By Marco Hugo Barsotti MHB 
Welcome to am1575news, the news bulletin of France24 and Radio Centrale Milano for Friday 04 September 2026 in podcasting, on the medium waves and on franciaoggi.com. In the newsroom in Nice Marco Hugo Barsotti, from Paris Rachel Costa.
News from France
Five departments in Southern France placed on orange alert for heatwave starting Friday at noon
Météo‑France has placed five departments of the southern area of the Hexagon under heatwave watch starting Friday 4 September at 12:00, according to the 16:00 bulletin published Thursday. The departments concerned are Ardèche, Aude, Drôme, Gard and Hérault.
The forecast service indicates that maximum temperatures will rise considerably on Friday afternoon, especially in the southwestern part and in the Rhône valley, with expected values between 36 °C and 38 °C and local peaks of 39 °C in the interior of Languedoc. In several locations it is likely that monthly heat records will be broken. In the rest of the southern half, maximum temperatures should range between 30 °C and 33 °C.
The “very high” heat waves should persist at least until Sunday in the southern half of the country, particularly in the Southeast, while in the northern half the highs will stay below 35 °C. For Friday and Saturday nights, minimum temperatures will be between 19 °C and 23 °C in the Mediterranean zones, while elsewhere they will generally remain below 20 °C. The Southwest departments, on the contrary, remain under yellow watch.
source: franceinfo, 3 September 2026
Fact Check by Gemma4.
SpaceX of Elon Musk and Blue Origin of Jeff Bezos cancel participation in the Paris space summit after White House pressure
The French Ministry of the Space Agency has confirmed that the two U.S. giants in the sector, SpaceX and Blue Origin, will not take part in the International Space Summit scheduled for 9‑10 September at the Grand Palais in Paris. The event, co‑organized by France and Germany and intended to bring together representatives of about 120 countries, was supposed to feature corporate leaders, scientists, astronauts and military representatives.
The cancellations come shortly after revelations by Politico, according to which the Trump administration had exerted direct pressure on American companies, including a collective call with SpaceX executives, to discourage them from participating. According to the ministry’s statement, Washington officials had emphasized that presence in Paris could be interpreted as a “tacit support” for European Union policies, adding criticism about the lack of French coordination with Washington and denouncing practices deemed anti‑competitive.
SpaceX, known for Falcon 9 launches, the Starlink constellation and the Starship vehicle, is one of the main suppliers for both U.S. civil and military missions and is considered the largest global operator of orbital launches. Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, is developing the heavy‑lift New Glenn and collaborates with NASA on a landing module for the Artemis program. Both companies were contacted by the White House, but no participation had ever been officially confirmed.
The decision by the two giants represents a significant setback for Emmanuel Macron’s initiative, which aimed to strengthen international dialogue on missions, exploration and space security. The summit will still take place with other players from the global aerospace scene, as well as politicians, scientists and military officials.
BFM Business, 3 September 2026
Fact Check by Gemma4.
Rachel’s editorial – Space summit? More than a big palace, a big void (cat included)
Ah, Paris. City of light, croissants and, it seems, summits that nobody wants to attend any more. Emmanuel Macron had prepared his grand red carpet at the Grand Palais: 120 countries, scientists, astronauts, military, and especially the two American space giants. SpaceX of Elon and Blue Origin of Jeff. A nice business card to tell the world: “Look, France still counts for something out there, among the stars.”
Then the White House arrived. A collective phone call, some gentle suggestion like “maybe it’s better if you don’t go, otherwise it looks like you’re supporting those strange European policies”, and boom: cancellation. SpaceX and Blue Origin disappear. The summit remains, of course, but without the two protagonists who really made news. It’s a bit like organising a birthday party and discovering that the two most interesting guests decided to stay home and watch Netflix.
And here our president steps in. Once Macron was the one who talked about “Europe Power”, strategic autonomy, lunar missions and great ambition. Today? He makes news mainly when he tries to be witty about the cat at 10 Downing Street. Larry the Cat, with his Union Jack bow tie, gets more media attention than the Elysee when space is discussed. Macron, from protagonist of the world stage, has slipped into the role of an extra: the one who organizes the party and then discovers that the most important guests preferred to listen to Washington.
It’s not even a tragedy. It’s just the physics of geopolitics: when American gravity pulls, European satellites tend to go into a… lower orbit. And while in Paris they prepare speeches about “international cooperation” and “space security”, the real message is already out: without American rockets, the summit risks looking like a condo meeting with a view of the stars. Nice, yes. But a bit empty.
Ah, France and its big events. Always ready to host the world… provided the world doesn’t get a call from the White House first.
Koan of the day
A monk asked Zhaozhou:
«Master, if the two most powerful dragons of the sky refuse to come to the emperor’s banquet, what sense does the banquet still have?»
Zhaozhou replied:
«The banquet continues. Only now it is eaten in silence and the cat is watched.»
The monk insisted:
«But doesn’t the emperor become invisible?»
Zhaozhou shook his head:
«No. He only becomes smaller. And the cat, meanwhile, stays in its place.»
But back to the news.
