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Officials say that 12 people were killed in an attack on a holiday camp in the Russian-held part Ukraine
Five children were among the 12 people killed in an overnight drone attack on a holiday camp located in a Russian-held area of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Region, local authorities in Russia said. They accused Ukraine of attacking civilians on purpose. Kyiv didn't immediately respond to our request for a comment. Both Russia and Ukraine deny that they are targeting civilians during the war which was launched by Russia's full scale invasion in February 2022. Yevgeny Baltsky, the Russian appointed governor, said that 19 people were injured in the attack at Kyrylivka resort, which is located near Melitopol on the coast of Sea of Azov. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Maria?Zakharova, said that Ukrainian drones were responsible for the attack against "sleeping" people at the camp. She condemned "inhuman crimes" and also mentioned an attack that took place on a factory on Thursday in Russia's Kirov Region, which resulted in the death of six people. The video of the holiday camp posted online showed shattered building, burnt-out cars and a heap of rubble near a swimming pool. Balitsky reported that crews of the Emergencies Ministry in Russia retrieved two survivors including a child and another body from rubble. He said that the rescue operation was complete. He said that the enemy knew who they were targeting. Balitsky claimed that authorities in Kyiv "ignore any morality" and were "deliberately destroying civilians -- both adults and children". The Russian state news agency RIA reported that the Investigative 'Committee' of Russia opened a terrorism?case in response to the attack. Reporting by Alessandra Prentice; Writing by Ron Popeski, Paul Simao and Kevin Liffey; Editing by Kevin Liffey.
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Tens of thousands of people fleeing French wildfires are filled with disappointment and fear
Mohammed Laabar and his family fled their home in southwest France when wildfires raged on Friday. They grabbed their son, aged three, and a survival kit that they had prepared beforehand. The winds changed within hours and carried smoke and fumes originating from the fires to Bordeaux. Laabar is a 35-year old truck driver from the town of Salaunes. The apocalyptic images that have come to define France’s scorching summer 2026 gave him a sobering look at the future. He said at a temporary evacuation centre in Bordeaux where hundreds of people spent the night Friday. The authorities have evacuated over 197,000 people in southwestern France after fires destroyed the Atlantic Coast peninsula of Cap Ferret. This is a popular tourist destination during the peak of summer. French President Emmanuel Macron has enlisted military support to help exhausted firefighters battle a tapestry of?fires throughout the country. This follows a record-breaking summer heatwave which resulted in almost 6,000 extra deaths. As people waited in the Bordeaux evacuation centre on Friday, they were filled with disbelief and disappointment, while also feeling fearful for the future. Bernadette, 71, was sitting with her husband and her two grandchildren when she worried about her home in Lege-Cap-Ferret. She evacuated it in the middle night of Wednesday, with "very little notice". She said, "I didn't take anything with me, just my two children". "I forgot a lot of things. My eye medication, everything." Her house is located in an area that firefighters have battled to save buildings and houses from flames. Bernadette - who declined to reveal her name - said that she had moved twice more as the fires grew and barely slept. "I was in Lege, then Andernos and finally Bordeaux. "And now, there's a fire here as well," she said referring to the smoke that could be seen and refelted in Bordeaux. "I'm gonna scream." "ASHES FALLING EVERYWHERE!" The Cap Ferret Fire moved inland Saturday, reaching a region about 30 km (19miles) from Bordeaux. The French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated that the situation had calmed down on Saturday, although the winds are expected to increase again in the afternoon. Henri Sauter, 37, from Germany was forced to leave Cap Ferret after his extended family consisting of nine adults and five children as well as a dog. He said, "There were ashes floating in our drinks while we were eating dinner. It was a strange feeling." He said that the 'family' hit heavy traffic on Friday after they abandoned their rental when they received a message telling them to leave. He said that they could see flames as they exited the peninsula along 'the only road into and out of it. Fires are becoming bigger and