France's iconic national art museum, home to Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo
Two early‑season heatwaves have broken June temperature records across western Europe, pushing many locations above 40°C, triggering red alerts, disrupting transport and power, and causing dozens of deaths in France and other countries. Scientists have said human‑caused warming has made this event far more likely and night‑time temperatures have remained unusually high.
France endures its hottest day on record as a Europe-wide heat wave triggers power outages in Brittany, with 100k+ customers affected. Crews are restoring supply and warnings persist about continued extreme temperatures.
France leads with record heat as Europe endures a Omega-block-driven heat wave. France, Italy and Britain report extreme temperatures, power outages and weather-related disruptions; authorities warn of ongoing risks.
France and Spain face renewed heat, with forecasts reaching up to 44C in parts of the southeast. June’s heat has already caused thousands of excess deaths, prompting warnings of increased forest fires and pressure on hospitals.
The Bayeux Tapestry has arrived in London for its first display on British soil in almost 1,000 years. The 70-metre wool-on-linen embroidery is being shown at the British Museum this September, after France agreed to loan it amid renovation at Bayeux. Tickets sold rapidly, with demand high for viewing through 2026 and 2027.
Two men implicated in the October 2025 Louvre burglary have told investigative judges that the mastermind behind the heist was unhappy with the haul and believed more could be taken. They say they were recruited just days before the break-in and that the plan involved smashing display cases to steal royal jewelry worth about €88 million. The men, Abdoulaye N and Ghelamallah A, say they were paid up to €20,000 and faced dire financial pressures.
The Apollo Gallery at the Louvre has reopened after nine months, but the crown jewels are no longer on display. Eight jewels valued at about $102 million were stolen in October; authorities have charged four suspects, and the jewels remain missing. Security upgrades are in place as France reviews museum safety in the Louvre New Renaissance plan.
Thieves have taken three panels from Antonello da Messina's San Gregorio polyptych and a small double-sided devotional panel from the Regional Museum in Messina late on Aug. 15 during the city's Vara procession. Two panels were later abandoned near the museum. Authorities are investigating a likely commissioned theft and probing how alarms were circumvented.
Stolen artworks attributed to Antonello da Messina have been taken from the Regional Interdisciplinary Museum of Messina during a late Saturday burglary caught on Assumption Day in the city. Five wooden panels comprising the San Gregorio Polyptych and a small two-sided Virgin and Christ painting have been seized; two panels were left behind near the museum grounds. Authorities suspect the theft was ordered for high-value art trafficking.
Two men have smashed a glass case at Vienna’s MAK museum, seizing a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace designed for an Egyptian royal wedding in 1939. Police say the suspects fled in an unknown direction; the piece is valued at millions. The theft follows a wave of recent European museum heists amid rising security concerns.
Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko has offered his resignation, saying the move is a political decision. Anti-corruption bodies NABU and SAPO allege a money-laundering network tied to call centres; Kravchenko denies involvement. Kyiv faces renewed Russian strikes as anti-corruption reform debates intensify.
Two thieves have broken into the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer before 06:00 and have taken four Renoir paintings each estimated at about €9m. Municipal police reached the scene within five minutes after the alarm sounded; two works were abandoned and recovered in the museum garden and two paintings remain missing as investigators search for suspects.
The Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer has seen two paintings stolen by a group described as well-equipped. The two works were dropped in the museum garden; the other two remain missing. Experts say stolen art rarely sells for value and may end up hidden or destroyed. Police are searching for the perpetrators.