Soaring temperatures across Europe have broken records in Portugal and sparked heat alerts in Italy and France, affecting events including the French Open tennis tournament.
Portugal recorded its hottest May day on Wednesday, with temperatures reaching 40.3°C in the central town of Mora, surpassing the previous record of 40°C in May 2001.
The Portuguese meteorological office predicts parts of the country will peak above 40.3°C on Friday before conditions gradually ease.
French ministers convened to assess the nation’s preparedness for extreme heat, focusing on forest fire prevention and water supply management.
17 departments, including Paris, are under an orange alert, urging citizens to exercise caution. Temperatures in Paris reached 33°C on Thursday, and are expected to rise to 34°C over the weekend. Authorities have introduced traffic measures and a single fare for public transport to ease the impact.
Some schools have struggled with indoor temperatures. In Souston, a primary school hit 53°C inside, forcing a closure. Despite the heat, baccalaureate exams are continuing, with Education Minister Édouard Geffray ensuring exam centres can use the coolest rooms. Teachers and unions have voiced concern about conditions, reporting temperatures above 30°C in many schools.
Italy issued its first red heatwave alerts of the year in Rome, Florence, Bologna, Brescia, and Turin. Temperatures in the capital reached 32°C on Thursday, warning of “possible negative effects on the health of healthy, active people.”
Tennis world number one Jannik Sinner withdrew from the French Open after experiencing dizziness and exhaustion in the heat. He described it as “a tough spot” but stressed it was not due to the weather.
Madrid is expected to see temperatures climb to 35°C over the weekend, while Germany and Switzerland have experienced unusually hot conditions. Spain’s meteorological office notes that current temperatures are more typical of July or August.
The immediate cause of the heatwave is a “heat dome”, a high-pressure system that traps warm air beneath it.
Scientists caution that while single events cannot be directly linked to climate change, the warming trend in Europe – 0.56°C per decade over the past 30 years, makes such heatwaves more frequent and severe.
The UN warned that global average temperatures are likely to remain at or near record levels for the next four years, with the 11 hottest years on record all occurring since 2015. A new “hottest-ever year” is considered likely before 2031.
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The Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is "outpacing containment efforts" amid conflict, weak disease surveillance and limited access to healthcare, according to London-based pharmacist and health commentator Thorrun Govind.
Kazakhstan has reiterated that no existing route can replace the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which carries more than 80% of the country's crude oil exports through Russia to the Black Sea.
Iran has strongly condemned U.S. threats to impose sanctions on and bomb Oman following reported talks between Muscat and Tehran on jointly overseeing the Strait of Hormuz, reiterating that the Islamic Republic’s actions in the strategic waterway are “lawful”.
The U.S. and Iran have reportedly reached a preliminary 60-day ceasefire and nuclear talks deal, pending Donald Trump’s approval, Axios reports. Meanwhile, the GCC condemned Iran’s missile strike on a U.S. airbase in Kuwait, which Tehran said was retaliation for a U.S. strike near Bandar Abbas.
Bolivia’s President Rodrigo Paz has taken steps towards potentially declaring a state of emergency as anti-government protests intensify in the early months of his administration.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says ongoing conflict, funding pressures and international travel restrictions are complicating efforts to contain a fast-growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Kazakhstan on Wednesday for a three-day state visit focused on energy, transport and economic cooperation with one of Moscow’s closest regional partners.
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The British government has unveiled 300,000 new work experience and training placements for young people after a major review warned that rising youth unemployment could leave more young people disconnected from work, education and training.
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NATO member Romania reported on Friday that a Russian drone injured two people in the southeastern city of Galati during an overnight attack on neighbouring Ukraine. The incident marks the first time in the war that a drone has struck a densely populated area in Romania and caused injuries.
Jeff Bezos’ space venture suffered a dramatic launchpad explosion during a hot-fire test, delaying plans to compete with Elon Musk’s SpaceX in lunar and satellite missions.
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