Starmer

Starmer bids UK MPs 'goodbye', vows to support Burnham

fire

Toronto air ranked among world's worst as wildfire smoke billows south

  • Smoke from the wildfires also worsened air quality across the border in the United States, with Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire particularly impacted.
  • Toronto had the worst air quality of any major city in the world on Wednesday, the Swiss firm IQAir said, as Canadian authorities urged people to stay indoors.
  • Smoke from the wildfires also worsened air quality across the border in the United States, with Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire particularly impacted.
Toronto had the worst air quality of any major city in the world on Wednesday, the Swiss firm IQAir said, as Canadian authorities urged people to stay indoors.
Toronto edged out New Delhi and the Democratic Republic of Congo's capital Kinshasa as wildfire smoke turned the skies a hazy yellowish-grey in Canada's largest city.
"The biggest contributor to Toronto's spike in air pollution right now is wildfires, though the higher than average temperatures are also playing a role," Armen Araradian of IQAir told AFP.
While this year's wildfire season has been fairly muted compared to the devastation caused in recent years, there are more than 800 active fires nationwide.
Smoke from blazes in northwestern Ontario has filtered down to Toronto, the provincial capital.
City officials have closed pools, cancelled summer camp programs and closed the official FIFA Fan Festival ahead of Wednesday's semi-final match between England and Argentina.
Montreal saw a similar, though less severe impact from wildfires on Tuesday.
Smoke from the wildfires also worsened air quality across the border in the United States, with Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire particularly impacted.
New Yorkers were warned by state authorities that they "may see visible smoke and hazy skies across the state and spikes in smoke-related pollution."
Canadians are enduring potentially hazardous air as a record-smashing North American heat wave persists.
Extreme heat and humidity in the Mountain West spilled over to the densely populated East Coast of the United States and Ontario.
The heat in Ontario is expected to ease by the weekend, but officials have warned of persistent risk from wildfires through the remaining summer months.
So far, Canadian wildfires have scorched 1.9 million hectares this year, an area nearly the size of Slovenia.
That damage remains far off the pace of 2023, Canada's worst wildfire season on record, when nearly 18 million hectares burned in the country.
bs/mjf/ksb/mlm

bank

Canada central bank holds key rate steady, says economy improving

BY BEN SIMON

  • "Canada's economy is showing signs of improvement," the bank said.
  • Canada's central bank held its key lending rate at 2.25 percent on Wednesday, citing signs of economic improvement with businesses adapting to new trade relations under US President Donald Trump.
  • "Canada's economy is showing signs of improvement," the bank said.
Canada's central bank held its key lending rate at 2.25 percent on Wednesday, citing signs of economic improvement with businesses adapting to new trade relations under US President Donald Trump.
Canada's economy had sputtered over the past year, as Trump's tariffs squeezed key sectors like auto-making, forced job losses and sent jitters across the business community.
Canada entered a technical recession earlier this year, after reporting two consecutive quarters of economic contraction.
But the Bank of Canada on Wednesday pointed to signs of a rebound.
"Canada's economy is showing signs of improvement," the bank said.
Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem noted that while uncertainty surrounding "US trade policy continues to be a headwind, consumers have been resilient and businesses are adapting."
Exports are picking up as businesses explore new ways to get by with US free trade still restricted in several sectors, Macklem said.
"They're reconfiguring their supply chains," he told reporters.
"The other factor is the US economy is strong... they need our exports and you're seeing US businesses increasingly increase their orders for our Canadian exports."
Trump on July 1 refused to renew the North American free trade agreement, but it remains in force while the United States, Canada and Mexico negotiate revised terms.
The survival of the deal known as the USMCA means that roughly 85 percent of US-Canada trade has remained tariff free.
But Prime Minister Mark Carney has warned that US trade will not return to a pre-Trump normal and is pushing Canada to aggressively pursue new markets overseas.
Macklem said there were indications that was happening, pointing to aluminum, a key Canadian sector facing punishing Trump tariffs, where businesses are "finding new customers in Europe."

Iran war

The conflict in the Middle East remains a key risk factor, Macklem added, with hostilities between the US and Iran resuming after a short-lived ceasefire.
The bank has said it would not over-react to energy price inflation caused by the conflict and would only move to raise rates if it saw clear evidence that elevated oil prices were bleeding into other parts of the economy.
"So far, we're not seeing broad spillovers of higher energy prices," Macklem said.
Macklem stressed that a key factor would be how long oil prices stay high. 
"The war is ongoing and I certainly cannot predict when it might get resolved," he said.
Any sign that war related inflation was causing generalized price hikes would be "a warning sign," that might require interest rate hikes, Macklem added.
bs/des

immigration

Trump tells immigration agents to resume traffic stops despite killings

  • No Kings, a coalition of groups protesting Trump's presidency, said in a statement Wednesday that the killings are a "horrific hallmark of continued authoritarian overreach by the Trump administration."
  • US President Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at a decision by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to suspend the use of traffic stops after two fatal shootings in less than a week.
  • No Kings, a coalition of groups protesting Trump's presidency, said in a statement Wednesday that the killings are a "horrific hallmark of continued authoritarian overreach by the Trump administration."
US President Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at a decision by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to suspend the use of traffic stops after two fatal shootings in less than a week.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) halted the practice after a Colombian man was shot dead in Maine on Monday and a Mexican man was killed in an operation in Texas last week.
"We CANNOT give up one of I.C.E.'s most important and effective Crime Fighting tools, THE TRAFFIC STOP!" Trump said in an early morning post on his Truth Social network.
"Once we do, we are playing right into the criminal's hands. The Radical Left Dumocrats would like to see this done, but it won't happen on my watch. I.C.E., be judicious, fair and smart, and go back and do your very important job."
Trump's border czar Tom Homan told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that there was a "pause" in traffic stops, but insisted the practice was effective and would return. 
Tasked with enforcing Trump's immigration crackdown, ICE's heavily armed agents have faced nationwide backlash for aggressive tactics and for the shooting deaths of two US citizens earlier this year in Minneapolis.
Rights groups identified the victim in Monday's shooting in Biddeford, Maine as Joan Sebastian Guerrero, 26, a delivery driver authorized to work in the United States, who lived with his wife and three-year-old daughter.
Colombian leader Gustavo Petro, a harsh critic of Trump's immigration crackdown, called the killing a "murder of a Latin American Colombian at the hands of the US government."
In last week's shooting in Texas, immigration authorities claimed Lorenzo Salgado, 52, had tried to run over an ICE agent but witnesses have disputed that account.
No Kings, a coalition of groups protesting Trump's presidency, said in a statement Wednesday that the killings are a "horrific hallmark of continued authoritarian overreach by the Trump administration."
"We stand in unwavering solidarity with them and will continue fighting for a country where no one is subjected to violence by an unaccountable administration or a president who acts like a king. No Kings. ICE Out."
dk/bjt/des

