- Muslim women break taboos navigating east London's waterways
- Nepal dam-building spree powers electric vehicle boom
- More than 60 dead from storm Helene as rescue, cleanup efforts grow
- Dozens missing, 9 dead in migrant boat wreck off Spanish Canaries
- Death toll from Hurricane John hits eight in Mexico
- Storm Helene's toll rises as rescue and cleanup efforts gain pace
- SpaceX launches mission to return stranded astronauts
- Storm Helene kills 44, threatens more 'catastrophic' flooding as cleanup begins
- SpaceX set to launch mission to return stranded astronauts
- Storm Helene kills 44, threatens more 'catastrophic' flooding
- Boeing strike grinds on as latest talks fail to reach agreement
- Iran 'news' sites, hackers target Trump ahead of US election
- US ports brace for potential dockworkers strike
- Japan's speedy, spotless Shinkansen bullet trains turn 60
- US hurricane deaths rise to 44, fears of more 'catastrophic' flooding
- Global stocks mostly rise, cheering Beijing stimulus
- Europe en route for Moon with new simulator, says astronaut Pesquet
- Fireworks forecast if comet survives risky Sun flypast
- Argentina judge orders dictionary to delete pejorative definition of 'Jewish'
- Global stocks rise on rate hopes, Beijing stimulus
- S.African woman turns 118, among the oldest in the world
- UK clears $4 bn AI partnership between Amazon, Anthropic
- Barca fans barred from Champions League away game over racist banner
- Chinese stocks extend surge, Europe higher on Beijing stimulus
- Pope says Church must 'seek forgiveness' for child sexual abuse
- China caps week of 'bazooka' stimulus for ailing economy with rate cut
- Cuts, cash, credit: China bids to jumpstart flagging economy
- France's debt weighs heavier ahead of budget debate
- Iran treads carefully, backing Hezbollah while avoiding war
- Return to sender: waste stranded at sea stirs toxic dispute
- 'Broken' news industry faces uncertain future
- On remote Greek island, migratory birds offer climate clues
- Taken from mother by nuns, victim seeks answers as pope visits Belgium
- China cuts amount banks hold in reserve to boost lending
- Hong Kong, Shanghai extend surge as China optimism boosts markets
- Vietnam president reiterates support for Cuba during official visit
- Drought reduces Amazon River in Colombia by as much as 90%: report
- Stay or go? Pacific Islanders face climate's grim choice
- Florida bracing for 'unsurvivable' Hurricane Helene
- Poverty rises to over 52 percent in Milei's Argentina
- Chloe's see-through look may not be for Kamala Harris
- Champagne houses abuzz over English sparkling wine
- Macron, Trudeau pledge to work for 'decarbonized' economies
- Hurricanes, storms, typhoons... Is September wetter than usual?
- China stimulus, tech optimism boost stock markets
- 'Unsurvivable' Hurricane Helene races towards Florida
- Macron meets Trudeau in Canada as both face political setbacks
- South Korea surges in UN innovation index
- Chloe's see-through look may not be for Kamala
- Floods threaten Niger's historic 'gateway to the desert'
Southwest US roasts in devastating heat wave
Tens of millions of Americans were facing dangerously high temperatures Friday as a powerful heat wave stretched from California to Texas, with its peak expected this weekend.
A heat dome has been baking the southwestern states all week, posing serious health risks to the elderly, construction workers, delivery workers and the homeless.
In Arizona, one of the hardest-hit states, residents face a daily endurance marathon against the sun.
Phoenix, the state capital, will record its 15th straight day above 109 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius) on Friday, according to the National Weather Services (NWS).
The heat forced the cancellation of a series of concerts meant to take place in the evenings each summer weekend in the city.
Some Arizona residents this week posted social media photos of tar melting on their roofs, or videos of eggs frying in the scorching sun.
Authorities have been sounding the alarm for days, advising people to avoid outdoor activities in the daytime and to be on the watch for signs of dehydration, which can quickly become fatal in such temperatures.
- Deadly danger -
The weather service in Las Vegas warned that assuming high temperatures naturally come with the area's desert climate was "a DANGEROUS mindset! This heatwave is NOT typical desert heat due to its long duration, extreme daytime temperatures, & warm nights."
"Now the most intense period is beginning," it added, as the weekend approached with the threat of record highs on Sunday.
California's famous Death Valley, one of the hottest places on Earth, is also likely to reach new peaks on Sunday, with the mercury possibly rising to 130F (54C).
This week, the south of the Golden State was affected by numerous small wildfires.
Unlike floods or wildfires, heat is invisible yet remains the deadliest weather phenomenon in the United States and is regularly underestimated.
Last weekend, sweltering temperatures killed 10 migrants along the US border with Mexico, according to the Border Patrol.
And last week, Arizona's most populous county, Maricopa, released a report counting 425 heat deaths in the summer of 2022, up 25 percent from the previous year.
The figures have made headlines in the United States, as the heat numbs almost the entire south.
In Texas, the city of El Paso is racking up records: on Thursday, it recorded its 27th day above 100F (37.7C).
- Climate change -
The White House took advantage of the current heat wave to announce a "national heat strategy."
"Millions of Americans are being impacted by extreme heat waves, which are growing in intensity, frequency, and duration due to climate change," President Joe Biden said in a statement.
While it can be hard to attribute a particular weather event to climate change, scientists insist that global warming -- linked to humanity's dependence on fossil fuels -- is responsible for the multiplication and intensification of heat waves in the world.
The US heatwave comes after the EU's climate monitoring service said the world saw its hottest June on record last month.
O.Hansen--CPN