The assessment by the Director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, Carlo Buontempo, on the current heatwave hitting Europe is clear.

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“There’s a clear need to develop strategies to cope with these extremes (as) they have the potential to kill us,” Buontempo warned.

He made the comments on Euronews’ flagship morning programme Europe Today on Friday — a day where extreme weather warnings have been issued for France, Belgium, Germany and Britain, following half-a-week of soaring temperatures sizzling capitals and citizens.

These increased temperatures are “a natural consequence of the fact that the world is warming up”, Buontempo said. These temperatures have affected the “frequency, intensity, duration, and onset” of heatwaves.

The climate expert hailing from the Bonn-based research centre called on both cities and citizens to act, arguing that the design of the former must improve and that it is key to develop “habits and actions” on a personal level to keep us cool and safe.

Buontempo said these solutions could “reduce heat-related mortality, which has gone up in Europe by 30% in the last 20 years.”

What has also gone up massively, he said, is the number of cities that have a climate adaptation plans. This includes larger greener areas, more insulated houses, and changing opening hours of businesses and offices.

“For many cities we are not there yet, but for many others at least we have now a plan and it is not abstract. It is affecting us today in our backyard,” Buontempo added.

Asked whether the EU should take action and establish a single policy approach to address global warming, he said that there is not a one-size fits all solution. But there is an opportunity to learn from partners.

“We should do more in that respect,” he said, adding: “What people do in Athens could be applied to Copenhagen.”

On where the limit lies in terms of rising temperatures, Buontempo maintained that they “will continue to go up even if we were to stop emissions tomorrow, which we are not.”

Despite the gloom and gloom of climate change, he said knowledge is power.

“We can use this information, which is open and free for everyone. If we didn’t have it, we would be blind and facing a bigger risk,” Buontempo said.

Watch today’s episode of Europe Today in full.

TYRE, Lebanon (AP) — Hassan Ammar is based in Beirut, Lebanon, and has worked for The Associated Press since 2008. Since 2016, he has been based in Beirut covering conflicts, politics, breaking news and daily life across Lebanon and the wider Middle East.

Here’s what he had to say about this extraordinary photo.

Why this photo?

I made this photograph while documenting the impact of the war between Israel and Hezbollah on civilians in southern Lebanon. I was working on a story about families who had been displaced by the conflict and were beginning to return to their homes. While much of the damage was visible outside, I was interested in documenting the quieter moments inside people’s homes and how they were adapting to life after the fighting. When I entered this apartment, the unusual atmosphere immediately caught my attention and felt like a powerful way to tell that story.

How I made this photo

The image was made in the southern Lebanese city of Tyre while I was covering the aftermath of the conflict. I had knocked on the door of an apartment to ask permission to photograph damaged buildings from the balcony. As soon as I entered, the intense red light filling the room caught my attention. The apartment’s balcony glass had been shattered by nearby strikes, and the residents had hung a red sheet over the opening to provide privacy and block the strong sunlight. With no electricity in the area, the room was almost completely dark, creating a dramatic contrast between the glowing red fabric and the deep shadows.

As the apartment owners were working to secure and cover the damaged balcony doors, I noticed the silhouette created by the afternoon sun shining through the red sheet. The dark curtains framing the opening added another layer to the scene, almost like a theater stage, helping draw the viewer’s eye toward the bright red light. I began looking for a composition that would emphasize the unusual light and mood. I was not specifically expecting a person to appear in the frame, but after a short moment someone moved behind the fabric and pressed a hand against it. That simple gesture immediately transformed the scene, giving the image a human presence and emotional weight.

The photograph was made with a Sony A1 and a 24-70mm lens. I exposed for the bright red fabric and the silhouette created by the sunlight while allowing the rest of the room to fall into deep shadow. The contrast between the glowing red light, the dark interior and the curtains framing the scene helped create the dramatic atmosphere I was trying to convey.

Why this photo works

For me, the photograph works because it conveys a sense of confinement, uncertainty and human vulnerability without showing a face. The hand becomes a symbol of the people living through the conflict, while the red light can evoke different emotions, including danger, fear and resilience. The image leaves room for interpretation while remaining rooted in a real situation. When I reviewed the photograph on the back of my camera, I felt it captured something deeper than a simple news image. It expressed the emotional and psychological atmosphere many civilians were experiencing after months of war.

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For more extraordinary AP photography, click here.

After spending 10 days in an induced coma following a shark attack on a Sydney, Australia beach, a woman uttered her first three words this week.

Leah Stewart awoke and told her family, “I love you” on Tuesday while recuperating at a hospital, according to her brother, who wrote the update on a fundraising page.

“After a week of life-support and repeat[ed] surgeries, doctors were able to extubate Leah and reduce her level of sedation to bring her out of the induced coma for a short period of time,” Stewart said. “This allowed Leah to share her first words ‘I love you’ with her Mum and partner Fernando who have been by her side in ICU since the incident.”

He added that his sister’s “first thoughts were with her daughter August,” asking if she was OK.

SHARK ATTACK TURNS HOLIDAY BOATING TRIP INTO BLOODY FIGHT FOR TEEN’S SURVIVAL

The mid-30s mother and teacher has already been through five surgeries, including having an arm amputated.

She had been airlifted to a hospital in critical condition on the morning of June 13 at Coogee Beach, a popular weekend destination, after a shark bit her legs and arms.

HEART-POUNDING VIDEO SHOWS FISHERMAN LEAPING INTO OCEAN TO SAVE GREAT WHITE SHARK

Stewart was swimming near shore while a friend watched her daughter on the beach when the attack happened, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

“This is a lot faster than anyone expected, and for us this feels like a miracle and is everything so many of us have hoped and prayed for over the past week,” Stewart wrote on a fundraising page.

He added, “Leah has a long road ahead and still remains in critical care, but this is such a positive first step and gives us hope for Leah’s long-term recovery.”

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Stewart’s attack came after three men have been killed by sharks in Australia since May. A 12-year-old boy was also killed by a shark in Sydney Harbor in January.