more frequent. Three consecutive heatwaves in Europe this season have helped to scorch more ground than they did last year. Many people who were sheltering in the evacuation centre feared that the wildfire danger was worsening. Jean-Pierre, retired computer engineer, aged 68, of Andernos, said that he had lived in the area for the majority of his life. However, this was the first evacuation he has ever experienced. He said that he had experienced fires when he was a child, but they were rare. In the last eight to nine years, fires have become more frequent. Multiple blazes are often burning at once. "It is catastrophic," he declared. (Reporting and editing by Gabriel Stargardter, Louise Heavens, and Manuel Ausloos)
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Wildfires in Bordeaux force evacuation of suburbs
Wildfires in the area around Bordeaux, southwest France, showed no sign of stopping. Sophie Brocas, the head of the local administration for La Nouvelle-Aquitaine et de la Gironde which includes the Bordeaux region, has said that the areas of Le Haillan and?Eysines are being cleared. Bordeaux is known for its vineyards, and the city of Bordeaux is a major 'transport hub' for tourists who are visiting the nearby resorts along the Atlantic coast. Sebastien Lecornu, Prime Minister of France, said that more than 141,000 people have been evacuated so far from the Gironde and Landes region near Bordeaux where wildfires erupted this week. The region was advised not to be driven in. Lecornu posted on X Saturday that "the fires that have hit our country are at a level never before seen." To?help, the army has been called in. Smoke from wildfires was seen and felt in the Haute-Vienne area north of Bordeaux. Local authorities asked people to close their doors and windows. Climate Monitor data shows that temperatures in the Aquitaine region have averaged 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit) so far this month. This is 7.3C (13.1F), compared to the norm for July 1961-1990. Reporting by Camille Raynaud and Stephane Mahe; editing by Susan Fenton, Kevin Liffey and Elizabeth Howcroft
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Wildfires in Bordeaux force evacuation of suburbs
The French authorities evacuated a large number of people from the suburbs around 'Bordeaux' on Saturday, as wildfires remained active in those areas. Sophie Brocas, the head of the local administration for La Nouvelle-Aquitaine et de la Gironde, which includes the Bordeaux region, stated on X, that the areas of Le Haillan, Eysines, and Merignac are being cleared out. Sebastien Lecornu, the French Prime Minister, said that so far more than 141,000 residents have been?evacuated? from the Gironde?and Landes?regions?which are?close to Bordeaux and where the fires first broke out?this week. Lecornu, writing on X Saturday, said: "The fires that are ravaging our country have reached a?level never before seen." French troops have also been called in to assist. Climate Monitor data shows that temperatures in the Aquitaine region have been on average 32.2 degrees Celsius this month. This is 13.1 degrees Fahrenheit (7.3 degrees Celsius) higher than normal for July between 1961 and 1990. Reporting by Camille Raynaud and Stephane Mahe; editing by Susan Fenton
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Trump refuses to proceed with nuclear agreement unless Saudis sign Abraham Accords
On Friday, President Donald 'Trump said he wouldn't go ahead with a civil nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia unless?Saudi Arabia agreed?to a re-normalization of relations with Israel in accordance with the Abraham Accords. The U.S. Department of Energy announced on Wednesday that Energy Sec. Chris Wright and Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, his Saudi counterpart, had signed an accord on the development of commercial nuclear reactors in oil rich Saudi Arabia. It said that Congress would review it. Since his first term, Trump has worked on a deal to build a nuclear power plant in Saudi Arabia. Joe Biden, the former president of the United States, also wanted a deal to be tied to accords that would normalize Saudi Arabia-Israel relations. Saudi Arabia, however, has not signed the accords because it is seeking an irreversible route to a Palestinian State before recognizing Israel. Trump added a condition to the agreement on Thursday. He said in a social media post that Saudi Arabia had to sign the accords. Trump made this point Friday at the Oval Office. Trump told reporters that they must be Abraham Accords members to get the deal. Trump claimed he did not discuss the Abraham Accords with Wright prior to the Cabinet member signing the deal. Trump stated that "but it was always understood and Chris knew and Saudi Arabia knew." Saudi Arabia hasn't responded to any requests for comment on the additional conditions to?the deal. Trump was confident it would all come together eventually. Trump stated that at some point, they would join together and "do their civil nuclear, to repeat it," they will do. Westinghouse, owned by Canadian companies Cameco & Brookfield Asset Management, is a beneficiary of a deal between the U.S. & Saudi Arabia. (Reporting and editing by David Ljunggren, Alistair Bell and Timothy Gardner)
