Overnight News Digest: The effects of climate change is killing us

At least 18 dead in France, including two children in hot car, as Europe bakes

Reuters

PARIS/MADRID/LONDON, June 22 (Reuters) – At least 18 people died in France, including two children left in a hot car, as a ​heatwave hung over Europe, smashing temperature records in several cities on Monday.

As schools in France closed or modified timetables, forecasters in Britain predicted temperatures could ‌break records for June this week.

Some Electricians Think Building Data Centers Is for Sellouts

Wired

AS BIG TECH dumps billions of dollars into America’s data center buildout, a slew of opportunities have opened up to the electricians wiring these massive facilities.

In some cases, the scale of the projects and the demanding construction timelines are fueling talent wars for the industry’s best and brightest. The US-based International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) has arguedthat its workers are “powering the AI Revolution,” and a set of “Data Center Principles” published in March argues that union labor is “essential to the future of AI.” Tech companies are trying to meet the moment: Meta recently announced a skilled trade academy program, and Google committed $50 million to help train people in skilled trades.

But amid growing national opposition to data centers, debates over the ethics of the massive buildout have started to pop up in some online pockets of the community.

OpenAI Launches Full-Scale Effort to Patch Open-Source Bugs as It Takes on Anthropic’s Mythos

Wired

AS FEARS ABOUT AI hacking capabilities grow, OpenAI on Monday made a slew of cybersecurity-focused announcements, including an improved version of its limited-access security-specialized model GPT-5.5-Cyber, expanded international work with governments and other institutions to give them “trusted access” to the company’s latest cybersecurity-focused models, and releasing its Codex Security scanner as an app plug-in.

As advances across the AI industry leave critical open-source projects at increasing risk of falling behind, though, the company also said on Monday that it is launching an effort known as Patch the Planet, founded with the prominent research-focused security firm Trail of Bits and in collaboration with vulnerability management firms HackerOne and Calif.

Kenyan court finds minister in contempt over US Ebola site

Al Jazeera

Kenya’s High Court has found the health minister in contempt for moving ahead with construction plans for a quarantine facility for United States nationals infected with the Ebola virus in violation of court orders.

Justice Patricia Nyaundi Mande said on Monday that Health Minister Aden Duale had commissioned construction at the site in central Kenya despite multiple orders issued in late May and early June to halt activities.

“The Court cannot permit its orders to be rendered hollow,” she wrote, according to Reuters.

Ukraine says it hit missile electronics plant in western Russia

Al Jazeera

Ukraine’s military has said it struck a plant producing electronics for missiles in Russia’s Voronezh region, as well as the Dubna satellite communications centre in the Moscow region.

In a statement on Telegram on Monday, the Ukrainian General Staff said it had used air-launched cruise missiles to hit the plant in Voronezh, which it described as a “critical component” in Russia’s defence production.

Alexander Gusev, the Voronezh governor, said a production plant was damaged and three people were injured in the attack, without specifying the nature of the facilities.

Children’s camps in Crimea suspended amid Ukrainian strikes on Russian logistics

Kyiv Independent

Russian-installed authorities in occupied Crimea have suspended operations at children’s summer camps across the peninsula until early September, citing security concerns, occupation head Sergey Aksyonov announced on June 22.

Children currently staying at camps across Crimea will be sent home, according to Aksyonov.

The suspension comes as Ukrainian strikes on Russian military infrastructure in Russian-occupied Crimea and occupied parts of southern oblasts have intensified in recent months, causing transport disruptions and fuel and food shortages.

Sweat, tears and camaraderie as 20,000 runners take on world’s largest ultramarathon

The Guardian

For one day every June, South Africa’s searing racial inequality seems to melt away at Comrades race

In the early morning dark, thousands of runners waited, jostling with anticipation. South Africa’s national anthem rang out. Then the haunting swell of Shosholoza, first sung by Zimbabwean migrant workers in South Africa’s goldmines. Finally, that unmistakable, spine-tingling piano: Chariots of Fire.

The Comrades is the world’s oldest and largest ultramarathon. The first race in 1921 took the runners 54.6 miles (88km) from Pietermaritzburg downhill to Durban on the coast. The following year the race was run in reverse, uphill back to Pietermaritzburg, and it has changed direction every year since, pausing only for the second world war and the Covid-19 pandemic. Over its 99 iterations, the route distance has averaged just under 55 miles.

Who is Andy Burnham, the ‘man of the people’ likely to be next UK prime minister?

