enToday's news, livenews and breaking top stories on France 24https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/Tue, 25 Aug 2026 00:33:17 GMTInternationalhttps://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260824-how-the-french-language-contributed-to-the-us-canada-trade-war According to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, the dispute with the nation's largest trading partner was not just about tariff demands but what he called unacceptable "threats" to the French language and "Quebec culture." Those are not typical sticking points in trade negotiations, but emotive ones in Canada, particularly in the French-speaking eastern province of Quebec, which has long sought to preserve its distinct identity. Carney said Canadian subsidies for Francophone culture, the role of Francophone online media and bilingual labeling of products sold in Canada were among the issues at stake. He described these as "fundamental rights" and said there was "a huge gap between Canadian and American perspectives." The prime minister also contended that the US wanted to destroy Canada's automotive, steel and aluminum industries, and restrict Canadian trade deals with other countries. After the breakdown of talks, Canada now faces additional tariffs on some $20 billion worth of its US exports and double tariffs on Canadian vehicles, while Carney has vowed to match the US tariffs "dollar for dollar." In Quebec, Carney's decision to break off negotiations was widely supported. A poll published Sunday by the Angus Reid Institute found that 85 percent of Quebecers supported the move -- the highest approval rate among the 10 Canadian provinces. "Our identity is not negotiable," Quebec Premier Christine Frechette wrote Sunday in a social media post. She faces a reelection battle in October and is currently trailing in polls to the leader of a Quebec separatist party. According to Canadian media, Frechette said Washington wanted concessions on Quebec's rules for appliances and instruction manuals, as well as its law promoting French-language cultural content. Recent legislation by Quebec allows it to regulate how much French-language content digital platforms offer and how prominently it appears, which can add to the cost of doing business for US companies, the Montreal Gazette reported. In an interview on Monday, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer played down the language issue in the trade talks as a "funny fake story." "What we don't like is a situation where Canada, the federal government, forces American tech companies to take their earnings and give a percentage to their competitors in Canada," Greer told CNBC. "But I understand why the Quebecois want to have French language content and all of that. And we think that's a really valuable thing." 89f33edc-a010-11f1-9b0e-a9161fec3cf5Mon, 24 Aug 2026 23:07:11 GMT© ANDREJ IVANOV / AFPFRANCE24Environmenthttps://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260824-nevada-sues-us-govt-over-cuts-to-colorado-river-access The river, which originates in the Rocky Mountains, makes farming possible in large tracts of the arid American Southwest, and provides drinking water to the 40 million people who live there, including in cities like Phoenix. But decades of over-use, coupled with years of drought, have put crippling strain on a watercourse whose management has always been based on an over-allocation of available resources. Last week the federal government announced it was imposing cuts on the amount of water the so-called "lower-basin states" -- Arizona, California and Nevada -- can use, while leaving the allowances for the "upper basin states" of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming unchanged. The plan envisages slashing the three states' collective water consumption by up to 3.7 billion cubic meters per year until 2036 -- the equivalent of 1.5 million Olympic-sized swimming pools. Now Nevada has launched legal action seeking to block the change, which state officials say could reduce their allocation by two-thirds, potentially devastating the desert city of Las Vegas, which depends on the river for 90 percent of its water. "This isn't about political posturing," Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo, a Republican, said Monday. "This is a matter of survival for a community that represents about two-thirds of our state's citizens and the lion's share of its economy." Federal officials say their plan to cut usage is necessary because the seven states that lie on the river have been unable to agree amongst themselves. They say without an agreement, dams on the river that are used to generate hydropower could cease to function. Experts say Nevada's lawsuit, lodged in a US district court, is unlikely to be the only legal action, with Arizona -- which faces the deepest cuts -- expected to launch its own challenge. The federal government directive and the resulting legal action come after Lake Powell and Lake Mead, America's two largest reservoirs, and which are fed by the Colorado River, fell to record low levels. Scientists say human behavior, including the unchecked burning of fossil fuels, is warming the global climate and interrupting weather patterns. This leads to more sustained droughts in some parts of the planet, and more ferocious storms in others. 