Ukraine and Russia trade blame over fire at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant — 11 August 2024 (LINK)

Rwanda's Kagame sworn in for fourth term after winning over 99% of the vote in last month's elections — 11 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 36 media reports (LINK)

Death toll from landslide at Uganda garbage dump now 21: at least 14 people rescued — 11 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 109 media reports (LINK)

USA Gymnastics says video proof shows Jordan Chiles inquiry at center of controversy was made in time — 11 August 2024 (LINK)

Tom Cruise's death-defying stunt at the close of the 2024 Paris Olympics took over a year to put together — 11 August 2024 (LINK)

Paul Anka's 'My Way', sung by French artist Yseult. ending the 2024 Paris Olympics closing ceremony, was his version of Claude François' "Comme d'habitude" — 11 August 2024 (LINK)

Venezuela's top court says opposition failed to submit proof in election dispute, indicating decision final — 10 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 25 media reports (LINK)

— The electoral authority has not released a detailed vote count from the elections and its website has been down since the early hours of July 29. The opposition has posted its ballot count online, which shows Gonzalez receiving double the number of votes as Maduro.

Israel strike on Gaza school used as shelter kills at least 80 (revised), says Palestinian news agency — 10 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 284 media reports (LINK)

— The Israeli military acknowledged it targeted the Tabeen school in central Gaza City, saying it hit a Hamas command center in the school. Hamas denied that.

Bangladesh chief justice, central bank chief offer resignation after demands by protesters, officials say — 10 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 37 media reports — (LINK)

Trump's 270-page dossier of JD Vance's 'vulnerabilities' 'hacked by Iran' — 10 August 2024 (LINK)

Controversies on penultimate day of Olympics — 10 August 2024 (LINK)

— The US will finish with the most medals overall for the eight-straight Olympics - dating back to Atlanta in 1996. But they're in danger of finishing second to China in terms of gold, which would mark the first time the Americans haven't won the most gold since 2008 in Beijing.

— It made the decision of high-jumper Shelby McEwen to chase individual gold instead of sharing it all the more controversial. Officials offered McEwen and New Zealander Hamish Kerr the chance to share the gold medal. The same situation occurred at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 when Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatra and Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy agreed to take one gold medal each instead of continuing to jump in a sudden-death shootout.

— There were unsavoury scenes during the men's basketball medal presentation when Joel Embiid was loudly booed by the French crowd. The Philadelphia 76ers star had the opportunity to play for France at the Paris Games, but instead decided to represent the USA.

Jordan Chiles stripped of bronze medal in the floor exercise at the 2024 Paris Olympics due to a technicality — 10 August 2024 (LINK)

— The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) issued a ruling on Saturday, August 10, days after Chiles won the gold following an inquiry by the United States that added 0.1 to her final score and lifted her into the bronze medal spot.

— The CAS determined the inquiry was made after the one-minute deadline for requests. After the ruling, Chiles announced she is taking a break from social media to focus on her mental health.

Thomas Bach, Olympics Committee boss, will leave after 2025 — 10 August 2024 (LINK)

Iran to deliver hundreds of ballistic missiles to Russia soon, intel sources say — 10 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 32 media reports (LINK)

US releases $3.5 billion to Israel to spend on US weapons, military equipment — 9 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 28 media reports (LINK)

UN refugee agency accuses Cyprus government of pushing asylum seekers into a UN buffer zone — 9 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 11 media reports (LINK)

UN: Climate change wreaks havoc through large parts of Africa — 9 August 2024 (LINK)

— UNHCR, reports climate-induced heavy rains and flooding have upended the lives of tens of thousands of people in war-torn Sudan this year, displacing, injuring and killing many.

— The International Organization for Migration reports that more than 10 million people have become displaced inside Sudan and 2 million have sought refuge in neighboring countries since mid-April 2023, when rival generals from Sudan's Armed Forces and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces plunged Sudan into war.

— The World Food Program reports that more than 27 million people across Southern Africa, devastated by an El-Nino-induced drought are going hungry.

