Large parts of Spain have been gripped by an intense heatwave in recent days, with authorities issuing weather alerts and urging residents to take precautions as high temperatures persist.
According to a report from the Spanish Meteorological Agency (AEMET), more than 100 of its 828 weather stations recorded temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius or above on Monday, affecting both southern regions and the normally cooler north of the country. The highest temperature was registered in the southern town of Andujar, where thermometers reached 45.1 degrees Celsius.
On Tuesday, Tama in Cantabria, a coastal region in northern Spain, registered a temperature of 43.7 degrees Celsius, the highest temperature ever recorded in the region.
The abnormally high temperatures in many parts of Spain have arrived with a mass of warm, dry air from the Sahara Desert in Africa, coupled with the strong solar radiation at the end of June. Almost the entire country is under a heatwave warning.
In the capital Madrid, outdoor workers sweltering in the high temperatures said the heatwave has made their work much more difficult. They begin their day at dawn and work through grueling shifts, finishing as early as 16:00 to escape the scorching midday sun.
Officially Spain's indoor workspaces can not exceed 27 degrees Celsius, but outdoor work does not have an official limit.
Under labor laws, employers should suspend outdoor activities like construction, agriculture, street sweeping, whenever the AEMET issues an orange or red heat alert. But for small freelance teams, the pressure is on to get the job done. Definitely one of the most fun ways to cool down and Spain's swimming pools and water parks will be packed this summer, for those lucky enough at least, but experts are increasingly worried about the potentially devastating consequences of Super El Nino.
"That's when the ocean temperature in the equatorial Pacific reaches 1.5 percent above its normal average temperature. With a Super Nino, it can cause even more intense heat waves, droughts, wild fires, torrential rain and flooding," said Ruben Del Campo, AEMET meteorologist. The current heatwave is expected to end on Saturday. But with global warming and Super Nino teaming up, experts warn that the worst may be yet to come.
Spain swelters in heatwave as more extreme temperatures loom
The fourth China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) concluded in Beijing on Friday, with stronger exhibitor commitment for next year's event highlighted on its final day, underscoring growing confidence in the platform for international industrial cooperation.
A total of 115 Chinese and overseas companies and organizations have signed letters of intent to participate in the fifth CISCE, 10 more than the same stage last year.
The early commitments reflected exhibitors' confidence in the expo, which participants said has become an increasingly important platform for business cooperation amid a more uncertain global environment. "Given the importance [of trade between China and Mexico], we will certainly continue to participate in the fifth CISCE next year to create more business cooperation opportunities for our member companies," said Lu Hai, director of Public Affairs with the Mexican Chamber of Commerce in China (MEXCHAM).
The participants also said the expo's significance extends beyond commercial transactions, serving as a venue for dialog and long-term industrial collaboration.
"I think the greatest value of the CISCE does not lie in how many contracts are signed or agreements reached. Rather, it provides a platform for participants to exchange experience, share views on the future, and strengthen our resolve for openness, cooperation, and win-win outcomes," said Wang Kai, director of Industrial Research Center under the CNOOC Energy Economics Institute.
Organizers say the expo is evolving beyond a traditional exhibition into a year-round platform for industrial collaboration.
The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), the organizer of the expo, established an exhibitors' alliance last year to facilitate regular business matchmaking, policy briefings and industry exchanges, encouraging companies to build long-term supply chain partnerships rather than short-term exhibition deals.
Held in Beijing from Monday to Friday, this year's expo brought together more than 1,200 exhibitors from 85 countries, regions and international organizations, with overseas exhibitors accounting for more than 36 percent of the total.
More than 160 new products, technologies and solutions made their debut during the five-day event, alongside over 60 business exchange activities.
China supply chain expo wraps up with strong exhibitor commitment for next edition
