England head coach Thomas Tuchel has admitted he is not a fan of the controversial hydration breaks being used at the World Cup.

Tuchel, 52, was speaking before England’s second Group L game against Ghana in Boston on Wednesday (21:00 BST), where rain and cool temperatures are forecast.

England’s fans started the now customary jeering of the breaks when play was stopped in the first half of their opening game against Croatia in Dallas, despite the match being played under a roof in an air-conditioned arena.

The breaks will continue to be used in Boston irrespective of the weather, but Tuchel expressed his reservations about them and the impact they are having on games.

“I think that it interrupts and changes the identity of a football match much more than I thought. I had hydration breaks before when it was really, really hot and needed, but they were shorter,” Tuchel said.

“They were shorter and they were just in a few matches. In the interests of fairness here, it is now done in every match for every team.

“It breaks the match almost in four quarters. And I think it changes the characteristic of the match more than I thought.”

Massive downpours are set to hit areas across Scotland

Scotland is set to get drenched after torrential rain has been forecast within hours. The latest Met Office warning comes after a four-day amber heat warning with forecasters suggesting temperatures could reach 38C in parts of England this week.

But the Met Office maps also indicate that 21 areas across the UK, including Scotland, will see heavy rain fall today with up to 8mm forecast in the worst hit areas.

The weather agency’s maps for 12.45pm today show a large band of rain gripping almost the entirety of Scotland. The port city of Glasgow looks set to see the brunt of the miserable weather with 2mm of rain forecast per hour. Edinburgh, the Highlands, Stirling as well as Argyll and Bute will all see around 1mm of rain fall every hour, reports The Express.

Temperatures for Scotland will hover between 15C to 17C, a far cry from the 27C forecast for London and South Wales at midday today.

The band of rain will also cover parts of Northern Ireland with Antrim and Tyrone forecast 1mm of rain. By 7pm, the rain will have intensified, spreading across the South West and into the West Midlands.

Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Wiltshire will see a drenching with 4-8mm of rain forecast every hour. Meanwhile, Dorset will see the rainfall levels hover between 1-2mm.

Despite forecast rain, warm temperatures will persist in the South West with 27C forecast at 7pm. Cardiff will see the warmest weather in the country at this time with 29C forecast, while London will be just three degrees cooler.

Elsewhere, Manchester will see the mercury hit 27C whilst it will be 22C in Glasgow. The Met Office’s weather outlook for today reads: “The best of the sunshine will be across the southeast, where it will feel increasingly hot and humid.

“Elsewhere, it will be rather cloudy, with a little showery rain possible at times, particularly across parts of Scotland and northern England.”

The 21 areas forecast rain today

• Western Isles
• Highlands
• Argyll and Bute
• Perth and Kinross
• Stirling
• Clackmannanshire
• Fife
• Falkirk
• Dunbartonshire
• Glasgow
• Renfrewshire
• Inverclyde
• Ayrshire
• Dumfries and Galloway
• Antrim
• Tyrone
• Gloucestershire
• Worcestershire
• Wiltshire
• Dorset
• Shropshire
• Herefordshire

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The note was one of two addressed to Nancy Guthrie’s family and sent to news media in the days after her January kidnapping. The first demanded millions in bitcoin for her release, but the second stated that she had died, according to sources cited by CBS, the BBC’s US news partner.

The Tuesday letters page discusses the possibility of GTA 6 being cheaper than average, as a reader is very surprised to learn that God Of War Laufey was planned in 2018.

Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Mostly hardcore
I get that it’s not their fault, but the price of the Steam Machine is so ridiculous I’m surprised they didn’t cancel the whole thing. Although I suppose there’s enough hardcore Valve fans to sell whatever they’ve made so far.

I fear this is a sign of things to come for the PlayStation 6, especially if Sony is going to push ahead with a 2027 launch. The Steam Machine is in no way worth it, because you could just buy a better PC for the same price, but what do you do when the PlayStation 6 is £600+?

