Author: Lester Holt

Opposition Moves Against Bayrou The minority government of Prime Minister François Bayrou faces a critical challenge as three major opposition parties plan to vote against him in a confidence motion scheduled for September 8. The Socialists have firmly ruled out supporting the government, with leader Olivier Faure calling any support “impossible.” Additionally, the far-right National Rally and the Greens have stated they will not back Bayrou, leaving his administration in a precarious position. Economic Pressures and Planned Spending Cuts Bayrou is attempting to take control of the narrative by presenting France’s fiscal situation before the parliamentary debate on the 2026…

Attempt to save fellow student ends in tragedy along Egypt’s Mediterranean shoreline Alexandria, Egypt – Seven young people drowned in the Mediterranean Sea west of Alexandria after trying to rescue a fellow student. A group of approximately 150 students had gathered at the beach when one female student entered the water on Saturday, ignoring a red warning flag signaling dangerous conditions. She soon got into difficulty amid rough waves. Several classmates went in to help her but were swept away by the strong currents. Authorities confirmed that six victims, aged 15 to 21, lost their lives. The following day, rescuers…

Ottawa will remove select retaliatory duties while keeping tariffs on cars, steel, and aluminium. Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Friday that Canada will roll back part of its trade retaliation against the United States. While duties on vehicles, steel, and aluminium will remain, other levies on American goods will be lifted starting September 1. Decision follows missed trade deadline The move comes after Carney’s first phone call with President Donald Trump since both countries failed to meet their self-imposed deadline for a new trade agreement. Previously, Canada had imposed a 25% tariff on around C$30bn (£16bn; $21.7bn) in US goods,…

Federal Focus Moves to Major Cities President Donald Trump announced that his administration will broaden its crime-control campaign to Chicago and New York, calling Chicago “a disaster” and promising similar measures in New York. The effort continues a federal focus on Democratic-run cities with Black mayors, drawing criticism from local officials who see the actions as politically charged. National Guard in DC to Carry Weapons Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered that National Guard personnel stationed in Washington DC will now be armed, reversing earlier assurances that the troops would remain unarmed. Approximately 2,000 Guard members are deployed in the city,…

Tariff cuts conditional on EU legislation The United States will continue imposing a 27.5% tariff on European cars until the European Union begins the formal process of lowering duties on US goods. According to the framework agreement released Thursday, Washington is prepared to reduce its levy on EU vehicles and parts to 15% once Brussels tables the required legislation. Agreement announced in Scotland The deal was unveiled on 27 July following talks between Donald Trump and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen at Trump’s golf resort in Turnberry, Scotland. The framework outlines commitments from both sides, including the EU’s…

Time running out Brazil is pressing countries to put forward updated climate pledges before a looming September deadline, warning that delays could undermine progress at November’s Cop30 summit. So far, only 28 governments have submitted plans, with key polluters such as China and the European Union yet to do so. UN requires pledges for global review The UN has asked all nations to submit their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) by 25 September, in time to prepare a synthesis report. This assessment will reveal how far current commitments fall short of the Paris Agreement’s target of limiting warming to 1.5C. Brazil…

Children Bearing the Brunt Authorities and aid groups warn that diphtheria cases are climbing quickly across Somalia, with youngsters making up over 97% of reported infections. The highly contagious bacterial illness, though preventable by vaccination, is spreading due to gaps in immunisation and harsh living conditions. Cases and Deaths Rising Fast Dr Abdulrazaq Yusuf Ahmed, director of Demartino hospital in Mogadishu, said the surge has been dramatic. “In 2024 we treated 49 patients, but in just four months of 2025 we’ve already received 497 cases,” he noted. Deaths have also risen sharply, from 13 to 42. Nationwide Statistics Show Scale…

Record temperatures worsen fire risks Southern Europe continues to endure extreme heat and widespread wildfires. In Spain, one-quarter of weather stations recorded temperatures above 40°C, with Cádiz peaking at 45.8°C on Sunday. The national weather service Aemet warned that despite a slight easing of the heatwave, very high temperatures remain in the eastern and southern regions. Fires destroy land and threaten lives Preliminary data from Copernicus indicate 348,000 hectares burned in Spain this year, surpassing the previous record in 2022. In Portugal, fires have consumed 216,000 hectares. Fatalities include four people in Spain, one of them a firefighter, and two…