Louis XIV of France
Photo: Hyacinthe Rigaud, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons, cropped)
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- Sep 20
Juan Carlos I receives Prix Saint-Simon in France for his memoirs Reconciliación
The 88-year-old former Spanish monarch accepted the honour in La Ferté-Vidame alongside family members after attending a regatta in Galicia.
- Aug 26
Ridley Scott releases 110 million dollar survival drama The Dog Stars
Disney released the 110-million-dollar adaptation of Peter Heller's novel on August 26, 2026, following a schedule delay and drawing divided reviews from critics.
- Aug 25
SpaceX plans $100 billion Starbase Louisiana spaceport for Starship flights
SpaceX has announced plans to construct a 125,000-acre launch complex in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, aiming to start construction in 2027 and begin Starship flights by 2029.
- Aug 22
Sofia and Noah lead Switzerland's 2025 baby name rankings as Müller tops surnames
Data released by the Federal Statistical Office shows Sofia displaced Emma among newborn girls in 2025, while Noah led boys for the 12th time since 2010. Surnames remained dominated by Müller, with 52,674 bearers nationwide.
- Aug 20
Sandra Bullock details partner Bryan Randall's private ALS battle and four years of anticipatory grief
In a podcast interview on SmartLess, actress Sandra Bullock revealed why partner Bryan Randall kept his fatal ALS diagnosis secret until his August 2023 death, and how she navigated years of private caregiving.
- Aug 5
Pope Leo XIV will visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru in November in his first Latin American trip as pontiff
Pope Leo XIV will visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from November 6 to 17, 2026, in his first Latin American trip as pontiff, returning to Peru where he served as bishop of Chiclayo and marking the first papal visit to Argentina in nearly four decades.
- Aug 1
Prince Louis dons Wales bucket hat as George, Charlotte make first official Scotland visit at Commonwealth Games
Prince Louis wore a Wales cycling bucket hat as he joined Prince George and Princess Charlotte for their first official visit to Scotland, watching netball and cycling at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
- Aug 1
Patti Smith meets Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican: two Chicago natives, a crucifix and a joke about English
The 79-year-old rock icon and poet, wearing a crucifix, was received by the pontiff in the Apostolic Palace on Friday, with Vatican official Antonio Spadaro describing the 'lengthy' talk as a chat between 'old friends'.
- Jul 16
Jubillar bones sent for DNA analysis, but acidic soil may thwart identification and delay September appeal trial
Bones found in a Tarn field are being analysed near Paris, but acidic soil may prevent DNA identification of Delphine Jubillar, who disappeared in December 2020.
- Jul 6
Cédric Jubillar confesses to killing wife Delphine after five years of denial, Toulouse court vows swift action
Cédric Jubillar, convicted of murdering his wife Delphine in 2025, has confessed to the crime in a letter to his lawyers, upending his appeal set for September. The Toulouse Court of Appeal says it will 'act quickly' to uncover the truth.
- Jul 5
Mother of slain teen Louis demands 30-year sentences at Narbonne white march, as far-right figures join
Amandine Chaudier, mother of 17-year-old Louis beaten to death in Narbonne, called for 30-year prison terms without parole for the five suspects, as thousands marched on July 5 and far-right politicians attended.
- Jul 5
Harry Styles breaks Wembley records with 12 sold-out shows, pays tribute to One Direction bandmates
Harry Styles concluded a record-breaking 12-night residency at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, surpassing Coldplay and Taylor Swift for most shows at the venue in a single year. The final concert drew 80,000 fans and featured tributes to his One Direction bandmates.
- Jun 30
Macron at World Congress: 'Nothing Is a Given' as 68% of French Favour Death Penalty Referendum
Speaking at the 9th World Congress Against the Death Penalty, President Macron confronted rising domestic support for capital punishment, with 68% of French now backing a referendum on its reinstatement.
- Jun 28
Kate, Princess of Wales, scales Britain's three highest peaks in 24 hours for cancer charity
Catherine, Princess of Wales, has climbed Scafell Pike, Ben Nevis and Snowdon in a single weekend to raise funds for the hospital that treated her cancer and to speak about the holistic needs of those living with the disease.
- Jun 27
Laurent Nuñez denounces far-right 'exploitation' of Louis's ambush killing in Narbonne
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez has dismissed claims of a racist motive in the ambush killing of 17-year-old Louis in Narbonne, accusing the far right of 'exploitation' and warning of a youth violence crisis.
- Jun 26
Teen beaten to death in Narbonne ambush; five arrested, victim had reported earlier violence
Louis, a 17-year-old placed in a youth welfare facility in Narbonne, was beaten by five young people on 19 June and died four days later. The attack, filmed and shared on social media, has sparked deep emotion across France.
- Jun 13
Kate channels Diana in powder blue at Trooping the Colour, royal family coalesces amid scandal
The Princess of Wales wore a pale blue Catherine Walker coatdress, coordinating with her children, as the Windsor family presented unity at Charles III's official birthday parade against a backdrop of Prince Andrew's legal troubles.
- Jun 10
Rimini court acquits Louis Dassilva of Pierina Paganelli murder after over 15 hours of deliberation, orders his release
A court in Rimini has acquitted Louis Dassilva of the 2023 murder of his neighbour Pierina Paganelli, ordering his immediate release after more than 15 hours of deliberation. Dassilva, 35, had been in prison since July 2024 and faced a life sentence.
- May 28
France's National Assembly votes unanimously to repeal the 1685 'Code Noir' slavery law, 178 years after abolition
In a historic and symbolic move, French lawmakers voted 254-0 to formally strike down the 'Code Noir', a 17th-century edict that codified slavery and classified enslaved people as movable property, nearly 180 years after slavery itself was abolished.
