Middle East War Live: Iran’s supreme leader vows to protect nuclear and missile capabilities

Iran 'will not capitulate', conflict resolution expert says

Iran's supreme leader declared Thursday that the United States had suffered a shameful defeat, defiantly rejecting a warning from President Donald Trump that an economically punishing US naval blockade could be enforced for months to come. Speaking with FRANCE 24's Sharon Gaffney, Oliver McTernan,...

Iran’s supreme leader tells US its only place in Persian Gulf is at ‘bottom of its waters’

Iran's new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei on Thursday said the US had been defeated in its war against the Islamic Republic and that its only place in the Persian Gulf was “at the bottom of its waters". Khamenei's written message, which was read on state TV, was released to mark the ...

Germany says 'prepared' for any US troop reduction

Germany said Thursday it was "prepared" for a possible reduction in US troops threatened by President Donald Trump, who kept up his barrage of attacks on Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Trump said that Washington was considering redeploying some of the tens of thousands of its troops stationed in German...

Jury of Italy's Venice Biennale resigns over Russia row

The international jury of the Venice Biennale resigned Thursday, just days before the world’s oldest and most important contemporary art fair opens. No reason was given, but the move came as Italy's government opposed Russia's participation. FRANCE 24's Seema Gupta reports from Rome....

Vessel carrying grain Ukraine says stolen by Russia will not unload in Israel, Kyiv says

A vessel carrying grain that Ukraine says was stolen from areas occupied by ​Russia will not ‌unload in Israel, Ukraine said on Thursday, after Kyiv requested Israel to seize ⁠the cargo. FRANCE 24's Caroline Baum reports....

'Damage control mode': Reputations of Mali junta & Russian mercenaries 'hang in balance'

Nadia Massih is pleased to welcome Ulf Laessing, Director of Regional Sahel Programme at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. Mr Laessing offers a stark assessment, framing recent attacks within a broader crisis of governance. The junta is struggling to project control while relying on an increasingly c...

Global press freedom falls to lowest level in 25 years, RSF warns

Reporters Without Borders says global press freedom has dropped to its lowest level in 25 years, with only 1 percent of the world’s population living in countries rated as having a “good” media environment. The report highlights rising violence against journalists in conflict zones, worsening...

Russia’s role in Mali questioned as rebels push for exit

In Mali, rebels have called for Russian forces to withdraw, with the pullback from Kidal highlighting growing pressure despite Moscow’s claims of success and its habit of blaming external actors. For Jumo Ayandela, specialist in African politics and security at the New York University, this refle...

Mali crisis deepens as separatists and jihadists step up attacks

Mali’s military launched strikes on Kidal after separatist Azawad Liberation Front fighters claimed control, while coordinated attacks with jihadist group JNIM intensified insecurity. As rebels push to expand their reach and demand the withdrawal of Russian forces, jihadists have also announced a...

Russia rejects Tuareg rebels' call to withdraw from Mali, Kremlin says

Russia rejects Tuareg rebels' call to withdraw from Mali

Russia on Thursday said its forces would stay in Mali, rejecting a call from Tuareg rebels for Moscow to withdraw after separatists and jihadists launched attacks last weekend against the military junta, which Russian paramilitary forces have helped support. ...

US: Hegseth under fire in Congress over Iran war as diplomacy stalls

Pete Hegseth faced sharp criticism in Congress over launching the Iran conflict without approval, as Democrats condemned the war’s justification and its estimated $25 billion cost. Meanwhile, Donald Trump rejected Iran’s proposal on the Strait of Hormuz, leaving negotiations at an impasse while...

Crude oil prices hit four-year high as Iran war threatens to drag on

Brent crude has jumped to its highest level since the start of the Ukraine war after US President Donald Trump signalled that the American blockade on the Strait of Hormuz could last for months. Also in this edition: the US Federal Reserve prepares for a new chief as its board tries to maintain pol...

US: Supreme Court weakens voting rigths act

The Supreme Court of the United States struck down a majority-Black congressional district in Louisiana, ruling it relied too heavily on race and weakening protections under Voting Rights Act of 1965. The 6–3 decision, driven by the court’s conservative majority, is expected to make it harder f...

Middle East: Rising tensions on Israel’s border as Iran negotiations falter

Tensions between Hezbollah and Israel are escalating after a reported breach of the “yellow line,” with Israel threatening further strikes. Talks between Iran and the US remain stalled, complicating efforts to contain the situation. Meanwhile, Israel faces a growing scandal over alleged grain i...

