A record-breaking heatwave spread across the eastern U.S. on Wednesday (1 July), placing tens of millions of people under heat alerts just days before the country's 250th Independence Day celebrations.
Forecasters warned "real-feel" temperatures could reach between 38C and 46C across parts of the Midwest, Northeast and South, increasing the risk of heat-related illness and adding pressure to already strained power grids.
In Chicago, officials urged residents to check on elderly relatives and vulnerable neighbours, while in New York City, hundreds of cooling centres were opened and "cool vans" were deployed with water, meals and medical supplies.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the city had also extended public pool opening hours and expanded outreach to homeless residents.
Energy providers in New York urged customers to reduce electricity use during peak hours, as rising demand for air conditioning added to wider pressure on the electricity grid.
The extreme heat is expected to persist into the 4 July holiday weekend, when Americans will mark the nation's 250th anniversary with large-scale celebrations.
The White House's Freedom 250 Commission has planned what organisers say could become the world's largest fireworks display, with more than 860,000 fireworks set to be launched in Washington.
The 40-minute "Salute to America" show is expected to be the centrepiece of the celebrations, despite concerns over the weather and public safety in the intense heat.
The U.S. heatwave mirrors deadly conditions in western Europe, where extreme temperatures have already claimed more than 1,000 lives in Spain. Scientists say such heatwaves are becoming more frequent and more intense because of human-driven climate change fuelled by greenhouse gas emissions.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that he thinks there is a chance of a peace being reached with Ukraine. He told the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia that he believed there was "a chance of finding a solution," to the conflict.
The U.S. has launched a fresh wave of strikes on Iran, targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) sites as Tehran retaliated against U.S. positions across the region, while Iranian officials said at least five people were killed and dozens wounded at a wedding near Sirik.
The Iranian Health Ministry said at least 18 people were killed and 142 others injured in U.S. airstrikes carried out between 30 August and 2 September.
The European Union's foreign policy chief Kaia Kallas says the bloc will tighten enforcement of sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine. EU foreign ministers were meeting in Ireland following renewed Russian strikes on cities across Ukraine.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 3rd of September, covering the latest developments.
President Donald Trump is leaving more than a paper trail from his time in office. The U.S. is now minting commemorative $1 coins for America’s 250th anniversary, featuring a portrait of the sitting president.
U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will visit Russia then Ukraine over the weekend, Russian state news agency TASS has reported, citing an unnamed source. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also said American envoys will visit the capitals of both countries.
Pacific Island leaders expressed concern about China's Pacific missile test at their annual summit, though Nauru formally dissented, in a meeting largely overshadowed by Beijing's objections to Taiwan's presence.
China’s southern coastal provinces of Fujian and Guangdong are bracing for more torrential rain after Typhoon Saudel triggered widespread flooding, swept away vehicles and caused a three-storey building to collapse.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 4th of September, covering the latest developments.
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