Rorisang Modiba delivers daily updates from around the world.
France – France is in political trouble after parliamentary elections weakened the far-right National Rally, leaving no party with a majority. The National Rally is now in third place, behind a newly formed left-wing alliance and Emmanuel Macron’s party. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, a member of Macron’s alliance, announced his resignation on Monday. President Macron, who still has three years left in his term, has yet to comment but must now work closely with a divided parliament.
Mumbai – Justin Bieber was paid $10-million (R181-million) to perform at billionaire heir Anant Ambani’s pre-wedding ceremony in Mumbai. The 30-year-old pop star performed over a dozen hits, including “Baby,” “Love Yourself,” and “Peaches,” for Ambani, his fiancée Radhika Merchant, and their guests. Bieber shared moments from the event and his brief trip to India on Instagram. After the concert, he returned to the US to be with his pregnant wife, Hailey Bieber. Anant Ambani is the son of Mukesh Ambani, Asia’s richest person, with a net worth of $123.4-billion (R2.2-trillion).
Mauritania – At least 89 migrants died when their boat capsized off Mauritania’s coast on Monday. According to the Mauritanian state-run news agency, the Mauritanian Coast Guard recovered the bodies from the large traditional fishing boat, while nine survivors, including a five-year-old girl, were rescued. The boat, which departed from the Gambia-Senegal border six days earlier, was heading to Europe and carried at least 170 migrants. A 2024 report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) wrote that the Atlantic crossing is particularly dangerous due to its length and the lack of dedicated rescue operations.
US – Boeing has agreed to plead guilty to a criminal fraud conspiracy charge after the US Department of Justice found the company violated an agreement meant to improve its aircraft following two fatal 737 Max crashes that killed 346 people. Boeing will pay a $243.6-million (R4.4-billion) criminal fine, a fine criticised by victims’ families as a “sweetheart deal” that avoids full accountability. The settlement, which requires a judge’s approval, allows Boeing to avoid a criminal trial. The company has faced backlash after the 2018 and 2019 crashes, which led to a global grounding of the 737 Max. In 2021, Boeing was charged with conspiracy to defraud regulators by deceiving the FAA about its MCAS flight control system.
Pictured above: Election picture.
Source: Stock
