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Meteorologists are warning temperatures will hit new record highs across southern Europe this week.

The latest forecasts show peaks of 44C (111F) on multiple days, with temperatures consistently in the high 30s and low 40s across the region.

The Foreign Office has issued extreme weather warnings for Britons travelling to Italy, Spain or Greece, advising them to heed local advice but that they won’t be compensated if they choose to cancel their trips.

The European Space Agency has also warned other countries, including France, Germany and Poland, will face extreme heat this week.

Heatwave latest: Follow our blog for the latest world weather news

It is forecast to intensify in the next two days and could last into August, the World Meteorological Organisation has said.

A new anticyclone, named Charon after the Greek mythological boatman who ferries souls to the underworld, is behind the heatwave.

So, what’s going on where you are heading on holiday?

Check the latest weather forecast where you’re going here

A view of a burning forest fire close to homes, near Puntagorda on the Canary Island of La Palma, Saturday,  July 15, 2023. Spanish authorities say that they have preemptively evacuated some 500 people to avoid a wildfire that has broken out on the Canary island of La Palma. The fire coincides with a heatwave that is hitting southern Europe. Spain recorded record high temperatures in 2022 and this spring as it endures a prolonged drought. (Europa Press via AP)
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Pic: AP

Spain

The heatwave in Spain is still set to intensify, with temperatures predicted to reach 44C in the Guadalquivir valley near Seville.

It comes as wildfires continue to burn out of control on the Spanish Canary Island of La Palma. More than 4,000 residents were forced to flee their homes on Saturday.

The fire has affected more than 4,600 hectares (11,300 acres) of forest in the north of the island.

More than 300 firefighters, nine water-carrying helicopters and two planes are being used to try to extinguish the blaze.

Spain’s Aemet weather agency said the heatwave this week “will affect a large part of the countries bordering the Mediterranean”.

The agency says it expects temperatures to drop sometime on Wednesday.

Italy

Hot weather alerts have been issued for at least nine cities in Italy as the country braces for record temperatures.

Highs of 45C (113F) have been predicted.

The alerts are in place for major tourist destinations including Rome, Florence and Bologna as well as Palermo in Sicily and Bari in the southeast of the peninsula.

A dog is refreshed by his owner at the Barcaccia fountain of Rome's Spanish Steps, Monday, July 10, 2023. An intense heat wave has reached Italy, bringing temperatures close to 40 degrees Celsius in many cities across the country. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
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Pic: AP

Italy’s health minister Orazio Schillaci urged people to take care when visiting tourist hotspots including Rome’s famous ruins.

“Going to the Colosseum when it is 43C (109.4F) is not advisable, especially for an elderly person,” he told Il Messaggero newspaper, saying people should stay under cover and avoid direct sunlight between 11am and 6pm.

Michelle from the U.S. uses a fan to shelter from the sun near the Colosseum during a heatwave across Italy, in Rome, Italy July 11, 2023. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapne

Meteorologists have said Europe’s highest recorded temperature of 48.8C (119.8F), registered in Sicily two years ago, could be exceeded in the coming days on the Italian island of Sardinia.

Power outages were hitting parts of Rome as electric grids struggled due to heavier demand from air conditioners.

Greece

Temperatures in Greece are predicted to keep rising this week before hitting highs of 43C (109F) in Athens on Saturday as a second heatwave hits.

Wildfires in two areas around the capital have triggered evacuation orders for at least six seaside communities and the Greek meteorological service has warned of a high risk of fire this week.

The first blaze, which swept through forest land in Dervenochoria 19 miles north of Athens, is still intensifying.

Another fire, which began in the village of Kouvaras 17 miles southeast of the Greek capital, has spread to the coastal towns of Anavyssos, Lagonisi and Saronida and forced people to flee their homes.

A large crowd of tourists visit the Parthenon Temple on the Acropolis Hill on this hot day
Pic:AP
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Pic: AP

The country’s weather agency says the heat won’t change too dramatically before Wednesday, with highs of 39C (102F) in the east and 41C (106F) in the west.

