13.08.2026 14:15

Deaths in Attacks in Ukraine and Russia

Kyiv - 13/08/2026: According to local authorities, at least eight people have been killed in attacks by Russia and Ukraine. Russian long-range drones struck several Ukrainian regions overnight into Thursday. At least four people were killed and eight others injured. The dead included two employees of Ukraine's state railway. Their passenger train was hit by a drone in the Odesa region.According to the head of the Kherson military administration, Oleksandr Prokudin, two men were also killed in a Russian drone attack in the southern Ukrainian city on Wednesday evening. The reported casualty figures are based on information from Ukrainian authorities. They may still change as rescue operations and further investigations continue.Deaths were also reported on the Crimean peninsula annexed by Russia. Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Moscow-appointed governor of the port city of Sevastopol, said that four explosives experts from Russia's emergency ministry and a security guard were killed in an explosion. They had been examining a site that had previously been targeted in a Ukrainian attack. The claims made by the warring sides could not initially be independently verified.At the same time, Ukraine continued its attacks on Russian energy facilities. The Ukrainian General Staff reported a drone strike on the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat refinery and petrochemical complex in the Russian republic of Bashkortostan. A fire broke out there. The complex is located around 1,300 kilometres from the Ukrainian border and, according to Ukraine, is one of the largest facilities of its...

Aktuell Read 13.08.2026 13:02

Three people die in fire in Lhoumois

Lhoumois - 13 August 2026: Three people have died in a fire in the small municipality of Lhoumois in the western French department of Deux-Sevres. According to Franceinfo, the victims were trapped by the flames inside a home. They belonged to the same family. Their names, ages and further personal details were not known on Thursday morning.According to the information available so far, the fire broke out in a field before spreading to the home. In total, an area of around 20 hectares burned. High temperatures and dry vegetation apparently accelerated its spread. Where and how the fire started is the subject of the investigation.The...

Aktuell Read 13.08.2026 12:46

Major vegetation fires in northern and western France

France - 13/08/2026: Two major vegetation fires broke out on Thursday in Pas-de-Calais and the Ille-et-Vilaine department. According to Franceinfo, the flames affected around 180 hectares in northern France. More than 100 firefighters were deployed there. South of Rennes, another fire spread across more than 200 hectares of forest and open land.Emergency crews were thus battling fires in two locations far apart from each other, where extreme heat and persistent drought allowed them to spread rapidly. In Pas-de-Calais, the fire was described as exceptionally large for the region. Its cause was still unknown on Thursday morning. Major vegetation fires are usually followed by investigations into...

Aktuell Read 13.08.2026 12:31

First parents await payments from new birth leave scheme

Paris - 13/08/2026: Six weeks after the introduction of additional birth leave, the first parents are still awaiting their daily sickness benefits, according to Franceinfo. Those affected report that they now have to draw on their savings. The new benefit is intended to allow families up to two additional paid months with their child following a birth or adoption. It was introduced on 1 July 2026.The additional leave can be taken for one or two months and follows maternity, paternity or adoption leave. Both parents may use it under the legal conditions, either simultaneously or consecutively. The entitlement also applies to parents of children born or placed with a family since 1 January 2026.Assurance Maladie told Franceinfo that it is still too early to speak of delayed payments. The statutory health insurance system has therefore not yet confirmed a general payment backlog. For the families concerned, however, the situation remains delicate: during the leave period, part of their regular income depends on the timely transfer of the replacement benefit. As...

Aktuell Read 13.08.2026 12:15

Fatal boat collision near Arcachon: Fisherman to stand trial

La Teste-de-Buch - 13.08.2026: More than a year after a fatal boat collision in the Arcachon Basin, the fisherman involved must answer before the criminal court. He is accused of involuntary manslaughter. Franceinfo reported this on Thursday. The referral for trial brings the investigation phase to an end; no date for the hearing was initially announced.In the accident on May 21, 2025, an eight-year-old sailing student was killed. The boy was taking part in a sailing course and was alone in an Optimist, a small dinghy primarily used for training young sailors. Near the shore at La Teste-de-Buch, the boat collided with the accused man's fishing vessel. Emergency services brought the seriously injured child ashore, but were unable to save his life.The Atlantic Maritime Prefecture announced the following day that the collision had occurred in the evening, a few metres from the shore. In addition to firefighters, emergency services from the department of Gironde were deployed. The Bordeaux public prosecutor's office opened an investigation to establish the exact course of...

