Climate Risk: New studies using World Weather Attribution say human-caused warming made Spain’s record wildfires about 20 times more likely and doubled extreme fire conditions in France, with Southern Europe seeing extreme fire-prone weather days more than double over recent decades. Plastic & Health: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam research finds micro- and nanoplastics can cross the placental barrier and may disrupt steroid hormone production during pregnancy, adding to growing concern about plastic pollution’s biological impacts. Oil & Coasts: Satellite images reviewed by an environmental expert say a sanctioned tanker grounded off Oman is leaking crude near a marine protected area, with oil sheen spreading toward shorelines. Netherlands Heat & Drought: Early August is forecast to stay hot and sunny, with drought worsening as rainfall deficits near record levels and river water staying exceptionally low. River Power Stress: Record-low Danube and Rhine water levels are already forcing major energy disruptions, including shutdowns of reactors normally cooled by the Danube in Hungary and Romania. Microplastics in the Netherlands: The same plastic-health story is amplified by local research showing microplastics detected in human placentas. Digital Safety: Google rolled back a Google Earth AI feature after it was shown to generate convincing fake satellite images of sensitive sites, including nuclear facilities and war damage. Circular Solutions: Ghana is turning hard-to-recycle plastic waste into paving blocks for roads, aiming to cut landfill dumping and open-air burning.