The total duration of the eclipse will be about 4.5 hours
world14 hours ago
The European Union sent two water bombing planes from Spain to the Portuguese island of Madeira on Thursday to help efforts to put out a wildfire that has been raging for eight days.
The blaze, which started on August 14, has seared nearly 5,000 hectares (12,355 acres) of vegetation, mostly in mountainous areas with steep slopes and difficult access.
Portugal requested assistance via the EU civil protection mechanism RescEU. EU authorities provided the two Canadair planes and said the bloc stood ready to deploy additional resources if necessary.
Regional government chief Miguel Albuquerque said the planes would join the firefighting effort on Thursday afternoon.
"These planes, which dump 6,000 litres of water, will be only used to tame the fire in the central mountain range. They cannot be utilised in urban or agricultural areas," he told the state broadcaster RTP.
Firefighters, backed by a dozen vehicles and a helicopter were tackling the blaze in the central mountain range and in Ponta do Sol, on the southern coast. Both fronts are on high ground and away from residential areas.
The Atlantic island of Madeira - an autonomous region of Portugal with around 250,000 residents that is a popular tourist destination - has been on alert for high temperatures and risk of wildfires for days.
Rising global temperatures due to climate change have led to more frequent wildfires, from Southern and Eastern Europe to North America and parts of Asia.
The total duration of the eclipse will be about 4.5 hours
world14 hours ago
It means that residents are within a quarter-hour walk or bike ride from everything they need to a lead a good life
world1 day ago
Pezeshkian's remarks came as the Islamic republic marked the anniversary of the September 2022 death of 22-year-old Iranian Kurd Mahsa Amini in police custody
world1 day ago
The superfans stumping for Kamala Harris are not formally affiliated with the artist who unites them
world1 day ago
Around $1.2 billion will be spent on ads for the presidential vote alone, according to ad analyst MediaRadar CMAG
world1 day ago
Young fans queued around the block to get into a preview screening of
world1 day ago
Gaza rescuers say at least 18 killed in Israeli strikes
world1 day ago
The arrest on Sunday of a gunman on Trump's Florida golf course came the same day as more bomb threats poured into Springfield, Ohio
world1 day ago