The news was dominated by searing temperatures and wildfires causing death and destruction across large parts of Europe, Africa and Asia.
More than 40 people died in Algeria, Italy and Greece, while thousands were evacuated as Mediterranean blazes threatened towns, villages and holiday resorts.
Two pilots died on the island of Evia, just north of Athens, when their Canadair firefighting plane crashed into a ravine. Elsewhere on the island, a man’s charred body was found in a remote rural shack as the mercury rose to above 44C (111F).
Scottish tourists spoke of relief
Emma and Bruce Farquhar, and their two children Brodie, 17, and Eilidh, 15, had been enjoying a relaxing holiday at the Lardos resort, close to where the Laerma wildfire began in the island’s centre. But when ash started falling on them “like snow from the sky”, they were rowed to safety by local emergency staff.
Mrs Farquhar said she had mixed emotions – despite being anxious to get home, she was sorry for the locals who had to watch their homes and livelihoods burn.
George was one of the best
The BBC newsreader, author and journalist George Alagiah died from bowel cancer at the age of 67, prompting fulsome tributes from friends, colleagues and political figures from across the party spectrum.
Throughout his illustrious career, Alagiah interviewed a number of high-profile figures, including former president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and former Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe.
BBC director general Tim Davie said: “George was one of the best and bravest journalists of his generation who reported fearlessly from across the world as well as presenting the news flawlessly.We are thinking of his family at this time.”
Sinead’s death shocked pop world
The music world was stunned by the sudden death of singer-songwriter Sinead O’Connor at the age of 56. The Irish artist rose to fame in 1990 with a striking version of Prince’s Nothing Compares 2 U which has become an all-time classic.
Her version of the ballad topped charts across the world and spent four weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, earning her three Grammy nominations.
O’Connor was a precocious talent who used music as a means of dealing with the demons inside her and she was honest about her battles with depression.
She had four children, one of whom – Shane – took his own life aged just 17 last year. And it was a blow from which his mother never really recovered.
Tall Ships make waves in Shetland
Magnificent tall ships sailed into Lerwick for the 2023 races on the island and the town was buzzing with excitement as the community welcomed a fleet of 37 vessels.
Shetland is proudly playing host to the prestigious Tall Ship Races, which encourage international friendships and training for young people.
The first to arrive at Holmsgarth was the Norwegian class D ship, Loyal, which was met by an admiring crowd and the stage is set for a weekend of festivities.
Pets facing brunt of austerity crisis
The Scottish SPCA revealed that there is an animal welfare crisis in Scotland due to cost of living pressures. Arrivals at its rescue centres have increased by 25% to 3,518 in the first six months of 2023.
In Aberdeenshire, that figure was 60%, with more than 800 animals coming through the doors as families struggle to cope with feeding themselves.
The charity said the current situation was worse than it had anticipated, with calls to its helpline four times higher than two years ago.
Beano’s 85th birthday in Style(s)
The Beano, the world’s longest-running comic, marked its 85th anniversary with guest appearances from the likes of Adele, Stormzy, Marcus Rashford and Harry Styles.
The guests were drawn after 3,000 children – aged seven to 14 – were asked in a poll which celebrities they would like to see appear in cartoon form.
Sir David Attenborough, Lewis Hamilton and Jill Scott were also featured.
U-boat found off coast of Shetland
As if hosting the Tall Ships wasn’t enough, a First World War German U-boat was identified by divers off the coast of Shetland.
The SM UC-55 submarine was sunk about eight miles south-east of Lerwick by the Royal Navy in 1917.
Divers aboard the Stromness boat Valhalla become the first to inspect the wreckage of the vessel which had been laying mines in the convoy channel between Orkney and Shetland before being forced to surface due to a technical fault.
Spacey cleared of sex charges
An emotional Kevin Spacey was cleared at London’s Southwark Crown Court of nine sex offences with which he had been charged.
The 64-year-old Oscar winner and star of such films as The Usual Suspects and LA Confidential, cried in court when he heard the not guilty verdicts being delivered.
Spacey said he was “humbled” by the outcome in a brief statement outside court.
Wedding hit the heights
A newly-wed couple celebrated their marriage by climbing Skye’s second highest summit in their wedding outfits.
Victoria Forbes and Mark Lyons carried the wedding dress, suit and climbing gear up Sgurr Dearg and the enthusiastic climbers from the Scottish Borders then donned their wedding outfits to scale the top section, called the Inaccessible Pinnacle.
