- Jun 26
Spain records 212 heat-linked deaths as June temperatures shatter records; 3,500 schools close in France
An estimated 212 excess deaths in Spain between Sunday and Wednesday are attributed to a record-breaking heatwave, with the government’s MoMo monitoring system flagging a significant spike in mortality. France closed 3,500 schools and adjusted schedules for 10,000 more as the sweltering temperatures also hit the country.
- Jun 21
France bans outdoor alcohol and closes 845 schools as extreme heatwave puts one-third of country on red alert
France declared a red heat alert for 35 departments on Sunday and banned alcohol consumption in public spaces during the Fête de la Musique festival, as a heatwave of exceptional intensity sweeps across Europe.
- Jun 21
France to launch automatic alerts for pupils who vanish from school after boy held captive in van for a year
France’s education minister has announced an automated system to flag children who leave a school without re-enrolling elsewhere, responding to the discovery of a 9-year-old boy held starving and naked in a van for nearly a year.
- Jun 14
French education minister pushes to ban afternoon exams as heatwave strikes baccalaureate week
Ahead of the baccalaureate written exams starting Monday, Education Minister Édouard Geffray announced he wants to end all afternoon exams, pointing to intensifying heat episodes that regularly push classroom temperatures above 30 °C.
- May 28
Western Europe swelters under record-breaking May heatwave as Italy declares red alert and France faces political backlash
A precocious 'heat dome' from North Africa has shattered May temperature records in Portugal and France, prompting Italy to issue its highest-level red alert for Rome and four other cities.
