☕️ France's political turmoil, explained

Here is today’s riddle: Which does not belong: 99, 81, 25, or 16?

Answer is in the titbit!

“A lot of people have asked me for pardons.”
U.S. President Donald Trump in an interview with CNN, saying he has been asked for presidential pardons from convicted criminals including Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. Under the U.S. Constitution, presidents have the power to ‘pardon’ a person convicted by a Federal Court; it doesn’t remove a conviction, but can mean they don’t serve a sentence.

For more on Combs, you can listen to today’s podcast.

880%
The increase in sales of BYD electric cars in the UK in September 2025, compared to 2024. The Chinese EV company sold more than 11,000 cars in the country last month.

Bugbear (bug-bear)
Definition: A particular thing that annoys or upsets you.

In a sentence: Slow walkers are one of my bugbears.

Nearly 1,000 climbers were trapped on or near Mount Everest over the weekend, following sudden heavy snowfall.

The blizzard struck during a week-long national holiday in China.

At least one man died from hypothermia and altitude sickness while climbing in the mountains of the neighbouring Qinghai province.

Tourists trekking up to the eastern face of Mount Everest were stranded when unusually heavy snow and rainfall hit the region.

Snowfall covered one group’s camp overnight between Saturday and Sunday. The hikers were trapped at an elevation of more than 4,900 metres.

One hiker told Agence France-Presse they “had to constantly clear the snow from the tents,” and when she “collapsed from exhaustion,” her tent was buried.

Local officials, including teams with drones, have launched rescue efforts. Villagers with oxen and horses are also aiding the mission.

Around midday on Monday (local time), Chinese state media reported at least 350 people had been rescued. Rescuers have made contact with a further 200.

Footage taken at the scene shows a long line of people descending the mountain and tents crushed beneath the snow.

Reporting by Elliot Lawry.

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France’s Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has resigned after 26 days in office.

It is the shortest prime ministerial term in modern French history.

The announcement came less than a day after he revealed a new cabinet.

Lecornu is expected to meet with President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday for final discussions to devise a plan “for the stability of the country.”

His departure paves the way for the country’s sixth PM since 2022.

France’s last parliamentary election was held in July 2024.

Macron called the snap election in response to gains by far-right parties at the European Parliament election.

At the French election, no party or coalition won enough seats to govern alone.

A left-wing coalition called Nouveau Front Populaire, led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, picked up the most seats. It was followed by Macron’s party, then the far-right party Rassemblement National, led by Marine Le Pen.

A centrist coalition eventually formed government under 73-year-old Michel Barnier, who lost a vote of no-confidence after three months in office.

François Bayrou took over as PM in early 2025, before losing his own vote of no-confidence last month. He had called the vote after failing to pass a budget.

Lecornu, considered one of Macron’s closest political allies, then took over.

He has served in Macron’s cabinet since the President was first elected in 2017, most recently holding the role of Defence Minister before being appointed Prime Minister.

In an address to media, Lecornu said he was forced to resign from the “difficult task” of being Prime Minister after “conditions were no longer met for [him] to exercise [his] duties”.

He attributed his decision to a lack of willingness among political parties in France’s parliament to compromise on issues “that cannot wait” until the next presidential election in 2027.

Lecornu said efforts to “build a path forward” on financial and social issues had been “blocked for many weeks now”.

Mélenchon blamed the “political chaos” on Macron, leading to calls for a snap election.

“An unprecedented historical political situation is unfolding. We have a duty to respond by giving the people a voice again,” Mélenchon said.

Rassemblement National and Le Pen have also called for an election, and demanded Macron’s government “stop the shady dealings and unnatural alliances that are plunging France into chaos”.

Reporting by Achol Arok.

Leading nutrition scientist, dietitian, and Chobani Yogurt health spokesperson Dr Joanna McMillan explains that not all yogurts are created equal.

Jo says when choosing Greek yogurt, look for one made the authentic way — strained to naturally boost protein, with simple ingredients you recognise.

That means you’re getting all the goodness without adding unnecessary thickeners, emulsifiers or sugar.

🍊 Sunday’s rugby league grand finals had record viewership. How many tuned in?
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🍊 Rugby legend diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease. Read more here.
🗞️ Also in the Sport Newsletter: cricket, soccer, and more…

The 32nd edition of the competition, which is held annually in Carrbridge, Scotland, occurred over the weekend. Velik won the ‘Best Speciality Dish’ category, which includes any recipe made with oatmeal. She made ‘Porridge Jaffles,’ a yogurt flatbread filled with bananas cooked in Bundaberg rum, oatmeal, and wattleseeds, sprinkled with sugar flavoured with Davidson plum.

Velik said she incorporated wattleseed and Davidson plum to “bring the flavours of the Indigenous Aussie outback to Scotland.” The Golden Spurtle World Champion title went to Sven Seljom from Norway, who used Norwegian oats, salt, and water he brought to the competition from home. The competition’s main category is about traditional porridge making, meaning contestants can only use water, grains, and salt. This year’s competition saw 30 competitors representing 14 countries.

Want more good news? Sign up to our weekly Good Newsletter here - we promise it’ll make your week better!

Reporting by Anju Dhanushkodi

Vogue is going fur-free.

The magazine’s parent company Condé Nast has announced new guidelines for its publications.

The guidelines say: “We do not feature new animal fur in editorial content or advertising,” with an exception for the use of fur in “Indigenous practices.”

Condé Nast also publishes TeenVogue, Glamour, and GQ.

Reporting by Anju Dhanushkodi.

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Riddle answer: 99 – it is the only one that is not a perfect square.

Last Friday, rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs was sentenced to just over four years in prison following his conviction on prostitution-related charges earlier this year.

The 55-year-old music mogul has spent more than a year in a New York jail after he was arrested in September last year. So what happens now to Combs? We know he will now be in jail, but what about all the other allegations that were levelled against him? What happens to those?

We’ll tell you what you need to know on today’s podcast.