Author: France 24

After months of negotiations, the US has reached a trade deal with Japan. US President Donald Trump celebrated the agreement on tariffs in a social media post, while Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba hailed the deal, which sets duties on Japanese exports to the US at a rate of 15 percent. In this edition, we look at what exactly has been announced by both sides and what it means for Japan’s auto sector, which is responsible for a quarter of all exports to the US.

More than 100 aid groups warned on Wednesday of “mass starvation” throughout Gaza, with their staff severely impacted by shortages. Israel faces growing global pressure over the enclave’s dire humanitarian crisis, where over two million people have endured 21 months of war.

Ozzy Osbourne, the frontman of heavy metal band Black Sabbath often described as the “Godfather of Heavy Metal”, died on Tuesday at 76, just days after performing a final concert in his hometown of Birmingham.

England survived a scare to beat Italy 2-1 in extra time at Tuesday’s semifinal and retain their dream of defending the Women’s Euro title. The Lionesses twice came from behind, avoiding near-elimination to advance to another final, dashing Italy’s hopes in a thrilling, heart-stopping clash. 

Trade negotiations between Washington and Brussels are continuing ahead of an August 1 deadline, when US President Donald Trump has vowed to impose 30 percent tariffs on nearly all goods imported from the European Union. Both sides are looking to carve out exemptions for key sectors, such as aviation or pharmaceuticals. Also in this edition: German car sector companies are looking to benefit from the country’s sudden increase in defence spending.

More than 1,400 people were killed in a spate of sectarian violence lasting several days near Syria’s coast in March, a government investigation released on Tuesday found. Security forces in the south carried out widespread violence against civilians, seeking out members of the Alawite sect, investigators found.

For three weeks every summer, the streets of the southern French city of Avignon are overrun with performances of all kinds, from classical drama to spontaneous stand-up comedy. FRANCE 24’s Olivia Salazar-Winspear went to check out this year’s programme, as festival director Tiago Rodrigues invites Arabic-speaking artists to show their work as part of his guest language initiative.

England and Italy face off on Tuesday in Geneva in the Women’s Euro semi-finals. England can secure a second consecutive final appearance after winning the Euro in 2022. Italy will aim to end a 28-year final drought. The winners of this clash will face either Spain or Germany in the final on Sunday.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang attended a ceremony on Saturday marking the start of construction for a new $167 billion mega dam project in Tibet. The project aims to boost the national economy as well as increase the country’s capacity to produce clean energy, but it raises risks to biodiversity and to relations with India. Also in this edition, we look at the success of Barcelona’s tourist tax scheme.

The Syrian government on Monday began evacuating Bedouin families from the Druze-majority southern Syrian city of Sweida as the latest ceasefire, agreed over the weekend, appeared to halt clashes between the two communities that killed more than 1,000 people in one week, according to a war monitor.