By Marco Hugo Barsotti MHB 
Welcome to the Radio Nice and Central Milan news bulletin for Thursday 25 June 2026, on FranceToday.com, in podcasting, via AI chatbot and on Medium Waves at 1575 kHz. In the newsroom in Nice Marco Hugo Barsotti, from Paris Rachel Costa.
News from France
Heat‑wave alert: 72 departments in red alert and 17 in orange for Thursday 25 June, according to Météo‑France
Météo‑France announced on Wednesday 24 June that, from noon on Thursday, as many as 72 French departments will be placed under red alert for the heat wave, while another 17 will remain in orange alert. The situation worsened quickly: the day before, the alert network counted 58 departments in red and 31 in orange.
Forecast temperatures will be “exceptionally high” both day and night, with peaks that could reach 40‑42 °C over much of the national territory. So far France has just surpassed the record for the highest daily average temperature, recorded on Wednesday, exceeding the record set the day before.
The red alert extends to 14 departments in the northeast, while from 22:00 on Thursday 11 departments in the West and Southwest will return to orange alert. Météo‑France expects a slight drop in temperatures over the weekend, with values 2‑3 °C above seasonal averages.
The head of institutional relations at Météo‑France, Benoît Thomé, stressed that the heat wave, ongoing for more than a week, should nevertheless persist across most of the country during the weekend.
Context: the alert concerns Thursday 25 June 2026 and is valid for the entire period of the Météo‑France forecast.
Fact Check by Gemma4
No TER trains will run in Nouvelle Aquitaine during the day until Friday because of the heat wave
SNCF announced that, from Wednesday 24 June until Friday, all regional TER trains will be suspended between 10:00 and 18:00 in the Nouvelle Aquitaine region because of extremely high temperatures. The company clarified that services will still be guaranteed in the morning and evening, but no regional service will operate during the hottest hours of the day.
For Wednesday alone, the head of SNCF TER Nouvelle Aquitaine said final decisions will be taken based on feedback from operational teams. Some trains are still scheduled to depart from Bordeaux, such as the TER to Saintes (14:55), Hendaye (15:19) or Arcachon (15:30), but the overwhelming majority of other runs have already been cancelled.
In a statement posted on X, SNCF Voyageurs TER Nouvelle Aquitaine emphasized that “services will be ensured in the morning and evening”, while during the hottest hours no regional service will be provided. The reason for this measure is the need to “best preserve the railway installations, the rolling stock and ensure service continuity in comfortable conditions”. High temperatures can indeed damage tracks and technical equipment, as well as make train travel problematic.
The suspension will result in the cancellation of several hundred regional trips across the whole Nouvelle‑Aquitaine region for a total of three days.
This decision is part of the emergency measures adopted across France to cope with the record‑breaking heat wave that has exceeded 38 °C in several areas of the country, aimed at protecting both infrastructure and travelers’ health.
Fact Check by Gemma4
Rachel’s Editorial – When the Sun Strikes the Trains, the Destination Is the Stop
I’m reading you my editorial for today.
It’s curious how SNCF proclaims “preserving the rolling stock” by suspending all daytime TERs, yet leaves “blank” a few trains between 14:00 and 15:00 – the Bordeaux‑Saintes, Hendaye, Arcachon. Isn’t that a small demonstration of geographic favoritism, or a contest of “who arrives first to stop the freeze”?
They say high temperatures can deform tracks, but the decision was taken so quickly that we wonder: isn’t maintenance already scheduled for the summer, or has the “extreme heat” label become the latest excuse when the budget is missing for infrastructure upgrades?
And while passengers are forced to tan on the platform, SNCF promises “continuous service in the morning and evening”. An elegant way of saying “we’re only there when the temperature doesn’t ruin our faces”. One wonders if the onboard staff are already testing a new “soul conditioner” to endure the heat of waiting.
