Category: Mundo

Emmanuel Macron has isssued a fresh statement in which he said that the “flames are severely testing our country”.

He said “the A400M is engaged in support of operations” and thanked “Romania, Croatia, Germany, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia for their invaluable support”.

“This is Europe. In times of trial, it brings to life the solidarity that defines it.”

He added: “Thank you to our firefighters, our military personnel, the civil security forces, our gendarmes and police officers, as well as to the farmers and entrepreneurs, who through their commitment and courage, relentlessly combat the fires.

“All civil and military resources are mobilized: civil security aerial resources, Canadair, Dash, water-bomber helicopters, reinforcements from across France.”

A 70-year-old woman was allegedly raped by two men after they broke into her home in the Alwar district of Rajasthan, India.

On July 21, the woman claims that she was asleep in her room at 10.30pm when the purported assault occurred.

She told police that one man raped her while the other assisted him. Her son, asleep in the next room, heard her cries and the men fled the scene, it is reported.

Investigators arrived to complete a medical examination, collect forensic and scientific evidence and record her judicial statement before a magistrate, according to India Today.

Two men – who are believed to be the woman’s neighbours – were arrested on suspicion of rape just 30 minutes later. They have both been remanded into judicial custody.

Joginder Singh Rajawat said the police treated the complaint with urgency and immediately launched an operation under the supervision of Kherli Station House Officer Vijay Chandel.

Rajawat added that the case is “extremely serious” and will be completed as soon as possible, with police seeking to ensure a fast process for the victim.

The investigation is ongoing.

A rapidly spreading wildfire has scorched through 2,000 hectares of land in a popular European holiday hotspot, sparking the evacuation of more than 10,000 people. The intense “fire tornado” swept through the commune of Saumos in the Gironde department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine.

The wildfire is burning near the Arcachon Bay region, a popular tourist destination, prompting authorities to evacuate numerous people from the area. Many of those displaced are tourists who were staying at nearby campsites as the blaze continues to threaten the region. Local authorities reported that a wildfire in a forest near Lège-Cap-Ferret, southwest of Bordeaux, has spread across more than 31 square kilometres (12 square miles).

Despite the scale of the blaze, no injuries have been reported so far. Sophie Brocas, the prefect of the Gironde region, said around 700 firefighters have been mobilised to combat the fire, including reinforcements from the Paris region. T

The flames advanced to within 300 metres (980 feet) of the first homes in Lège.

The incident comes less than two weeks after a devastating blaze swept through Almería province in southern Spain, highlighting the growing threat posed by extreme summer fires across the country.

The earlier fire struck a small expatriate community and, despite its relatively limited size, spread with exceptional speed and intensity due to hot, dry, and windy conditions. The blaze claimed 13 lives, including seven British nationals, making it one of Spain’s deadliest wildfires in recent years.

After a series of heat waves that began even before the start of summer, France has been battling widespread wildfires fueled by record-breaking temperatures and prolonged dry conditions.

The extreme heat has left plants and vegetation severely dehydrated, making forests and grasslands highly vulnerable to ignition and allowing fires to spread more rapidly.

According to Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, more than 12,500 wildfires have erupted across the country since the beginning of the year, with nearly 44,000 hectares of land already destroyed.

Maduro, 63, and his wife, Cilia Flores, 69, have been held at a Brooklyn jail since US forces seized them from their home in Caracas during a middle-of-the-night raid and brought them to New York in early January. Neither spoke during a 15-minute court hearing on Wednesday, where Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein set the trial date at the request of lawyers on both sides. The couple have both pleaded not guilty and could face life in prison if a jury finds they were part of a conspiracy to send cocaine into the US. Under the schedule approved by the judge, defence lawyers will begin filing motions in early September challenging the indictment.

Donald Trump‘s administration has defended the operation that captured Maduro as a “surgical law enforcement operation” linked to a criminal case first brought six years ago.

Maduro, however, has described himself as a prisoner of war and claimed his capture amounted to a kidnapping.

US prosecutors allege Maduro was involved in a conspiracy to move thousands of tons of cocaine into the country by colluding with Venezuelan law enforcement to assist drug kingpins.

At his arraignment in January, Maduro said in Spanish: “I am not guilty. I am a decent man, the constitutional president of my country.”

His lawyer, Barry Pollack, has previously said he expects to challenge the legality of Maduro’s “military abduction”.

During Wednesday’s hearing, Mr Pollack said he would first challenge the indictment on sovereign immunity grounds, arguing that if the move succeeds, Maduro would not have to continue litigating the case.

Lawyers have said there are complex legal defences that must be addressed by the court before a trial can begin.

Neither Maduro nor Flores has asked to be released on bail.

Two firefighters have died while tackling a major fire in Merignac.

