Katie Couric was asked about former ‘GMA3’ stars' alleged affair which was exposed in November 2022, leading to their firing from the show

'Evelyn and Amelia Isailovic were bright lights in our community. Both loved school, had many friends and enjoyed activities,' read the GoFundMe page

Danielle Waldman's father said he witnessed his daughter's car being shot by multiple attackers

Wildfires have raged across Greece for seven consecutive days, triggering large-scale evacuations, rescue flights for British tourists and warnings from officials that things may yet get worse. While the cause of the blazes has not officially been identified, local authorities have suggested at least some could have been the work of arsonists. But climate science and fire risk specialists say it’s undeniable that rising temperatures and prolonged heatwaves mean the fires in the Mediterranean country have spread faster and burned over larger areas. Why are the wildfires so severe in Greece? Over the past few weeks, forest fires have erupted in several parts of Europe – including Switzerland, Italy, Turkey, Croatia, and Spain – as a heatwave sweeps the continent. But Greece has been the worst hit. According to a government spokesperson, an average of 50 wildfires broke out daily for 12 consecutive days in July, with 64 recorded in one weekend. Dr Matthew Kasoar at Imperial College’s Leverhulme Centre for Wildfires, Environment and Society told The Independent that the tinder-dry conditions would make it easier for them to spread. He said: “Fire risk increases rapidly when there are periods of prolonged hot weather, which allow the soil and vegetation to completely dry out.” “Climate change has increased the severity, frequency, and duration of heatwaves when they occur,” he added, as temperatures on the southern Greek mainland rose as high as 45C (113 degrees Fahrenheit) this month. “A lot of the wildfires we’re seeing in Greece have been in areas with shrubby vegetation,” climate science expert Dr Nigel Arnell said. A study by the University of Florida found that spot fires tend to spread further from their original fire perimeter in areas where woody plants such as shrubs and trees replace herbaceous plants like grasses. Is human-induced climate change responsible for the fires? Cambridge professor Adam Pellegrini, who is an expert in forest ecosystems and climate change, said that one of the best examples of anthropogenic, or human-caused climate change contributing to fire activity comes from the western United States. “A 2016 study looked at the area that was burned in a year in the western forests, as well as weather and aridity condition,” he explained. “The researchers ran a model that simulated climate with and without anthropogenic [greenhouse gas] emissions. “Under these climate simulations, which have uncertainties, they found there was a high likelihood that you wouldn’t see these fires that we see now, without climate change,” Dr Pellegrini continued. The study showed that human-induced climate change contributed to an additional 4.2 million hectares of forest being affected by fire during 1984–2015 – double the forest fire area expected without it. “That was done in the western US but those are the kinds of analyses that are required [for the wildfires in Europe]”, Dr Pellegrini said. “My guess is people will now be trying to do that.” An analysis by the World Weather Attribution network found that the recent heatwaves in Europe and the United States would have been “virtually impossible” without human-caused climate change. According to the study, climate change meant this year’s heatwave in Europe was 2.5C hotter. Are these extreme weather events preventable? The way to reduce the increase in heat and drought, and the frequency with which they occur, is stopping greenhouse gas emissions, Dr Pellegrini said, adding: “That is the number one way to do it.” Better ways to adapt and mitigate the damage from wildfires include controlled burns during a cooler, wetter time of the year. “That way you burn out the fuel for the fires, so if there’s a really hot and dry year, hopefully a forest fire won’t be as intense,” he added. Limitations include the high cost of controlled burns, as well as accessibility issues in remote areas such as Siberia, where forest fires have raged since last year. Another way to reduce fire risk is through animal grazing, Imperial College researcher Oliver Perkins explained. “In fire-prone regions of Spain, goat farmers are paid, not to produce food but, to reduce fire risk by grazing flammable vegetation.” Is there a threat of wildfires in the UK? Dr Kasoar warned that almost every region in the world is facing more intense and more frequent hot weather, and the UK is no exception. “We have seen record-breaking heat and fires in the south of the UK last summer, and with the country’s largest fires being recorded in the last few years,” he added. “Unless we stabilise global temperatures by reducing global emissions to net zero, wildfires will continue to become an ever more present risk here in the UK and across many other parts of the world. Read More Greece fires – live: Tourists in Rhodes and Corfu evacuated as Croatia also battles wildfires Where are the Italy wildfires as temperatures rise to 47.6C on Sicliy? Simon Calder on Greece: Latest travel advice for tourists as wildfires continue to ravage Rhodes and Corfu Where are the Italy wildfires as temperatures rise to 47.6C? Are Greece wildfires caused by climate change? Greece fires: Rhodes and Corfu tourists evacuated as Croatia also battles wildfires

Former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows on Monday urged a federal appeals court to intervene in his failed bid to move his Georgia criminal case to federal court.

Six migrant workers were hit and injured by an SUV outside a North Carolina Walmart in what appears to be an "intentional assault" Sunday afternoon, and authorities are looking for the driver involved, police said.

One person is dead and seven others have been injured after a rollercoaster derailed in Sweden. The horror unfolded at the Grona Lund amusement park in Stockholm when the Jetline roller coaster partially came off the tracks mid-ride. Emergency services including a helicopter, ambulances and fire engines were seen arriving soon after the incident on Sunday. Police confirmed seven people, including both children and adults, had been hospitalised. One of the ride’s carriages was reportedly seen coming off the rails at a “great height” before falling towards the ground. Journalist with Swedish broadcaster SVT, Jenny Lagerstedt, happened to be at the park with her family and said her husband witnessed the horror take place. “My husband, who was sitting outside, saw how a carriage came loose and fell from a great height, and that there were people in it,” she told local media. Another witness told Swedish outlet Expessen that he saw the rollercoaster’s wheels come off. The injured and uninjured passengers who were stuck in other carriages had to be removed from the ride with the help of rescue crews. The park has been evacuated while emergency services tend to the injured. Head of information at the park Annika Troselius, said the full extent of the injuries and damage to the rollercoaster was unclear. “It is incredibly tragic and shocking. Unfortunately, we have received the news that one person has died and that several others are injured,” she said. “This must not happen and it should not happen. We are all very taken and shocked and are currently focusing on taking care of all those affected and our staff.” Grona Lund’s website now includes a black banner which acknowledges that a “serious accident has taken place on the Jetline”. The Jetline reaches speeds of 90kmh and is 30m high at its peak. Read More Roller coaster derails in amusement park in Sweden, killing 1 person and injuring several others Alton Towers crash victim shares inspirational video documenting journey over eight years since ‘life flipped’ A routine chiropractor visit left her paralysed at 28. One year on, this is what her mother wants you to see Soldiers accuse Wagner chief of ‘walking off’ after Putin deal Watch: Wagner convoy leaves Voronezh region after Putin deal Time running out for Spain to deal with its darkest chapter

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National security adviser Jake Sullivan met with top Chinese official Wang Yi in Vienna earlier this week for "candid" and "constructive" talks, the White House announced Thursday.

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