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The Independent
30-06-2025
- The Independent
I live and work in a country where 40C temperatures are normal – this is my advice on how to cope
It's hot — probably too hot. From my sweltering living room, the heat outside looks like a mirage, distorting the view of the dusty street. Like many parts of Europe right now, Egypt is experiencing a blistering heatwave that has sent the mercury soaring above 40 degrees. For people like myself who live in North Africa or those currently facing heatwaves in Greece and Spain, this summer feels like a battle of mind and body. Home to sun-baked pyramids and vast golden deserts, Egypt offers a unique lifestyle that's definitely exciting. However, in such unforgiving heat, temperatures can also dictate your daily life and make even the simplest tasks feel challenging. I'm based in Dahab on the coast of the Sinai Peninsula, an hour away from Sharm El-Skeikh, and this will be my second year living through a sweltering desert summer. My past experiences of heatwaves in Jordan, Mexico, and Australia, as well as travels in India, have also taught me the rules of life in extreme heat. Obviously, the potential dangers of blistering temperatures, like heatstroke and dehydration, require some added precautions. Beyond staying in the shade, here's my personal experiences on how to survive – and actually enjoy – life in extreme heat. A slow pace of life Living in a country where 40C is the norm means your days must start early. Exercise, for example, is best reserved for sunrise, and evening meetups usually begin (and end) way later than sunset. Coming from fast-paced London, it was hard at first to accept that everything slows down around midday in hot countries. But I had to respect the scorching heat and adjust my rhythm to avoid exhaustion. Regular breaks and siestas are overwhelmingly welcomed in hot country communities. Even movements themselves should be more relaxed in hotter weather, which takes a surprisingly conscious effort. By embracing a slower, more hydrated version of myself, I had better control over my energy levels, felt less tiredness and could actually enjoy the weather. Interlaced with regular dips in the ocean, life in the heat is all about balance and listening to what your body needs. Hydration packets all the way Another crucial lesson I've learned is that extreme heat doesn't need to be matched with extreme cold. Consuming lots of water is a given, but one school of thought believes that drinking icy water takes more energy than room-temperature liquids as your body works harder to regulate its temperature. As for jumping into a cold shower or turning the air con on max, forget it. Shocking your body with extremes doesn't necessarily help you achieve the desired effect. When it comes to dealing with extreme heat, rehydration sachets are a lifesaver. Readily available at any pharmacy, these little packets of nutrients can be added to your water bottle whenever you feel dehydrated. This simple, effective solution makes me feel more prepared for hot weather and gives me confidence, knowing that I can also help friends who may need a little boost. I've even taken this one step further by freezing electrolyte drinks in ice cube trays, which I've concluded could be my ultimate hot day life hack. As for summer snacks, frozen grapes and berries are instantly hydrating, delicious and cooling. All types of protection Wearing the right clothes in hot weather can keep you cool, so it's wise to consider your summer wardrobe. Light-coloured linen is perfect for managing sweatiness and regulating body temperature. I also carry a shawl or sarong on outings for multi-purpose sun and sand protection. Heatwaves also require you to be armed with the right products and accessories, of which plenty exist. Aside from the essential sun hat, sun cream and sunglasses, hand fans are small, compact, and cooling, making them the perfect summer accessory. Additionally, I use a naturally cooling ayurvedic oil on my temples before sleeping, which helps alleviate restless, sweaty nights. And then we come to air conditioning, which an article about heatwaves should probably address. Air conditioning usually removes moisture from the air in your room, but this can also irritate your sinuses and lead to a runny nose. I try to limit the amount of air con I use, and I've also invested in an oil diffuser to add a little humidity (and a pleasant aroma) back into the space. As for those who don't have air conditioning, I feel for you. However, creating a good breeze and hanging a cool, damp towel in doorways also works for some. Extreme heat is no joke, but taking the necessary precautions and listening to your body's needs is the best way to have a stress-free summer while making the most of the heat.