I’m not paying that, given I already can guarantee it won’t do much different, and I’d say I’m a pretty committed gamer, so I don’t see who else is going to bite on it.

This just convinces me further that there’s not going to be any PlayStation 6 exclusive games, it’s just going to be cross-gen all the way and spot the difference for the PlayStation 6 version.
Benson

Getting in early
I must say the price of the new Steam Machine was pretty much what I expected and I’m glad I pulled the trigger in January to get my first gaming PC. (Something I delayed since November, which cost me dearly!)

It’s a shame hardware has gone the way it has as the Steam Machine at last year’s prices really was an opportunity for them to shake things up a bit. I imagine there will be a rush on them regardless and they will be all over eBay when they first come out. But you’d have to be mad to order one when you can get a more powerful PC for that price point. Even a PlayStation 5 seems like a better deal and I’m speaking as an avid Steam Deck owner.
James

Weird delay
People talk about Nintendo’s weird choices of games to bring back but Capcom still not saying a word about Devil May Cry 6 has no explanation as far as I can see. There’s been more rumours about a new Ace Attorney than there has been a new Devil May Cry, and even when there is one it’s just a remake.

I’m not going to complain too much because clearly they know what they’re doing at the moment, given how successful they’ve been, but I don’t get it. Hopefully it’ll all be worth it when it’s out though, it’d be bad luck if Capcom tripped up with the one thing that should be an easy win for them.
Vate

Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Artificial art
I think it’s pretty obvious that lots of companies are going to try and make games using only AI but I have a hard time imagining they’ll be anything other than complete rubbish. Maybe you could make a match-three puzzler or something but I’d doubt even that.

Anyone thinking it’s possible is basically insulting the whole concept of video games and denying there’s any kind of art or skill to making them. It’s bad enough with movies, but at least then a skilled person can stitch the little 20 second clips together and try and make something from it. It always looks terrible but at least it works on some level. But a game? It’s impossible unless you’re just talking about a map or something.

I have a nasty feeling we’re going to have to wait years, see tons of people put out of work, and waste millions of dollars before publishers realise this.
Stamper

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Game not included
Somebody in the Underbox yesterday mentioned about collector’s editions of games being released without a game. I tried to reply but could not because the comments section would not let me post this:

This happened to one of the Xenoblade games on Switch 1, the standard game got released but the collector’s edition was delayed by production delays, so when they actually released the collector’s edition they did not include a game with it as most fans would have bought the game physically or digitally already.
Andrew J.

GC: It’s happened more often than just that. It’s common that the really expensive collector’s editions, with the statutes and whatnot, don’t actually include the game.

Below standard
My guess for the GTA 6 price is that there be one version of the game, maybe the standard version or something else, that’ll actually be cheaper than normal, maybe around £40. I think they will want to lower the barrier for entry, not build it up.

They’ll take something out though, maybe make it only one city or something, because what they’ll be desperate to do is get people onto the online mode. The reality is the story campaign is really only an attract mode for the online. That’s where all the money is and whatever billions they spend making it will be made back tenfold as soon as people start buying microtransactions online.

I’m sure there’ll be more expensive editions, and all the rest, but they’ll be for superfans, not the default. It’s just lucky for Rockstar they have plenty of superfans.

People don’t have a lot of spare cash nowadays but there’s so many that are going to make an exception for GTA 6. Even so, Rockstar will be very keen to get the money rolling in as soon as possible and, in my opinion, they’ll be more than happy to let the superfans subsidise the casuals, who will think spending £100 on a video game is madness.
Tacle

Trailer bingo
Is there going to be a Trailer 3 drop before pre-orders go live? Normally it’s a Tuesday, so if there isn’t one on Tuesday who knows when it’s going to drop.

But I am hopeful it will be the 25th, so they can get everyone talking about it and ordering and, yes, that’s right, I’ll be pre-ordering like I do with all my games.
David

GC: The last two might have been Tuesday but Rockstar gave advance warning for those. Anything is possible but Trailer 3 on Thursday is more probable and just doing it a different day entirely is equally as likely.