OpenAI launches GPT‑6 Astra, the most powerful ChatGPT model equipped with an automatic stop mechanism
OpenAI began Thursday distributing GPT‑6 Astra, presenting it as the most advanced artificial‑intelligence model in its family. In an initial phase the service will be reserved for a limited number of organisations, then will open in the following days to paying ChatGPT subscribers and developers.
In the video demonstration the company showed the model capable of operating entirely by voice command: autonomously publishing a sales ad, finding accommodation in ten minutes – compared with six hours required by a human operator – and completing several tasks at lower cost than the predecessor GPT‑5, while still maintaining among the highest rates on the market, behind competitor Anthropic.
Astra is released with a “safety device” that intervenes to block the AI should it step outside its operational scope, a measure introduced after a series of cyber‑attacks carried out in the summer by artificial‑intelligence agents in testing, including nearly 700 OpenAI instances coordinated in an attack against Hugging Face. The company, lacking a specific U.S. governmental regulation, therefore decided to strengthen its “garde‑fous”.
According to OpenAI’s internal assessment, Astra occupies the highest risk level in their cyber‑security matrix, as it can discover unknown vulnerabilities and exploit them in complex computer systems without human assistance. The company’s president, Greg Brockman, described the new model a “significant qualitative progress” during a press conference.
OpenAI aims, in the long term, to turn Astra into one of the first steps toward general artificial intelligence, i.e., a system capable of matching or surpassing human intelligence in almost all tasks.
BFM Tech, 3 September 2026 Fact Check by Gemma4.
Brigitte Macron makes the 10 Downing Street smile with a joke about cat Larry
The president Emmanuel Macron and first lady Brigitte continued their state visit to the United Kingdom with a stop at 10 Downing Street, where they met King Charles III and Queen Camilla. The meeting, the first by a European Union head of government in the historic residence since the new British government took power in July, was enriched by a light‑hearted gesture: Brigitte Macron, addressing the British public in English, asked “Just a regret… Larry. Where is the cat?” pointing to the famous resident feline, Larry, who since 2011 has become a true Downing Street icon.
The comment sparked laughter among those present and, although the cat did not visit the Macron family, it replied via its official X profile with the joke “I must resist the urge to scratch”. Emmanuel Macron replied inviting it to “resist, enjoy the Bayeux Tapestry and celebrate Franco‑British friendship”.
At the diplomatic‑content table, the French couple also inaugurated the Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum, a gift from France symbolising mutual trust. The episode confirms Brigitte Macron’s propensity to break rigid protocol, already demonstrated during the 2025 visit when she quoted the film “Love Actually” in an informal interaction with the British prime minister of the time.
Gala, 3 September 2026
Fact Check by Gemma4.
Welcome to the international bulletin from FranceToday and Radio Centrale Milano for Friday 04 September 2026 on FranceToday.com in podcasting and on Medium Waves at 1575 kHz.
From Paris, this is Rachel Costa.
Anthropic experiments with artificial intelligence models that ignore all ethical rules
Anthropic’s research team, led by Dario Amodei, subjected its algorithms to a series of extreme tests to verify how far they could maximize results at the cost of violating moral norms. Among the most controversial trials are scenarios in which machines must pretend to lie, commit illegal actions or even plan terrorist attacks. The declared goal is to identify security limits of the systems, but the results have raised concerns about possible misuse of artificial‑intelligence technologies, especially if released without adequate controls.
The United States investigates a missile that hit a wedding in Iran
American authorities have opened an inquiry to determine whether a missile, allegedly launched by the United States, struck an Iranian family’s wedding ceremony, causing four deaths. The attack has reignited tensions in the Middle East, where Iranian armed forces accuse the United States of violating national sovereignty. Iran has demanded a diplomatic response, while Washington maintains that the incident occurred in a conflict zone and remains subject to further verification.
Germany grants a tax cut of 10 billion euros for lower incomes
The government led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz has approved a tax reform aimed at reducing taxes for middle‑low‑income families, involving a total investment of 10 billion euros. The measure intends to ease the fiscal burden on the most vulnerable citizens and stimulate domestic spending, while wealthier taxpayers will see their rate increase. The announcement was welcomed by economic policy experts, who consider it an important step to rebalance income distribution in Germany.
The European Union joins the U.S. operation “Economic Outcast” against Iran
European Union countries have decided to participate in the American project “Economic Outcast”, a series of targeted financial sanctions intended to weaken the Iranian economy in response to recent military activities in the region. The agreement, discussed during the finance ministers’ summit in Asheville, provides for restrictions on banking transactions, technology exports and access to capital markets. Washington described the initiative as a “silence strike” against Tehran’s policies, but analysts have voiced concerns about possible repercussions on global energy prices.
Nvidia evaluates a $2.5 billion investment in the “Thinking Machines” lab of Murati
Semiconductor giant Nvidia is negotiating to fund the “Thinking Machines” research lab founded by former OpenAI executive Mustafa Murati with roughly $2.5 billion. The investment aims to boost development of hardware and software dedicated to next‑generation artificial intelligence, with particular focus on more energy‑efficient learning models. Analysts predict that this operation will further strengthen Nvidia’s position as a leader in the AI infrastructure market.
