Europe’s towering spine and climate bellwether
A newly reviewed biography of John Berger places his Ways of Seeing within a broader political project, showing how Berger linked looking to culture, capitalism and power. The work situates Berger beyond the “rock star” image and threads his ideas into a wider narrative about art, politics and society.
Rising heat and drought across Europe have lowered river levels, exposing World War II ships, mammoth remains and ancient structures. Analysts warn climate-driven extremes are intensifying, threatening ships, power plants and freight, while historians document maritime relics surfacing along the Danube and Rhine.
Gardeners are updating displays as summer fades. Impatiens have given way to fall plants like pansies, Sedum Autumn Joy and chrysanthemums. Firecracker plant, croton and azaleas are recommended for color and resilience across zones, with careful choices for containers and borders as the season changes.
France has temporarily loosened production rules for key cheeses after a historic drought dried pastures, allowing farmers to supplement cattle diets. The move targets Abondance, Beaufort and Comté in the Alps and Jura, with a broader plan to extend to other varieties. Authorities say the measures are temporary and aimed at preserving terroir while acknowledging climate impacts on farming.
A section of glacier near Langtang Lirung has collapsed and has sent a fast-moving surge of ice, rock and water through valleys of Tibet and northern Nepal. Rescue teams from Nepal, China and international partners have been searching for survivors; officials have reported hundreds dead and thousands missing while authorities warn of further flood risk from newly formed lakes.
French and British authorities are pursuing a developing thread in the 2012 Alps killings near Annecy, after a pistol found in Lake Annecy has been linked to the suspect trail. Investigators have not charged anyone in relation to the earlier attack, and this latest lead adds to a long, unresolved inquiry.
Marlen Reusser has retained the women's world time‑trial title in Montreal, winning in 50:24.44 and beating Britain’s Zoe Backstedt by 40 seconds. Germany’s Franziska Koch has taken bronze. Backstedt, 21, has stepped up from under‑23 competition and finished strongly on a longer, windy technical course.
France faces a sharpened political clash as social protests and parliamentary hurdles test the government’s budgeting push and rival leaders seek to shape the trajectory of the 2027 election cycle. The spat involves Lecornu, Mélenchon and Marine Le Pen’s camp, with student protests intensifying the national conversation.
Swiss glacier monitoring has found glaciers have lost about 5.5% of their volume in the first eight months of 2026 and roughly 19–20% of ice since 2021. Scientists report unprecedented thinning, internal collapse and the disappearance of small glaciers after a winter with little snow and a record-hot, dry summer.
Across multiple regions, glacial ice is shrinking rapidly due to record heat and minimal snowfall in 2026, threatening water supplies, habitats and mountain hazards. Studies from Colorado to the Swiss Alps show continuing retreat, with some glaciers melting completely in places like St. Mary’s, while others persist in shaded pockets.