Plus: What Trump's 'economic D-Day' could mean ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
|
| | | Hello. The family of US country singer Dolly Parton has announced her passing at the age of 80. We look back at her career. From Bulgaria, we hear how a sea-side city was chosen to host Eurovision over the capital. And finally, watch a reporter's close encounter with a crow. | | | | | | |
| TOP OF THE AGENDA | | Cultural icon made her mark beyond music | | |  | | "Sadness lies with us, not with Dolly," Parton's nephew Brian Seaver said in a video announcement. Credit: Reuters | | Dolly Parton rose from humble beginnings in Tennessee to become a powerhouse musician and songwriter. Her career spanned seven decades, in which she won 10 Grammy awards and wrote more than 3,000 songs, including Jolene and I Will Always Love You. "She captured the trials and tribulations of life in a way that was always relatable, even when her stage outfits and her hairstyle remained larger than life," writes our music critic. You can see some of her most memorable looks here. Besides music, she appeared in films such as the 1980 workplace comedy 9 to 5, for which she wrote the namesake soundtrack that became a huge hit. She was also a savvy businesswoman and philanthropist, opening a theme park and using its proceeds to help fund her non-profit foundation and a programme that gives free books to children around the world. | | | | | | | | |
| Can US sanctions hurt Iran and its allies? | | | | Six months after the start of Operation Epic Fury, the US has launched a "financial offensive" to achieve its goals in the Iran war. Iran's Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh called the US sanctions "the same old talk". Iran has faced US sanctions for years - the crucial test of these penalties' effectiveness is whether Washington can enforce them more widely than before. The new sanctions, which seek to isolate Iran and its allies, have already been met with opposition from China, a big buyer of Iranian oil. | | | | | | | | |
| | | Canada unveils $20bn response to US tariffs | | Retaliatory levies will be imposed on US steel, dairy, appliances and a range of other goods starting at midnight 8 September. | | Read more > | | | | CIA chief in Moscow for talks, US media reports | | John Ratcliffe, the head of the US spy agency, reportedly arrived in the Russian capital for unannounced talks. | | What we know > | | | | US judge rejects Ghislaine Maxwell's 'frivolous' appeal | | The 64-year-old is serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in procuring girls for the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. | | What happened > | | | | At least one in four dead NFL players had CTE | | New research has analysed the brain of players who died between 2016 and 2021, finding brain disease in many cases. | | More details > | | | | How to Lose a Guy in 10 days sequel announced | | Kate Hudson, who played one of the rom-com's main characters alongside Matthew McConaughey, is set to produce. | | Find out more > | | | | | | |
| NEWS FROM THE UK | | | - Asbestos death: The family of a woman who died of cancer at 46 suspect she was exposed to toxic fibres in high school and are taking legal action.
| | | | | | | |
| | | Eurovision spotlight falls on hidden gem |  | | Burgas, on the Black Sea, is Bulgaria's fourth largest city. Credit: BNT/City of Burgas | | From Our Own Correspondent: The winner of the Eurovision Song Contest usually hosts the competition the following year, getting a chance to share its culture and history. When Bulgaria scored its first-ever victory in May, many would have bet that the capital Sofia would be the host city - yet it was smaller, coastal Burgas that won the bid. | | | | | | Krassi Ivanova Twigg, BBC Monitoring | | | | | | The Burgas of my childhood was a rather grim industrial port, with a nearby oil refinery that frequently contaminated the air. Burgas lived in the shadow of its northern neighbour Varna - the designated “sea capital” of Bulgaria. I remember reading a guidebook on Bulgaria in the 90s that had only a brief mention of Burgas - with one laconic recommendation: “best avoid”. In recent years, as if preparing for a starring role, Burgas blossomed in a way that surprised even us die-hard fans - thanks to investment from central government and local authorities, and some EU funds. The night of the announcement, Burgas responded with an impromptu street celebration. The sea garden was full, Bulgaria’s winning Eurovision number Bangaranga echoed through the streets, and giant model seagulls paraded through the city centre. | | | | | | |