Spain

Crowds cross Gibraltar-Spain frontier as border controls vanish

BY JORGE GUERRERO

  • The closure, which lasted 13 years, cut off the daily movement of workers from Spain into Gibraltar and separated families.
  • A steady stream of pedestrians and vehicles crossed the border between Spain and Gibraltar on Wednesday as an agreement allowing free movement across the frontier came into force.
  • The closure, which lasted 13 years, cut off the daily movement of workers from Spain into Gibraltar and separated families.
A steady stream of pedestrians and vehicles crossed the border between Spain and Gibraltar on Wednesday as an agreement allowing free movement across the frontier came into force.
Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and three former chief ministers removed the final section of the frontier fence shortly before midnight in a symbolic gesture marking the end of border controls between the tiny British territory and Spain.
Soon after, crowds crossed freely between Spain's La Linea de la Concepcion and Gibraltar in both directions. Many people held up their phones to record the moment.
The flow eventually waned but picked up again during the morning rush hour on Wednesday as workers crossed over from the Spanish side.
"I woke up this morning and I didn't have to carry my ID anymore," Maria Jesus Walda, a 34-year-old civil engineer, told AFP as she headed into Gibraltar.
"That is the change in principle. Now we'll see how it evolves."
Gibraltar is home to only about 40,000 people but relies on some 15,500 workers who cross from Spain every day -- nearly half its workforce.
In the past, long queues formed at the border as documents were checked, particularly during periods of strained relations between Britain and Spain over Gibraltar's sovereignty.
The border was closed by Spanish dictator Francisco Franco in 1969 after Gibraltar voted overwhelmingly in a referendum to remain British.
The closure, which lasted 13 years, cut off the daily movement of workers from Spain into Gibraltar and separated families.

'Drastic change'

"For decades, the border fence was exactly that, an open wound for the thousands of workers who crossed every day," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Wednesday during a visit to La Linea.
He was speaking after workers used a crane to remove the metal gates that had long separated La Linea from Gibraltar.
Leisure visits by people crossing both sides of the border are also affected.
"It's going to be a drastic change, I think for the better. Because we're no longer going to have to rely on whether there's a queue or not to get in or out," Paul Cutthroat, a Gibraltar customs officer, told AFP.
While most of Gibraltar's cross-border workers are Spanish, dozens of nationalities also make the regular journey, including some 1,600 Britons attracted by the lower cost of housing in Spain.
Some residents of Gibraltar expressed concerns about security now that the border fence is gone and regular checks have been eliminated.
"Change is going to happen, but I don't think things will get any better," Elizabeth Pilot, a 34-year-old cook, told AFP.

'Digital fortress'

Picardo said the territory would have many more CCTV cameras, facial-recognition technology linked to international wanted lists and automatic number plate recognition cameras.
"Today the fortress does not have gates. It's a digital fortress, and it will be safer than ever before," he told Gibraltar television station GBC, adding police would boost patrols of the frontier.
The agreement between Britain and the European Union to remove the border controls was signed on Tuesday in Brussels after years of wrangling following the UK's exit from the bloc in 2020.
It essentially brings Gibraltar -- with its traditional British red phone boxes and pubs -- into the EU's Schengen free-travel area.
Travellers arriving from outside the Schengen zone will still have to show their passports to officials at Gibraltar's airport and port.
Gibraltar voted by 96 percent to remain in the EU in Britain's 2016 Brexit referendum.
London and Madrid have disputed control of Gibraltar since the tiny territory -- known affectionately as "The Rock" -- was ceded to Britain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht.
pho-ds/imm/jxb

dementia

Up to 45% of dementia risk can be prevented, delayed: WHO

BY ROBIN MILLARD

  • "While there is no cure for dementia, up to 45 percent of the risks can be attributed to modifiable risk factors such as tobacco, alcohol use, social isolation, physical inactivity, air pollution and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including high blood pressure and diabetes," the WHO said in a statement.
  • Up to 45 percent of dementia risk could be prevented or delayed, the World Health Organization said Wednesday, citing modifiable risk factors such as tobacco and air pollution.
  • "While there is no cure for dementia, up to 45 percent of the risks can be attributed to modifiable risk factors such as tobacco, alcohol use, social isolation, physical inactivity, air pollution and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including high blood pressure and diabetes," the WHO said in a statement.
Up to 45 percent of dementia risk could be prevented or delayed, the World Health Organization said Wednesday, citing modifiable risk factors such as tobacco and air pollution.
Dementia is the seventh leading cause of death and a major cause of disability and dependency among older people globally.
Dementia is caused by brain diseases and affects memory, thinking and the ability to function.
"While there is no cure for dementia, up to 45 percent of the risks can be attributed to modifiable risk factors such as tobacco, alcohol use, social isolation, physical inactivity, air pollution and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including high blood pressure and diabetes," the WHO said in a statement.
More than 57 million people live with dementia worldwide and nearly 10 million people get diagnosed every year, it said.
Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia and is estimated to account for 60 to 70 percent of cases.
"Behind these numbers are individuals, families, and communities navigating profound challenges that affect not only health, but dignity, independence, and well-being," said Devora Kestel, director of the WHO's NCDs and mental health department. 
"This is not a distant issue; it touches all of us," she wrote in a foreword to updated WHO guidance published Wednesday on how health workers and policymakers can help prevent or delay the onset of dementia.
The UN health agency issued its first dementia recommendations in 2019, but said the evidence base had grown significantly since.
The guidelines aim to promote early awareness and intervention in a bid to reduce the burden of dementia in the coming decades, it said.
Although more common after 65, the condition is not an inevitable part of ageing, the WHO insisted.

Focus on prevention

"We know more today than ever before about what drives dementia risk, and these guidelines translate that knowledge into action," said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
"Countries now have clear, evidence-based recommendations they can put into practice immediately to protect people's cognitive health."
Because there is no cure for dementia or widely accessible treatment, the guidelines emphasised that prevention remains the most effective strategy to reduce the number oc cases.
Among other things, the WHO suggested cognitive stimulation and training for adults experiencing mild cognitive impairment.
The WHO said better management of conditions like hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol could also help reduce dementia risk.
And it recommended stronger integration of services for NCDs, mental health and brain health.
The WHO insisted investments in reducing the dementia risk would pay dividends, with the condition estimated to cost the global economy $1.3 trillion annually -- around half of which is unpaid care provided by family and friends.
"Understanding risk factors and taking action to prevent dementia can improve health and quality of life, helping people live longer, healthier and more independent lives," it said.
rjm/nl/tw

energy

Power restored across Cuba after third outage in two weeks

BY JORDANE BERTRAND

  • Power outages in the capital Havana totalled more than 30 hours at a time, while in the outlying provinces, it was several days before electricity was restored.
  • Power was restored across Cuba on Wednesday, authorities said, after the third nationwide outage in less than 10 days. 
  • Power outages in the capital Havana totalled more than 30 hours at a time, while in the outlying provinces, it was several days before electricity was restored.
Power was restored across Cuba on Wednesday, authorities said, after the third nationwide outage in less than 10 days. 
The communist island was already struggling to keep the lights on before US President Donald Trump cut off its oil supplies in January, depleting the dwindling supply of fuel for its power plants.
The latest outage began at about 11:05 am (1505 GMT) on Tuesday, according to the state-run UNE electricity company, leaving the country's 9.6 million inhabitants without power.
Following a gradual restoration of power overnight, UNE said early Wednesday that the electrical system had gotten back to full function at 7:00 am local time (11:00 GMT).
The blackout was caused by a problem with a generating unit at a thermoelectric plant caused a "sudden frequency change," UNE said.
It was the third complete blackout on the Caribbean island since early July and the fifth since the start of 2026.
"I have no words," Maria Caridad Alvarez, a 62-year-old housewife, told AFP on Tuesday. "When I woke up this morning, the power was back and I cooked some beans. Now, I went out and it's off again. It feels like there is no solution."
The energy crisis "is killing people's enthusiasm for life," she said.
David Matias Rodriguez, an 82-year-old retiree, said he was worried the few things in his refrigerator would be spoiled.
In both of last week's blackouts, it took more than 24 hours to restore power across the island of 9.6 million people, a process made slower and more complex by fuel shortages.
Power outages in the capital Havana totalled more than 30 hours at a time, while in the outlying provinces, it was several days before electricity was restored.
Residents in the worst-affected areas have vented their frustrations by setting piles of trash on fire or banging on pots and pans.

