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Middle East war live: Iran says US strikes make ceasefire ‘practically meaningless’
Iran on Thursday said its ceasefire agreement with the US had become “practically meaningless” after the US launched a second round of air strikes on Iran into Thursday morning. Iran said it had closed the Strait of Hormuz in response to the US attacks and launched its own strikes on Bahrain and Kuwait. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.
Middle East live: US launches new strikes on Iran as Tehran says Strait of Hormuz closed
The United States launched a second round of airstrikes on Iran into Thursday morning after President Donald Trump warned that Tehran would “pay the price” for stalled negotiations. Iran said it had closed the Strait of Hormuz in response to US attacks and launched its own strikes on Bahrain and Kuwait. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.
Middle East live: US launches new strikes on Iran, which fires back at Gulf states
The United States launched a second round of airstrikes on Iran into Thursday morning after President Donald Trump warned that Tehran would “pay the price” for stalled negotiations, and Iran responded with strikes targeting Bahrain and Kuwait. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.
Middle East live: Iran says it closed Strait of Hormuz, US rejects claim
Iran declared the critical energy chokepoint, the Strait of Hormuz, closed after the US launched additionalstrikes against Iran. But US Centcom denied this, saying "commercial ships are continuing to transit in and out of the Strait of Hormuz tonight.". Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.
More headlines
Middle East live: US renews Iran attacks, Tehran says it closed Strait of Hormuz
The United States launched a new wave of attacks against Iran on Wednesday night as efforts to end the three-month old war sputtered, and Tehran hit back saying it will target any ship going through the Strait of Hormuz. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.
Middle East live: Iran says will target any vessel traffic in Strait of Hormuz
Iran's military command said Thursday it will target any ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz, after it struck two vessels attempting to pass through the strategic waterway. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.
Middle East live: Iran announces closure of Strait of Hormuz after US attacks
Iran's top joint military command announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, including oil tankers and commercial ships, saying any vessel that will attempt passage will be shot at. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.
Infantino defends World Cup ticket prices, dismisses referee US entry dispute
FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended World Cup ticket prices on Wednesday, saying critics should blame the wider North American market if FIFA was overcharging. Speaking before the tournament opener, he said FIFA lacked authority to influence US visa decisions but highlighted efforts to secure entry for Iran's national team.
Bill Gates calls Epstein meetings a ‘grave error’ while defending actions in house testimony
Bill Gates said on Wednesday he made a “grave error in judgment” by meeting Jeffrey Epstein but denied any wrongdoing, as the Microsoft co-founder faced hours of questioning before the House Oversight Committee about his ties to the disgraced financier. Gates said he should never have met Epstein and had no indication of ongoing criminal conduct.
Fact-checking claims that Senegal’s football team were treated like ‘criminals’ at US airport
Kicking off this Thursday, the 2026 FIFA World Cup has seen a fair share of criticism, before having begun. A new viral video has triggered more backlash, showing Senegal's national team being searched on the tarmac of a US airport with metal detectors, which internet users claimed shows the players "treated like criminals" and "unapologetic racism." There's also a photo of the coach undergoing th...
Wall Street counts down to SpaceX IPO
Wall Street is counting down to what's expected to be the biggest market launch in history, as SpaceX prepares to go public. The IPO is expected to value the firm at $1.75 trillion, and make founder Elon Musk the world's first trillionaire. Also in the show - US inflation surges to its highest level in three years, pushed by the jump in energy prices since the start of the Iran war, with President...
HRW report accuses M23 of detaining and abusing thousands in DR Congo
In tonight's edition, a new Human Rights Watch report uncovers mass forced recruitment and arbitrary detention by the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group in eastern DR Congo. Also, we head to Durban, where thousands of foreign nationals displaced by xenophobic violence remain camped outside the Department of Home Affairs. And finally, he's back on home soil to a hero's welcome. But Somali referee Omar A...
M23 fighters detaining, abusing thousands in DRC
In tonight's edition, a new Human Rights Watch report uncovers mass forced recruitment and detention by the Rwanda-backed M23 in eastern DR Congo. Also, we head to Durban where thousands of foreign nationals driven from their homes during xenophobic protests remain outside the Department of Home Affairs. And he’s back on home soil to a thunderous welcome, but Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan’s...
Mexico says "the ball comes home" as it prepares to host 2026 FIFA World Cup
Mexico is preparing to make history as the first nation to host football's biggest tournament three times. But Mexico is also making a bold claim: "The ball comes home." Why? As many historians believe the world's first ball games were played in Mesoamerica more than 3,500 years ago. After centuries in the shadows, those ancient games are making a comeback. FRANCE 24's Laurence Cuvillier and Quent...
UK watchdog warns online platforms as Belfast riots go viral
Northern Ireland braced Wednesday for a potential second night of violence directed at immigrants, following unrest that UK authorities say was stoked by far-right activists on social media after a brutal Belfast stabbing. Britain's media regulator warned online platforms of possible legal consequences if their services are used to incite violence. FRANCE 24's Mark Owen speaks with Jack Crangl...
