France restricts public alcohol consumption and outdoor sports as heat wave bakes parts of Europe

AI Summary

A heatwave of unusual severity is affecting much of Western Europe during late June 2026, bringing temperatures toward 40°C in major urban centers and threatening to break established temperature records. The widespread extreme heat has forced authorities across multiple nations to convene emergency sessions and issue the highest warning levels, while schools have modified schedules and other protective measures have been enacted. The phenomenon is impacting large segments of the population, with particular intensity in France where more than half the country faces the intense conditions.