Pic: AP
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Pic: AP

But it predicts that from Thursday a new heatwave will engulf most areas of the country, with minimum temperatures reaching up to 43C (109F) on the mainland, 41C (106F) on the Ionian islands and 38C (100F) on the Aegean islands.

Tours of the Acropolis monuments have resumed normal opening hours after closing for three days during the hottest part of the day over the weekend.

Cyprus

Similarly to Greece, a second heatwave at the end of this week will bring temperatures of 40C (104F) to Cyprus.

Those flying into Paphos can expect temperatures in the early 30s, with Larnaca in the north slightly higher.

According to the Cyprus Department of Meteorology: “The maximum temperature is expected to reach around 40 degrees over inland areas and around 32 degrees Celsius over the highest mountainous areas.

“During Friday and Saturday the temperature is expected to increase further.”

Turkey

Temperatures in Antalya are currently the highest in Turkey at 39C (102F), followed closely by Adana at 37C (98F).

It is not included in the Foreign Office’s extreme weather travel advice, but a second heatwave is due to hit elsewhere by the weekend.

Istanbul, Turkey
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Istanbul, Turkey

Croatia

Similarly in Croatia, holidaymakers can expect temperatures in the mid-to-low 30s, with areas around Split currently the hottest. The country will hit by even warmer weather as the weekend approaches but is not included in UK heightened travel advice.

Wildfires in Grebastica on the coast caused damage last week.

Read more:
British holidaymakers are changing their plans as temperatures surge

France

Extreme temperatures are not expected in most of France according to the national forecaster Meteo France.

An orange weather warning, the second-highest alert, has been issued for some areas along the Mediterranean coast.

Temperatures are predicted to reach 34-36C around Marseille by Wednesday, with Paris staying slightly cooler at 29C (84F).

Poland

Storm warnings are in place across southern Poland.

Near Krakow, forecasters predict severe thunder and lightning as well as winds of up to 55mph (90km) and 2 inches (50mm) of rain.

Temperatures are set to peak at 26C (79F) on Wednesday following highs of 35C (95F) last week.

Germany

Forecasters predict temperatures will also rise slightly in Germany.

Highs of 25C (77F) are expected while yellow weather warnings are in place in some regions due to wind gusts.

USA and Mexico

Outside of Europe – southern US states and northern areas of Mexico are also experiencing heatwave conditions, with Phoenix in Arizona expected to surpass its hottest-ever temperature on Tuesday after 43.3C (110F) was recorded on Monday.

Soaring temperatures in California and other parts of the south are due to continue into next week.

A view of a digital sign displaying the high temperature in Death Valley, California, U.S. July 15, 2023. REUTERS/Jorge Garcia
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Death Valley, California

The east coast has been hit by flash floods, with at least three dead in Pennsylvania, and storms in the Midwest have left people in Kansas and Missouri without power.

Several flights were cancelled and delayed around New York on Sunday, with Canadian wildfires still causing heat and air pollution issues in the north of the US.

UK

While Europe is sweltering, forecasters say there is a low chance of the UK having a heatwave this summer, with the country not seeing any hot summer weather until mid-August.

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‘Rapper’ who murdered schoolboy recalled to prison after ‘boasting about his violent crime’, Probation Service says

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'Rapper' who murdered schoolboy recalled to prison after 'boasting about his violent crime', Probation Service says

The man who served 14 years in jail for the murder of schoolboy Jimmy Mizen has been recalled to prison for breaching his licence conditions.

It follows reporting in The Sun newspaper that Jake Fahri, 35, was a drill rapper releasing music under the name TEN, who conceals his identity with a balaclava, and was played on BBC 1Xtra.

A Probation Service spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with Jimmy Mizen’s family who deserve better than to see their son’s murderer shamelessly boasting about his violent crime.”

