Author: France 24

As historian and WWII resistance fighter Marc Bloch is inducted into the Pantheon, Sharon Gaffney is pleased to welcome Dr. Andrew Smith, Historian of Modern France and Lecturer in Liberal Arts at Queen Mary University of London. Marc Bloch’s entry into the Panthéon is described by Andrew Smith not simply as the commemoration of a distinguished historian, but as a profound statement about the contemporary crisis of democracy, truth, and citizenship. Smith argues that Bloch’s enduring significance lies in the fusion of scholarship and civic responsibility: he was a historian who viewed the past as a tool for understanding the…

Much of France remains under severe heat alert on June 23 after the country experienced its hottest afternoon and night since records began in 1947. Temperatures around 40 degrees Celsius were forecast for cities including Bordeaux, Rennes and Toulouse. The extreme heat has already proven deadly – two children were found dead inside a parked car on June 22, while 40 people have drowned over the past few days as they sought to cool off.

⁠Colombia secured ​their place in the World Cup knockouts round with a game to spare after a 1-0 victory over DR Congo pushed them back to the top of Group ​K ‌on Tuesday, with Daniel Munoz ⁠finding a winner in the 76th minute after the South Americans had been ‌frustrated for much of the evening.

As Europe swelters under a major heatwave, the energy-intensiveness of artificial intelligence has come into the spotlight.  At a climate conference in London, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called on AI companies to disclose the environmental impact of their systems.  Plus, Iran rejects the US’s claim that any frozen Iranian assets, once unlocked, will be controlled by the US and Qatar and be used exclusively to buy American food and medicine. 

Ten years after the referendum that shook the United Kingdom, what impact has Brexit had on one of its greatest exports: music? From major festivals in the UK to the grassroots venues in Europe determined to host British bands, FRANCE 24’s Olivia Salazar-Winspear sets out to meet the people keeping the music scene alive.

Iran and Oman said Tuesday they would examine charges for maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz through a joint working group, pressing ahead with discussions over the strategic waterway despite US opposition to Tehran’s proposed fee system.

Algeria stormed back to beat Jordan 2-1 to advance to the 2026 World Cup knockout round in California late Monday thanks to second-half goals from substitute Nadhir Benbouali and Amine Gouiri. It marked the first time Algeria won a World Cup game since 2014.

China’s commerce ministry on Monday imposed sanctions on 10 US tech companies, blocking them from exporting “dual-use” items, which have military and non-military applications, to the US. The companies barred from doing business with the US include drone makers and some involved in rare earths. Beijing’s move comes weeks after the Pentagon slapped similar restrictions on Chinese companies.

In this edition of our arts24 music show, Jennifer Ben Brahim chats with British Afrobeats superstar Afro B. He is the brains behind the smash hit “Drogba (Joanna)”, one of first Afrobeats songs to break the US charts. He has collaborated over the years with the likes of French Montana and Chris Brown. He is back with a new single called “Mapouka”, a love letter to Ivory Coast. It’s the first taste of his upcoming album, “Afro Ivoire”.

US Vice President JD Vance has said that a first round of US-Iran talks in Switzerland had laid a good foundation for reaching a final deal on ending the Middle East war that the US and Israel began in February. Vance’s comments came after he met with Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf on June 21 and 22. The mediation effort in Switzerland had rocky moments, but the talks also led to some agreements between the two sides.