Noontime News Recap: Wildfires, floods and war strikes dominate a tense global noon brief

Wildfires have forced thousands to flee across Croatia, France, Germany and Greece, with blazes spreading through parts of western and southeastern Europe as hot, dry conditions persist.  🔗

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In Croatia, a separate coastal fire drove about 1,000 people from their homes, while in France a blaze in the Landes forest burned more than 1,100 hectares and triggered evacuations near Luglon.  🔗  🔗

Japan is also dealing with severe weather after record rainfall in Chiba prefecture near Tokyo killed at least six people and injured five more, with flooding and power cuts still disrupting the area.  🔗

In the war in Ukraine, Russian and Ukrainian forces traded fresh strikes on rail, port and oil infrastructure, widening the latest round of attacks on transport and energy targets.  🔗

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Britain has been warned it may not have enough naval firepower to stop possible Russian seizures of cargo ships, as defence figures raise concerns about the Royal Navy's capacity at sea.  🔗

In the Middle East, the US has threatened Iran with economic isolation, as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the country could face pressure like the world has never seen while talks over the Strait of Hormuz stall.  🔗

In the United States, the White House has accused more than 40 countries of helping China route goods through third countries to evade tariffs, saying transshipment is costing between $19bn and $26bn a year.  🔗 Separately, US Central Command has dismissed reports of poor conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, saying claims of a mental health and living conditions crisis were false.  🔗

Elsewhere, an American missionary, Kevin Rideout, has been released in Niger after more than nine months in captivity, while in Colombia a dog was rescued alive as the 72 hour earthquake search window closed.  🔗  🔗 In Australia, crossbench senators and the Greens have criticised Labor's proposed NDIS overhaul, warning it is moving too far, too fast.  🔗

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