Author: France 24

The Israeli army has taken control of Beaufort castle in Southern Lebanon, crossing over the Litani river, which they had been using as a de facto boundary. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the operation a “dramatic shift” in the Israeli offensive in Lebanon. The Israeli army now has declared all land between the Litani and Zaharani River a conflict zone. Details by Caroline Baum.

The number of suspected cases of Ebola continues to rise by the day… now above the thousand mark. On the ground, Congolese authorities are scrambling to provide protective equipment which is in short supply, and to establish trust within communities to help fight the spread of the virus. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is visiting Bunia today. Details by Camille Knight.

French basketball prodigy Victor Wembanyama is within sight of realizing a lifelong dream after the San Antonio Spurs stunned the Oklahoma City Thunder Saturday, making their way to the upcoming NBA Finals showdown with the New York Knicks. The win marked another dazzling milestone on Wembanyama’s rise as the new face of the NBA. 

Benchmark prices for crude oil rose on Thursday as Iran said it targeted a US airbase in response to American air strikes. Commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which had slightly ticked up in previous days, dwindled down to almost nothing again. Also in this edition: Australia takes legal action against US consumer goods giant 3M over “forever chemicals” in firefighting foam. Plus Brazilian leader Lula endorses more oil and gas exploration in the Amazon.

Hollywood studios have found common ground with union leaders on a newly negotiated agreement that was approved by the national board last month and is currently being voted on by members. New protections were introduced to control the use of artificial intelligence by production companies, potentially avoiding another damaging strike like the one that shuttered the industry in 2023. 

In Lebanon, Israeli forces have advanced further north. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu says they have crossed the Litani river – a key reference point in Southern Lebanon marking the limit of a UN-monitored zone. Despite a ceasefire, Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants have continued to fight for weeks. Details by FRANCE 24 correspondent in Beirut, Renée Davis.

Located about 150 kilometres north of Zambia’s capital Lusaka, Kabwe is considered one of the most polluted places in the world, following decades of lead and zinc mining. A simple blood test of two children confirms reports of severe lead contamination. FRANCE 24’s Caroline Dumay, Stefan Carstens and Eunice Masson report.

Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca knocked out Novak Djokovic in the third round of the French Open on Friday to scupper the Serbian great’s latest quest for a record 25th Grand Slam.

NASA has unveiled its plans to send humans to the Moon, which include establishing a permanent presence on Earth’s nearest satellite by the 2030s. It comes as China moves ahead with its own lunar ambitions, launching three astronauts into outer space. FRANCE 24’s Sharon Gaffney speaks to Michelle L. D. Hanlon, Executive Director at the Center for Air and Space Law at the University of Mississippi.

Nearly 20 years after his first Palme d’Or, Romanian auteur Cristian Mungiu once again takes the festival’s top prize for “Fjord” – a film exploring the tensions between religious conservatism and social liberalism. It stars “Marvel” actor Sebastian Stan and Norwegian actress Renate Reinsve as parents accused of domestic abuse. Before the big win, Eve Jackson sat down with Mungiu and Reinsve in Cannes.