Yayoi Kusama Dies at 97
The superstar Japanese artist passed away in a Tokyo hospital, an exhibition brings treasures from the ancient city to the US, ex-Pussy Riot member says Russia recruited her to spy, and more.
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Ladies of the ’80s
How Madonna, Grace Jones, Joan Jett, Whitney Houston, and their contemporaries broke the stodgy musical mold of the '60s and '70s to inspire generations of women to pick up an instrument and learn to play music.
Kilometre-long petrol queues in Iran signal further strain on Tehran
Lines formed outside Tehran petrol stations from midnight as a daily shortfall met with panic buying, while officials denied a shortage and said prices would have to change, without clarifying when or by how much.
A year after Sidi Ould Tah’s departure, how is BADEA faring?
Under its Kuwaiti president, the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa intends to press on with the transformation it has undergone in recent years. But the financial and geopolitical balancing act is a difficult one to maintain.
Africa: COP17 - How Africa Can Unlock Billions for Land Restoration - - Official
[Premium Times] She said Africa needs to move land restoration from the aid column into the investment column by developing bankable landscape programmes, strengthening land tenure, deploying risk-sharing instruments and ensuring that farmers and pastoralists benefit from
US Democratic Party’s progressives and moderates face off in pre-midterms civil war
A string of recent primaries across the US have thrown new light on the deep divisions between the party's political factions. Is opposition to Trump enough to unify the coalition?
Nepal-Tibet floods: Singapore Red Cross pledges $50,000 in humanitarian aid
It will also launch a public fund-raising appeal on Aug 28.
Fidesz weighs a future without Orbán and even dissolution after historic defeat
Insiders say Viktor Orbán's party is looking into the abyss amid corruption scrutiny, a wave of senior departures and Tisza's dominant poll lead. Orbán's personal future in politics will be discussed next year.
Ceuta faces second night of tense protests: government and media in the crosshairs
Ceuta has seen two days of protests over the migration crisis, with barricades and rubber bullets fired on Trampolin beach. Crews from La Sexta and RTVE were harassed while reporting, amid an escalation of tensions condemned by journalists' associations.
Vietnam’s ‘justice tree’ tests the limits of online dissent
In August 2026, a fatal traffic accident from the previous year became one of the biggest trending topics on Vietnamese social media. Nguyen Sy Cuong, a former National Assembly deputy whose wife now serves as Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, had driven his BMW into an
Taiwan parliament approves military drone spending, but rejects special budget
TAIPEI, Aug 27 - Taiwan's opposition-controlled parliament voted on Thursday to spend T$40 billion ($1.26 billion) on military drones annually, but rejected a government plan for a special budget of T$210 billion to run until 2031.
Trump says Mojtaba Khamenei alive but 'very seriously wounded' in February strikes
The US president told conservative commentator Glenn Beck that Khamenei sustained serious injuries to the left side of his body, including his arm and leg. Khamenei has not appeared publicly since his appointment in March and was absent from his father's funeral in July.
Spanish Nutrition Agency issues menopause guidelines based on male studies
The agency will review the report after criticism from several women researchers, who argue that some advice on nutrients like iron or vitamin C relies only on studies on men.
‘Nanny McPhee’ Musical Written by Emma Thompson to Open in London Next Summer
“Nanny McPhee” is coming to the West End. A new musical based on the character and penned by Emma Thompson — who starred in and wrote the screenplay for the beloved 2005 film and its sequel — is set to world premiere in London next summer. “When the mysterious figure of Nanny
Sting to Narrate Documentary About ‘The Godfather’ Composer Nino Rota, Premiering at Venice Film Festival (EXCLUSIVE)
Musician and songwriter Sting will narrate Walter Fasano’s documentary “Nino – A Film About Nino Rota,” which is a portrait of “The Godfather” composer Nino Rota. The film will have its world premiere on Sept. 11 in the Open section of the 83rd Venice Film Festival. Rota, who
Syria's president pays for coffee with Visa card as Damascus rejoins financial systems
Syria's president paid for a coffee in Damascus with a Visa card this week to mark the country's removal from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism and the reconnection of its banks to the global financial system.
