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More than 180 minors among those detained, as firefighters tackle blazes across Europe amid record-breaking heatwaveEurope heatwave – latest updatesAlmost 500 people have been arrested on suspicion of starting wildfires in France since the start of the summer, authorities have said, as firefighters in half a dozen European countries tackle ferocious blazes amid a record-breaking heatwave.With three out of five Europeans facing temperatures of at least 30C on Friday and about 150 million enduring 35C or more, France’s interior ministry said 474 people, including 183 minors, had been detained over wildfires in the country since 1 July. Continue reading...

First responders, residents and environmental groups say military dropping flares to destroy forests and cropsFirefighters and residents of south Lebanon have accused the Israeli military of lighting wildfires in the region, as forested areas burned down in blazes sparked by Israeli bombing.Environmental groups said the fires in recent weeks were part of a longstanding Israeli practice of targeting Lebanon’s natural environment. Continue reading...

Suspect had a prior conviction for reportedly shooting his father in Arizona, after he told his son to do the dishesAuthorities on Monday charged a man in Washington state with starting a wildfire that has consumed almost 4,000 acres and forced tens of thousands from their homes.Aaron F Farinacci, 37, of Spokane, was arrested and charged with first-degree arson for setting the Old Trails fire, the largest of three devastating wildfires burning through the region. Continue reading...

• The European Union has launched a call-for-tender to provide €5 billion in funding to establish a network of seven AI gigafactories. • The plan includes four smaller hubs, each housing up to 75,000 AI chips, and three larger factories designed to hold 100,000 advanced chips each. • Several nations have expressed interest, with Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Greece eyeing larger hubs, while France, Poland, Finland, Denmark, and Czechia are among those pursuing smaller sites.

More than 100 Democrats voted to cut military aid to Israel as US public opinion shifts – Republicans are noticing tooSomewhere in the days before Wednesday’s vote, Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, sat down and wrote his caucus a letter urging Democrats to reject an amendment that would strip security assistance to Israel. For most of his tenure as Democratic leader, that kind of internal whipping operation would have been unnecessary, because the outcome would have been assumed.His own second-in-command voted the other way anyway. Continue reading...

• The Netherlands, led by manager Ronald Koeman, are preparing to face Morocco in a World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match. • The high-stakes knockout game is scheduled to take place at the Estadio BBVA in Mexico City. • This match is critical as it determines which team advances further in the tournament's elimination bracket.

• The USMNT utilized a rotated starting XI for their final World Cup group-stage match against Türkiye. • Weston McKennie was highlighted as an influential presence in the midfield, while Sebastian Lletget earned a high rating for providing two critical goals or assists. • Performance varied across the squad, with some players struggling in the first half due to early yellow cards before stabilizing in the second half.