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Water begins receding in Pakistan's worst flood-hit south

Officials say weeks of floodwaters are now receding in Pakistan’s worst-hit southern Sindh province after a deadly summer in which monsoons killed hundreds of thousands of people. Friday's latest development is a potentially bright sign in the ongoing crisis. Irrigation officials say the water level in the previous 48 hours receded as much as three feet in some areas, including the Khairpur and Johi towns. However, authorities have said the complete draining of water in Sindh will take at least three months. The floods have killed 1,508 people, left half a million homeless and sparked a race against spreading disease.

'Clairvoyant' 2012 climate report warned of extreme weather

Ten years ago scientists warned the world about how climate change would amplify extreme weather disasters. What they predicted in 2012 has come true the last few summers. There are deadly floods, oppressive heat waves, killer storms, devastating droughts and what scientists call unprecedented extremes. Looking back at a 2012 United Nations report, co-authors say it seems clairvoyant, maybe even underestimating the threat. That report has changed the way climate scientists focus on the impacts of global warming. Before the report scientists talked about average temperatures and sea level rising. Now the world feels climate change in extreme weather hitting relentlessly.

Broadway theater to be renamed in honor of James Earl Jones

The newly restored Cort Theatre on Broadway will be renamed after James Earl Jones on Monday, becoming the second theater on the Great White Way named after a Black artist. The move comes after a wide Broadway coalition of theater owners, producers, union leaders, creators and casting directors hammered out a series of reforms and commitments for the theater industry to ensure equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility.

Fall Preview: 'The Woman King' comes for the throne

When “The Woman King” rises up in theaters on Sept. 16, it will emerge as a potent force on a movie landscape that has seldom seen something like it. Drawing from the real 19th century history of the Agojie, women warriors who defended the West African kingdom of Dahomey, present-day Benin, “The Woman King” is muscular action-drama that puts female power front and center at a time when women’s rights are seen as imperiled. Viola Davis stars as their general, Nanisca. “The Woman King” will premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in early September before Sony Pictures opens it in theaters.

Sweet return: German farmer gets both solar power and apples

Solar installations on arable land are becoming increasingly popular in Europe and North America, as farmers seek to make the most of their land and establish a second source of revenue. Getting the right mix of crop and solar is hard though, because modern fruit varieties are finely tuned to particular growing conditions. Any change can tip the balance, costing farmers revenue if their produce gets damaged or doesn't meet consumers' tastes. German apple farmer Christian Nachtwey is working with researchers to test which varieties and types of solar panel work best together. The goal is to prevent renewable energy production from competing for precious land with agriculture — a growing concern for those seeking to tackle both climate change and rising food prices.