Wildfires continued to rage across Europe on Monday, having killed at least four people and leaving thousands homeless as temperatures soar above 40 Celsius.
Water-bombing planes were scrambled and hundreds of firefighters battled flames spreading through tinder-dry forests
as fierce heat fuelled the fires — part of a wall of high temperatures moving across Europe.
Blazes in France, Greece, Portugal and Spain have destroyed tracts of land and forced thousands of residents and holidaymakers to flee.
In Spain, a shepherd and a firefighter were killed in blazes in the north-western province of Zamora. The country’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez linked the deaths to global warming, saying: “Climate change kills.”
The eight-day long heatwave has resulted in more than 30 wildfires around the country, forcing thousands to evacuate.
More than 1,000 firefighters, 285 vehicles and 14 aircraft, were battling nine wildfires on Monday, authorities said.
According to official data, more than 70,000 hectares of land have burnt in Spain this year.
At UN climate change talks in Germany on Monday, Spain’s former minister for ecological transition stressed the effects of global warming she was seeing.
“I left my country under fire, literally under fire,” said Third Deputy Prime Minister Teresa Ribera at the Petersberg Climate Dialogue in Berlin.
She warned of “terrifying prospects still for the days to come” — after more than 10 days of temperatures over 40°C, cooling only moderately at night.
According to Spain’s Carlos III Health Institute, which records daily temperature-related fatalities, the recent weather has caused more than 510 heat-related deaths.
In Portugal two people have been killed — including the pilot of a firefighting aircraft that crashed — and 60 injured.
Almost the entire country remained on high alert for wildfires on Monday, despite a slight drop in temperatures which had hit 47°C — a record for the month of July — last Thursday.
Cooler weather in Portugal on Monday allowed fire crews to extinguish some blazes but more than 600 firefighters continue to battle four major fires in the north.
Between 12,000 and 15,000 hectares of land in Portugal have been destroyed.
While no deaths have been recorded, France continues to witness apocalyptic scenes of destruction in the south-west as two massive fires continue to smoulder.
Hundreds of firefighters supported by firefighting aircraft have been deployed but hot, swirling winds are fanning the flames.
With winds changing direction, authorities in south-western France announced plans to evacuate 3,500 people. The wildfires have already forced more than 16,000 people — residents and tourists — to flee the flames. Nearly 14,000 hectares of land has been scorched.
Firefighters have been unable to control the blaze near the Dune de Pilat, Europe's highest sand dune and a summer tourism hotspot, where rapidly changing winds have increased the risk of it spreading to residential areas which found themselves under clouds of poisonous smoke, they said.
"The smoke is toxic," firefighter spokesman Arnaud Mendousse said. "Protecting the population is a matter of public health."
The regional fire service chief, Marc Vermeulen, described the burning forests as “a powder keg” and said tree trunks were shattering as flames consumed them, sending burning embers into the air and further spreading the blazes.
“The fire is literally exploding,” he said. “We’re facing extreme and exceptional circumstances.”
Emergency shelters have been set up for evacuees. The chapel of a historic former hospital in the eastern city of Lyon, Grand Hotel Dieu, has been used for accommodation.
On Sunday night, France's Interior Ministry said three more water-dropping planes would join six already in action and that 200 firefighters would join the 1,500-strong force battling blazes in the pine forests of the south-western Gironde region.
However, soaring temperatures on Monday added to existing challenges.
Forecasters have put 15 French departments on the highest state of alert for extreme temperatures.
These include the western Brittany region where the Atlantic coastal city of Brest was expected to record temperatures of 40°C on Monday — nearly twice its usual July average.
In Britain, an intense two-day heatwave beginning on Monday is set to bring temperatures of 40°C for the first time since records began.
The Met Office issued its first red alert — warning of disruption and health risks. Forecasters worry the UK is ill-equipped to deal with the extreme heat.
Scientists blame climate change for the broiling temperatures and predict more frequent and intense episodes of extreme weather.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The five pillars of Islam
THE SPECS
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 275hp at 6,600rpm
Torque: 353Nm from 1,450-4,700rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Top speed: 250kph
Fuel consumption: 6.8L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: Dh146,999
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
Penguin Press
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Porsche Taycan Turbo specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
Transmission: two-speed
Power: 671hp
Torque: 1050Nm
Range: 450km
Price: Dh601,800
On sale: now
The%20Kitchen
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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
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)
'Top Gun: Maverick'
Rating: 4/5
Directed by: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris
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The years Ramadan fell in May
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Dolittle
Director: Stephen Gaghan
Stars: Robert Downey Jr, Michael Sheen
One-and-a-half out of five stars
Company profile
Date started: December 24, 2018
Founders: Omer Gurel, chief executive and co-founder and Edebali Sener, co-founder and chief technology officer
Based: Dubai Media City
Number of employees: 42 (34 in Dubai and a tech team of eight in Ankara, Turkey)
Sector: ConsumerTech and FinTech
Cashflow: Almost $1 million a year
Funding: Series A funding of $2.5m with Series B plans for May 2020
The%20specs
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
THE SPECS
Touareg Highline
Engine: 3.0-litre, V6
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 340hp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh239,312
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
At Everton Appearances: 77; Goals: 17
At Manchester United Appearances: 559; Goals: 253
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Our House, Louise Candlish,
Simon & Schuster
FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Friday
Saint-Etienne v Montpellier (10.45pm)
Saturday
Monaco v Caen (7pm)
Amiens v Bordeaux (10pm)
Angers v Toulouse (10pm)
Metz v Dijon (10pm)
Nantes v Guingamp (10pm)
Rennes v Lille (10pm)
Sunday
Nice v Strasbourg (5pm)
Troyes v Lyon (7pm)
Marseille v Paris Saint-Germain (11pm)
GRAN%20TURISMO
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Keep it fun and engaging
Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.
“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.
His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.
He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
