Washington records world’s worst air quality for a city after 850,000 Fourth of July fireworks pred 15 urami in 10 minutami Hourly concentrations of particulate matter rose to 6.7 times their pre-fireworks levels, according to an analysisWashington DC residents breathed in “unhealthy” air for hours after a 40-minute Independence Day fireworks show over the National Mall on Saturday night, with the country’s capital briefly recording the worst air quality of any major city in the world.The highly emitting display, which the president called “spectacular”, came as the Trump administration rolls back an unprecedented number of pollution controls. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Record wildfires in Europe show failure to adapt carries a mounting cost pred 15 urami in 12 minutami Scientists call for better land management alongside reduction in greenhouse gases causing the crisisWhen storm after storm battered the Mediterranean at the start of the year, drowning fields and sending water spurting from plug sockets, few people were fretting about fires.But just four months later, the murky brown floods that swamped towns and fouled homes across western Europe have given way to angry red blazes and choking black smoke. Rampant wildfires burned 28,000 hectares (69,160 acres) in France and 50,000 hectares in Spain as of 1 July, more than double the average for that time of year, and more land has been charred by bigger fires in the week since. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Bombs explode near Damascus hotel housing Macron on Syria visit pred 15 urami in 55 minutami Blasts did not interrupt French president’s visit but are setback for Syrian leaders’ attempt to project stabilityExplosions rocked Damascus near the hotel where French president, Emmanuel Macron, was staying on Tuesday, wounding at least 18 people, Syrian authorities said.Macron was in the presidential palace for a meeting with the Syrian president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, when two improvised explosive devices detonated near the Four Seasons hotel where Macron was reported to be staying. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
