Wednesday, 26 August 2026
365 articles · times in UTC
France 24 · 02:36
SpaceX to build $100 billion rocket launch facility in southern Louisiana ↗SpaceX unveiled plans on Tuesday for a $100 billion rocket launch complex in southern Louisiana, its largest yet, aimed at supporting Starship and AI satellite missions. The 125,000-acre Starbase Louisiana site on Pecan Island could eventually handle thousands of Starship launches annually, the company said.
France 24 · 03:17
Trump sends Saudi civil nuclear agreement to Congress for review ↗US President Donald Trump has submitted a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia to Congress for review, an administration official said. The classified pact, sent to Capitol Hill on Monday, is aimed at bolstering Riyadh’s nuclear programme but remains contingent on Saudi Arabia normalising relatio…
France 24 · 05:23
Iceland to vote on reopening EU membership talks in close referendum ↗Icelanders will vote in a referendum on Saturday whether to resume entry talks with the European Union amid growing global insecurity. Voters are not being asked to decide just yet if they want to join the 27-member bloc – only whether they want their government to negotiate possible terms.
France 24 · 05:23
Iceland to vote on resuming EU talks in close referendum ↗Icelanders are to vote Saturday on whether to resume entry talks with the European Union amid growing global insecurity, in a referendum seen as going down to the wire.
France 24 · 06:04
Middle East live: Iran says Hormuz strait still closed despite transit corridor talks with Oman ↗Tehran warned on Wednesday that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed unless the United States ends the war, despite discussions with Oman on a temporary transit corridor in the vital waterway. Washington had earlier announced fresh sanctions aimed at pressuring Iran to capitulate, with US Treasury Secretary Scott…
France 24 · 06:30
Premier League: Cameroon's Carlos Baleba transferred to Manchester United ↗Cameroonian midfielder Carlos Baleba has moved from Brighton to Manchester United for around 75 million euros.
France 24 · 06:45
'Black smoke' chokes Pakistan maternity ward as hospital fire kills 14 infants ↗A fire erupted in a hospital maternity ward in Islamabad on Wednesday killing 14 infants, Pakistan authorities said, blaming a faulty air conditioner for the blaze.
France 24 · 06:45
Fire at maternity ward in Islamabad hospital kills 14 infants ↗A dawn fire that erupted in the maternity ward of Islamabad's premier public hospital, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), on Wednesday killed 14 infants, Pakistan authorities said, blaming a faulty air conditioner for the blaze. Witnesses described harrowing scenes and a slow response from emergency serv…
France 24 · 07:41
Trump scores much-needed double primary victory in South Carolina, Oklahoma ↗US President Donald Trump scored two badly needed victories Tuesday as his preferred candidates in South Carolina and Oklahoma won the Republican runoffs. The sweep interrupts a bruising run for Trump, whose endorsed candidates had lost 10 Republican contests this cycle, including six in the previous two weeks, as h…
France 24 · 08:21
Embraced across divides, Dolly Parton leaves a lasting legacy ↗Throughout her lifetime, Dolly Parton worked to build a better world, while becoming inextricable from the American imagination. She was embraced by fans across gender, race and class, embodying a mythology typically inaccessible to even the most influential historical figures. It is one of her greatest legacies: to…
France 24 · 08:57
France to ease strict rules on iconic cheeses as heat dries pastures ↗France is temporarily relaxing strict production rules for several iconic cheeses as drought and record heat leave pastures severely depleted. Producers of abondance, beaufort and comté can now use more imported fodder and grain to feed their cows, while other traditional cheeses will also receive temporary exemptions.
France 24 · 10:07
AI encouraging racist stereotypes? 3 out of 5 chatbots tested promote bias ↗Is Artificial Intelligence encouraging racist stereotypes? Internet users have noticed that Gemini, Google's AI assistant, suggests very different advice when they say they are alone with someone, depending on their nationality. Our colleagues at France 2 report.
France 24 · 10:09
El Nino reaches century-high intensity, threatens more extreme weather in 2027 ↗Panama on Tuesday became the latest Central American country, after Honduras and El Salvador, to declare an emergency over El Nino, which has already forced a reduction in shipping through the Panama Canal. El Nino is a weather pattern that raises surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Oc…
France 24 · 10:10
'Truly unique': Dolly Parton, music star, actor and beloved figure who spanned generations ↗Dolly Parton, the country music icon whose soaring vibrato vocals, poignant songwriting and sparkling costumes defined her rise from a log cabin in the Tennessee mountains to the height of stardom and acclaim, has died in Nashville. She was 80 years old. Known for her curvy physique, massive blond wigs and skin-tigh…
France 24 · 10:11
Promise of riches: Gold rush in small Kenyan village ↗In the remote Kenyan village of Cheporor, a recent discovery of gold sent thousands of amateur prospectors rushing to the area in recent weeks. The village now looks like a bustling small town, but is lacking the infrastructure to house these arrivals, posing security challenges.
