52°C RECORDED IN CHINA, US; WILDFIRES IN GREECE

Heatwaves and wildfires have gripped several parts of the Northern Hemisphere, causing record-breaking temperatures and prompting health authorities to issue warnings. In Greece, a forest fire threatened holiday camps near the beach town of Loutraki, leading to the evacuation of 1,200 children. Europe, the continent experiencing the fastest rate of warming, anticipated its hottest-ever temperature on the islands of Sicily and Sardinia, with a predicted high of 48°C. China also reported extreme temperatures, reaching 52.2°C in the Xinjiang region's village of Sanbao. In Japan, heatstroke alerts were issued in 32 out of 47 prefectures, and over 60 people were treated for heatstroke, with 51 hospitalized in Tokyo. Western and southern states in the US faced a "widespread and oppressive" heatwave, with over 80 million people under advisories. Death Valley in California recorded a near-record temperature of 52°C. Rome experienced temperatures of 39°C, narrowly missing the record set in 2007, but tourists still flocked to popular sites. Spain faced abnormally high temperatures, with forecasts of up to 44°C in the southern Andalusia region. Additionally, parts of Asia have been affected by torrential rain. These extreme weather events serve as a stark reminder of the impact of global warming, prompting authorities to urge people to stay hydrated and seek shelter from the scorching sun.

RUSSIA HALTS GRAIN DEAL AFTER CRIMEA ATTACK

Russia has announced its withdrawal from a major agreement that allowed Ukraine to export grain via the Black Sea. The Kremlin cited issues with the implementation of the pact and emphasized that the decision was unrelated to a recent drone attack on the Kerch bridge, which connects Russia to Crimea. The bridge attack resulted in the deaths of a civilian couple and the injury of their daughter. Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the attack and pledged retaliatory action, while also ordering repair work on the damaged bridge. The Black Sea Grain Initiative, which facilitated the export of Ukrainian grain, has seen a halt in new ship approvals since June. Last week, Putin had already indicated Russia's intention to terminate the agreement, expressing concerns that Moscow's interests were being overlooked. Russia has notified Turkey, Ukraine, and the UN of its opposition to extending the deal.

SUNAK CRACKS DOWN ON ‘RIP-OFF’ DEGREES: ‘TOO MANY FALSE DREAMS SOLD’

London : British PM Rishi Sunak on Monday unveiled plans for a crackdown on “rip-off” degrees being offered by some universities in the country that do not lead to decent job prospects for students. The 43-year-old British-Indian leader wants the higher education sector to boost apprenticeship opportunities for the youth that would help them in the jobs market in the longerrun.

Under the plans released by the Department for Education (DfE), university courses that fail to deliver good outcomes, with high drop-out rates and poor employment prospects will be subject to strictcontrols. “The UK is home to some of the best universities in the world and studying for a degree can be immensely rewarding; but too many young people are being sold a false dream and end up doing a poor-quality course at the taxpayers’ expense that doesn’t offer the prospect of a decent job at the end of it,” said Sunak.

“That is why we are taking action to crack down on rip-off university courses,while boosting skills training and apprenticeships provision. This will help more young people to choose the path that is right to help them reach their potential and grow our economy,” hesaid.

The Office for Students in England will be asked to limit the number of students that universities can recruit onto courses that are failing to deliver good outcomes for students. DfE said it wants to make the system fairer for students and also British taxpayers, who make the ultimate investment in higher education and are liable for billions of pounds in unrecovered tuition fees if graduate earnings are low.

STUDENTS CLEAR 1ST HURDLE IN UK TRIAL AGAINST VARSITIES OVER COVID SETBACK

London : A total of 924 current and former students of University College London (UCL), including 14 Indians in India, have partially won the first battle in their damages claim against UCL over Covid disruptions and lecturer strikes. Senior master Barbara Fontaine handed down judgment in the high court in London on Monday in the first Student Group Claims — this one against UCL — in which students are seeking thousands of pounds in damages from over 100 UK universities for Covid and strike-related disruption between 2018 and 2022.

Fontaine agreed to stay the proceedings for 8 months but did not make a mandatory order for the claimants to engage in alternative dispute resolution — an order for a stay to encourage the parties to mediate. She gave permission for either side to ask the court to cut the stay short after four months if progress is not being made. Students’ lawyer said: “If the claims are not settled, they will proceed to trial. The students’ argument that they had a right to access the court system has been vindicated. ” The students paid between £9,250 and £40,000 per year for lessons that were cancelled or moved online.

