Hawaii fire death toll hits 53, expected to rise higher

13 Sept 11:44 Key points summarised by AI

The death toll from the Maui wildfires has reached 53, making it one of Hawaii's deadliest disasters, with officials expecting the number to significantly increase.
The historic town of Lahaina is 80% destroyed, described by Governor Josh Green as looking like "a bomb hit," with 1,700 buildings affected and many residents forced to jump into the ocean to escape the rapidly spreading flames.
President Joe Biden declared a "major disaster," unblocking federal aid for relief efforts, as rescue operations continue amidst reports of unrecovered bodies and calls from residents for more assistance.
Thousands have been evacuated from Maui, with visitors urged to depart, as experts link the extreme fire behavior to high winds from a nearby hurricane and broader global trends of increasing extreme weather events.

Macron condemns those who 'sought to bring down the Republic' after rioting mars nationwide protests

Yesterday 12:56 Key points summarised by AI

President Macron condemned widespread rioting and looting during nationwide protests, blaming far-left activists and criminals for the "unrestrained violence" and vowing accountability for those who "sought to bring down the Republic."
Over 2,400 arrests were made as protests against rising living costs and poor school conditions escalated, causing extensive damage to public buildings and businesses in cities like Paris, Limoges (where City Hall burned), Marseille, and Lyon.
The unrest, which organizers hoped would revive the "yellow vest" movement, saw political leaders trade blame, with Macron instructing prefects to protect public buildings and potentially ban future protests to prevent further disorder.