West Nile virus: 75 new cases in a week, 232 infections and 19 deaths in Greece
As of 26 August, a total of 19 deaths had been reported, all among patients aged over 65.
Tsunami of dirt: what caused Nepal’s deadly glacial flood?
More than 150 people are dead and hundreds more missing after an enormous wave of water, ice, mud and rock cascaded more than 170 kilometres down the Bhote Koshi River valley in Nepal. The valley is the main link between Kathmandu in Nepal and Lhasa in Tibet. At least 34
La Tomatina 2026 in pictures: Tomato chaos takes over the streets of Buñol
One of Spain's most famous (and messiest) festivals returned to the streets of Buñol, as thousands gathered to pelt tomatoes at one another.
Polls too close to call in Iceland's pivotal EU membership referendum
The gap between the two camps appears to be steadily closing ahead of Saturday's vote.
Think Scandinavia is best for an active coolcation? The Alps are giving it a run for its money
Scandinavia may be an obvious choice for a cooler summer holiday, but a new ranking has found the Alps are just as tempting for travellers looking to hike, cycle and escape the heat. France’s Mont Blanc region takes the top spot, while Alpine destinations claim four places in
How decoding beluga whales’ chitchat may save them – and teach us more about ourselves
From humpbacks learning the latest songs to sperm whales’ ‘clan codas’, drones and AI learning are helping reveal another dimension to the concept of culture In 2015, the whale researcher Valeria Vergara pitched a small tent at the icy water’s edge on Somerset Island in the
The Art of Splendor Solis, the Most Glorious Illuminated Alchemical Manuscript of Them All
When it was published in the United States in 1998, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was retitled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. The jokes about the American reading public’s apparent allergy to the very word philosopher write themselves, but the change was also
‘Harry Potter’ Back to Hogwarts Initiative to Donate Over 200,000 Books to Schools and Hospitals (EXCLUSIVE)
With Back to Hogwarts Day – the annual Sept. 1 celebration of all things “Harry Potter” — right around the corner, publishers are introducing a new generation to the magic of reading by donating over 200,000 copies of the books worldwide. “Harry Potter” publishers Scholastic,
Trump Unravels as Leaks Reveal How Aides Feed Him Crackpot Poll Hopium
Donald Trump is reportedly instructing advisers to spend big on midterm ads...about himself. Sources leak to The Atlantic that Trump advisers are telling him the real reason the polls look so bad is that voters are unaware of his many stupendous successes. He is apparently so
The Social Security benefit cliff is here. Washington is struggling to wake up.
Candidates now on the ballot will have to confront tough tradeoffs to prevent a drastic cut to retirees’ monthly checks.
She made history as a trans Indigenous chief. Then addiction cost her the job.
Majur Traytowu is struggling to hold on to influence and authority amid a devastating alcohol epidemic ravaging her territory — and her own life.
Nigeria 2027: Why Tinubu is betting on Yari as the opposition fragments
Tinubu’s campaign council shows how deeply the APC has hollowed out its rivals since 2023 – while Abdulaziz Yari’s appointment points to the north west as the key to the president’s reelection strategy.
Iran weighs harsh penalties for contact with outside media in ‘foreign influence’ bill
The push comes nearly six months after the U.S. and Israel launched the war, with no immediate diplomatic breakthrough in sight.
In ‘Eklipse,’ a Teen Faces Silence and Rejection After His Father Gets “the Gay Disease” (Exclusive Clip)
Austrian filmmaker Manuel Wetscher's feature debut, inspired by his own experiences and starring Moritz Hohlrieder and Finley Brown, world premieres in the Venice Film Festival's Horizons section.
Norway's royal family gathers at King Harald's bedside as his condition worsens
The 89-year-old has been in hospital for over a week receiving treatment for a rare blood condition.
'End of an era' for ice cream shop open 106 years
The Tarr family say they are "devastated" to announce they will have to close due to rising costs.