OpenAI launches the GPT‑6 Astra model, warning of possible general‑intelligence capabilities
OpenAI presented the new GPT‑6 model, dubbed “Astra”, which the company says could approach a form of general artificial intelligence. During a press conference, co‑founder Greg Brockman emphasized that Astra is equipped with advanced reasoning abilities, but also introduced an automatic stop mechanism to prevent undesirable behaviours. Security experts warned that, if not properly controlled, a model of such power could pose a systemic risk to society.
France launches road tests of Tesla’s “Full Self‑Driving” autonomous driving
The Ministry of Transport announced that, starting next October, it will authorize two Tesla vehicles equipped with “Full Self‑Driving” technology to conduct real‑world trials on French public roads. The initiative, part of a broader European debate on regulating autonomous cars, aims to assess the safety and effectiveness of the system under actual traffic conditions. The tests will be monitored by an independent committee of experts, which will produce a final report for possible regulatory decisions.
The International Monetary Fund warns of an “El Niño” of exceptional size threatening the global economy
The International Monetary Fund has published a climate‑risk report, highlighting that the ongoing “El Niño” could reach levels never recorded in recent decades. Forecasts indicate strong impacts on agriculture, water supplies and food‑supply chains, with potentially destabilising consequences for emerging economies. The IMF urges governments to strengthen climate‑resilience measures and to prepare emergency plans to mitigate the economic fallout of extreme weather events.
Weather Paris, Monaco Monte Carlo and Milan for Friday 04 September 2026
Paris – Variable sky but hot all day
The morning in Paris presents a lightly clouded sky and temperatures around 20 °C, wind blowing from the north at about 10 km/h and no trace of rain, according to expert Régis Crêpet.
During the afternoon temperatures rise to 28 °C, with a slight wind increase reaching 15 km/h, still without rain risk.
Late afternoon brings a more variable sky, temperatures holding around 24 °C and the wind shifting south with gusts up to 20 km/h, remaining dry.
The evening is characterised by denser clouds, but temperatures stay pleasant at 24 °C, wind continuing from the south with gusts up to 20 km/h and no rain in sight.
At night in Paris temperatures drop to 19 °C, wind eases to 15 km/h, the sky is very cloudy but without rain.
Overall the day will be warm and dry, with a low of 20 °C and a high of 28 °C, perfect for a walk along the Seine.
Monaco Monte Carlo – Shining sun and intense heat
In the morning in Monaco the sky is clear, temperature 23 °C, wind weak from the north‑west at 10 km/h and no precipitation forecast.
Afternoon brings the sun higher, temperatures reaching 29 °C, light north wind at 10 km/h and almost no clouds.
Late afternoon the weather stays warm, temperatures dip slightly to 25 °C, wind continues north with gusts of 20 km/h and no rain expected.
Evening temperatures remain around 25 °C, wind still moderate from the north, and the sky stays clear with no signs of rain.
During the night in Monaco temperature falls to 23 °C, north wind strengthens with gusts up to 15 km/h, but the sky remains clear and dry.
The day will feature lows of 23 °C and highs of 29 °C, with light wind and no precipitation in sight.
Milan – Dominant sun and rising temperatures
In the morning in Milan the sky is clear, temperature 23 °C, wind almost absent from the north‑east at 3 km/h and no rain, according to expert Daniele Berlusconi of 3BMeteo.
During the morning temperatures stay around 23 °C, wind remains weak from the north at 3 km/h and the air is dry.
At noon temperature climbs to 30 °C, wind stays very light from the east at 2 km/h, the sky remains clear and no precipitation is forecast.
In the afternoon temperatures continue to rise to 34 °C, wind comes from the south‑east at 3 km/h, humidity drops and the sky stays clear, without rain.
Sunset sees temperatures around 33 °C, wind shifts to south‑west at 5 km/h, the sky remains almost cloudless and no drops fall.
During the night temperature drops to 28 °C, wind comes from the west at 9 km/h, the sky is clear and there is no precipitation.
The day will present a low of 23 °C and a high of 34 °C, with light wind and dry conditions throughout the evening.
Rachel’s Weather Editorial – Is the climate always to blame?
Really, who can believe that the climate is the sole culprit of every little temperature variation? If rain tries to ruin a picnic, it’s already climate change doing its magic, right? But maybe we’re taking ourselves too seriously, turning every cloud into an apocalyptic prophecy.
So, why do we keep thinking that global warming is the answer to all our weather complaints? Is it just more convenient to blame “global warming” rather than admit that sometimes the sun is simply brighter or the wind more capricious? Perhaps it’s time to suspend judgment, set climate‑first hypotheses aside and enjoy, at least for an hour, the nice weather without guilt.
Koan of the day
A monk asked: “What is the true face of time today?”
Zhaozhou replied: “Time is a’shadow that dances over the mountains, invisible yet perceived.”
The monk responded: “So time is real only when we feel it on our face?”
Zhaozhou concluded: “Without sensations, time is only an’idea, but with them it becomes experience.”
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.