Long game
I can’t call the actress a liar, but I am shocked at the idea that God Of War Laufey was originally planned at the same time as the original game. That 2018 game was pretty grounded and serious but they were already talking about adding a talking gelatinous cube as a sidekick for Kratos’ wife (who they didn’t even think to show until Ragnarök)? I find that very hard to believe.

Laufey seems such a sharp change in tone I figured the original plan was to make Atreus the new main character, but then they realised that nobody really liked him, so they switched to his mum instead. I’m fine with that, because I don’t like him either and I’m fine with the combat being more like Devil May Cry, but it does all seem a strange direction to go in, especially if it’s all part of some 10 year plan they had all along.

I do think Kratos has to die pretty soon in one of these games. He needs some kind of big heroic closure to his character, not to be a Sony mascot they dig out every five years. We also need to be shown what’s going on with Earth and what gods actually exist and which don’t.

I’m going to make a wild bet and say no modern religion is going to be featured so I really don’t see were that whole side of the story is going to go. The action in the Laufey trailer looked good but the whole gods from different religion thing made me think of that awful Thor movie with Russel Crowe as Zeus. I’m sure Laufey won’t get that wacky but I’m not sure it’s going to end up making much more sense.
Zeiss

Inbox also-rans
All I can say about the Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake is that they better make sure the ReDead and Forest Temple are scary. Those sections were great in the original and I’d hate if they’re softened for the remake.
Engles

So another day goes by and no Half-Life 3 annoucement, eh? I hope the Steam Machines problems are going to get that cancelled, if it actually exists.
Ginger

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MORE: Games Inbox: Is Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 set to be a flop?

MORE: Games Inbox: What’s the point of pre-ordering GTA 6?

MORE: Games Inbox: Do you need to buy a PS5 Pro to play GTA 6?

No matter how hot it gets, many men will not wear shorts to work for fear of appearing unprofessional.

The UK is experiencing an intense heatwave which is expected to see temperatures surge to nearly 40°C. The Met Office has issued a very rare red warning for extreme heat and schools in parts of England are closing early. In Wales, schools have been given the choice whether to close.

But no matter how hot it gets, many men will not swap trousers for shorts in the workplace — but is this because their employer has told them not to? Or is it for fear of standing out, appearing unprofessional or believing that it would be “frowned on”?

Of course, there are two separate considerations here: one is where you stand from a legal or professional standpoint, the other is where you stand from a fashion or sartorial standpoint.

Can it be legally too hot to work?

The Unison and TUC unions want “a specific legal maximum temperature for indoor work of 30°C, or 27°C for strenuous work”. However, the UK’s Health and Safety Executive says: “There’s no law for maximum working temperature, or when it’s too hot to work, because every workplace is different. No meaningful upper limit can be imposed because in many indoor workplaces high temperatures are not seasonal but created by work activity, for example in bakeries or foundries.”

However, it also says that employers must stick to health and safety at work law, including “keeping the temperature at a comfortable level” and “providing clean and fresh air”.

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations “require employers to provide a reasonable indoor temperature in the workplace”. And under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, employers must “assess the risks to workers” and “put controls in place to protect them”.

The HSE says: “Temperature in the workplace is one of the risks you should assess, whether the work is being done indoors or outdoors. You should consult with workers or their representatives on the best ways to cope with high or low temperatures.”

While the Approved Code of Practice on the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations does suggest a minimum temperature for working indoors (normally at least 16°C or 13°C “if much of the work involves rigorous physical effort”), there is no maximum temperature for workplaces.

Instead, all workers are “entitled to an environment where risks to their health and safety are properly controlled”. Heat is classed as a hazard and comes with legal obligations like any other hazard and so employers must decide what a reasonable temperature should be in the workplace.

Can I refuse to work if it’s too hot?

