Author: France 24

Led by coach Thierry Henry, France are looking to win a second gold medal in the Olympics men’s football in 40 years as they face off against Spain on Friday. Despite missing star players Kylian Mbappé and Antoine Griezmann, Les Bleus are guaranteed a medal after beating Argentina and Egypt in the quarters and the semi-final.

Paris prosecutors are investigating death threats and other offenses against athletes from Israel’s Olympic team amid tensions over the Gaza war and increasing fears of a broader conflict in the Middle East. 

Cuban Greco-Roman wrestler Mijain Lopez made Olympic history Tuesday when he became the first athlete to win five consecutive individual gold medals in the same event. In a symbolic gesture, Lopez placed his shoes in the center of the mat after the match to signal he was retiring. 

Global oil benchmarks Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate surged this Wednesday on the news that Hamas’s political leader Ismail Haniyeh had been killed by a suspected Israeli strike in Iran. Fears over a regional escalation of the Israel-Hamas war are fuelling concerns over production and distribution of oil in a region that produces about a third of global supply. Also in this edition, we look ahead to the US Federal Reserve’s next decision on interest rates.

Lebanon’s armed group Hezbollah launched a series of drone and rocket attacks into northern Israel on Tuesday but warned that its much-anticipated retaliation for Israel’s killing of a top commander last week was yet to come. More information with FRANCE 24 correspondent in Jerusalem, Irris Makler.

China took the lead in the 2024 Olympics gold medal rankings on Monday, while Armand Duplantis claimed a new pole vault record and Simone Biles slipped up in her last event at the Paris Games. 

The U.S. is deploying additional military might in the Middle East as a defensive measure with a goal of de-escalating tensions in the region, a White House official said on Sunday. More information with FRANCE 24 correspondent in Washington, Fraser Jackson.

US sprinter Noah Lyles Sunday took gold in the closest 100m final in modern Olympic history, becoming the first American to win the event since the 2004 Athens Games.

After three Grand Slam titles, UK tennis legend Andy Murray, 37, officially retired from the sport on Thursday after losing in the Paris Olympics, closing the door on a stellar yet injury-laden career.

The Israeli military said Thursday that it has confirmed that the head of Hamas’ military wing, Mohammed Deif, was killed in an airstrike in Gaza in July. The announcement came a day after an apparent Israeli strike in the Iranian capital killed Hamas’ top political leader.