the first time to a demand made by the sacked former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, sharply criticised an idea that he said was impractical given that Russia appeared to have no interest in a ceasefire. Continue reading...

• Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is planning a bold intervention involving bond buying to prevent a potentially damaging increase in US borrowing costs. • Shoki Omori, chief fixed income strategist for Japan at Deutsche Bank AG, warns that providing greater liquidity support for Treasuries typically occurs at the expense of the currency. • This strategy matters because while it may stabilize the bond market, it risks weakening the US dollar's global standing and value.

• Asian stock markets experienced a rebound, led by gains in South Korea's KOSPI, though overall weekly losses persist. • The market remains volatile due to ongoing risks associated with bond yields and fluctuating oil prices. • Investors are now shifting their focus toward Nvidia’s upcoming earnings report to gauge the strength of the technology trade.

Decade-long study finds stark gender difference in outcomes of people with heart diseaseMillions of men with heart disease have a higher risk of developing and dying from cancer, according to a decades-long study.The biggest drivers behind male cases were smoking, obesity and drinking too much alcohol, researchers said, with the link most pronounced in lung and oesophageal cancers. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Federal government notified after whistleblower says controllers have ‘minimal confidence in their ability to handle’ rule changes related to second airportGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAir traffic controllers at Sydney airport have warned federal safety regulators they have “grave concerns” about changes to airspace rules introduced last month, likening the situation to the months leading up to a crash in Washington DC in which 67 people died.Guardian Australia can reveal the federal government was notified on Thursday of a confidential complaint considered by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), in which an experienced air traffic controller warned in June that changes related to the new Western Sydney International airport had been rushed, with “inadequate training for controllers, of all experience levels”. Continue reading...

Review by paediatricians links child vaping with poor respiratory health such as coughing, wheezing and asthmaYoung people who start vaping risk developing breathing problems and going on to smoke cigarettes, children’s doctors have warned.Child vaping is consistently linked with poor respiratory health, such as coughing, wheezing, bronchitis symptoms and asthma exacerbations, while vapes have been shown to act as a gateway to smoking cigarettes, according to one of the most comprehensive reviews of the available evidence so far undertaken by the Royal College of Child and Paediatrics Health. Continue reading...

• The European Central Bank (ECB) has warned that the eurozone faces a potential financial crisis if the current artificial intelligence investment bubble bursts. • Concerns are driven by the fact that eurozone households have invested approximately €440 billion in US tech stocks, creating significant stability risks. • In a related development, a US tech giant is providing credit capped at $105 billion to fund a data center designed to house over one million AI chips.

• European stock markets have declined, moving toward their longest losing streak since 2025. • The downturn is primarily driven by escalating war risks, which are creating instability across regional markets. • Despite the current slip, some indicators suggest that structural investments and cyclical improvements are beginning to bolster corporate earnings.

Government assessment warns of supply shock that could leave homes and businesses without gas within a decadeGreat Britain risks running out of gas in the 2030s despite its growing clean energy sources, unless ministers take “unprecedented” action to guard against a future gas supply shock, according to an official assessment of the country’s gas security.The government is considering plans to provide direct financial support to safeguard the country’s ageing gas infrastructure after a consultation found that a “high stress scenario” could mean homes and businesses run out of gas within the next decade. Continue reading...

People urged not to light barbecues, campfires or anything else that could spark fire during period of extreme heatMillions of people across England and Wales have received an emergency alert to their phones as the government warns against activities that could start fires.The deputy prime minister, Louise Haigh, said it was the most extensive use to date of the emergency alert system, with phones beaming a siren noise about 7pm, with the warning “there is a serious risk of wildfires nationally”. Continue reading...

• European stocks retreated from record highs on Wednesday as investors balanced corporate earnings reports against escalating geopolitical risks in the Middle East. • Market sentiment was partially supported by a benign U.S. inflation reading, which reduced immediate fears that the Federal Reserve would implement an interest-rate hike next month. • The pullback reflects a cautious approach from traders who are weighing positive economic indicators against the volatility of regional conflicts and company performance.

• The pan-European Stoxx 600 index closed 0.16% lower at 659.48 points, retreating slightly from recent record highs. • Investors are currently balancing corporate earnings reports against escalating geopolitical risks in the Middle East. • This market movement reflects a cautious sentiment among traders as they weigh economic growth indicators against regional instability.

• European stocks remained steady with the STOXX Europe 600 holding near its record 660 level as investors await the release of US July CPI data, currently forecast at 3.4%. • Sector-specific gains were led by defense and energy, with German naval shipbuilder TKMS rising 14.6% amid escalating geopolitical tensions and increased defense spending. • Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas surged 18.1% following a strong earnings report or an upgraded outlook, contrasting with weakness in luxury stocks.

• The FTSE 100 experienced a decline in stock prices as investors reacted to escalating geopolitical risks in the Middle East. • The market slip occurred despite the release of U.S. inflation data that aligned with analyst expectations, which typically provides stability. • This trend highlights how geopolitical instability can overshadow positive economic indicators, creating volatility for major indices.

• Southeast Asia's 10 economies are facing diverse economic risks and challenges despite their shared geographic proximity. • The region exhibits extreme wealth disparity, with a GDP per capita gap of approximately $98,000 between the wealthiest nation, Singapore, and the poorest, Myanmar. • This divergence means that macroeconomic pressures hit each country differently based on their specific stage of development and stability.

• K-TECH SOLUTIONS (KMRK) disclosed significant operational and financial risks in its latest Form 20-F filing. • The company reported 21.1 million shares outstanding, with insiders holding a dominant 91.9% of the voting power. • Key vulnerabilities include a heavy reliance on a single supplier and a small group of top customers, alongside material weaknesses in internal controls.

• European shares remained largely flat as investors weighed mixed corporate earnings, rising oil prices, and renewed geopolitical tensions. • Energy stocks saw gains during the session, while the automobiles and parts sectors experienced declines. • Market caution is driven by ongoing concerns regarding global trade, inflation levels, and the future outlook for interest rates.

• European shares remained steady on Monday, with the pan-European STOXX 600 holding at 660.12 points. • Market stability follows a record-high close on Friday, where the benchmark climbed 1.7% driven by strong corporate earnings and expectations of lower U.S. borrowing costs. • Investors are currently balancing risks associated with the Strait of Hormuz, which has kept oil prices elevated, against a packed upcoming calendar of economic data.

Analysis finds nearly one in six people leaving jail last year in England and Wales were released into homelessnessAndy Burnham’s pledge to end rough sleeping is under threat from a failure to find accommodation for a growing number of newly released prisoners, a charity has warned.An analysis by the social justice charity Nacro has found that nearly one in six people leaving jail in England and Wales last year were released into homelessness, reaching the highest rate for five years. Continue reading...

• European stocks remained steady on Monday, with the pan-European STOXX 600 holding at 660.12 points following a record-high close on Friday. • Market stability comes as investors balance elevated oil prices driven by uncertainty over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz against a packed upcoming economic data calendar. • The recent 1.7% weekly climb was fueled by strong corporate earnings and expectations of lower U.S. borrowing costs following soft employment data.