‘Life threatening' heatwave sweeps across Southern Europe
RELATED: European tourists flock to Death Valley to experience dangerous heatwave
In addition to the excessive heat, Turner says there is a high risk of wildfires across several countries.
European countries have issued 'threat to life' warnings until the heatwaves pass.
Scroll up to the audio player for more.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Eyewitness News
7 hours ago
- Eyewitness News
‘Life threatening' heatwave sweeps across Southern Europe
RELATED: European tourists flock to Death Valley to experience dangerous heatwave In addition to the excessive heat, Turner says there is a high risk of wildfires across several countries. European countries have issued 'threat to life' warnings until the heatwaves pass. Scroll up to the audio player for more.
The South African
a day ago
- The South African
Ireland swamped by South African visa applications
Nearly a year after Ireland ended visa-free access for South Africans, the country is struggling under the weight of surging visa applications, leading to widespread delays and growing frustration among travellers. In July 2024, Ireland introduced new regulations requiring South African and Botswanan nationals to apply for visas, including transit visas, to enter or pass through the country. This marked a significant change for South Africans, who had previously enjoyed visa-free access to Ireland – one of the few European nations that allowed it. The Irish government cited multiple concerns at the time, including: A rise in forged South African passports , often used by nationals from other countries , often used by nationals from other countries An increase in international protection (asylum) claims by South Africans upon arrival by South Africans upon arrival The need to align immigration policies with the UK, which shares a common travel area with Ireland Irish Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, Neale Richmond, acknowledged the decision was 'harsh but necessary.' He pointed to a 100% increase in South African arrivals claiming asylum as a key trigger for the policy change. Despite the move, South Africa remains a key source of skilled migrants for Ireland, with deep business, trade, and educational ties. Many South African professionals, students, and entrepreneurs seek opportunities in Ireland, which is actively recruiting foreign talent to fill post-pandemic skills gaps. Since the policy took effect, Ireland has seen a massive influx of visa applications from South Africans. Although authorities committed to three-month turnaround times, many applicants report delays of 12 to 16 weeks, forcing them to cancel travel plans, including business trips and family visits. Former Irish Justice Minister Helen McEntee had announced the set-up of a dedicated 'South Africa desk' at the Dublin Visa Office, supported by three local Visa Application Centres (VACs) managed by VFS Global in South Africa. However, this has proven inadequate. The Irish government has now doubled resources in a bid to clear the backlog, aiming to reduce turnaround to 4-6 weeks. 'We're seeing far more applications than expected,' Richmond said. 'We underestimated the demand, and we're now scaling operations accordingly.' Ireland has also proposed streamlining business and work permit visa processes, with a focus on faster approval timelines for skilled professionals. South African passports had faced scrutiny and misuse in Europe for several years prior. In 2022, airline Ryanair sparked controversy by administering a test in Afrikaans to validate South African passports – drawing global backlash. While the test was scrapped, questions over passport integrity remained. The visa requirement aligns Ireland with UK immigration policies, but has sparked criticism from both travellers and stakeholders in the travel and tourism sector. Despite current frustrations, Irish officials insist the visa measures are not permanent and could be re-evaluated once security risks are resolved and application volumes stabilise. In the meantime, thousands of South Africans are left navigating long waits and bureaucratic hurdles, a sharp contrast to the ease of travel they once enjoyed. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
‘It's a joke': Chelsea boss Maresca slams weather chaos
'For me personally, it's not football,' said the Chelsea boss. Chelsea's Enzo Maresca celebrates after his side beat Benfica to reach the Fifa Club World Cup quarterfinals. Picture: Federico PARRA / AFP Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca lashed out at the two-hour weather delay that disrupted his team's Club World Cup victory over Benfica on Saturday, suggesting the tournament should be played elsewhere in future. Chelsea powered into the quarter-finals after defeating Benfica 4-1 in extra-time after a game that took 4hrs 39mins to complete following a two-hour stoppage due to a storm warning. It was the sixth time that a game has been halted at the tournament due to widely used rules in the United States that require outdoor sporting events to be halted if there is a chance of lightning. Maresca said afterwards the number of games that had been disrupted should prompt a rethink. 'For me personally, it's not football,' the Chelsea boss said. 'It's already (six) games they suspended here. I think it's a joke. It's not football. 'It's completely amazing, it's completely something new that I struggle to understand. 'I can understand that for security reasons, you have to suspend the game. But if you suspend seven or eight games, that means that probably this is not the right place to do this competition.' Chelsea had been poised to wrap up victory after Reece James's second-half free-kick left them 1-0 up with four minutes left to play. But the storm warning forced the players off the field and it was nearly two hours before play resumed. 'It was one of the best performances of the last few weeks,' Maresca said. 'The game was very good for 85 minutes, then we stopped for two hours, and when we started it was a completely different game. It's not the same game because you break the tempo.' 'There is some problem' Maresca emphasised that he remained a fan of the Club World Cup, which was expanded to 32 teams for the first time this year, and is being held in the United States as an informal dress rehearsal for the 2026 World Cup in North America. 'It's a fantastic competition. It's the Club World Cup, all the best clubs are here,' he said. 'But six, seven games suspended? It's not normal. In a World Cup how many have they suspended? Probably zero. In a European (Championship), how many games? Zero. There is some problem.'
