By Marco Hugo Barsotti MHB 
Welcome to am1575news, the news bulletin of France24 and Radio Centrale Milan for Tuesday 25 August 2026 in podcasting, on the medium waves and on franciaoggi.com. In the editorial office in Nice Marco Hugo Barsotti, from Paris Rachel Costa.
News from France
A tornado destroys half of the village of Pomas: 41 injured
A violent tornado struck the municipality of Pomas, near Carcassonne, in Aude, around 5:20 pm on Monday 24 August. The phenomenon caused the collapse of numerous homes: about 300 houses suffered serious damage, so much that residents reported seeing “half the village destroyed” and roofs completely uprooted. Rescue operations evacuated the injured to two reception centers, the salle polyvalente of Pomas and the Tuilerie of Limoux. The prefecture of Aude announced that 41 people were injured, of whom 15 required urgent hospital care. Approximately 2 800 households were left without electricity and several roads were blocked due to fallen trees. Supporting the search and rescue operations were 115 firefighters, including 14 urban rescue specialists, assisted by a canine unit and the gendarmerie forces, which ensured the safety of the area during the night. Residents shared on social media videos of the tornado moving between Carcassonne and Limoux, while local authorities advise motorists to check updates on the regional information website. franceinfo, 24/08/2026 Fact Check by Gemma4.
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GTA 6 and the Cyberleek leaks: the updated picture
A few days before the official debut of Grand Theft Auto VI on Netflix (27 August 2026), the leaker known as Cyberleek continues to spread short gameplay clips. Take‑Two Interactive, parent company of Rockstar Games, has presented citations to Microsoft and Discord to expose him, explicitly quoting “stolen content”. This has reinforced the hypothesis that at least part of the material is authentic, although it cannot yet be verified with certainty.
So far Cyberleek has published several fragments: portions of the map (with locations such as Dalton Island, Tequesta Retreat, Gloriana Key and Catalan Key), a broader view of the entire map, a mini‑basketball game featuring the protagonist Jason Duval, driving and assault sequences, the use of a taser on a guard, a drug called Zombix, a plane flight over Vice City (with the word “LEEK” spray‑painted on a wall), hypercar races, scenes in a strip club, an incident at a service station and the exploration of a nudist colony. The leaker has so far avoided major plot spoilers.
The clips appear convincing to those familiar with Rockstar titles: character movements, NPC interactions and overall atmosphere seem consistent with the series style. However, in an era of AI‑generated videos, doubts remain about their complete authenticity. Cyberleek, meanwhile, has also launched paid cryptocurrency surveys on his site to decide the next content to release.
Rockstar and Take‑Two have not issued official statements beyond legal actions. Those who prefer to wait for authenticated material can see the first official gameplay footage on Netflix on 27 August.
Macron announces: we are Manga fans and with Saudi Arabia we will create three amusement parks
During the visit to Paris of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia and France signed a memorandum of understanding for the creation of three amusement parks in the Paris region. Emmanuel Macron described the agreement as “an announcement out of the ordinary”, highlighting an investment of 6 billion euros and the creation of 22 000 jobs, the largest project of its kind in France since the days of Disneyland Paris.
One of the three parks will be dedicated to the manga universe, in particular to Dragon Ball Z, born from a shared passion for Japanese comics that emerged during a meeting between Macron and the prince in Riyadh in December 2024. The project will be managed by Qiddiya Investment Company, a subsidiary of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund Public Investment Fund. The chosen site is a plot of land in Courdimanche, near Cergy‑Pontoise, for its accessibility and proximity to Disneyland Paris, with the aim of attracting tourists who can visit multiple parks during the same stay.
The themes of the other two parks have not yet been disclosed and the construction will take place in successive phases, without a precise schedule. Facing criticism over human‑rights respect in Saudi Arabia, the Elysee responded that France will be the main beneficiary of the project and that the goal is to strengthen its position as the world’s premier tourist destination, without “giving lessons” to other countries.
Rachel’s Editorial – Macron’s Park‑Manga Game
Here the great architect of the Republic, once engaged in building “state” infrastructures, decides to devote himself to designing manga‑inspired theme parks. We wonder: is it a conspiracy to save national dignity from decline or simply a case of “creative work” during a coffee break? Perhaps the real project is to make us laugh, but only when the shout is ready to say goodbye to boredom.
The title itself is a splash of sarcasm that seems more an opinion than a report. “A sad epilogue” – says the press voice. But who decided that the shift from bridges to animated characters is necessarily a tragedy? Perhaps the newspaper confused its sense of loss with a list of children’s TV programs, forgetting that even grandiosity can sprout in unexpected forms.
Then the issue of Arab financing arrives, dramatized as a long string of blame. Is it really that simple to trace a red thread from foreign money to the idea of a Sailor Moon ride? The bias here is evident: pointing the finger at “the Arabs’ money” is easier than examining the true nature of economic flows in Europe, where investments mix like oil in a bean soup.