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Gold edged up as Brent eased, Mideast developments on the agenda ahead of Fed meeting
Brent crude oil fell from over $100 per barrel on Friday, while investors assessed the Middle East conflict to determine its impact on inflation in advance of next week's U.S. rate decision. Gold spot was up by 0.1% to $4,052.78 an ounce at 4:10 pm EDT (2010 GMT) after a 2% drop in the previous session. Prices are up 0.9% this week, thanks to dip-buying early in the week. U.S. Gold Futures for August Delivery settled 0.5% higher at $4,070.80. "Gold and Silver are carving out bases around $3,950 each and $55, separately, despite the relentlessly rising yields. Gold feels ready to move higher. While a stop-loss below $3,950 can't be excluded, a sharp war escalated, a?Fed on hold next weekend would help, said Tai Wong. Brent crude oil?fell more than 4% after rising by over 7% in the previous session to reach above $100 for the first since May. This was after Iran-aligned Houthis claimed they had struck two Saudi oil tanks in the Red Sea. Bullion is down about 23% in the last few months since the U.S. war against Iran began late February. This has been a result of expectations that inflation due to war could keep interest rates high for longer. Gold is often seen as an inflation hedge, but higher interest rates can be detrimental to the metal. Investors are now awaiting the outcome of a U.S. Federal Reserve policy meeting next week. It is widely?expected that it will?keep rates unchanged. According to the CME?FedWatch Tool, traders are pricing in an approximately 82% chance that a U.S. interest rate increase will occur in September. The recent strength in bullion seems to be largely driven by dip-buying, and short covering. The sharp decline in gold prices from the record highs of earlier this year has been followed by a recovery. Silver spot rose by 0.8% per ounce to $58.11, platinum dropped 0.8% at $1,587.17 and palladium fell by 1.4% to $1.239.20.
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Report: Guardiola rejects Soccer-Pirlo for Italy's job
The Italian Football Federation (FIGC), reported La Repubblica on Friday, has reached an agreement with Andrea Pirlo, a former Italy midfielder. Pirlo will become the coach of the national team on a four year deal. Pirlo is widely regarded as the greatest Italian midfielder in history. He won the 2006 World Cup and had a distinguished career at Inter Milan, AC Milan, and Juventus. The 47-year-old currently manages Dubai United in the UAE First Division League. Pirlo managed Juventus in the 2020-21 season. He led the Turin club's Coppa italia and Italian Super Cup victories. ? The FIGC has been contacted for comment. GUARDIOLA TURNS DOWN JOB A source familiar with the?discussions on?Friday said that the reported agreement was reached hours after former Manchester City manager?Pep guardiola rejected a proposal to become Italy's head coach. The 55-year old Spaniard had talks about becoming Italy's coach. FIGC President Giovanni Malago suggested that financial flexibility could have been shown to a candidate with his stature. Italy has been looking for a new manager since Gennaro Gattiso quit in April, after failing to qualify for the third consecutive World Cup finals. The FIGC has also spoken to Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti. Guardiola, who left City last season, had a successful decade as manager. He won six Premier League titles including four consecutively, three FA Cups, five League Cups, and the Champions League. Guardiola won three LaLiga titles, two Champions League titles, and two Champions League titles at Barcelona before he arrived at City. He also added three Bundesliga titles during his time at Bayern Munich. The Italian football system is in crisis. A new national team coach has been appointed to help rebuild the youth development and talent pipeline systems that have deteriorated in this country, where football is still a national obsession. Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare from Bengaluru, and Elvira pollina from Milan. Editing by Toby Davis & Ed Osmond.
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Investors watch MidEast developments before Fed meeting as Brent falls over 4%.