You can, but you would probably not be protected in law. Allan McDougall Solicitors state that “although the Employment Rights Act 1996 states that where a worker reasonably believes that they are in serious and imminent danger and they cannot reasonably be expected to avert that danger, they have the right not be dismissed or subject to detriment (such as wage docking) if they leave or refuse to attend work while the danger persists”.

However, they stress that “the wording of these statutes does not give an absolute right to withdraw your labour if you consider the workplace is too hot” and add “there is no guarantee that should you leave site or refuse to attend work and then be dismissed or subject to detriment, that you would have a legal remedy, or be successful at tribunal”.

Can I wear shorts to work?

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations require employers to provide a reasonable indoor temperature in the workplace. An employer should assess the risks to its workers and put controls in place to protect them. Temperature certainly counts as a risk.

And while there is no legal maximum temperature for working, the HSE says employers should provide “a reasonable working temperature in workrooms”, though it leaves the definition of “reasonable” to the employer. It says that employers can consider changing usual work arrangements to avoid people getting too hot and that this includes

• flexible working patterns
• allowing enough breaks to allow workers to get cold drinks or cool down
• relaxing formal dress codes.

When it comes to relaxing the dress code, Allan McDougall Solicitors state that “although an employee can compel you to wear a certain uniform or abide by a dress code, depending on the circumstances of your workplace it may be reasonable for an employer to relax formal dress code policies to reduce the risk of excessive heat”.

But for many people the question is less a legal one than a fashion one. Sophie Jordan, menswear buying director at fashion firm Mytheresa, told Esquire: “It ultimately depends on the culture of the workplace, but shorts can feel entirely appropriate when approached with a more refined sensibility.”

Kit Swann, fashion editor at Mr Porter, told Esquire: “For me, it depends on the shorts and where you work, but largely I don’t see a reason why you couldn’t wear shorts to the office.”

Following reported leadership turbulence at Westminster involving Keir Starmer, attention is now turning to who could steer the UK through its next economic chapter – and ‘the king of the north’ is increasingly being talked about as a frontrunner.

For millions of households struggling with bills, mortgage pressure and transport costs, the big question is simple: would a Burnham-led approach make life cheaper?

Keir has given huge service to our country and I want to thank him for his leadership and dedication during such a challenging period.

His decision marks the beginning of a transition and it is important that this process is conducted in an orderly and responsible way. I will…

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— Andy Burnham (@AndyBurnhamGM) June 22, 2026

A ‘final chance’ to reset the economy

Burnham has already signalled he would broadly stick to fiscal discipline, including working within the framework set out by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, calming fears among investors that Britain’s borrowing plans could spiral.

He has also backed key manifesto pledges not to raise income tax or national insurance for working people – a move likely to land well with squeezed households.

But his broader economic tone could look to put more money in lower and middle earners’ pockets than traditional Treasury thinking.

Burnham has spoken about:

• Cutting energy bills
• Reducing public transport fares
• Bringing key utilities under greater public control
• Driving a new wave of “re-industrialisation” in the North

Supporters say this could directly target the cost-of-living pressures felt in everyday life – from commuting costs to household energy bills.

Markets cautious but no big drops

Financial markets have so far reacted calmly to the political uncertainty, with traders largely expecting change already priced in.

However analysts warn that stability will depend heavily on who takes key roles in a future cabinet – especially the Chancellor.

Dan Coatsworth of AJ Bell said markets typically prefer predictability, noting that investors want a “credible plan where the maths stacks up”.

There is also speculation around potential cabinet figures, including Ed Miliband and others from Labour’s senior ranks.

What economists are saying

Economists suggest a Burnham-led economic agenda would likely lean left, with more spending and potentially looser fiscal rules – but not a reckless break from financial discipline.

He would look to balance:

• Higher public investment
• Selective tax increases
• Stronger regulation

But they also stressed he would likely avoid any “big bang” fiscal shock after past market turbulence in UK politics.

Recommended reading:

What could Andy Burnham as prime minister mean for your money?

The biggest impact of a leadership change may be felt not in Westminster, but in household budgets and the housing market.

