Heatwave working up a sweat

An officer wipes the sweat from a presidential guard’s forehead in central Athens amid a protracted heatwave that was Thursday accompanied by a cloud of African dust. City dwellers flocked to the beaches while the Acropolis, the rocky citadel at the heart of the capital, was closed from 1 to 5 p.m. The highest temperature in Greece Thursday was recorded in the village of Nerokouros in the regional unit of Hania, on the island of Crete, at 44.3 Celsius (112 Fahrenheit). According to the National Meteorological Service (EMY), temperatures are expected to drop slightly Friday to an average of 39C. [EPA]