Brazilian president attacks deforestation data

Deforestation is shooting up again in the Brazilian Amazon, according to satellite monitoring data from Brazil9s National Institute for Space Research. The data suggest more than 4200 square kilometers of forest were cleared between 1 January and 24 July—50% more than in the first 7 months of 2018, and more than double the area cleared in the same period in 2017. But Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, whom many blame for the uptick, has disputed the trend, calling the data "a lie." His comments triggered a fierce backlash from the scientific community, which feels increasingly under siege from the Bolsonaro administration.