Canada wildfires blanket North America cities in smoke
Summary
- Tens of millions of people in North America have been warned of dangerous air quality as intense wildfires rage across Canada
- Toronto and New York City recorded among the worst air quality levels in the world overnight, reaching above 200 on the US Air Quality Index - a level that is "unhealthy"
- Public health officials have cautioned people not to exercise outside and to minimise exposure to the smoke as much as possible
- Thousands of people have been evacuated across Canada and fires have already burned more than 3.3m hectares of land - an area 12 times the 10-year average for this time of year
- Canadian officials say the country is shaping up for its worst wildfire season on record with climate change increasing the risk of hot and dry weather
How long will the smoke linger?
In Toronto and much of the Canadian province of Ontario, the air quality index is projected to be at "high risk" levels until at least Thursday evening.
Environment Canada predicts poor air quality will likely persist into the weekend.
The New York State Air Quality Index also projects air levels to remain "unhealthy" for New York City and Long Island on Thursday.
Washington DC is also bracing for poor air levels into Thursday as smoke drifts south.
A storm system off the coast of Nova Scotia is the driving factor behind the wildfire smoke traveling south into the US and then towards the east.
Environment Canada says a low pressure system may bring cleaner air to the region on Sunday.
What Turkey’s new cabinet says about where the country is headed
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan swore in a new cabinet over the weekend, ushering in what he has called “a new period of glory” for the Turkish Republic as it begins its second century, and one that he hopes will cement his rule over the nation of 85 million.
The cabinet appointments hint at a return to orthodox economic policy while holding course on foreign policy as the president heads into his third decade in power.
On the economic front, the return of Mehmet Simsek as finance minister – a post he previously held between 2009 and 2015 before going on to become Erdogan’s deputy prime minister – has been eagerly anticipated in business circles at home and abroad.
‘Absolute scandal’: UAE state oil firm able to read Cop28 climate summit emails
Exclusive: UN conference president Sultan Al Jaber is also head of oil firm, which was consulted on how to respond to a media inquiry
The United Arab Emirates’ state oil company has been able to read emails to and from the Cop28 climate summit office and was consulted on how to respond to a media inquiry, the Guardian can reveal.
The UAE is hosting the UN climate summit in November and the president of Cop28 is Sultan Al Jaber, who is also chief executive of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc). The revelations have been called “explosive” and a “scandal” by lawmakers.
US envoy urges Kosovo to grant Serbs autonomy
US envoy Gabriel Escobar urged Kosovo authorities to withdraw police and mayors from northern areas. Kosovo's Serbs have been protesting against the installation of ethnic Albanian mayors in Serb-majority areas.
Kosovo must grant Serb-majority municipalities greater autonomy, the US envoy to the Western Balkans said on Wednesday.
US envoy Gabriel Escobar urged Kosovo authorities to withdraw police and mayors from Serb-majority areas and hold fresh municipal elections.
Serbs in northern Kosovo have been demonstrating against the installation of ethnic Albanian mayors after municipal elections that were boycotted by most of the local population.
A little over 90% of Kosovo's population is made up of ethnic Albanians, while four northern municipalities are overwhelmingly inhabited by Serbs.
What did the US envoy say?
"If Kosovo wants to move towards Euro-Atlantic integration it will have to establish (an association of Serb municipalities)," Escobar said.
Gov't to hold ministerial meeting on Johnny's talent agency sex abuse claims
The government plans to hold a ministerial meeting as early as next week to address the issue of sexual abuse allegations involving Japan's top male talent agency Johnny & Associates Inc, a source close to the matter said Wednesday.
Relevant ministries and agencies are expected to discuss how to avoid similar incidents and support people allegedly sexually abused by the company's late founder Johnny Kitagawa, who was one of the most powerful figures in Japan's entertainment industry.
The allegations surrounding Kitagawa, who propelled numerous groups such as SMAP and Arashi to stardom before his death in 2019 at the age of 87, have garnered international attention after the BBC aired a documentary in March that included interviews with victims.
Tear gas, water cannon fired on protesting Sri Lankan students
Hundreds of students march in Colombo to demand release of activists arrested during last year’s anti-gov’t protests.
Authorities in Sri Lanka have fired tear gas and water cannons on hundreds of students protesting in the capital to demand the release of people arrested during last year’s anti-government protests.
The protesters on Wednesday said the imprisonment of dozens of students and activists amounted to political persecution.
Sri Lanka witnessed unprecedented months-long demonstrations last year that were sparked by the country’s worst-ever economic crisis.
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