1d39f8cc-a00a-11f1-9b05-a9161fec3cf5Mon, 24 Aug 2026 22:21:11 GMT© Eva Claire HAMBACH / AFPFRANCE24Environmenthttps://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260824-tornado-tears-through-french-village-dozens-injured French authorities had placed swathes of the country's southwest on orange alert for storms, and numerous areas were hit by power outages and transport chaos. In the Aude department, officials cancelled the third stage of the Vuelta a Espana cycling race, which was being held in the area, when a hailstorm forced riders to seek shelter. The tornado hit hardest in the village of Pomas, population 1,000, damaging an estimated 300 homes, in some cases ripping their roofs off. More than 120 emergency workers were deployed to the scene, local authorities said. Fifteen of the injured were taken to hospital. They included a pregnant woman who was hurt when her house collapsed on her, her husband told AFP. The national weather service, Meteo-France, said winds had reached up to 117 kilometres (73 miles) per hour in the nearby village of Arquettes-en-Val. Storms across southern France upended the transportation network, delaying trains, forcing road closures, and causing delays and cancellations at airports in Bordeaux, Marseille, Nice, Toulouse and even Paris to the north, said Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot. An estimated 2,800 homes were left without electricity across 10 villages, officials said. France sees several dozen tornadoes per year on average. The impact of global warming on their frequency and intensity is unclear, according to Meteo-France. 109a2964-a007-11f1-8e66-25a456c47035Mon, 24 Aug 2026 21:59:22 GMT© Idriss Bigou-Gilles / AFPFRANCE24Sporthttps://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260824-special-chelsea-forwards-inspire-alonso-s-winning-start Alonso enjoyed the perfect start to his reign thanks to his decision to give Rogers, Palmer and Pedro the freedom to tear into Fulham's defence. Pedro took just 31 seconds to open the scoring with a composed finish from Palmer's pass. Rogers showed he can justify the eye-watering £117 million ($159 million) fee that Chelsea paid to Aston Villa to make him the most expensive British player in history. The England star bagged Chelsea's second goal, firing home with aplomb after Fulham had punished a mistake from Blues goalkeeper Robert Sanchez to equalise through Josh King. And Palmer joined the party after half-time, scoring from an acute angle to put Chelsea 3-1 up. Chelsea's entertaining display was a stark contrast to their moribund efforts under Enzo Maresca and then Liam Rosenior last season. "We were a threat. The three strikers were combining well and creating chances," Alonso said. "Overall, the squad is balanced. The special players need to have the freedom but as well they need to have the responsibility to help the team. "We know they have the talent to create many chances. It is a good start. But it is not to rely only on them. We need to have control, quality and toughness." Alonso was sacked by Real Madrid in January after less than eight months in charge. The former Liverpool midfielder has a point to prove as he tries to rediscover the midas touch that led Bayer Leverkusen to an unexpected German title in 2024. 'Roll your sleeves up' Chelsea had to survive Sanchez's second mistake, which handed a goal to Gonzalo Garcia, before Alonso could celebrate his debut victory in a pulsating west London derby. "It was a really intense game. We suffered, we competed, we did whatever it takes in certain moments," Alonso said. "The early goals helped to get confidence. We had a few chances before their equaliser. "At the end, you know you have to roll your sleeves up and fight to defend your goal." Palmer also has a chance to prove the doubters wrong after his struggles last season led to England boss Thomas Tuchel leaving him out of the World Cup squad. He appeared revitalised after the arrival of his good friend Rogers. The former Manchester City youth team graduates both celebrated their goals with the 'ice-cold' gesture that Palmar has made popular after borrowing it from Rogers. "When you grow up, you want to play or do anything with your best friends, so playing football at the best level feels surreal," Palmer said. Admitting he is keen to get back to his best this season, Palmer added: "Did you not watch the game? I'm only joking! I'm ready you know. "It was a difficult season with injuries and whatnot, but through the summer and since I've been back, I've worked extra hard. "I know the talent I've got so I can put in performances like that." Asked if he wanted to silence the critics, Palmer added: "Normally I'm not an emotional person. "The people who know me know I'm not usually bothered about things in life, but over the summer I rested, I recharged and yeah I'm ready and I'm hungry." 