And finally, the final judgment on the French “who impatiently await” Macron’s epilogue. Is it a prophecy or simply an echo of fatigue toward politics? If the entire nation is ready to applaud a fall because of a theme park, perhaps the true spectacle is our ability to entertain ourselves with any news, however unlikely.
Koan of the Day
A monk asked the Master: “If a president turns an infrastructure proposal into a theme park with Japanese heroes, what does it demonstrate about himself?”
The Master replied: “It shows that reality is a stage where the sets change more often than the scripts, and the audience always remains the same.”
Then the monk insisted: “And the money that comes from faraway lands, is it dirtier or purer when it buys paper dragons?”
The Master smiled: “Money is neutral; purity lies in the desire of the one who uses it, and the irony is that those who buy dragons often forget to buy wisdom.”
But let’s return to the news.
Fire near Ajaccio: 200 people spontaneously evacuated, according to the prefecture
A fire, probably triggered by a lightning strike, developed during the night between Monday 24 and Tuesday 25 August in the area of Alata, a municipality bordering Ajaccio, in Southern Corsica. The blaze caused the spontaneous evacuation of about 200 residents of the area called Castagnola, a residential neighbourhood of Alata itself, despite authorities having issued containment orders. The fire brigade reassured that the flames did not endanger any dwelling.
The blaze broke out around one in the morning, under very strong wind conditions that battered the town from 00:45 onward. An AFP journalist observed that the Castello della Punta, a historic monument from 1977 built at the end of the 19th century with stones taken from the Palais des Tuileries in Paris, remained outside the fire’s threat. Around 3:45 residents began returning to their homes after a power outage was managed by EDF operators. The prefecture declared the fire “almost tamed”.
Administrators kept an orange alert level for the two Corsican departments because of the storm episodes, with forecasts of gusts up to 100‑110 km/h and occasional peaks of 130 km/h. The day before, storms had affected several southern French departments, with a tornado causing extensive damage and numerous injuries in the village of Pomas, in Aude.
franceinfo, 25/08/2026 Fact Check by Gemma4.
Welcome to the international bulletin from FranceToday and Radio Centrale Milan for Tuesday 25 August 2026 on FranceToday.com in podcasting and on Medium Waves at 1575 kHz.
From Paris, this is Rachel Costa.
Saudi Arabia launches three new theme parks in Île‑de‑France with an investment of nearly one billion euros
The French government announced the agreement with two Saudi groups for the development of three amusement parks in the capital, a project that should create over 22 000 direct jobs. The work, planned for completion by 2029, is part of a broader Riyadh strategy to expand its activities in the European entertainment sector. Investors emphasised that the parks will be built to environmental‑sustainability standards, with particular attention to energy efficiency. The announcement comes at a time when the European Union is renegotiating rules for foreign investment, sparking debate among parliamentarians about the need to protect local competition.
Zelensky launches a new international appeal for stronger financial support to Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gave a speech in Washington calling for a rapid increase in military and humanitarian aid from Western allies. He highlighted the need to boost production of drones and missiles, stating that such systems are crucial to intensify operations against Russian forces. Zelensky also urged the European Commission to coordinate a more effective financial response, including the possibility of an enhanced “European Defense Fund”. The speech was well received by numerous members of Congress, who are considering new legislation to unlock additional funds.
The United Kingdom warns of possible attacks on drone factories following geopolitical tensions
The British Secretary of State for Defence said that drone production facilities in the United Kingdom could become targets of attacks by “unknown sources”, in response to the recent transfer of missile projects to Kyiv. The ministry announced a strengthening of cyber and physical security measures at strategic sites, including the deployment of specialised units to protect the installations. Authorities have called industry firms to work closely with intelligence agencies to prevent intrusions and sabotage.
An oil tanker suffers damage in the engine room in the Strait of Hormuz
The British navigator reported that one of the oil tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz suffered an engine‑room failure due to an “unknown projectile” of unidentified origin. The crew remained unharmed and the vessel was assisted by a rescue team, but the damage temporarily halted the flow of oil exports from the Gulf. Experts fear the situation could exacerbate already high tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia, with potential repercussions on global oil prices.
Trump imposes 50 % tariffs on Canadian cars, sparking a new trade war
The President of the United States announced an increase in import duties on vehicles manufactured in Canada, raising the tariff from 25 % to 50 %. The measure, justified as a response to alleged unfair trade practices, directly hits Canadian car manufacturers and their suppliers. Washington expects the “punitive” tariff to reduce the bilateral trade deficit, but analysts warn of a possible rise in prices for U.S. consumers and negative fallout for the global automotive industry. The Canadian government said it is evaluating diplomatic options to resolve the dispute.