Bordeaux Airport temporarily suspended departing flights while emergency services responded. 

French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot has confirmed the fire is now under control.

Take-offs and landings at Bordeaux Airport are gradually resuming, although passengers have been urged to check the status of their flights before travelling.

French authorities have not yet released the identities of the victims.

The cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed.

Donald Trump has chillingly warned Iran that every time the country kills a US soldier during the current war, “they will pay for that killing many times over!”. Over the weekend, an Iranian attack on a US military base in Jordan resulted in the deaths of at least two American soldiers, while another service member remains listed as missing in action. Separately, a third US service member died in Iraq following the controlled detonation of an Iranian drone.

The US President wrote a post on Truth Social: “Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over! This directive has been passed on to Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Daniel Caine, and every Leader in the Military. President DONALD J. TRUMP.”

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A country loved by British tourists is bracing for temperatures of up to 45C as a third heatwave of the summer threatens to bring the hottest week of the season so far. Spain is set to face another blast of extreme heat, with temperatures forecast to continue climbing before the heatwave intensifies from Tuesday, July 21.

Spain’s State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has warned the country is expected to enter its third heatwave of the summer, with the extreme conditions currently forecast to last until at least Thursday, July 23. Forecasters have not ruled out adding Monday to the official heatwave period if the latest data supports doing so. The intense heat is being driven by an atmospheric blocking pattern, strengthened by the presence of a cut-off low to the west of the Iberian Peninsula. According to Aemet, the combination is allowing a mass of hot and dry air from North Africa, carrying suspended dust, to settle across large parts of Spain and the Balearic Islands.

Temperatures are forecast to rise gradually before reaching their peak on Thursday, when some areas in the south-eastern third of mainland Spain could approach or even exceed 45C.

Some of the highest temperatures are expected across Andalusia, the Ebro valley, the north-eastern depressions, the Genil basin and inland areas of Mallorca, where maximum temperatures could remain above 40C for several consecutive days.

Forecasters have also highlighted the danger posed by particularly warm nights, which can prevent the body from recovering from heat accumulated during daylight hours.

The danger is expected to be particularly significant around the middle of the day, especially for people carrying out activities outdoors and vulnerable groups, including older people and those with cardiovascular diseases.

People are being urged to take maximum precautions, with Thursday expected to bring the peak of the extreme heat.

The soaring temperatures are also expected to push the risk of forest fires to extreme levels.

The situation could be further complicated by the possibility of dry thunderstorms developing over mountainous areas during the afternoons, potentially producing lightning but very little rain and increasing the risk of further fires breaking out.

Spain’s latest heatwave comes during an already exceptionally hot summer, with average temperatures between June 1 and July 15 reaching 3.3C above normal.

The extreme conditions come as firefighters battle two major wildfires, including a blaze near Orés, Zaragoza, which has burned around 15,400 hectares.

Several towns remain evacuated as crews tackle the fire, which has a perimeter of around 60 kilometres.

A second blaze in the Sierra Norte de Guadalajara has affected nearly 6,000 hectares, with authorities pessimistic about its development.

Officials have warned Spain has entered a “chain of successive heatwaves”, making efforts to manage the country’s growing forest fire risk increasingly difficult.

A woman allegedly tied her two-year-old daughter’s arms, legs and ankles together before leaving her face down on a bed to suffocate. Sierra Shay Hadaway, 22, has been charged with murder, while a second suspect, Christian Myles Sturkie, fatally shot himself after the baby’s death.

Madilynn Hadaway was found dead after allegedly being bound and left face down on a bed on June 12. It is believed she died of asphyxiation, but further information has not been made public. The murder suspect was not arrested until Thursday (July 16). It is also unclear what Sturkie’s relationship with the girl is.

As reported by the New York Post, Madilynn was found dead in the city of Lanett in Alabama, USA. The Chambers County Sheriff’s Office said she had been left face down for 12 hours and suffocated to death.

Sierra Hadaway’s Facebook profile, under the name Sierra Hill, includes a memorial to her daughter. It reads: “Madilynn Grace 09/22/2023-06/12/2026,” along with the phrase “But GOD.”

Meanwhile, an obituary for the child described her as a “precious angel.” It added: “Though her time with us was far too brief, Madilynn filled our lives with immeasurable love, laughter, and happiness. Her bright smile, curious spirit, and joyful heart brought life to everyone who knew her.

“She had a special way of bringing joy to those around her, and her sweet presence made every day brighter. She taught those around her the purest meaning of love.”

“Madilynn enjoyed playing with dolls, getting dirty in the yard, and living wild and free beside her besties.”

Local media confirmed that Hadaway is being held at the Chambers County Detention Facility with no bond.

Lanett is located along the Chattahoochee River and the Georgia state line in eastern Alabama. It has a population of around 6,750 people.

