An intense surge of summer heat has landed heavily across eastern parts of the continent, sending multiple people to hospitals with heat-related conditions.

In Paterson, New Jersey, over 150 attendees at an outdoor school graduation fell ill on Monday due to the sweltering temperatures. The city’s mayor responded by declaring a state of emergency to address the growing health crisis.

Meanwhile, in Washington D.C., six concertgoers required medical attention during a live performance by the South Korean music group ‘Stray Kids’.

Heat advisories are in effect across a vast area stretching from the Midwest through the eastern United States and into Canadian provinces like Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia. The blistering conditions are expected to affect more than 160 million people throughout the week.

Further down the East Coast, several individuals in North Carolina also suffered from heat exposure. Reports indicate that at least 41 patients, including minors, were admitted to hospitals in the region.

In New Jersey, the high number of medical emergencies during two separate graduation events led officials to classify the situation as a “mass casualty” event. As a result, some local ceremonies were called off.

Following the incident, Paterson’s Mayor Andre Sayegh issued an emergency declaration, ordering the suspension of all outdoor recreational activities and opening public cooling stations for relief.

Meteorologists are cautioning that high humidity levels combined with sustained high temperatures could severely increase the likelihood of heat exhaustion and stroke.

One of the most alarming features of this weather pattern is its prolonged nature—nighttime temperatures in some eastern cities are forecast to stay above 80°F (27°C), offering little relief from the daytime heat.

Although the summer has just officially begun, forecasters say this heatwave may set all-time records in certain areas. Some cities may experience their hottest June days ever.

By Thursday, the Mid-Atlantic is predicted to bear the brunt of the heat, followed by the eastern parts of the Ohio Valley on Friday. The consecutive days of extreme warmth are expected to amplify public health risks across these zones.

The US National Weather Service (NWS) has warned people to “take action when you see symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke”.

Health officials are advising residents to avoid direct sunlight during peak hours, remain hydrated, and check on at-risk individuals, particularly seniors and those with underlying health issues.

Though extreme summer heat is common in the region, meteorologists believe this particular spell could break June records in several states.

In New York City, temperatures on Tuesday could hit 101°F (38°C), potentially matching a record high from June 1966.

Utility companies along the East Coast have urged households to reduce energy use amid rising concerns of power outages, as millions turn up their air conditioners to combat the brutal heat.

President Donald Trump on Monday declared what he called a “complete and total” ceasefire between Israel and Iran, announcing an end to what he termed the “12 Day War.” The truce, which Trump said would take effect early Tuesday morning, was meant to halt escalating hostilities between the two longtime rivals.

“I would like to congratulate both countries, Israel and Iran, on having the stamina, courage, and intelligence to end what should be called the ‘12 Day War,’” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Expressing optimism, the president stated that the ceasefire was “unlimited” and expected to last “forever.”

However, within hours of the announcement, tensions flared again, casting doubt over the durability of the fragile peace. On Tuesday morning, Israel accused Iran of violating the ceasefire by launching missiles toward its territory. The Israeli military claimed it had intercepted two missiles fired from Iran and warned of a forceful response to what it described as an “utter violation” of the agreement.

In contrast, Iranian officials firmly denied breaching the ceasefire. A senior Iranian security official stated that no missiles had been fired since the truce began around midnight ET. “If Israel makes a mistake, all occupied territories will be attacked, just like an hour before the war stopped,” the official warned, but insisted that Iran had not acted aggressively since the ceasefire came into effect.

The conflicting statements deepened uncertainty about the agreement’s future. International observers greeted Trump’s ceasefire announcement with cautious relief, acknowledging the fragile nature of such truces in the region. Some regional leaders welcomed the development, while others remained skeptical of its longevity given the volatile history between Israel and Iran.

Despite the optimism surrounding the ceasefire, Trump expressed frustration over the behavior of both nations, particularly Israel. Speaking before departing for a NATO summit in the Netherlands, Trump criticized Israel for allegedly launching attacks immediately after the truce was brokered.

“Israel, as soon as we made the deal, came out and dropped a load of bombs, the likes of which I’ve never seen before,” Trump said. “I’m not happy with Israel. You don’t go out in the first hour and drop everything you have. I’m not happy with Iran either.”

The president echoed this dissatisfaction in a post on Truth Social, warning: “ISRAEL. DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS. IF YOU DO IT IS A MAJOR VIOLATION. BRING YOUR PILOTS HOME, NOW!”

In another post from Air Force One en route to the NATO summit, Trump sought to calm tensions further, stating, “ISRAEL is not going to attack Iran. All planes will turn around and head home, while doing a friendly ‘Plane Wave’ to Iran. Nobody will be hurt, the Ceasefire is in effect!”

