Extreme heat hits Europe, US and China

BBC LIVE Summary

Much of southern Europe is experiencing extreme heat, with warnings that highs could be reached in some places.

The temperature could reach 47C in Sardinia this week, Italian media report - the hottest temperature ever recorded in Europe was 48.8C (120F) in Sicily in August 2021.

Italian authorities have issued red alerts for 16 cities, while a wildfire on the Canary island of La Palma has forced the evacuation of 4,000 people.

China has also been experiencing heat extremes and provisionally recorded its highest temperature ever, of 52.2C in Xinjiang in the north-west on Sunday, the Met Office said.

In the US, a heat dome over the south-west has left millions of people under extreme heat warnings, with forecasters saying temperature records are likely to be broken.

Temperatures in Death Valley in California hit 53.9C (128F ) on Sunday - the hottest temperature ever reliably recorded on Earth is 56.7C (134F).

Extreme weather resulting from a warming climate is "unfortunately becoming the new normal", the World Meteorological Organisation has warned.