3e071c84-a004-11f1-b782-5d06cd2e84acMon, 24 Aug 2026 21:39:09 GMT© Adrian DENNIS / AFPFRANCE24Sporthttps://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260824-federer-looks-forward-to-brief-return-to-arthur-ashe-stadium The exhibition Tuesday night during "fan week" ahead of Sunday's start of the tournament features doubles with former rivals Andy Roddick and Andre Agassi, along with John McEnroe, another giant of the sport. The group collectively has won a dozen mens' singles titles at the US Open. "It really gives me a true opportunity to say thank you," Federer said at a news conference Monday previewing the match and his upcoming induction to the International Tennis Hall of Fame later this week in Newport. New York fans of Federer were deprived of a true sendoff for the 20-time Grand Slam champion as marked by Agassi, Serena Williams and some other champions. When Federer lost in the 2019 quarterfinals to Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria, he had planned to keep playing. And while he did continue to compete, injuries prevented participation in the US Open in either 2020 or 2021 ahead of his last match at the Laver Cup in September 2022. While Federer has played some other exhibitions since retiring, he said Monday that the time had only seemed to fall into place for a New York match this year ahead of the Newport ceremony. "The kids are getting older," he said of his four children, two sets of twins now 12 and 17. "So they can also maybe enjoy a little bit seeing, their dad play." Federer expects a "respectful" match with a not-too-intense level of competition. "We're not playing best of five," he said "I hope it's going to be a lot of fun for us and the same for the fans to just see us back out playing." But Federer quickly shot down any questions about a tennis comeback, saying "no" at least nine times to a question on whether he was interested in a wildcard. "There's just way too many obstacles, and I'm too busy," he said. "All good and just just a fan now, just enjoying watching." 9ce09c16-a000-11f1-b63b-ef380021d80bMon, 24 Aug 2026 21:13:11 GMT© Adrian Dennis / AFPFRANCE24Sporthttps://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260824-alonso-makes-winning-start-with-chelsea-as-rogers-scores-on-debut Alonso has been hired to revive Chelsea after their dismal 10th place finish in the Premier League last season. The former Real Madrid boss has a point to prove after being sacked by the Spanish club following less than eight months in charge. Alonso's side ensured he delivered a good first impression in a chaotic west London derby at Craven Cottage. Pedro's opener inside the first minute was followed by a blunder from Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez that gifted an equaliser to Josh King. Rogers put Chelsea back in front on his debut after becoming the most expensive British player in history following his £117 million ($159 million) move from Aston Villa in the close-season. Cole Palmer increased Chelsea's advantage after half-time and the Blues survived a frantic finale after Gonzalo Garcia bagged Fulham's second goal following another Sanchez mistake. On an evening when old friends were reunited on the touchline and on the pitch, Alonso emerged victorious against new Fulham boss Alvaro Arbeloa. The pals played together for seven years with Real Madrid and Liverpool and also starred for Spain. Ironically, Arbeloa was promoted from Real Madrid B to replace Alonso when he was axed at the Bernabeu in January. Rogers is also close friends with Palmer and the pair gelled immediately to lead a dynamic attacking display from Chelsea. Rogers was deployed on the left of Chelsea's three-man attack, with Palmer on the right and Pedro in the central role. Palmer endured a difficult last campaign that saw him left out of England's World Cup squad and he played as if he was determined to make amends. Keeping Rogers and Palmer fit and firing could be the key to Chelsea climbing back into contention for Champions League qualification this season. 