Author: France 24

Isak became the most expensive player in the history of British soccer after joining Liverpool for a reported 125 million pounds sterling (170 million US dollars) from Newcastle on Monday, ending the summer transfer window’s biggest saga.

In recent days, speculation surrounding President Donald Trump’s health soared on social media. His media absence fuelled rumours about his condition, following public photos showing bruised and swollen body parts. In this episode of Truth or Fake, Vedika Bahl goes through what we know about the President’s health so far, as well as a deep dive into how AI enhancement can actually distort images further.

China has wrapped up a high-profile summit of the Shanghai Coorperation Organisation, where President Xi Jinping sought to present a new world order with the global south leading the way. It also signed a slew of business deals with partners including Russia.  Among them, a new agreement on the long-delayed pipeline project that boosts capacity of Russian gas deliveries to China. Also in this bulletin, Nestlé has fired its CEO over a secret love affair. So are office romances a taboo subject? 

They met on Instagram during lockdown – now they’re roasting each other live on stage. Meet stand-up duo Markus Birdman and Malinda Mukuma, whose comedy show “Algorithm and Blues” brings fearless comedy, personal storytelling and cheeky banter to Paris’s Chez Georges venue. From “Britain’s Got Talent” to punchlines about strokes, names and love, no topic is off-limits. The duo join Eve Jackson on this edition of arts24.

The world’s leading association of genocide scholars declared on Monday that Israel’s ongoing actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of the crime. The report by the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) highlights the 50,000 children Israel has killed or wounded, as well as its widespread attacks on Gaza’s healthcare, aid, and educational sectors, and said that Israel’s response to Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attacks does not solely target the Palestinian militant group but the entirety of Gaza’s population.

French defender Benjamin Pavard leaves Inter Milan to join Olympique de Marseille on loan with a buy option.

India and China are racing to build mega-dams along major rivers that would massively affect water supplies to both countries. The source of that water is a glacier in Tibet, which supplies millions of people with water downstream – and there are high political and economic stakes. Story by Monte Francis.

Italy has rejected claims by French Prime Minister François Bayrou that Rome is pursuing a policy of “fiscal dumping” to attract foreign business and investment.  The spat comes as Bayrou faces a likely collapse of his government over an unpopular budget plan, in which he aims to cut 44 billion euros in public spending. Plus, Labubus, and their knock-off cousins Lafufus, are taking Europe by storm. 

This week, arts24 welcomes one of Detroit’s finest: DJ and producer Jeff Mills, who is taking part in the latest edition of Paris’s “Jazz à la Villette” festival as part of Tomorrow Comes The Harvest, a collective he created with the late Afrobeat drummer Tony Allen. He tells Marjorie Hache about performing live alongside the legendary Sun Ra Arkestra and their future album “The Forbidden Planet” that will be out in 2026. They also look at new releases by David Byrne, The Hives and Suede.

PRESS REVIEW – Monday, September 1: Hundreds of publications black out their front pages to speak out against the killing of journalists in Gaza. But first: most French children go back to school, while others shelter from storm alerts. Also, The Washington Post discusses a US plan to take over Gaza. Meanwhile, sports papers discuss the Women’s Rugby World Cup. Finally, we take a look at the latest US presidential interior design.