Red Deer (Canada) (AFP) – Thousands of disused oil and gas wells are posing a serious ecological threat to the open landscapes of Alberta, Canada. Mostly built between 1860 and 1940, the structures leak into the surrounding soil and release potent methane gas. According to government data, there are more than 120,000 such wells, abandoned and unsealed, in the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Reims (France) (AFP) – At only 19 years old, Melchie Dumornay has already helped Haiti qualify for the Women’s World Cup for the first time in their history. But it’s not just starring in the tournament that’s motivating her. “We hope that, thanks to the World Cup, other children and generations to come will be more fulfilled” she says.
Washington (AFP) – Members of the G7 will begin discussions with Ukraine aimed at putting the country on a “long-term footing to defend itself” says Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the US State Department. A multi-lateral declaration from the G7 will “focus on ensuring Ukraine has a sustainable fighting force capable of defending the country.”
Montevideo (AFP) – “When you brush your teeth it’s awful, you can taste salt water, it’s disgusting!” says Isabel Moreira, 73, having to resort to bottled water to prepare mate – a herbal Uruguayan infusion – at her home in Montevideo. Uruguayan authorities are mixing salty water from the Rio de la Plata river estuary with its dwindling freshwater supplies to meet demand, as the country struggles with a historic drought that has left its main reservoir dry.
London (AFP) – The stars of “Barbie” walk the pink carpet in London for the European premiere of the summer blockbuster ahead of its theatre release.
Paris (AFP) – The Jardin des Plantes is presenting its latest recruits, two adult male Tasmanian devils, flown in from Australia after a health quarantine in Copenhagen. Their names are Rori and Mordo and they are in perfect health. Threatened with extinction, this species is the subject of a breeding programme which will ensure its preservation.
Santa Maria Madalena (Brazil) (AFP) – Astronomers, tourists and curious city dwellers gather to watch the starry night sky in Brazil’s Desengano State Park, the first dark sky park in Latin America certified by the International Dark-Sky Association.
Washington (AFP) – Jets of red gas bursting into the cosmos, and a glowing cave of dust: NASA marks a year of discovery by the James Webb Space Telescope with a spectacular new image of Sun-like stars being born. The picture is of the Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex, the nearest stellar nursery to Earth, whose proximity at 390 light-years allows for a crisp close-up by the most powerful orbital observatory ever built.
Manali (India) (AFP) – Days of relentless monsoon rains have killed at least 66 people in India with dozens of foreign tourists stranded in the Himalayas after floods severed road connections.
Fort Lauderdale (United States) (AFP) – Clad in pink and toting cardboard cutouts of their idol, fans of Lionel Messi gather outside Inter Miami’s stadium to welcome the Argentine football superstar. The World Cup winner landed in Florida this week to finalize a deal reportedly worth $60 million a year with the MLS side, co-owned by former England player David Beckham.
Brussels (AFP) – The Sudan conflict is on the verge of “morphing into an ethnicised and tribalised civil war” says the head of the UN’s mission in the country. Volker Perthes explains that little has changed since mid-April, with the factions locked in a stalemate and “recruiting… on an ethnic basis.”
Grimsby (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Once one of the world’s leading fishing ports, the English town of Grimsby had hoped Brexit would turn the tide and halt its decline. Now, seven years on from the landmark referendum, in which 70% of the town voted to leave the EU, the mood among Grimsby’s fishing industry is one of disappointment. “I wish Brexit never happened” says Nathan Goldley, a fishmonger.
