WORLD IN BRIEF: Wales Declares Drought, Oprah to Close South Africa Academy, Ghana Backs Five Year Presidential Term And Other Stories
Wales has declared a nationwide drought after prolonged hot weather pushed the country towards what could become its driest July in nearly 190 years.
Wales has declared a nationwide drought after prolonged hot weather pushed the country towards what could become its driest July in nearly 190 years. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) extended drought status across the entire country, citing exceptionally low river levels, parched soils, widespread wildfires and growing pressure on wildlife, farming and forestry.
The declaration follows an earlier drought announcement covering north and parts of mid Wales. While officials stressed there is no immediate threat to household water supplies, the move triggers increased monitoring of rivers and stronger public appeals to conserve water.
NRW said Wales received only about 8 percent of its long-term average July rainfall, with most rivers now at exceptionally low levels. Authorities warned that, with little significant rainfall forecast and further heatwaves possible, careful water use will be essential to protect ecosystems throughout the summer.
The United States has awarded Lockheed Martin a contract worth up to $58.6 billion to produce Patriot interceptor missiles, as Washington moves to replenish air defence stockpiles depleted by conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
The seven-year agreement replaces an earlier one-year contract and covers production from fiscal years 2026 to 2032. The Pentagon has increased pressure on defence contractors to accelerate manufacturing as demand for advanced missile systems rises.
The move comes after the US supplied large quantities of weapons to allies while also using significant missile inventories during military operations involving Iran. The Trump administration has also directed defence firms to prioritise production over shareholder returns as part of efforts to strengthen America’s military readiness.
Russia launched one of its latest large-scale aerial assaults on Ukraine overnight, firing more than 70 missiles and around 280 drones in attacks that killed at least nine people, including children, Ukrainian authorities said.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv and the western Lviv region were among the main targets, adding that delays in receiving additional air defence missiles from allies were costing Ukrainian lives. He also claimed Russia deployed a North Korean missile during one of the attacks, marking a renewed use of Pyongyang-supplied weaponry.
The bombardment prompted neighbouring Poland to scramble fighter jets after a Russian cruise missile reportedly landed near its eastern border. The latest strikes underscore the intensifying air campaign despite continued international efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the war.
Firefighters across France, Spain and Greece continued battling major wildfires despite a brief improvement in weather conditions, with authorities warning that high temperatures, strong winds and dry vegetation could quickly reignite blazes.
In Spain, officials brought one major fire near Madrid under control but remained on alert as at least 10 other wildfires continued to threaten communities. France arrested two people on suspicion of arson while crews worked to contain a massive blaze near Bordeaux.
Greece also remained under pressure after wildfires claimed the lives of three firefighters and forced residents and tourists to flee parts of Crete, some by boat. Officials across southern Europe warned that the wildfire season remains far from over as another heatwave approaches.
A Georgia court has sentenced Colin Gray to 15-years in prison after finding him guilty over his role in the 2024 school shooting carried out by his teenage son, Colt Gray.
The case marks the first time a parent in Georgia has been convicted of second-degree murder for a mass shooting committed by their child. Prosecutors argued the father acted negligently by providing his troubled son with the rifle later used in the attack that killed four people.
The judge acknowledged the devastating impact on victims’ families but said the father’s actions had to be legally distinguished from those of the gunman, who was earlier sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.
Media entrepreneur Oprah Winfrey has announced that her Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa will close at the end of the 2027 academic year, nearly two decades after it opened.
The school, established in partnership with the South African government after Winfrey met Nelson Mandela, has educated more than 1,000 girls from disadvantaged backgrounds since opening in 2007.
Winfrey’s foundation dismissed speculation that the closure was linked to mismanagement, saying the original plan had always been to eventually transfer the campus to local education authorities.
Students who have not graduated by the closure date will receive scholarships to complete their education at other leading schools.
Kenyan wildlife authoritito believe pesticide-contaminated tomatoes caused the deaths of 15 elephants near Amboseli National Park after preliminary laboratory tests detected cyanide in tissue samples.
Officials said several elephants initially showed signs of paralysis before dying, while others had already died when discovered. Investigators have ruled out poaching or deliberate poisoning for now but continue examining the incident.
The deaths have renewed concerns over expanding farming activities around protected wildlife areas, where elephants frequently stray onto farmland in search of food and water. Conservationists say the incident is one of the worst elephant mortality events recorded in the Amboseli ecosystem in decades.
Egypt has confirmed that a drone strike caused fires aboard two liquefied natural gas vessels at the Mediterranean port of Damietta, though authorities say the blaze was quickly contained without casualties. The attack reportedly struck the US-owned floating storage vessel Energos Winter, with flames spreading to the Greek-operated LNG tanker GasLog Salem. Both ships later moved offshore after emergency crews extinguished the fire.
No group has claimed responsibility, but the incident comes amid heightened regional tensions following attacks linked to Iran and its allies on energy infrastructure and shipping routes. Egyptian authorities said investigations are continuing while port operations remain unaffected.
Ghana’s government has endorsed constitutional reforms that would extend the presidential term from four to five years and reduce the minimum age for presidential candidates from 40 to 35.
Dominic Ayine, the Justice Minister said the reforms are intended to give future administrations more time to implement policies, arguing that governments currently lose significant time to transitions and election campaigns.