France 24 · 10:12
Ebola in DRC: Authorities step up river patrols as Kinshasa fears grow ↗In DR Congo, the Ebola outbreak continues with at least 5,514 cases recorded, and 2,462 deaths. With fears the virus will reach the capital Kinshasa, authorities have begun stepping up patrols along the Congo River, as FRANCE 24’s team on the ground reports.
France 24 · 10:15
Israel takes control of UN training centre for Palestinians ↗Israeli forces took control of a vocational training centre run by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees in an east Jerusalem suburb on Tuesday, in its latest move targeting the beleaguered organisation. The raid drew condemnation from UN chief Antonio Guterres, and followed warnings by UNRWA that Israeli authoriti…
France 24 · 10:18
Syria's Kurdish-led SDF dissolves as part of integration with Damascus ↗The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces has been dissolved, the armed militant group's leader said on Tuesday, a major step in the integration plan agreed on earlier this year with the Islamist-led government in Damascus. The government and the group, which helped defeat the Islamic State with U.S. backing and held…
France 24 · 10:19
America unites in mourning for Dolly Parton ↗Americans of all stripes united to grieve the death of country music legend Dolly Parton, offering a rare moment of agreement as presidents of both parties joined entertainment and business giants in paying her tribute. The singer, who was 80, was long heralded as one of the few celebrities that everybody loved. Pre…
France 24 · 10:22
Canada strikes back at US with retaliatory tariffs as trade war escalates ↗Canada struck back at the United States on Tuesday with retaliatory tariffs on about $20 billion worth of American goods, including steel, dairy products, appliances and farm equipment, as the trade war between the once-friendly neighbors escalated sharply. The confrontation threatened one of the world’s largest tra…
France 24 · 10:27
One million Afghan children suffer 'life-threatening' malnutrition ↗One million children in Afghanistan are suffering from life-threatening malnutrition in a worsening crisis sweeping the country, the United Nations warned Tuesday. Across Afghanistan, 3.7 million children suffer from wasting, meaning they are acutely malnourished, the UN children's agency UNICEF said. Afghanistan ha…
France 24 · 10:29
Germany increasingly in the crosshairs of hybrid attacks ↗Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Tuesday that the perpetrators of hybrid attacks against Germany, such as an explosive drone found at an airport, "will pay for them," without naming a target. NATO member Germany – a major supporter of Ukraine in its fight against Russia – has long accused Moscow of targeting it with a…
France 24 · 10:44
Kremlin says CIA chief met Russian counterparts, not Putin, in Moscow ↗The Director of the CIA John Ratcliffe held talks with Russian intelligence officials during his visit to Moscow on Tuesday but did not meet President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin said on Wednesday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was also too early to say whether such contacts between the two countries' inte…
France 24 · 11:00
US proposes expanding UN Sudan arms embargo to entire country ↗The United States urged the UN Security Council on Monday to expand an arms embargo on the Sudanese region of Darfur to cover all of Sudan, saying the nation's brutal conflict risks regional expansion. The Darfur arms embargo, in place for over two decades, is set to expire on September 12, 2026 if a new agreement i…
France 24 · 11:02
French astronaut Adenot takes part in second spacewalk ↗French astronaut Sophie Adenot began a second spacewalk at the International Space Station on Tuesday, as she and NASA astronaut Anil Menon were set to continue work on a space-to-ground communications antenna. Adenot, a European Space Agency astronaut, was scheduled to help Menon retrieve and install a spare antenn…
France 24 · 11:03
At least 14 infants killed in Islamabad hospital fire ↗At least 14 infants were killed in a fire at a state-run hospital in Pakistan's capital Islamabad on Wednesday, the prime minister said, with the health minister attributing the tragedy to a blast in the nursery ward. The incident is among the deadliest hospital fires in recent years in the country, where government…
France 24 · 11:05
A new chapter for Syria’s Kurds: What integration really means ↗The integration of the Kurdish administration within Syria's state institutions is now complete, Syrian Kurdish leader Mazloum Abdi said on Thursday, marking the end of the Kurds' long-held dream of autonomy. The announcement follows months of negotiations between the two sides after a January agreement that called…
France 24 · 11:06
Mawlid festivities cancelled in Ethiopia's Tigray region over fears of drone strikes ↗In Ethiopia, festivities marking Mawlid, the Muslim holiday celebrating the birth of the Prophet Mohammed, have been cancelled at the last minute over fears of drone strikes. The cancellation comes just days after another major Tigrayan festival, Ashenda, was also called off at the last minute for the same reason. D…
France 24 · 11:15
Nile crocodile eggs hatch naturally in French zoo due to heatwaves ↗Ten Nile crocodile eggs at a wildlife park in southern France hatched naturally without the need for controlled incubators, zoo authorities said Wednesday. The natural incubation, a first at the reserve for reptiles, occured due to a spate of extreme heatwaves this summer.
