'Unseen' News and Views
(United Nations)* — Some of the most intimidating sights in nature are rolling dark clouds of sand and dust that engulf everything in their path, a phenomenon that turns day into night and wreaks havoc everywhere from Northern China to sub-Saharan Africa.
The southern part of South America is counting the societal and economic cost of an extreme cold spell which brought frost and freezing morning temperatures intensified from Patagonia to central regions of Chile and Argentina.
On 30 June, both Chile and Argentina ranked among the coldest places on Earth, excluding the polar regions.
It was due to the persistence of a powerful polar-origin anticyclone which extended into parts of Paraguay and Uruguay, causing unusually low temperatures for the season.
The World Meteorological Organization, its members and partners are ramping up action against extreme heat to protect lives from what is widely described as a silent killer.
July is typically the warmest month of the year in the Northern hemisphere.
Western Europe is currently under influence of a strong high-pressure system, trapping dry air from northern Africa over the region and leading to extreme heat which is having a major impact on all aspects of daily life, leading to spikes in air pollution and a big risk of wildfires.
This is coupled with a severe drought in some European countries.
HUMAN WRONGS WATCH 