— UNHCR's Sarrado also expressed concern that her agency's appeal for nearly $40 million to assist and protect 5.6 million refugees, returnees, internally displaced and local communities in Sudan and five countries of refuge "has so far received only $5 million in funds."

Wall Street has best day since 2022 on 8 August after an encouraging update on US job market; S&P 500 up 2.3% — 9 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 63 media reports (LINK)

Plane crashes into a gated residential community in Vinhedo, in Brazil's Sao Paulo state, killing all 61/62 aboard, Voepass airline says — 9 August 2024 (LINK)

Elon Musk's X just sued a nonprofit advertising group out of existence — 9 August 2024 (LINK)

Taylor Swift terrorist threat suspect, 19-year-old Austrian ISIS sympathizer, confessed he intended to kill fans: officials. Three teen suspects arrested — 9 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 157 media reports (LINK)

Russian chess player, 43, allegedly tried to poison her opponent by smearing pieces with mercury — 9 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 54 media reports (LINK)

Water quality was acceptable when Olympians swam in Seine River, data shows — 9 August 2024 (LINK)

Over 15m Americans take supplements that may cause liver damage: turmeric, green tea, ashwagandha, black cohosh, garcinia cambogia and red yeast rice — 9 August 2024 (LINK)

Florida condo market 'catastrophic' as owners rush to sell homes; according to new regulation, buildings already 30 years or older must have inspections done before the end of the year — meaning that a crucial deadline is looming for many condo owners— 9 August 2024 (LINK)

Former Los Angeles city councilman and California state Sen. Nate Holden said Friday that he was with former President Donald Trump in the helicopter ride that made an emergency landing, despite Trump saying it was former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown — 9 August 2024 (LINK)

— "Willie is the short Black guy living in San Francisco," Holden said in an interview with Politico. "I'm a tall Black guy living in Los Angeles. I guess we all look alike," he added.

Scientists unlock the secrets to an Alpine flower's survival by adapting its genes to local habitats. "This discovery has important implications for the protection of ecosystems under threat" — 8 August 2024 (LINK)

July ends 13-month streak of global heat records as El Nino ebbs, but experts warn against relief: The month was 1.48 C (2.7F) above the pre-industrial reference of 1850-1990, second hottest July — 8 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 29 media reports (LINK)

Israel kills at least 15 Palestinians in Gaza airstrikes amid fears of wider war — 8 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 65 media reports (LINK)

BMW recalling more than 100K crossovers and sedans in US for motor concern linked to overheating — 8 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 8 media reports (LINK)

US jury convicts Mozambique's ex-finance minister Manuel Chang in 'tuna bonds' kickback case — 8 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 37 media reports (LINK)

— Prosecutors alleged that Chang accepted $7 million in bribes from shipbuilding firm Privinvest for loan guarantees to three state companies for maritime projects. Prosecutors alleged that Chang accepted $7 million in bribes from shipbuilding firm Privinvest for loan guarantees to three state companies for maritime projects.

— Chang had pleaded not guilty to the U.S. conspiracy charges. His lawyers said he was doing as his government wished when he signed off on pledges that Mozambique would repay the loans, and that there was no evidence of a financial quid-pro-quo for him. No sentencing date was set for Chang, 48. The charges carry the possibility of up to 20 years in prison

Nokia supplies Swisscom to deploy drone service across Switzerland to improve emergency responses and infrastructure inspection through drones-as-a-service (DaaS) network — 8 August 2024 (LINK)

British crocodile expert, BBC and National Geographic zoologist Adam Britton jailed for 10 years in Australia for raping, torturing and killing dozens of dogs — 8 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 61 media reports (LINK)

— Justice banned Britton from owning or having any mammal-type animals for life. He was also sentenced for possessing and transmitting "the worst category" of child sexual abuse material. The torture sessions were planned and filmed and would not have stopped if he had not been arrested, the judge said during sentencing for the "grotesque" abuse.

