As Southern Europe experiences its first severe heatwave this summer and as experts attribute climate change to rising frequency and intensity, local authorities have issued new warnings against the risk of wildfires and to residents to seek shelter.
Italy, Greece, Spain, and Portugal experienced severe heatwaves over the weekend and into Sunday, with both locals and visitors battling the sweltering weather.
Nearby tourist hotspots had ambulances on standby.
On Sunday, Portugal was on high alert for wildfires and extreme heat, with Lisbon’s expected high temperatures of 42C (107F) expected.
In Lisbon, pharmacist Sofia Monnteiro, 39, told the AFP news agency that “we have already had some cases of heat strokes and burns” despite warning people to stay indoors during the day’s hottest hours.
The Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) issued a red warning for several southern regions of Portugal up until Monday night because of “persistently extremely high maximum temperature values.”
In a number of nations, firefighters gathered to fight blazes. On Sunday, fires broke out in France and Turkiye, and authorities from other nations were also on high alert.
On Sunday, extreme heat and forest fires abound in Portugal, just like they did on Sicily, where firefighters battled 15 fires on Saturday.
In response to the record-breaking high temperatures, a few regions in Italy, including Lazio, Tuscany, Calabria, Puglia, and Umbria, planned to outlaw some outdoor work activities. The government was pressured by Italian trade unions to expand these measures nationwide.
The Italian Health Ministry issued the highest heat alert for 21 of the 27 monitored cities on Sunday, including top vacationing spots like Naples and Rome.
According to Mario Guarino, vice president of the Italian Society of Emergency Medicine, Italy’s hospital emergency departments have seen an increase in cases of heatstroke.
According to him, “we’ve seen around 10% increase, primarily in cities with very high temperatures and higher humidity rates,” he told the AFP.
Dehydration, heat stroke, and fatigue are most prevalent among the elderly, cancer patients, or homeless people.
Greece was once more on a high-risk for wildfires, with a forecast for a weekend heat wave there.
On Thursday, a significant wildfire erupted south of Athens, causing road closures and evacuations close to the site of the prehistoric Temple of Poseidon.
In addition to the fire, Greek police evacuated 40 people, with five locations receiving evacuation orders, while Greek authorities also deployed 12 planes, 12 helicopters, and 12 firefighters to fight the flames.
Locals and visitors to Spain were frantically trying to stay cool as the city’s southern city of Seville and other locations in the country’s south and central regions reached temperatures as high as 42C (107F).
Spain’s southern regions reported temperatures that were above average for the entire year, which issued health alerts and safety recommendations. The country’s State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has declared that June will set a new record by becoming the hottest month of the year since records began.
The “urban heat island” effect
Due to global warming, extreme weather events are becoming more frequent in the southern region of Europe.
A Lancet Public Health study from last year highlighted the rise in heat-related deaths linked to climate change. According to the study, by the middle of the century, heat-related deaths could have quadrupled.
The study noted that while cold causes more deaths than heat, rising temperatures will offset the advantages of mild winters, leading to a significant net increase in heat-related mortality.
According to scientists, the effects of climate change are creating hotter, more intense heatwaves, particularly in cities where the so-called “urban heat island effect” increases the temperature distribution among densely packed buildings.
According to Emanuela Piervitali, a researcher at the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), “The heatwaves in the Mediterranean region have become more frequent and intense in recent years, with peaks of 37 degrees Celsius and 100 degrees Celsius, or even more in cities.”
Experts have warned that prolonged heat can have a negative impact on daily life, particularly for elderly and young people.
When Switzerland’s UEFA European Women’s Championship, or Women’s Euro 2025, kicks off on Wednesday, England will look to maintain their position.
The continent’s top nations will compete over the course of the 26-day tournament across eight host cities.
Everything you need to know about the championship is provided here:
Euro 2025 will take place when and where?
Switzerland is playing host to the Women’s Euro for the first time.
