Italy banned outdoor work in some regions during the warmest hours, France shut schools and part of the Eiffel Tower and Spain confirmed its hottest June on record as a severe heatwave gripped Europe,

Dozens of the country's mainland regions are currently under the second-highest alert as the heatwave continues.

While conditions are beginning to improve in some regions, France remains particularly affected, bracing for extreme heat. The French capital, Paris, is forecast to reach a blistering 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) on Tuesday.

French-Algerian author Boualem Sansal is facing five years in prison in Algeria after he lost an appeal against his conviction for “undermining national unity.”

The conviction of Boualem Sansal, an outspoken French and Algerian writer, has worsened tensions between the countries.