BMW recalling more than 100K crossovers and sedans in US for motor concern linked to overheating — 8 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 8 media reports (LINK)

122kg, 2m Florida student who assaulted teacher's aide over confiscated Nintendo Switch gets 5 years in prison + 15 years probation — 8 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 12 media reports (LINK)

Swiss researchers identify sources of smog in Beijing using a new, mobile aerosol mass spectrometer: smog over the metropolis came from different sources and regions in summer and winter — 8 August 2024 (LINK)

— In winter, the burning of wood and coal plays an important role. In summer, when there is a lot of southerly wind, emissions from urban traffic and industry predominate. The study shows that smog is a large-scale regional phenomenon in which matter is transported over hundreds of kilometers.

WHO convenes expert meeting to decide if mpox outbreak in Africa is global emergency — 7 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 58 media reports (LINK)

IRC cuts staff amid budget shortfall — 7 August 2024 (LINK)

— News of the cuts was met with outrage by IRC staff who spoke to The New Humanitarian. They accused the leadership of negligence, and of keeping most staff in the dark through the process.

Thai court dissolves reformist party that won election, bans most popular politician from politics for 10 years: Pita, 43, won over young and urban voters with his pledge to reform Thailand's strict royal defamation law — 7 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 83 media reports (LINK)

World Central Kitchen says Palestinian team member was killed in Gaza — 7 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 6 media reports (LINK)

Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, 84, will head Bangladesh's interim government, official says — 7 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 145 media reports (LINK)

Bankcrupt crypto exchange FTX ordered to pay $12.7 billion to customers, US CFTC says — 7 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 25 media reports (LINK)

Nigeria arrests seven Polish nationals for raising Russian flags at protests — 7 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 22 media reports (LINK)

California rocked by 5.3 magnitude earthquake centered near Bakersfield — 7 August 2024 (LINK)

Airbnb shares drop 14% on earnings miss as company warns of slowing U.S. demand — 7 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 9 media reports (LINK)

Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest is down to lowest level since 2016, government says — 7 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 38 media reports (LINK)

Belgian Olympian who got sick after swim in Seine River says virus caused her illness, not E. coli — 7 August 2024 (LINK)

Vinesh Phogat of India disqualified from Paris Olympics Final for being 100g overweight — 7 August 2024 (LINK)

19 Olympic athletes with random but impressive degrees — 7 August 2024 (LINK)

The world's population can thrive economically and sustainably, study finds — 6 August 2024 (LINK)

— New study by the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB) and the London School of Economics and Political Science, published in World Development Perspectives:

— Currently, around 80% of humanity lacks access to essential goods and services, living below the threshold for "decent living". By reviewing recent empirical research, the researchers find that ending mass deprivation and providing decent living standards for 8.5 billion people would require only 30% of current global resource and energy use. This leaves a significant surplus for additional consumption, public luxury, scientific advancement, and other social investments.

— To achieve this future, development strategies should not focus on capitalist growth and increased aggregate production. Instead, they should increase specific types of production necessary to improve capabilities and meet human needs at a high standard. Universal access to key goods and services should be ensured through public provisioning and decommodification.

— In the Global South, this means using industrial policy to increase economic sovereignty, develop industrial capacity, and organize production around human well-being. In high-income countries, less-necessary production (like mansions, SUVs, private jets, and fast fashion) must be scaled down to enable faster decarbonization and help bring resource use back within planetary boundaries, as suggested by degrowth scholarship.

Russian Su-34 jet destroyed in Ukraine's strike on Morozovsk airfield, Kyiv says — 6 August 2024 (LINK)

U.S. presidential election: Kamala Harris selects Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as VP running mate — 6 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 616 media reports (LINK)

55 Things to Know About Tim Walz, Kamala Harris' pick for VP — 6 August 2024 (LINK)

WHO: Governments unprepared to combat global COVID-19 surge — 6 August 2024 (LINK)

Japan stocks rebound 8% after Japan's historic losses; other Asia markets also open higher — 6 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 43 media reports (LINK)

Riots: Nigeria, Indonesia, Australia warn citizens about travel to UK — 6 August 2024 (LINK)

The British government has called on Elon Musk to act responsibly after the tech billionaire used his social media platform X to unleash a barrage of posts that officials say risk inflaming the violent unrest gripping the country. — 6 August 2024 (LINK)

— Musk posted a comment saying that "Civil war is inevitable" in the U.K. Musk later doubled down, highlighting complaints that the British criminal justice system treats Muslims more leniently than far-right activists and comparing Britain's crackdown on social media users to the Soviet Union.

