Author: France 24

Despite a match full of twists and turns and a spirited comeback right up to the final minutes, France conceded another semi-final defeat to Spain. Lamine Yamal distinguished himself once again with two goals. 

Shares in Elon Musk’s electric car company Tesla plunged 15% after Donald Trump threatened to terminate government contracts and subsidies given to Musk’s companies. The rapid escalation in a feud between the two men comes just days after Musk left his government job with a golden key handed by the president. Plus, a landmark trial opens in Paris against TotalEnergies, accused of “greenwashing” its fossil fuel activities. 

At the initiative of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), more than 130 international news outlets and press freedom groups – including FRANCE 24, RFI and Monte Carlo Doualiya – on Thursday issued a joint appeal calling for the “immediate, independent and unrestricted” access to Gaza for international journalists. They also called for the “full protection” of the Palestinian journalists working there. Nearly 200 journalists have been killed by the Israeli army in Gaza over the past 20 months.

French visitors to major adult websites Pornhub, YouPorn and RedTube have been met with a message denouncing privacy risks from government demands that they verify users’ ages. “Your government suggests checking your age every time you visit our site — that’s crazy, right?” asked a message displayed on Pornhub in place of the platform’s usual torrent of explicit content. It was topped with an image of the bare-breasted allegorical figure of Liberty brandishing the French flag from Eugene Delacroix’s 1830 painting “Liberty Leading the People”. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective on the battle to protect children from harmful…

In this edition of arts24, Eve Jackson brings you a thrilling lineup of films and exhibitions shaking up the art and entertainment world. First up: a surprising box office showdown in France. Tom Cruise’s latest “Mission: Impossible” instalment faces off against a small blue alien – and “Stitch” wins, selling 1.3 million tickets in just one week. It’s the biggest box office opener of 2025 so far! How did this beloved Disney classic from 2002 out-muscle Hollywood’s biggest action star? Eve investigates.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday directed an investigation into Republican claims of a “conspiracy” to conceal Joe Biden’s alleged cognitive decline while in office. The move escalates Trump’s years-long effort to undermine his Democratic predecessor, a campaign amplified by GOP lawmakers and conservative media allies.

A goal from Cristiano Ronaldo ended Portugal’s losing streak against Germany. They qualified for the Nations League final by beating their opponents for the first time in 25 years. They will face the winner of tonight’s match between Spain and France in the final. This will be a highly symbolic match, with the two Ballon d’Or contenders, Ousmane Dembélé and Lamine Yamal, going head to head.  

The European Commission has given the green light for Bulgaria to adopt the euro on January 1, 2026, putting the country on course to become the 21st member of the single currency zone.  Brussels says Bulgaria has now met all the criteria necessary to join the eurozone, including price stability and fiscal discipline. However, Bulgarians are divided and many protested outside the parliament.  

In an interview with FRANCE 24, Israeli Economy Minister Nir Barkat rejected the creation of a Palestinian state, advocating instead for an “emirate model” for Palestinians in the West Bank. He also criticised France for considering recognition of a Palestinian state, urging Paris to “support the only democracy in the Middle East” and help Israel “finish the war [in Gaza] quickly”.

With music festival season in full swing, we chat to Last Train frontman Jean-Noël Scherrer. His band have just had a sold-out tour here in France and played extensively in Germany, the UK and other European countries. We also speak to Tallulah Sim-Savage of up-and-coming English trio HotWax, whose debut album is a punchy blend of grunge and rock ‘n’ roll.