Public research university in Utrecht, Netherlands, founded 1636
France has recorded a sharply reduced 2026 grape harvest after an exceptionally hot, dry summer pushed harvests earlier and cut yields. Champagne production has fallen by about half and regulators have temporarily allowed some 2026 bubbly to reach 15% alcohol after sugar levels rose in sun‑stressed grapes. The agriculture ministry has estimated total output near 33.9m hectolitres.
Archaeologists uncover a mastaba at Saqqara dating to Egypt’s Fifth Dynasty, built for Yunmen, a high-ranking official, and his father Ity. The site includes two chapels, painted reliefs, and a false door, with colors well-preserved after more than 4,000 years. The find supports ongoing efforts to boost Egypt’s tourism through new discoveries.
Several countries have pulled out of the International Criminal Court in the past year, including Venezuela and Chad, with Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger previously departing. Washington’s pressure and leadership shifts fuel a broader realignment, as critics accuse the ICC of neocolonial bias while supporters warn against impunity for atrocities.
The International Criminal Court is confronting intensified pushback from the United States as multiple states weigh or enact withdrawals from the Rome Statute. Interim prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang says sanctions complicate operations, while some observers warn the court may be forced to alter procedures to preserve independence.
The Langtang Lirung glacier has collapsed, unleashing floods that have killed and displaced thousands along the Nepal‑Tibet border. A World Weather Attribution study finds climate change is a destabilising factor, with warming, glacier thinning and permafrost thaw preconditioning the slope, while a historic 2015 earthquake may have weakened the rock. July–August 2026 were the warmest on record in the region, intensifying meltwater and stress on mountain walls.