The tournament will start on Thun on On July 2, 2012, and conclude in Basel on 27-July, Sunday.
What number of nations will take part in Women’s Euro 2025?
Of the 51 national women’s bodies associated with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), 16 have qualified for the championship.
They will be broken into four groups:
Group A
Switzerland
Norway
Iceland
Finland
Group B
Spain
Portugal
Belgium
Italy
Group C
Germany
Poland
Denmark
Sweden
Group D
France
England
Wales
Netherlands
Which teams are favourites to win Women’s Euro 2025?
Germany, who won the Olympic gold medal in 2004, is a clear favorite to win the trophy, aside from current champions England and former world champions Spain. A quick overview of each team’s history can be found here:
England: The defending champions will gain confidence from their top rank in UEFA’s rankings heading into the tournament. The Lionesses enter the tournament under the direction of their trusted coach, Sarina Wiegman, despite their inconsistent performance in their UEFA Nations League matches. As they attempt to build on the success of their previous matches, the young-looking squad will rely on the seasoned Lucy Bronze, who will be playing in her fourth Euro.
Spain: Arguably the most exciting women’s team to watch thanks to their prowess in front of the goal, Spain are the current world champions. The women in red and gold would like to bolster their early 2010 men’s team by winning the Euro and clinching a World Cup. In 2025, La Roja have scored 21 goals in five of their six competitive matches.
Germany: Germans are the undeniable queens of European football, having won the tournament on a whopping eight occasions, including six consecutive titles from 1995 to 2013. They are also the twice-world champions, and they have won five of their six games in 2025 with 26 goals scored and three conceded.
Spain will be favorites to win the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Will Aitana Bonmati play in Euro 2025?
Bonmati’s participation in the tournament was unquestionable up until Friday because the Spanish team’s star midfielder is their backbone. The 27-year-old was hospitalized in Madrid after testing positive for viral meningitis.
The Spanish football federation, RFEF, however, is hopeful that the star player will return to the squad in a few days despite not being part of the contingent travelling to Switzerland on Sunday.
Aitana Bonmati, who was previously hospitalized for viral meningitis, has been discharged from the hospital and will soon play for the Spanish national team, according to a brief statement from RFEF.
The Barcelona player, who won the Ballon d’Or prizes in 2023 and 2024, gave a thumbs-up and stated, “Fortunately, everything is going well,” in a photo posted from her hospital bed on Sunday. I hope to return soon”.
Bonmati has played a key role for Spain, helping them win the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the UEFA Nations League last year, with 30 goals scored in 78 appearances.
Thank you for the mensajes that were given to me and for the fact that I have since ascended to these days. Afortunadamente todo va bien, espero volver pronto.
We sent him a prop photo, so we wished him a totes in the tots. twitter.com/GV6ORVEn8i
Who should watch for Euro 2025 key players?
Ewa Pajor (Poland): The Barcelona forward is ranked among the world’s top strikers and has scored 43 goals in her 45 appearances for the club in the past season. She has won more than 100 caps for her country, including five gold medals for women’s soccer, and has scored 68 goals in the process. The tournament debutants will rely on Pajor’s unmatched form to ensure their success in the knockouts and beyond.
Alexia Putellas (Spain): Arguably one of the greatest women to play the game, Putellas will be the mainstay of Spain’s midfield and attack as the world champions seek a third title. The Barcelona player increased her team’s midfield control with another fantastic season under her leadership of the Spanish champions with 17 goals in 25 appearances. Puertollas hopes to make up for the 2023 defeat to the FIFA Women’s World Cup with a win in Europe.
Klara Buhl (Germany): The German winger has been playing for the European giants Bayern Munich since 2020 and has made 102 appearances. Buhl made her international debut in 2019 with a 28-goal performance for Germany. At the 2025 championship, she will be one of the best young athletes.
Lauren James (England): Another bright young European footballer, James has swiftly climbed up the ranks in Wiegman’s squad. As England’s attacking coach in Switzerland, the 23-year-old will have plenty of eyes on her. She made 22 goals for Chelsea last season and has seven goals in 27 international starts.