Aktuell Read 13.08.2026 12:15

Sauveur Cristofini reaches European Championship semi-finals in the 200m freestyle at age 16

Saint-Denis - 13 August 2026: Sauveur Cristofini delivered his strongest performance to date in the 200m freestyle at the Olympic Aquatics Centre in Saint-Denis. The 16-year-old Frenchman touched in 1:45.93 in the heats, improving his personal best and advancing to the European Championship semi-finals as the third-fastest swimmer. For Cristofini, it is his first international championship in a 50-metre pool wearing the French colours.His time was more than simply a comfortably achieved qualifying target. Cristofini found his rhythm early and maintained his pace, particularly over the second 100 metres. This is often where the 200m freestyle is decided: after a controlled start, swimmers must preserve...

Aktuell Read 13.08.2026 12:01

Firefighters’ unions strike for more staff and civil protection reform

Paris - 13.08.2026: Nine unions representing the French fire and rescue services have called for a strike this Thursday. They are demanding additional personnel, more reliable funding and better equipment for the Services départementaux d'incendie et de secours, or SDIS. The mobilisation comes during the wildfire season, when fire services are under particularly heavy pressure in many areas.Colonel Jerome Boulanger told Franceinfo that a draft law to modernise France's civil protection system is currently being prepared. Work has been under way since 2024, but has so far not resulted in a bill being submitted to parliament. The reform long awaited by fire service associations therefore...

Aktuell Read 13.08.2026 11:45

Burgas to Host the Eurovision Song Contest 2027

Burgas - 13/08/2026: The Eurovision Song Contest will be held in the Bulgarian Black Sea city of Burgas in 2027. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and public broadcaster BNT announced this on Thursday. The semi-finals are scheduled for May 11 and 13, while the final is set to take place on May 15. This will make Bulgaria the host of the European music competition for the first time.The venue for the three live broadcasts will be Arena Burgas, which opened in 2023. In addition to the televised competition evenings, six further events are planned between May 10 and 15, during which the shows will be...

Aktuell Read 13.08.2026 11:31

Eleven French nationals detained in Thailand and Hong Kong over drug smuggling

Bangkok - 13 August 2026: According to media reports, eleven French nationals are being held in Thailand and Hong Kong on suspicion of drug smuggling. The cases became known on Wednesday, 12 August. According to the reports, the mostly young individuals involved are said to have been recruited via social media for supposedly free or particularly cheap trips to Bangkok.Each travel offer was reportedly linked to a transport assignment. On their return journey to France, the travellers were allegedly meant to take a suitcase containing supposed smartphones or other electronic devices. However, investigators found several kilograms of cannabis in the luggage during checks. The investigations...

Aktuell Read 13.08.2026 11:17

Drought in the Vosges: Municipality Reduces Water Pressure by 30 Percent

Vosges - 13 August 2026: Due to the ongoing drought, a municipality in the Vosges department has reduced the pressure in its drinking water network by 30 percent. The mayor described economical consumption as the only effective means currently available to prevent a complete interruption of supply. The population has reacted with understanding and has also reduced its water consumption by around 30 percent.The pressure reduction is a direct intervention in the operation of the municipal network. When less water flows through pipes and connections, daily consumption can be limited; the remaining reserves therefore last longer. For households, the restriction may be noticeable through a weaker flow of water. However, supply is continuing for the time being.At the same time, the responsible water authority is working on a procedure for temporary shutdowns should reserves decline further. No such interruptions have been decided so far. Their preparation nevertheless illustrates how little room for maneuver remains locally: only if voluntary conservation and lower network pressure are no longer sufficient would time-limited supply...

Aktuell Read 13.08.2026 11:01

Olivier Echaudemaison, the defining force behind Guerlain’s makeup, has died

Paris - 13 August 2026: With Olivier Echaudemaison, French cosmetics has lost one of its defining figures. Guerlain's former creative director for makeup has died at the age of 84, as Franceinfo reported on Thursday. For decades, the makeup artist helped shape the visual language of a Parisian house that understands beauty as a combination of craftsmanship, color and staging.His career did not begin at the makeup table, but in a hair salon. As a young man, Echaudemaison worked for Alexandre de Paris, the famous hairdresser of the 1960s. There, he became acquainted with the faces and gestures of major appearances. Later, his path took...

Aktuell Read 13.08.2026 10:46

Genevard convenes prefects to assess drought damage

Paris - 13.08.2026: French Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard intends to convene the prefects on August 27 for an assessment of the consequences of the drought. According to Franceinfo, the consultation is intended to ensure that a comprehensive aid package for affected agricultural businesses is aligned with actual needs. Genevard announced the meeting on Thursday during the ongoing heatwave.The pressures vary considerably from region to region. The prefectures are therefore to assess water availability, applicable usage restrictions, damage to crops and the situation of livestock farms. Based on this data, the government intends to determine which areas and production sectors are in particularly urgent need of...

