Author: France 24

A centuries-old British institution is set to be sold to a foreign firm. Royal Mail’s parent company has accepted a £3.6 billion takeover offer by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky’s EP group. Privatised about a decade ago, the postal service that dates back to Tudor times has struggled in the era of emails. Meanwhile, the world’s biggest mining firm BHP has walked away from a $49 billion plan to take over British rival Anglo American, after the latter rejected a request to extend talks.  Source link

French pharmacists launched their first walkout in 10 years on Thursday, closing up shop over drug shortages, pharmacy closures and fears medications could be sold online, as well as higher pay. Source link

Iran on Thursday began the formal registration of presidential candidates ahead of a snap vote next month to replace the late Ebrahim Raisi who died in a helicopter crash. Source link

Chinese President Xi Jinping called on Thursday for a peace conference on the war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas as he addressed Arab leaders and diplomats at a forum in Beijing. Meanwhile Israel’s military said Wednesday it seized control of a strategic corridor along Gaza’s border with Egypt to cut off smuggling tunnels as it tries to destroy the militant Hamas group in a war now in its eighth month. Follow our liveblog for the latest developments in the war in Gaza. Source link

Many social media users are sharing images claiming to show the Egyptian soldier who was killed following an exchange of fire between Israel and Egypt, near the Rafah border crossing, on Monday. We reveal the true identity of this soldier in this edition of Truth or Fake. Source link

Israel’s army said Wednesday it took control of a vital Gaza-Egypt corridor it suspects aided weapons smuggling as the ground offensive against Hamas in the border city of Rafah intensified. Source link

Olympiakos became the first Greek club ever to win a European title after defeating Fiorentina 1-0 after extra time in the Europa Conference League final on Wednesday. Source link

Former US presidential hopeful Nikki Haley has been photographed writing “Finish Them” on an Israeli shell as she toured sites near the northern border with Lebanon. Source link

French Open title holder Iga Swiatek saved a match point as she eked out a narrow win on Wednesday over fellow four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, who was making her French Open comeback just months after returning from a lengthy maternity break. Source link

The number of executions recorded worldwide last year jumped to the highest level since 2015, with a sharp rise in Iran and across the Middle East, Amnesty International said in a report released Wednesday. Source link