Wildfires rage through Europe as climate alarm sounded

The Reuters Daily Briefing Wednesday, July 20, 2022 by Linda Noakes Hello Here's what you need to know. Europe races to cut Russian gas usage, the U.S. House passes a bill protecting marriage equality, and British inflation hits its highest rate in 40 years Today's biggest stories A firefighter works to extinguish a wildfire burning in Pallini, near Athens, July 20, 2022. REUTERS/Costas Baltas WORLD Emergency services battled wildfires across swaths of southern Europe amid mass evacuations, as warnings sounded in London after Britain's hottest day that the fight against climate change needed to be stepped up. Russian forces shelled eastern and southern Ukraine after Washington said it saw signs Moscow was preparing to formally annex territory it has seized during nearly five months of war. Here's what you need to know about the conflict right now. Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi demanded unity among his coalition partners if they wanted him to stay in office, leaving his resignation threat hanging over parliament. Sri Lankan lawmakers voted in acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe as the new president, hoping his long experience in government would help pull the country out of a crippling economic and political crisis. Here's what you need to know about about Wickremesinghe, a wily political survivor. China is asking the United Nations human rights chief to bury a highly-anticipated report on human rights violations in Xinjiang, according to a Chinese letter seen by Reuters and confirmed by diplomats from three countries who received it. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden welcome Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska at the White House, July 19, 2022. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst U.S. President Joe Biden's public approval rating fell to 36% this week to tie the lowest rating of his 19 months in the White House as inflation takes its toll on American life, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll. Biden's lowest ratings have rivaled the lows of his predecessor, Donald Trump, whose popularity bottomed out at 33% in December 2017. The House of Representatives passed a bill protecting gay marriage rights, after the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade imperiled similar precedents that protected rights to same-sex relations and contraception. A witness for federal prosecutors is expected to testify today that former Trump adviser Steve Bannon defied a subpoena from the congressional probe of the assault on the Capitol, at Bannon's criminal contempt of Congress trial. A coalition of rightwing “constitutional sheriffs,” who claim legal power in their jurisdictions that exceeds federal and state authorities, has a new calling: investigating conspiracy theories that the 2020 election was rigged. The Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association has teamed with True the Vote, a Texas nonprofit and purveyor of debunked voter-fraud claims, to recruit like-minded sheriffs nationwide. Power use in Texas and other Central U.S. states is expected to shatter all-time records in coming days as homes and businesses crank up their air conditioners for relief from the heat. Americans are enduring a heatwave set to last into next week. An open-grid gas pipeline is pictured in Troisdorf, near Bonn, Germany, July 19, 2022. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay BUSINESS & MARKETS The European Union will set out emergency plans today to curb gas usage after Putin warned the bloc that Russian supplies sent via the biggest pipeline to Europe, Nord Stream 1, were at risk of being reduced further. The U.S. Senate voted to move ahead with a slimmed-down version of legislation to provide billions of dollars in subsidies and tax credits for the semiconductor industry, hoping to ease a shortage that has disrupted production in industries from automobiles to electronics and high-tech weapons. Surging petrol and food prices last month pushed British inflation to its highest rate in 40 years, according to official figures that bolstered the chances of a rare half percentage-point Bank of England interest rate hike next month. Nurses, doctors and teachers moved towards strike action, demanding wages keep pace with soaring prices. A revolt by Chinese homebuyers, who have threatened to stop paying mortgages on hundreds of unfinished housing projects, is spurring a shakeout among cash-starved property developers who have long relied on pre-sales of apartments. Many private-sector developers, already gasping for funds and facing an uncertain future, have stoked the unrest as they delayed projects. Porsche may have to go public at a steep discount if it insists on going ahead as economic obstacles mount, people involved in the landmark multi-billion-euro listing said. The prospect of a larger than customary discount would be a setback to the controlling families pushing the initial public offering to fund a costly makeover from petrol- to electric-driven sports cars. Quote of the day "It's a hot sector, it has attracted a lot of talent and capital. We expect a big consolidation." Carlos Fisch Director at Seaya Venture As EVs go mainstream, a rush for share of the home charger market Video of the day Wasted water saps battle against Italy's drought Aging infrastructure and leaky pipes are exacerbating Italy's already disastrous drought, with much precious water vanishing down the drain before it even reaches the taps. And finally… Briton Wightman takes surprise 1,500m gold with dad commentating Jake Wightman took a superb world championship 1,500m gold as he outkicked Olympic champion and hot favourite Jakob Ingebrigtsen on the final lap, with his proud father Geoff calling him home as the stadium announcer. More from Reuters Sustainable Business The Great Reboot Disrupted Legal News Breakingviews Thanks for spending part of your day with us. You are receiving this email because you signed up for newsletters from Reuters. No longer want to hear from us? Unsubscribe from The Reuters Daily Briefing. Terms, conditions, and privacy statement © 2022 Thomson Reuters. 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