Daily Briefing

The death toll from a powerful storm in Libya is expected to keep rising, Kim Jong Un meets Putin in Russia, and the UK economy stumbles in July.

Plus, memorable moments from this year's MTV Video Music Awards.

By Edson Caldas

Today's Top News

Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin hold a summit at Russia's new space launch station. Sputnik/Vladimir Smirnov/Pool via REUTERS

President Vladimir Putin said his country would help North Korea launch satellites and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Moscow had his full backing in its fight with the West as they met in Russia. Shortly before the summit, North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles.
The Sevastopol Shipyard on the Crimean Peninsula was on fire early today and two ships were damaged after Ukraine launched 10 missiles and three speedboat attacks on the port, Russia's defense ministry said. Seven missiles were downed and all three boats were destroyed by Russia, the ministry said.
Bodies are washing ashore in eastern Libya, increasing the death toll from a storm that swept whole neighborhoods out to sea, with thousands already confirmed dead and many thousands more still missing. The flood torrent obliterated around a quarter or the Mediterranean city of Derna.
India's southern state of Kerala shut some schools, offices and public transport, as they scrambled to rein in the spread of the rare and deadly brain-damaging Nipah virus that has killed two people. An adult and a child are still infected in hospital, and more than 130 people have been tested for the virus.
US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy will confront a fractured caucus today, with his role as the top Republican in Congress under threat, despite giving hardline conservatives the impeachment inquiry they wanted. McCarthy conceded to weeks of pressure by launching a formal probe of President Joe Biden.
More than 200 civil society groups have written to the United Arab Emirates, host of this year's COP28 U.N. climate summit, and all participating governments with a series of demands concerning the Gulf nation's human rights record.

Business & Markets

Britain's economy contracted in July at an unexpectedly sharp rate after strikes in hospitals and schools as well as unusually rainy weather weighed on output. Gross domestic product shrank 0.5% in July from June, worse than all forecasts in a Reuters poll of economists.
BP CEO Bernard Looney resigned for failing to fully disclose details of past personal relationships with colleagues. Reuters' Carmel Crimmins gives us more details about the man who was in the job for less than four years. Chief Financial Officer Murray Auchincloss will act as CEO on an interim basis.
The European Commission will assess whether the EU needs to impose tariffs to protect itself against Chinese electric car producers benefiting from subsidies. European carmakers have realized they have a fight on their hands to produce lower-cost EVs. Sign up to the Auto File newsletter for more on the industry.
China has not issued a ban on the purchase and use of foreign phone brands, the Chinese foreign ministry said, in response to reports that some government agencies and firms had told staff to stop using iPhones. Meanwhile, here's how Chinese consumers reacted to the iPhone 15 announcement.
Australia's top court ruled Qantas Airways broke the law by sacking 1,700 ground staff and replacing them with contractors early in the pandemic, reinvigorating public criticism of a company already facing multiple scandals. And in more aviation news...

Fly responsibly? Airlines face a storm over climate claims

Campaign leader Hiske Arts during a meeting of climate group Fossil Free Netherlands at their office in Amsterdam. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw

When Dutch airline KLM launched adverts urging customers to "fly responsibly" and think about the environmental impact before booking a flight, it said it was showing its commitment to a sustainable future. But the 2019 campaign sparked criticism and last year activists filed a suit accusing the company of "greenwashing".

We take a look at the case filed by Fossil Free Netherlands and other greenwashing cases against airlines in Europe and the US.

And Finally...

Taylor Swift receives the Best Pop award during the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards. REUTERS/Brendan Mcdermid

Taylor Swift dominated MTV's annual Video Music Awards, adding nine trophies to her collection as she claimed the top prize for her hit song "Anti-Hero". Among other winners, rapper Ice Spice was named best new artist. Stray Kids won the best K-pop award, and SZA scored best R&B video for "Shirt".

Read more about the winners and see our photo galleries from the red carpet and the best moments of the show.

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