'Ice-cold' Rogers Alonso's reign got off to a stunning start when Levi Colwill's header reached Palmer and he flicked a deft pass into the path of Pedro, who timed his run perfectly and clipped a composed finish past Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno. But Sanchez is under pressure after some shaky performances last term and the error-prone Spaniard was at fault when Fulham drew level in the 23rd minute. King's strike was close enough for Sanchez to save but he allowed the ball to squirm into the net. While Chelsea were often left exposed at the back by Alonso's bold 3-4-3 formation, they attacked with poise and purpose. Romeo Lavia's effort was superbly saved by Leno before Rogers restored the visitors' lead in the 41st minute. It was a brilliant move, started by Palmer's clever turn and pass to debutant defender Maxence Lacroix, whose unexpected burst forward produced a low cross that reached Rogers for a clinical finish from 10 yards. Rogers celebrated with the 'ice-cold' gesture that Palmer popularised after borrowing it from his former Manchester City youth team colleague. Not to be out-done by his mate, Palmer bagged Chelsea's third goal four minutes after half-time. Pedro did well in the build-up, holding the ball long enough for Palmer to burst into the Fulham area and plant a low shot past Leno from a tight angle. Fulham reduced the deficit in the 54th minute thanks to another howler by Sanchez. Timothy Castagne's shot was weakly pushed out by the keeper and Garcia pounced to head in the rebound on his debut after signing from Real Madrid. Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez came off the bench to deafening boos from Fulham fans after his provocative role in Argentina's World Cup semi-final win over England. King nearly levelled for Fulham with a long-range rocket that fizzed just wide before Antonee Robinson's lob over Sanchez drifted narrowly wide. 3624735e-9fff-11f1-b596-ef380021d80bMon, 24 Aug 2026 21:03:09 GMT© Adrian Dennis / AFPFRANCE24Eye on Africahttps://www.france24.com/en/zambia-shuts-down-court-system In tonight's programme, rights groups and the law association demand an explanation as Zambia completely shuts down its court system. Also in Guinea, rescuers are still trying to unearth victims of a deadly landfill collapse. Nigeria wishes Ogogo on his way, the veteran star of the Nollywood screen is buried berfore heart broken crowds in his hometown after passing away from cancer. 170fd1d0-9ff9-11f1-8bbd-11cb46865282Mon, 24 Aug 2026 20:58:42 GMTGeorja CALVIN-SMITHInternationalhttps://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260824-us-removes-syria-from-state-sponsor-of-terrorism-list The US Department of State also revoked its designation of al-Nusra Front -- latterly known as Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) -- as a global terrorist organization. The Treasury Department announced corresponding sanctions relief. Rebels led by HTS overthrew long-time Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, with the group's leader Ahmed al-Sharaa taking over as president as the country rebuilds after more than 13 years of civil war. "Today's action will help foster additional investment in Syria to promote political and economic stability," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. Treasury said the moves were "in line with President (Donald) Trump's promise to deliver sanctions relief to Syria." But the agency stressed that its removal of restrictions on Syria "does not change Treasury's posture with regards to countering global terrorism and our commitment to hold bad actors in Syria accountable." Warming ties HTS was earlier known as al-Nusra Front and was formerly the branch of Al-Qaeda in Syria. It broke ties with the jihadist group in 2016. The United States had initially announced in July its intent to delist Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism, a move seen as a vote of confidence in Sharaa. Trump met on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Turkey with the Syrian president, a former jihadist who has sought to recast himself as a unifying figure after the toppling of the Assad family, which ruled with an iron fist for a half-century. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday's delistings gave Syrians "a path to prosperity." The action "eliminates the final major barriers for private sector investment in Syria and promotes Syria's economic recovery and reintegration into the global economy," he said in a statement. Top officials in Damascus hailed the delisting as a major opportunity for the country, still economically devastated after more than a decade of war that rights groups say killed more than half a million people. Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Shaibani described Washington's delisting as a "historic milestone" and said it reflected "the new Syrian state's commitment to international peace and security." Finance Minister Mohammed Barnieh described the move as a "success for Syrian diplomacy," according to the official news agency SANA. It "opens a major and long-awaited door to strengthening Syria's integration into the global economic and financial system, attracting investment and modern technologies, and supporting development opportunities." Central bank chief Safwat Raslan lauded the development, adding that his institution was "working to build a modern and reliable financial system capable of evolving with developments and taking advantage of all opportunities." fa750eba-9ffc-11f1-aef2-ef380021d80bMon, 24 Aug 2026 20:47:09 GMT© Ludovic MARIN, Omar HAJ KADOUR / AFPFRANCE24Internationalhttps://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260824-facebook-tiktok-promoted-colombian-armed-groups-content-to-recruit-children-hrw HRW said the circulation of social media content by armed groups "glorifies life in armed group ranks" and promotes "deceptive job offers." Since 2021, around 1,500 children have been recruited by armed groups, according to the non-governmental organization. Armed groups use children for combat, handling weapons, drones and explosives, and intelligence gathering, the HRW report said. In some cases, children without combat training are used as "cannon fodder," it said. "Digital platforms must recognize that they are being used for the recruitment of children" which means they are being used to commit crimes, "including committing war crimes," HRW Americas director Juanita Goebertus told a press conference in Bogota. According to the report, almost half of child recruits are Indigenous children, despite Indigenous people only representing around four percent of the population. Girls account for around 40 percent of child recruits, and are "particularly exposed to sexual violence." In the report, HRW described social media posts showing members of armed groups flaunting wads of cash and jewelry. In other posts, they appear in training camps or listening to "narcocorridos" -- a Mexican music genre which celebrates the exploits of infamous drug traffickers. "What armed groups do really well on social media is to sell a lifestyle," Mathew Charles, founder of the Mi Historia foundation which works with child victims of conflict, told reporters. They project "tough-guy masculinity" and the possibility of earning "easy money," he said, calling on the state and other NGOs to combat "these lies and create counter-narratives." HRW said dissident groups that emerged from the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) have been responsible for 74 percent of child recruitment cases documented between 2021 and 2025. HRW said it had informed Meta, Facebook's parent company, and TikTok's owner ByteDance of the problem. Both said they had removed the specific content mentioned. Meta said it "constantly strives to refine (its) approach to combating" child recruitment efforts across its platforms. TikTok said it "proactively (prevents) illegal armed groups and organized criminal groups from using TikTok, including to target, exploit or recruit minors." The historic 2016 peace agreement ended a half-century of war between the government and FARC guerrillas, but remaining armed groups continue to control large swaths of territory in remote parts of Colombia's northeast and south. Newly inaugurated President Abelardo de la Espriella has vowed to crack down on armed groups and plans to forge a military alliance with the United States and Israel. 207739f4-9ff7-11f1-8257-572875d4e5bdMon, 24 Aug 2026 20:05:16 GMT© Raul ARBOLEDA / AFPFRANCE24Sporthttps://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260824-palmeiras-agree-to-sell-allan-to-manchester-city-source The 22-year-old Allan is a product of the club's prolific youth academy, which has recently exported players such as Estevao (Chelsea) and Endrick (Real Madrid) to Europe. According to the source, Palmeiras and City have reached a "verbal agreement" on the sale, which has yet to be formalized. Allan made his debut for the Sao Paulo-based club last year. This season, he has scored four goals and contributed three assists in 21 matches in the 2026 Brasileirao -- the country's top football league, which Palmeiras are currently leading after 24 rounds. Allan has also scored one goal and chipped in with two assists in eight appearances in the Copa Libertadores, with Palmeiras into the quarter finals. 