Firefighters battle wildfire as tens of thousands evacuated near Bordeaux

French authorities have ordered the evacuation of the entirety of the Cap Ferret peninsula on the south-west coast, with hundreds of people escaping the area by boat. Tens of thousands of people are being evacuated from the tourism destination west of Bordeaux, as firefighters continue to battle what the local prefect has described as an "XXL fire" in the Gironde region.The fires, which began on Tuesday, has burned for days, with officials saying 10,000 hectares (almost 25,000 acres) consumed by the flames.Meanwhile, the government in Spain has declared a national emergency as wildfires burn out of control in several areas close to the capital Madrid.Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez spoke of a "dramatic situation" and urged people to take great care. Three fires were burning west of Madrid, at Villa del Prado and San Martín de Valdeiglesias.French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 40,000 people had either been or were in the process of being evacuated from the Cap Ferret peninsula, which has the Atlantic on one side and the Bay of Arcachon on the other.Local prefect Sophie Brocas said 53 homes had been lost as well as a campsite, but that 2,000 houses had been saved.A local councillor said 2,000 evacuees from the peninsula had already arrived by boat in the port of Arcachon on the south side of the bay.Fire and rescue chief Marc Vermeulen said the wildfire had spread rapidly at the end of Thursday and into the early hours of Friday. Authorities then took the decision on Friday morning to begin the evacuation of the town of Arès, which lies south-east of Lège-Cap Ferret on the Bay of Arcachon.Further down the Atlantic coast, around the town of Biscarrosse in France's Landes region, another major fire that began on Thursday afternoon has prompted the evacuations of more than 23,000 people.About 18,000 people in Biscarrosse and 5,000 in Parentis-en-Born had to leave their homes, campsites, a nursing home and a summer camp.Landes prefect Gilles Clavreul said the fire around Biscarrosse was not going to be out by the end of Friday, with winds of up to 50km/h (31mph) and temperatures of 36-37C.No further casualties have been reported overnight in south-west France, although two firefighters died on Tuesday while tackling a blaze near Bordeaux airport.French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday night the wildfire situation in the country was "very tense" - especially in the Gironde region.Macron said he had asked for help from the European Union, and that support would soon come in the form of aircraft from Croatia, Portugal, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.Headmaster David Morton, 53, from Gloucester had been on holiday with his wife and sons when they received an emergency alert via text overnight on Thursday instructing them to evacuate.The family were staying in a house in Petit Piquey, along the peninsula, and were woken up at 03:00 local time (01:00 GMT) by emergency texts and an alert on the property's landline."We got in our car, packed everything up as quickly as we could... and then set off and joined a very long, slow-moving queue of traffic," he told the BBC."Everyone was driving with their lights on, driving very slowly – there was lots of fire service people, ambulances, police on the other side of the road controlling things and we could see several fires in the distance as we drove."As they drove past the fire near Lège, Mr Morton described the flames as "enormous"."You could see the whole forest was on fire and that really brought it home what a major fire it was."He described the evacuation as "well-controlled" with people being "very respectful and sensible"."It's different from seeing it on the television… seeing it blazing out of control despite hundreds and hundreds of firemen and women helping."

