Ryazan Oblast (Russia) (AFP) – Rampant wildfires in Ryazan Oblast, southeast of Moscow, have caused thick smog to blanket the Russian capital. Local authorities estimating that over 800 hectares have burnt down, but the international environmental group Greenpeace puts the figure at over 3,300 hectares.
Ilulissat (Denmark) (AFP) – Tourists from all over the world are flocking to Ilulissat, on the west coast of Greenland, a prime vantage point for breathtaking views of glaciers and icebergs. The islanders, on the front line of global warming, are trying to find a balance between preserving their way of life and the benefits of these ever-growing numbers of visitors.
Montreal (AFP) – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz meets Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Montreal. During his stay, the chancellor is expected to visit Toronto, as well as Stephenville in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Yangon (AFP) – Han Myint Mo kicks up a gold-coloured metal ball, pirouettes and catches it on the blade of a knife held in her teeth — keeping up a Myanmar juggling tradition on the edge of extinction.
Jiujiang (China) (AFP) – Aerial images show dry sections of China’s largest freshwater lake, Poyang, which connects to the Yangtze River. China has been hit by extreme weather this summer, including record temperatures, flash floods and droughts — phenomena that scientists have warned are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change.
Itagüí (Colombia) (AFP) – Colombians parade on beds for World Laziness Day, a celebration of idleness held every year in the northwestern city of Itagüí.
Karbala (Iraq) (AFP) – Rescue workers search through the rubble of a Shiite Muslim shrine in central Iraq, after a landslide killed at least five people including a child.
Washington (AFP) – Male giant panda cub Xiao Qi Ji celebrates his second birthday with a cake made of apples, bananas, pears, sugar cane, sweet potatoes and bamboo, frozen into a giant fruitsicle
Richmond (United States) (AFP) – Dr. Kelly Lambert’s research lab at the University of Richmond, in the US state of Virginia, trains rats to drive small cars and rewards them with treats, exploring the potential benefits to the brain in the process. Watching rodents drive tiny custom-made cars is “kind of magical,” says Lambert, a professor of behavioral neuroscience, adding that she wants to “make sure that it’s not just a circus trick, that it is done in a scientific manner.”
Richmond (United States) (AFP) – Dr. Kelly Lambert’s research lab at the University of Richmond, in the US state of Virginia, trains rats to drive small cars and rewards them with treats, exploring the potential benefits to the brain in the process. Watching rodents drive tiny custom-made cars is “kind of magical,” says Lambert, a professor of behavioral neuroscience, adding that she wants to “make sure that it’s not just a circus trick, that it is done in a scientific manner.”
