Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon fell by 66% last month compared to July 2022 and is now at its lowest rate in six years, according to preliminary data released by Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE) on Thursday.

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 4, 2023--

During her "Eras Tour" performances, Taylor Swift has typically given her hat to an audience member and a special little girl was one of the latest recipients.

By Lisandra Paraguassu BRASILIA Amazon countries meeting next week for a summit on cooperation to save the rainforest

Tony Bennett's wife and son are sharing some of their final memories of him.

Bryan Kohberger has finally offered up a vague alibi for his movements on the night that he is accused of brutally stabbing four University of Idaho students to death in their beds. The 28-year-old criminal justice PhD student claims that he was out on a solo drive throughout the night of 12 November and into the early hours of 13 November – but admits that there are no witnesses to back up his version of events. “Mr. Kohberger has long had a habit of going for drives alone. Often he would go for drives at night,” his attorney Anne Taylor wrote in a new court filing. “He did so late on November 12 and into November 13, 2022. Mr. Kohberger is not claiming to be at a specific location at a specific time; at this time there is not a specific witness to say precisely where Mr. Kohberger was at each moment of the hours between late night November 12, 2022 and early morning November 13, 2022. “He was out, driving during the late night and early morning hours of November 12-13, 2022.” The claims about Mr Kohberger’s unusual nighttime habits – and his whereabouts on the night of the murders – come after prosecutors demanded that his legal team reveal his alibi ahead of his October trial. Under Idaho law, defendants have 10 days to provide a written statement about where they claim to have been at the time of the alleged crime and offering information about any witnesses who can support their claim. On 23 May – one day after he was arraigned on four murder charges – Latah County Prosecutor’s Office put in a demand for Mr Kohberger’s notice of alibi. Back then, Mr Kohberger’s legal team asked Judge John Judge for an extension, saying that they needed more time due to the wealth of evidence in the high-profile case, and the deadline was extended to 24 July. But the deadline came and went, with Mr Kohberger’s legal team hinting that he has evidence placing him in another location at the time of the murders – but stopping short of revealing where and instead saying it may come to light at trial. The prosecution subsequently filed a motion seeking to compel an alibi. While Mr Kohberger’s attorney said that there is no specific witness to say where he was throughout the time of the murders, she wrote in the new filing that she anticipates “corroborating witnesses” will back up his explanation at trial. Mr Kohberger is facing the death penalty over the brutal 13 November murders of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. He is due to stand trial on 2 October after being indicted by a grand jury on four counts of first-degree murder and one burglary charge. His explanation that he was out on a solo drive that night comes as prosecutors tied him to the murders, in part, through surveillance footage showing his white Hyundai Elantra travelling to and from the crime scene. The affidavit, released in January, outlined some of the evidence against the accused killer – including his DNA on a knife sheath left behind at the scene of the murders, the surveillance footage and cellphone activity. The sheath – for a military or Ka-Bar style knife – was found partly under Mogen’s body after she and Goncalves were found stabbed multiple times on Mogen’s bed on the third floor of the home. DNA on the button clasp of the sheath was then found to match that of the 28-year-old accused killer. Mr Kohberger’s attorneys have sought to cast doubts on the strength of this DNA evidence, in particular the use of genetic genealogy. According to the affidavit in the case, the FBI used genetic genealogy databases to try to identify the DNA source. Trash was then collected from the suspect’s parents’ home in the Poconos Mountains and a familial match – from Mr Kohberger’s father – was made to the sheath, according to the criminal affidavit. Following Mr Kohberger’s arrest on 30 December, DNA samples were then taken directly from the suspect and came back as “a statistical match”, say prosecutors. Mr Kohberger is accused of breaking into an off-campus student home on King Road in the early hours of 13 November and stabbing the four students to death with a large, military-style knife. Two other female roommates lived with the three women at the property and were home at the time of the massacre but survived. One of the survivors – Dylan Mortensen – came face to face with the masked killer, dressed in head-to-toe black and with bushy eyebrows, as he left the home in the aftermath of the murders, according to the criminal affidavit. For more than six weeks, the college town of Moscow was plunged into fear as the accused killer remained at large with no arrests made and no suspects named. Then, on 30 December, law enforcement suddenly swooped on Mr Kohberger’s family home in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania and arrested him for the quadruple murders. The motive remains unknown and it is still unclear what connection the WSU PhD student had to the University of Idaho students – if any – prior to the murders. The murder weapon – a fixed-blade knife – has still never been found. As a criminal justice PhD student at WSU, Mr Kohberger lived just 15 minutes from the victims over the Idaho-Washington border in Pullman. He had moved there from Pennsylvania and began his studies there that summer, having just completed his first semester before his arrest. Before this, he studied criminology at DeSales University – first as an undergraduate and then finishing his graduate studies in June 2022. While there, he studied under renowned forensic psychologist Katherine Ramsland who interviewed the BTK serial killer and co-wrote the book Confession of a Serial Killer: The Untold Story of Dennis Rader, the BTK Killer with him. He also carried out a research project “to understand how emotions and psychological traits influence decision-making when committing a crime”. Read More Bryan Kohberger claims DNA may have been planted at Idaho murders scene – as alibi deadline looms Bryan Kohberger defence hints at alibi in Idaho murders - but won’t reveal what it is as deadline passes Bryan Kohberger could face the firing squad for the Idaho murders. What would this mean?

