France restricts booze in public as heat wave bakes Europe

Key Points:

• France is experiencing an exceptional heat wave with temperatures reaching up to 40°C (104°F), leading to cancellations of trains, concerts, and sports events, as well as restrictions on public alcohol consumption in "red alert" zones to protect emergency services.
• Multiple drownings have been reported in France and Germany as people seek relief in water, with four children drowning in France and a 23-year-old man drowning near Rheinstetten, Germany; authorities warn that summer drownings increase during heat waves.
• The French government has mobilized emergency services, military forces, and imposed tightened surveillance on water supplies and nuclear reactors, while closing 845 schools and urging better adaptation to heat waves, including potential air conditioning measures.
• Other European countries like Spain, Italy, Germany, and the UK are also facing extreme heat, with temperatures forecasted to reach up to 39°C (102°F) in Germany and 38°C (100°F) in southern England, prompting event cancellations and public safety warnings.
• The World Health Organization highlights that over 200,000 heat-related deaths in Europe over the past four years were mostly preventable, with climate change driving more frequent and intense heat waves expected to shatter records in the coming years.