Saudi Arabia's Aramco reports lower half-year profits as economic worries dampen energy prices — 7 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 56 media reports (LINK)

Florida's biggest insurer says it needs to increase rates by 93% — 6 August 2024 (LINK)

Axios laying off more than 4 dozen staffers: 10% of workforce: "necessary to adapt to change in the media business" — 6 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: media reports (LINK)

— In 2022, it was sold to Cox Enterprises for $525 million. Axios plans to increase its focus on U.S. news coverage and expand its city-specific newsletters to new locations, the New York Times reported. The company will also build out its paid subscription product, Axios Pro, aimed at business professionals, the Times reported.

Chinese-American scholar known as pro-democracy activist convicted in US of giving China intel on dissidents — 6 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 41 media reports (LINK)

Microsoft says Delta ignored Satya Nadella's offer of CrowdStrike help — 6 August 2024 (LINK)

122kg, 2m Florida student, , who assaulted teacher's aide over confiscated Nintendo Switch gets 5 years in prison + 15 years probation — 6 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 12 media reports (LINK)

— The woman employee suffered five broken ribs, a concussion, vision and hearing loss, and has been diagnosed with PTSD.

Simone Biles explains why world needed to see her, Jordan Chiles bow to rival: "It was very impactful for kids to see that. You win with grace, you lose with grace." — 6 August 2024 (LINK)

— Biles told reporters after that her and Chiles discussed bowing to Rebeca Andrade as a spur-of-the-moment decision when they stood on the medal podium.

24 unbelievable facts about the 2024 Paris Olympics — 6 August 2024 (LINK)

e.g.

—The Great Britain skateboarding team is a bunch of teens and a 50-year-old man.

— The horses in dressage wear little caps. The plane they use to fly horses is called Air Horse One.

— The US gymnastics team has a therapy dog.

Pics of Switzerland glacier taken 15 years apart show impact of climate change — 6 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 17 media reports (LINK)

Blinken told G7 Iran and Hezbollah could attack Israel in next 24 hours — 5 August 2024 (LINK)

Nine UNRWA staff may have been involved in Oct. 7 attack on Israel, says U.N. — 5 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 159 media reports (LINK)

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina resigns and flies to India, Army chief says interim government to be formed — 5 August 2024 (LINK)

Wall Street has its worst day since 2022 as fear of a US economic slowdown deepens; Dow sinks 1,000 — 5 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 215 media reports (LINK)

Why the U.S. Stock Market crashed: unemployment report, Wall Street thinks the Federal Reserve screwed up (again), Japan no longer wants to be the world's source of cheap money — 5 August 2024 (LINK)

←Trump is trying to provoke panic over a common stock market drop to save his failing campaign← — 5 August 2024s (LINK)

Bitcoin tumbles to $53K, Ether turns negative for 2024 as panic grips markets — 5 August 2024 (LINK)

Google loses massive antitrust case over its search dominance — 5 August 2024 (LINK)

Swiss prosecutor hits Glencore with CHF2m franc fine and CHF150m compensation in DRC corruptio case — 5 August 2024 (LINK)

— The affair is related to the acquisition of minority stakes in two mining companies in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2011. Glencore had already reached a settlement with the African country in 2022, which included a payment of $180 million.

Tunisian court imprisons four presidential candidates, bans them from election — 5 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 23 media reports (LINK)

Hurricane Debby blows $1 mn in cocaine onto Florida beach — 5 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 49 media reports (LINK)

Tropical Storm Debby intensifies into hurricane threatening 10ft storm surge and historic rain in US — 5 August 2024 (LINK)

California town breaks record for hottest month recorded in a US city: 3 California cities joined the small but growing club of towns that have seen a monthly average temperature of 100 degrees F (37.7C) — 5 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: media reports (LINK)

— Needles recorded a preliminary average monthly temperature of 103.2F (39.6C) degrees in July, according to the Arizona State Climate Office. This surpassed the previous monthly temperature record of 102.7F (39.3C) degrees recorded in Phoenix last July, the first major U.S. city to experience a month with an average temperature over 100F(37.C) degrees.

