European Heatwave Shatters German Record at 41.3C, Shuts Nuclear Reactors

Europe's severe late-June heatwave has now broken Germany's all-time temperature record with 41.3C logged in Saarbrücken. The extreme conditions, running 5–12C above seasonal norms, have forced Switzerland's Beznau nuclear plant offline, cancelled major events across France, Germany and the Netherlands, and strained hospitals and transport links. At least 150 million people faced temperatures above 35C on Friday, with scientists linking the intensity to accelerated climate-driven warming across the continent and noting indirect pressures on regional energy demand and economic activity.