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Germany will top up a pot to fund climate-protection measures and investment in semiconductor production by about €20

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Almost a third of people in England and Wales said their mental health has been affected by soaring mortgage costs in the past year, according to new research. For people with existing mental health problems, nearly four in 10 said the rising costs had worsened their mental health. Mind, the UK’s biggest mental health charity, also said it had seen a 55 per cent increase in the number of people contacting its Infoline over the last 18 months about financial difficulties, including welfare, unemployment and personal debt. The charity’s survey of 3,015 respondents across England and Wales in March and April came before Thursday’s news that the Bank of England had raised interest rates to 5.25 per cent from 5 per cent. The hike, which is yet another bid to get inflation under control, will put more pressure on mortgage holders. Mind’s survey – carried out by Censuswide – suggested that 29 per cent of people had been affected by hearing about or experiencing increasing mortgage costs over the last year. Ten per cent said that it had affected their mental health a lot, the charity added. For people with existing mental health problems, some 36% said the increasing mortgage costs had made their mental health worse. The charity said younger people were particularly affected, with almost half (48%) of those aged between 16 and 24 saying that the mortgage situation had impacted on their mental health. Vicki Nash, Mind’s associate director of external affairs, said financial difficulties and mental health problems “often form a vicious cycle”. She said: “As we continue to grapple with the rising cost of living, news of yet another possible increase in mortgage rates will be difficult for many families to bear. “Money problems and mental health often form a vicious cycle, and when we’re struggling to deal with one, the other can become much harder to manage, particularly when it threatens to impact our housing situation. “We know some people are becoming so unwell that they need hospital treatment for their mental health. “When this happens the care they receive when they leave hospital is critical so we are calling for the introduction of comprehensive welfare checks, including of people’s financial situation. “These figures show this is a mental health emergency that everyone is going to need help to deal with. We know we can’t fix the cost-of-living crisis but support for your mental health is out there, and we are here for you. “This includes through Mind’s Infoline, online community, Side by Side and the useful information on our website that will be available throughout this difficult period.” Mind has a confidential information and support line which can be called on 0300 123 3393 between 9am and 6pm from Monday to Friday, or people can visit mind.org.uk. Read More ‘Unsackable’ Jeremy Hunt to remain chancellor as Rishi Sunak eyes ‘election-ready’ Cabinet reshuffle Lizzo: All the allegations made by former dancers – from sexual harassment to body shaming The Bank hikes interest rates again – but the end of the pain could finally be in sight Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

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