Israeli strikes draw Lebanese President’s warning

Massive wildfires continued to spread across parts of France and Spain on Saturday, forcing large-scale evacuations and stretching emergency services as firefighters battled fast-moving flames driven by strong winds and prolonged heat. In France, the fires advanced inland toward Bordeaux, prompting thousands of residents in surrounding suburbs to leave their homes. Across the border in Spain, authorities confirmed the first death linked to the ongoing wildfire crisis after an elderly man died during a brush fire near Valencia. The fires have already displaced hundreds of thousands of people in both countries and are among the latest extreme weather disasters affecting southern Europe. Experts have linked the growing intensity of such events to prolonged dry conditions and repeated heatwaves that have become more common in recent years. French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said the scale of the fires was unlike anything the country had experienced before and warned that the situation remained extremely serious. Meteorological data shows that temperatures in the affected region of southwestern France have averaged more than 32 degrees Celsius throughout July, far above the historical average for the month. The combination of unusually high temperatures, dry vegetation and powerful winds has created ideal conditions for wildfires to spread rapidly, making it difficult for emergency crews to contain them. French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said firefighters were preparing for a long and demanding operation as the flames continued to move closer to Bordeaux. To strengthen the response, the French government has deployed military support alongside local firefighting teams. One of the country’s largest military transport aircraft joined the operation by dropping fire retardant over forests engulfed by flames. Aerial firefighting efforts have become a crucial part of the emergency response as crews struggle to slow the fires from the ground. The fires have destroyed homes and forests across the region while thick smoke has covered large areas. Around 197,000 people have been evacuated from the Gironde and Landes departments since the wildfires began earlier this week. Officials said the flames had reached within about 30 kilometers of Bordeaux. Although Bordeaux Airport remained open, transport services to and from the airport were disrupted, and the government advised people to avoid unnecessary travel in the affected region. Many evacuees described leaving their homes with little time to prepare. Seventy-one-year-old Bernadette said she fled during the night with her two grandsons, leaving behind most of her belongings, including essential medication. She is now staying at a conference center in Bordeaux that has been converted into temporary emergency accommodation for displaced residents. Spain is facing a similarly severe crisis. Three major wildfires, including two that merged west of Madrid, have forced authorities to declare the country’s first national wildfire emergency. Nearly 88,000 people have either been evacuated or ordered to remain indoors because of the fires. Emergency services continue to battle multiple fire fronts while high winds make containment efforts even more difficult. The country’s first confirmed wildfire-related death occurred near Valencia, where an elderly man died in his vehicle during a smaller brush fire that was later brought under control. Spain has also received international assistance through the European Union’s emergency response system. Additional firefighting aircraft from Italy and Greece are joining planes already sent by Portugal and the Netherlands to help contain the blazes. The situation around Madrid remains especially challenging as another wildfire in the neighboring province of Avila threatens to merge with existing fires. Firefighters are also dealing with the added difficulty of an ongoing union strike, although officials say it has had only a limited impact on staffing levels. Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia urged residents to avoid spending time outdoors because of the dangerous smoke. She advised people to limit physical activity outside and wear face masks if they need to leave their homes. Residents forced to evacuate described hurried departures after receiving emergency alerts. One woman from the town of Fresnedillas de la Oliva said she grabbed only a few valuables and her pet cat before leaving as thick smoke filled the sky. Authorities in both countries continue to warn that the wildfire threat remains high as hot, dry and windy conditions persist.

A cross-party delegation of Irish politicians has called on Dublin to send official observers to the trial of the “Ulm 5” activists in Stuttgart and raise concerns over the severe detention conditions of Irish citizen Daniel Tatlow-Devally. Tatlow-Devally, 32, was arrested alongside four other Berlin-based European activists in September after trespassing at an Ulm facility owned by Israeli defense contractor Elbit Systems, where they destroyed equipment and smashed windows to protest German arms exports to Israel. German prosecutors have charged the group with trespassing, property damage exceeding €1 million, and membership in a criminal organisation under Section 129 of the German criminal code. The visiting delegation, including Sinn Féin TD Mairéad Farrell and representatives from Fine Gael, Labour, People Before Profit–Solidarity, and the Social Democrats, voiced alarm over Tatlow-Devally being confined to a 5×2-metre cell for 23 hours a day with only one hour of monthly visitation. They also highlighted courtroom barriers, such as holding the defendants behind glass panels that restrict direct legal communication. Farrell urged Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin to press German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on human rights and legal access concerns during his upcoming visit to Dublin.

Thousands of Moroccan migrants who entered Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta this week have begun returning home after their hopes of reaching mainland Europe faded. Many said they were driven back by hunger, exhaustion and difficult living conditions, while others claimed they faced hostility after arriving in the Spanish territory. Several returnees said they had decided to cross into Ceuta after watching viral social media videos and receiving messages from friends claiming the heavily guarded border could be breached. Believing they had a chance to build a better future in Europe, many left their jobs and travelled to the border. However, after reaching Ceuta, migrants discovered there was no clear route to mainland Spain. Many said they became stranded in the enclave with limited access to food, water and shelter. One migrant said he survived for three days by drinking only water because he could not afford food. He described the cost of basic meals as extremely high and said life in Ceuta was far more difficult than he had expected. Returning migrants also claimed that many supermarkets and shops remained closed, making it difficult to buy essential supplies. Some spent days in wet clothes after swimming across the border and struggled to find safe places to rest. Several migrants alleged they were forced to leave certain neighbourhoods by local residents, although those claims could not be independently verified. Spanish authorities confirmed that two people suffered minor injuries in separate knife attacks and said one suspect had been arrested. Officials added that no deaths linked to the incidents had been reported. The large influx also affected businesses on both sides of the border. In the Moroccan border city of Fnideq, hotels and restaurants faced staff shortages after several workers crossed into Ceuta. Some employers have already begun looking for replacement workers as many employees remain missing. Meanwhile, daily life in Ceuta has gradually started returning to normal. Cafes have reopened in parts of the city, while police continue to maintain a strong security presence. Many businesses, however, remain closed as authorities monitor the situation. Aid workers said migrant reception facilities are operating at full capacity, with thousands of people still believed to be inside the enclave awaiting assistance or decisions on their future. Local residents expressed mixed emotions over the crisis. While many admitted the sudden arrival of thousands of migrants created fear and uncertainty, others said they sympathised with the young people, arguing they had been misled by false hopes of an easier route into Europe.