885c36a6-9ff1-11f1-becc-11cb46865282Mon, 24 Aug 2026 19:25:14 GMT© DANIEL DUARTE / AFPFRANCE24Internationalhttps://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260824-british-pm-burnham-hits-a-chord-on-kyiv-visit The walk-around occurred as he was in the capital for Ukraine's Independence Day and to attend a meeting of allies backing Kyiv as it fends off Russia's invasion, now in its fifth year. It was Burnham's first trip abroad since taking office as prime minister last month. At one point, Burnham stopped to play some chords on a guitar next to a Ukrainian soldier in the back of a soundproofed van, an AFP photographer saw. According to media, Burnham played a tune by the British rock band The Smiths, and said he believed music can "lift spirits" on Ukraine's front line. Burnham also went to a Kyiv shopping centre that was destroyed by a Russian attack in May, mingling with locals and having selfies taken with them. The war in Ukraine has worsened this year, with Russia escalating its strikes. The number of civilian deaths has climbed to its highest level since the first months of Moscow's 2022 invasion. Diplomatic efforts initiated by the United States have stalled as Washington gets bogged down and diverted by its war against Iran. Speaking earlier alongside President Volodymyr Zelensky, Burnham vowed that Britain "will continue our support for Ukraine's defence" and compared the fighting to what allies faced against Nazi Germany. The Kremlin on Monday accused Britain of prolonging the war by helping Ukraine with missile technology. 22beaa32-9ff0-11f1-8926-bb1387e56cc4Mon, 24 Aug 2026 19:15:14 GMT© Henry NICHOLLS / POOL/AFPFRANCE24https://www.france24.com/en/video/20260824-uk-france-re-announce-anti-missile-technology-for-ukraine-none-will-be-online-for-years Annette Young is pleased to welcome Dr. Frank Ledwidge, former military intelligence officer and Senior Lecturer in Strategy at Portsmouth University. According to Dr. Ledwidge, the latest European commitments to Ukraine are merely politically symbolic. He warns that the coalition is failing to address Kyiv's most urgent problem: air defence. Ukraine needs interceptors capable of defeating Russian ballistic and hypersonic missiles, The war-torn country remains exposed to attacks on its defence industry and Russia’s ruthless campaign against civil energy infrastructure as winter approaches. 80ee359c-9fe5-11f1-b2c4-e533835308aeMon, 24 Aug 2026 18:16:00 GMTFRANCE24Internationalhttps://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260824-saudi-arabia-to-invest-7-bn-in-theme-parks-near-paris-french-presidency The agreement for the "colossal" project was signed during a two-day visit to France by Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, said President Emmanuel Macron's office. The investment will see the construction of three theme parks near Cergy-Pontoise, around 30 kilometres (20 miles) northwest of Paris, it said. Macron on X hailed the "unprecedented announcement", saying the attractions would be a "new global destination". The project will be led by investment firm Qiddiya, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund. The parks are expected to create 22,000 direct jobs, compared with around 20,000 generated by Disneyland Paris, according to the presidency. The project "stemmed from a discussion between the president of the republic and the crown prince in December 2024" in Riyadh, where they discovered their "shared passion" for manga, "and in particular Dragon Ball Z", an adviser to Macron told reporters. Reports had emerged over the summer of plans for a park dedicated to the iconic Japanese franchise in the Val-d'Oise region, though no official confirmation was given. Macron's office confirmed that one park is expected to be manga-themed. The themes of the other two have yet to be disclosed. The parks will be built and opened in stages, with construction expected to take several years, Macron's office said, without giving an opening date. Asked about entrusting such a project to Riyadh despite criticism of its human rights record, his office said: "At no point, when we attract a project, do we seek to lecture others." The presidency said two other contracts were signed with French companies during the Saudi prince's visit: one for the marine logistics company CMA CGM to help develop Saudi Arabia's Jeddah Islamic Port on the Red Sea, for $434 million; and the other with rail transport group Alstom to supply metro carriages for Riyadh's metro, for $580 million. 