In the end, we find ourselves dependent on a climate we don’t understand, and on a transport policy that seems more interested in saving the tracks than saving travelers. But the real question is: when the sun is strongest, who really needs a train?
Koan of the Day
Monk: Master, why does SNCF suspend trains during the day when the heat wave rises above 35 degrees?
Master: Because iron, like man, does not want to get burned, but the journey continues in the dreams of the night.
Monk: And then, if the tracks do not actually melt, why couldn’t we simply cool them with a bit of wind?
Master: Wind is a promise that the desert takes, but true coolness is accepting that the railway is a path of fire, and man is the one who learns to walk without burning himself.
But let’s return to the news.
Renault announces voluntary exit of 800 engineers in France to counter Chinese pressure
Renault announced on Wednesday that it has launched a voluntary resignation plan that will involve 800 of the 5 500 engineers based in France, mainly in the Île‑de‑France area. The resignations, scheduled by the end of 2027, are part of a wider reorganisation of the engineering hub aimed at strengthening execution speed and reducing functional fragmentation.
The group also plans to hire on permanent contracts 150‑200 new engineers specialised in software, embedded artificial intelligence and electrification, in order to refresh the technical expertise needed to compete with Chinese manufacturers, whose market share in Europe rose from under 3 % in 2024 to almost 9 % by the end of May.
World head of technologies Philippe Brunet highlighted that the growth of Chinese shares is linked to products with advanced technological content at very competitive costs, and that Renault must regain competitiveness on this front.
The CGT, which represents workers at the Lardy technical centre, called the measure “a disguised social plan”, denouncing the decision as “a new wave of cuts” despite the group’s ability to distribute €2.1 billion in dividends and buy‑back operations over the past three years. The union urged employees to oppose the measure and to assert their demands through union action.
The plan also includes a training programme of 200 000 hours, promotion of internal mobility and simplification of organisational structures to accelerate project development.
Note: this summary reproduces data released by Renault in a press conference and the CGT’s observations, published in French news sources.
Fact Check by Gemma4
Welcome to the international news bulletin from Radio Nice and Central Milan for Thursday 25 June 2026 on FranceToday.com in podcasting and on Medium Waves at 1575 kHz.
From Paris I am Rachel Costa.
Devastating earthquake in Venezuela causes building collapses in Caracas
On 24 June two strong tremors hit Venezuela, the first with magnitude 7.2 and a few seconds later an even more violent one of 7.5. The populated areas of Caracas and its surroundings were hit by a massive shock that caused numerous buildings to collapse, panic on the streets and the declaration of a state of emergency by the government. Rescue workers are working nonstop to extract people buried under rubble and to provide initial care to the injured. Authorities warned that the damage estimate could reach extreme levels, with hundreds of potential fatalities.
Donald Trump opens the “America 250” celebrations on the National Mall
On 24 June the former President of the United States, Donald Trump, inaugurated the celebration of the country’s 250th anniversary with a large gathering on Washington’s National Mall. Between a stealth fighter fly‑over and a performance by Lee Greenwood, Trump delivered a speech centered on what he called “the great work of his term”, while also criticizing European governments for alleged lack of support. The event attracted international media attention, with numerous delegations present and a lively debate on the future of trans‑Atlantic relations amid geopolitical tensions.
Renault launches a voluntary resignation plan for 800 engineers in response to Chinese competition
The French automotive group Renault announced, late Thursday morning, a massive voluntary resignation plan that will affect eight hundred of its engineers operating in France. The decision stems from the growing competitive pressure of Chinese manufacturers, who are rapidly gaining market share thanks to lower production costs. The plan offers financial incentives to employees who agree to leave the company by the end of 2027, with the aim of reallocating resources toward the development of electric vehicles and new propulsion technologies.
Oil price falls as tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz normalises
Brent crude prices have dropped sharply after tensions in the Middle East eased, thanks to the return to normal of tanker transits through the Strait of Hormuz. After weeks of blockades and military manoeuvres that had pressured energy flows, authorities confirmed the restoration of commercial navigation. Analysts noted that the reduction in futures premiums signals a return of confidence in the markets, although uncertainty remains high regarding future political decisions in the region.