Ewa Pajor was instrumental in Poland’s qualification for the Euro championship]File: Lisa Leutner/Reuters]
Who were the previous women’s Euro champions?
Sweden, 1984
1987: Norway
West Germany in 1989
West Germany, 1991
1993: Norway
Germany, 1995
Germany, 1997
2001: Germany
Germany, 2005
Germany, 2009
2013: Germany
Netherlands in 2017
England in 2022
Germany have won the Women’s Euro a record eight times, with their last win coming in 2013]File: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters]
Where are the locations for Women’s Euro 2025?
These eight venues will host the championship from stadiums in the heart of Switzerland’s major cities to picturesque arenas in the lap of the Alps:
Basel (St Jakob-Park): The venue in Switzerland’s most populous city will host five games, including the home team’s opener, the last quarterfinal and the final. The 35, 000-foot stadium, which hosts the city’s eponymous team in the Swiss league, was built in March 2001.
The 32, 000-square-foot Young Boys football team’s home was rebuilt on the site of the 1925-built Wankdorf Stadium, where the famous “Miracle of Bern” FIFA World Cup 1954 match between West Germany and Hungary was played. It will host four Women’s Euro 2025 fixtures, including the third quarterfinal.
Geneva (Stade de Geneve): The city hosted rugby matches at the 2008 UEFA World Cup. The 30-acre stadium will host five games, including the first quarterfinal and the first semifinal, in Women’s Euro 2025.
Lucerne (Allmend Stadion): The glittering golden structure of the Swissporarena stands out in the city of Lucerne and is home to its Swiss Super League side. During the tournament, it will host three group-stage games.
Nearly 20 000 football fans can attend the venue in northwest Switzerland, known as St. Gallen (Arena St Gallen). It will also host three group-stage games.
Sion (Stade de Tourbillon): Two prehistoric castles give the view of the picturesque football stadium, which is situated amid the Alps. It can accommodate three group-stage games and is the smallest venue by capacity (9,570).
Thun (Arena Thun): Spectators will have a view of a football match on the field and the Alps in the background when they attend one of the three group-stage games in Thun.
The Stadion Letzigrund in Zürich, the largest city in Switzerland, will host the second quarterfinal and second semifinal games as well as three group-stage games. More than 24 000 people can play on the home ground of two of the city’s football teams.
A drone view shows the picturesque Arena Thun, one of the venues for the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025]File: Denis Balibouse/Reuters]
What is the Women’s Euro 2025 prize money?
The tournament’s total prize pot is 41 million euros ($48 million), which is more than double the 16 million euros (approximately $ 19 million) awarded in 2022, according to UEFA.
The champions can get a maximum of 5.1 million euros (about $6m) if they also win all three of their group-stage matches.
A participation fee of 1.8 million euros ($2.1 million) will be charged to each of the 16 teams.
How do I purchase Women’s Euro 2025 tickets?
Tickets for all games go on sale at 09: 00 GMT on every match day from the group stage up until the knockouts. Starting at 22 Swiss Francs ($27.5) and increasing to 90 Swiss Francs ($112), they will be accessible through the UEFA ticketing website.
How does Euro 2025 work?
The tournament will be streamed live on the UEFA. as well as regional broadcasters and streaming services.
For a number of knockout matches, including the final, Al Jazeera Sport will offer live text and photo commentary.
Hosts England won the Women’s Euro 2022 by beating eight-time winners Germany at Wembley Stadium in London on July 31, 2022]Alessandra Tarantino/AP Photo]
What format and full schedule does the Women’s Euro 2025 have?
Format: The top two teams will advance to the knockout stages, which begin with the quarterfinals, and each of the four groups will play one more time against each other.