Mortgage experts say uncertainty can affect:

• Swap rates
• Lender confidence
• Fixed mortgage pricing

However, many also stress that the housing market is already adapting to lower interest rate expectations and gradual mortgage reductions.

One key proposal gaining attention is the idea of stamp duty reform or abolition, which some advisers argue could immediately boost housing activity if delivered with a clear plan.

Despite political momentum, the financial sector is united on one point: clarity matters more than ideology.

Markets want:

• Clear funding plans
• Controlled borrowing
• Stable leadership
• Predictable tax policy

Without that, analysts warn borrowing costs could rise – feeding into mortgages, rents and wider inflation pressure.

Financial expert Kevin Mountford said political change matters most when it affects household confidence:

“Prices remain high, borrowing costs are still elevated, and many families are under pressure. Even without policy changes, uncertainty alone can make people more cautious.”

He added that savers should not wait for political stability before reviewing their finances, and borrowers should act early rather than delay decisions.

A potential Burnham-led government is increasingly being framed as a “people-first economic reset” — focused less on markets and more on the lived reality of household budgets.

Whether that becomes a boost for ordinary families or a source of new economic tension will depend on one thing:

Can growth, spending and stability be balanced at the same time?

Former Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is expected to give a speech on fiscal policy next week after returning to Westminster as an MP following his Makerfield by-election victory

Andy Burnham is poised to pledge economic growth and commit to Labour’s budget rules as he looks to strengthen his financial credentials following Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation, which has left him almost certain to walk through the door of No 10.

The former Greater Manchester mayor is expected to deliver a speech on fiscal policy next week, as first reported by The Times, after making his return to Westminster as an MP off the back of his Makerfield by-election win.

Discussions are also said to be under way regarding a potential reshaped Cabinet, with Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood both mooted as possible candidates to take over from Rachel Reeves as chancellor. However, Mr Burnham’s allies insisted that no positions had been handed out and no agreements struck as of Monday evening.

The likelihood of an uncontested path to the top job for the former mayor grew stronger on Monday, as his principal rival, former health secretary Wes Streeting, threw his support behind him to succeed Sir Keir.

Yet Darren Jones is reportedly considering whether to throw his hat into the ring, which could throw a spanner in the works for Mr Burnham, following reports that Starmer loyalists were encouraging him to stand.

Sources close to the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister indicated he was not currently inclined to enter the race, but that he would seek guarantees on economic policy, amid concerns among some quarters about potential market jitters.

Should Mr Burnham be the sole candidate to secure the backing required to stand, he could be installed as prime minister as early as mid-July. In an emotional address outside No 10 on Monday, the Prime Minister conceded he had lost the backing of his MPs and vowed an “orderly handover of power” to whoever succeeds him.

Standing by his record, he pledged to give the next leader “my full and unequivocal support, knowing that they will inherit a Britain that is far stronger and fairer than the one I inherited two years ago”.

Sir Keir announced he would ask Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) to set out a timetable that would see a new leader in place by the time Parliament returns from its summer recess on September 1.

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However, the appointment of a new leader could happen considerably sooner, with nominations closing on July 16.

Prospective candidates have until that date to secure the backing of at least 81 Labour MPs. On Monday evening, Sir Keir and his wife Victoria welcomed No 10 staff for drinks in the No 10 garden, where the couple expressed their gratitude to those gathered.

Lady Starmer told them: “I just wanted to say thank you from me. I obviously love Keir and support him as much as I can, but there’s only so much I could do, and it’s you guys who gave that support day in, day out, and I am personally really grateful for that. So, thank you all.”

Mr Burnham praised Sir Keir’s “huge service to our country” but said his resignation “marks the beginning of a transition”. He said: “The Labour movement has always been at its strongest when it looks forward with confidence and purpose. This is what we will do from here and we will make sure this transition is a positive process of renewal for our party and our country.”

Follow our live blog for the latest politics news by clicking here.

The second half of the World Cup clash between France and Iraq has been delayed due to rain and lightning in the surrounding area

France’s World Cup clash against Iraq has been delayed due to lightning and adverse weather conditions at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field.

