Category: 2. World

Four people died in Spain, two in France and two in Italy as an early summer heatwave continued to grip much of Europe on Wednesday, triggering health alerts and forest fires and forcing the closure of a nuclear reactor at a Swiss power plant.

Spanish officials said a wildfire in Catalonia had killed two people a day earlier, and authorities reported heatwave-linked deaths also in Extremadura and Cordoba. France’s energy minister reported two deaths linked to the heat, with 300 others taken to the hospital.

Italy issued red alerts for 18 cities, while in Germany, temperatures were forecast to peak at 40 degrees Celsius in some areas, making it the hottest day of the year.

Two men over the age of 60 died in separate incidents on the beach in Sardinia from the heat, ANSA news agency reported.

Weather forecaster Meteo France said red alerts remained for several areas of central France.

The risks were greatest for vulnerable members of the population, and Catherine Vautrin, France’s health and families minister, said authorities should remain vigilant.

“In the coming days, we’ll see the consequences, particularly on the most vulnerable, and I’m thinking particularly of the elderly,” she said.

Turkiye, which battled blazes on several fronts, forcing the temporary evacuation of about 50,000 people earlier in the week, said its fires were largely contained.

Tuesday’s fire in the Catalonia region of Spain destroyed several farms and affected an area stretching about 40 kilometres before being contained, officials said.

Storms ahead, reactors shut

Italy, France and Germany warned of the risk of heavy storms due to excessive warming in unstable atmospheres. Violent storms in the French Alps late on Monday triggered mudslides, disrupting rail traffic between Paris and Milan.

Swiss utility Axpo shut down one reactor unit at the Beznau nuclear power plant and halved output at another on Tuesday because of the high temperature of river water.

Water is used for cooling and other purposes at nuclear power plants, and restrictions were expected to continue as temperatures are monitored.

The extreme heat would likely impact the region’s economic growth, which was expected to slow by half a percentage point in 2025, Allianz Research said in a report, likening the financial toll of one day with temperatures exceeding 32°C to half a day of strikes.

Scientists say heatwaves have arrived earlier this year, spiking temperatures by up to 10°C in some regions as warming seas encouraged the formation of a heat dome over much of Europe, trapping hot air masses.

‘Testing our resilience’

Greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels are a cause of climate change, they say, with deforestation and industrial practices being other contributing factors. Last year was the planet’s hottest on record.

“Extreme heat is testing our resilience and putting the health and lives of millions at risk,” said Inger Andersen, executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme.

“Our new climate reality means we can no longer be surprised when temperatures reach record highs each year.”

Allianz Research’s warning of a dent in economic activity due to the heat rang true for some businesses. British baker Greggs warned on Wednesday its annual profit could dip below last year’s levels as the unusually hot UK temperatures discourage customers from eating out.

In Germany, people flocked to open-air swimming pools and lakes to cool off, with many schools across the country closed.

The fire brigade was tackling several forest fires in the eastern states of Brandenburg and Saxony.

The upper floor of the Eiffel Tower in Paris was shut to visitors on Tuesday, while the iconic Atomium in Brussels, an atom-like structure made of stainless steel, closed early on Wednesday as a precaution, its third early closure this week.

Spain experienced its hottest June on record this year, and France had its hottest June since 2003.

Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan has reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to expanding regional trade and connectivity through enhanced rail, road, and air links, as he addressed the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Ministerial Summit in Tianjin, China.

In his remarks, the minister emphasized Pakistan’s strategic position in facilitating regional commerce and expressed strong interest in building trade corridors via China, Afghanistan, and Iran. According to an official statement released Wednesday, he also underscored Pakistan’s growing role in advancing connectivity across the SCO region.

Abdul Aleem Khan highlighted the progress made under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), especially in the development of road infrastructure. “Our focus now is to expand trade beyond the borders of Afghanistan and Iran with fully functional international-standard cargo ports in Gwadar and Karachi,” he said.

He further stressed the strategic importance of Khunjerab Pass in the north and Pakistan’s coastal gateways as integral to the country’s trade expansion strategy.

Turning to broader regional initiatives, the minister cited the proposed Uzbekistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan Railway Project as a transformative development and confirmed Pakistan’s support for Silk Road Stations in cooperation with China. He also announced that the Khunjerab–Sust Route would now remain operational year-round from 2023 onward, further enhancing regional connectivity.

The summit brought together ministers from 10 SCO member countries, though India once again chose not to attend. Indian delegate Anand Prakash, who was officially listed, remained absent and his seat was left vacant.

Commenting on this, Abdul Aleem Khan described India’s no-show as “irresponsible behavior” and a missed opportunity for regional engagement. “Pakistan has always advocated for mutual respect and cooperation. As a nuclear power, India must behave responsibly and act like a good neighbour,” he stated.

Delegates from several other member states reportedly expressed surprise and disappointment over India’s absence during the session.

The federal minister also briefed participants on Pakistan’s transport modernization efforts, including the digitalization of its transport systems and the adoption of smart mobility solutions. He noted that Pakistan has launched a visa-on-arrival policy for 126 countries, issuing over 20,000 visas to date under the initiative.

Expressing satisfaction with the conference proceedings, Abdul Aleem Khan reaffirmed Pakistan’s dedication to fully implementing SCO decisions, and stressed that the region’s development depends on mutual trust, coordinated action, and integrated transport networks. As a permanent SCO member since 2017, Pakistan remains committed to strengthening communication infrastructure and deepening collaboration with fellow member states.

A Ugandan military helicopter crashed and caught fire at the main international airport in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, killing five people on board.

The pilot, co-pilot and flight engineer survived with “serious injuries and severe burns”, Ugandan military spokesman Maj Gen Felix Kulaigye said, adding that an investigation into the cause of the crash was under way.

“We heard the blast and saw smoke and flames over a helicopter. The smoke entirely covered the helicopter,” Farah Abdulle, one of the staff at the airport, told Reuters news agency.

Somalia’s state-run news agency reported that the fire was quickly contained by the emergency services at the Aden Adde International Airport.

Ugandan troops are part of an 11,000-strong African Union (AU) force helping the government fight the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab group, which has been waging a brutal insurgency in Somalia for more than two decades.

The helicopter that crashed had been conducting a “routine combat escort mission”, Maj Gen Kulaigye said, without giving further details.

The head of the Somali Civil Aviation Authority, Ahmed Maalim, told the BBC that the helicopter had come down in the airport’s military section after flying in from the Balidogle airbase in the Lower Shabelle region, about 90km (56 miles) north-west of Mogadishu.

The crash delayed the departure of a Turkish Airlines passenger plane, but domestic flights continued to operate normally.