Germany was on Wednesday facing its hottest day of the year with temperatures set to reach 40°C, as Europe continues to be gripped by extreme heat.
Record high temperatures, school closures and an increased risk of wildfires have all featured in the heatwave across Europe this week.
It is now the world's fastest-warming continent, heating up at twice the global rate, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service, with extreme heatwaves starting earlier in the year and persisting for longer.
Tens of thousands of people have died in Europe during past heatwaves, prompting authorities to issue weather warnings for old and young, the sick and others vulnerable to what experts call a "silent killer".
A hot weather front known as Bettina in Germany is expected to leave most of the country sweltering on Wednesday, with only the coast and mountains spared.
The German Weather Service (DWD) is warning of an increased risk of forest fires due to the high temperatures as well as gale force winds coming off the back of thunderstorms.
"It is quite possible that we will locally reach 40°C," a DWD spokesman said.
Spain has confirmed it experienced its hottest June on record. Firefighters in the Catalonia region have found two bodies after a blaze in the north-east of the country, which is experiencing a severe heatwave.
The blaze in Torrefeta destroyed several farms and affected an area stretching about 40km, officials said.
"The fire was extremely violent and erratic due to storms and strong winds, generating a convection cloud that complicated extinguishing efforts," the fire service said.
In Barcelona, authorities are looking into whether the death of a street sweeper at the weekend was heat-related.
Italy issued red alerts for 18 cities because of the extreme heat, as the danger of working outside in searing temperatures is being blamed for the death of a construction worker near the city of Bologna. Parts of Italy have now banned outdoor work during the warmest hours.
The historic city of Florence was expected to bear the brunt of Wednesday's heat, with a top temperature of 39°C during the afternoon.
There was a risk of violent and sudden rainstorms, particularly along the central Apennine mountain region, and for Sardinia and Sicily.
In France, the top floor of the Eiffel Tower closed on Tuesday and Wednesday, disappointing scores of visitors. When temperatures rise, the puddled iron used to build the Paris landmark expands and tilts slightly, with no impact on structural integrity, its website says.
Laia Pons, 42, a teacher from Barcelona who booked Eiffel Tower tickets for her family three years ago, said: "I tried to get all organised before our departure and the result is nonsense."
Susana Leivonen, 45, from Finland, said her family were planning to brave the Paris heat and had come prepared with water and sun lotion. "We woke up as early as possible to get out as early as possible, so we can rest during the afternoon,” she said.
Weather forecaster Meteo France said red alerts remained for several central areas of the country but the heat was easing in the west. Intense thunderstorms with possible heavy bursts of rain were expected in many parts of the east.
Temperature were expected to peak at around 39°C, with up to 34°C in Paris, and 36°C to 3°8C in Strasbourg, Lyon, Grenoble and Avignon.
The scorching temperatures have raised the risk of field fires as farmers in France, the EU's largest grain producer, start harvesting. Many are working through the night to avoid peak afternoon temperatures.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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'Avengers: Infinity War'
Dir: The Russo Brothers
Starring: Chris Evans, Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Robert Downey Junior, Scarlett Johansson, Elizabeth Olsen
Four stars
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
THE SPECS
BMW X7 xDrive 50i
Engine: 4.4-litre V8
Transmission: Eight-speed Steptronic transmission
Power: 462hp
Torque: 650Nm
Price: Dh600,000
Profile of RentSher
Started: October 2015 in India, November 2016 in UAE
Founders: Harsh Dhand; Vaibhav and Purvashi Doshi
Based: Bangalore, India and Dubai, UAE
Sector: Online rental marketplace
Size: 40 employees
Investment: $2 million
Green ambitions
- Trees: 1,500 to be planted, replacing 300 felled ones, with veteran oaks protected
- Lake: Brown's centrepiece to be cleaned of silt that makes it as shallow as 2.5cm
- Biodiversity: Bat cave to be added and habitats designed for kingfishers and little grebes
- Flood risk: Longer grass, deeper lake, restored ponds and absorbent paths all meant to siphon off water
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
'HIJRAH%3A%20IN%20THE%20FOOTSTEPS%20OF%20THE%20PROPHET'
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry
Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Honeymoonish
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
More on animal trafficking
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Floward%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERiyadh%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbdulaziz%20Al%20Loughani%20and%20Mohamed%20Al%20Arifi%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EE-commerce%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbout%20%24200%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAljazira%20Capital%2C%20Rainwater%20Partners%2C%20STV%20and%20Impact46%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2C200%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
FROM%20THE%20ASHES
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Infobox
Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the next stage of qualifying, in Malaysia in August
Results
UAE beat Iran by 10 wickets
Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by eight wickets
Oman beat Bahrain by nine wickets
Qatar beat Maldives by 106 runs
Monday fixtures
UAE v Kuwait, Iran v Saudi Arabia, Oman v Qatar, Maldives v Bahrain
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 Cabriolet
Price, base / as tested: Dh275,250 / Dh328,465
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder
Power: 245hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm @ 1,300rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Results:
CSIL 2-star 145cm One Round with Jump-Off
1. Alice Debany Clero (USA) on Amareusa S 38.83 seconds
2. Anikka Sande (NOR) For Cash 2 39.09
3. Georgia Tame (GBR) Cash Up 39.42
4. Nadia Taryam (UAE) Askaria 3 39.63
5. Miriam Schneider (GER) Fidelius G 47.74
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
