Australia has just 12,000 sea lions left – and ‘carnage’ may await them as bird flu takes hold, scientists warn 24. August 2026 (17:00) Virus has already caused catastrophic losses in pinnipeds in South America and sub-Antarctica, particularly among pupsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastScientists have warned deadly H5 bird flu could cause “carnage” for Australia’s seal and sea lion populations after detection of the virus in long-nosed fur seals in South Australia.SA confirmed Australia’s first case in a mammal on Saturday after a dead long-nosed fur seal found at Beachport on the Limestone Coast tested positive for H5N1. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Guns, axes, explosives: violent museum heists are on the rise, says Europol 24. August 2026 (16:31) EU police agency says shift could point to involvement of new criminal networks focused on specific artefactsRobberies at European museums are becoming increasingly violent, with thieves sometimes brandishing guns, assaulting staff and using sledgehammers, axes and even explosives to smash their way into buildings and display cases, according to a report by Europol.The EU police agency said that while museum thefts were generally seen as a non-violent form of organised property crime, member states had detected a recent shift “towards violent and forceful methods” that could point to the involvement of new criminal networks focused on specific cultural artefacts. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Man suspected of killing five people in Oregon found dead, officials say 24. August 2026 (16:27) Authorities suspect Benjamin Charles Parker, 36, died by suicide after he was found in vehicle in Washington stateA man suspected of killing five people in rural Oregon was found dead in a suspected suicide, local law enforcement officials said on Sunday.The five homicide victims were found on Saturday at a home in a rural community near Forest Grove, Oregon, about 30 miles (48km) outside Portland, when authorities responded to a report of a vehicle fire. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Video shows hundreds held captive after Nigeria mosque kidnapping 24. August 2026 (16:19) Gunmen attacked worshippers in Dekara village on Friday taking women, children and older peopleAn armed group has posted a video showing what residents said were about 600 women, children and older people abducted in an attack on a mosque in Nigeria’s north-central Niger State last week.The video, posted on Facebook and WhatsApp, showed large groups of people seated in a forested area surrounded by armed men. Several children could be heard crying in the background. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
About 90,000 urged to evacuate as fast-moving wildfire threatens Reno, Nevada 24. August 2026 (16:15) ‘Human-caused’, wind-driven fire in Reno leaves thousands of homes and businesses without power, officials sayAbout 90,000 residents of Reno, Nevada, and the adjacent North Valley are under evacuation orders as a fast-moving, wind-driven wildfire bears down on the city.The Hawk fire began on Saturday to the north-west of the city, and quickly grew, showing “extreme fire behavior”. It stood at a little more than 15,000 acres burned on Monday morning, and was 0% contained. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