RNZ News
25-06-2025
- RNZ News
Heading Off: Sinai Desert
travel world 31 minutes ago This week in our travel segment 'Heading Off', Jesse talks to modern-day nomad, Julie Paterson. Each year, Julie divides her time between New Zealand, the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, and wherever else she feels compelled to explore. She's worked in tourism for more than 30 years and is the founder of Venus Adventures, which guides trips for women all over the world.
Daily Mail
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Shocking moment Gaza aid activists are dragged away by masked men as Egypt deports volunteers attempting to cross border
Gaza aid activists were violently dragged and carried onto buses by balaclava-clad Egyptian authorities. Footage shows authorities forcibly removing protesters from a sit-down demonstration at the Cairo border. Large numbers of protesters were rounded-up onto buses and will be deported. One protester, who spoke with an American accent, exclaimed: 'There's people in masks dragging people out.' While others can be heard chanting: 'Free Palestine '. Thousands of people have been arriving in the Egyptian capital since Thursday, with the intention of marching to the Rafah crossing in Gaza. It is part of the Global March to Gaza - a protest against Israel 's aid blockade on Gaza. Israel imposed a full 11-week humanitarian blockade on Gaza on March 2, cutting off food, medical supplies and other aid amid its ongoing conflict with the enclave. Around 4,000 volunteers landed in Cairo, then taking buses to the city of Arish in the north of the country's Sinai Peninsula. From there, they hoped to start their planned march, on a roughly 30-mile route, to the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing on the Gaza border. But organisers said that several dozen activists were stopped on the edge of Cairo as they attempted to reach the Suez Canal city of Ismailia, which is around a three-hour drive from Arish. A protester posted a video to social media while on a bus heading there, saying: 'This is an emergency. 'We have just been violently dragged into the buses here at the first checkpoint on the way to Ismailia. 'We were sitting quietly and not doing anything. We were debating that we would leave soon, in taxis back to Cairo because we did not break any law. 'And all of a sudden, several people stormed in and they started to push people and drag them violently outside. 'They have beaten people. I have seen one woman that was beaten in her face in front of me. They didn't leave time to grab the luggage or anything. 'So, this is one of the Secret Service people that was just walking in here. I have to stop this livestream now - we are in danger. This is an emergency. We need to help.' Most of the activists were ordered onto buses back to the capital after several hours of questioning - but some remain in custody. 'We were blocked for six to seven hours before security forces violently dispersed our group,' one organiser said. At least one activist was expelled from Egypt, several sources said, adding to dozens more denied entry or expelled in the run-up to the march. Egyptian authorities have not commented on the reported expulsions. The foreign ministry had warned that while Egypt backs efforts to put 'pressure on Israel' to lift its Gaza blockade, any foreign delegations intending to visit the border area must obtain prior permission. Uzma Usmani, the sponsorship and logistics lead for the UK delegation of the march, explained to CNN: 'This is just another tool, another way [for] the people to raise their voices, to let governments know that we are not happy. 'We need to take things into our own hands, to raise awareness, to put pressure on all the different governments so that they start taking action.' But in a statement on Wednesday, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said allowing the activists through the border would 'endanger the security of IDF soldiers'. He added he expected Egypt 'to prevent the arrival of jihadist demonstrators to the border of Egypt-Israel and not to allow them to carry out provocations and to try to enter into Gaza'. Egypt is in an awkward position in the Israel-Palestine conflict, as a key mediator between Hamas and Israel, also trying to prevent conflict spilling into its own territory. It is also attempting to balance its ties with Israel and the United States with its own public condemnation of the war's brutal civilian impact on Gaza. The Global March to Gaza action comes just days after Israel intercepted Madleen, an aid ship bound for Gaza carrying activist Greta Thunberg on board. Thunberg, 22, was among 12 activists on board the ship, which hoped to 'break [Israel's] siege on the Gaza Strip' with a delivery of humanitarian aid. Israel 'forcibly intercepted' the British-flagged vessel at 3.02am local time on June 9, some 100 miles from the coast of Gaza, the FFC said in a statement. After diverting the boat to the port of Ashdod, Israel's foreign ministry posted a picture of the activists all in orange life jackets being offered water and sandwiches. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the crew were safe and unharmed, and would be taken to the Israeli Port of Ashdod where they would be shown a video of Hamas's October 7 atrocities. Of the 12 people on board the Madleen carrying food and supplies for Gaza, eight were taken into custody after they refused to leave Israel voluntarily. Four others, including Thunberg, were deported.
