North America, Europe and Asia were struggling with record-breaking temperatures and warnings from authorities to stay out of the sun, amid killer heatwaves, the latest reminder of the world’s dangerously warming climate.
The record-breaking temperatures come after researchers from the National Oceanography Centre in England said that Nasa satellite imagery showed "frightening" changes in the world's seas.
The centre's report last week said that climate change was having a potentially devastating impact on marine life and, in many areas, changing the colour of the ocean from blue to a greenish colour, a phenomenon thought by experts to be linked to a rise in the number of phytoplankton, microscopic life that help the oceans store carbon from the atmosphere.
Earlier this month the world saw its hottest day, with the global average temperature passing 17 celsius, according to the US National Centres for Environmental Prediction. On Saturday, Europe may have reached its hottest temperature, at 54 celsius in Sardinia and Sicily.
The European Space Agency said the searing heat on the two islands was "potentially the hottest temperatures ever recorded in Europe".
A powerful heatwave stretching from California to Texas was expected to peak, according to the US National Weather Service, which warned of an "extremely hot and dangerous weekend".
Arizona's state capital Phoenix recorded 16 straight days above 43 degrees Celsius, en route to an expected 46 Celsius.
Death Valley danger
California's Death Valley, one of the hottest places on Earth, is also set to register new peaks on Sunday, with the mercury possibly rising to 54C.
Authorities have been sounding the alarm, advising people to avoid outdoor activities in the daytime and to be wary of dehydration.
At a construction site outside Houston, Texas, a 28-year-old worker, who gave his name only as Juan, helped complete a wall in the blazing heat.
"Just when I take a drink of water, I get dizzy, I want to vomit because of the heat," he told AFP.
The Las Vegas weather service warned that assuming high temperatures naturally come with the area's desert climate was "a DANGEROUS mindset! This heatwave is NOT typical desert heat".
Southern California is fighting numerous wildfires, including one in Riverside County that has burnt more than 7,500 acres (3,000 hectares) and prompted evacuation orders.
Further north, the Canadian government reported that wildfires had burnt a record-breaking 10 million hectares this year, with more damage expected as the summer drags on.
In Europe, Italy faces weekend predictions of historic highs with the health ministry issuing a red alert for 16 cities including Rome, Bologna and Florence.
The weather centre warned Italians to prepare for "the most intense heatwave of the summer and also one of the most intense of all time".
The thermometer is likely to hit 40C in Rome by Monday and 43C on Tuesday, smashing the record of 40.5C set in August 2007.
The Acropolis in Athens, one of Greece's top tourist attractions, will close during the hottest hours on Sunday, for the third day running.
Extreme weather events rise
In France, high temperatures and resulting drought are posing a threat to the farming industry, earning Agriculture Minister Marc Fesneau criticism from climatologists for having brushed aside conditions as "normal enough for summer".
This June was the second-hottest on record in France, according to the national weather agency, and several areas of the country have been under a heatwave alert since Tuesday.
There is little reprieve ahead for Spain, whose meteorological agency warned that a new heatwave on Monday through Wednesday will bring temperatures above 40C to the Canary Islands and the southern Andalusia region.
As torrential rains lashed northern Japan on Sunday, a man was found dead in a flooded car, a week after seven people were killed in similar weather in the country's south-west.
Parts of eastern Japan are expected to reach 38-39C on Sunday and Monday, with the meteorological agency warning temperatures could hit previous records.
In South Korea, rescuers on Sunday battled to reach people trapped in a flooded tunnel, after heavy rains for the last four days triggered floods and landslides that killed at least 33 people and left 10 missing.
The country is at the peak of its summer monsoon season, with more rain forecast through Wednesday.
In northern India, relentless monsoon rains have reportedly killed at least 90 people, following burning heat.
Major flooding and landslides are common during India's monsoons, but experts say climate change is increasing their frequency and severity.
China on Sunday issued several temperature alerts, warning thermometers could reach 40-45C in the partly desert region of Xinjiang, and 39C in southern Guangxi region.
Morocco was slated for above-average temperatures this weekend with highs of 47C in some provinces – more typical of August than July – sparking concerns for water shortages, the meteorological service said.
In Iraq, where scorching summers are common, 37-year-old Wissam Abed usually cools off from Baghdad's brutal summer by swimming in the Tigris river.
But as rivers dry up, so does the age-old pastime.
With temperatures near 50C and wind whipping through the city like a hairdryer, Mr Abed stood in the middle of the river, but the water only comes up to his waist.
"Year after year, the water situation gets worse," he told AFP.
While it can be difficult to attribute a particular weather event to climate change, scientists insist that global warming – linked to dependence on fossil fuels – is behind the multiplication and intensification of heatwaves.
The EU's climate monitoring service said the world saw its hottest June on record last month.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Results
- Brock Lesnar retained the WWE Universal title against Roman Reigns
- Braun Strowman and Nicolas won the Raw Tag Team titles against Sheamus and Cesaro
- AJ Styles retained the WWE World Heavyweight title against Shinsuke Nakamura
- Nia Jax won the Raw Women’s title against Alexa Bliss
- Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon beat Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
- The Undertaker beat John Cena
- The Bludgeon Brothers won the SmackDown Tag Team titles against the Usos and New Day
- Ronda Rousey and Kurt Angle beat Triple H and Stephanie McMahon
- Jinder Mahal won the United States title against Randy Orton, Rusev and Bobby Roode
- Charlotte retained the SmackDown Women’s title against Asuka
- Seth Rollins won the Intercontinental title against The Miz and Finn Balor
- Naomi won the first WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal
- Cedric Alexander won the vacant Cruiserweight title against Mustafa Ali
- Matt Hardy won the Andre the Giant Battle Royal
Rocketman
Director: Dexter Fletcher
Starring: Taron Egerton, Richard Madden, Jamie Bell
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Cracks in the Wall
Ben White, Pluto Press
The biog
Siblings: five brothers and one sister
Education: Bachelors in Political Science at the University of Minnesota
Interests: Swimming, tennis and the gym
Favourite place: UAE
Favourite packet food on the trip: pasta primavera
What he did to pass the time during the trip: listen to audio books
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
EMIRATES'S%20REVISED%20A350%20DEPLOYMENT%20SCHEDULE
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MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
The lowdown
Badla
Rating: 2.5/5
Produced by: Red Chillies, Azure Entertainment
Director: Sujoy Ghosh
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Amrita Singh, Tony Luke
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ILT20%20UAE%20stars
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Du Plessis plans his retirement
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis said on Friday the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia in two years' time will be his last.
Du Plessis, 34, who has led his country in two World T20 campaigns, in 2014 and 2016, is keen to play a third but will then step aside.
"The T20 World Cup in 2020 is something I'm really looking forward to. I think right now that will probably be the last tournament for me," he said in Brisbane ahead of a one-off T20 against Australia on Saturday.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Major honours
ARSENAL
BARCELONA
- La Liga - 2013
- Copa del Rey - 2012
- Fifa Club World Cup - 2011
CHELSEA
- Premier League - 2015, 2017
- FA Cup - 2018
- League Cup - 2015
SPAIN
- World Cup - 2010
- European Championship - 2008, 2012
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
England's all-time record goalscorers:
Wayne Rooney 53
Bobby Charlton 49
Gary Lineker 48
Jimmy Greaves 44
Michael Owen 40
Tom Finney 30
Nat Lofthouse 30
Alan Shearer 30
Viv Woodward 29
Frank Lampard 29