French statesman, emperor (1808–1873) who shaped mid-19th-century politics
Ian McKellen unveils an English Heritage blue plaque at 22 Lupus Street, Pimlico, marking where Laurence Olivier began acting as a child. The event highlights Olivier’s lifelong impact on British theatre and film, including his National Theatre leadership and cultural legacy.
Two men implicated in the October 2025 Louvre burglary have told investigative judges that the mastermind behind the heist was unhappy with the haul and believed more could be taken. They say they were recruited just days before the break-in and that the plan involved smashing display cases to steal royal jewelry worth about €88 million. The men, Abdoulaye N and Ghelamallah A, say they were paid up to €20,000 and faced dire financial pressures.
The Apollo Gallery at the Louvre has reopened after nine months, but the crown jewels are no longer on display. Eight jewels valued at about $102 million were stolen in October; authorities have charged four suspects, and the jewels remain missing. Security upgrades are in place as France reviews museum safety in the Louvre New Renaissance plan.
A series of record wildfires has swept across southwest France and Spain this week, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee and destroying thousands of hectares of woodland. Authorities warn that climate-driven heatwaves are intensifying fires, while politics and firefighting resources are under strain across multiple countries.
Widespread wildfires in southwestern France and across Europe have intensified, prompting massive evacuations and triggering a coordinated EU response as heatwaves persist and drought tightens conditions.