Bloomberg News dismisses reporter, disciplines other staffers after breaking embargo on US-Russia prisoner swap — 5 August 2024 (LINK)

US border officers intercept a record-breaking 3,400 pounds (1.5K kilos) of methamphetamine, valued at $48 million, at the Pharr International Bridge: concealed within shipment of lettuce — 5 August 2024 (LINK)

Olympics: Mondo Duplantis of Sweden polevaults to new 6.25m world record after winning gold — 5 August 2024 (LINK)

Tech that showed Noah Lyles winning gold: a camera from Omega that shoots 40,000 frames per second, aimed at the race's last 5 millimetres: the new cameras take four times as many pictures per second as before — 5 August 2024 (LINK)

— To measure all evenrs, Omega has 350 tons of gear spread out across France and Tahiti (the surfing venue). It also has 200 kilometres of cable and draws on the skills of 550 timekeepers. Of that, 55 people are devoted just to athletics, the most for any single event.

Olympics: Simone Biles And Suni Lee's 'Luminous Leotards': cost and manufacture — 5 August 2024 (LINK)

Ukraine confirms F-16s have arrived in country as Zelensky heralds 'new chapter' in fight against Russia — 4 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 35 media reports (LINK)

Strikes on Gaza kill 12 and stabbing in Israel kills 2 as fears of wider war spike — 4 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 124 media reports (LINK)

US urges citizens to leave Lebanon on 'any available ticket' — 4 August 2024 (LINK)

Suspected missile attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels hits container ship in first attack in 2 weeks — 4 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 30 media reports (LINK)

Violence in Bangladesh leaves over 20 people dead, hundreds injured as protests continue — 4 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 53 media reports (LINK)

Tropical Storm Debby expected to rapidly strengthen to a Category 1 hurricane and could bring historic rainfall to Southeast — 4 August 2024 (LINK)

Djokovic wins first Olympics gold to complete Golden Slam — 4 August 2024 (LINK)

— The win sees Djokovic become just the fifth player in the history of tennis to complete the 'Golden Slam' of winning all four Grand Slam titles plus a gold medal. He joins Steffi Graff, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams in accomplishing the feat.

Olympic boxing: Lin Yu-ting secures medal amid gender eligibility row — 4 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 33 media reports (LINK)

— Lin and Algeria's Imane Khelif have been at the centre of a social media storm at the Paris Games due to them being disqualified at the 2023 World Championships after falling foul of unspecified International Boxing Association's gender eligibility rules.

The 15 Russian 'neutrals' at the Paris Olympics are politically isolated and rarely in the spotlight — 4 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 14 media reports (LINK)

— In Russia, the Olympics are not broadcast, and some view competing athletes as traitors. The International Olympic Committee's restrictions exclude military-affiliated athletes and those supporting the invasion from participation.

Belgium withdraws from Olympic triathlon event after athlete who swam in Seine River gets sick> — 4 August 2024 (LINK)

'Can't even pay my rent': Many U.S. Olympic athletes earn less than $15k a year — 4 August 2024 (LINK)

US deploys jets and warships as Iran threatens Israel — 3 August 2024 (LINK)

Trump proposes to debate Harris on Fox next 4 September — 3 August 2024 (LINK)

Donald Trump's rules for Kamala Harris debate spark mockery: 'terrified' — (LINK)

The Biden administration has temporarily suspended permits for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans to enter the United States and stay up to two years amid concerns about fraud by their financial sponsors — 3 August 2024 (LINK)

Journalists covering Nigeria protests dodge bullets as police arrest nearly 700 people — 3 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 11 media reports (LINK)

Berkshire Hathaway sells off large share of Apple and increases cash holdings: Warren Buffett's firm increased its cash reserves to $227bn, sparking concerns about company's view of US economy — 3 August 2024 (LINK)