⚽ Women’s Euro 2025 group stage schedule
On July 2, 2012, Group A: Finland and Iceland (16:00 GMT, Thun) Group A: Switzerland vs Norway (19: 00 GMT, Basel)
Thursday, July 3 Group B: Italy vs. Belgium (16:00 GMT, Sion) Group B: Spain vs Portugal (19: 00 GMT, Bern)
Friday, July 4, 4 . Group C: Sweden vs. Denmark (16:00 GMT, Geneva) Group C: Germany vs Poland (19: 00 GMT, St Gallen)
5th of July, Saturday Wales vs. Netherlands (16:00 GMT, Lucerne) in Group D Group D: France vs England (19: 00 GMT, Zurich)
Sunday, July 6 Group A: Finland and Norway (GMT, Sion) Group A: Switzerland vs Iceland (19: 00 GMT, Bern)
July 7th, Monday Group B: Belgium vs. Spain on Thu, 16:00 GMT. Group B: Portugal vs Italy (19: 00 GMT, Geneva)
Tuesday, July 8, Group C: Basel, Germany vs. Denmark (16:00 GMT). Group C: Poland vs Sweden (19: 00 GMT, Lucerne)
Friday, July 9 Group D: Zurich, Switzerland, England vs. Group D: France vs Wales (19: 00 GMT, St Gallen)
Thursday, July 10, Group A: Geneva, Switzerland vs. Finland (1900 GMT). Group A: Norway vs Iceland (19: 00 GMT, Thun)
11th of July, Friday Group B: Italy vs. Spain (1900 GMT, Bern) Group B: Portugal vs Belgium (19: 00 GMT, Sion)
Saturday, July 12 Group C: Zurich, Switzerland vs. Germany (1900 GMT). Group C: Poland vs Denmark (19: 00 GMT, Lucerne)
Sunday, July 13 Group D: France vs. Netherlands (1900 GMT, Basel). Group D: England vs Wales (19: 00 GMT, St Gallen)
Women’s Euro 2025 quarterfinals
On July 16th, 2016, Winners of Group A vs Runners-up of Group B (Geneva, 19:00 GMT)
On July 17th, 2017, Winners of Group C and Group D runners-up (Zurich, 19:00 GMT)
Friday, July 18 Winners of Group B vs Runners-up of Group A (Bern, 19:00 GMT)
19-July, Saturday Winners of Group D vs Runners-up of Group C (Basel, 19: 00 GMT)
Women’s Euro 2025 semifinals
22 July, Tuesday Winners of quarterfinal 3 vs winners of quarterfinal 1 (Geneva, 19: 00 GMT)
On July 2, 2012,3 Winners of quarterfinal 4 versus quarterfinal 2 (Zurich, 19:00 GMT)
After receiving a lot of criticism for her Glastonbury Festival headline set, Charli XCX has refuted claims that she is a “fraud.” A packed audience of people came on the Other stage to sing and dance with the Apple singer on Saturday night.
However, Charli’s set received criticism because many assumed she was using autotune or miming. In a number of Twitter posts, she made reference to the “boomer vibe” comments.
The most boring take ever, she wrote on X, is the idea that singing in deliberate autotune makes you a fraud or that not having a traditional band suddenly means you must not be a real artist. I apologize for my lateness.
“But to be honest, I enjoy the discussion. The best art, in my opinion, is confrontational and divisive, and frequently develops into truly fascinating culture rather than just being “ok,” “easy to understand, and sort of forgettable.”
Worthy Farm hosted Charli XCX on Saturday night (Joseph Okpako/WireImage via Getty Images)
She then stated, “I’m really enjoying these boomer-y comments about my Glastonbury performance.” “before thanking those who gave her five star reviews. It’s really fascinating to me.
Charli XCX danced the TikTok routine and sang her song with Icona Pop, I Love It, and her popular hit Apple, which Gracie Abrams played the role of.
Fans accused the singer of miming during her Saturday night show at Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage, where she performed with Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts. The Scissors Sisters were playing on the Woodsies stage at the same time, so there was a need to have the venue closed because of the volume of attendees.
