Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 25 June 2019
France put on hot weather alert as heatwave reaches Europe

By SYLVIE CORBET and have prevention mea-
Associated Press sures in place in order to
PARIS (AP) — The sunset intervene as quickly as pos-
had an orange glow. So sible,” Macron said.
did the extreme weather French Health Minister Ag-
warning for Paris. nes Buzyn said Monday
Meteorologists placed that “everything is ready” in
more than half of France, retirement homes, hospitals
including around the capi- and transportation systems.
tal, on alert for high tem- “Yet when people are frag-
peratures Monday as a ile, even when everything is
heatwave was expected organized, there’s always
to spread across continen- a higher mortality rate,”
tal Europe this week. she warned. Meteorologists
National weather agency said hot winds from the Sa-
Meteo France predicted hara Desert brought the
the hot weather could pro- scorching weather to Eu-
duce temperatures of up rope. Similar heat is expect-
to 40 degrees Celsius (104 ed in Belgium, Switzerland
Ft) across the country just and Germany.
as the summer tourist sea- In Germany, temperatures
son shifts into high gear. above 40 degrees C are
The French weather agen- possible in some places on
cy set the heat warning lev- Wednesday, topping the
el at orange - the second- country’s previous June re-
highest intensity on its four- cord of 38.2 degrees Cel-
level categorization system Birds fly by as the sun rises in Frankfurt, Germany, Monday, June 24, 2019. Germany expects hot sius (nearly 100.8 degrees
for potentially dangerous temperatures during the next days. Fahrenheit) set in Frankfurt
conditions requiring public Associated Press in 1947. Rescue services
“vigilance.” heading to high school matches are scheduled ev- of older people left in city urged people to look out
In Paris, charity organiza- postponed from Thursday ery day this week, except apartments and retirement for young children, the el-
tions patrolled the streets and Friday to next week. Wednesday and Sunday. homes without air condi- derly and those with com-
to provide homeless peo- International soccer fed- Luckily, most were set to be tioning. promised immune systems
ple with water, while local eration FIFA could face played at night. French President Emman- who are at particular risk in
authorities organized air- implementing heat pre- France introduced a heat uel Macron said Monday high temperatures.
conditioned public places cautions at the Women’s watch warning system af- that vigilance was the Parts of northeastern Ger-
where people could seek World Cup, which France ter a long, deadly heat- watchword for the week. many are also at high risk
shelter from the heat. is hosting. The precautions wave in August 2003. The “As you know, at times like for forest fires. Authorities in
French Education Minis- include holding cooling highest temperatures in these, sick people, preg- the eastern state of Bran-
ter Jean-Michel Blanquer, breaks during matches and more than half a century nant women, infants and denburg, which circles Ber-
deciding it was too hot to postponing games if the eventually were estimat- elderly people are the lin, say the risk of forest fires
study, ordered national heat is too intense. ed to have caused 15,000 most vulnerable. So we is at the highest level in the
exams taken by students Women’s World Cup heat-related deaths, many must be vigilant with them coming days.q

UN rights chief: Relatives of ex-IS fighters should go home

Associated Press have been reluctant to would survive judicial scru-
GENEVA (AP) — Thousands take back their nationals, tiny directly links them to
of relatives of former for- led by France, which saw crimes in Syria and Iraq.
eign fighters in the Islamic more of its citizens join IS Bachelet said some existing
State group should be re- than any other European cases haven’t met inter-
patriated, the U.N. human country. national standards, noting
rights chief said Monday, “Foreign family members that Iraq has sentenced to
insisting children in particu- should be repatriated, un- death more than 150 men
lar have suffered “grievous less they are to be prose- and women in trials “which
violations” of their rights — cuted for crimes in accor- have not afforded ade-
a challenge to European dance with international quate due process guaran-
and other countries that standards,” Bachelet told tees.”
have been reticent about the Human Rights Council In her wide-ranging speech,
taking back jihadis and as it opened its summer ses- Bachelet also expressed
their kin. sion. “Children, in particu- “regret” at Saudi Arabia’s
Michelle Bachelet said U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Chilean Michelle lar, have suffered grievous “dismissal” of a report last
more than 55,000 suspect- Bachelet speaks during the opening of the 41th session of the violations of their rights — week by an independent
ed IS fighters and their fam- Human Rights Council, at the European headquarters of the including those who may U.N. human rights expert
ilies have been detained United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday, June 24, 2019. have been indoctrinated criticizing the kingdom over
in Iraq and Syria. Most are Associated Press or recruited by ISIL (Islamic the killing of Saudi journal-
in the custody of the Iraqi relatives are being held at under international law, State) to perpetrate violent ist Jamal Khashoggi. As for
government and the U.S.- the Al Hol camp in north- even with regard to mem- acts.” China, she commended a
backed Syrian Democratic eastern Syria alone. bers of an extremist group Putting European jihadis “sound decision” by Hong
Forces, and the alleged Bachelet appealed to the infamous for beheadings on trial in their home coun- Kong authorities to delay
fighters come from over 50 relevant countries to up- and other grave violence. tries is considered problem- a bill on extradition that
countries. More than 11,000 hold their responsibilities Many European countries atic, as little evidence that fanned mass protests. q