heat

Wildfires Rage in Akkar as Flames Threaten Homes

Firefighting teams in Lebanon’s northern Akkar governorate have been battling relentless wildfires for more than 48 hours, as blazes spread across multiple towns and draw dangerously close to residential areas. The fires, which broke out in the Qammoua, Kobayat and Bireh regions, have consumed large swathes of forest as well as olive, almond ...

In Heatwave, Romans Turn to Vintage Snow Cones to Stay Cool

Forget ice cream, sorbet or even the beloved Italian gelato, when Roman’s swelter in a heatwave, they turn to the traditional "Grattachecca". It may be difficult for non-Italians to pronounce think -"gratta-kekka" - but the Roman-style shaved ice is colorful, cheap and refreshing like no other. In a turn-of-the-century kiosk near the Tiber ...

Why Does a Fan Cool You Without Cooling the Air?

It’s 32°C in your living room. Heat clings to your clothes, your clammy skin refuses to dry. You flip the fan switch. Within seconds, something changes: a breeze brushes your arms and neck, and everything feels more bearable. Yet the thermometer hasn’t moved. The secret lies not in the air itself, but in how your body interacts with it. A ...

Third-Hottest July on Record Wreaks Climate Havoc

The third-hottest July worldwide ended a string of record-breaking temperatures last month, but many regions were still devastated by extreme weather amplified by global warming, the European climate monitoring service said Thursday. Heavy rains flooded Pakistan and northern China; Canada, Scotland and Greece struggled to tame wildfires ...

30°C in the Shade: Reinventing Summer Beauty Routines

When the thermometer climbs past 30°C and humidity settles in, our entire relationship to beauty gets turned on its head. Routines become lighter, gestures more instinctive—and more sincere. Gone are the heavily made-up looks, the perfectly sleek hairstyles, the thick layers of product suffocating the skin. Summer tells the truth: sweat, frizz, ...

Half the World Faced an Extra Month of Extreme Heat Due to Climate Change: Study

Half the global population endured an additional month of extreme heat over the past year because of manmade climate change, a new study found Friday. The findings underscore how the continued burning of fossil fuels is harming health and well-being on every continent, with the effects especially under-recognized in developing countries, the ...

Saudi Prepares for Another Hajj Pilgrimage Under Extreme Heat

The deaths of 1,300 pilgrims during the hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca, in Saudi Arabia last year underscored the urgent need to mitigate dangers posed by extreme heat, with crowd management an essential first step, analysts say. Temperatures soared to 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 degrees Fahrenheit) in the holy city of Mecca last June as 1.8 million ...

2024 Sets New Global Heat Record, Says Copernicus

The last two years exceeded on average a critical warming limit for the first time as global temperatures soar "beyond what modern humans have ever experienced", an EU agency said Friday. This does not mean the internationally-agreed 1.5C warming threshold has been permanently breached, but the Copernicus Climate Change Service said it was ...