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The eruption began Monday and intensified as gas, lava and ash rose from the crater. Pyroclastic flows moved through several ravines on Fuego’s western and southwestern slopes, reaching distances of five to seven kilometers. These flows contain hot gas, ash and rock and can move at high speed. Monitoring teams also tracked an ash column spreading west and northwest, with volcanic material reported far beyond the immediate danger zone.

Strong winds pushed the eastern Washington fires through dry grass, timber and residential areas north of Spokane. The Old Trails Fire crossed the Spokane River and entered northwest neighborhoods only hours after it began. Flames damaged homes, businesses, vehicles, power equipment and other property across several communities. Infrared surveys identified possible damage to hundreds of additional buildings, though assessment teams had not confirmed those losses.

President Donald Trump said the United States would cancel a planned attack on Iran if negotiators reached a rapid agreement. He said the proposed deal must reopen the Strait of Hormuz and address Iran’s nuclear activities. Trump also said Israel supported efforts to complete the arrangement. His announcement halted preparations for another round of U.S. strikes. Officials had not released a signed agreement or detailed terms by Monday morning.

Austria recorded its highest July temperature on July 31, when Wieselburg in Lower Austria reached 40.3 degrees Celsius. The reading broke the national July record of 39.7 degrees, set in Dellach im Drautal on July 27, 1983. Researchers at the University of Graz’s Wegener Center estimate the June and late July heatwaves caused around €1.4 billion in socioeconomic damage. The figure represents an initial broad estimate, not a final government assessment or an insured-loss total. Their calculation covers effects on health, labor productivity, infrastructure, agriculture, ecosystems and cooling demand.

Health

Moderna has started a Phase 1 trial of an experimental vaccine against Bundibugyo ebolavirus in Canada. The first participant received the mRNA-1469 vaccine on August 3 at a site in Truro, Nova Scotia. The trial comes as the virus continues spreading across several provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The World Health Organization has classified the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern.

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