'Provocation' The trip marks a rare foreign visit for the crown prince, with Paris emphasising that he seldom leaves his home country other than for international summits. It was his first such trip in almost a year. On Sunday, Macron hosted the Saudi crown prince at the Esports World Cup, while Monday's talks were also expected to focus on strategic issues, including events in the Middle East. But the Saudi leader's visit has sparked fierce criticism in France. Three journalists' unions protested Paris's decision to host him, pointing to a live French investigation into allegations of torture and forced disappearance following a complaint lodged in 2021 over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Khashoggi, a Saudi with US residency who was a critic of the Saudi ruling family, was murdered in Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul in 2018. His body, cut up, was never recovered. US intelligence concluded Mohammed bin Salman was directly involved in Khashoggi's killing, and a UN investigation described the journalist's death as an "extrajudicial killing for which Saudi Arabia is responsible". In December 2021, Macron became one of the first Western leaders to meet the prince in Saudi Arabia in the wake of the Khashoggi killing. The Saudi crown prince has made multiple visits to France since then. a1d528be-9fe6-11f1-9f9b-e533835308aeMon, 24 Aug 2026 18:07:12 GMT© LOU BENOIST / POOL/AFPFRANCE24Sporthttps://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260824-vuelta-stage-three-abandoned-in-dangerous-weather-conditions Riders, including red jersey-wearing race leader Tadej Pogacar, pulled off the road to take shelter in a hotel amid the severe weather conditions in the Pyrenees. Mats Wenzel and Lorenzo Fortunato had been leading ahead of the peloton when the decision was made. Riders were reaching the top of the penultimate climb on the way to the Font Romeu finish line at the end of the 174-kilometre course from Gruissan. "It's been a good call from the riders and organisation to step off the bike," said Visma-Lease A Bike sports director Maarten Wynants. "It's the safest for everyone to cancel the race because the weather conditions were simply too dangerous to continue." Conditions had been fine at the start, with six riders attacking early on, including Soudal Quick-Step's Ethan Hayter, who was pipped by Pogacar in the opening stage individual time-trial. The breakaway extended their advantage to more than two-and-a-half minutes but the peloton gradually reeled the escapees back in, with Pogacar's UAE Team Emirates-XRG squad working hard to keep the gap under control. Crosswinds split the peloton on the exposed roads, with general classification contender Felix Gall suffering, but the Austrian managed to recover. With around 60km remaining, riders could see the dark clouds and rainy conditions awaiting them ahead, and which ultimately forced the stage to be abandoned. Rain and then hail lashed down with around 25km remaining as UAE picked up the pace to close down three riders still out in front. Pogacar makes call Wenzel was soon the last man standing from the breakaway as he kept plugging away despite the inclement weather, and he was joined by Fortunato. Some riders in the bunch pulled to the side of the road to take shelter from the hailstones, while Pogacar called for the peloton to turn off route and head into a nearby hotel. Race organisers then confirmed the stage had been abandoned because of the weather. Stage four starts and finishes in Andorra on Tuesday, running 104.8km in the mountains with several categorised climbs, which should provide a solid indication of which riders expect to finish high in the general classification. Slovenian cycling superstar Pogacar, a five-time Tour de France winner, is the overwhelming favourite to win the race and complete the set of Grand Tour victories, having won the Giro d'Italia in 2024. Only a major upset will prevent him finishing the race in Granada on September 13 as the ninth rider to complete the feat and only the fourth to do a Tour-Vuelta double in the same season. d61aceb0-9fe3-11f1-8983-736893d0ff0aMon, 24 Aug 2026 17:47:11 GMT© Ed JONES / AFPFRANCE24Environmenthttps://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260824-french-tourist-dies-after-getting-stuck-in-scorching-death-valley The vehicle that Pierre Michel Formosa, 68, was using with his travel companion, who was also from France, got bogged down in mud on August 17. The two men decided to hike across salt flats in an effort to find help, but had only gone around 1.3 miles (two kilometers), when Formosa became unable to continue, the NPS said. The other man carried on and was eventually able to get help from a passing motorist, who alerted authorities. A search-and-rescue mission discovered Formosa a short time later. He was pronounced dead at the scene, the NPS said. "This is a heartbreaking reminder of how quickly conditions here can turn dangerous," said Death Valley National Park Superintendent Mike Reynolds. "Death Valley is an extraordinary place, but its heat, distances, and remoteness can be dangerous, regardless of experience." Death Valley, which lies about 200 miles northeast of Los Angeles, claims lives every year, despite repeated warnings from park authorities to plan ahead when travelling into such a hostile environment. d66467c8-9fe3-11f1-b6d7-e533835308aeMon, 24 Aug 2026 17:47:11 GMT© Ronda Churchill / AFP/FileFRANCE24