French state-owned international news network based in Paris
King Harald V has died at Oslo University Hospital at 06:35 on Friday, Aug. 28, aged 89. Crown Prince Haakon has become King Haakon VIII and will take the oath before parliament on Tuesday. Norway has declared national mourning; tens of thousands have left tributes at the royal palace and a funeral date is set for Sept. 9.
A glacier-triggered flash flood has devastated a Himalayan valley, killing hundreds and leaving thousands missing across Nepal and Tibet. Rescuers are expanding operations in rugged terrain, with several hydropower tunnels still under threat and ongoing fears of further flooding from two barrier lakes.
Kurdistan authorities have reported Iranian-launched drones struck the private office of KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and the residence of the region's security agency chief on 17 August, with no casualties. The attacks come as Baghdad presses for a September 30 deadline to bring armed factions under state control and as cross-border strikes and US-Saudi operations have raised tensions across Iraq.
Families and lawmakers have raised alarms about living conditions and mental health aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been continuously at sea since November and has not made a port call for more than 240 days. Reports have cited food shortages, plumbing failures, water contamination and multiple attempted overboard incidents; senators have asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for answers.
British rider Finlay Tarling has died after a serious accident during the 8th stage of the Volta a Portugal. The race was neutralised and the podium ceremony cancelled as a sign of mourning. Tarling, 19, rode for the NSN Development Team and was the younger brother of Josh Tarling.
SpaceX has pledged $100 billion to build a 125,000‑acre Starbase in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, that it says will support thousands of Starship launches a year, add about 3,000 direct jobs and include propellant production, power generation and deep‑water shipping. Construction is scheduled to start in 2027; SpaceX targets initial launches by 2029 while state officials give a 2030 timeline.
Joshua Wong has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to collude with foreign forces in Hong Kong's High Court and faces additional years behind bars while already serving a four-year, eight-month sentence for a separate national security conviction. Rights groups and supporters say the new charge is designed to extend his detention and chill dissent across the city.
French journalists Gaël Mocaër and Sebastián Perez Pezzani, with Togolese fixer Fred Vedomey, remain in pre-trial detention in Lomé after being arrested on July 27 in Kara while filming a documentary. Authorities allege missing permits and drone use; supporters say permits were obtained and the case is a press-freedom concern.
The Times of Israel, BBC Business, France 24 and Bloomberg report that Israel has opened tenders for about 1,200 settlement homes in the E1 corridor, east of Jerusalem. The move draws international condemnation and raises concerns about a two-state solution. France, Germany, Italy and the UK join in urging reconsideration, while the EU and UN caution on the broader implications for regional stability.
The United States has escalated economic pressure on Iran with new sanctions, while markets digest the implications for oil supply and global finance. Iran vows resilience as China defends its interests amid the push. Prices wobble but stabilize after early volatility.
The Supreme Court has ordered Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan to be transferred to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad for examination within 48 hours, provoking security measures outside the hospital. Khan and his wife were sentenced to 17 years in prison last year, and protests have followed his detention since 2023.
The Chang’e-7 mission is delaying its launch as conditions for lift-off have not been met this year. The China Manned Space Agency has given a brief statement that the launch cannot take place within the planned window after a comprehensive assessment.
Infantino is facing a leadership crisis as CONCACAF, UEFA and AFC push for his resignation amid a failed World Cup privatization plan. He is meeting Dominican officials while allies seek to rally support and counter moves to unseat him ahead of the March 2021 presidential election. FIFA has not commented on ongoing requests for change.
Since mid‑May the Democratic Republic of Congo has recorded more than 5,600 Ebola cases and about 2,700 deaths; the outbreak has spread across six provinces and is covering an area larger than France. The UN and aid groups have warned infections are rising faster than the international response, funding is running short and frontline workers face attacks and heavy losses.
Migrants who perished during Spain’s Ceuta border crisis are being buried in Ceuta with the number of dead and missing still unclear. Officials report at least 90 deaths tied to the late July border surge, while a Moroccan NGO argues the toll could be higher. Burials are taking place as authorities grapple with identifying bodies and repatriation, with thousands still stranded.
The DR Congo government and M23 rebels have agreed on a roadmap for peace talks, backed by international mediators, to implement the Doha Framework. A ceasefire verification mission is set to monitor violations as fighting persists in North and South Kivu, with concerns over sanctions, detainees and political reforms.