Jimmy’s father Barry told Sky News: “We’re not gloating or anything, in a way it’s quite sad.”

His son bled to death after Fahri threw an oven dish at him in a south London bakery on 10 May 2008.

The dish shattered on his chin and severed an artery in the schoolboy’s neck.

Fahri was 19 when he was given a life sentence in 2009 with a minimum term of 14 years and was released on licence in June 2023.

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His music was played on BBC 1Xtra less than 18 months later, the Sun reported, adding that DJ Theo Johnson named him an “up-and-coming star”.

Undated Family handout photo of 16-year-old Jimmy Mizen. Comedian Harry Hill will today present the keys of two minibuses in memory of the murdered schoolboy. Just days before the anniversary of the teenager's death on May 10, Hill will hadn over the keys of the "Jimmybuses" which will help Scouts travel around the UK.
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Jimmy Mizen. Pic: PA

Jimmy’s father earlier said he and his wife Margaret were “stunned into silence” when they were told about Fahri’s music, which often features violent themes.

In one song, which appears to reference Jimmy’s death, he raps about “sharpening” a blade.

“Judge took a look at me, before the trial even started he already knows he’s gonna throw the book at me,” the lyrics say.

Another track includes the lines: “See a man’s soul fly from his eyes and his breath gone… I wanted more, it made it less wrong. Seeing blood spilled same floor he was left on.”

The BBC has said the artist’s tracks do not feature on any BBC playlists, and that a track which appeared to reference Jimmy’s death had never been played on its channels.

A spokesman for the broadcaster added there were “no further plans to play his music”, adding: “We were not aware of his background and we in no way condone his actions.”

Read more from Sky News:
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A Probation Service spokesperson said: “All offenders released on licence are subject to strict conditions. As this case shows, we will recall them to prison if they break the rules.”

Jimmy’s parents founded the Mizen Foundation after their son’s death. The charity helps young people in London who are escaping violence.

Mr Mizen said: “It appears that if he’s been recalled to prison, he must’ve breached his licence conditions

“What happens next, we’ve absolutely no idea.”

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Madeleine McCann suspect won’t face charges for foreseeable future, prosecutor tells Sky News

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Madeleine McCann suspect won't face charges for foreseeable future, prosecutor tells Sky News

The man suspected of abducting Madeleine McCann won’t face any charges in the foreseeable future, a prosecutor has told Sky News.

German drifter Christian B, who cannot be fully identified under his country’s privacy law, is expected to be freed from an unrelated jail sentence this year while police in three countries continue to search for evidence against him.

Prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters said: “There is currently no prospect of an indictment in the Maddie case.

“As things stand, the accused Christian B’s imprisonment will end in early September.”

Madeleine, aged three, was asleep with her younger twin siblings in the family’s Portuguese rented holiday apartment before mother Kate discovered her missing at around 10pm on 3 May, 2007.

Her parents were dining nearby on the complex with friends and taking turns to check on all their sleeping children every half an hour.

A man, who is a suspect in the disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann in Portugal, stands next to his lawyer Friedrich Fuelscher at his trial on unrelated sexual assault charges in Braunschweig, Germany, October 2, 2024. Christian B., is charged with three counts of aggravated rape and two counts of sexual abuse of children in Portugal between June 2007 and December 2000. Moritz Frankenberg/Pool via REUTERS
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Christian B at his trial on unrelated sexual assault charges in Germany last year. Pic: Reuters

Madeleine’s disappearance has become the world’s most mysterious missing child case.

Philipp Marquort, one of Christian B’s defence lawyers, welcomed the prosecutor’s pessimism about bringing charges.

He said: “This confirms the suspicions that we have repeatedly expressed, namely that there is no reliable evidence against our client.

“We regret that we have not yet been granted access to the investigation files. We have not yet been able to effectively counter the public prejudice arising from statements made by the prosecutor’s office.”