Bitcoin surpasses $80 000: the cryptocurrency heads toward a new rally
In the past 24 hours, the world’s most capitalised cryptocurrency has crossed the $80 000 threshold, driven by a wave of institutional buying and growing confidence in stores of value markets. Analysts believe the rally is fueled by declining U.S. bond yields and investors seeking alternative assets amid inflation concerns. However, experts caution that volatility remains high and advise considering risk‑management strategies.
Nvidia announces a 17 % price increase for AI chips for data centres
The technology giant announced that prices for its artificial‑intelligence processors will rise by 17 % starting next quarter, due to higher production costs and strong demand for compute capacity. Companies that run large data centres, such as cloud providers, will need to adjust their operating budgets to accommodate this change. Nvidia also hinted at the launch of a new generation of more efficient chips, aimed at mitigating the market impact in the medium term.
Nvidia evaluates an investment of over $30 billion in Perplexity AI
According to internal sources, Nvidia is negotiating a technology‑licensing deal with the AI startup Perplexity, which could lead to an investment exceeding $30 billion. The deal would integrate Perplexity’s natural‑language response capabilities with Nvidia’s hardware infrastructure, strengthening the company’s position in the large‑language‑model market. Analysts forecast that the agreement could give Nvidia a significant competitive edge over rivals such as Google and Microsoft.
Weather Paris, Monte Carlo Monaco and Milan for Tuesday 25 August 2026
Paris – A day of rapid changes
In the morning the sky is very cloudy with temperatures around 17 °C and light south‑south‑east winds at 15 km/h, while rain risk is almost certain.
In the afternoon the sun tries to make space, temperatures rise to 28 °C and winds calm to 10 km/h, but rain remains possible with a 40 % probability.
Towards evening clouds become denser again, temperature drops to 23 °C and winds pick up to 35 km/h, with a 70 % rain risk.
During the night the sky stays very cloudy, the minimum temperature hovers around 20 °C and winds moderate to 15 km/h, rain risk 35 %.
Overall temperatures for the day range from 17 °C to 28 °C.
According to expert Régis Crêpet, atmospheric stability will gradually decline, favouring alternating brief showers and brief clearings.
Monte Carlo Monaco – Sunny with light breeze
At dawn the capital of the Principality is wrapped in light clouds, temperature is 23 °C and wind blows from south‑south‑east at 15 km/h, with no precipitation.
During the morning the sky remains sparsely clouded, temperature rises to 28 °C and wind stays steady at 15 km/h, still dry.
Afternoon continues with similar conditions: heat of 28 °C, moderate wind and total absence of rain.
Evening the sky darkens with light clouds, temperature falls to 26 °C and wind reduces to 10 km/h, no rain.
At night the sky is clear or lightly clouded, 23 °C, calm wind at 10 km/h and no precipitation.
Temperatures for the day vary between 23 °C and 28 °C, with weak breezes from south‑south‑east.
Milan – Evolving clouds and possible light rain
Morning presents cloudy skies with temperatures of 20 °C, north‑north‑east wind at 4 km/h and a slight rain probability of about 20 %.
Around noon clouds thicken, temperature rises to 24 °C, wind remains light from east‑south‑east at 3 km/h and rain probability drops to 15 %.
Afternoon, around 15‑16 h, temperatures reach 27‑28 °C, wind shifts south with gusts of 5‑7 km/h, but precipitation remains absent.
Around 18‑19 h clouds begin to thin, temperature falls to 26‑27 °C, wind turns south‑west at 2‑3 km/h and rain risk is almost nil.
Night the sky clears further, temperatures stay around 26 °C, weak south‑west winds at 2 km/h and no rain expected.
Overall temperatures range from 20 °C to 28 °C, with light winds starting from north‑north‑east and moving towards east‑south‑east during the day.
According to expert Daniele Berlusconi of 3BMeteo, the depression that brings morning rain will move away, leaving room for more stable conditions in the afternoon.
Rachel’s Weather Editorial – “The climate is always to blame, obviously!”
Really, as if every drop of rain were an indisputable confirmation of climate change? How marvelous is our ability to blame nature without ever stopping to ask whether, by chance, there were simply moisture cells in the atmosphere.
And then, why haven’t we already put a notice on “climate change” when the wind blows at 5 km/h? Perhaps we should issue a press release every time the thermometer passes 25 °C: “Global alert: summer has arrived, ready the fridge!”
Koan of the Day
A monk asked: “What is the true face of time today?”
Zhaozhou replied: “Time is a river that flows, without obstacles or barriers.”
The monk responded: “Then why does the rain fall on Paris and not on Monaco?”
Zhaozhou concluded: “Because the sky decided to grant a different passage to each city.”
And that’s today’s weather.
Sign-off.
Online, on X and Mastodon, on all smart speakers and on medium wave, this is FranciaOggi with Centrale Milano 1575 kilohertz.