Bitcoin and Ethereum prices plunge on recession fears as liquidations spike — 3 August 2024 (LINK)

Simone Biles wins seventh Olympic gold medal in stunning vault final — 3 August 2024 (LINK)

Katie Ledecky wins 9th gold medal, most by American female Olympian in history: 800-meter freestyle final, successfully defending her title for the third time — 3 August 2024 (LINK)

Meet the Ugandan rider who finished last in the Paris Olympics road race — 3 August 2024 (LINK)

Olympians' surprising day jobs, from birthday party clown to engineer — 3 August 2024 (LINK)

Vatican condemns Paris Olympics 'Last Supper' performance for 'ridiculing the religious convictions of many people' — 3 August 2024 (LINK)

90 arrested and police injured in clashes across UK as tensions rise with right-wing demos — 3 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 49 media reports (LINK)

Is the dream of nuclear fusion dead? Why the international experimental reactor is in 'big trouble' — 3 August 2024 (LINK)

GLOBAL GENEVA INSIGHTS piece:  Climate change is NOT our main problem, says TV science star (LINK)

Huge new study finds re-vaccination can slash your Long COVID risk by up to 50% — 2 August 2024 (LINK)

Pentagon chief revokes plea deal with three Sept. 11 suspects — 2 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 103 media reports (LINK)

US Election 2024 Latest: DNC chair says Harris secured enough delegate votes to become party nominee — 2 August 2024 (LINK)

Eight people arrested and three police injured in Sunderland after another night of disorder: police brace for more riots — 2 August 2024 (LINK)

— The protests, promoted by far-right activists on social media, had started at the newly refurbished Keel Square. Footage posted on social media showed young men throwing stones at police and shouting "Whose streets? Our streets" as well as Islamophobic chants.

Rudy Giuliani's bankruptcy formally dismissed, freeing Georgia election workers to seek $148M — 2 August 2024 (LINK)

2024 US Presidential election first without a Biden, Clinton or Bush on ballot since '76? True — 2 August 2024 (LINK)

Léon Marchand races to fourth Olympic gold — 2 August 2024 (LINK)

Olympics ceremony director threatened for sexual identity, false claim of Israeli roots — 2 August 2024 (LINK)

— Barbara Butch, a popular DJ and LGBTQ+ icon who performed in the show, also said she suffered a torrent of online threats. Butch has filed a complaint alleging online abuse and harassment, which police are also investigating.

Macron praises audacity of opening ceremony, defends artistic freedom — 2 August 2024 (LINK)

— "I am scandalised and sad about what [artistic director Thomas Jolly]'s been through," Macron told reporters in Paris, after returning from his summer retreat on the French Riviera to cheer French Olympic champions."The French and the whole world were very proud of this opening ceremony, it made us very proud," Macron said. "His audacity did a lot of good to a lot of people."

— The scene, which sparked fury among the Catholic Church, far right politicians in France and the religious right in the United States, featured drag queens, a transgender model and a naked singer made up as the Greek god of wine Dionysus. Paris 2024 organisers said they were sorry and had had no intention to show disrespect towards any religious group. Jolly also said that religious subversion had not been his intention and that the scene was supposed to depict a pagan feast linked to the gods of Olympus.

Hamas chief Haniyeh was killed by bomb hidden two months ago in Tehran guesthouse: NY Times — 2 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 69 media reports (LINK)

FactCheck.org: Vance wrong on child tax credit, Harris' remarks about climate change and having kids — 2 August 2024 (LINK)

— During a college tour last year, Harris said that young climate leaders had spoken to her about "climate change anxiety," which included their concerns about having kids in the future. But she did not endorse the notion of not having children because of environmental concerns. Rather, she mentioned several ways in which the Biden administration was addressing climate change.

— "We found no evidence of Harris stating she is opposed to the child tax credit and would like to end it. As we said, she has a long history of supporting the child tax credit and has worked to expand it."

