WASHINGTON The United States believes an understanding on Iran eventually releasing five U.S. citizens remains on track, White

Tropical Storm Harold has made landfall on Padre Island, Texas, and will bring heavy rains and tropical storm

People are being urged to avoid the Alps as a heatwave is expected to hit this week, making climbing conditions dangerous. Local authorities in the Haute-Savoie region, which includes the French side of Mont Blanc, warned there are higher than usual risks of rockfalls and also new crevices opening up on glaciers. It comes as a so-called "heat dome" is due to hit continental Europe. Italy, Switzerland and France have all issued heat warnings as temperatures are anticipated to hit 40C this week. Haute-Savoie authorities said in a statement online: "We appeal to everyone's sense of responsibility and judgement and urged you, where possible, to delay taking the Normal Route up Mont Blanc." In normal conditions, between 100 to 200 climbers reach the summit each day. Swiss weather authorities said on Monday that a new record had been set for the altitude of the zero-degree line in the Alps, which is the height at which the temperature dips below 0C. According to Le Monde, it was clocked overnight from Sunday to Monday at 5,298 metres, "which constitutes a record since monitoring began in 1954". Last July during a more severe heatwave, all seven routes to the Mont Blanc summit had deteriorated so much that only extremely experienced climbers could make. French authorities also closed down two popular mountain shelters due to the risk of rockfalls. Four southern regions - the Rhone, Drome, Ardeche and Haute-Loire - were placed under "red alert" for heat on Monday. This allows local authorities to call off sports and cultural events and close public facilities if needed. Meteo France said: "The heatwave is expected to peak between Tuesday and Thursday, depending on the regions. The length and intensity of this event could require stepping up alert levels in some departments.” Meanwhile, grape-pickers in wine-producing regions of southern France have been advised to start work on the harvest in the early hours of the morning to avoid sweltering in a late summer heatwave. Jerome Volle, a wine producer in Ardeche and vice-president of the French farmers' union FNSEA, told BFM TV that the grape harvest was already underway in his region. One way to cope with the heat was to "start picking the grapes at 3.30 a.m. in the morning and to stop at 11am," he said. Agriculture Minister Marc Fesneau also told reporters during a visit to a vegetable farm in Burgundy that the heatwave created problems for crops and so there was a need to adapt. "To grow enough food, it is necessary to adapt the schedules, which farmers do, which market gardeners do, which breeders do, and at the same time continue to produce in conditions which are necessarily somewhat degraded," he said. Read More Mapped: Where are the wildfires in Tenerife as blaze forces thousands to flee Newborn babies among dozens of patients evacuated from hospital to ferry to escape raging Greek wildfire The five charts alarming scientists about the climate crisis Microsoft revamps deal for video game maker Activision Blizzard to meet UK demands A major wildfire in northeastern Greece has forced the evacuation of villages and a city hospital Swiss glaciers under threat again as heat wave drives zero-temperature level to record high

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The African Union has suspended Niger following the takeover of the West African country by a military junta on July 26.

WASHINGTON Former Trump lawyer John Eastman said on Tuesday that he was surrendering in Georgia on Tuesday after

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 22, 2023--

WASHINGTON Scott Hall, a former aide to Donald Trump who was indicted in Georgia alongside the ex-U.S. President

Greek authorities said the bodies of 18 people were found Tuesday in an area of northeastern Greece struck by a major wildfire. The charred bodies were found in a remote village in northern Greece on Tuesday, where wildfires have been raging for days, the fire brigade said as a heatwave hitting southern Europe turned deadly. Greek media, without citing sources, said the bodies found south of the village of Avantas in northern Greece were thought to be of migrants. The broader Evros region is a popular route for migrants crossing from Turkey into Greece. On Monday, the burned body of another man believed to be a migrant was found in the region, a local police official said. Hundreds of firefighters struggled Tuesday to control major wildfires burning out of control for days in northeastern Greece and on Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands. Hot, dry and windy conditions have seen dozens of wildfires break out across Greece, with the most severe entering its fourth day and encroaching on the northeastern port city of Alexandroupolis. On Monday, two people died and two firefighters were injured in separate fires in northern and central Greece. The fire risk level for several regions, including the wider Athens area, was listed as “extreme” for the second day Tuesday. Authorities have banned public access to mountains and forests in those regions until at least Wednesday morning and ordered military patrols. Dozens of hospital patients – including newborn babies – have been evacuated onto a ferry in the Greek port city of Alexandroupolis away from a wildfire that has raged for days. In Alexandroupolis, northeastern Greece, a ferry was turned into a makeshift hospital after 65 patients were evacuated from the University Hospital in the early hours. Ambulances also ferried patients away from a nearby clinic. Elderly patients lay on mattresses strewn across the cafeteria floor, paramedics attended to others on stretchers and a woman held a man resting on a sofa, an IV drip attached to his hand. “I’ve been working for 27 years, I’ve never seen anything like this,” said nurse Nikos Gioktsidis. “Stretchers everywhere, patients here, IV drips there... it was like a war, like a bomb had exploded.” It comes as a fresh heatwave hit southern Europe. Authorities urged residents to avoid the heat as France, Italy, Spain and elsewhere suffered hot, dry and windy conditions that scientists have linked to the climate crisis. Firefighters were also battling blazes in Spain and Italy. Read More Turkey says UN lost neutrality after world body condemns Cyprus roadwork, assault on peacekeepers U.N. calls unauthorized construction by Turkish Cypriots a violation of the status quo on Cyprus Major wildfires burn in Greece, Spain's Canary Island of Tenerife Turkish Cypriots attack UN peacekeepers trying to halt road work inside divided Cyprus' buffer zone Marble head and Cartier ring: The other items previously stolen from British Museum British Museum boss reveals items have been stolen as staff member dismissed