A huge earthquake has rocked Guatemala City, with fears that a tsunami could also hit as people evacuate buildings and run for their lives. The 7.4 magnitude quake was recorded near the coast of Chiapas, Mexico, the ⁠United States ‌Geological Survey said.

It struck Puerto Madero, a port and fishing town roughly eight miles from the Guatemalan border, and measured a depth of 6.21 miles. There is now a tsunami threat to parts of the Pacific near where the earthquake struck.

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Falklands War hero Simon Weston has branded Argentina’s players “childish” and “petulant” after they displayed a provocative banner following their World Cup semi-final victory over England. The former Welsh Guardsman, who suffered horrific burns during the 1982 conflict, said the demonstration overshadowed what many commentators hailed as an excellent sporting contest.

Mr Weston told the Daily Express: “It was an unnecessary moment which sullied a famous victory for Argentina. If you listen to every commentator after the game — and as you rightly say, as a Welshman I wasn’t over-invested in it — by all accounts it was a very good game.”

He added: “I don’t know why people have to be so childish. I’ve never seen a banner, or a dirty bedsheet with somebody’s garage paint spilt on it, change ever-changing global events… It just seemed like a petulant moment that totally ruined a spectacular tournament.”

The banner, held aloft by jubilant Argentina players and fans following the 2-1 victory in Atlanta, declared: “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” (“The Falkland Islands are Argentinian”). It has prompted widespread condemnation and calls for FIFA to investigate an apparent breach of tournament rules prohibiting political messages.

Downing Street has backed Business Secretary Peter Kyle’s demand for a “thorough” probe. A No 10 spokeswoman said: “The World Cup might not be ours, but the Falkland Islands definitely are. Our position is unchanged. Self-determination rests with the islanders. Our commitment to the Falklands will never waver.”

Mr Weston dismissed any notion that the gesture could advance Argentina’s territorial claim. He said: “If you can tell me what that banner did to serve their cause positively, then I’ll quite happily listen to it. But all it’s done is create greater animosity and a greater entrenchment of the feeling among people in Britain who believe the islands should remain with the islanders.”

Discussing the players’ youth, Mr Weston said: “None of the current Argentine team were even born 44 years ago. Yet they had an Olympic hockey captain doing exercises on British war memorials in the Falklands. How disrespectful. It’s immature and it’s disrespectful.

“If that is the kind of behaviour the islanders could expect if they were ever to become Argentinian, their fears and instabilities would be fully realised. They would be dealing with a nation that largely wouldn’t give a damn about what they felt or how their actions impacted their lives.”

Mr Weston also criticised ill-informed commentary from some left-wing voices, saying: “That is the case for a lot of the rhetoric around the Falkland Islands by a lot of people who don’t know the history, or only think they do… The Falklands have never been Argentinian. That’s just the way it is.”

He insisted the core issue remains the islanders’ right to self-determination, adding: “Their choice of democracy, of governance, of freedom — it’s theirs to choose, not for other people to enforce… It was always about freedom and the right to self-determination.

“When you take those things away, then you have a dictatorship. We keep getting accused of imperialism, but enforcing this on the islanders is someone else’s form of imperialism. Before people start uttering their nonsense, they need to take stock and understand what they are saying. If you have a positive, honest, and balanced approach to it, brilliant. But until then, shut the hell up.”

The Falkland Islanders are a distinct people who look to Britain for protection while maintaining their own identity, Mr Weston added. They have their own currency — the Falkland Islands pound — and voluntarily contribute towards the cost of the British military presence. He noted: “The islanders have made their choice. We aren’t enforcing anything on them.”

In the 2013 referendum, residents voted overwhelmingly to remain a British Overseas Territory, a result Argentina continues to reject. Tensions have been further inflamed by a fresh Argentine diplomatic protest over a routine Royal Navy logistics visit by HMS Medway.

Vice-President Victoria Villarruel labelled England “invaders” ahead of the match and posted victory messages referencing the conflict. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called for players involved in the banner incident to be suspended from the final, while Tory leader Kemi Badenoch stated: “The Falkland Islands are British. The Conservatives will always defend them.”

Mr Weston suggested any FIFA sanction, such as a £100,000 fine, would mean little to the multimillionaire players, noting: “That is just Lionel Messi’s wages for a single day… Do they care about the Falkland Islanders? Not a jot.”

Mr Weston concluded that the demonstration detracted from the football match and showed disrespect to those who served in the 1982 conflict.

Argentina claims it inherited the islands from Spain in the 1800s. Britain established a settlement there long before and never relinquished sovereignty. It has continuously inhabited and administered the islands since 1833.

Britain lost 255 British troops during the ten week conflict before Argentina’s troops surrendered on June 14, 1982.