The News Journal

New Delhi witnessed a blistering heatwave over the weekend, with at least two weather stations recording temperatures of more than 49 ° C. This is the first time in nearly six decades that the mercury touched that record mark in the Indian capital. Roads remained deserted and residents struggled to get any respite from the sweltering heat as air-conditioners and water-coolers failed to fight the heat. Frequent power cuts were reported from several parts of the city and the adjacent satellite cities of Noida and Gurgaon. “The heat is unbearable,” Manju Kumari, a domestic helper in Noida, told The National. " We do not have a water-cooler, but the ceiling fan also doesn’t work because of a power cut every now and then. We are sleeping on the terrace every night." In the capital's Mungeshpur in the north-west part and Najafgarh areas, the mercury rose to 49.2 ° C and 49.1 ° C respectively on Sunday, breaking the previous record of 49 ° C in May, 1966. The city's main Saf...

 Heavy rains and flooding have killed at least 341 people in South Africa’s eastern KwaZulu-Natal province, including the city of Durban, with more rainstorms expected in the coming days. Officials expect the death toll to rise as scores of people, including whole families, are still missing. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday visited victims of the devastating east coast floods. “You are battling one of the biggest incidents we have seen and we thought this only happens in other countries, like Mozambique or Zimbabwe,” Mr Ramaphosa told victims. The damage to Durban and the surrounding eThekwini metropolitan area is estimated at $52 million, eThekwini Mayor Mxolosi Kaunda said on Thursday. Officials temporarily closed all schools in the province, after at least 18 pupils and one teacher from different schools died in the floods, Education Minister Angie Motshekga said. The persistent rains have wreaked havoc in the province, destroying homes, collapsing buildings ...

 The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) says the UAE is set for cooler weather at the weekend after a few days of scorching heat. Temperatures hit more than 46°C in parts of the country on Thursday, but temperatures will drop on Saturday and Sunday. Friday will still be hot, reaching 41°C in Abu Dhabi city and 39°C in Dubai. But it will be cooler in the south than it has been in recent days, with temperatures in the lows 40s on Thursday, after reaching 46.3°C in Abu Dhabi's Al Dhafrah region, which borders Saudi Arabia. Temperatures will fall further over the weekend, reaching highs of around 37°C in Abu Dhabi city and Dubai on Saturday and Sunday. The NCM said gusts of wind could kick up dust storms in parts of the country. Conditions in the Arabian Gulf and Sea of Oman will be calm. The slightly cooler weather is set to continue into next week. Temperatures will be pleasant on Monday in Abu Dhabi city and Dubai, hovering around 33°C, but they will rise over the course of the we...