France is entering a pivotal presidential contest in 2027. Marine Le Pen leads early polls, while the left remains fragmented. Centre and reformist contenders contemplate primaries, amid debates on Europe, the economy, and national security.
The United States has imposed 50% tariffs on roughly $20bn of Canadian goods and Canada has announced dollar‑for‑dollar retaliation, naming more than 700 U.S. products for 15%, 25% or 50% duties from Sept. 8. The moves have hit metals, autos, food and household goods and are pushing costs for manufacturers and consumers on both sides of the border.
Shein has floated on the Hong Kong stock exchange at HK$48.56 a share, valuing the company at about US$26.3bn and raising roughly HK$13.6bn. Shares plunged as much as 10% on open before recovering to close marginally below the offer price. The IPO follows failed plans to list in New York and London and rising trade and regulatory costs that have squeezed margins.
The State Department has said it will revoke B‑1 and B‑2 business and tourist visas issued between 2016 and 2026 for people who have sought or are seeking asylum. The action, coordinated with DHS and described as rolling, would reclassify many pending asylum holders and would not necessarily cause immediate deportations; officials expect legal challenges.
President Donald Trump has submitted a 30-year civil nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia to Congress, starting a 90-day review. The deal would allow U.S. firms to export civilian nuclear technology and build AP1000 reactors. The White House says the pact will only move forward if Riyadh normalises relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords.
Meta has agreed to pay up to $18 billion and to change Facebook and Instagram defaults for US users under 18. The deal ends a federal trial and requires age verification, a two-hour daily cap, night blocks, muted school-hour notifications, removal of visible like counts and limits on cosmetic filters.
Tim Curry has died at his Los Angeles home on 25 August at age 80, his longtime manager Marcia Hurwitz has confirmed. The English actor had been wheelchair‑bound after a major 2012 stroke and had a history of kidney cancer; the death certificate lists those conditions as contributing factors. He had originated Dr Frank‑N‑Furter in The Rocky Horror Show and enjoyed a six‑decade career across stage, film and voice work.
Josh Kushner has issued his first public statement on the collapsed FIFA Forward Enterprise plan, saying he still supports the idea but would not have joined had he known how the process would unfold. UEFA has asked U.S. courts to compel Thrive and Kushner to hand over documents and testimony as it prepares potential criminal mismanagement claims against FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
More than 100 companies, led by OpenAI and Anthropic, have published an open letter saying AI-enabled cyberattacks will become far more widespread and sophisticated in coming months. The signatories call for defensive AI tools, shared threat intelligence, urgent government funding and coordinated testing to protect hospitals, utilities and internet infrastructure.
Celine Dion has begun a 16-show residency in Paris after years away from touring due to a rare autoimmune disorder. Fans gathered outside a Paris hotel as she prepared to take the stage at the Plenitude Arena, with more performances planned for 2027. She emphasizes the ongoing support from fans and confirms the tour will run through September and October, with further May 2027 dates announced.
Dolly Parton has died at 80. Despite never claiming the feminist label, her fans and contemporaries cite her life, lyrics, and actions as a form of feminism. The piece weaves remarks from Gloria Steinem, writers like Lynn Melnick, and moments from the Newport Folk Festival to show how Parton’s independence and relatability shaped a lasting feminist influence, even without a formal label.
Soldiers have attacked Base 101 at Niamey’s Diori Hamani International Airport and fired on sites near the presidential district overnight, triggering hours of clashes with forces loyal to junta leader General Abdourahamane Tchiani. State television briefly went off air. Authorities have said security forces are regaining control after Russia’s Africa Corps intervened and dozens of mutineers were killed or detained.
France has launched a levy targeting ultra-fast fashion firms including Shein and Temu as part of a June-backed bill to curb environmental and economic effects. The measure links charges to how much clothing retailers place on the market and the repair cost relative to item price, with per-item fees scaling up to 2030. France argues the policy tackles consumer excess and supply-chain concerns, while critics call it discriminatory and a potential trade barrier.
A Boeing 767-300 operated by 21 Air for Amazon Prime Air has overrun the runway at Miami International Airport after arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico. The aircraft has come to rest near a roadway, caught fire and struck multiple vehicles; firefighters are extinguishing the blaze and authorities have ordered a full ground stop.