Tag: Europe

Records tumble in Europe as heatwave bites

by Adam PLOWRIGHT PARIS, France (AFP) — Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands recorded their highest ever temperatures as a European heatwave soared towards its peak on Wednesday, impacting rail transport and prompting a number of drownings with people taking to the water. Cyclists in the Tour de France in southern France had to puff their way over the course in well over 30 degrees Celsius while in the Netherlands, farmers have been leaving their cows […]

Trains slowed down as temperatures in Europe hit new record high

  by Adam PLOWRIGHT Agence France Presse PARIS, France (AFP) — Trains were slowed down and holidaymakers flocked to swimming pools, beaches and lakes in western Europe on Wednesday as another heatwave set new temperature records. A host of French cities saw their highest levels since records began on Tuesday, with wine capital Bordeaux recording 41.2 degrees Celsius (106.16 Fahrenheit), beating the previous high of 40.7C registered in August 2003, weather service Meteo-France said. Forecasters […]

Spanish teenager collapses, dies from heat

MADRID, Spain (AFP) — A 17-year-old harvest worker has died from heat stroke in Spain, local authorities said, in the first known death related to the record heatwave currently raging in Spain and large parts of Europe. The youth suddenly felt dizzy and took a dip in a swimming pool but suffered convulsions when he got out and collapsed, the regional government of Andalusia in southern Spain said. He was rushed to the emergency ward […]

Europeans on alert as heatwave intensifies; temperatures heading into 40 degrees Celsius

  by Ryland JAMES Agence France Presse BERLIN, Germany (AFP) — Authorities raised alerts Wednesday as Europe’s record-breaking June heatwave threatened to intensify with temperatures heading into the 40s Celsius. The choking heat has prompted traffic restrictions, sparked forest fires and fanned debate over public nudity as sweltering Germans stripped off. But French winemakers said the hot weather was more than welcome as it could produce a superior vintage. Meteorologists blamed a blast of hot […]

Spain battles wildfire amid European heatwave

BARCELONA, Spain (AFP) — Hundreds of firefighters and soldiers battled a wind-fuelled forest fire in Spain on Wednesday amid a Europe-wide heatwave that has sent temperatures soaring to record highs in several countries. Fifteen water-dropping aircraft were helping firefighters to put out the blaze, which broke out at around 2:30 pm (1230 GMT) in the municipality of Torre del Espanol in Tarragona province in the northeastern region of Catalonia, local firefighters said. The blaze, which […]

Searing heat across Europe sparks scramble for shade

by Joseph Schmid PARIS, France (AFP) — Fans flew off store shelves and water fountains offered relief from the heat as temperatures soared in Europe on Monday, with officials urging vigilance ahead of even hotter conditions forecast later in the week. Meteorologists blamed a blast of torrid air from the Sahara for the unusually early summer heatwave, which could send thermometers up to 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) across large swathes of the continent with […]

British PM scrambles to avoid chaotic Brexit finale

by Dmitry ZAKS Britain’s government redoubled its efforts Thursday to win over the main opposition party in a last-gasp bid to avoid a chaotic exit from the European Union next week. The latest round of talks came after lawmakers tried to safeguard against a doomsday ending to the 46-year partnership by fast-tracking a bill Wednesday night seeking to delay Brexit. May is racing against the clock in a desperate search for votes that could push […]

New UN Global Climate report ‘another strong wake-up call’ over global warming: Guterres

The increasing number of natural disasters and dangers linked to climate change, highlighted in a major UN report released on Thursday, represents “another strong wake-up call” to the world, which must be countered by finding sustainable solutions quickly, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has said. Speaking at the launch of the State of the Global Climate report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Mr. Guterres reiterated his call for action, underlining that the alarming conclusion that […]

Finland tops world happiness rankings, South Sudan bottom: UN

Finland ranked as the world’s happiest country for the second year running while war-torn South Sudan sank to the least contented in a United Nations report released on Wednesday. The Nordic nation of 5.5 million people, known for their love of forests, lakes and saunas, topped the study which used survey data asking citizens in 156 countries how happy they perceive themselves to be, as well as measures such as life expectancy, income and social […]

Ethiopia to send black boxes to Europe as questions mount over crash

by Chris STEIN ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AFP) — Ethiopia said Wednesday it would send the black boxes from last weekend’s deadly Ethiopian Airlines crash to Europe for analysis as demand grew for urgent answers over the safety of the Boeing 737 MAX 8. The second deadly crash involving the plane type in less than six months prompted governments worldwide to ban Boeing’s bestselling jet from their airspace. The move has heaped pressure on the US […]

US ups pressure on Europe over 5G infrastructure from China’s Huawei

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US upped pressure on Europe Wednesday to avoid turning to Huawei for 5G telecom infrastructure, with a top commander saying NATO forces would cease communicating with their German colleagues if Berlin teams up with the Chinese firm. The US and several other Western nations, fearful of the security risks posed by a company closely tied to the Chinese government, have shut Huawei out of tenders for the development of […]

One dead after Swiss avalanche, rescue search paused

GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — One person engulfed in an avalanche in the Swiss Alps has died, police said Wednesday, as rescue operations to find other possible victims were paused after an all-night search. Four people had been reported as injured in the avalanche on Tuesday at the Crans-Montana ski station in southern Switzerland. One of the wounded, a 34-year-old French national, has died, police in Valais canton said in a tweet. “Searches that continued through […]