The Guardian

In the story that Andy Burnham tells about himself, “the turning point” in his political life came in 2009 when he was booed at a football ground in the north-west of England. He had been an ideologically reliable middle-ranking minister under Tony Blair, the centrist New Labour prime minister between 1997 and 2007, and had gone on to be appointed as secretary of state for culture, media and sport under Blair’s successor, Gordon Brown.

On the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster – the fatal crowd crush that killed 97 Liverpool fans in 1989 – Burnham was representing Brown’s administration at Anfield, Liverpool’s famous stadium. But as he began to offer his words of condolence into a microphone on the pitch, the then 39-year-old minister’s speech was interrupted by loud and angry calls from the stands for justice for those who had been killed due to no fault of their own. A series of British governments had refused demands for a public inquiry into the disaster.

Judge blocks subpoenas for Walz and others over Minnesota immigration crackdown

The Guardian

A federal judge agreed to quash the US federal government’s subpoenas of leaders in Minnesota issued during the Trump administration’s controversial immigration crackdown on the state earlier this year.

The US Department of Justice issued subpoenas to the Minnesota governor, Tim Walz; the attorney general, Keith Ellison; the Minneapolis mayor, Jacob Frey; and other local officials in the Twin Cities in January.

The department said it was investigating the officials for obstructing federal immigration enforcement. Local and state officials largely did not support the federal enforcement surge, during which federal agents killed two US citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, in the streets.

Messi becomes World Cup all-time leading scorer – how has he stayed at the top?

BBC

When Lionel Messi swept home a trademark left-footed curler in Argentina’s second World Cup match against Austria, he was not just getting his team off to a strong start.

The 38-year-old was also making history, becoming the World Cup’s all-time leading goalscorer, and demonstrating that he still lays claim to being the king of world football.

And there was more to come as Messi fired home his second goal of the game from a tight angle past two defenders to wrap up a 2-0 victory and send the holders into the last 32.

Tesla crash that killed a woman under US federal investigation

BBC

A fatal crash involving a Tesla that drove into a home is being investigated by the US auto safety regulator. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened a formal inquiry on Monday into the accident that occurred on 19 June in Texas, in which a man driving a Tesla sped off the road.

A woman who was in the house was severely injured and died as a result, according to a report of the incident from local police. 

Police said the driver was not intoxicated, and he told investigators that the vehicle was operating with an automated driving assistance system at the time of the crash.

Supreme Court allows a ruling that ends a tool to protect minority voters in 7 states

NPR

By declining to take up a lower court ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court has dealt another blow to the Voting Rights Act.

The court announced Monday that it will not review an Arkansas-based lawsuit, leaving in place a 2025 appeals panel ruling that ends a long-used tool for protecting minority voters from discrimination under the landmark law in seven mainly Midwestern states.

That ruling found that in the states covered by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals — Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota — private individuals and groups do not have the right to sue to enforce what’s known as Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act, which generally allows voters with a disability or inability to read or write to get help with voting from a person of their choice.

The U.S. and Iran agree to a ‘road map’ for a final deal, mediators say

NPR

The first round of high-level negotiations between the United States and Iran concluded early Monday in Switzerland with both sides agreeing to “a road map” to reach a final deal within 60 days and establish a communication line “to avoid incidents” in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a statement by mediators from Qatar and Pakistan.

The statement added that “encouraging progress” had been made and announced an “immediate commencement of technical talks.” It was unclear who would lead the technical talks.

Oil settles down more 3% after US-Iran talks signal easing supply risks

Reuters

HOUSTON, June 22 (Reuters) – Oil prices settled more than 3% lower on Monday, as supply concerns eased after U.S. Vice President ​JD Vance said progress has been made in talks with Iran and the Strait of Hormuz was open.

Brent crude ‌settled down $2.67, or 3.31%, at $77.90 a barrel. In early trading, prices had climbed to $82.30 because of threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to restart the Iran war, and Tehran’s announcement that it had again closed the strait.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures expired on Monday and settled at $74.82 a barrel, down $1.78 or 2.32%. The more-active ​August contract lost $1.99 and settled at $73.86 a barrel.

Note connected to the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, mother of ‘Today’ show anchor Savannah Guthrie, said she had died

CNN

A note sent to media outlets connected to the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, mother of NBC “Today” show anchor Savannah Guthrie, said she had died, multiple law enforcement sources briefed on the investigation told CNN.

It followed a first note that demanded a ransom of millions of dollars. Investigators believed they are legitimate communications from the kidnappers. The second note said Nancy Guthrie was dead — and they did not mean to kill her, but she died shortly after the kidnapping, according to the law enforcement sources.