July 21 (Reuters) - Brutal heatwaves are gripping both Europe and the United States this week and are forecast to dump searing heat on much of China into late August.
In addition to temperatures spiking above 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), wildfires are raging across southern Europe with evacuations in towns in Italy and Greece. read more
The searing heat is part of a global pattern of rising temperatures, attributed by scientists to human activity. Pope Francis on Thursday called on world leaders to heed the Earth's "chorus of cries of anguish" stemming from climate change, extreme weather and loss of biodiversity. read more