https://apnews.com/article/climate-heat-rain-flooding-summer-44fa1f62396994c6d6169c3b9dc79512

When intense heat hits, the elderly are often its first targets. As southern Europe bakes under a heat wave, Associated Press photographer Andrew Medichini recorded Sant'Egidio Catholic group volunteer Michela Tassani checking up on 98-year-old Armando Frajegari at his home in Rome on Wednesday. Temperatures in many Italian cities were closing in on 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).

Alongside the heat, firefighters in Greece continued battle Thursday with wildfires near Athens that have prompted days of evacuations. Aircraft and crews from other countries were heading to join the fight. Heat in southern Greece was expected to grow worse later this week, approaching 44 Celsius (111 Fahrenheit).