French official says 1,500 died in heat wave over summer

PARIS — France’s health minister said Sunday that 1,500 people died in this summer’s heat wave in France — but a campaign of public awareness saved many lives.

Agnes Buzyn, speaking on France Inter radio, said there were more than 1,000 more deaths that the annual average for the time of the year, and half of those were aged over 75.

She said there were 18 days of recorded heat wave in France this year during June and July.

She noted, however, that it represented many fewer deaths than the scorching heat wave in 2003 that claimed 15,000 lives. Tens of thousands more died across Europe that summer.

“We have succeeded — thanks to prevention, thanks to workable messages the French population heeded — to reduce fatalities by a factor of 10,” she said.

In Yemen: Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on Sunday called for an end to fighting in southern Yemen between forces loyal to the internationally recognized government and UAEbacked separatists.

The joint statement urges President Mansour Abed Rabbo Hadi’s government and the secessionist Southern Transitional Council to prepare for “constructive” talks in Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi-led coalition against the Houthi rebel group has been undermined by recent infighting in the south between government and STC forces, which are ostensibly allies. The clashes erupted in August when the southern separatists wrested control of Hadi’s interim capital, Aden.