Yemeni supporters of the Iran-backed Houthi movement gather during a rally against what the group says are restrictions imposed by the Saudi-led coalition on Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, in Sanaa on July 17, 2026. Mohammed Huwais/AFP via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Mohammed Huwais/AFP via Getty Images TEL AVIV — The Houthis, a Yemeni Shiite militia which is aligned with Iran, have announced a naval blockade of a key waterway, the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait. In a video statement, a Houthi spokesperson said the blockade was in retaliation for strikes from Saudi Arabia on a major airport in Yemen's capital, Sanaa. The Houthis have accused Saudi Arabia of hitting the airport while an Iranian official was traveling through it earlier this month. Bab Al-Mandeb connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, and it lets Saudi Arabia, one of the biggest oil producers in the world, get millions of barrels of oil a day out to the open ocean for export. Bab Al-Mandeb has become even more important for Saudi Arabia now that the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed off by the U.S.- Iran war. Any potential Houthi blockade of the strait would rattle energy markets already shaken by the war in Iran and would likely raise energy prices further. The blockade would also test Gulf states' resolve to counter Iran and Iran-aligned groups in the Middle East, including the Houthis. Saudi Arabia condemned the blockade in a statement. The Houthis said in response that the Saudis were a "criminal" regime. The Houthi rebels are designated by the U.S. State Department as a terrorist group. Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates have been exploring the idea of building new oil pipelines or expanding existing ones to move oil overland instead of by sea, but those pipelines could take years to build. U.S. and Iran trade fire – again The U.S. and Iran traded fire for a 10th consecutive round of strikes overnight. U.S. Central Command said late Monday it struck Iranian military command centers, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and air defense systems. Iran's state news agency IRNA said it targeted three U.S. bases hosting American military personnel and equipment in Kuwait last night. The fighting is now at its most intense level since the war began in February. The Pentagon on Monday confirmed the identities of two service members killed by Iranian attacks in northern Jordan last Friday and said another still remains missing. The Pentagon later disclosed a third service member was killed in Iraq. That brings the death toll of the war in Iran to at least 17 service members killed. The Pentagon says 427 people have been injured to date. Iran's government says about 3,000 people in Iran have been killed in the war. But a New York Times report this week questions whether the Pentagon has been fully transparent in disclosing casualties in real time and the circumstances under which they happened. The Pentagon has not held a press briefing in more than two months. The Department of Defense called the report contained "baseless and malicious accusations" and told journalists to "stop the smears against the finest warfighting force on Earth." Lebanon's president to meet Trump in the White House A separate ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon is still holding, despite ongoing Israeli strikes on people and sites in Lebanon that Israel claims are Hezbollah-affiliated. Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun is scheduled to meet President Trump in Washington D.C. on Tuesday, in the first state visit to the United States since 2009. His visit comes at a critical time. A sweeping roadmap for peace between Lebanon's government and Israel signed in June would see the Lebanese army disarm Hezbollah. But that is preconditioned on Israel withdrawing from the large amount of Lebanese territory it has occupied since earlier this year. So far, the time

Trump Rehashes Election Fraud Claims, Politics Of Trump's Speech, Texas Flooding Download Embed Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day. Today's top stories President Trump delivered a primetime address last night where he repeated claims that the country's voting systems are vulnerable to being "rigged and stolen." The president presented no new evidence of a single fraudulent vote in any election. He said he was declassifying intelligence documents that reveal "shocking vulnerabilities in our election infrastructure." President Trump addresses the nation from the East Room of the White House. Saul Loeb/Pool/AFP via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Saul Loeb/Pool/AFP via Getty Images 🎧 A team at NPR spent much of the night reviewing these documents, Miles Parks tells Up First. So far, it's unclear whether any new information has emerged that could affect the security of America's voting systems. They largely highlight existing concerns about voting equipment, such as how dated it is in certain areas. Nearly all U.S. voters use paper ballots, which have undergone audits and investigations by both Republicans and Democrats after the 2020 election. Parks says no evidence of widespread fraud was found.🎧 Courts have blocked the president's executive actions aimed at changing election administration. Trump has pressed Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to vote, but it lacks enough Senate support. Many Republicans want to focus on issues voters prioritize, such as the cost of living, NPR's Tamara Keith says. Trump spent little time on affordability and the war in Iran in his speech. Catastrophic flooding in Texas has killed two people and prompted hundreds of rescues after days of heavy rain. The flooding comes just over a year after devastating July Fourth floods killed 130 people, including children and counselors at a summer camp. 🎧 Since last year's disaster, residents may be paying closer attention to evacuation and shelter alerts, Chelsey Zhu of NPR member station KUT says. State lawmakers have also prioritized flood safety measures, including new warning sirens and updated emergency plans for summer camps. Forecasters expect the rain to ease, allowing officials to shift from rescues to recovery. Several U.S. states are experiencing unhealthy and hazardous air quality as heavy smoke from wildfires continues to spread. Extreme heat and dry conditions in Ontario and northern Minnesota fueled wildfires earlier this week. Today, more than 800 wildfires are burning in Canada, according to the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System. Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan face some of the worst air quality levels and millions in large cities like Philadelphia, New York City and Baltimore are also impacted. Relief remains several days away. Picture show SEATTLE, WA -­ JUNE 14, 2026: Cure for Paranoia performs during NPR's Tiny Desk Concert Tour stop at Neumos in Seattle, Wash., on Sunday, June 14, 2026. Jovelle Tamayo for NPR Jovelle Tamayo for NPR hide caption toggle caption Jovelle Tamayo for NPR The Dallas hip-hop group Cure for Paranoia won this year's Tiny Desk Contest, earning the chance to perform their own Tiny Desk concert after standing out among thousands of independent artists. The group also joined the 2026 Tiny Desk Contest On The Road tour, performing alongside 20 other standout entrants. Ten photographers captured some of the tour's most memorable moments. Weekend picks Matt Damon is Odysseus in The Odyssey. Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures hide caption toggle caption Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures Check out what NPR

