Macron calls crisis meeting as wildfires threaten bordeaux

Communities across southern Japan are facing growing hardship after a powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake left at least 17 people dead, damaged essential infrastructure, and cut off water and electricity for thousands of residents. As emergency teams continue rescue and relief operations, authorities are racing to address the worsening impact of intense summer temperatures on affected communities. The earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on Tuesday, causing widespread destruction in Yatsushiro, a port city where cracked roads, collapsed buildings, and broken water pipelines have made daily life increasingly difficult. While damaged homes and public buildings are visible reminders of the disaster, local officials say the lack of clean water and electricity has become one of the biggest challenges facing residents. Akio Matsushita, a city official involved in coordinating relief efforts, said restoring the damaged water system could take a long time because of the scale of the destruction. He explained that repair crews are still assessing the underground damage and cannot estimate when normal services will resume. With temperatures reaching around 35 degrees Celsius and humidity remaining high, the shortage of water has become especially dangerous. Even city hall has been affected, forcing officials to install temporary toilets above sewer manholes after indoor facilities stopped working. Authorities have confirmed that at least 17 people lost their lives in the earthquake. Most of the deaths occurred at a paper manufacturing plant operated by Nippon Paper Industries, where severe structural damage trapped workers. Others were reported at an Aeon shopping mall after what officials believe may have been a gas explosion. Six more people remain in cardiopulmonary arrest, while authorities continue investigating additional deaths that may also be linked to the earthquake. Including those cases, the overall death toll could rise to 28. Emergency responders are also preparing for another serious threat as weather forecasts predict temperatures could approach 40 degrees Celsius over the coming days. Officials have warned that people staying in evacuation centres face an increased risk of heat related illnesses. To reduce that danger, Japan’s Self Defense Forces have begun installing around 300 air conditioning units at evacuation shelters and other important relief locations throughout Kumamoto Prefecture. In the hours after the earthquake, military vehicles transported large water tanks to schools and community centres across Yatsushiro. Emergency water stored beneath city hall has been used to refill the tanks, allowing residents to collect drinking water. However, supplies remain limited, with each person allowed only three litres. Among those waiting for water was Masahiro Miyamoto, who spent hours clearing debris after a temple gate collapsed during the quake. Although his own home remained standing, the neighbouring house was destroyed. Without running water, he has depended entirely on military water deliveries. He said the few stores that reopened after the disaster were crowded with shoppers trying to buy food and other essentials, while long lines formed outside petrol stations as people rushed to fill their vehicles. Japan’s location along the Pacific Ring of Fire makes earthquakes a frequent occurrence. The country has invested heavily in earthquake resistant construction and emergency preparedness, helping reduce casualties during many disasters. Even so, powerful earthquakes continue to cause severe disruption, especially in regions with major industrial facilities. The latest earthquake has also affected manufacturing across Kyushu, an important centre for Japan’s automobile and semiconductor industries. Several leading companies, including Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Aisin, and Sony, temporarily suspended parts of their production while inspections were carried out. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company also evacuated workers and briefly stopped operations to ensure facilities remained safe. Many residents of Kumamoto still remember the devastating earthquakes that struck the region in 2016, killing more than 260 people and destroying thousands of homes. Even those who survived that disaster said this week’s shaking felt stronger in parts of Yatsushiro. Miyamoto recalled shelves crashing to the floor and computers being thrown across rooms. He said the violent movement was unlike anything he had experienced before, describing the sensation as if he had been lifted off the ground and tossed through the air.

Iran is alleged to have flown senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders, military advisers and missile- and drone-related equipment to Yemen earlier this month in a move that could significantly strengthen the military capabilities of the Houthi movement, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. The reported transfer is believed to have taken place on July 13 aboard a Mahan Air flight that departed from Tehran. Sources said the aircraft was originally scheduled to land in the Houthi-controlled capital, Sanaa, but was forced to divert to the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah after military activity disrupted operations at Sanaa International Airport. According to the sources, between 10 and 21 IRGC personnel, including senior commanders, were on board the aircraft. They claimed the mission included military advisers tasked with providing operational support and training on advanced missile systems. The flight was also reportedly carrying missile components, drone-related equipment and gold, which the sources alleged was intended to finance Houthi military operations. The reported shipment has raised fresh concerns that Tehran may be expanding its military support for the group amid growing regional tensions. Officials from Yemen’s internationally recognised government said intelligence indicated that Iranian military experts had arrived to strengthen Houthi capabilities. They claimed the advisers were expected to improve the group’s ability to launch attacks against international shipping in the Red Sea and the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the world’s busiest maritime trade routes. Regional security analysts also supported the claims, saying the shipment allegedly included components for short- and medium-range missiles as well as drone systems similar to those previously used in attacks across the Gulf region. The reported deployment came only days before the Houthis announced a naval blockade targeting Saudi Arabia. The group later claimed responsibility for attacks on Saudi oil tankers operating in the Red Sea, further escalating tensions and increasing fears over global energy supplies and maritime security. Despite the allegations, both Iran and the Houthi movement strongly denied the reports. A Houthi media official who said he was among the passengers on the flight insisted that everyone on board was a civilian and rejected claims that military personnel or weapons had been transported. Iran has also repeatedly denied supplying advanced weapons to the Houthis or directing their military operations. Iranian officials maintain that the Yemeni group independently develops its own military capabilities and makes its own operational decisions. According to Iranian officials, the July 13 flight was organised to return a Houthi delegation and Yemeni civilians who had travelled to Tehran earlier in the month. They said the passengers included people who had attended a funeral ceremony as well as Yemenis who had received medical treatment in Iran. The allegations have emerged at a time of heightened confrontation across the Middle East, where attacks involving the United States, Iran, Israel and Iran-backed groups have intensified. Growing instability has already disrupted commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, contributing to rising oil prices and increasing uncertainty in global financial markets.

ANKARA: An Iranian passenger aircraft travelling from Istanbul to Tehran made an emergency landing at Ankara International Airport after reportedly developing a serious technical problem during the flight. According to sources, Iranian Flight 7282 departed from Istanbul at 11:43am Pakistan Standard Time with Tehran as its destination. The flight initially proceeded normally after takeoff. At around noon, the aircraft was reportedly cruising at an altitude of approximately 35,000 feet when a sudden technical malfunction occurred. The aircraft subsequently began losing altitude, prompting the crew to take emergency measures. The pilot formally declared an emergency at approximately 12:13pm. During the emergency descent, the aircraft rapidly lost altitude and reportedly descended to around 10,975 feet. Sources said the aircraft later disappeared from radar at an altitude of approximately 7,815 feet. It reportedly reappeared on radar around five minutes later at an altitude of about 5,150 feet. As the situation developed, the pilot contacted Ankara Air Traffic Control and requested permission to divert the aircraft to Ankara for an emergency landing. The request was granted, and the aircraft landed safely at Ankara International Airport at approximately 12:29pm. Following the landing, security and emergency personnel immediately moved into position around the aircraft. The plane was surrounded as a precaution and subsequently transferred to a designated area of the airport. Sources said the aircraft remained at Ankara Airport following the emergency landing. Its engines were reportedly still running while the aircraft remained under observation. There were no immediate reports of casualties or injuries following the landing. The exact nature of the technical malfunction has not yet been officially disclosed. It is also unclear whether the problem involved the aircraft’s engines, flight-control systems or another critical component. A technical inspection is expected to determine what caused the aircraft to lose altitude so rapidly during the flight. The incident comes as aviation authorities continue to maintain strict emergency procedures for aircraft experiencing technical problems while operating in international airspace.