Karbala (Iraq) (AFP) – At the entrance to central Iraq’s al-Hajarah desert thousands of young date palms form lines extending to the horizon. In a country once synonymous with the plant, these trees are central to efforts to preserve a threatened national icon.
Tokyo (AFP) – Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe train with their Paris Saint-Germain teammates at Tokyo’s Chichibunomiya rugby ground. PSG will play three local teams during their 10-day visit to Japan, starting with Wednesday’s game against J-League champions Kawasaki Frontale at Tokyo’s National Stadium.
London (AFP) – As Britain faces its hottest ever day, all trains are cancelled from London’s Kings Cross station, leaving travellers stranded.
Brugelette (Belgium) (AFP) – Belgium’s Pairi Daiza Zoo is putting special measures in place to protect animals from the sweltering heat — including frozen snacks and extra showers.
London (AFP) – SOUNDBITE The UK Conservative Party’s “1922 Committee” announces the results from the latest round of voting in the party leadership contest. Rishi Sunak, former Finance Minister, is still in the lead with 118 votes. The fight for second place is tightening between former defence minister Penny Mordaunt (second place with 92 votes) and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss (third place with 86 votes). Longshot candidate Kemi Badenoch trailed on 59 votes and was therefore eliminated from the contest.
Brasília (AFP) – President Jair Bolsonaro once again questions the Brazilian electoral system, less than three months before the presidential election that all polls predict he will lose.
Tábara (Spain) (AFP) – In Spain, firefighters are battling deadly blazes in the northwestern province of Zamora. Residents are evacuating to temporary shelters as swathes of Europe wilt under scorching heat which is stretching emergency services.
La Teste-de-Buch (France) (AFP) – Raging wildfires have reached the forest of France’s famed ‘Dune du Pilat’, Europe’s tallest sand dune, prompting evacuations as Europe swelters under a scorching heatwave.
Baalbek (Lebanon) (AFP) – The Roman ruins of Baalbek lit up for an evening performance by Simon Ghraichy and Rana Gorgani during Lebanon’s annual Baalbek International Festival.
London (AFP) – Images of sunrise in London on Tuesday as the UK faces another day of soaring temperatures. In Britain, forecasters said the current national record of 38.7 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit) could be broken and 40C breached for the first time, with experts blaming climate change and predicting more frequent extreme weather to come. IMAGES
Kailua Kona (United States) (AFP) – Massive waves crash an outdoor wedding reception in Kailua-Kona, on Hawaii’s Big island, amid a tropical storm.
United Nations (United States) (AFP) – Britain’s Prince Harry addresses the United Nations General Assembly at its annual celebration of Nelson Mandela International Day. “As we sit here today our world is on fire,” says Prince Harry.
