The 2026 Nishan Forum on World Civilizations is being held in Qufu, Shandong, from September 28 to 29, bringing together 340 guests from more than 40 countries under the theme “Civilization, Order and Justice.” The forum promotes dialogue across civilizations and highlights Confucian sayings in a series of digital posters.

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The 2026 Nishan Forum on World Civilizations and the China International Confucius Cultural Festival opened on September 28 in Qufu, Shandong Province. CGTN used AI to create “Ask Confucius,” an interactive product inviting a cross-temporal dialogue with the Chinese philosopher about an urgent issue facing the world today.

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SpaceX’s Starship reached orbit for the first time and deployed 26 Starlink V3 satellites, but its test flight ended after about three hours when an engine shut down unexpectedly during ascent. The spacecraft completed two orbits instead of the planned six, while the booster splashed down off Texas.

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SpaceX’s Starship has reached orbit for the first time, marking a major milestone for the company. Live updates are continuing.

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SpaceX has sent its enormous Starship toward orbit for the first time. The mission aims to complete six full circuits of Earth to demonstrate readiness for NASA’s Artemis moon program.

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SpaceX is expected to send its massive Starship into orbit for the first time on Monday. The milestone could help clear the way for the test rocket to begin regular satellite launches.

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SpaceX’s 14th Starship test flight is scheduled for Monday morning. The vehicle, described as the world’s largest and most powerful rocket and spacecraft, is set to attempt its first orbital flight test.

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Iran’s embassy in London rejected what it called “unfounded and malicious speculations” connecting Tehran to five British nationals arrested over the weekend near Britain’s RAF Fairford airbase.

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British police are holding five men while investigating suspected explosives found near a U.S.-operated air force base in England, examining whether the arrests prevented an attack linked to Iran.

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British police are holding five men and examining suspected explosives found near a U.S.-operated air force base in England as they investigate whether the arrests prevented an attack linked to Iran.

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British police say the five men arrested early Sunday near RAF Fairford, a major air base hosting U.S. forces in southwest England, are all British nationals. A police cordon remained around the base on Monday.

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British police said the five men detained near Fairford airbase, which the United States used to attack Iran, were all British nationals living in London.

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U.K. police have arrested five men over a suspected terror plot targeting a key U.S. air base in Britain. Officials are conducting an urgent investigation into whether Iran was behind the threat.

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Pope Leo XIV ended his visit to France on Monday by urging Europe to draw on its Christian roots and traditions of dialogue to curb the “desire for domination” driving today’s wars. He also recalled the forces behind the continent’s peaceful integration, delivering the trip’s most overtly political message.

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Speaking in Metz during his four-day visit to France, Pope Leo urged Europe to remember its Christian history. In the hometown of EU founding father Robert Schuman, he called on Europeans to recall the bloc’s founding values, including the rule of law and equality for all regardless of race, colour, class or profession.

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Speaking in Metz, Pope Leo XIV appealed to Europe’s Christian roots and called on leaders to defend the international rules-based order.

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French President Emmanuel Macron called on Europe to rediscover the “courage” of its founders and oppose what he described as a return to nationalisms. He made the remarks in Metz at a meeting on European integration and peace attended by Pope Leo XIV.

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French President Emmanuel Macron used Monday’s address alongside Pope Leo to frame Europe’s foundations as “Greco-Roman and Judeo-Christian,” invoking its religious heritage.

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Pope Leo XIV warned Monday that relations between nations were becoming “increasingly uncivilised,” with some people boasting of “lies and deceit.” He urged Europe to help “break this cycle” as he concluded a France visit described by France 24’s Angela Diffley as “hugely successful.”

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France’s far-right National Rally and its allies won a record 14 seats in Sunday’s polls, nearly quadrupling their representation in the 348-seat, right-wing-dominated Senate just months before a presidential election.

French politicsNational RallySenate election

France’s far-right National Rally and its allies won a record 14 seats in the Senate, nearly quadrupling their representation and securing enough seats to form a caucus for the first time. Leader and presidential candidate Marine Le Pen called the result a historic victory, while the party said its senators would ally with the UDR.

French politicsNational RallySenate election

France’s National Rally and its allies won a record 14 seats in the 348-member Senate in the Sept. 27 elections, allowing them to form a caucus for the first time. Co-leader Marine Le Pen called the result a “historic victory” and said the party’s senators would play a key role in the presidential campaign.

French politicsNational RallySenate election

The French Senate election largely left the balance of power in the upper house unchanged, but produced two firsts: a future National Rally-UDR group and France Unbowed’s symbolic arrival in the Luxembourg Palace.

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Hurricane Polo is approaching Mexico’s northern Pacific coast and is expected to make landfall in Baja California Sur late Monday or early Tuesday. Forecasters warn that heavy rain could cause life-threatening flooding and mudslides, while storm surge may produce large, destructive waves. Beaches and schools were closed, shelters opened and military personnel deployed.

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Mexico’s Pacific coast is preparing for Hurricane Polo’s potentially life-threatening landfall. Restaurant and store owners in Loreto and Ciudad Constitucion boarded up doors and windows overnight as worsening conditions were expected to disrupt preparations later in the day.

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Hurricane Polo moved toward Mexico’s Baja California Sur peninsula on Monday, prompting residents to board up homes and workers to reinforce embankments against high winds, flooding and mudslides. Hurricane Nolo, meanwhile, was moving away from Hawaii but could still bring torrential rain to parts of the state.

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