Some fans criticized the singer on Twitter/X. One person remarked, “Oh no, I can’t watch Scissor Sisters, and Charli XCX is bloody awful.” could actually be a haphazard miming. Depressingly disappointing for a Glastonbury Saturday night.
Another remarked, “Predictable but shameful that Charlie XCX is unable to sing live at Glasgow in #CharlixXCX.” And a third person claimed Charli xcx Embarressing that, while pretending to sing, she was walking around the stage.
Some people liked her set, but others adored it. #Glastonbury2025, “one wrote, while a second added: “Charli xcx killing it,” and you are now. “Charli xcx is taking over Glasto, she’s bloody amazing,” reads a third poem.
As they performed on the Pyramid stage earlier in the day, Pulp even made fun of the term “pulp summer,” which was a direct reference to Charli’s recognizable brat summer movement following the release of her album brat.
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LeBron James’ agent informed his agent that the 40-year-old has exercised an option to extend his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, making it a record-breaking 23rd NBA season.
After activating a $ 53 million (£41 million) player option for the 2025-26 season, Rich Paul stated that James, the NBA’s all-time top scorer, was aiming for a fifth Championship.
He is aware of the future-proofing plans the Lakers have. He appreciates a good chance of winning it all, he said to ESPN.
“We recognize the difficulty in achieving success while focusing on future goals.” At this point in LeBron’s life and career, we do want to know what’s best for him. The Lakers are supportive and want what’s best for him, and he wants to see how many seasons he has left count.
He became the NBA’s all-time top scorer by surpassing Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 38- 387-point mark in 2023. His most recent total is 42 and 184.
James’ NBA career began in 2003 when his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, selected him first overall.
The forward led Cleveland to their only NBA title with a success in 2016 before joining the Miami Heat in 2010, winning two titles, and winning two more.
Since 2018, he has assisted the Lakers in winning the NBA championship for the fourth time, making James the MVP of the final four games.
Lando Norris described his victory in the Austrian Grand Prix as “fulfilling” and “giving me good confidence” as he prepares for his Silverstone home race.
The McLaren driver’s third victory of the season and 15 points away from the Australian in the championship were the exact kind of races the McLaren driver needed, under intense pressure from team-mate Oscar Piastri.
Perhaps the most important aspect of this for Norris was that it served as confirmation of a positive trajectory he has been on in the past few weeks after a difficult start to the season – and that it helped lay the ghosts of the last race in Canada, where he retired after running into the back of his sister McLaren.
“It’s been a good clean weekend. I had a great time, I felt very at ease, and I was very proud of my car. It also performed exactly as I wanted and needed.
The pace has always been there at times, and it’s not that I’ve never been able to do it before. It’s just there’s been some different reasons for different things.
“I’m pretty happy coming in today and yesterday to do the job that I did,” I said.
“But it doesn’t come quickly,” he said. It doesn’t come just because I’ve turned up this weekend and things are better. I’m putting in a lot of effort.
Austria potentially a ‘ pivotal ‘ race
Norris was referring to the work that his team and driver have done this year to put him back on the map in the fight against Piastri.
Piastri took over that position from the start of this season after taking the title of best overall McLaren driver in 2024.
Norris ‘ win in Austria still leaves him two victories short of Piastri’s tally in 2025, and the Australian still has four pole positions to his team-mate’s three. However, Austria had a number of potential pivotal races.
Norris won his second straight race victory in Monaco at the end of last month, which is significant.
After each race, McLaren and Norris met up with each other to discuss Canada, which team principal Andrea Stella described as a “benign situation” brought on by “a misjudgment of proximity to the car ahead” as they do with both drivers.
Stella explained that Piastri’s car was in “energy recovery mode” at the time, which caused the closing speed to be faster than Lando had anticipated, which Stella explained in Austria.
Stella added: “The conversations were all about the fact that the speed is there.
