Author: France 24

Brad Pitt is in the driving seat for the latest action spectacle from US director Joseph Kosinski, with a performance that even got the thumbs up from F1 champion Lewis Hamilton. Film critic Emma Jones tells us why the big-budget movie won her over despite some flaws in the storyline and frequent sightings of F1 sponsors. We also discuss the Nasser brothers’ latest surreal comedy Western, “Once Upon a Time in Gaza”, as the award-winning Palestinian directors return to a quieter time in their home region, via a tale of sandwich-making and illicit substances. Plus we check out British filmmaker Danny…

French football heavyweights Lyon will play in the second division next season after the sport’s financial watchdog on Tuesday confirmed a provisional demotion for financial mismanagement. The club, owned by US businessman John Textor, said it would “immediately” appeal the decision. 

Researchers said on Tuesday that vaccination rates among children are dropping across the world, increasing the risk of outbreaks of preventable diseases, as economic inequality, misinformation, and foreign aid cuts threaten to stymie decades of progress.

Global oil prices tumbled for a second day while stocks rose sharply, as a ceasefire between Israel and Iran remains in place despite earlier violations. Meanwhile, the German government approves a draft budget which will sharply increase its defence spending as leaders arrived for a key NATO summit.  

Since the start of the war between Israel and Iran, a number of Iranian media outlets with close links to the government have reported that Iran had shot down four Israeli F-35 fighter jets. However, for the time being, there is no proof to support these claims and military experts consider them unlikely.

In this episode of Arts 24, Eve Jackson speaks with Arab Nasser, co-director of “Once Upon a Time in Gaza” – a striking, Cannes‑awarded film that reframes Gaza not through destruction, but through resilience, surrealism and cinematic boldness. Blending genre and personal memory, the film offers a hauntingly beautiful portrait of life under siege.

European champions PSG cruised past the Seattle Sounders 2-0 to reach the Round of 16 at the Club World Cup. The French side also secured the top spot in Group B thanks to Botafogo’s defeat to Atletico Madrid. Despite beating the Brazilian side, Atletico are out of the tournament due to an inferior goal difference.

Five years after Brexit, the United Kingdom and the European Union have struck a deal on the status of Gibraltar that will ease the cross-border movement of people and goods. The tiny British territory bordering Spain had been one of the final sticking points of the post-Brexit negotiations. Plus, US President Donald Trump claims a “deal with China is done” following high-level trade talks in London, but uncertainty remains over just how much Beijing is willing to give up its leverage on rare earth supplies. 

Global airlines have suspended or reduced flights in the Middle East as the conflict between Israel and Iran escalated after the US struck Iran’s nuclear facilities at the weekend, affecting flights scheduled for the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Israel, Iran and other countries in the region.

In this edition of our arts24 music show, Jennifer Ben Brahim chats with Franco-Togolese singer Laura Prince. She’s just released her second album “Adjoko”, a voyage between memory, identity and authenticity. “Adjoko” is Laura’s Togolese name, and symbolises her quest to reconnect with her African roots. She produced the record between France, Togo and Ouidah in Benin, a port town famous for its dark role in the slave trade. She also references her West African links to slavery through her name Laura Prince. It’s an homage to author Mary Prince, the first Black woman to publish a book about her…