World·2h ago
Spanish police accuse tractor driver of sparking wildfire as blazes spread
The fire, one of several burning across central Spain, has merged two blazes west of Madrid into a single wave that has burned through 30 square kilometres (11.5sq miles) and which officials have called the worst in the region’s history. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said France now has 32 active wildfires, including more than 50,000 hectares (123,500 acres) burned since January – almost three times last year’s total. The World Health Organization’s European office noted that land burned by wildfires across the continent has risen 57 percent in four years, with fires in Spain and Portugal.
Al Jazeera
World·1h ago
Paramount agrees to pause Warner Bros deal while court case plays out
Paramount Skydance has agreed to pause its $110bn acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery until after a federal judge rules on states’ challenge to the deal, according to court papers. The delay, filed in court on Friday, could cost Paramount Skydance about $7m a day in fees it agreed to pay Warner Bros shareholders if the merger does not close by September 30. Paramount could owe as much as $1.7bn in ticking fees to Warner Bros shareholders if the deal is delayed until then.
Al Jazeera
World·1h ago
Firefighters struggle to contain Madrid wildfires, as more than 140,000 evacuated in France and Spain
Firefighters and civilians attempt to extinguish a wildfire as it approaches house in Spain's Ávila province In south-west France, authorities have evacuated more than 110,000 people after wildfires ripped through the Gironde and Landes regions. Fire and rescue chief Marc Vermeulen said conditions were more severe than during the serious fires that hit the region in 2022, with drought enabling the blaze to continue spreading through the night. More than 60,000 people have been affected in the Madrid region, with 30,000 forced to evacuate and 20,000 placed under lockdown, authorities said.
BBC World
