Greenpeace warns Portugal that 40% of beaches could vanish due to climate change and decades of coastal urban pressure, per a new report.

France places 78 departments under orange heat alert as temperatures forecast to reach 40C; nearly 70% of the country now under water-use restrictions

France puts 78 departments under orange heat alert; temperatures are forecast to reach 40C as a heat wave sweeps across the country, with nearly 70% of France currently under water-use restrictions.

Italy declares drought emergency across northern regions including Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto and the Marche. Switzerland increases water releases from Lake Lugano to aid Lake Maggiore.

Lake Maggiore is suffering from drought and Switzerland is increasing releases from Lake Lugano. Water is also scarce in Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto and the Marche: this is Italy's new emergency.

China's Yellow River marks 27 consecutive years of uninterrupted flow, the Ministry of Water Resources says Wednesday.

China's Ministry of Water Resources said Wednesday that the Yellow River, China's second-longest river, has maintained an uninterrupted flow for 27 consecutive years.

Germany's inflation rate jumped to 2.8% in July from 2.3% in June, driven by energy prices, Destatis said Wednesday. Economists warn record-low Rhine water levels could push prices higher.

Germany's inflation rate accelerated to 2.8% in July, up from 2.3% in June and 2.6% in May, according to official data released Wednesday. Destatis president Ruth Brand said energy prices remained the key driver, while economists warned that record-low water levels on the Rhine could add further price pressures.