Mayor peter feldmann

With no let-up in scorching temperatures likely before the weekend, firefighters backed by water-bombing aircraft battled on many fronts, saying the massive fire could change direction at any moment. "It's an ogre, it's a monster," Gregory Allione from the French firefighters body FNSPF told RTL radio. Wildfires have broken out across Europe this summer as successive heatwaves bake the continent and renew focus on climate change risks to industry and livelihoods. Valentine Dupy took photos of her house with her phone before being evacuated from Belin-Beliet, at the heart of the Gironde region "just in case something happens". "It was like an apocalypse. Smoke everywhere ... and planes throwing orange powder onto the fire." Firefighters said they had managed to save her village, transformed into a ghost town after police told residents to evacuate as the flames approached. But the blaze reached the outskirts, leaving wrecked houses and charred tractors in its wake. "We've … [Read more...] about France battles ‘monster’ wildfire as heatwaves scorch Europe

South Korea's Justice Ministry saying the business leader was needed to help overcome a "national economic crisis". The pardon is largely symbolic, with Lee already out on parole after serving 18 months in jail for bribery relating to his time leading the world's biggest smartphone and memory-chip maker. However, it should mean Lee will be able to carry out business activities more freely and could herald some big moves from Samsung, analysts said. "With urgent needs to overcome the national economic crisis, we carefully selected economic leaders who lead the national growth engine through active technology investment and job creation to be pardoned," Justice Minister Han Dong Hoon told a briefing. Also pardoned by pro-business President Yoon was Lotte Group chairman Shin Dong-bin, who was sentenced to a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence on charges of bribery. "We sincerely thank the government's and people's decision to grant pardon, and Chairman Shin Dong-bin and staff … [Read more...] about S.Korea’s Yoon pardons Samsung leader Jay Y. Lee

Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Dang Minh Khoi (fifth from the left) poses for a photo with leaders of Krasnodar  City. (Photo: VNA) Moscow (VNA) – Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Dang Minh Khoi visited the host country's southern federal region of Krasnodar from August 9 -11, where he met local leaders to discuss the possibility of enhancing bilateral cooperation. Khoi had meetings with Alexander Ruppel, Deputy Governor of Krasnodar Region, and Maxim Slyusarev, deputy mayor of its capital Krasnodar City, during which the two sides talked about potential for stronger economic partnership . Both sides agreed to double efforts to boost cooperation, with a more practical and effective approach, in the fields of agriculture, food production, textile and garment and wood processing. The Vietnamese diplomat said he stands ready to host business-to-business meetings, both in-person and virtually, for Vietnamese and Russian enterprises to explore each other’s strengths. … [Read more...] about Ambassador seeks enhanced economic ties with Russian region