Summer Comes Early for Iraq as Temperatures Soar in South

A picture shows empty tourist facilities by the Habbaniyah lake affected by severe drought in Iraq's Anbar province, on August 11, 2023. (AFP)
A picture shows empty tourist facilities by the Habbaniyah lake affected by severe drought in Iraq's Anbar province, on August 11, 2023. (AFP)
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Summer Comes Early for Iraq as Temperatures Soar in South

A picture shows empty tourist facilities by the Habbaniyah lake affected by severe drought in Iraq's Anbar province, on August 11, 2023. (AFP)
A picture shows empty tourist facilities by the Habbaniyah lake affected by severe drought in Iraq's Anbar province, on August 11, 2023. (AFP)

Summer has come early for Iraq this year, with temperatures soaring to dangerous levels in the southern provinces on Thursday, the national weather center said.

Global temperatures are stuck at near-record highs this year, according to the EU's climate monitor, extending an unprecedented heat streak that started in 2023.

"It is the highest temperature recorded in Iraq this year," weather centre spokesperson Amer al-Jabiri told AFP.

He said the early heat was in contrast to last year, when the temperature was "relatively good" in May and "it only began to rise in June".

On Thursday, the temperature climbed to 49 degrees Celsius (over 120 Fahrenheit) in the provinces of Basra and Missan, and it reached 48 degrees in the nearby Dhi Qar province, according to the weather centre.

In Iraq, summer temperatures often exceed 50 degrees Celsius, especially in July and August, and sometimes reach these levels earlier.

On Sunday, two cadets died and others were admitted to hospital with heat stroke at a military academy in Dhi Qar, authorities said.

The defense ministry said nine cadets "showed signs of fatigue and exhaustion due to sun exposure" while waiting to be assigned to battalions.

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani ordered an investigation into the two deaths.

Iraq is one of the five countries most impacted by some effects of climate change, according to the United Nations. It has also seen a prolonged drought and frequent dust storms.

While the province of Missan is used to scorching summers, environment activist and daily labourer Mustafa Hashem said "the heat started sooner than expected this year".

"One of my colleagues fainted yesterday while we were maintaining cooling equipment on the roof of a building," he added.



Astronaut Brings French Menu in Space

The astronaut and chef held a tasting in Paris to decide the menu, the ESA said 
The astronaut and chef held a tasting in Paris to decide the menu, the ESA said 
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Astronaut Brings French Menu in Space

The astronaut and chef held a tasting in Paris to decide the menu, the ESA said 
The astronaut and chef held a tasting in Paris to decide the menu, the ESA said 

When you think about the food that astronauts eat in space, lobster, haddock and foie gras probably don't spring to mind - but that's exactly what France's next visitor to the International Space Station (ISS) will be dining on.

According to BBC, Astronaut Sophie Adenot has teamed up with award-winning French chef Anne-Sophie Pic to create a menu of gastronomic delights that will travel with Adenot to the ISS next year.

Instead of the usual freeze-dried nutrients that astronauts eat, Adenot, 42, will be choosing from the likes of “Foie gras cream on toasted brioche” and “Lobster bisque with crab and caraway.”

The menu - which the European Space Agency (ESA) has dubbed “a pinch of France in space” - includes four starters, two main courses and two desserts.

Adenot said the dishes, which also include braised beef, and chocolate cream, will not only “delight our palates” but also help her feel connected to Earth, and her home country.

“Her (Pic's) cuisine signature is deeply influenced by the terroir. This is important to me because I grew up in the countryside, and it will remind me of my roots,” she was quoted as saying in an ESA statement.

There are strict rules for food on the ISS - it must be crumb-free, lightweight and keep for at least 24 months, the ESA says.

Therefore, most meals are canned, vacuum packed or freeze-dried, with fresh fruit and vegetables a rare luxury that can only be enjoyed when a spacecraft arrives with new supplies.

But to keep things interesting, boost morale, and help with crew bonding, every tenth or so meal is one prepared especially for each astronaut, with these “bonus meals” often made in partnership with a chef.

Famous for her haute cuisine, Pic, 55, has the most Michelin stars of any female chef in the world - 10.

She says this project is "pushing the boundaries" of gastronomy, as she worked with her team to create special food, while keeping within the technical constraints.

“Cooking for space is an exhilarating challenge,” she was quoted as saying by the ESA.