- Xi tells Biden ready for 'smooth transition' to Trump
- Trump nominates fracking magnate and climate skeptic as energy secretary
- Tyson says 'no regrets' over loss for fighting 'one last time'
- Springboks' Erasmus hails 'special' Kolbe after England try double
- France edge out New Zealand in Test thriller
- Xi tells Biden will seek 'smooth transition' in US-China ties
- Netherlands into Nations League quarter-finals as Germany hit seven
- Venezuela to free 225 detained in post-election unrest: source
- Late Guirassy goal boosts Guinea in AFCON qualifying
- Biden arrives for final talks with Xi as Trump return looms
- Dominant Sinner cruises into ATP Finals title decider with Fritz
- Dinosaur skeleton fetches 6 million euros in Paris sale
- Netherlands-Hungary Nations League match interrupted by medical emergency
- Kolbe double as South Africa condemn England to fifth successive defeat
- Kolbe at the double as South Africa condemn England to fresh defeat
- Kolbe at the double as South Africa beat England 29-20
- 'If I don't feel ready, I won't play singles,' says Nadal ahead of Davis Cup farewell
- Fifth of dengue cases due to climate change: researchers
- Trump's Republican allies tread lightly on Paris pact at COP29
- Graham equals record as nine-try Scotland see off tenacious Portugal
- Protesters hold pro-Palestinian march in Rio ahead of G20
- Graham equals record as nine-try Scotland see off dogged Portugal
- China's Xi urges APEC unity in face of 'protectionism'
- Japan's Kagiyama, Yoshida sweep gold in Finland GP
- Macron to press Milei on climate action, multilateralism in Argentina talks
- Fritz reaches ATP Finals title decider with Sampras mark in sight
- All eyes on G20 for breakthrough as COP29 climate talks stall
- Fritz battles past Zverev to reach ATP Finals title decider
- Xi, Biden to meet as Trump return looms
- Kane warns England must protect team culture under new boss
- Italy beat Japan to reach BJK Cup semi-finals
- Farmers target PM Starmer in protest against new UK tax rules
- Shiffrin masters Levi slalom for 98th World Cup win
- Italy's Donnarumma thankful for Mbappe absence in France showdown
- McIlroy in three-way tie for Dubai lead
- Bagnaia wins Barcelona MotoGP sprint to take season to final race
- Ukraine's Zelensky says wants to end war by diplomacy next year
- Shiffrin wins Levi slalom for 98th World Cup victory
- Israel pummels south Beirut as Lebanon mulls truce plan
- Religious Jews comfort hostages' families in Tel Aviv
- German Greens' Robert Habeck to lead bruised party into elections
- Johnson bags five as Australia beat Pakistan to seal T20 series
- Zelensky says wants to end war by diplomacy next year
- Rugby Union: Wales v Australia - three talking points
- 10 newborns killed in India hospital fire
- Veteran Le Cam leads Vendee Globe as Sorel is first to quit
- Bagnaia on pole for Barcelona MotoGP, Martin fourth
- UN climate chief urges G20 to spur tense COP29 negotiations
- Rauf takes four as Pakistan hold Australia to 147-9 in 2nd T20
- World not listening to us, laments Kenyan climate scientist at COP29
Mercury hits new highs as heat waves scorch the globe
Temperatures reached new highs on Monday as heatwaves and wildfires scorched swathes of the Northern Hemisphere, forcing the evacuation of 1,200 children close to a Greek seaside resort.
Health authorities have sounded alarms from North America to Europe and Asia, urging people to stay hydrated and shelter from the burning sun, in a stark reminder of the effects of global warming.
Near Athens, a forest fire flared in strong winds by the popular beach town of Loutraki where the mayor said holiday camps for youngsters had come under threat.
"We have saved 1,200 children who were in the holiday camps," said mayor Giorgos Gkionis.
Emergency services were also battling wildfires in Kouvaras and the resorts of Lagonissi, Anavyssos and Saronida near Athens. Several homes were burned in the area, according to footage from public broadcaster ERT.
"The extreme weather ... is having a major impact on human health, ecosystems, economies, agriculture, energy and water supplies," said World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.
"This underlines the increasing urgency of cutting greenhouse gas emissions as quickly and as deeply as possible."
- 'We thought we'd escape' -
In Rome, where temperatures hit a near-record 39C on Monday, American Colman Peavy could not believe the heat as he sipped a cappuccino at a cafe with his wife Ana at the start of a two-week vacation.
"We're from Texas and it's really hot there, we thought we would escape the heat but it's even hotter here," said the 30-year-old.
It was already the world's hottest June on record, according to the EU weather monitoring service, and July looks to be readying to challenge its own record.
China reported a new high for mid-July in the northwest of the country, where temperatures reached 52.2C in the Xinjiang region's village of Sanbao, breaking the previous high of 50.6C set six years ago.
Heatstroke alerts had been issued in 32 out of Japan's 47 prefectures, mainly in central and southwestern regions.
At least 60 people were treated for heatstroke, media reported, including 51 taken to hospital in Tokyo.
In Cyprus, where temperatures are expected to remain above 40C through Thursday, a 90-year-old man died as a result of heatstroke and three other seniors were hospitalised, health officials said.
- 'Oppressive' US heat -
In western and southern US states, which are used to high temperatures, more than 80 million people were under advisories as a "widespread and oppressive" heatwave roasted the region.
California's Death Valley, often among the hottest places on Earth, reached a near-record 52C Sunday afternoon.
In Arizona, state capital Phoenix tied its record of 18 consecutive days above 43C (109F), as temperatures hit 45C (113F) early Monday afternoon.
The US National Weather Service predicts similar highs at least through Sunday, while warning of overnight lows remaining dangerously elevated, above 32C (90F).
"We're used to 110, 112 (degrees Fahrenheit)... But not the streaks," Nancy Leonard, a 64-year-old retiree from the nearby suburb of Peoria, told AFP. "You just have to adapt."
In Southern California, several wildfires have ignited over the past few days in rural areas east of Los Angeles.
The biggest, named the Rabbit Fire, had burned nearly 8,000 acres and was 35 percent contained on Monday morning, according to authorities.
In neighbouring Canada, 882 wildfires were active on Monday, including 579 considered out of control, authorities said.
Smoke from the fires has descended on the United States again, prompting air quality alerts across much of the northeast.
- Historic highs forecast -
In Europe, Italians were warned to prepare for "the most intense heatwave of the summer and also one of the most intense of all time", with a red alert issued for 16 cities including Rome, Bologna and Florence.
Spain enjoyed little reprieve with temperatures of 47C in the southern town of Villarrobledo.
Along with the heat, parts of Asia have also been battered by torrential rain.
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L.Adams--AT