'Haitian solutions for Haitian problems: Every international intervention in Haiti has failed'

As the Kenyan peace force is set to leave Haiti, Nadia Massih is pleased to welcome Dr. Rosa Freedman, Professor of Law Conflict and Global Development at the University of Reading. She argues that the crisis in Haiti reflects deep structural failures, not just “gang violence.” She calls the Ke...

Iran crisis, World Cup tensions overshadow FIFA Congress in Vancouver

Football officials gather in Vancouver on Thursday for FIFA’s 76th Congress, weeks before the expanded World Cup kicks off in North America. War in Iran, logistics and Russia’s ban top the agenda. Iranian federation officials left Canada abruptly, casting a shadow over the meeting....

Middle East war live: US naval blockade ‘doomed to fail’, Iran’s president says

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Thursday that a US naval blockade on Iranian ports was “doomed to fail” and would increase regional instability. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates. ...

Europe air quality improves but falls short of 2030 targets, European Environment Agency warns

Air quality in Europe is improving but further action is needed to meet the European Union’s 2030 targets, the European Environment Agency said on Thursday, noting pollution still exceeds limits at up to 20% of monitoring stations across 39 countries....

Russia scales down WW2 victory parade due to Ukrainian threat

No military hardware will roll through Red Square in Russia's grand World War II victory parade next month -- a precautionary measure given the threat of Ukrainian retaliatory strikes, the Kremlin said Wednesday. The move to a slimmed-down May 9 parade -- typically a bombastic display of Russia's...

Assad regime trials are 'integral for Syria to move on' from civil war, atrocities

A Syrian court conducted the first hearing on Sunday in the trial of ousted ruler Bashar al-Assad and senior figures from his government, one of whom appeared in person. Speaking with FRANCE 24's Sharon Gaffney, Nanar Hawach, Senior Analyst for Syria at the International Crisis Group, says that...

'Uncertainty but a lot of resilience' in Latin America, says IDB head

The energy shock and economic headwinds caused by the Iran war have increased uncertainty in Latin America – but the region remains resilient. That's according to Ilan Goldfajn, president of the Inter-American Development Bank. He tells FRANCE 24 there are requests for "targeted support" like en...

Viral LEGO-style AI videos blur line between entertainment and propaganda

The LEGO-style videos making fun of Donald Trump over his war in Iran have racked up millions of views on social media. FRANCE 24's Tehran correspondent spoke to the content creator blurring the line between entertainment and propaganda....

Armenia's FM hails peace, embraces future: EU, elections, neighbours, 'huge' infrastructure projects

Joining us from Armenia’s newly inaugurated embassy in Paris, France 24's François Picard welcomes Armenia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ararat Mirzoyan, who presents a country at a pivotal juncture: one defined by the simultaneous consolidation of peace and strategic repositioning. He assert...

Putin, in call with Trump, put forward ideas on Iran, Kremlin says

Vladimir Putin and ​Donald Trump held a phone call on Wednesday ​in which the Russian leader put forward ideas on resolving the conflict over Iran's nuclear programme, a Kremlin aide ​said. Putin ‌also proposed a repeat of ⁠a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine to mark the anniversary of the e...

Tuareg rebels urge Russian forces to leave Mali

Russian forces must withdraw from "all of Mali" and the ruling junta will "fall sooner or later", a spokesman for Tuareg rebels told AFP, after Islamist insurgents and separatists launched attacks destabilising the west African country. FRANCE 24's Juliette Brown reports....

REPLAY: US lawmakers grill Pentagon chief Hegseth over Iran war

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing questioning from lawmakers for the first time since US President Donald Trump launched the war against Iran, which Democrats have contested as a costly conflict of choice waged without congressional approval. Watch our replay....

France's public holidays: The art of the long weekend

France has a reputation, among some, of being a vacation nation. Is this warranted? In this edition of Entre Nous, we dive into France's public holidays during the month of May. We discuss the country's infamous long weekends or "ponts", an ongoing political fight over the May 1 bank holiday and wh...

Russia will not display military equipment at Victory Day parade due to Ukraine threat

Russia ​will hold a scaled-back version of its Victory Day parade marking the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, the Kremlin said on Wednesday. For the first time in nearly two decades, the annual parade on Moscow's Red Square will not feature a military hardware display. The Kremlin said...

Abuse at French after-school programmes: Parents sound the alarm

In Paris, parents are now dropping their children off at school in a climate of anxiety. For several months, reports of physical and sexual abuse involving nursery school children have been mounting. These cases are said to have taken place during after-school care and lunch breaks, when the child...