Daily Briefing

Scientists say human-induced climate change has played an "absolutely overwhelming" role in extreme heatwaves, and we take a look at the impact of wildfires in Greece, Italy, Algeria and Canada.

Plus, why Musk's decision to rebrand Twitter as X could be complicated legally.

By Edson Caldas

Today's Top News

Roberto Klarich from Canada cools off at a fountain near the Pantheon, in Rome, July 19, 2023. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane/File Photo

EXTREME WEATHER

Climate change has played an "overwhelming" role in the heatwaves this month, according to an assessment by scientists. "European and North American temperatures would have been virtually impossible without the effects of climate change," said Izidine Pinto, one of the study's authors.
Greece battles to contain wildfires on the island of Rhodes for a seventh day, while in Italy wildfires forced the closure of Palermo airport, with severe storms causing damage and at least two deaths in the north of the country. Across the Mediterranean, wildfires killed 34 people in Algeria including 10 soldiers.

UKRAINE WAR

Russia launched new drone strikes on Kyiv and parts of central and northern Ukraine, but there were no reports of damage or casualties. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military reported making small advances against Russian forces in parts of southern Ukraine and south of Bakhmut in the east.
A Russian delegation led by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu will visit North Korea this week, state media agency KCNA reported, joining a Chinese group as the first such public visitors to the country since the start of the pandemic.

ELSEWHERE

The Republican-controlled US House of Representatives is due to begin voting this week on a series of spending bills that take aim at culture-war targets, putting it on a collision course with the Democratic-led Senate and increasing the odds of a government shutdown come October.
"Major E" served in the Israeli army for 13 years. Today, the volunteer reservist is also on strike. He talks to Reuters World News about his divided state. We also have an explainer on the judicial overhaul in Israel and why it is causing upheaval.
Spain's maritime rescue service said it had rescued a boat near the island of Gran Canaria carrying 84 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, one of whom had died. Eight of the migrants, who were all male except one woman, were taken to a hospital.

Business & Markets

The fanfare around "Barbie" could jolt the iconic Mattel doll's sales out of a year-long slump, but Wall Street thinks the party in pink will be short-lived. While Mattel will report Q2 results tomorrow, analysts say the boost from Barbie sales will be most pronounced in the quarter ending Sept. 29 before tapering off.
Billionaire Elon Musk's decision to rebrand Twitter as X could be complicated legally: companies including Meta and Microsoft already have intellectual property rights to the same letter. X is so widely used and cited in trademarks that it is a candidate for legal challenges.
In more tech news, Spotify raised prices for its premium plans across several countries, as the music-streaming company looks to boost profitability in an uncertain economy. The company has moved in recent months to boost margins with hundreds of layoffs and a restructuring of the podcast unit.
Unilever beat underlying sales growth forecasts after again raising prices to offset higher costs, boosting shares in the maker of Dove soap and Ben & Jerry's ice cream. The British company reported a 7.9% rise in underlying second-quarter sales, beating analysts' average forecast of 6.4%.
The US Virgin Islands unveiled new accusations against JPMorgan over the bank's ties to former client Jeffrey Epstein, including executives discussing how the disgraced late financier surrounded himself with "nymphettes." The bank countered that the territory was also to blame for allowing Epstein's sexual abuse.

Graphic: Battling the Canadian wildfires

Firefighters use hoses to extinguish hotspots on a wildfire burning near Vanderhoof, British Columbia, July 13, 2023. REUTERS/Jesse Winter

During an average wildfire season in Canada, 24,600 sq km of land will burn. This year is different. Four times as much land has burned.

Our graphic shows how the Canadian wildfires are burning land at a record pace.

And Finally...

Evald Krnic, a diver from Montenegro, jumps from a bridge during a competition on the White Drin River in Kosovo, July 23, 2023. REUTERS/Fatos Bytyci

With arms outstretched like bird's wings in the traditional "swallow style", Evald Krnic plunged more than 20 meters from a bridge in southern Kosovo into the cold White Drin river. "You don't just jump; you fly," he told Reuters after winning first place in the bridge-diving competition, an annual event held for the past 73 years and drawing both amateurs and professionals.

Read more here: Kosovo bridge divers overcome fear to 'fly'

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