Aktuell Read 13.08.2026 10:07

The Big Climate Change Lie – Who Will Explain the 40 Degrees to Us Now?

Just a few years ago, we were told with almost missionary zeal that climate change was an invention. A hoax. A conspiracy by left-wing elites, green ideologues and allegedly bought scientists. The most powerful man in the world stood before cameras, grinned smugly and declared that global warming was "nonsense." His most loyal supporters applauded enthusiastically. And Europe's right wing? It cheered along - like a choir singing every line without understanding the lyrics. Today, almost all of France is burning. 80 departments under heat warnings. Temperatures of 38 to 40 degrees. Tropical nights in which the body can barely recover. The third heatwave of this summer. Parched soil. Wildfire danger. Elderly people fighting for their health. Workers on construction sites toiling in blazing heat. Children who can barely play outdoors anymore. And suddenly there is silence. Where are they now, these self-appointed purveyors of truth? Where are the politicians and commentators who have ridiculed science for years? Where are the loud voices that mocked every heatwave as "perfectly normal summer weather"? One hears remarkably little. Perhaps because reality cannot be drowned out by slogans forever. Of course, a single heatwave alone does not prove climate change. No one who argues seriously claims otherwise. But when record heat becomes routine, when extreme weather occurs at ever-shorter intervals and meteorologists have been describing precisely this development for years, persistent denial no longer looks like a different political opinion. It looks like...

Artikel des Tages Read 13.08.2026 10:01

Macron’s Environmental Record: Falling Emissions, Costly Failures in Preparedness

Paris - 13 August 2026: Drought and widespread vegetation fires have put France's climate policy back on the political agenda with renewed urgency this summer. The government points to long-term strategies, investment and falling greenhouse gas emissions. The left-wing opposition counters that public funding matches neither the growing risks nor the targets the government has set for itself.In July 2026, France adopted its third National Low-Carbon Strategy. It sets out the path to climate neutrality by 2050 and complements energy planning for the years 2026 to 2035. According to the Ministry for Ecological Transition, national greenhouse gas emissions fell by 3.0 percent in 2024 and...

Aktuell Read 13.08.2026 09:54

When the Lake Has to Supply Drinking Water: Gerardmer Turns to Lac de Gerardmer Once Again

Of all places, in the water-rich Vosges, it has become clear just how serious the persistent drought has now become. Since August 12, 2026, water from Lac de Gerardmer has been flowing into the town's drinking water supply. The move is not considered a precautionary measure, but a necessary response to declining groundwater reserves. The groundwater level at the Goutte du Chat spring has continued to fall despite water-saving measures introduced as early as the beginning of July. According to the responsible water authority, current water production is no longer sufficient to meet the population's daily needs. The lake water extraction facility has therefore been...

Artikel des Tages Read 13.08.2026 09:46

Major fire in Pas-de-Calais: 1,200 campers temporarily evacuated

Pas-de-Calais - 13.08.2026: A large-scale vegetation fire abruptly interrupted a camping holiday for around 1,200 people in the northern French department of Pas-de-Calais. According to Franceinfo, guests had to leave the site as a precaution and were only able to return after several hours. The fire broke out during a period of intense heat and drought.According to the report, around 180 hectares of land were engulfed by the flames. More than 100 firefighters were deployed to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to the campsite and other inhabited areas. For the department, known primarily for its coastline, dune landscapes and summer holiday traffic, this was a fire of unusual scale.For holidaymakers, the evacuation initially meant considerable uncertainty. They had to leave behind tents, motorhomes or holiday accommodation while emergency crews battled the flames. During such an evacuation, access routes must be kept clear for fire and rescue vehicles, larger groups of people must be guided out of the danger zone in an orderly manner, and instructions from authorities...

Aktuell Read 13.08.2026 09:46

Eleven French nationals remanded in custody in Thailand over suspected drug smuggling

Eleven French nationals are currently being held in pre-trial detention in Thailand. They are accused of international drug smuggling after being arrested at several airports in the country between mid-June and the start of summer. According to Thai authorities, they allegedly attempted to take several kilograms of cannabis out of the country in their luggage. According to their families, the young adults, aged between 18 and 26, insist that they fell victim to an elaborate scam. Based on the findings so far, they are said to have been recruited via Snapchat and other social networks. Unknown individuals allegedly offered them a free trip to Thailand, including flights and hotel accommodation. In return, they were only expected to transport suitcases which they supposedly believed contained mobile phones or other electronic devices. It was only during checks at the airports that Thai customs officers discovered large quantities of cannabis in the luggage. The relatives of those arrested therefore assume that the young travellers were deliberately exploited by criminal networks as so-called drug...