The National
15-06-2025
- Politics
- The National
Egypt puts military on high alert and tests air defence systems amid rising regional tensions
Egypt has put its armed forces on high alert and carried out nationwide drills of its air defence systems as fears grow of a broader Iran-Israel conflict, sources told The National. Egypt 's top government officials are holding emergency meetings to decide on measures to ensure that the import-dependent nation of 106 million maintains adequate reserves of food, fuel and other essential commodities. The goal is to mitigate potential disruptions to global supply chains triggered by escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. Egypt shares a border with Israel along the eastern edge of its Sinai peninsula. The most populous Arab nation has, on several occasions since the Gaza war erupted in 2023, seen projectiles fired by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen veering off course and landing on Egyptian territory. These incidents caused material damage but no fatalities. The sources said that while the Egyptian military's combat units have been put on high alert nationwide, those deployed in the Sinai Peninsula were ordered to go on maximum alert. The orders went out shortly after Israel's latest round of hostilities with Iran began on Friday, when Israel's first wave of strikes killed senior Iranian military leaders and damaged nuclear and military infrastructure. Iran has responded with barrages of missiles and drones fired on Israel, killing three people and injuring scores, as both adversaries vowed more attacks. The sources said the testing of Egypt's air defence systems involved nearly all of the nation's 27 provinces. "The exercise was designed to see if there are any gaps in the nationwide coverage by the air defences," said one source. The source did not say what exactly was involved in the drills, but spoke of how they left "debris" on the ground across much of the nation. The higher state of alert and the air defence drills come at a time when Cairo's relations with Israel are at their lowest point because of the Gaza war, now in its 21st month, while relations with Iran are rapidly improving. Relations worsened significantly in May 2024 when Israeli forces seized the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing and a narrow buffer zone running the length of the Gaza-Egypt frontier. Egypt is closely monitoring the potential consequences of further escalation, according to the sources, particularly the risk of Iran retaliating by closing the Strait of Hormuz or Bab Al-Mandab – both critical maritime chokepoints. The closure of either would effectively block access to the Suez Canal, a vital source of foreign currency for Egypt, and threaten the country's fuel supplies and oil-based imports. A government statement said Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has discussed ways to increase the nation's "strategic reserves" of a range of goods with central bank governor Hassan Abdullah and Finance Minister Ahmed Kajouk. Mr Madbouly held a separate meeting on Friday night with the ministers of oil and electricity to discuss the "ramifications of the military events in the region", the statement said, without providing further detail. Israel has already suspended natural gas exports to Egypt due to the tenuous security situation arising from its conflict with Iran, according to media reports. The move could disrupt power generation in Egypt, where gas-fuelled stations supply much of the country's electricity. With summer temperatures already climbing, Egypt is bracing for a surge in energy demand. Rolling power cuts as recently as 2023 produced a popular backlash in Egypt, including a level of potentially disruptive popular discontent not seen since President Abdel Fattah El Sisi took office in 2014. Egypt's atomic agency on Saturday sought to reassure Egyptians on the possibility of radiation leaks from Iranian nuclear facilities damaged by Israeli air strikes. "There are no indications of a change or a rise in radiation levels," it said in a statement. "We are monitoring round-the-clock the developments related to the situation at nuclear facilities in the region." Surrounded by regional crises Egypt has for years faced challenges from regional conflicts: Libya's civil war since 2011; Sudan's collapse into fighting in April 2023, which has sent 1.5 million refugees across Egypt's southern border; and the continuing war in Gaza. Now, Egypt must prepare for handling a possible fallout from the tit-for-tat strikes between Israel and Iran, all while facing a sensitive domestic situation. Authorities are trying to prevent hundreds of foreign pro-Palestinian activists from marching towards Rafah, on the Gaza border, in a show of solidarity with Palestinians. The government has stated that such actions require prior official authorisation. Security officials said around 200 activists have already been detained and deported upon arrival at Cairo airport. Another 74 activists have been detained just outside the Suez Canal city of Ismailia, where a standoff continued Saturday between riot police and scores of activists prevented from proceeding east towards Rafah.
