"Approximately a billion tiny plastic nurdles have entered the River Tyne after a “devastating spill”, with the pellets thought to have spread much further than first thought."
"France recorded at least 5,700 more deaths than usual during a historic heat wave last month, the public health agency said Wednesday, sharply increasing its estimates of the feared toll from record-shattering temperatures."
"Newly revealed documents from inside the most powerful farming lobby in Europe show how it delayed, gutted and overturned some of the most sweeping farming reforms in EU history, including a plan to cut pesticide use in half."
"Wildfires cast a pall of smoke this week over Greater Manchester, whose former mayor Andy Burnham stands on the threshold of No 10. Amid three UK heatwaves so far this year, which have killed thousands of people in England and Wales, damaged harvests and left children crying in classrooms, the new prime minister’s plans for the climate crisis remain as shrouded as his city."
"Above average temperatures combined with below average rainfall across much of western and central Europe during June and the first half of July have placed increasing pressure on rivers, ecosystems and energy infrastructure. Persistent high pressure brought prolonged sunshine, suppressed rainfall and enhanced evaporation, causing river levels to fall and water temperatures to increase."
"At least 11 people died attempting to flee a wildfire in southern Spain, and 19 were missing, with firefighters on Friday still battling to bring one of the country's deadliest blazes on record under control."
"A federal judge on Thursday ruled in favor of The Washington Post, throwing out a $3.8 billion defamation lawsuit filed in 2023 by President Donald Trump’s social media company, Trump Media and Technology Group." "The social media company failed to identify convincing evidence that The Post acted with actual malice, a federal judge in Tampa ruled."
"Belgium’s federal government is facing mounting criticism after health authorities linked last month’s record-breaking heat wave to over 1,200 excess deaths, prompting opposition parties to accuse ministers of failing to protect the country’s most vulnerable citizens."
"The birds are particularly vulnerable to high temperatures, and France’s torrid June took a heavy toll."
