GPS News
WEATHER REPORT
UAE cuts Friday sermons at mosques over sizzling heat
UAE cuts Friday sermons at mosques over sizzling heat
by AFP Staff Writers
Dubai (AFP) June 28, 2024

The United Arab Emirates has shortened Friday sermons at mosques to protect worshippers from severe heat, amid rising summer temperatures linked to climate change.

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs, in a statement on Thursday, ordered preachers to limit Friday sermons to 10 minutes from June to October, when temperatures cool.

The sermons usually last for 20 minutes for the main weekly prayers on Fridays but can run even longer, with large crowds gathering outside mosques at midday.

The decision was aimed at ensuring "the safety of worshippers... especially during the summer months", the statement said.

It coincides with UAE authorities' efforts to avoid heat strokes and other complications as temperatures approach 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) in parts of the country.

From June until September, the UAE prohibits work under direct sunlight and in open-air areas between noon and 3:00 pm as part of a longstanding "midday break" policy widely adopted across the Gulf.

The desert region, already one of the world's hottest, faces rising threats from high temperatures attributed to climate change.

Earlier this month, more than 1,300 people died while performing the annual Muslim hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia during intense heat, according to Saudi authorities.

Most where unauthorised pilgrims who had to walk long distances under direct sunlight, according to the official Saudi Press Agency.

"Rising temperatures in the region, combined with high humidity, create dangerous conditions," said Karim Elgendy, as associate fellow at the Chatham House think-tank.

"This presents a serious threat to human health in outdoor environments," the climate expert told AFP.

Related Links
Weather News at TerraDaily.com

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
WEATHER REPORT
Madrid to use flamenco to draw tourists in from the heat
Madrid (AFP) June 26, 2024
Madrid city hall said Wednesday it will offer free flamenco shows at air conditioned museums during the hottest hours of the day to encourage tourists to seek shelter from the heat. Spain endured its second-hottest year on record in 2023 and temperatures in Madrid regularly top 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) during the summer months, when tourists from around the world flock to the city. Over 1.6 million tourists visited the Spanish capital last July and August. While temperatures in the mo ... read more

WEATHER REPORT
Uzbekistan tries to put fresh spin on its silk industry

The herders caught in India and China's icy conflict

S.Africa to dish up more zebra to boost jobs and conservation

Algerian women pioneer eco-friendly farming

WEATHER REPORT
Google greenhouse gas emissions grow as it powers AI

Scientists observe record-setting electron mobility in a new crystal film

Malaysia seizes 106 illegal e-waste containers

US chip-maker Onsemi to invest $2 bn in Czech plant

WEATHER REPORT
UK police arrest 27 climate activists over airport protest plans

NASA Explores Passenger Comfort in Air Taxi Simulations

UK govt, British Airways sued over 1990 Kuwait hostage crisis

NGO denounces rising air freight pollution

WEATHER REPORT
EU slaps Chinese electric cars with tariffs of up to 38%

China's BYD opens EV plant in Thailand despite slowdown, tariff row

China's EV makers Nio, XPeng commit to EU market despite tariffs

Why are Chinese electric cars in EU crosshairs?

WEATHER REPORT
Hong Kong fines DBS Bank $1.3 mn for money-laundering breaches

China says opposes 'politicising' trade after Germany blocks firm's sale

Markets extend gains, dollar dips as US data fans rate cut hopes

Chinese state-owned carmaker SAIC demands EU hearing over tariffs

WEATHER REPORT
Nigerians strive to bring mangrove forests back to life

Indonesia palm oil firm accused of illegal deforestation

US urges EU to delay anti-deforestation law

Lula calls for 'agility' in combatting Amazon deforestation crime

WEATHER REPORT
EarthCARE Satellite's Initial Image Unveils Cloud Structures

Alphabet Soup: NASA's GOLD Finds Surprising C, X Shapes in Atmosphere

Hydrosat to launch VanZyl-1, offering global high-resolution thermal imagery

Coordinating an airborne lab across the globe with NASA's earth science project office

WEATHER REPORT
Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.