Irish Times
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Dozens of Irish people to join ‘March to Gaza' from Cairo to Rafah in protest at Israel
Dozens of Irish people are flying to Egypt with the goal of marching from Cairo to the Rafah crossing with Gaza to protest against western military support for Israel in the conflict and to show solidarity with Palestinians under bombardment. About 2,500 people from more than 50 countries are expected to take part in the March to Gaza, including about 50 signed up as part of an Irish delegation. Participants are scheduled to arrive in Egyptian capital Cairo on Thursday. On Friday they aim to depart by bus to Al-Arish, the largest city in the Sinai Peninsula, and begin the march in the afternoon. They are expected to walk about 25km on Saturday and the same distance on Sunday. READ MORE In Rafah they plan to camp for several days and return to Cairo on June 19th. Podcast producer Bairbre Flood (50) said she heard about the action through a friend and will be travelling with her daughter. 'I've been involved in other activist campaigns around migrant issues but this is something I've never seen before in terms of global co-ordination,' she said. 'I'm bringing the love and support of many Palestinians I've met in the diaspora who cannot go themselves.' She said she expected to be able to take part 'safely and peacefully'. 'I'm hoping Egypt knows we have no issue with them and simply want to pass through their country,' she said. [ Israeli strikes kill at least 41 in Gaza, many at aid site, say health officials Opens in new window ] The march begins days after the Israeli interception of the Madleen, a Freedom Flotilla ship that aimed to sail to Gaza to break the siege. Activists on board, including Swedish climate and political activist Greta Thunberg , were detained by Israeli forces. Thunberg has since been deported to Europe. Since Monday a land convoy of more than 100 vehicles has been travelling across North Africa from Tunisian capital Tunis, aiming to finish in Rafah as part of the march. It is known as the Sumud convoy, meaning 'steadfastness'. More than 55,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza by Israeli forces since the Hamas-led attacks on October 7th, 2023, Gazan health authorities have said. Almost 1,200 people were killed and 250 taken hostage in the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023. Some 55 hostages remain in captivity. Israel began an 11-week blockade on aid in March, leading a UN-backed assessment to warn that Gaza's 2.1 million population were at 'critical risk' of famine because of the resulting shortages of food. Though some supplies have begun to enter the enclave again, almost 200 people were killed by Israeli forces while trying to reach aid sites in the last fortnight, Gaza's health ministry has said. . Last November the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu and former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant for crimes against humanity and war crimes including starvation as a method of warfare. Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice . 'We've all been watching this absolute hell on earth take place in front of our eyes for nearly two years now,' said Niamh McNamara (40) from Limerick, who is joining the march. 'Every day has been worse than the last, every crime that Israel commits manages to be more depraved than the last, and nobody is stopping it.' She said she had made other efforts such as 'writing to politicians and making phone calls; protesting and going to actions, boycotting, sending money, trying to support Palestinian people where we can'. [ Seeing Israel use hunger as a weapon of war is monstrous to me as someone with a Holocaust legacy Opens in new window ] However, the situation continued to worsen, she said. 'Ultimately it feels too important to not do this,' she said. 'We know Palestinians see these actions, and we know that it gives them hope ... All across the globe, we have the power of collective action, we can stand together and say we have finally had enough.' Caroline Godard (32), a French PhD researcher living in Ireland since 2021, said she heard about the march through social media. 'I believe it is our responsibility and duty as citizens to take direct action because our governments, especially EU ones, have failed to take any concrete action to stop the crimes committed against the Palestinian people,' she said. 'This failure has consequences for all of us because what Israel are permitted to do in complete impunity, with the complicity of the US and the EU, puts us all at risk. We cannot let this genocide go on.'