FIFA's neutrality in question as Infantino cozies up to Trump
FIFA's president Gianni Infantino has been most visible ingratiating himself with US President Donald Trump ahead of the 2026 World Cup, so much so that he has had to defend himself from accusations of breaching FIFA's duty of political neutrality. FRANCE 24's Emerald Maxwell reports.
Three Indian crew missing as US says fired on tanker off Oman
Three Indian crew members were reported missing after a vessel was attacked off Oman, India said Wednesday, before the US military announced it had fired on a tanker attempting to breach its blockade of Iran. In a statement, the Indian foreign ministry condemned the attack on the vessel, the Settebello, saying: "Of the 24 Indian crew onboard, 21 Indians have been rescued thus far and three Indians...
Israeli airstrikes kill 13 in south Lebanon, Lebanese sources say
Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon killed at least 13 people on Wednesday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the Lebanese people to join Israel's fight against Hezbollah. Israeli forces seized a local councillor and a municipal worker from the border town of Kfarshuba, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) said, while Israel said it "apprehended" two people who approached its s...
Has France failed its children? Outrage over murder of 11-year-old Lyhanna
Here in France, outrage over the apparent failure to stop the murder of 11-year-old Lyhanna. The suspect – a 41-year-old father of one of her schoolmates – had previously been flagged over suspected paedophile offences but was never questioned. We'll ask what went wrong and examine why a string of child abuse cases is forcing France to confront difficult questions about prevention, accountability ...
Has France failed its children? Outrage over murder of 11-year old Lyhanna
Here in France, outrage. Outrage over what seems like the all-too-avoidable murder of 11-year old Lyhanna. The 41-year old suspect in her May 29th disappearance in a southwestern town - the father of a schoolmate - had twice previously been flagged and never questioned about suspected paedophile crimes. We’ll ask what went wrong and about a string of high profile cases that have recently shaken th...
Has Russia given up on Kinburn Spit, its westernmost foothold in Ukraine?
At the start of the war in Ukraine, the Russian capture of Kinburn Spit – a narrow piece of land that holds the key to several Ukrainian ports – was hailed as one of Moscow’s most significant victories on the southern front. From there, Russia could launch attacks on the Ukrainian mainland, and use it as a springboard should it make an attempt to take Odesa. Now, Russian forces appear to have pull...
North Korea: Kim balances ties with China and Russia
Kim’s balancing act. As #China and #Russia vie for influence in #NorthKorea, Victor Cha tells #F24Debate Pyongyang is wary of becoming too entangled with either power➡️https://go.france24.com/oFbt
Palestinian rock climbing in West Bank hindered by Israeli settlements
Rock climbing has exploded in popularity in recent years, and it has happened in the occupied West Bank, too. But Palestinian climbers face numerous obstacles, largely fueled by the expansion of Israeli settlements.
Occupied West Bank: Palestinian rock climbing hindered by Israeli settlements
Rock climbing has exploded in popularity in recent years, and it has happened in the occupied West Bank, too. But Palestinian climbers face numerous obstacles, largely fueled by the expansion of Israeli settlements.
New York: French air force soars over Statue of Liberty
Eight jets from France's air force acrobatics team staged a flyover of the Statue of Liberty on Tuesday, soaring above the iconic statue gifted by France to the US in 1886. The flight was part of a mission highlighting France's support for the US during the War of Independence and comes ahead of the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence.
Pope Leo to lead 'incredible' mass at Barcelona's Sagrada Familia
Pope Leo was set to visit Barcelona's Sagrada Familia on Wednesday to inaugurate the newest of its soaring geometric spires that makes the modernist marvel designed by Antoni Gaudi the world's tallest church. Leo, after celebrating Mass inside the vast church, will walk outside to bless the 172.5-metre Tower of Jesus Christ, crowned with a five-storey ceramic cross visible across the Catalan c...
France prosecutors want singer Bruel charged over alleged sexual abuse
French prosecutors said Wednesday they had requested pop icon Patrick Bruel be charged and placed in pre-trial detention over nine allegations of sexual abuse including rape and sexual assault. The 67-year-old, a major figure in French pop culture with multiple top selling albums and dozens of film appearances, has denied any wrongdoing. He is the latest top French celebrity to face investigators ...
Trump says Iran has taken too long to negotiate, will 'pay the price'
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said Tehran has taken too long to negotiate a deal and would now "have to pay the price" after Iran and the United States exchanged strikes in the region amid reported efforts to continue talks. "Iran is all talk and no action," Trump wrote in a social media post. "They’ve taken too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them, now they w...
World’s largest, deepest, oldest whale graveyard discovered in Indian Ocean
Chinese scientists have discovered a massive whale graveyard of around 500 skeletons, some dating back to more than 5 million years, at the bottom of the Indian Ocean west of Australia, according to research published in the journal Nature on Wednesday. The whale fall provides shelter and sustenance to a vibrant ecosystem of marine species, many believed to be new to science.