'Living through a war'

Cuba is reeling from its worst economic crisis in decades -- one made worse by the fuel blockade imposed by US President Donald Trump in January as part of a pressure campaign aimed at ending six decades of communist rule.
UNE says the fuel shortages have made the national grid more susceptible to outages, and made the use of emergency generators all but impossible.
"This situation is mainly due to the state of our electrical system, exacerbated by the decisions of the United States," Energy and Mines Minister Vicente de la O Levy said Tuesday at a press conference.
"We are practically living through a war," he said, adding that there is a "total absence of fuel" and the government cannot obtain spare parts for its plants.
Relations between Washington and Havana have been tense since the start of the year, especially since US forces snatched Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro from his home in early January and brought him to the US to face federal charges.
Maduro had long been a staunch ally of Cuba.
Washington has authorized the arrival of only one Russian tanker -- carrying 100,000 tons of crude -- which came in March. Those reserves have since been exhausted.
In addition to its oil blockade, the Trump administration has ramped up sanctions against Cuban state-owned businesses, prompting many foreign businesses to suspend operations in the country.
The United States has also indicted former president Raul Castro, brother of revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, over the downing of two civilian planes three decades ago.
Late last month, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said "no progress" had been made in months of bilateral discussions.
bur-des/ksb

Starmer

Starmer bids UK MPs 'goodbye', vows to support Burnham

  • "I will give my wholehearted support to my successor.
  • Outgoing UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday pledged his "wholehearted support" to his successor as he prepares to hand over to premier-in-waiting Andy Burnham.
  • "I will give my wholehearted support to my successor.
Outgoing UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday pledged his "wholehearted support" to his successor as he prepares to hand over to premier-in-waiting Andy Burnham.
Facing his last weekly grilling from MPs in parliament, Starmer said he wanted to see the next leader of his centre-left Labour party succeed.
"I will give my wholehearted support to my successor. I want this Labour government to be a success," he said, when asked what advice he had for his successor.
"I want our country to be a success. I shall give my support privately if asked for, not publicly when not asked for."
Starmer announced his resignation last month, bowing to months of pressure to step down after a series of scandals, missteps and policy U-turns. They blighted his two-year tenure, after he led his party to victory in 2024 elections following 14 years in opposition.
Burnham is expected to be crowned Labour's leader on Friday after securing overwhelming support from the party's 403 MPs and the backing of major trade unions.
The party's comfortable majority in the 650-seat House of Commons means he will automatically become the next prime minister.
On Wednesday, the usual bad-tempered jibes and angry exchanges witnessed in the political theatre of the weekly Prime Minister's Questions, were replaced by gentle ribbing. Starmer was also relaxed, joking with his political foes.
MPs from all parties wished Starmer well, thanking him for his public service and calling on him to ensure that England wins Wednesday's World Cup semi-final showdown against Argentina and go on to beat Spain in the final on Sunday.

No silver bullet

Even opposition party Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch softened her tone, but could not stop herself from remarking: "He spent a long time laughing that I'd lost control of my party. I think he should have been paying attention to his backbenchers instead of mine".
But she warned: "Changing prime minister is not a silver bullet. Indeed, it may be that the Labour Party's troubles are only just beginning."
"Solving the fundamental problems in this country will require difficult decisions," she added.
Burnham is to replace Starmer on Monday, shortly after he is expected to meet King Charles III to be asked to form the next government. 
He will become Britain's seventh prime minister in a decade.
MPs broke into a loud round of applause as fervent football fan Starmer wished them an emphatic "Goodbye" from the despatch box in the middle of the parliament floor, saying he had a date with his television at 8:00pm (1900 GMT) for the World Cup match.
"This is the end of my political journey," he said, although he plans to stay on as an MP for the time being.
"In two years in government, I leave the country in better shape than I found it. I am proud of everything that we have achieved."
Sitting next to him finance minister Rachel Reeves, who seems set to lose her job in the next cabinet, was in tears.
jkb/aks/tw

Global Edition

Attempted burglary at Yamal's home after World Cup triumph: police, media

  • Wednesday's incident occurred early in the morning, moments after Spain completed their 2-0 victory over France in Texas to qualify for the World Cup final.
  • Burglars tried to break in to the Barcelona home of Spain star Lamine Yamal on Wednesday, shortly after he helped La Roja reach their second World Cup final, police and media said.
  • Wednesday's incident occurred early in the morning, moments after Spain completed their 2-0 victory over France in Texas to qualify for the World Cup final.
Burglars tried to break in to the Barcelona home of Spain star Lamine Yamal on Wednesday, shortly after he helped La Roja reach their second World Cup final, police and media said.
"There was an attempted" burglary "at a home in Esplugues de Llobregat" in Barcelona's outskirts, a spokesperson for Catalan regional police told AFP.
The force declined to identify the property's owner for privacy reasons, but Barcelona-based daily La Vanguardia said the house belonged to the 19-year-old Spain forward.
Two people wearing balaclavas climbed onto the house's wall but were surprised by the private security guards and fled, La Vanguardia reported.
The newspaper said Yamal's house is well known because it once belonged to Barcelona great Gerard Pique and his ex-partner, Colombian music star Shakira, when they lived together in the Catalan capital.
Wednesday's incident occurred early in the morning, moments after Spain completed their 2-0 victory over France in Texas to qualify for the World Cup final.
Yamal won a first-half penalty that Mikel Oyarzabal converted to open the scoring.
In Madrid, Karim Benzema, Rodrygo and Dani Carvajal are among the football stars to have suffered break-ins at their homes in recent years.
du/imm/tw

conflict

Myanmar leader to visit Thailand next month: Thai FM to AFP

  • Min Aung Hlaing visited Laos this month, his first state visit to an ASEAN country since becoming civilian leader, and last month was feted with visits to India and China. tp/ar/sco
  • Myanmar's leader Min Aung Hlaing will next month make his first official visit to Thailand since stepping down as junta chief to become civilian leader, Thailand's foreign minister told AFP Wednesday.
  • Min Aung Hlaing visited Laos this month, his first state visit to an ASEAN country since becoming civilian leader, and last month was feted with visits to India and China. tp/ar/sco
Myanmar's leader Min Aung Hlaing will next month make his first official visit to Thailand since stepping down as junta chief to become civilian leader, Thailand's foreign minister told AFP Wednesday.
Myanmar became a pariah state following the military's 2021 coup that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, triggering a civil war.
But junta chief Min Aung Hlaing was installed as civilian president in April following highly restricted elections, and neighbouring Thailand has been leading an effort to begin normalising relations.
"It's best to bring Myanmar back into the fold," Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow told a press conference in Bangkok.
"We believe that after five years we need to talk, we need to listen, and they need to explain," he added.
Afterwards, he confirmed to AFP that Min Aung Hlaing would visit Thailand in August, his first such trip to the neighbouring nation since his change of position.
"Min Aung Hlaing will make an official visit" to Thailand, Sihasak said, adding that he would arrive "very soon, in August".
"We are working on an official programme," he said.
News of the visit comes after Thailand on Sunday hosted an informal meeting of foreign ministers of the 11-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including Myanmar.
It was the first such gathering since the coup, after which the regional bloc diplomatically sidelined Myanmar.
Min Aung Hlaing visited Laos this month, his first state visit to an ASEAN country since becoming civilian leader, and last month was feted with visits to India and China.
tp/ar/sco

