Author: France 24

Simone Biles won her fifth Olympic gold medal as the US win the team event. France’s great judo hope has to settle for bronze. The triathlon is delayed due to water pollution. Also, basketball historian Lindsay Krasnoff, explains 3×3 basketball. Finally, French silver medalist Victor Koretzky talks to France 24 about his exploits.

Hamas on Wednesday said that its political leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in an Israeli strike in Iran, where he had been attending the inauguration of the country’s new President Masoud Pezeshkian. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards also announced the death, saying Haniyeh’s residence in Tehran was “hit” and he was killed along with a bodyguard. Following the reported assassination, a senior Hamas official said that Haniyeh’s death “will not go unanswered”. Follow our liveblog for all the latest developments in the Israel-Hamas war.

On a five-day visit to China, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has vowed to “relaunch” economic cooperation with Beijing and “rebalance trade”. She has also sought to position herself as a potential mediator between China and the EU as the two blocs butt heads, especially on the issue of Chinese electric vehicle imports. In this edition, we look at what could make Meloni’s job harder.

Simone Biles is tipped to win her first Olympic gymnastics gold since 2016 on Tuesday, while Paris organisers postponed the men’s triathlon by a day over pollution in the Seine just hours before it was due to start.

Lebanon braced on Monday for a possible large-scale counterstrike after Israel’s security cabinet authorised a military response to the weekend rocket attack from Lebanon that killed 12, all teenagers and children. Diplomats engaged in extensive last-minute efforts to avert a full-blown war between Israel and Hezbollah.

As Venezuela’s opposition contests the re-election of President Nicolas Maduro, we take a closer look at the South American country’s economic challenges. Hyperinflation, which reached a peak in 2019, may have subsided but it has underlined issues with wealth inequality and dependence on the oil sector. In addition, Caracas is carrying a massive foreign debt load of around $150 billion.

The writer Edna O’Brien, whose more than 60-year career included the 1960 novel “The Country Girls” that scandalised society in her native Ireland, died on Saturday aged 93, her agent said. O’Brien was named a commander of France’s Order of Arts and Letters in 2021 for her contributions to literature.

France’s Léon Marchand won a gold medal and set an Olympic record in the men’s 400-metre individual medley at the Paris Games on Sunday, pulling away from his rivals as thousands of fans at La Defense Arena chanted his name.

Shorouq spoke to FRANCE 24 in November about the challenges facing pregnant women in Gaza, which is experiencing severe shortages of both food and medical care. Eight months later, we asked her how she and her family are coping; not only do they face a constant threat from air strikes and shelling, but Shorouq’s daughter is suffering from stomach parasites due to dirty water. 

With its breathtaking location on the Mediterranean, Marseille is one of the French cities hosting the 2024 Olympics. The Games are a perfect opportunity to promote its cultural wealth to the world. Join Eve Jackson for a special show about the French city going for gold when it comes to music, food and the arts. We meet 3-star Michelin chef and former professional basketball player Alexandre Mazzia, who’s an Olympic torchbearer and one of the chefs chosen to cook for the athletes. We also visit the photo exhibition where sportswomen are in the spotlight and speak to dancer and social worker Marina Gomes…