PARIS: France on Sunday prepared to host its annual street music festival in boiling heat, with a third of the country placed on red alert and alcohol consumption banned. Every year on June 21, musicians take over France, filling bars, street corners and rooftops as revellers celebrate midsummer late into the night. This year, however, the Fete de la Musique coincides with a ferocious heatwave, with a record 35 departments — roughly a third of the country — placed under the highest heat alert. Weather service Meteo-France warned that temperatures could reach as high as 41C in some places.

Officials expand safety measures as French capital prepares for huge street celebration

More than half of France is on alert for extreme heat, as forecasters warned of an intense and long-lasting heatwave that could see temperatures in Paris soar above 40C for the…