I have lived 35 years of my life in Delhi and while I am used to the city’s hot and dry weather, this summer feels different. It is suffocating and intolerable to a degree we have never seen before.
The weather is extremely dry and severe. The sunlight is so harsh, it stings the eyes.
Standing under the sun for even a minute gives one a headache.
The heat feels like it could peel off your skin.
It feels like the gates of hell have been opened in Delhi.
We had witnessed a horrid summer last year when April, the month of spring, was replaced by a scorching heatwave but the month of May was usual, with average temperatures.
But this week, we have experienced unprecedented high temperatures.
On Tuesday, the national weather agency recorded 49.9°C in some parts of the city.
Even as the millions of us were trying to come to terms with the news, the mercury soared, or at least in one part of Delhi, to 52.3°C – an all-time record for India.
At home, the temperature in my room was 44°C although the air conditioner was set at 19°C. It was unbearably hot.
As panic spread, the weather agency quickly jumped in to say there could have been an error. It may not have been the hottest temperature ever – they are examining the data.
But records aside, the temperatures have on average hovered over 45°C in May, and each day has been intolerable.
We are helpless and dependent on air conditioners, but even they are giving up.
Today, a massive fire broke out at a home after an AC unit exploded at a neighbouring residential complex due to being used constantly, providing yet another concern over how to deal with this hellish weather.
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
The specs: 2017 Dodge Viper SRT
Price, base / as tested Dh460,000
Engine 8.4L V10
Transmission Six-speed manual
Power 645hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 813Nm @ 5,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 16.8L / 100km
THE SPECS
2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid LE
Engine: 1.8 litre combined with 16-volt electric motors
Transmission: Automatic with manual shifting mode
Power: 121hp
Torque: 142Nm
Price: Dh95,900