Brent crude fell on Friday as it retreated from above $100 per barrel. Meanwhile, investors analyzed the Middle East conflict to determine its implications for inflation in advance of next week's U.S. rate decision. By 11:50 am EDT (1550 GMT), spot gold had risen 0.6% to $4,073.23 an ounce after falling 2% the previous session. Prices are up 1.4% so far this week, thanks to dip-buying early in the week. U.S. Gold Futures for August Delivery gained 0.6% to $4,075.90. "Gold and Silver are carving out bases around $3,950 each and $55 respectively, despite the relentlessly rising yields. Gold feels ready to move higher. While a stop-loss below $3,950 can't be excluded, a sharp war escalated, a?Fed on hold next weekend would help, said Tai Wong. Brent crude oil fell by?over 4 percent after it rose over 7 percent to reach $100 for the first session since May. This was after Iran-aligned Houthis claimed they had hit two Saudi oil tanks in the Red Sea. Bullion is down about 23% in the last few months since the U.S. war against Iran began late February. This has been a result of expectations that inflation due to war could keep interest rates high for longer. Gold is often seen as an inflation hedge, but higher interest rates can be detrimental to the metal. Investors are now awaiting the U.S. Federal Reserve policy meeting result next week. It is?largely anticipated that it will?keep rates unchanged. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, traders are pricing in an 80% probability of a U.S. interest rate hike in September. Recent strength in bullion seems to be driven by dip-buying and short covering. The sharp decline from the record highs of earlier this year has been followed by a recovery. Silver spot rose by 1.9%, to 58.77 dollars per ounce. Platinum fell by 0.5%, to 1,592.89 dollars, while palladium gained 0.2%, to $1259.42.
Trump's controversial plan to price minerals is met with skepticism from the G7 and a divided industry
According to diplomatic sources, and an analysis of corporate policy suggestions, the Trump administration's plan to boost vital minerals production through price regulation is being met with skepticism from G7 allies and a divided mining sector. Negotiations for a Western Trading bloc are also stumbling due to concerns over cost and governance. First proposed by the U.S. Vice President JDVance announced the trading bloc in February. It aims to wean the West off China. China became the largest mineral producer by operating on a loss, and lowering prices for building blocks used in semiconductors, computers servers, military equipment, and countless other products. Artificially low prices of cobalt and lithium have made it harder for Western mining competitors to compete. This has inhibited new development, and driven some companies out. Beijing has used this tactic repeatedly in other industries. As envisioned, the trade bloc would look at price supports, market standard, subsidies, and guaranteed purchases in order to financially support production across several countries. Vance stated that the measures could be enforced through "adjustable duties to maintain pricing integrity." Currently, many niche minerals that are critical to tech and defence are traded without transparency, and they're linked to Chinese prices. This is because China dominates the market. Three sources said that since Vance's announcement G7 members have been pushing back against U.S. trade representative Jamieson Greer and have cooled their position on the idea the bloc would rely on a pricing scheme derived by a Pentagon AI model.
According to European officials, the main concerns are who will pay for premiums on minerals, where these subsidies should be placed in the supply chain, and how governance will work.
More than 230 submissions from miners, refiners, and customers to Greer's Office show that the U.S. Mining Industry is divided over what Greer should do to encourage allies.
The concerns of both allied and corporate interests highlight the difficulty in reinventing how minerals are purchased and sold. More than a dozen consultants and analysts said that the final shape of the trade bloc could have a long-term impact on minerals markets.
Ashley Zumwalt Forbes, an investor in minerals who managed the U.S. Department of Energy’s batteries and essential minerals portfolio under the former president Joe Biden, said: "It's a very difficult thing to do. I'm glad I'm not doing it." This topic will dominate the discussion when G7 members gather in France this week. Western countries are faced with the challenge of diversifying away from China by building up an entire supply chain, from mine to final product. A draft U.S. plan, created using an AI-based pricing program developed by the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, has been sent to the White House. The National Security Council, along with U.S. officials, will brief G7 allies in the near future on the contents of the proposal.
