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Global warming makes French reservoir a winter resort for migrating cranes

The Lac du Der was once just a passing glimpse for hundreds of thousands of cranes flying from Scandinavia in search of sunshine, but with global warming the French reservoir has become an attractive winter retreat.

'I'm out of here': French town waits for flood to recede

Residents of a flooded French town on Thursday waited for the water to drain away from its streets, after a nearby river did not rise out of its bed quite as high as expected.

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At least 11 killed, 27 missing in Beijing rainstorms

At least 11 people are dead and 27 missing after heavy rains lashed Beijing, Chinese state media said Tuesday.

Raging storm washes away cars, swathes of northern China on red alert

Swathes of northern China were under red alert on Monday as heavy rains battered Beijing and surrounding areas, washing away cars and inundating subway stations.

Children among eight dead after storm pummels Russia campsite

Eight people including three small children died in Russia when trees crashed into a lakeside campsite during a storm described as a "hurricane", authorities said on Sunday.

N. Atlantic ocean temperature sets record high: US agency

On the heels of a new record high in the Mediterranean, the North Atlantic reached its hottest-ever level this week, several weeks earlier than its usual annual peak, according to preliminary data released Friday by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

G20 environment ministers race to reach climate consensus

Environment ministers from G20 nations meeting in India on Friday raced against time to reach a last-minute consensus on the most contentious issues to redress the global climate crisis.

Algeria counts costs after deadly wildfires

Algerians in the fire-ravaged northeast were Thursday counting the cost of the blazes that killed 34 people, destroyed homes and reduced vast forest areas to scorched wastelands.

UN says July to be hottest month ever recorded

UN and EU monitors said Thursday that July is set to be the hottest month in recorded history and likely "unprecedented" for thousands of years, warning that this was a taste of the world's climate future.

Humanity 'has agency over future': new head of UN climate panel

British professor Jim Skea told AFP on Thursday he will bring "a judicious blend of realism and optimism" to his leadership of the UN's climate expert panel, including a firm belief that humanity is not powerless to confront global warming.

Greece races to tackle wildfires as winds set to resume

Greek fire crews on Thursday scrambled to put out wildfires raging for two weeks around the country that left five dead before strong winds forecast for the day rekindle blazes.

British professor elected to lead UN climate panel in key decade

British professor Jim Skea was elected to lead the UN's climate expert panel Wednesday, taking the helm of the organisation charged with distilling the best science to inform global policy in a critical decade for humans and the planet.

One in three people still using dirty cooking methods: study

Nearly a third of the world's population, some 2.3 billion people, still cook using open fires or basic stoves that damage their health and the environment, a study said Wednesday.

British professor elected to lead UN climate expert group

British professor Jim Skea was elected to head the UN's climate expert panel on Wednesday, taking the helm of the organisation charged with distilling the best science to guide global policy in a crucial decade in human history.

One dead as typhoon Doksuri batters Philippines

A powerful storm pounded the northern Philippines on Wednesday, killing at least one person, toppling trees and knocking out power as thousands sheltered with neighbours or in emergency evacuation centres.

Typhoon Doksuri batters northern Philippines

A powerful storm hit the northern Philippines on Wednesday, toppling trees, knocking out power and dumping heavy rain as thousands sheltered with neighbours or in emergency evacuation centres.

Florida ocean temperature topped 100F, setting potential record

Shallow waters off south Florida topped 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8C) for several hours on Monday, potentially setting a new world record with temperatures more commonly associated with hot tubs.

Firefighting plane pilots die in Greece crash as wildfires rage

Two pilots died when their water-bombing plane crashed while battling a blaze on the Greek island of Evia on Tuesday, as wildfires flared across the Mediterranean.

Deadliest wildfires in the Mediterranean

Algeria and Greece are battling massive wildfires that have ripped through homes and resorts, killing dozens of people in nightmarish scenes that have become a staple of summer in the Mediterranean.

The Paris Olympics have bold climate plans, but few specifics

Organisers of next year's Paris Olympics say they want its carbon footprint to be half that of previous summer Games, but with a year to go observers say they still do not have enough detail to verify the plans.

Two dead in storms in northern Italy as Sicily fires close airport

A 16-year-old girl on a camping trip was among two people who died after violent storms hit northern Italy, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Tuesday, while in the south wildfires forced the closure of Sicily's Palermo airport.

Algeria battles raging wildfires that have killed 34

Algerian firefighters were Tuesday battling blazes that have killed 34 people across the tinder-dry north, destroyed homes and coastal resorts and turned vast forest areas into blackened wastelands.

Storm brings down trees in Milan as fire closes Sicily airport

Violent storms have hit northern Italy, causing the death of teenage scout on a camping trip, while wildfires in Sicily forced Palermo airport to close on Tuesday.

Europe, US heatwaves 'virtually impossible' without climate change

Blistering heat that has baked swathes of North America and Europe this month would have been "virtually impossible" without human-caused climate change, researchers said Tuesday, as intense temperatures spark health alerts and stoke ferocious wildfires.

Thousands more evacuated as Greece 'at war' with forest fires

Authorities evacuated nearly 2,500 people from the Greek island of Corfu on Monday as the prime minister warned that the heat-battered nation was "at war" with several wildfires and spoke of three difficult days ahead.

Thousands more evacuated as Greece 'at war' with fires

Authorities evacuated nearly 2,500 people from the Greek island of Corfu on Monday as the heat-battered nation was "at war" with several wildfires.

'As long as we have AC': Phoenix heat shows gap between US rich, poor

Melanie Floyd took her kids to the zoo in Phoenix in the morning, when temperatures in the heat wave roasting the city and much of the US southwest were still bearable.

Thousands flee Greek island fires as southern US swelters

Around 30,000 people were moved to safety on the Greek island of Rhodes where a wildfire burned on Saturday, while people in the southern United States struggled under a record-breaking heatwave.

Thousands flee Greek island fires as Northern hemisphere swelters

Around 30,000 people were moved to safety on the Greek island of Rhodes island where a wildfire burned on Saturday, while people in the southern United States struggled under a record-breaking heatwave.

Greece facing longest heatwave on record while record highs hit US

Greece was Saturday facing its hottest July weekend in 50 years, with temperatures forecast to soar above 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), while a record-breaking heatwave stretching across the southern United States was expected to expand in the coming days.

Record-breaking heat wave baking southern US set to expand

A record-breaking heat wave stretching across the southern United States is expected to expand in the coming days and weeks, as scientists warn July will likely be the hottest month ever recorded.

Climate activists strike at British Open

Climate activists targeted the British Open on Friday, setting off a smoke flare and throwing orange powder onto the Royal Liverpool course before being arrested.

Fears for UK 'green' policies after shock by-election result

Contentious plans by London's mayor to extend a scheme taxing the use of the most polluting vehicles were being blamed Friday for costing his opposition Labour party Boris Johnson's old parliamentary seat.

Greenland melted recently, says study that raises future sea level threat

A mile-thick ice sheet in Greenland vanished around 416,000 years ago during a period of moderate natural warming, driving global sea rise to levels that would spell catastrophe for coastal regions today, a study said Thursday.

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