Speaking with reporters earlier at the White House, Trump also boasted about the effectiveness of recent U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, claiming they left the sites beyond repair. “Iran will never rebuild itself. That place is under rock, that place is demolished,” he said, crediting the success to U.S. pilots he described as performing “better than anybody could even imagine.”

Meanwhile, questions lingered about the ceasefire’s connection to other regional conflicts, particularly the war in Gaza. Some Israeli opposition figures and families of hostages called on leaders to extend the ceasefire momentum to resolve the Gaza conflict as well.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the ceasefire technically remained in place, but mutual distrust and contradictory accusations left the region—and the world—watching anxiously for the next development.

A state of emergency was put in place as massive wildfires entered their third consecutive day on Chios Island.

By early Tuesday, efforts to control the spreading fires involved 444 firefighters, 85 engines, 11 helicopters, and two planes dropping water, according to the local fire service.

Additional teams were deployed from Athens, Thessaloniki, and the neighboring island of Lesbos. Police on Chios also received reinforcements, and military presence on the island has been doubled.

An arson investigation unit has arrived to determine if the fires were deliberately set.

Climate crisis and civil protection minister Giannis Kefalogiannis said late on Monday that authorities were “very seriously examining the possibility of an organised criminal act”.

“Whoever thinks that they can play with the lives of citizens and cause chaos with premeditated actions will be led to court,” he added. “Arson is a serious crime and will be dealt with as such.”

Mr Kefalogiannis further noted that crews were battling “simultaneous fires in multiple, geographically unconnected parts of the island”, stressing that such occurrences “cannot be considered coincidental”.

The fires erupted Sunday at three different points near the island’s main town, Chios, before merging into a large blaze that has swept through forest areas and farmland.

Warnings to evacuate were issued for two regions close to Chios town early Monday.

Emergency alerts were also pushed to mobile phones, ordering residents and visitors in 16 villages and settlements near the town to leave immediately.

While summer wildfires are a frequent threat in Greece’s dry and hot climate, officials have raised concerns that climate change is contributing to the growing intensity and frequency of these fires.

Last summer, similar wildfires forced residents and tourists to evacuate the island of Kos.

In 2023, wildfires in northern Greece claimed at least 20 lives and displaced 19,000 people on the island of Rhodes.

A judicial panel in Leipzig has ruled to reverse a ban previously placed on Compact, a well-known far-right publication in Germany.

While some interpret the verdict as a setback in efforts to curb extremist ideologies, others see it as a reaffirmation of the nation’s strong commitment to civil liberties and freedom of speech.

The magazine had been outlawed by the interior ministry in July 2024 on grounds that it posed a threat to constitutional values and promoted hostile rhetoric targeting minority groups.

“It is a central mouthpiece of the right-wing extremist scene,” said German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser at the time. “This magazine incites unspeakable hatred against Jews, against people with a migration background, and against our parliamentary democracy.”

Authorities have previously connected the publication to the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. It has also been labeled as extremist by the country’s domestic intelligence service.

In their ruling on Tuesday, the court acknowledged that Compact had disseminated messages that could be considered hostile to the constitution. However, the judges concluded that this alone did not provide sufficient justification to outlaw it entirely.

Many remarks in the magazine may be deemed “exaggerated but permissible criticism,” presiding Judge Ingo Kraft told the court. “The constitution guarantees freedom of expression and freedom of the press, even towards enemies of the constitution.”

Following the judgment, the publication’s chief editor, Jürgen Elsässer—who previously characterized the outlet as “democracy’s assault gun”—claimed that the ruling was a win not only for his team but for the AfD as well. He argued that if Compact could not legally be suppressed, neither could the party.

The decision arrives amid intense national debate over whether banning the AfD could backfire by reinforcing its narrative of political persecution. Though classified as a far-right extremist entity by security services, some critics of the party argue that outlawing it might further fuel its support.

Over recent months, German authorities have taken action against various organisations deemed hostile to the country’s democratic framework, including those with links to far-right networks. Figures within these movements argue they are being unfairly targeted by state power.

Voices aligned with former U.S. President Donald Trump have also weighed in, accusing Germany of suppressing dissent. At a major international security gathering earlier this year, U.S. Vice President JD Vance stunned attendees with a scathing criticism of German leadership, alleging that political forces were marginalizing the AfD and cracking down on freedom of speech.

Despite such claims, AfD representatives regularly appear in televised debates and have equal speaking rights alongside mainstream political parties in the federal legislature.

Germany’s painful historical experiences under Nazi and communist dictatorships have shaped its modern approach to regulating speech. Legal thresholds for outlawing publications or political groups remain intentionally high.

Many such cases are brought before the courts, and rulings—such as this one allowing Compact to resume operation—are often beyond the reach of government appeal.