France 24 · 11:26
Pakistan: At least 14 newborns die in hospital fire ↗Devasted parents gathered outside a hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Wednesday after a fire tore through a mother-and-baby ward, killing at least 14 newborns. Witnesses described chaotic and harrowing scenes, including intense smoke and broken glass, while local media blamed the tragedy on a faulty air conditioni…
France 24 · 11:40
US country music legend Dolly Parton dies, aged 80 ↗Dolly Parton was one of the rare celebrities that transcended divides in the United States. The country music legend and actress died, aged 80, on August 25.
France 24 · 12:26
At least 22 bodies recovered, hundreds missing after Nepal-Tibet flash floods ↗At least 22 bodies have been recovered and 384 people reported missing after a massive flash flood that swept through parts of Nepal and Tibet, officials said Wednesday. Chinese state media also reported on Wednesday that the mudslide disaster had "resulted in major casualties and missing people" at the Gyirong Port…
France 24 · 12:37
Panama and El Salvador declare emergency over El Nino-fuelled drought ↗Panama and El Salvador have become the latest countries along with Honduras to declare an emergency over El Nino, which has already forced a reduction in shipping through the Panama Canal. All three countries broke their monthly temperature records in both June and July, exacerbating famine concerns.
France 24 · 14:30
Nepal: Hundreds reported missing after deadly flash floods ↗Entire roads and villages have been engulfed in mud after flash floods struck a border crossing between Tibet and Nepal. Hundreds are reported missing, including over 300 tourists. Flood alerts have also been issued in the Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
France 24 · 14:31
Meta reaches $17 billion settlement with US states over social media harm to teens ↗Meta Platforms on Wednesday agreed to pay $17 billion to settle claims, filed by 47 US states, that the company designed Facebook and Instagram to deliberately make teens addicted to their products while deceiving the public, according to state attorneys general. The company agreed to add child-safety measures as pa…
France 24 · 14:54
'In Ceuta, they are eating the cats': Fake images and a persistent rumour ↗Cats “massacred” in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta? Three weeks after thousands of migrants crossed the border into Ceuta, Spanish websites and social media users are claiming that the migrants who have stayed are killing cats. But all of the dead cat photos that have been shared so far are either fake or have been ta…
France 24 · 14:55
Gang attack in Haiti: Anger mounts over police failures ↗At least 47 people were killed and more than 50 others kidnapped after armed men attacked a once-peaceful community near Haiti’s capital earlier this week, the United Nations said Tuesday. It is believed to be one of the largest mass kidnappings in Haiti in recent years, and one gang leader is threatening to kill th…
France 24 · 14:56
Turkey says dissolution of Kurdish-led group crucial for Syrian stability ↗Turkey on Wednesday said the dissolution of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) marked a key step towards strengthening state authority and achieving lasting stability in Syria. Turkey has long regarded the SDF as an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which waged an insurgency again…
France 24 · 14:58
'Major casualties': Devastating floods wash away villages on Nepal-Tibet border ↗Massive flooding near the border with Tibet killed dozens in Nepal on Wednesday. Hundreds of people were still out of contact hours after the disaster hit. A torrent of mud and debris burst from the banks of a river between China and Nepal, burying buildings and triggering a frantic search for survivors. FRANCE 24's…
France 24 · 14:59
Dolly Parton, queen of country music, dies at 80 ↗Dolly Parton was around six when she wrote her first song: "Little Tiny Tasseltop," an ode to her corncob doll with corn-silk hair. Her mother stored it preciously in a shoebox. Parton never stopped making music after that. The irrepressible country music singer, songwriter and actress whose charisma, heartfelt lyri…
France 24 · 15:00
From tariffs to French: Trump’s trade war with Canada takes a cultural turn ↗A trade war between Canada and the United States is escalating. Canada has announced retaliatory tariffs ranging from 15% to 50% on about $20 billion worth of American goods, after new 50% US tariffs on Canadian products took effect Saturday. But the tit-for-tat over goods has also taken on a cultural and linguistic…
France 24 · 15:01
Hundreds missing in Nepal catastrophic flash floods ↗Massive flash floods in Nepal on Wednesday killed at least 22 people and left hundreds of tourists, workers and others missing after sweeping through communities and bringing travel in parts of the Himalayan country to a halt. China's government across the northern border also launched search and rescue efforts, wit…
France 24 · 15:17
Tornado wreaks havoc in village in southwestern France ↗A tornado swept through a village in the Aude region of southwestern France late on Monday, destroying homes and injuring dozens, authorities said, describing it as a rare and traumatic event. Around 300 of the 500 houses in the village of Pomas have been damaged, officials said, adding that 100 of the damaged ones…
France 24 · 15:41
Russia: CIA director visits Moscow ↗CIA director John Ratcliffe held talks with Russian intelligence services in Moscow, the Kremlin confirmed Wednesday, the first know visit by a US spy chief to the Russian capital since 2021. It is not known what Ratcliffe discussed with his Russian counterparts, but the talks come as the war in Ukraine is escalatin…
France 24 · 15:45
‘Shockwaves throughout the country’ following ‘gruesome’ killings in Haitian mountain retreat ↗Genie Godula is pleased to welcome journalist Harold Isaac on the ground in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince. He says what we are witnessing in Haiti is not simply another episode of gang violence, but a profound challenge to the authority of the state at a moment when the country is attempting to return to electoral…
France 24 · 15:51
Dolly Parton: Buckingham Palace guards play musical tribute ↗Britain’s royal family posted a video on social media Wednesday of the band of the Buckingham Palace guards playing Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5”, in tribute to the American country music legend who passed away Tuesday aged 80.