NORWAY WARNS META OF $100K FINE/DAY OVER DATA

Oslo : Norway's data protection authority, Datatilsynet, has announced that it will fine Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook and Instagram) one million crowns per day ($100,000) starting from August 4 until November 3, unless the company takes remedial action to address privacy breaches. The fine is imposed due to Meta's alleged harvesting of user data, such as physical locations, for targeted advertising known as behavioral advertising, which is considered illegal. Datatilsynet stated that immediate intervention is necessary, and the decision has been referred to the European Data Protection Board for further consideration. If approved, the fine could become permanent and extend its territorial scope in Europe, placing additional pressure on Meta. This announcement follows a recent ruling by the EU's top court, which prohibited Meta from collecting user data for behavioral advertising. Meta has stated that it will review Datatilsynet's decision, and there will be no immediate impact on its services. The company continues to engage with the Irish Data Protection Commission, its lead regulator in the EU, regarding compliance with its earlier decision to cease the data harvesting practice.

PAK ARMY TERMS TTP ‘SANCTUARIES’ IN AF A MAJOR SECURITY THREAT

Islamabad : The safe haven provided to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Afghanistan was one of the major reasons impacting Pakistan’s security, the country’s military brass concluded at a corps commanders’ conference, chaired by army chief General Syed Asim Munir, at Rawalpindi on Monday.

“The sanctuaries and liberty of action available to the terrorists of proscribed TTP and other groups of that ilk in a neighbouring country and availability of latest weapons to the terrorists were noted as major reasons impacting security of Pakistan,” said a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations, the military’s media wing. This is the second time in less than a week that the Pakistan army has blamed the Taliban-led Afghan government for providing a safe haven to the Pakistan Taliban

TALIBAN SNUB ON DOHA DEAL WORRIES PAKISTAN

Islamabad : Pakistan has expressed strong dissatisfaction with the Taliban's rejection of the Doha Agreement. Islamabad accused the Afghan Taliban of providing support to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which allegedly carried out recent attacks in Balochistan province. The Taliban responded by stating that they had signed the agreement with the US, not Pakistan, and denied using their territory for terrorist activities against other countries. Pakistan's defense minister and army's media wing criticized the Taliban for not fulfilling their counterterrorism commitments. The Taliban's refusal to acknowledge the Doha Agreement with Pakistan has raised concerns and questions about the scope of the agreement. Pakistani leaders have emphasized their commitment to eradicating terrorism from their own soil, regardless of its origin. Pakistan initially welcomed the Taliban's takeover of Kabul in 2021 but has become increasingly disillusioned due to the rise in terrorist attacks.

SOLOMON ISLANDS PM HITS BACK AT CRITICISM OF RELATIONS WITH CHINA

WELLINGTON: The leader of Solomon Islands hit back at criticism of his nation’s deepening security ties with China, saying the U.S. and Australia had nothing to fear. Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare made the remarks at a news conference after returning from a visit to China, where he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

U.S. ENVOY KERRY CALLS FOR ‘URGENT ACTION’ ON CLIMATE AT CHINA TALKS

BEIJING: U.S. climate envoy John Kerry held talks with Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua in Beijing, as the two countries revived stalled diplomacy on reducing planet-warming emissions. Both countries “must take urgent action on a number of fronts, especially the challenges of coal and methane pollution,” Mr. Kerry said.

PAK., IRAN AGREE TO WORK TOGETHER TO STOP BORDER ATTACKS BY MILITANTS

ISLAMABAD: The top military leadership of Pakistan and Iran agreed to step up cooperation and intelligence sharing and take “effective actions” to prevent attacks by separatist militants along their porous border. The agreement was reached during a visit by Pakistan’s powerful Army chief Gen. Asim Munir to Tehran over the weekend.

COMMONWEALTH GAMES: 2026 EVENT IN DOUBT AFTER VICTORIA CANCELS

The 2026 Commonwealth Games are in doubt after the Australian state of Victoria cancelled its plans to host due to budget blowouts.

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) struggled to find a host city before Victoria volunteered in April 2022.

But the premier said the projected cost had now tripled and become "well and truly too much" for the state to bear.

CGF called the decision "hugely disappointing" and said it is "committed to finding a solution".

The Commonwealth Games have only ever been cancelled during World War Two.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on Tuesday said Victoria had been "happy to help out" when approached to host last year, but "not at any price".

Organisers had originally estimated the event - hosted across cities including Geelong, Bendigo and Ballarat - would cost A$2.6 billion (£1.4bn; $1.8bn) and the state government had billed it as a boom for the regions.

But now the 12-day tournament was expected to cost more than A$6 billion, Mr Andrews said, adding that the new figure was "more than twice the estimated economic benefit" it would bring to Victoria.