The House of Representatives has passed President Trump's voter identification legislation, known as the Save America Act, after Speaker Mike Johnson navigated a difficult internal rebellion within his own party to get the bill through. The path to passage was far from smooth, involving days of stalled action and last-minute negotiations. A Rocky Road Through the House Floor Just days before the bill's passage, a renewed rebellion among House Republicans had brought action on the floor to a standstill. The internal pushback was serious enough that Speaker Johnson made the decision to send members home early ahead of the Fourth of July holiday, effectively pausing progress on the legislation until tensions could be addressed. The rebellion reflected divisions within the Republican party over specific provisions in the voter ID bill, with some members expressing concerns that ultimately required further negotiation before they were willing to support the legislation. Getting t...
Europe is in the grip of its most severe heatwave of 2026, with temperatures threatening to shatter all-time records across the continent and forecasters warning that the worst may still be ahead. More than 380 million people across Europe faced temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius on Thursday, with Germany, France, Spain and the United Kingdom among the worst affected countries. The human cost is already significant — Spain alone has reported at least 212 heat-related deaths in a single four-day period, while France has recorded at least 18 fatalities and issued red heat alerts covering 54 of its departments.
Germany Approaches Record Temperatures
Germany is bracing for what could be a historic moment in the country's meteorological records as temperatures push toward 44 degrees Celsius in some regions. The German Weather Service has forecast highs of up to 36 degrees in the Upper Rhine region, with southern and western cities including Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Konstanz recording temperatures well into the high thirties. Tropical nights defined as nights where temperatures never drop below 20 degrees Celsius have been recorded in several southern and western German cities, leaving residents with no relief even after dark.
The current heatwave follows an already exceptional spring in Germany. May 2026 saw temperatures exceed 30 degrees Celsius for the first time that year on May 23, and multiple weather stations recorded their highest ever number of hot days in a single May. The Upper Rhine region of Baden-Württemberg recorded nine hot days in May alone more than double the previous record of four set in 2005.
380 Million Europeans Sweltering
The scale of this heatwave is difficult to overstate. According to analysis based on forecasts from the German Weather Service and European population data, more than 380 million people across the continent faced temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius on Thursday. Of those, at least 101 million experienced temperatures surpassing 35 degrees including 50 million in France and 18 million in Germany. The heat has extended from the Iberian Peninsula across France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Germany and into central and eastern Europe.
Italy has placed 16 cities under its highest heat alert, including Rome, Florence, Bologna, Milan and Verona. Switzerland issued high-level warnings with temperatures forecast to reach 37 degrees in parts of the country. Authorities in Croatia, Serbia, North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina have all warned of extreme conditions, while Belgium's meteorological institute issued warnings running through Sunday.
Spain's Death Toll Mounts
Spain has been among the hardest hit countries in Europe during this latest heatwave. The country's MoMo mortality monitoring system recorded an excess of 212 deaths between Sunday and Wednesday that are linked to the heat — a figure that is more than double the 98 excess deaths recorded during the equivalent period of 2025's heatwave. Temperatures in Spain have soared well above 40 degrees Celsius in multiple regions, with parts of the Tagus Valley and Guadalquivir Valley approaching 44 degrees at the peak of the heat.
The deaths in Spain follow an already devastating pattern. Between May 16 and September 30 last year, Spain recorded 3,832 heat-related deaths — an increase of nearly 88 percent compared to the same period in 2024. Climate scientists have consistently pointed to Spain as one of the European countries most exposed to the consequences of a warming climate.
In France, at least 18 people have died as a result of the heat, including two young children. A two-year-old and a four-year-old were found unconscious by their mother in a family car in the town of Carpentras, where temperatures had exceeded 39 degrees Celsius. Emergency responders were unable to save either child. Three elderly people between the ages of 80 and 95 also died in the Bordeaux region over the weekend, where temperatures reached 41.9 degrees Celsius. Additionally, 13 people drowned across France as experts warned that heatwaves increase the risk of water safety incidents.
What Is Driving Europe's Extreme Heat?
The current heatwave is being driven by a heat dome — a meteorological phenomenon in which a mass of extremely hot, dry air from North Africa becomes trapped over Europe by blocking weather systems on either side. This prevents the hot air from dissipating and causes temperatures to build to exceptional levels over several days.
Climate scientists have been warning for years that heat domes of this kind will become more frequent, more intense and longer-lasting as global temperatures continue to rise. The 2026 European heatwaves this is already the second major event of the year following an earlier heatwave in May are consistent with those predictions. Temperatures across Western Europe were running between 12 and 16 degrees above long-term averages for this time of year during the most intense phases of the heat.
Infrastructure Under Strain Across the Continent
Beyond the direct health impacts, the heatwave has placed significant pressure on infrastructure across multiple countries. In the United Kingdom, NHS hospitals declared critical incidents after cooling systems powering MRI scanners and operating theatres failed under the strain, forcing the cancellation of hundreds of appointments. Train operators across Britain reduced speeds to prevent tracks from buckling, causing widespread delays. Germany's rail network issued similar warnings as heat-related infrastructure risks increased.
The Berlin Open tennis tournament was dramatically interrupted when severe thunderstorms triggered in part by the intense atmospheric instability created by the heat forced the suspension of the final for six hours. Schools across several countries closed early or modified timetables as classroom temperatures became unsafe for students.
Forecasters Warn the Worst Is Not Over
Meteorologists have warned that the heatwave is expected to continue through at least the end of the week, with some models suggesting records could be broken again before any significant cooling arrives. The current pattern has been compared to the catastrophic 2003 European heatwave, which killed more than 70,000 people across the continent and remains the deadliest weather event in modern European history.
Governments across Europe are urging residents to stay indoors during peak heat hours, drink plenty of water, check on vulnerable neighbours and avoid strenuous activity in the open air. Emergency services in the most affected countries have been placed on heightened alert, with additional resources deployed to respond to heat-related medical emergencies.
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