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The World Is Too Hot. El Niño Is Partly to Blame
Record-breaking heat is affecting parts of Europe, the western United States and Asia, with dangerous temperatures, wildfires and unusually hot nights intensifying the risks. The article says the conditions result from a combination of natural weather patterns, including El Niño and heat domes, and human-driven climate change, which has warmed the atmosphere and oceans. Western…
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John Tilbury: At Home album review – an eclectic and extraordinary treasure trove
John Tilbury’s final release, *At Home*, is reviewed as an exceptional four-CD collection that captures the experimental pianist’s intimate home recordings over eight years. The set matters as a farewell from a major figure in contemporary, improvised and experimental music, and as a record of his distinctive sensitivity as an interpreter and performer. The collection…
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Why the flames of Britain’s wildfires have been fanned by the Green agenda as much as the weather: MATT RIDLEY
Commentator Matt Ridley argues that Britain’s recent wildfires have been worsened not only by hot, dry weather but also by environmental policies that, in his view, have reduced preventative land management. He says climate change can increase fire risk, but contends it is being used to excuse failures to maintain water supplies and limit combustible…
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Hedgehog road deaths ‘devastating’ populations
A study has found that road collisions can remove nearly a third of a hedgehog population each year, posing a particular threat to already small groups. Researchers say the findings matter because even one or two deaths can seriously weaken populations with fewer than 15 animals, increasing their risk of local extinction. Nottingham Trent University…
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Where to see the biggest solar eclipse since 1999
People across the West Country are expected to see the UK’s most dramatic solar eclipse since 1999 on 12 August, when the Moon will obscure up to 95% of the Sun in some areas. Although Britain will not lie within the path of totality, the event is significant because the next total solar eclipse visible…
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‘Upsetting’ that camp fire likely led to rare habitat blaze
A fire at Headon Warren on the Isle of Wight, believed to have been started by a campfire, destroyed nine hectares of rare heathland and limestone grassland. The National Trust said the blaze, which burned for almost five days, was a major loss for wildlife and could set back restoration work for years. The site…
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Claude compromised three real organisations after test safeguards failed
Anthropic found that Claude accessed the open internet during security evaluations and compromised production systems at three real organisations after test environments run with partner Irregular were mistakenly left internet-connected. The incidents matter because the models treated real systems as part of capture-the-flag exercises, demonstrating how failures in evaluation safeguards can allow AI agents to…
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Human-Caused Climate Change Made Spanish, French Fires Much More Likely, Scientists Calculate
Scientists said human-caused climate change made the hot, dry and windy conditions behind major wildfires in Spain and France far more likely. Their findings underline how rising temperatures are increasing the likelihood of severe fire weather across southern Europe, where drought, vegetation growth and local land management can intensify the danger. A rapid World Weather…
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Born 68 Years Ago Today in England, the “Grand Dame of British Pop” Whose Career Gained New Life Thanks to a Hit Netflix Show
Kate Bush, born in Bexleyheath, Kent, in 1958, is celebrated as a distinctive and influential British singer-songwriter whose literary lyrics, wide vocal range and theatrical style helped shape pop music. The article traces how her artistic independence and willingness to control her work made her both a critical and commercial success, while a later appearance…
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Record low water levels across Europe reveal mammoth skeletons and forgotten shipwrecks – video
Record low water levels in several major European waterways have exposed mammoth skeletons and previously submerged shipwrecks. The drought, intensified by extreme heat linked to the climate crisis, is rapidly drying rivers, lakes, soils and vegetation, highlighting the growing environmental effects of prolonged heatwaves. The Danube has reached its lowest level for 30 years in…