Soaring sea surface temperatures in the north Atlantic and western Mediterranean are partly fuelling the current heatwave in Europe, scientists have warned.
The temperature of the North Atlantic began rising above historical averages in March, reaching 1.3°C higher than the 1982-2011 mean on July 13, according to data from Copernicus.
It comes as temperatures are forecast to reach at least 47°C this week on the Italian islands of Sicily and Sardinia, while wildfires in Greece continue to rage.
In a battle to preserve forests, industrial buildings and holiday homes, evacuations continued for a third day alongside a motorway connecting Athens to the southern city of Corinth.
The surging temperatures are the result of an anticyclone, or area of high air pressure, named Charon after the ferryman of the dead in Greek mythology.
The weather system pushed into the region from North Africa, following hot on the heels of Cerberus, another anticyclone that caused a heatwave in the same part of the continent last week.
“As always with extreme temperature events like heatwaves, there are a combination of factors, both long term and shorter term,” Julien Nicolas, scientist at the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, told The National.
“With regard to the long term, we know the climate is warming.
“But as always with extreme events there are some atmospheric circulation events that can lead to extreme temperature. In this particular case there is an area of high pressure over the western Mediterranean.
“And you have wind patterns associated with this area of high pressure that brings hot air from the Sahara towards western Europe, so [it is a] combination of the shorter-term atmospheric circulation on top of a long-term warming trend.”
He said the soaring temperature of the north Atlantic, particularly along the coast of western Europe, as well as the western Mediterranean, is also contributing. Parts of the Mediterranean Sea are expected to reach more than 30°C, according to the World Meteorological Organisation.
“So if you combine all the factors, this is how we can reach these temperature extremes,” Mr Nicolas told The National.
Heatwaves in Europe - in pictures
Sea temperatures surged last month and have been rising since.
Mr Nicolas said their current level was "really unprecedented".
“We are seeing a record high sea surface temperature, in the north Atlantic as a whole, but particularly on the eastern side," he added.
"This is quite unusual. This is another factor that comes on top of the others that can explain why we are reaching such high temperatures.”
Experts say marine heatwaves can also affect the migration of species and draw invasive species into European waters with consequences for fisheries and local fauna.
Although the current heatwave is expected to recede soon, if sea surface temperatures remain high they could help fuel further heatwaves this summer.
Mr Nicolas said scientists were already predicting a hot year, possibly the hottest ever, due to the presence of the naturally occurring El Nino weather phenomenon.
But the current El Nino only started a few months ago and is still weak to moderate. It is not expected to peak until winter.
“These El Nino conditions push the global temperature higher as they have a warming effect," the climate expert said. "We were sort of prepared but we are seeing some things happening at an unprecedented rate."
Dangers of extreme heat
The extreme heat in the Northern Hemisphere is increasing the strain on healthcare systems, hitting those least able to manage its consequences hardest, the World Health Organisation said on Wednesday.
"Extreme heat puts increased pressure on health systems. Exposure to excessive heat has wide-ranging impacts on health, often amplifying existing conditions and resulting in premature death," the WHO's director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
Alessandro Miani, who heads the Italian Society of Environmental Doctors, warned that ageing populations in Italy and other countries in Europe's south were a concern during heatwaves, because deaths due to high temperatures most commonly affect people over 80.
Italy, meanwhile, has put 23 cities on red alert.
“The excessive heat together with humidity can make it difficult for sweat to evaporate, interfering with the body's ability to regulate its own temperature,” Mr Miani said.
The heat in Rome eased only slightly after a sweltering 43°C on Tuesday, while highs in Sicily and Sardinia reached 46°C. Parts of Spain were as high as 45°C on Wednesday.
Wildfires continued to burn for a third day west of the Greek capital Athens, with water planes resuming operations at first light and firefighters working throughout the night to keep flames from reaching coastal oil refineries.
Fanned by erratic winds, the fires have gutted dozens of homes, prompted hundreds of people to flee and blanketed the area in thick smoke. Temperatures could climb to 43°C on Thursday, forecasters said.
Greek firefighters said Romania, Slovakia and Poland would send 230 firefighters to help efforts.
The Greek government pleaded with the population to be careful to not spark new fires.
France said temperatures of up to 40°C were expected on Wednesday in parts of the country's south, including on the Mediterranean holiday island Corsica.
A high of 29.5°C was recorded in the French Alpine ski resort of Alpe d'Huez, with 40.6°C recorded in Verdun in the foothills of the Pyrenees, a record for the area.
In the Canary Islands, 400 firefighters battled a blaze that has ravaged 3,500 hectares of forest and forced 4,000 residents to leave their homes, with authorities warning people to wear face masks outside due to poor air quality.