economy

UN says Sudan resources fuel civil war

BY ROBIN MILLARD

  • "Sudan's vast wealth of natural resources should benefit its people," said UN rights chief Volker Turk.
  • Sudan's rival factions are profiting from control over the country's resources and the "war economy" was sustaining the conflict, the United Nations said Wednesday.
  • "Sudan's vast wealth of natural resources should benefit its people," said UN rights chief Volker Turk.
Sudan's rival factions are profiting from control over the country's resources and the "war economy" was sustaining the conflict, the United Nations said Wednesday.
To fund the growing cost of military operations, the two sides rely on exploiting territory, trade routes, and commodities, contributing to a conflict that has become "increasingly self-perpetuating", said the UN human rights office OHCHR.
The war between Sudan's regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), that erupted in April 2023, has killed 200,000 people by some estimates and displaced upwards of 11 million. Several areas of Sudan have been plunged into hunger and famine.
OHCHR called on the two sides, and corporations involved in  collecting and selling Sudanese commodities, to ensure compliance with international law.
"Sudan's vast wealth of natural resources should benefit its people," said UN rights chief Volker Turk.
"Distressingly, what we are seeing today is anything but that. In fact, this wealth is only serving to undermine human rights and drive conflict, bringing pain and suffering on an enormous scale.
"This war economy must be disrupted, and the international community must pay much closer attention to the commodities and trade routes that help keep it alive."

Gum arabic trade

OHCHR issued a report focusing on the trade in gum arabic -- a key ingredient in products ranging from soft drinks, to cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
Sudan accounted for 70-80 percent of global crude gum arabic exports before the war.
Although modest in export value compared with other commodities, it is an important income source for millions of Sudanese, and remains one of the country's most internationally relied-upon exports.
The report found that many who depend on the gum arabic trade have faced looting, extortion, arbitrary detention and threats -- particularly at the hands of the parties to the conflict and their allies.
In May 2025, for instance, the Gum Arabic Exchange and its warehouses, plus part of the local market in El-Nuhud in West Kordofan state, were reportedly looted by the RSF when stocks were full and ready for export.
This severely disrupted local trade and livelihoods, the report said.
OHCHR said that Sudan's gum arabic trade had been reshaped by the fragmentation of the country since the war started.
Gum arabic from areas controlled by the armed forces goes towards Port Sudan for export, while significant quantities from RSF-controlled areas have been redirected to neighbouring countries via cross-border smuggling routes.
The report said this may then be treated and traded as locally-produced, making its origin hard to verify.
Turk, the UN high commissioner for human rights, urged countries and companies linked to trade in Sudanese commodities, including gum arabic, to ensure their business was not fuelling the conflict or damaging human rights.
He urged countries to strengthen accountability, traceability and regulatory oversight and respect human rights.
"Companies cannot continue business as usual when sourcing from conflict-affected value chains," Turk said.
rjm/nl/tw

AI

Meta employees allege discriminatory AI-driven layoffs

  • According to the lawsuit, filed in Oakland, California on Monday Meta used AI systems to "score, rank, and select employees" to be laid off rather than "the considered judgement of managers who knew the work" while disproportionately targeting those on medical or family leave.
  • Twenty-six Meta employees have filed a lawsuit accusing the tech giant of using artificial intelligence to select workers for mass layoffs, a claim strongly denied by the trillion dollar company.
  • According to the lawsuit, filed in Oakland, California on Monday Meta used AI systems to "score, rank, and select employees" to be laid off rather than "the considered judgement of managers who knew the work" while disproportionately targeting those on medical or family leave.
Twenty-six Meta employees have filed a lawsuit accusing the tech giant of using artificial intelligence to select workers for mass layoffs, a claim strongly denied by the trillion dollar company.
They are among the 8,000 employees -- some 10 percent of the workforce -- Meta said it would lay off in Spring, as it pushes to redirect resources toward an ambitious AI agenda.
According to the lawsuit, filed in Oakland, California on Monday Meta used AI systems to "score, rank, and select employees" to be laid off rather than "the considered judgement of managers who knew the work" while disproportionately targeting those on medical or family leave.
The AI systems relied on "performance ratings, calibration scores, productivity and output metrics" -- markers that cannot be accumulated by an employee on medical or family leave and may be reduced for people with disabilities. 
Meta "did not pause the system for the individualized, leave- and accommodation-neutral review that the law requires," the 71-page complaint said. 

'Claims lack merit'

All 26 employees took or requested protected leave, or requested or received a reasonable accommodation for disability, it noted.
"Workforce management and organizational decisions were and are made by people, not AI," a Meta spokesperson was quoted saying by multiple US outlets including CNBC and the Verge.
A Meta spokesperson told CNBC in an email that the "claims lack merit and are not based on facts."
Meta did not immediately respond to AFP's request for comment.
Meta's cuts are funding a massive race for infrastructure, with the company planning to spend up to $145 billion on AI investments this year, nearly twice last year's figure.
bur-lkd/ane

US

US expands sanctions targeting Iran oil, cryptocurrency sectors

  • It charged that the Shamkhani network remains a key force behind Iran's oil exports, and has expanded into global commodities trading.
  • The United States on Tuesday expanded its sanctions targeting Iran's oil sector, taking further aim at the network of petroleum shipping magnate Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, the Treasury Department said.
  • It charged that the Shamkhani network remains a key force behind Iran's oil exports, and has expanded into global commodities trading.
The United States on Tuesday expanded its sanctions targeting Iran's oil sector, taking further aim at the network of petroleum shipping magnate Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, the Treasury Department said.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the department had also frozen $130 million held in digital wallets linked to Iran's central bank, hitting a sector that has seen increased activity since the start of the war.
The move came after US forces carried out a fourth straight day of strikes against Iran and reimposed a naval blockade, with Iran in turn hitting ships in the Strait of Hormuz, according to the International Maritime Organization.
Iran started blocking the strait -- a key waterway for energy transit -- after US-Israel attacks in February. Washington imposed an initial blockade on Tehran's ports from mid-April to mid-June.
"This action is part of Treasury's ongoing efforts to ramp up economic pressure on the Iranian regime after it resumed destabilizing attacks in the Strait of Hormuz," the Treasury Department said in a notice Tuesday.
It charged that the Shamkhani network remains a key force behind Iran's oil exports, and has expanded into global commodities trading.
The latest move took aim at more than 50 individuals, entities and vessels that it said enabled Iranian authorities to reap profit.
The Treasury Department added that it has now imposed sanctions on over 200 individuals, entities and vessels operating under Shamkhani's patronage.
Shamkhani is the son of security official Ali Shamkhani, an advisor to Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
Both were killed February 28, the first day of US-Israeli attacks and the start of the Middle East war.
Bessent said the department "sanctioned multiple wallets tied to the Central Bank of Iran, resulting in the freeze of over $130 million." 
"We will continue to aggressively follow the money and deny the Iranian regime access to the proceeds of its illicit revenue schemes," he said in a post on X. 
Experts say digital asset platforms have been used to circumvent sanctions placed on Iran's Revolutionary Guards and as a financial safe haven for civilians hit by soaring inflation.
Iran has largely been cut off from the global financial system due to US and European sanctions in place for years before the war. Cryptocurrency has offered a path for citizens and businesses to transact with the rest of the world. 
bys/sla/lkd/fox