European officials and representatives of the industry said that they would rather study the long-term impact of price support than make a quick deal, which is in contrast to the American's more rapid pace. Sources say that the Trump administration is hesitant to accept the French proposal for a permanent administrative secretary within the International Energy Agency or OECD, to track G7 initiatives regarding critical minerals, as the presidency rotates. The United States wants to avoid multilateral discussions and instead forge quick concrete bilateral agreements, then expand them. This is a source of confusion.
Washington's push for a bi-lateral approach appears to be a change in strategy from Vance's plan, first presented earlier this year.
Greer, who spoke to reporters at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's (OECD) Ministerial Meeting in Paris in early June, said: "We are trying to take some of these ideas and turn them into a deal."
Greer stated that the United States would use price support "to protect production critical minerals and derivatives". We would like to introduce it gradually. ... If other countries wish to join us, they are welcome to do so." Washington wants to make a proposal to Japan and to the European Union for bilateral agreements that are legally binding before the end June, according to two sources who have been in touch with the issue. This proposal will be the first step in implementing the action plans that were announced earlier this summer, with Japan and with the EU. Sources said that the first binding agreement may cover five to ten minerals. Minerals under consideration include graphite, tungsten and antimony. All are subject to Chinese export restrictions or bans.
PRICE SETTING According to the Trump administration, prices will be set using Open Price Exploration (OPEN) AI Metals, a program created by DARPA. This program uses DARPA's Open Prices Exploration for National Security (OPEN), which aims at calculating what metals should cost when labor, processing, and other costs are taken into account, and Chinese market manipulation is excluded. One source stated that European allies are against the idea of using a AI pricing system created by Washington. They cite concerns over the U.S. exerting too much influence on the pricing in the EU. One person said that Europeans are looking for a wide range of tools, and "agile governance", to determine the best way to implement these measures in any given mineral or value chain. "For Europe, a price index that is based on actual deals on the European market would be ideal." The question is how we can make these opaque price mechanisms more transparent, market-driven and less susceptible to manipulation, said Nicola Beer, who oversees mineral financing at the EU controlled European Investment Bank.
Different?parts of the supply chain and products in different sectors are shaped differently by pricing mechanisms. This adds complexity." EIT RawMaterials, an EU-funded agency that works with the digital platform Metalshub in order to create indices independent of Chinese government pricing and give clearer signals to foreign investors about profitability. Indexes that go beyond Europe could include United States, Australia or Canada.
The fact that few western nations import minerals in their raw form or with minimal processing could complicate the enforcement of any trading bloc. For example, Lithium Carbonate is not regularly imported into the U.S. but cell phones that contain it are.
James Willoughby is a metals consultant at WoodMac.
Greer said he would use the comments from miners and clients in a letter to "help guide policies for continued negotiations with Washington's Allies". The responses show that respondents are generally in agreement that the bloc should concentrate on niche minerals instead of copper or other widely traded metallics, and should also focus downstream products such as cell phones and laptops.
They disagree, however, on the best way to regulate minerals prices. Several prominent mining companies and trade groups have recommended against setting prices.
Blake Harden, managing director at EY focused on trade policies, said that there was a lot of nervousness among all parties about the different options and the impact they could have on different parts in the supply chain. General Motors, who is building North America’s largest lithium mine, with Lithium Americas; Umicore; platinum miner Sibanye Stillwater; the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and MP Materials, which was awarded the U.S. Government’s only price floor in July last year, all made different proposals. The National Mining Association (US industry trade group) advised Greer to avoid price-fixing, and instead focus on other incentives and tax credits.
Rich Nolan, CEO of the trade group, said that while market interventions, such as pricing mechanisms, may play a part in certain circumstances. However, incentive-based methods are more suited to address challenges facing the mining industry. (Reporting from Julia Payne and Ernest Scheyder, in Evians les Bains and Houston respectively; additional reporting from Leigh Thomas and Jarrett Renshaw, in Washington and David Lawder in Paris; editing by Veronica Brown & Claudia Parsons).
(source: Reuters)