Work freely in Paradise: lesser known Caribbean island of Curacao is one of cheapest for digital nomads — 2 August 2024 (LINK)

The 20 most beautiful cities in the world, according to Architectural Digest : 1. Adelaide, 2. Tallinn, 3. Portsmouth, Dominica, 4. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, 5.Antigua, Guatemala — 2 August 2024 (LINK)

— 6. Singapore, 7. Paris, 9. Chiang Mai, 11. Istanbul, 12. Kyoto, 13. Barcelona, 14. Cape Town, 15. Rio de Janeiro, 16. Florence, 18. New York, 19. Amsterdam, 20. Jaipur.

Mpox cases have surged by 160% in Africa in the last year, but few treatments and vaccines available — 1 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 28 media reports (LINK)

Three freed Americans back on US soil after historic prisoner swap with Russia: biggest prisoner exchange between Russia and the West since the Cold War — 1 August 2024 (LINK)

— Their release was orchestrated as part of a complex prisoner swap between Russia, the US and other Western nations involving 24 detainees in total. Sixteen people were released from Russian custody on Thursday, including five Germans and seven Russian citizens who were political prisoners in their own country. Moscow in return got former high-ranking FSB colonel Vadim Krasikov, as well as several individuals accused of spying or cybercrime.

— In a statement earlier, President Biden hailed the agreement as a "feat of diplomacy," in collaboration with US allies, including Germany, Poland, Norway, Turkey and Slovenia.

Who was freed in major prisoner swap between Russia and the West? — (LINK)

Fact check: Trump, who approved multiple prisoner exchanges, falsely claims he gave up 'nothing' to get Americans back — 1 August 2024 (LINK)

Israel's IDF confirms killing Al Jazeera journalist, says he was Hamas operative. The broadcaster denies it — 1 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 14 media reports (LINK)

European countries urge citizens to leave Lebanon amid Hezbollah-Israel rising tensions — 1 August 2024 (LINK)

Hamas' top political leader is killed in Iran in 31 July strike that risks triggering all-out regional war — 1 August 2024 (LINK)

Israel's IDF confirms killing Al Jazeera journalist, says he was Hamas operative. The broadcaster denies it — 1 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 14 media reports (LINK)

US recognizes opposition candidate González as the winner of Venezuela's presidential election — 1 August 2024 (LINK)

Former Honduras national police chief known as "El Tigre" (The Tiger) gets 19 years in U.S. prison for cocaine distribution — 1 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 15 media reports (LINK)

— He rose to power by enabling cocaine trafficking on a massive sale and using violence, including homicide, to protect the drug trade, prosecutors said in a presentencing brief. In a brief by the defense, attorney Donald Vogelman requested a sentence of 10 years in prison. He wrote that Bonilla Valladares "was not always involved in illegal activities" and that although he admitted his guilt in a drug conspiracy, "he adamantly denies being involved in any murders."

24 new UNESCO World Heritage Sites announced — 1 August 2024 (LINK)

— The list now features 1,223 properties across 168 countries and states. New to the list are Japan's Sado Island Gold Mines along with the archaeological heritage of Malaysia's Niah National Park's Caves Complex, which contain "the longest known records of human interaction with rainforest."The list also added several cultural properties such as the Schwerin Residence Ensemble in Germany, which was largely built in the 19th century and features the Grand Duke's Residence Palace and manor houses.

16 people killed and dozens critically wounded in bombing in Nigeria's Borno state, officials say: analysts and some local officials suspect the Islamic militant group Boko Haram — 1 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 16 media reports (LINK)

Cancer rates in millennials, Gen X-ers have risen starkly in recent years, study finds. Experts have 1 prime suspect: obesity — 1 August 2024 (LINK)

Andy Murray closes career with one-line tweet: "Never even liked tennis anyway" — 2 August 2024 (LINK)

Olympic star who vomited after swimming in polluted Paris river reveals what actually happened: vomiting was due to pushing himself, not the Seine's water quality. — 1 August 2024 (LINK)

Olympics triathlete condemns conditions she experienced while swimming through the Seine River: "I felt and saw things that we shouldn't think about too much" — 1 August 2024 (LINK)

Montenegro court approves extradition of cryptocurrency mogul Do Kwon to native South Korea — 1 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 22 media reports (LINK)