Artikel des Tages Read 13.08.2026 09:41

2026 Could Rank Among the Worst Years for Glaciers in History

The warning signs are clear. Experts are sounding unusually stark alarms in light of developments in the Alps and the Pyrenees. Based on observations so far, 2026 could rank among the most devastating years ever documented for European glaciers. The French and Swiss Alps, as well as the Pyrenees, have been particularly affected, where several unfavorable weather conditions have overlapped within a short period of time. Winter had already brought significantly less snow than usual to many mountain regions. What initially appeared to be an ordinary weather fluctuation developed into a serious problem in spring. Exceptionally high temperatures caused the already thin snow cover to...

Artikel des Tages Read 13.08.2026 09:34

Climate Change Threatens Global Food Security

Climate change is no longer merely one of the greatest environmental problems of our time. It is increasingly becoming a threat to global food security. Rising temperatures, more frequent droughts, heavy rainfall, floods and ever more severe storms are fundamentally changing the conditions for agriculture. This puts pressure not only on food production, but also on its availability, affordability and quality. Food security rests on four essential pillars: food must be sufficiently available, accessible and affordable for everyone, safe for consumption and nutritious, and these conditions must be met on a lasting basis. It is precisely these foundations that are being destabilized by climate change...

Artikel des Tages Read 13.08.2026 09:31

Ozone pollution in Ile-de-France: Speed limits on many roads reduced by 20 km/h on Thursday

Paris - 13/08/2026: Lower speed limits will apply on major roads in Ile-de-France on Thursday due to elevated ozone pollution. The police prefect ordered the applicable maximum speed limit to be reduced by 20 kilometres per hour. The measure affects the region around Paris and follows a deterioration in air quality during the ongoing heatwave.For motorists, the order means that where higher speeds are normally permitted, they must reduce their speed accordingly. The regulation is not a general change to traffic law, but a temporary response to air pollution. It is intended to reduce road traffic emissions that can contribute to the formation of ground-level...

Aktuell Read 13.08.2026 09:25

France Between Heatwave and Drought: When a State of Emergency Becomes Summer Routine

France is experiencing weather conditions this August that have long become more than an ordinary heatwave. Almost the entire country is groaning under temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius, while rivers shrink, soils dry out and water becomes a precious resource. What once mainly affected the south of the country has now taken on national dimensions. On 13 August, 80 departments are under heat warnings. High temperatures stretch from the Atlantic coast to the German border. In Paris, the thermometer climbs to around 38 degrees Celsius, and in Lyon to about 39 degrees. Bordeaux, Toulouse and Nantes are also suffering under oppressive heat. Only...

Aktuell Read 13.08.2026 09:19

Ozone Alert in Paris: Speed Limits Reduced on All Roads in the Ile-de-France

Motorists in the Paris region must significantly ease off the accelerator this Thursday. Due to elevated ozone pollution, the police prefect of the French capital has ordered a temporary speed limit reduction across the entire road network of the Ile-de-France. The measure is being implemented as part of the air pollution information and warning procedure and is intended to help reduce road traffic emissions. Specifically, this means that the maximum permitted speed is being reduced by 20 kilometres per hour on roads with higher speed limits. Where 130 kilometres per hour had previously been permitted, vehicles may now travel at no more than 110 kilometres per hour. On routes with a previous limit of 110 kilometres per hour, the speed limit is now 90. Roads with a regular limit of 90 kilometres per hour may now only be used at a maximum of 70 kilometres per hour. Nothing changes on roads where a limit of 70 kilometres per hour or less already applies. The decision was prompted by forecasts from...

Artikel des Tages Read 13.08.2026 09:15

Départements call for new civil security funding

Paris - 13 August 2026: François Sauvadet, president of the Départements de France association, is calling for a fundamental overhaul of civil security funding. The trigger is the firefighters' work stoppages and the growing strain on rescue services organized at municipal and département level. In his view, the current contribution through the special tax on insurance contracts is no longer sufficient.Sauvadet proposes increasing the share of this tax allocated to fire and rescue services. The additional revenue should primarily be used to procure national aircraft, in particular planes and helicopters for wildfire suppression. His demand links the current labor dispute with a question that has...

Aktuell Read 13.08.2026 09:13

Water Becomes More Expensive Than Wine – What a Village in Burgundy Reveals About France’s Future

There are events that seem insignificant at first glance but, upon closer inspection, prove to be omens. Quincy-le-Vicomte, a village of barely more than 200 residents in the north of the Cote-d'Or, is one such place. Since early July, the municipality's water supply has been ensured by tanker trucks because the local spring is no longer delivering enough water as a result of persistent drought. What appears to be a provincial footnote is, in fact, a lesson in the vulnerability of an infrastructure that generations took for granted. The fact that this development is taking place in Burgundy of all places, a region whose name...

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