technology

Australian PM says to enact laws to govern AI

  • - Legal obligations - Australian creative content was not "up for grabs", and the new laws will provide "the strongest possible protection for Australian artists and Australian media", Albanese said.
  • Australia will enact laws to regulate how artificial intelligence data centres use power and water, and to protect creative copyright, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Wednesday.
  • - Legal obligations - Australian creative content was not "up for grabs", and the new laws will provide "the strongest possible protection for Australian artists and Australian media", Albanese said.
Australia will enact laws to regulate how artificial intelligence data centres use power and water, and to protect creative copyright, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Wednesday.
In a landmark speech setting out his government's policies, Albanese sought to allay public concern over AI, saying it could be adopted in a way that enhanced the national interest.
The centre-left leader said he would meet Australia's state and territory leaders next month to discuss the proposed laws, which would be introduced next year to build trust in AI and protect national security.
Australia had led other countries in imposing limits on social media use for children, but the challenge to shape AI in Australia's interest was greater and demanded action now, he said.
Letting others write the AI rules "would mean subcontracting our national sovereignty and security to the control of foreign monopolies", he said in a speech at the University of Sydney.
"Our great country can be much more than a data warehouse for AI products made overseas."
Albanese's speech came after it emerged this week that US startup Anthropic had lobbied Australian officials to change copyright laws to assist the training of AI models, as it considered investing in data centres in the country.
Musicians, writers and publishers have urged the government to resist such pressure and protect their work.

Legal obligations

Australian creative content was not "up for grabs", and the new laws will provide "the strongest possible protection for Australian artists and Australian media", Albanese said.
"No company should use Australian books, music, art or news to build or train AI without the artist's control. That includes the artist's control of the price and value of their work. Anything less is theft," he said.
The new standards would set clear legal obligations for large data centres, requiring them to put more power into the electricity grid than they take out so AI does not increase power prices for Australians, and ensuring they do not compete for land with housing.
Data centres will also be required to minimise water usage.
Investment in data centres was the largest contributor to the country's economic growth in the three months to March, although most of the equipment was imported, according to government figures. 
Albanese said Australia "cannot settle for a short-term boom in capital expenditure and construction".
Government data showed Australia had not yet seen the impact of AI on the jobs market.
"We should not treat AI as a threat to good jobs. We should use it as an instrument to create them," he said.
The government will elevate its response to artificial intelligence with a dedicated office in his department to oversee policy.
"Getting this right will enhance our appeal to international investors, by delivering greater clarity and speed for approvals, and a streamlined process for verifying compliance," he said.
kln/djw/tc

US

US-Iran strikes: latest developments

  • Iran Guards say Hormuz will remain shut Iran's Revolutionary Guards said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the United States ends its "acts of aggression" and warned that other regional oil export routes could also become targets.
  • The United States carried out a fresh round of strikes on Iran and renewed a blockade of its ports, while Tehran targeted American allies in the Gulf and vowed the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed "until the US ends its aggression".
  • Iran Guards say Hormuz will remain shut Iran's Revolutionary Guards said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the United States ends its "acts of aggression" and warned that other regional oil export routes could also become targets.
The United States carried out a fresh round of strikes on Iran and renewed a blockade of its ports, while Tehran targeted American allies in the Gulf and vowed the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed "until the US ends its aggression".
Here are Wednesday's latest developments:  
US military completes latest wave of strikes on Iran
The US military Central Command said it carried out a new wave of strikes on dozens of military targets in Iran. 
"U.S. fighter aircraft, drones, and naval vessels launched precision munitions against Iranian missile and drone sites, naval capabilities, and coastal defense systems during the seven-hour wave to further degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping and civilian crews," CENTCOM said.
Earlier, CENTCOM said the strikes were aimed at "degrading Iranian capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz."
Iran Guards say Hormuz will remain shut
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the United States ends its "acts of aggression" and warned that other regional oil export routes could also become targets.
"The enemy should know that now that its maritime raiders have blocked the Indian Ocean route for oil and gas exports to the world -- thereby endangering the interests of America's economic rivals -- it should also expect the closure of other oil and gas export routes that serve the interests of the United States and its allies," the statement said.
They did not elaborate on which routes could be affected.
"Oil and gas exports from the region will either be available for everyone or for no one," they added.
Iran attacks US targets in Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain
Iranian state-run television IRIB reported that Iran's army and the Revolutionary Guards carried out separate attacks on US targets in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain.
The army said it targeted the Al-Azraq base in Jordan with drones, IRIB reported. Separately, the Guards said they fired cruise missiles at a US military logistics centre in Kuwait.
The Guards also said they struck facilities used by the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.
Kuwait and Jordan said they intercepted drones and missiles from Iran, while Bahrain's interior ministry said sirens rang out.
Trump threatens Iranian power plants
US President Donald Trump said in an interview broadcast Tuesday he would expand US strikes on Iran next week to target power plants and bridges if Tehran does not make a deal.
"Next week it gets really bad for them because next week comes the power plants. Next week comes the bridges," Trump said in an interview with the US broadcaster Fox News.
"We're going to knock out all their power plants. We're going to knock out all their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate."
US naval blockade comes into effect
A renewed US blockade on Iranian ports came into effect at 2000 GMT Tuesday, preventing vessels from transiting to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas. 
"There are currently more than 20 US Navy warships and hundreds of military aircraft operating across the Middle East," US Central Command said in a statement. "American forces remain vigilant, lethal, and ready."
Trump backs down on Hormuz ship levy
US President Donald Trump scrapped a planned 20 percent levy on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz a day after he announced it, replacing the fee with trade deals with Gulf allies.
Iran says US hit nuclear plant city, border zone, Gulf island
US strikes on Tuesday hit the port city of Bushehr, which hosts Iran's only civilian nuclear power plant, and an area near the border with Kuwait and Iraq, authorities said.
Abadan, which hosts the oldest oil refinery in the Middle East, and the port city of Mahshahr were also targeted, Khuzestan province deputy governor Valiollah Hayati said, according to state news agency IRNA.
Iranian state television reported explosions around the port city of Bandar Abbas and the Gulf island of Qeshm, both near the Strait of Hormuz.
Israel leader vows 'decisive' hit if Iran attacks
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Tuesday to strike powerfully against Iran if it staged a new attack on his country.
"I will say it to the leaders of Iran: Do not count on things remaining quiet if you attack us," Netanyahu said at a conference. "The days are over when someone strikes us and we don't hit back with a decisive blow."
burs/jgc/sla/abs/fox