At least one person has died in flooding across central Texas - the same area that saw more than 130 deaths in flash floods last summer."Large and deadly" flooding from the Guadalupe River is expected to ravage the region, following days of torrential rain, the National Weather Service in San Antonio reported. Last year's flash floods originated from the same river.Early Thursday morning, emergency officials were encouraging residents in the area to evacuate.More than 130 people died in last summer's floods, including 25 children and two counsellors at Camp Mystic, an all-girls camp near Kerrville, Texas, located along the river.In a Thursday afternoon update, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced at least one person has died in the flooring. "We will be doing everything possible to save human life," Abbott said in an update posted to social media. He added about 80 rescues have been made, and the person who was killed was not a camper in the region. The "rapidly rising rivers" will continue to rise throughout the day, the governor said. The National Weather Service has offered constant updates, noting the urgent threat and urging for people to get to safety. "CATASTROPHIC flooding is occurring. Move to higher ground now! Guadalupe River is rapidly rising and will continue!"' The National weather Service in San Antonio posted on X.The Guadalupe River has already risen 32 feet (975 cm) in a four-hour span, according to the Texas Tribune. The flooding has impacted multiple counties in South Texas, including Uvalde, Kerr and Kendall.

Eleven people have died in a fire at a foster care facility in Algiers, Algeria's capital city.The country's civil protection department said 19 others were injured in the blaze, which firefighters began to tackle at 03:30 local time (04:30 GMT) on Thursday.They were still attempting to extinguish the fire just over three hours later, when the authorities released an update on the situation.The civil protection department's statement did not specify the ages of those killed or injured, but in a statement Algeria's president said children were among the dead. The authorities have not said what caused the fire.Ten fire engines and 16 ambulances were deployed to the facility in Mohammadia, an eastern suburb of Algiers.Algeria has been experiencing a heatwave for several days, and nearly 1,000 fires have been recorded in the space of a week, the AFP news agency has reported.On Thursday morning, the civil protection department said it had recorded 115 wildfires over the past 24 hours.Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune expressed his condolences following the fire at the children's home, calling the incident a "tragic loss".Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb travelled to two hospitals in Algiers to visit individuals injured in Thursday's fire, state media reported.The report was accompanied by a picture of Ghrieb next to a child in a hospital bed.Amid the fire, five people with special needs were "taken into care and transported to a safe location", the authorities said.

At least 27 people have been killed in a huge fire which ravaged through a Bangkok bar, Thai media has reported. Firefighters were called to the scene just after midnight and discovered patrons fleeing through the flame-enveloped front door of the venue.Unverified footage shows flames blasting out of the bar as one woman falls to the floor before getting to her feet to get away.Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told journalists at the scene that 27 people died and several have been taken to the hospital, according to local media. He stressed the cause of the fire was still under investigation.The bar is located in the Chatuchak District and is a famous entertainment venue and restaurant in the area, Thai outlet the Daily News reported, external.Firefighters were able to bring the flames under control in half an hour.Pictures taken inside the bar after the fire was put out show it completely charred and blackened, with the ceiling peeling off.A number of people are still missing after the disaster, Thai outlet Thairath reported, external.This is a breaking story. More updates will follow.

At least 11 people have died and 19 others are missing in a wildfire in southern Spain, Andalusia's regional leader Juanma Moreno has said. Another local official said early indications suggested four of the victims are British.Hundreds of people are trying to contain the fire, which Moreno said appeared to have been caused by a downed power line. The flames then spread in a wooded area around Los Gallardos, Almería. A sustained heatwave with temperatures of around 40C (104F) has caused wildfires across southern Europe this summer.Firefighters have been battling major incidents in France, Portugal and Spain, with thousands forced to leave their homes. The bodies of the 11 victims were found in and around the small village of Bédar, just outside Los Gallardos. Antonio Sanz, Andalusia's health and emergencies minister, said the fire had been complex and rapid and the majority or even all of the victims may have been foreign nationals. The regional government had given an earlier death toll of 12, although Sanz said the number was provisional.Four people were found trapped in their car, said Sanz, while seven other victims were found elsewhere, apparently trying to escape the flames. He said the four in the car were believed to be "of British origin" and that the car had a steering wheel on the right.BBC News has contacted the UK Foreign Office.Sanz said it was the "most devastating fire" that Andalusia had ever seen.Juanma Moreno said the deaths were a tragedy and he warned that the death toll could rise significantly. "Our hearts are heavy and we are devastated by grief," the regional president posted on social media.Four people have been taken to hospital with serious burns and another four are described as less seriously hurt with minor burns and respiratory problems caused by heavy smoke."Everything appears to point to the collapse of a power line pole, although this will still need to be investigated," Moreno said on Cadena Ser radio, adding that those responsible for maintenance would be held accountable.The fire also led to road closures, while 1,000 residents were evacuated, according to emergency services. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said in May that Spain would deploy its largest-ever summer wildfire response this year, local media reported. Spain's Military Emergency Unit (UME), which is deployed in major emergencies, said it would join firefighting efforts in Los Gallardos. In June, Spain reached its highest daily average since 1950, and had days where it recorded its highest ever temperatures for that month. Temperatures as high as 42C (107.6F) were forecast in some parts of the country. Last year, a record 393,000 hectares (971,000 acres) burned in Spain, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), more than six times the Spanish average for between 2006 and 2024.Climate change is driving up temperatures around the world, and Europe is the fastest warming continent, heating up twice as fast as the global average, according to the Copernicus climate service.This is causing increased summer heatwaves, greater pressure on Europe's water supply, and more intense wildfires.Last year was the European Union's worst wildfire season since records began in 2006, with more than a record one million hectares - equivalent to about half the land area of Wales - burning across the EU. The worsening fire season in the Mediterranean has been linked directly to climate change in a separate study by the World Weather Attribution group at Imperial College London.Experts warn that more frequent and severe fires across Europe are likely to continue in the future.Are you in the area? If it is safe to do so, share your story.

