Austria

Austria, a country in Central Europe, is currently experiencing record-breaking heatwaves, with temperatures reaching unprecedented levels. This extreme weather has led to widespread heat alerts and significant disruption across the continent, impacting energy and transport systems. The heatwave has also caused an estimated €2 billion in crop losses across Europe, raising concerns about food prices. In Austria specifically, Wieselburg recorded a July peak of 40.3C, nearing the all-time high. Beyond the immediate weather crisis, Austria is also in the news for the reopening of Adolf Hitler's birthplace in Braunau am Inn as a police station to deter neo-Nazis, and the continued operation of the historic Grassmayr bell foundry in Innsbruck, which is incorporating modern technology to preserve its centuries-old craft.