Health news today is dominated by the deadly toll of climate extremes, with the World Health Organization linking Europe’s record heatwave to more than 1,300 excess deaths since June 21 as temperatures continue to shatter records and strain public health systems across the continent. In France alone, officials report around 1,000 more deaths than expected, underscoring how quickly extreme heat can become a mass-casualty event. The human dimension of health also runs through tributes to Australian cancer pioneer Professor Richard Scolyer, whose state memorial will be held at the Sydney Opera House on July 13 after his death from brain cancer at 59. Elsewhere, Chinese dissident Dong Guangping’s arrival in Canada after a perilous escape by boat to South Korea highlights the mental and physical risks tied to political persecution. And in celebrity news, reports say Courteney Cox and Johnny McDaid have amicably ended their long relationship.