Weather tracker: Unusually warm rivers affect French nuclear power plants 13. July 2026 (12:53) High temperatures and below average rainfall put pressure on waterways used to cool reactorsAbove average temperatures combined with below average rainfall across much of western and central Europe during June and the first half of July have placed increasing pressure on rivers, ecosystems and energy infrastructure. Persistent high pressure brought prolonged sunshine, suppressed rainfall and enhanced evaporation, causing river levels to fall and water temperatures to increase.These unusually warm rivers are affecting electricity generation in France, as several nuclear power stations rely on river water for cooling. Under French environmental regulations, operators must limit the amount of heat discharged back into rivers, meaning electricity output may need to be reduced when water temperatures become too high. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Sam Neill tributes: actors, directors and leaders remember ‘a true gentleman’ 13. July 2026 (12:52) The star of more than 100 films is remembered as a champion of New Zealand’s arts, culture and environment, and a generous collaborator and friend• Sam Neill’s final interview• His 20 best performances• A life in pictures• ‘A true gentleman’: actors, directors and leaders pay tribute to Neill• Neill interviewed in 2023, 2024 and 2026Sam Neill’s friends, peers and admirers have rushed to pay tribute to the actor, after his sudden death on Monday at the age of 78.Neill’s co-star in A Long Way Down and Aussie crime caper Dirty Deeds, Toni Collette, called him a “hero,” “legend” and a “sweetheart”. She wrote: “Our great friend. You are already missed so very much. Continue in peace wherever you are.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Wildfires burn in Wales and England as environment officials warn of ‘exceptional risk’ 13. July 2026 (12:05) Major incidents declared in north Wales and Derbyshire, with firefighters also called out to two large fires in LondonPeople have been evacuated from their homes after a wildfire swept across a mountainside in north Wales, prompting firefighters to declare a major incident.Residents described hearing the crackling fire advancing down Conwy Mountain towards homes as ash fell from a sky turned dark by thick smoke. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Beloved or not, Lindsey Graham was a critical dealmaker in Congress 13. July 2026 (12:00) Senator played major role in critical negotiations with Democrats and members of his own party on key issuesWhen Democrats and Republicans were earlier this year locked in a standoff that had plunged the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) into the longest partial government shutdown in US history, news of a path forward emerged in the form of a statement from Republican senator Lindsey Graham.By announcing that the budget committee he chairs would set to work on a measure to fund the agencies leading Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign for the remainder of his presidency, Graham played a major role in rallying the GOP behind a plan that reopened DHS. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Zaghari-Ratcliffe condemns Iran’s ‘cruel’ rearrest of wildlife activist couple 13. July 2026 (11:59) Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was in prison with Sepideh Kashani, who worked with husband Houman Jokar to save Asiatic cheetahNazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has described the rearrest of two Iranian environmentalists, one of whom she met at Evin prison, as “unimaginably cruel and alarming”.Husband and wife Houman Jokar and Sepideh Kashani were arrested by the ministry of intelligence at their home on 1 July. No reason has been given and their whereabouts are unknown. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
More than 120 families contacted as police investigate alleged abuse by Sydney childcare worker 13. July 2026 (11:54) Police allege there are 136 victims of the man’s offending, which allegedly took place over a 16-year periodFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia federal police have contacted more than 120 families as they investigate alleged offending by a former Sydney childcare worker.The man, 35, has been charged with 329 offences allegedly committed over a 16-year period against 136 victims. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
France and Germany summon Russian ambassadors over alleged cyber attacks as Macron hosts leaders for Ukraine talks – Europe live 13. July 2026 (11:54) French president hosts ‘coalition of the willing’ in Paris amid hopes that Ukraine’s recent advances could force Putin towards negotiationsResponding to the Paris summit on France, the Kremlin said it would “closely follow” the discussions today, but criticised the Coalition of the Willing as “the group of countries which want the Ukraine war to continue,” Reuters reported.Meanwhile, Germany joined France (10:14) in summoning the Russian ambassador to Berlin over what the EU alleges were Russian cyber-attacks against several EU countries and Ukraine (10:38, 10:52). Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Iran launches attacks on American military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait after fresh US strikes – Middle East crisis live 13. July 2026 (11:32) US military says it hit dozens of Iranian sites in strikes on Monday while UN chief warns that a return to full-scale fighting would be ‘catastrophic’US launches new attack wave on Iran as Tehran says diplomacy has proven ‘futile’Esmail Baghaei also told the media briefing that Iran is trying to agree a joint mechanism with Oman for the management of the strait of Hormuz but claimed that US pressure on Oman has hindered efforts. He did not say how exactly the US is pressuring Oman.During talks on Saturday aimed at resolving the standoff over the strait, Oman proposed a plan to fully reopen both shipping lanes through the waterway, according to US outlet Axios, citing a diplomat briefed on the negotiations. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
First the £10 pint, now the £6.50 flat white: coffee industry faces inflationary pressures 13. July 2026 (11:00) From harvests dampened by El Niño to wage and tax rises, getting coffee beans from crop to cup costs more than everDrinkers across the UK were shocked when a pint in some London bars hit £10, and now a cup of coffee is facing a similar inflationary rate. Some baristas are now charging £6.50 for a flat white.Higher energy bills, inflated by the war in the Middle East, as well as government policies which have increased tax and wages, are filtering through into coffee prices, experts said. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
North Carolina woman, 82, survives nine days trapped in her bathtub after fall 13. July 2026 (11:00) Joan Rivet drank water she managed to splash up to her face by turning faucet on with her footAn 82-year-old North Carolina woman says she survived falling in her bathtub and being trapped there for nine days by turning the faucet on with her foot and drinking water that she managed to splash up to her face – all while drifting in and out of consciousness.Joan Rivet recently shared her remarkable survival story with North Carolina’s The Mountaineer newspaper, providing an extreme example of the kinds of emergencies that can face the millions of older Americans who fall by accident annually, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