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Aston Villa 1 (Konsa 63')
Sheffield United 0
Red card: Jon Egan (Sheffield United)
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
From Conquest to Deportation
Jeronim Perovic, Hurst
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The biog
Name: Dhabia Khalifa AlQubaisi
Age: 23
How she spends spare time: Playing with cats at the clinic and feeding them
Inspiration: My father. He’s a hard working man who has been through a lot to provide us with everything we need
Favourite book: Attitude, emotions and the psychology of cats by Dr Nicholes Dodman
Favourit film: 101 Dalmatians - it remind me of my childhood and began my love of dogs
Word of advice: By being patient, good things will come and by staying positive you’ll have the will to continue to love what you're doing
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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Spain drain
CONVICTED
Lionel Messi Found guilty in 2016 of of using companies in Belize, Britain, Switzerland and Uruguay to avoid paying €4.1m in taxes on income earned from image rights. Sentenced to 21 months in jail and fined more than €2m. But prison sentence has since been replaced by another fine of €252,000.
Javier Mascherano Accepted one-year suspended sentence in January 2016 for tax fraud after found guilty of failing to pay €1.5m in taxes for 2011 and 2012. Unlike Messi he avoided trial by admitting to tax evasion.
Angel di Maria Argentina and Paris Saint-Germain star Angel di Maria was fined and given a 16-month prison sentence for tax fraud during his time at Real Madrid. But he is unlikely to go to prison as is normal in Spain for first offences for non-violent crimes carrying sentence of less than two years.
SUSPECTED
Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid's star striker, accused of evading €14.7m in taxes, appears in court on Monday. Portuguese star faces four charges of fraud through offshore companies.
Jose Mourinho Manchester United manager accused of evading €3.3m in tax in 2011 and 2012, during time in charge at Real Madrid. But Gestifute, which represents him, says he has already settled matter with Spanish tax authorities.
Samuel Eto'o In November 2016, Spanish prosecutors sought jail sentence of 10 years and fines totalling €18m for Cameroonian, accused of failing to pay €3.9m in taxes during time at Barcelona from 2004 to 2009.
Radamel Falcao Colombian striker Falcao suspected of failing to correctly declare €7.4m of income earned from image rights between 2012 and 2013 while at Atletico Madrid. He has since paid €8.2m to Spanish tax authorities, a sum that includes interest on the original amount.
Jorge Mendes Portuguese super-agent put under official investigation last month by Spanish court investigating alleged tax evasion by Falcao, a client of his. He defended himself, telling closed-door hearing he "never" advised players in tax matters.
8 UAE companies helping families reduce their carbon footprint
Greenheart Organic Farms
This Dubai company was one of the country’s first organic farms, set up in 2012, and it now delivers a wide array of fruits and vegetables grown regionally or in the UAE, as well as other grocery items, to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi doorsteps.
www.greenheartuae.com
Modibodi
Founded in Australia, Modibodi is now in the UAE with waste-free, reusable underwear that eliminates the litter created by a woman’s monthly cycle, which adds up to approximately 136kgs of sanitary waste over a lifetime.
www.modibodi.ae
The Good Karma Co
From brushes made of plant fibres to eco-friendly storage solutions, this company has planet-friendly alternatives to almost everything we need, including tin foil and toothbrushes.
www.instagram.com/thegoodkarmaco
Re:told
One Dubai boutique, Re:told, is taking second-hand garments and selling them on at a fraction of the price, helping to cut back on the hundreds of thousands of tonnes of clothes thrown into landfills each year.
www.shopretold.com
Lush
Lush provides products such as shampoo and conditioner as package-free bars with reusable tins to store.
www.mena.lush.com
Bubble Bro
Offering filtered, still and sparkling water on tap, Bubble Bro is attempting to ensure we don’t produce plastic or glass waste. Founded in 2017 by Adel Abu-Aysha, the company is on track to exceeding its target of saving one million bottles by the end of the year.
www.bubble-bro.com
Coethical
This company offers refillable, eco-friendly home cleaning and hygiene products that are all biodegradable, free of chemicals and certifiably not tested on animals.
www.instagram.com/coethical
Eggs & Soldiers
This bricks-and-mortar shop and e-store, founded by a Dubai mum-of-four, is the place to go for all manner of family products – from reusable cloth diapers to organic skincare and sustainable toys.
www.eggsnsoldiers.com
The Intruder
Director: Deon Taylor
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Michael Ealy, Meagan Good
One star
About Seez
Company name/date started: Seez, set up in September 2015 and the app was released in August 2017
Founder/CEO name(s): Tarek Kabrit, co-founder and chief executive, and Andrew Kabrit, co-founder and chief operating officer
Based in: Dubai, with operations also in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon
Sector: Search engine for car buying, selling and leasing
Size: (employees/revenue): 11; undisclosed
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Investors: Wamda Capital, B&Y and Phoenician Funds
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
'Top Gun: Maverick'
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Directed by: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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