The second half of the Group I fixture was due to commence just after 6pm local time (11pm BST), but has been pushed back due to lightning after heavy rain impacted the first half.

A 75-minute delay has thus far played out but it looks as though the second half is finally set to begin with the players back out on the pitch to conduct a short warm-up. The plan is for the game to then resume at 7:30 ET.

A FIFA statement on the situation stated: “Due to adverse weather conditions in Philadelphia, including the risk of lightning in the vicinity of the stadium, the Fifa World Cup match between France and Iraq has been suspended.

“A 30-minute break has been announced. However, the situation is still being observed to determine if further delays are anticipated.

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“Fifa will follow the safety protocols established by the local authorities, and the match will resume as soon as it is safe to do so. The safety and security of all individuals is Fifa’s priority. We thank all fans for their understanding and cooperation.”

No other World Cup matches have thus far been halted or postponed due to heavy rain or lightning but England’s friendly against New Zealand was pushed back by over one hour because of stormy conditions.

Kelly Cates had announced the delay during BBC’S half-time analysis. She said: “There is a delay to the start of the second-half, there’s what they call lightning activity in the area around the stadium in Philadelphia.

“So they’re going to wait until that passes. Fans are being asked to take shelter outside of the stadium bowl itself. There are really strong safety protocols in place in the United States.

“So they’re just going to go get everybody safe, and then the minute there hasn’t been any lightning activity for 15 minutes, the players will come out and then they will warm up for 15 minutes, and then the second-half will get underway. Fingers crossed, we’re hoping that the storm is going to pass in plenty of time.”

The issues at the 2025 Club World Cup and delays to England’s pre-tournament friendly earlier this month, it is somewhat shocking that it has taken this long for another weather-related problem to emerge.

Despite the warnings, BBC have shown multiple shots of the stadium with many viewers still outside. Mass rain appears set to continue into the evening but lightning is not expected for much longer.

That could be enough to cause more delays of potentially up to an hour, however it will certainly be hoped that there is no lightning activity going forward as that will allow players to start a 15-minute warm-up.

The beaming sun has caused more controversy so far at the tournament with hydration breaks booed. The hope from FIFA will be that no more severe weather impacts fixtures, particularly with the final group-stage games all kicking off at the same time.

US President Donald Trump had a close relationship with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer – until it unravelled over disagreements on the war in Iran.

In the wake of Starmer’s resignation announcement, the BBC’s Sarah Smith looks at the relationship between both leaders, and what Trump will want from UK’s next prime minister.

Heat is no longer a future climate risk. It is already here.

Across continents, high temperatures are being pushed higher by forces acting at once: human-caused warming, very warm oceans, dry soils, slow-moving high-pressure weather systems and El Niño conditions that have now developed in the tropical Pacific.

El Niño is a natural warming of part of the tropical Pacific that can shift weather patterns around the world. It is not the cause of climate change, but when it develops in a climate already warmed by greenhouse gas pollution, it can add another push to global temperatures and regional extremes.

The science is clear. Greenhouse gases have raised the baseline, so heatwaves now begin from a warmer starting point. Record ocean heat adds more energy to the climate system. Dry ground can intensify heat, because less of the sun’s energy goes into evaporating water from soil and plants, and more goes into heating the air.

Weather patterns decide where that heat lands. A “heat dome” happens when a high-pressure system settles over a region. Air sinks, clouds are suppressed and temperatures can climb for days. The danger grows when nights remain hot, because bodies, buildings and infrastructure get little chance to cool.

El Niño’s effects vary by region and season, so it will not explain every heatwave in 2026. But it is now being added to long-term warming, and that combination can raise the risk of more extreme heat, drought or heavy rainfall in some regions, including parts of Asia, Australia and the Americas.

In the UK, Kew Gardens reached 35.1°C in late May, provisionally breaking the national May temperature record for the second day in a row. The previous record, before the 2026 heat, was 32.8°C, reached in 1922 and 1944.