US

US renews blockade, trades strikes with Iran over Hormuz strait

BY AFP TEAMS IN TEHRAN, WASHINGTON AND DUBAI

  • "The retaliatory operations of the fighters will continue, and the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States ends its acts of aggression," the Guards said in a statement on Wednesday.
  • US forces struck Iran and reimposed a naval blockade on its ports as Tehran hit Washington's Gulf allies on Wednesday, vowing the Strait of Hormuz would stay closed "until the US ends its aggression".
  • "The retaliatory operations of the fighters will continue, and the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States ends its acts of aggression," the Guards said in a statement on Wednesday.
US forces struck Iran and reimposed a naval blockade on its ports as Tehran hit Washington's Gulf allies on Wednesday, vowing the Strait of Hormuz would stay closed "until the US ends its aggression".
The strikes came hours after US President Donald Trump backed down on his planned 20 percent levy on ships using the strait, which is at the centre of a flare-up in a war that has rattled the Middle East and pushed up global energy prices.
Tehran insists it controls the key oil shipping corridor, which was open to free navigation before the US-Israeli attacks in late February sparked the conflict.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said the renewed US blockade had cut off oil and gas exports to the world, including "America's economic rivals", and warned that routes serving US and allied interests could also be shut.
"Oil and gas exports from the region will either be available for everyone or for no one," the Guards said, without elaborating.
Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the US decision to restore the blockade "has, in a way, dismantled the Islamabad memorandum", referring to the interim deal reached last month to halt hostilities and pursue peace talks.
In a flare-up that entered the fifth day, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it struck dozens of Iranian military targets near the strait and elsewhere along the country's coast to "degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping and civilian crews".
Iranian state media reported explosions near the port city of Bandar Abbas, on the island of Qeshm and on Bandar Imam Khomeini.
Soon after the strikes, sirens rang out in Bahrain, while Kuwait and Jordan reported intercepting drones and missiles fired from Iran.
State news agency IRNA reported that Iranian forces launched a drone attack on a military base in Jordan that hosts American warplanes, while the Guards had hit US facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait.
Trump warned he would widen the strikes next week to hit power plants and bridges if Tehran does not return to the negotiating table. "Next week it gets really bad for them," he told Fox News.

Trump scraps levy

Since the war began, Iran has asserted its control over the Strait of Hormuz and opened fire on ships for taking routes it says are unauthorised.
Tehran's strikes on vessels in the strait have triggered retaliation from the United States, and the tit-for-tat violence has sent prices of crude rising more than 10 percent since last week.
"The retaliatory operations of the fighters will continue, and the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States ends its acts of aggression," the Guards said in a statement on Wednesday.
Admiral Brad Cooper, head of CENTCOM, said Tuesday that over the past week, "Iran has intentionally targeted civilians across the region by attacking seven commercial ships resulting in nearly a dozen civilian crew members killed, missing, or injured."
"US forces are holding Iran accountable for unwarranted aggression that continues to endanger innocent lives," he added.
A Norwegian tanker was hit by an explosion caused by an unidentified device off the Omani coast early Tuesday, the crisis response company MTI Network said. 
And Kuwait said one of its naval vessels was struck during an Iranian missile and drone barrage, wounding four crew members.
Trump meanwhile said he was scrapping a planned levy on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz that he announced Monday, replacing the fee with trade deals with Gulf allies.
"I have decided to replace the 20% United States Reimbursement Fee with Trade and Investment Deals that the various Gulf States will be making into the United States," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social network.
Since last week, renewed US attacks have killed at least 28 people in Iran, according to an AFP tally based on Iranian media and official announcements.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a fierce opponent of Iran's alleged nuclear ambitions, warned Iranian leaders Tuesday that Israel would deal a heavy blow if they launched an attack on his country.
Speaking from Dimona, a southern town widely believed to house Israel's undeclared nuclear arsenal, he told them: "Do not count on things remaining quiet if you attack us."
"The days are over when someone strikes us and we don't hit back with a decisive blow."
abs/jm

heat

Record-smashing heat wave surges from West to eastern US, Canada

BY ISSAM AHMED WITH MATHIEU GORSE IN MONTREAL

  • The phenomenon known as a heat dome has already shattered all-time temperature records in western states, including 111F (44C) in Billings, Montana, where the previous record was 108F, and 109F in Salt Lake City, where the previous one was 107F. Extreme heat and humidity persist in the Mountain West but are now spilling over to the densely populated East Coast, which also faced brutal temperatures earlier in the month, as well as Canada's Ontario and, to a lesser extent, Montreal.
  • A record-smashing heat wave was spreading Tuesday from the Mountain West toward the eastern United States and Canada, placing more than 100 million people under heat alerts. 
  • The phenomenon known as a heat dome has already shattered all-time temperature records in western states, including 111F (44C) in Billings, Montana, where the previous record was 108F, and 109F in Salt Lake City, where the previous one was 107F. Extreme heat and humidity persist in the Mountain West but are now spilling over to the densely populated East Coast, which also faced brutal temperatures earlier in the month, as well as Canada's Ontario and, to a lesser extent, Montreal.
A record-smashing heat wave was spreading Tuesday from the Mountain West toward the eastern United States and Canada, placing more than 100 million people under heat alerts. 
Hot and dry conditions also contributed to fierce wildfires in southwestern Ontario and northern Minnesota, with air quality expected to worsen over the Midwestern and Northeastern United States in the coming days.
The phenomenon known as a heat dome has already shattered all-time temperature records in western states, including 111F (44C) in Billings, Montana, where the previous record was 108F, and 109F in Salt Lake City, where the previous one was 107F.
Extreme heat and humidity persist in the Mountain West but are now spilling over to the densely populated East Coast, which also faced brutal temperatures earlier in the month, as well as Canada's Ontario and, to a lesser extent, Montreal.
"Above average temperatures and dangerous levels of heat are forecast to enter the Northeast on Tuesday before the most intense heat occurs on Wednesday and expands into the Mid-Atlantic," said the US National Weather Service.
US cities from Richmond, Virginia, to Boston, Massachusetts, are set to see temperatures soar from the upper 90s to near 100 degrees, with daily high records under threat.
In Ottawa, the federal capital of Canada, and Toronto, highs are expected to reach 100.4F on Tuesday, with temperatures feeling even hotter because of high humidity levels.
"Hot and humid air can also bring deteriorating air quality and can result in the Air Quality Health Index approaching the high-risk category," Environment and Climate Change Canada said.
In Montreal, the sky turned yellow on Tuesday morning due to smoke from wildfires burning several hundred miles away in northern Quebec and northwestern Ontario.
Cooler temperatures are expected to follow by the end of the week, though the heat dome will persist in the US Mountain West for the rest of July.
Heat domes are large areas of high pressure, where sinking air suppresses development of precipitation and clouds, allowing heat to build up over days and weeks. 