More than three hundred bans and moratoria threaten data‑centre growth in the United States
An exclusive investigation by The Information revealed that over three hundred restrictive measures, including bans and moratoria, are hindering the rapid expansion of data centres across the United States. The regulations, often introduced at local or state level, limit the installation of new facilities for environmental, safety or energy‑management reasons. Experts warn that such barriers could slow AI adoption and cloud‑computing expansion, with potential repercussions on the global competitiveness of the American tech ecosystem. The article suggests the need for a more harmonised regulatory framework to support investment in the sector.
Weather Paris, Monaco Monte Carlo and Milan for Thursday 25 June 2026
Paris – relentless sun and record temperatures
The morning is bright with clear skies and temperatures around 29 °C, feeling slightly warmer due to humidity. Wind blows from the east at 10 km/h, with no rain threat. In the afternoon the thermometer climbs quickly to 42 °C, feeling like 44, with stronger east‑southeast winds at 20 km/h, but the sky remains almost cloud‑free. In the evening temperatures drop to 39 °C, the wind keeps its intensity and the sky stays lightly clouded. During the night the temperature falls to 32 °C, with lighter winds at 15 km/h and a clear sky. Daily minima will be 29 °C and maxima 42 °C, according to expert Régis Crêpet.
Monaco Monte Carlo – Mediterranean heat and light breezes
The morning in Monaco is characterised by a clear sky and fresh temperatures of 25 °C, feeling like 28 due to residual humidity. A gentle east wind at about 10 km/h brings no rain. The afternoon brings the day’s peak with 32 °C, feeling like 43, while winds remain light from east‑southeast at 15 km/h, keeping the sky almost completely clear. Dusk arrives at 29 °C, with moderate wind at 10 km/h and few clouds on the horizon. The night is cool, around 27 °C, with a 10 km/h breeze and a cloud‑free sky. Temperatures will swing between a minimum of 25 °C and a maximum of 32 °C.
Milan – sweltering summer day under the anticyclone
In the Milanese morning the sky is mainly clear with temperatures of 28 °C, feeling like 31, and a weak east wind at 5 km/h, with no precipitation. Over the day the thermometer rises to 35 °C, feeling like 38, with light southeast winds at 7 km/h, keeping the sky sparsely clouded. Late afternoon records 33 °C, a moderate south wind at 7 km/h and a few scattered clouds, still without rain. In the evening temperature drops to 33 °C, wind comes from the south at 7 km/h, and the sky becomes more fragmented. At night Milan sits at 32 °C, with a light north‑north‑west wind at 6 km/h and a clear sky. The day will show a minimum of 28 °C and a maximum of 35 °C, according to expert Daniele Berlusconi of 3BMeteo.
Rachel’s Weather Editorial – When the Climate Is the Only Guilty Party
It’s truly surprising how, as soon as a day tops 30 °C, everyone rushes to blame climate change as if it were the sole cause of every heat, rain and light breeze. But really, who invented the idea that every sudden heat wave must be attributed to a global phenomenon, forgetting the subtropical anticyclone that bears full responsibility for making people sweat?
Rhetorical question: if tomorrow it were to snow in Milan, should we also immediately blame climate change, or consider the possibility that an atmospheric fluid simply got confused? It’s easy to point the finger at the great imagined enemy, but perhaps meteorology still has a lot to explain without turning up the volume on the blame collector.
Koan of the Day
Monk asked: “What’s the weather like today in the principality?”
Zhaozhou replied: “The sun burns, the wind is gentle and no drop falls.”
And that’s today’s weather.
Sign-off.
Online, on X and Mastodon, on all smart speakers and on medium wave, this is FranciaOggi with Centrale Milano 1575 kilohertz.