Elsewhere, the same pattern is visible. Spring 2026 was the hottest spring recorded in France since records began in 1900. In the United States, March 2026 was the warmest March on record for the contiguous US (the lower 48 states). India’s meteorological service issued an extended heatwave outlook into early July for parts of northern, central and eastern India, while China’s National Climate Center has forecast above-normal summer temperatures, especially in southern China and Xinjiang in the north west. In Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales have just had one of their ten warmest autumns on record.

Heat kills

Heat often kills without leaving obvious damage behind: it pushes bodies past what they can tolerate.

High temperatures can cause dehydration, strain the heart, worsen kidney disease and aggravate respiratory illness. Heat can also affect mental health and increase distress. Older people, babies, people with chronic illness, outdoor workers and those living alone are among those at higher risk.

Hot nights make heatwaves more dangerous because the body has less chance to recover. Research has linked high nighttime temperatures with increased heat-related deaths. In an overheated bedroom, care home or hospital ward, strain can continue for hours.

The death toll from heat is large, but often underestimated because heat may worsen existing illness rather than appear as the sole cause of death. A 2025 European analysis estimated 62,775 heat-related deaths in Europe in 2024 alone. The Lancet Countdown reports that heat-related deaths among older people have risen sharply, and that hundreds of thousands of people now die globally each year from heat.

Heat also puts pressure on the systems people rely on. Hospitals fill faster. Care homes become harder to cool. Rail lines buckle. Roads soften. Rivers warm and water quality declines. Electricity demand rises as people use fans and air-conditioning, while low river flows can affect water quality and supply. A power cut can disrupt cooling, transport, water systems, shops, hospitals and communications.

What helps during a heatwave

People can reduce risk, especially if they act before they feel ill.

Cool the body early: drink water regularly, use shade, take cool showers and put wet cloths on the skin. People who have been told to restrict fluids because of heart failure, kidney disease or another medical condition should follow medical advice about how much to drink.

Avoid being outside in the hottest part of the day where possible. Outdoor workers, athletes and people who travel on foot need particular protection.

Keep homes cooler before they overheat. Close curtains or blinds during the day, especially on windows facing the sun. Open windows after sunset if it is cooler outside than inside. Sleep in the coolest room available.

Check on people at higher risk. Do they have water, shade, medication, a way to get help and somewhere cooler to go if home becomes unsafe?

À lire aussi :
Power outages in heat waves and storms can threaten the lives of medical device users – we looked at who is most at risk

Take official warnings seriously. Follow heat-health alerts, local weather warnings and public health advice. Have a simple plan for medicines, transport, pets, food, drinking water and somewhere cooler to go if needed.

Seek urgent medical help if someone becomes confused, faints, has a seizure, collapses, has very hot skin, has a very high temperature, or does not improve after being moved somewhere cooler and cooled down.

Inequality and infrastructure

Personal precautions save lives, but they cannot make unsafe housing safe, cool a badly ventilated care home or protect outdoor workers without changes to working conditions.

Heat risk is shaped by inequality. People without trees, insulation, ventilation, secure work, clean water or affordable energy are less able to avoid exposure, cool their homes or recover after extreme heat. The same pattern applies between countries: communities that have contributed least to climate change are often disproportionately affected, because they have fewer resources for adaptation, healthcare, infrastructure and disaster response.

Adapting to heat has to be collective: cooler housing, shaded streets, heat-resilient hospitals, reliable water systems, worker protections, public cooling spaces and early warning systems that reach the people who need them.

Heat and drought are increasingly linked emergencies. Heat increases demand for water and electricity. Drought can reduce supply. Together, they can create failures across health, transport, food, water and energy. Water, health, energy and climate planning need to be connected, because stress in one system can quickly spread to another.

The next heatwave will be reported as weather. It should also be understood as a test of housing, healthcare, infrastructure and public protection. A hotter world is already here. The question now is how many heat-related deaths and system failures governments are prepared to accept as normal.