China’s robots are leaving the exhibition floor. Now comes the hard part
From factories to homes, Chinese companies are pushing robots into the real world. But turning increasingly capable machines into viable businesses remains a major test for the industry.
100 signs of Silicon Shock
We are biased. Given our faith in the rapidly rising utility of AI that can only be done on a completely new type of hardware, we wrote in January about the theme of this era: Silicon Shock. Given what we saw as the implications, we even dared to compare it with the oil shock
Gamescom: Germany is Europe’s largest video game market
Gamescom in Cologne is the world's biggest fair for computer and video games. In 2026, it set a record for exhibitors and was visited by the German president and leading politicians.
Africa: Explainer - UN Peace Operations Work to Create, Preserve Peace
[UN News] Supporting the first democratic elections after brutal civil wars in Mozambique and Cambodia. Disarming thousands of child soldiers in Sierra Leone. Helping to secure Namibia's independence from South Africa. These are some of the contributions of UN operations around
Africa: Red Sea Nations Step Up Maritime Cooperation As Regional Threats Grow
[UN News] From piracy and migrant smuggling to disruptions affecting global shipping routes, countries bordering one of the world's busiest waterways are seeking closer cooperation to stay ahead of fast-evolving maritime threats.
Africa: Land Models Sprout As Degradation Threatens Billions of Livelihoods
[UN News] Promising efforts to restore degraded land are now in the spotlight at a time when 40 per cent of the world's land currently faces degradation and drought, threatening the livelihoods of over three billion people, the head of the UN Convention to Combat
Africa: Foreign Bottom Trawling is Exacerbating Food and Nutrition Insecurity, New Study Finds
[Oceana] Washington D.C. -- Analysis finds that if fish stayed local, nutrition could improve in West Africa
Oscars: Thailand Picks ‘9 Temples to Heaven’ as Best Int’l Feature Submission
Produced by Palme d'Or winner Apichatpong Weerasethakul, the comic but spiritual road movie debuted in Cannes in May and will make its North American premiere at the New York Film Festival this fall.
Fertilizing the weeds
It’s not up to us to fix the world all by ourselves. But we vote with our attention and our dollars. If we’re attracted to the wrong stuff like moths to a flame, don’t be surprised when folks spend time building new fires. Each of us knows that we’re motivated by positive
James Gunn’s Next Superman Movie Has Officially Wrapped up Filming
James Gunn announced that Superman: Man of Tomorrow has wrapped up filming ahead of its 2027 theatrical debut.
Hope and heartbreak as Nepal families hunt for hundreds missing after floods
Over 500 tourists from both Nepal and abroad remained out of contact amid rescue efforts.
Polka dots, infinity rooms and phallic sculptures: Yayoi Kusama’s art in pictures
“She continued to paint until her final days, never setting aside her brush, and continued exploration of forever love and eternal soul.” Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, who splashed her signature polka dots on paintings, sculptures and museum installations around the world, has
Norway's King Harald in 'extremely serious' condition, palace confirms
The 89-year-old monarch has been in hospital in Oslo since 17 August with a blood disorder as senior royals cancel their engagements.
Climate change may have primed a Himalayan mountain for catastrophe, experts say
Experts say rising temperatures and melting glaciers probably played a role in the disaster.
Climate change boosted risk of devastating Himalayan flood, experts say
HONG KONG, Aug 27 - Climate change is leading to conditions that can destabilise high-mountain rock and ice, strengthening prospects for disasters such as this week's Himalayan flood along the border between Nepal and China's Tibet that killed 165, scientists say.
Isaac Asimov Explains His Three Laws of Robots: Do No Harm, Follow Orders, Survive, in That Order
A number of futurists, philosophers, and technophiles believe we are approaching what they call the “singularity”: a point in time when smart machines become much smarter, stronger, and faster than their creators, and then become self-conscious. Whatever the chance of this
Prime Video’s Reacher Replacement Officially Arrives in 3 Weeks
Reacher's smartest ally takes charge on Sept 16 in Neagley, a new spin-off premiering the same say as the Reacher season 4 finale.