Nigerians turn to gas to power their generators

A fire and explosions at a substation in southern Iraq led to major power cuts in the country. It comes amid peak electricity demand in midsummer heat, with temperatures near 50 degrees Celsius in Baghdad.

Authorities started evacuating people from several Catalan villages as the forest fire spreads near the French border. Strong winds have fanned the flames while preventing water-bombing planes from taking off.

A powerful explosion rocked a gas station in Russia's city of Makhachkala, located in the Caucasian Dagestan region, killing 35 people and injuring 80 others. The explosion, which occurred Monday evening, caused a major fire, which spread to an area of more than 600 square meters (6,458 square feet), region's Governor Sergey Melikov said in a statement.

Afghanistan's Taliban rulers took over the capital Kabul on August 15, 2021. A Taliban spokesperson denied the group was anti-woman in comments to DW, while the UN has accused it of gender apartheid.

The European Commission estimates that the bloc now has enough gas to cover a third of its winter needs. It says the EU energy market is in a much more stable position than it was this time last year.

Africa is in dire need of electricity — and hydro power is expected to play a crucial role in its delivery. The potential is huge, but every project bears challenges which must be overcome.

Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Friday.⁣

Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Saturday.⁣

A group of senior Gabonese military officers appeared on national television in the early hours of Wednesday and said they had taken power, minutes after the state election body announced President Ali Bongo had won a third term.

A year ago, Russia stopped gas flows to the EU via the Nord Stream pipeline to inflict pain on the bloc for its overwhelming support for Ukraine. The weaponization of its gas supplies has ended up hurting Moscow more.

The regional bloc CCAS, and the country's opposition coalition, have urged international partners to push for a rapid return to civilian rule. Also in this edition: In Democratic Republic of Congo, at least 48 protesters are reported to have been killed in the eastern city of Goma. And finally: In South Africa, the death toll rises to 76 after the devastating Johannesburg fire at an abandoned apartment block that housed dozens of homeless people and squatters.

As it's back-to-school time in France, we take a look at the many challenges facing the nation's education system. We also discuss a dilemma over the burning of the Koran in Denmark and Sweden. On the environmental front, Le Monde discusses our plastic problem. Finally, a new study discovers the possible health benefits of sulphur dioxide, the smelly gas in farts. Tiny amounts could help us age better.