Israeli forces shoot dead a 17-year-old militant during an overnight detention raid near Jenin.

Wildfires continue to cause chaos in Europe as firefighters in Greece and Tenerife tackle blazes in soaring heat. Devastating blazes in central Greece left two dead and two firefighters injured on Monday, while fires consumed the city of Alexandroupolis, damaging a school, a cemetery and several homes. And on Tuesday, the bodies of 18 people were found in a forest after a fire struck an area in the north east of the country. In a separate incident, around 65 of the more than 100 patients in the Alexandroupolis hospital in north-eastern Greece were transported to a ferry docked in the city’s port, as hot, dry and windy conditions have kept fires stoked for four days. It comes as dozens more houses were damaged by another wildfire in the Kavala region, local authorities said, while a separate fire in the Evros border region was burning through woodland in a protected national park. A new fire broke out in the Aspropyrgos area on the western fringes of the Greek capital on Tuesday morning, prompting authorities to issue evacuation orders for two villages in the area. Romania sent 56 firefighters and Cyprus send two water-dropping aircraft to help fight the wildfire in Alexandroupolis, while French firefighters helped tackle a separate fire on the island of Evia. Here is a map which shows where the wildfires are in Greece: The highest fire risk level (extreme) was given by the General Secretariat of Civil Protection of the Ministry of Climate Crisis & Civil Protection for the following areas today: Region of Attica Region of Central Greece (PE Boeotia, PE Evia, PE Fthiotida) Peloponnese Region (Argolida PE, Corinthia PE) There is a very high fire risk for the following areas: Region of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace (Evros PE including the island of Samothraki, Rodopi PE, Xanthi PE, Kavala PE, Thassos PE) Region of Central Macedonia (PE Thessaloniki, PE Halkidiki, Mount Athos) North Aegean Region (Lemnos PE, Lesvos PE) Region of Thessaly (Magnesia PE, Sporades PE) Region of Central Greece (PE of Fokidas, PE of Fthiotida, Skyros island) Region of Peloponnese Region of Attica (Kythira Island) Region of Western Greece Region of Epirus (Preveza Region, Arta Region, Thesprotia Region) Region of Ionian Islands (PE Kefallonia, PE Zakynthos, PE Lefkada) In Tenerife, more than 12,000 people were evacuated from their homes as a devastating blaze- which was started deliberately- burnt through about 13,400 hectares (33,000 acres) of pine forest and scrubland. Locals were seen fleeing in horror from plumes of flames and smoke as the fire spread after it was first sparked last Tuesday. Fernando Clavijo, regional president of Canary Islands, said police suspected arson and have opened three lines of investigation. It has not been revealed if any arrests were made. The fire began in the Arafo mountains around the Mount Teide volcano - Spain’s highest peak- expanding to a raging perimeter of 84 kilometers as it ravaged the north of the island over the last six days. Authorities on Sunday allowed some of the 12,000 people evacuated from the villages of Arafo and Candelaria to return to their homes and the remaining evacuees could receive more good news on Monday, Clavijo said. However, emergency services recommended residents in the area around the fire, which includes the capital Santa Cruz de Tenerife, to close windows and to stay indoors. It recommended wearing face masks if they need to go outside, as the air quality was “very unfavourable” due to smoke. Read More Apocalyptic scenes in Tenerife as wildfire continues to rage on island Mapped: Where are the wildfires in Tenerife as blaze forces thousands to flee Tenerife fire that has raged for six days was started deliberately Greek firefighters find bodies of 18 people in forest Newborns evacuated from hospital to ferry to escape raging Greek wildfire Biden promises to assist Maui fire survivors for ‘as long as it takes’ during visit Maui guest interrupts Steve Bannon show over politicisation of fires