Record temperatures roil France

An astonishing heat wave has swept across Europe this week, with France the hardest hit. The country recorded its hottest-ever day on Tuesday, only to break the record again on Wednesday. The extreme heat has led to tragedy: 40 people have drowned nationwide as they seek relief from the unbearable temperatures – many of them teenagers and swimming in unsupervised areas. The heat wave has ignited a political debate over the country’s low-use of air conditioning, as the longstanding stigma around it appears to be subsiding.