LISBON, Portugal: Portugal recorded its hottest July on record last month, the country’s weather service said Friday.
The heat worsened Portugal’s drought, with 45 percent of the mainland in “extreme drought” — the highest classification — and the rest in “severe” drought, which is the second-highest, by the end of July.
Many other parts of western Europe also witnessed torrid conditions in the early summer, and scientists say climate change will continue to make weather more extreme.
Southern Europe’s climate is changing to resemble that of North Africa, according to experts.
The Portuguese weather service, known by its acronym IPMA, said July was the hottest since national records began in 1931.
The average temperature was 25.14 degrees Celsius (77.25 degrees Fahrenheit), it said. That was almost 3 degrees Celsius higher than the expected July average.
National rainfall measured 3 millimeters (0.12 inches), which was around 22 percent of the normal amount, the IMPA said.
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Portugal sets new July heat record, worsening severe drought
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Portugal sets new July heat record, worsening severe drought
- The heat worsened Portugal’s drought, with 45% of the mainland in “extreme drought”
- Many other parts of western Europe also witnessed torrid conditions in the early summer
Polls open in Nepal’s first election after last year’s youth-led protests toppled the government
KATMANDU: Polls opened across Nepal on Thursday in the first nationwide election since last year’s violent, youth-led uprising forced the government from power.
Security forces patrolled streets and guarded polling stations across the Himalayan nation of about 30 million people as voters lined up to cast their ballots. Counting of votes will begin later Thursday, with results expected over the weekend.
Authorities banned vehicles from the streets and prohibited political rallies and public gatherings. All forms of campaigning are barred on election day.
Nearly 19 million people are eligible to vote, according to the Election Commission.
Voters are directly electing 165 members to the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Parliament. The remaining 110 seats in the 275-member body will be allocated through a proportional representation system, under which political parties nominate lawmakers based on their share of the vote.
The election is widely seen as a three-way contest, shaped by voter frustration over widespread corruption and demands for greater government accountability.
The National Independent Party, founded in 2022, is considered the front-runner, posing a strong challenge to two long-dominant parties — the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist).
The new party’s prime ministerial candidate is rapper-turned politician Balendra Shah, who won the 2022 Katmandu mayoral race and emerged as a leading figure in the 2025 uprising that ousted former Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli.
Shah, 35, has rode a wave of public anger toward traditional political parties. He highlighted health and education for poor Nepalis as a key focus during his campaign.
The youth-led protests against corruption and poor governance were triggered by a social media ban before snowballing into a popular revolt against the government. Dozens were killed and hundreds injured when protesters attacked government buildings and police opened fire on them.
While the Congress and the Communists retain loyal voter bases, Shah’s party has drawn larger crowds on the campaign trail, highlighting its growing appeal among younger voters seeking an alternative.
The next administration is expected to inherit daunting challenges. It must deliver on changes demanded by last year’s protests, tackle entrenched corruption and carefully manage ties with its powerful neighbors, India and China.
Security forces patrolled streets and guarded polling stations across the Himalayan nation of about 30 million people as voters lined up to cast their ballots. Counting of votes will begin later Thursday, with results expected over the weekend.
Authorities banned vehicles from the streets and prohibited political rallies and public gatherings. All forms of campaigning are barred on election day.
Nearly 19 million people are eligible to vote, according to the Election Commission.
Voters are directly electing 165 members to the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Parliament. The remaining 110 seats in the 275-member body will be allocated through a proportional representation system, under which political parties nominate lawmakers based on their share of the vote.
The election is widely seen as a three-way contest, shaped by voter frustration over widespread corruption and demands for greater government accountability.
The National Independent Party, founded in 2022, is considered the front-runner, posing a strong challenge to two long-dominant parties — the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist).
The new party’s prime ministerial candidate is rapper-turned politician Balendra Shah, who won the 2022 Katmandu mayoral race and emerged as a leading figure in the 2025 uprising that ousted former Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli.
Shah, 35, has rode a wave of public anger toward traditional political parties. He highlighted health and education for poor Nepalis as a key focus during his campaign.
The youth-led protests against corruption and poor governance were triggered by a social media ban before snowballing into a popular revolt against the government. Dozens were killed and hundreds injured when protesters attacked government buildings and police opened fire on them.
While the Congress and the Communists retain loyal voter bases, Shah’s party has drawn larger crowds on the campaign trail, highlighting its growing appeal among younger voters seeking an alternative.
The next administration is expected to inherit daunting challenges. It must deliver on changes demanded by last year’s protests, tackle entrenched corruption and carefully manage ties with its powerful neighbors, India and China.
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