Italy's government, which on many issues is right-wing, approved a left-wing windfall profits tax on banks so as to cut other taxes and help people who are paying mortgages.

*After last week’s surprise coup in Niger, the Russian military group Wagner is taking advantage of the chaos and anti-French sentiment, says journalist Garé Amadou in Naimey, while ordinary Nigerians are preparing for the worst.*

July was the hottest month since records began, and was 1.5°C above the preindustrial average.

To reach that level of heat, even temporarily, shows we are coming close to disaster.

Ohio voters rejected the Republicans' special rush referendum which asked them to make it harder for future referendums to be held or or adopted.

Republicans especially wanted to block a scheduled referendum on legalizing abortion and a proposed referendum to put an end to the gerrymandering that enables Republicans to control the state legislature with a minority of votes.

*Progress on slowing deforestation [in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil and Colombia] could boost climate efforts, say experts.*