Extreme heat hits Sudan, prompting health warnings

Staying cool is becoming increasingly difficulty in Port Sudan, a major port city on the Red Sea in eastern Sudan, as extreme heat coincides with power outages and serious water shortages.

Since earlier this month, temperatures have soared to a blistering 45 degrees Celsius, causing dozens of heatstroke incidents, some fatal, and prompting health authorities to notify residents of the risks.

"The warning issued by the Ministry of Health was necessary because temperatures in the Red Sea region reached their peak, and deaths were recorded, exceeding three cases in the past month alone," said Hanan Ahmed, a physician at Al-Buqaa Specialized Hospital.

Doctors say prevention is critical, urging residents to avoid the hottest hours of the day.

"The most important thing is prevention and avoiding movement during peak hours and times of high temperatures. Wear light clothing and drink plenty of cool water and fluids," Ahmed said.

Extreme heat is also disrupting daily routines and hindering productivity. Health centers are seeing a growing number of patients seeking treatment for heatstroke.

"There are currently many people suffering from heatstroke at the health center, and they are receiving treatment. The health center currently has now more than six or seven cases, and a few days ago the number reached 70 cases of heatstroke due to the high temperatures. Despite this, we continue our work in the midst of this scorching heat," said Mohamed Abdallah, a resident.

Environmental experts warn Sudan's climate crisis cannot be separated from the wider conditions facing people across the country.

"High temperatures affect production, public health, and people's movement during daylight hours. This necessitates that the state places the issue of climate change on its agenda. The ongoing wars, gunpowder, and bullets all have devastating effects on the environment, people's lives, and contribute to rising temperatures," said Taha Badawy, an environmental expert.

Sudan's Meteorological Authority has warned that very hot conditions will continue across the Red Sea, River Nile and Northern states, with Port Sudan expected to remain particularly hot.

Extreme heat hits Sudan, prompting health warnings

Fifty-three percent of U.S. voters feel they are worse off financially since U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January 2025, compared with only 21 percent who said they are better off, according to a recent poll by the Financial Times.

The poll also showed clear partisan cleavages, with almost 80 percent of Democrats saying they are worse off under Trump, as opposed to 23 percent of Republicans who said the same.

Meanwhile, 64 percent of voters found that the U.S. economy is going in the wrong direction, while only 25 percent said it is going in the right direction.

Eighty-six percent of Democrats believe the economy is heading in the wrong direction, while the share among Republicans stands at 37 percent.

Overall, 55 percent of voters disapprove of the job Trump was doing as president, the poll found. They were especially dissatisfied with his handling of inflation and the cost of living, jobs and the economy, tariffs and trade and Iran.

The findings highlight the significant challenges facing Trump and the Republican Party ahead of November's midterm elections, as public dissatisfaction grew with the war in Iran, which has pushed up borrowing costs, petrol prices and the cost of living, said The Financial Times.

The online August poll reflected the opinions of 1,913 registered voters.

Poll shows most U.S. voters feel worse off financially since Trump took office