France 24 · 15:59
Hundreds of foreign nationals missing in wake of Nepal-Tibet landslides ↗Flash floods and landslides that struck the Himalayan border region of Nepal and China's autonomous region of Tibet on Wednesday have killed at least 180 people and nearly 1,500 people, including several hundred tourists, were reported missing. The figures are likely to change in the wake of the disaster.
France 24 · 16:16
Syria: Why is the dissolution of the Kurdish forces significant? ↗The Syrian Kurdish Forces announced their dissolution on August 25, in what is considered a significant step for Syria. FRANCE 24's Andrew Hilliar tells us why.
France 24 · 16:39
Space: Sophie Adenot recounts her two spacewalks ↗🇫🇷 👩🚀 Sophie Adenot, the first French woman to conduct a spacewalk and the second female French astronaut to go to space, gave an exclusive interview to #FRANCE24 and #RFI from the International Space Station. In conversation with our journalists, she reflected on the feeling of leaping into the vast unknown o…
France 24 · 17:50
Exclusive: French astronaut Sophie Adenot recounts her ‘miracle’ mission from orbiting ISS ↗In an exclusive interview with FRANCE 24 and RFI from the International Space Station, French astronaut Sophie Adenot hailed a "mission accomplished" after two spacewalks to replace a faulty antenna and called the operation "a miracle", given the mechanical setbacks. She also described the "blatant" signs of climate…
France 24 · 18:09
Tim Curry, star of 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' and 'It', dies at 80 ↗Tim Curry, the British character actor who created a gallery of flamboyant villains for stage and screen, most famously Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the 1975 cult classic "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", has died at the age of 80, his manager said on Wednesday.
France 24 · 20:29
Navigation, jurisdiction, costs: Iran, Oman attempt to hammer out Hormuz deal ↗Iran and Oman are holding talks to try to reach an interim agreement for a controlled resumption of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The two countries have discussed a framework for a “temporary corridor” for shipping, according to a joint statement by the Iranian and Omani foreign ministries. But the plan faces…
France 24 · 20:48
South-Africa kingpin and the corruption commission ↗In tonight's programme, a three-day testimony of an alleged underworld kingpin exposed how deep the link between alleged criminals and high profile police officers is in South Africa. Also, in Tunisia grieving families lay their lost youth, all victims of a boat that went down in the Mediterranean Sea over the weeke…
France 24 · 22:33
Glacier collapse may have caused Nepal-Tibet landslides, experts say ↗Experts believe a glacier collapse might have caused the catastrophic floods at the border between Nepal and Tibet that killed at least 270 people and left more than 1,000 missing. While initial reports suggested the possibility that an earthquake had triggered the collapse, the US Geological Survey clarified that t…
France 24 · 23:09
FDA approves new drug Rasonque to treat advanced pancreatic cancer ↗The US FDA on Wednesday approved Revolution Medicines' Rasonque for advanced pancreatic cancer, opening a new treatment option for patients with metastatic disease. A large trial found the once-daily pill doubled survival rates, offering fresh hope for people who have exhausted other treatments.
France 24 · 23:46
Wildfires kill 12 in Algeria as severe heatwave sweeps North Africa ↗Twelve people died and dozens were injured as wildfires tore through northern Algeria on Wednesday, with authorities battling more than 150 blazes amid a scorching heatwave sweeping across North Africa. Six of the 54 injured were in critical condition and receiving intensive care.