New climate reality

"We know that heat domes are, of course, a natural part of the climate system," Marc Alessi, a climate scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said in a briefing.
"But the climate system now is fundamentally different due to fossil fuel-driven climate change," he said. "Our atmosphere is much warmer. Our oceans are much warmer. They're releasing a lot more heat into the atmosphere, and this heat dome is an example of you know what fossil fuel-driven climate change looks like."
Scientists from the World Weather Attribution group released an analysis showing the hot and humid conditions in the earlier East Coast hot spell -- which fell as America celebrated its 250th anniversary on July 4 -- would have been "virtually impossible" without human-caused climate change.
Scientists say a brewing "super" El Nino in the equatorial Pacific could also be influencing the heat dome.
Record-warm sea surface temperatures in the central Pacific are shifting where tropical storms form and release energy, which in turn is distorting the jet stream over the western US and allowing hot air to get trapped in place.
US forecasters expect El Nino to peak between October and December at potentially record-breaking levels, with the strongest spike in temperature to follow in 2027.
Compounded with human-induced climate change, the last El Nino contributed to making 2023 the second-hottest year on record and 2024 the all-time high.
ia-bur/md

bridge

Italy court to rule in deadly bridge collapse case

BY TAIMAZ SZIRNIKS

  • Castellucci is already serving time for his role in a 2013 accident in which a bus crashed through the barriers of a viaduct, killing 40 people.
  • An Italian court is set to rule Thursday in the case of a bridge collapse eight years ago which killed 43 people and shone a spotlight on Italy's crumbling infrastructure.
  • Castellucci is already serving time for his role in a 2013 accident in which a bus crashed through the barriers of a viaduct, killing 40 people.
An Italian court is set to rule Thursday in the case of a bridge collapse eight years ago which killed 43 people and shone a spotlight on Italy's crumbling infrastructure.
The Morandi Bridge in Genoa, part of a key highway connecting France and Italy, gave way in torrential rain on August 14, 2018 sending dozens of vehicles tumbling into the abyss.
Thursday's verdict concludes a four-year trial largely focused on maintenance of the bridge, which was inaugurated in 1967.
The prosecution has requested jail sentences adding up to more than 400 years for the 57 defendants, on charges of manslaughter, endangering transport safety, and falsifying official documents.

'The truth'

"We hope they will be convicted, but clearly the most important thing for the victims is that the truth finally comes out," Egle Possetti, who heads a committee of relatives of the victims, told AFP.
"Unfortunately, it won't bring them back," said Possetti, whose sister, nephew, niece, and brother-in-law died when pillar 9 of the bridge collapsed.
The findings of the magistrates' investigation are damning: "Between the inauguration in 1967 and the collapse, ie. 51 years later, not even minimal maintenance work was carried out to reinforce the stays of pillar number 9".
Work had been carried out on two other pillars, numbers 10 and 11, and was planned for number 9.
"The Morandi Bridge was a ticking time bomb. You could hear the ticking, but you didn't know when it was going to explode," prosecutor Walter Cotugno said during the trial.
Most of the defendants are executives and technicians from Autostrade per l'Italia (ASPI), which runs almost half of the country's motorway network, and engineering company Spea, in charge of maintenance.
They include the general manager of Autostrade at the time, Giovanni Castellucci, the former head of Spea, Antonino Galata, and officials of the infrastructure ministry.

Construction 'defect'

Castellucci is accused of postponing work on pier number 9 and faces 18 years in prison.
Lawyer Giovanni Paolo Accinni, a member of his legal team, told Italian media Castellucci was nothing more than a "scapegoat" who in truth had "insisted that the pier reinforcement work be carried out".
The defence's main argument is that the bridge had a hidden construction defect, namely corrosion of the bridge's cables, and it was this that caused its collapse, not a lack of maintenance.
Castellucci is already serving time for his role in a 2013 accident in which a bus crashed through the barriers of a viaduct, killing 40 people.
Even though their former directors are on trial, Autostrade and Spea reached an out-of-court settlement with the public prosecutor's office, which provides for a payment of 29 million euros ($30 million) to the state. 
Only two families of the victims refused to accept compensation offered by Autostrade, which has paid out more than 60 million euros. 
At the time of the tragedy, Autostrade belonged to the Atlantia group, controlled by the wealthy Benetton family, but faced with popular indignation the family subsequently gave up its stake to the state.
tsz/ide/pdw/abs

fire

Wildfires that ravaged historic forest outside Paris contained

BY MADELEINE DE BLIC

  • "The aerial resources played a decisive role in bringing these fires under control," he wrote on X. - Lighter and gasoline - Fontainebleau forest, around 60 kilometres (40 miles) southeast of Paris, is a sprawling former royal hunting ground that draws hikers, nature lovers and climbers who come to tackle its famous boulders.
  • Hundreds of French firefighters on Tuesday  managed to contain two fires that have burned over 2,000 hectares of the historic Fontainebleau forest near Paris over the last two days.
  • "The aerial resources played a decisive role in bringing these fires under control," he wrote on X. - Lighter and gasoline - Fontainebleau forest, around 60 kilometres (40 miles) southeast of Paris, is a sprawling former royal hunting ground that draws hikers, nature lovers and climbers who come to tackle its famous boulders.
Hundreds of French firefighters on Tuesday  managed to contain two fires that have burned over 2,000 hectares of the historic Fontainebleau forest near Paris over the last two days.
But the local prefect warned that the fires were not extinguished and firefighters will need to remain on the scene for days, if not weeks.
Four people remained in custody on suspicion of deliberately starting the fires, including a volunteer firefighter, prosecutors said.
The Fontainebleau fires, which erupted during another fierce heatwave that has left France sweltering, have seen three giant Canadair aircraft scoop up water from the Seine river to douse the flames.
The smell of burning was even reported up to 100 kilometres (62 miles) away near the city of Orleans, AFP reporters said.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said there had been nearly 300 water drops in 48 hours. "The aerial resources played a decisive role in bringing these fires under control," he wrote on X.

Lighter and gasoline

Fontainebleau forest, around 60 kilometres (40 miles) southeast of Paris, is a sprawling former royal hunting ground that draws hikers, nature lovers and climbers who come to tackle its famous boulders.
It covers some 25,000 hectares (62,000 acres) and is visited by more than 15 million people every year. Its popularity, plus sandy soil and vegetation including ferns and highly flammable conifers, makes it vulnerable to fire.
In all, six people have been arrested as part of the investigation into the wildfires, which forced about 1,000 local residents from their homes and shut the main A6 motorway from Paris to the southeast.
The volunteer firefighter admitted having "set fire to twigs with a lighter and gasoline" while another man acknowledged "accidentally starting a fire by throwing his cigarette", Fontainebleau public prosecutor Diane Ngomsik said.
The Seine-et-Marne Departmental Fire and Rescue Service said the firefighter has been suspended, and expressed its "deepest dismay".
The fires, which mobilised more than 800 firefighters, have scorched around 2,050 hectares -- an area roughly three times the size of Gibraltar, authorities said.
Charred trees and soot-covered ground have been left in the landscape of outstanding natural beauty. Small fires haveh reignited as winds fan the flames back to life.
Hopes rose throughout the day that the A6 may reopen on Wednesday but officials still urged caution until the fire was stabilised.

