Two people have died from apparent heatstroke in Spain and parts of the country are on red alert as the first heatwave of the summer tightens its grip on the Iberian peninsula, with temperatures as high as 45C (113F) forecast for the weekend.

A mass of exceptionally hot air began moving up from Africa on Wednesday, causing temperatures of 44C in some areas of Spain by Friday afternoon. Two provinces in the western region of Extremadura have been placed on red alert, as has the Salamanca province of Castilla y León, and parts of the usually temperate north-western region of Galicia. Madrid and most of central and south-western Spain were on orange alert, with temperatures as high as 40C predicted. Despite the surging temperatures, however, most of the Spanish coastline will be spared the worst of the weekend’s heat, with the Costa del Sol due to experience normal conditions for the time of year.(theguardian)…[+]