Venezuela has marked its 215th Independence Day as citizens continue to grapple with grief following a pair of deadly earthquakes on June 24.On Sunday, interim President Delcy Rodriguez sought to project strength during a military service in honour of the annual holiday.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Venezuela’s Rodriguez blames ‘propaganda’ for quake response backlashlist 2 of 3Quakes reduce Venezuela tourist town to rubble, leaving economy in tatterslist 3 of 3Volunteers vow to keep searching for Venezuela earthquake survivorsend of list“There will be no social unrest here,” Rodriguez said. “What we have here is deep social solidarity.”But Rodriguez’s government has faced backlash since the twin earthquakes struck, hitting Venezuela with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, respectively.On Sunday, Venezuela’s Ministry of Communication and Information announced that it had recorded 3,342 deaths as a result of the earthquakes, with more expected. Thousands of people remain missing.In addition, some 16,470 people are injured, while 17,345 have been left without homes.The powerful seismic activity levelled buildings along Venezuela’s northern coastline, damaging regions like La Guaira and the Caracas metropolitan area.Critics have accused the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, which has led the country since 2007, of chronic mismanagement and corruption.That, they say, has left Venezuela incapable of handling a crisis of the current scale. The June 24 earthquakes are the deadliest in a century for the country, and they represent the most catastrophic natural disaster Venezuela has weathered since the flash floods of 1999.After the earthquakes, residents reported that government aid was slow to reach the most affected areas. Some accused the government of impeding the flow of foreign assistance.In Sunday’s remarks, Rodriguez accused critics of seeking to stir “hatred” against the state.“Attempts are being made today to attack Venezuelan institutions,” Rodriguez said. “There can be no room for any kind of conspiracy, internal or external, from whatever source it may come.”The earthquakes are the first major disaster the Rodriguez government has had to contend with.Rodriguez was sworn in as acting president in January, after serving as vice president under then-President Nicolas Maduro.But on January 3, the United States launched a military operation to abduct and imprison Maduro on drug- and weapons-related charges. He is currently facing trial in New York.Since taking power, Rodriguez has sought to work within the demands of US President Donald Trump. Her government has overseen reforms, for example, to its nationalised mining and fuel industries allowing more foreign investment.The Trump administration, meanwhile, has stood by Rodriguez, even amid the outpouring of criticism following the earthquakes.Media reports have emerged that the US has repeatedly rejected requests from Venezuela’s main opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, to help her return to the country.Machado had been living in hiding under Maduro for fear she would be arrested for her politics. In December, shortly before Maduro’s abduction, she secretly left Venezuela to collect a Nobel Peace Prize for promoting democracy.But Machado has yet to return, though she has said she wants to be in the country to help with disaster relief efforts.Her political coalition, Vente Venezuela, has been organising its own volunteer effort to collect donations and distribute supplies.In a message to mark Venezuela’s Independence Day, Machado sought to draw a parallel between the US and her country.“Yesterday, the people of the United States celebrated the 250th anniversary of their Declaration of Independence. Mere hours separate these commemorations, reflecting far more than a coincidence of history,” she wrote.“They remind us that our nations are bound by the same republican ideals and by a shared commitment to the defense of the free world.”In January, Machado present