Contained, not extinguished

On Tuesday, bulldozers were brought in to widen a track leading to the burned area.
"The first evening was very stressful, with the fire coming towards our homes," said Nicolas Tournier, who lives in Le Vaoudoue, which was partially evacuated.
"We were afraid they would burn," he told AFP.
The prefect of the Seine-et-Marne region, Pierre Ory, said those who had to leave will be able to return home but not before Wednesday.
"Contained means they (the fires) are confined within their perimeter" but not "extinguished", he told reporters.
France on Tuesday celebrated its Bastille Day national holiday, which is usually accompanied by evening fireworks.
With the new heatwave, various towns across the country have cancelled their firework displays, but many are usually set off illegally.
This year's celebrations coincide with a World Cup semi-final in which France take on Spain, which will likely see fans spilling onto the streets.
Nunez said 32,000 hectares across France have been hit by fires since the beginning of the year -- more than during the entire 2025 fire season.
As well as the warmer south, fires have also hit cooler regions such as Brittany in the west, where a fire that swept across 38 hectares of heathland on Cap Frehel has now been brought under control.
ktr-sb-alc-sjw/pdw/phz/ach 

US

First day of new Lebanon-Israel talks in Rome has ended: US official

BY AFP TEAM IN ROME WITH SANDRA NOUJEIM IN BEIRUT AND JAY DESHMUKH IN JERUSALEM

  • "Talks in Rome by Representatives from the United States, Israel, and Lebanon were productive and held in a positive atmosphere," a US state department official said, adding that "both sides are eager to move forward" and that talks will resume on Wednesday.
  • Lebanon and Israel concluded the first day of Washington-mediated talks in Rome on Tuesday, a US official said, as Israel said it was ready to move forward with plans to withdraw from two parts of southern Lebanon.
  • "Talks in Rome by Representatives from the United States, Israel, and Lebanon were productive and held in a positive atmosphere," a US state department official said, adding that "both sides are eager to move forward" and that talks will resume on Wednesday.
Lebanon and Israel concluded the first day of Washington-mediated talks in Rome on Tuesday, a US official said, as Israel said it was ready to move forward with plans to withdraw from two parts of southern Lebanon.
The US-brokered negotiations took place in the Italian capital over a framework agreement sealed last month after five rounds of talks in Washington, with Lebanese negotiators hoping for progress on an Israeli withdrawal.
The framework deal emerged after war broke out between Israel and Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah on March 2 against the backdrop of the wider Middle East war.
It calls for an end to the war in Lebanon, disarmament of Hezbollah, the deployment of Lebanese troops in the south and for Israeli forces to steadily withdraw from the country in two "pilot zones".
"Talks in Rome by Representatives from the United States, Israel, and Lebanon were productive and held in a positive atmosphere," a US state department official said, adding that "both sides are eager to move forward" and that talks will resume on Wednesday.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said earlier on Tuesday that his country was "ready to move forward implementing these two pilot zones".
"I hope and tend to believe that this round of discussions in Rome will promote it."
The Lebanese presidency had announced on Monday that its delegation to Rome had been instructed "to demand the immediate start of Israeli forces' withdrawal from the two pilot zones before any further discussion".
According to a Lebanese diplomatic source familiar with the content of the talks, "the Lebanese army is ready to gradually take control of the localities from which the Israeli army would withdraw".
But Hezbollah rejects the agreement outright despite Lebanese government pressure, lowering expectations of success in the negotiations.
Orna Mizrahi of the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) in Tel Aviv said Israel was "willing to withdraw gradually", but on the condition that "that there will be no presence of Hezbollah in the areas that Israel is withdrawing from".
She added that Israel also seeks to ensure "that the Lebanese army will have the ability... to keep it as a neutralised zone and a neutralised place that Hezbollah cannot come in again."
A US military delegation began discussions with the Lebanese army in Beirut on Saturday on the process for Israeli withdrawal from one of these "pilot zones".

Limited prospects

The framework agreement was concluded after a fragile ceasefire came into effect last month in the war between Hezbollah and Israel.
The Israeli army has nonetheless continued limited strikes in the south and has been carrying out demolitions in villages it occupies, according to official Lebanese media.
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported Israeli strikes in the south on Tuesday, and detonations in several towns.
Israel's strikes and ground invasion have killed more than 4,300 people since the war started in early March, according to Lebanese authorities.
"The chances of a breakthrough in Rome are quite limited," Karim Bitar, a lecturer at Sciences Po Paris, told AFP.
"What we might see instead is a kind of opportunity to show that the process is still in place... that there are negotiations continuing despite the opposition and the obstacles that are beginning to emerge."
Tehran had demanded the ceasefire in Lebanon in order to conclude a memorandum of understanding with Washington on June 17.
But the region has seen a renewed escalation in recent days, with the US carrying out a third consecutive night of strikes against Iran ahead of the planned reimposition on Tuesday of its naval blockade on Iranian ports with ongoing attacks.
Iran wants to establish a link between negotiations over the regional war and Lebanon, "but we have the wish to disconnect it," said Mizrahi.
Tehran's priorities remain the Strait of Hormuz and the nuclear file, she added.
"The Iranians are using Lebanon as an excuse. They will always use it as an excuse," she said.
Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the regional war on March 2 by launching missiles at Israel in support of Iran.
Bitar, for his part, said that the risk of major fighting returning to Lebanon as a result of the regional escalation "is, of course, not negligible". 
"But I think that Iran today will think twice before asking Hezbollah to launch new strikes against Israel," he said. 
Tehran "wants to maintain Hezbollah as a long-term deterrent tool and does not want to use it immediately to open a new front," he said. 
sno-lar-lk/at/nad/gv

US

Trump backtracks on plan to toll Hormuz ships

BY DANNY KEMP

  • That announcement caused oil prices to spike and alarmed allies -- especially given that the United States has previously slammed Iran for its own plans to charge shipping fees for the Strait.
  • US President Donald Trump on Tuesday abruptly scrapped a planned 20 percent levy on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz amid clashes with Iran, saying he would instead seek compensation from Gulf allies via trade deals.
  • That announcement caused oil prices to spike and alarmed allies -- especially given that the United States has previously slammed Iran for its own plans to charge shipping fees for the Strait.
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday abruptly scrapped a planned 20 percent levy on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz amid clashes with Iran, saying he would instead seek compensation from Gulf allies via trade deals.
Trump said Middle Eastern leaders persuaded him to reduce the toll just a day after he announced it -- and added that he was against charging any fees for the key waterway.
"Based on highly productive conversations with Middle East leadership, I have decided to replace the 20% United States Reimbursement Fee with Trade and Investment Deals that the various Gulf States will be making into the United States," Trump said on his Truth Social network.
He said he would continue with a "FULL Blockade" on ships coming to and from Iranian ports, set to restart at 2000 GMT Tuesday, or ships carrying anything have to do with Iranian cargo.
Tehran largely closed the narrow Strait of Hormuz, a key global waterway for oil and gas, after the United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.
It began to reopen after a ceasefire deal in June, but has once again become the focus of military action after the truce effectively broke down last week.
Trump had declared on Monday that Washington was now "THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT" and would impose hefty fees on shipping to reimburse it for protecting it -- while giving few details of the plan.
That announcement caused oil prices to spike and alarmed allies -- especially given that the United States has previously slammed Iran for its own plans to charge shipping fees for the Strait.
But the US leader said on Tuesday that he had changed his mind after speaking to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait.
"I put it out yesterday, I thought it was good. I was called by different people, different countries -- kings, emirs, and all of the people that we all know and we all love," Trump told reporters as he hosted Iraq's new prime minister in the Oval Office.
"They said we'd love to do it a different way. We'd love to invest in the United States, with billions and billions of dollars.... And I like that, actually, because I don't think anybody should be able to charge a fee for the Strait."
Trump added that it was "unfair that we're not in somehow compensated."
Iran's military command had insisted it would not allow the United States to "interfere" in the strait, while also warning its Gulf neighbors -- who have borne the brunt of its retaliatory attacks -- against cooperating with Washington.
It is far from the first time that the mercurial Trump, 80, has walked back a harsh announcement on trade, having last year eased global tariffs after markets quaked.
Traders have dubbed the phenomenon "TACO" -- short for "Trump Always Chickens Out."
dk/des