Dry conditions and a record-setting heat wave in the Arctic have led to huge wildfires across the region. The wildfires are releasing massive amounts of pollution, making further warming and more fires likely.
In today's news roundup, Ivory Coast's prime minister dies, leaving uncertainty over an upcoming election, US President Donald Trump keeps a friend out of jail, and a runner who seemed to be faster than Usain Bolt…wasn't.
Among the more unusual news stories recently… some surprise pictures reveal good news about gorillas, new records are set at a hot dog eating contest, and a Japanese amusement park is asking people not to scream on the rollercoasters.
Scientists at the University of Liverpool have developed a robot that can run experiments on its own. The robot works tirelessly, stopping only long enough to recharge its batteries. Recently, the robot finished nearly 700 experiments in eight days.
A company called Loon is using balloons to deliver the internet to people across Kenya. The company believes its system will be a cheap, reliable way to bring internet services to people who live in remote areas.
For months, the presidents of the United States and Brazil have played down the dangers of the coronavirus. Now the countries lead the world in coronavirus cases and deaths. Yesterday, Brazil's president, Jair Bolsonaro, announced that he had COVID-19.
NASA is asking people to help it label thousands of photos from Mars. The labels will be used to train a computer system to recognize different surfaces on Mars. This will help NASA drive its rovers safely for longer periods of time.
China has passed a new security law for Hong Kong, giving China great power over the territory - power that can't be challenged by Hong Kong's courts or lawmakers. For many, the law appears to be the end of Hong Kong as a separate and self-controlling part of China.
Among the more unusual news stories recently…Prague holds an outdoor dinner at a 550 yard (500 meter) table, a contest app keeps players' fingers glued to their screens for days, and a Berlin transportation company wants smelly riders.
Scientists have been surprised and impressed with the long-distance travel of two birds recently, a common cuckoo who flew from southern Africa to Mongolia, and an eastern curlew, who flew from Australia to China.