Christian B, 47, is in jail and coming to the end of his sentence for the rape of an elderly American woman in Praia da Luz, the Portuguese resort where Madeleine disappeared.

In October, he was acquitted on a series of rape and indecent assault charges after a non-jury trial in Germany, in which several references were made to his status as the main suspect in the Madeleine case.

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File photo dated 30/04/17 of Kate and Gerry McCann, whose daughter Madeleine disappeared from a holiday flat in Portugal seventeen years ago. They have released a statement on the 17th anniversary of her disappearance, saying "the absence still aches". Earlier this week, it was confirmed that up to a further ..192,000 has been granted by the Home Office for the Scotland Yard investigation into Madeleine's disappearance. Issue date: Friday May 3, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story POLICE Portugal. Photo credit should read: Joe Giddens/PA Wire....
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Kate and Gerry McCann. Pic: PA

The prosecutor said he was awaiting the court’s written judgment before launching an appeal against the acquittal. He believes the trial judges were biased against the prosecution.

If successful, he could apply for a new arrest warrant for Christian B to keep him in custody until a retrial with new judges.

He said: “We hope that the Federal Court of Justice will decide before the end of the accused’s imprisonment. If the Federal Court follows our legal opinion, we could apply for a new arrest warrant for the accused’s offences, so that the accused would then remain in custody beyond September 2025.

Mr Marquort said the defence team would oppose the prosecution’s appeal against the acquittal.

Prosecutor Mr Wolters has said in the past that he believes Madeleine is dead and that Christian B was responsible for her death. The suspect denies any involvement.

The case against Christian B is purely circumstantial; he’s alleged to have confessed to a friend that he abducted Madeleine, he has convictions for sex crimes against children, he was living in the area at the time, his mobile phone was close by when the young girl vanished and he re-registered one of his vehicles the next day.

The prosecutor won’t say what evidence he has to convince him Madeleine is dead, but he admitted he is still trying to find forensic evidence to link Christian B to the girl.

Christian B is acquitted of sex attacks not related to the Madeleine McCann case
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Christian B coming to the end of his sentence for the rape of an elderly woman

Jim Gamble, former head of the UK Child Exploitation and Online Protection centre, said he had expected the prosecutor to charge Christian B soon.

“He’s implied the whole way through that he has something more than the public are aware of,” he said.

“He’s made fairly definitive statements about whether Madeleine is alive or dead so you would expect their strategy to have been to charge him sooner rather than later.

“From what he’s said today I wonder if we’re witnessing the re-positioning of something to manage the disappointment that’ll come.”

Mr Wolters, who is based in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, is investigating the case with the help of Portuguese police and detectives from Scotland Yard.

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Man arrested after death of woman and two-year-old girl found with serious injuries in Ashford, Surrey

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Man arrested after death of woman and two-year-old girl found with serious injuries in Ashford, Surrey

A man has been arrested after the death of a woman in her 20s and a two-year-old girl was found with serious injuries in Surrey.

The man, in his 30s, has been detained on suspicion of murder and attempted murder, Surrey Police said.

Officers went to a property in Woodthorpe Road, Ashford, at 1.15pm on Thursday following a report of concern for safety.

The woman and child were found at the address with serious injuries and despite treatment from paramedics, the woman died at the scene.

The child was taken to hospital.

Officers said the victim and the suspect were known to each other.

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A forensics officer at the scene at Imtech House on Woodthorpe Road in Ashford, Surrey, after a woman in her 20s died and a two-year-old girl was found with serious injuries. A man in his 30s has been arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. Picture date: Friday January 17, 2025.
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Pic: PA

An investigation, led by the Surrey and Sussex Police Major Crime Team, is under way and inquiries remain ongoing, police said.

Senior Investigating Officer DCI Kimball Edey said specialist officers “are working around the clock to gather as much information as possible,” and that the force’s “thoughts are with the family and friends of the victims at this unbelievably difficult time”.

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