Lando won the title in Monaco with pole position. He was in line for pole position when he touched the wall during Canada qualifying. He was the fastest car in Canada in the race. Position polo in Austria.
“The execution is done, and results will come,” Lando said, “and the speed is there.”
Norris is “very resilient.”
Reuters
Norris has struggled this season not because of his lack of pace. It has been that he has been struggling to string laps together in qualifying to prove it. And that’s because of a particular car’s lack of feel from the front axle, which has affected him more than Piastri.
McLaren made a modification to the front suspension geometry specifically to lessen the drivers’ feelings of numbness or lack of cueing. Norris adopted it, and used it again in Austria. Because he thought he didn’t need it, Pirasti has not used it altogether.
This adjustment is not intended to be a performance improvement. But because it increases the feel provided to the driver through the steering mid-corner, which Norris relies on heavily, it allows him to access more of the potential of the car more easily.
Stella asserted that understanding what is happening with the front tires is more dependent on the feeling the driver has when using the steering wheel.
Oscar has access to it, but this almost seems like a set-up option. It’s not in itself something that increases the grip that you have available”.
Stella continued, “We are in a time where Lando is unquestionably resilient.
So, both from a technical and personal development perspective, Lando deserves praise for his efforts.
Piastri ‘ pushes the boundaries ‘
Images courtesy of Getty
The biggest margin of the season was the result of a quite impressive pole position lap in Austria.
Due to a spin for Pierre Gasly in the final corner, both Piastri and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen were unable to complete their final runs in qualifying, which exaggerated the gap.
Nevertheless, all Norris ‘ rivals were impressed by his lap time, and he never looked like being beaten to pole.
A different issue existed regarding the race. The two McLarens engaged in a close fight during the opening session. Piastri’s pass of Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari into Turn One after the start allowed him to be within one second of Norris at the end of the first lap, and that gave him the use of the DRS overtaking aid, which gives a 0.7-second advantage.
Piastri was able to press on Norris in turn because of this. Norris had no chance of regaining his battery’s full potential, despite having to defend. It meant the two McLarens were tied together for the first stint.
Piastri passed him into Turn Three on lap 11, but Norris resisted and won the position at Turn Four after a few errors from his part in the final two corners of lap 10.
After nine laps, Piastri made a daring inside-the-wall dive at Turn Four, locking his brakes and nearly collecting his team-mate. That earned him a censure from the team for taking too big a risk with the cars, something Piastri said was “fair comment”.
He continued, “Locking up and missing your team-mate’s back by not a lot is definitely pushing the limits.” I didn’t believe it was a wise decision to try that one again, even if I hadn’t been told anything.
” It was close at some points, probably pushing the limits a bit much from my side once or twice.
“But we’re competing for race victories in Formula 1,” he said. It will be a lot of work and effort. I thought it was an entertaining race. Maybe we didn’t do what was right by Lando after the first stop, but the first 20 laps were pretty intense. It was a good fight, then.
Silverstone is perceived as a “positive distraction.”
Austria was a race that made observers be thankful McLaren are operating a policy of open competition between their drivers, for Norris and Piastri were in a league of their own.
Stella acknowledged that this was influenced by a new front wing, new suspension fairings, and brake ducts from the front of the car.
As for how much they have improved the team in comparison to the rest of the field, Stella also noted that McLaren would have been more advantageous on Austria because their car was already capable in long, medium-speed corners like those that constitute the final two-thirds of the Red Bull Ring lap. And also that Norris is “a little bit of a specialist in Austria”.
Mercedes and Red Bull both have reasons to believe they can put up more of a fight at Silverstone when the two teams next compete.
Norris claims that he is “excited” for “the best race weekend of the year” in his post-wince.
And he rejected the idea that he was under any extra pressure there.
He said, “Of course, it’s where I want to win more than anywhere else, but it doesn’t change anything.” Every morning when I wake up, it just makes me smile a little bit more.
” It probably distracts me in a good way more than anything… more of a positive distraction, I would say, more than a pressure.