Author: France 24

Israel and Hezbollah agreed a ceasefire on June 19 after deadly exchanges between the two sides in Lebanon put the deal to end the Middle East war under strain. At least 20 people were killed in Lebanon in fresh strikes, as well four Israeli soldiers. In response, the far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said “all of Lebanon must burn”. FRANCE 24’s Noga Tarnopolsky tells us more.

The Iranian World Cup team will lodge a complaint with world football association FIFA over the unfair travel restrictions imposed on them during the North American tournament, Iran’s football federation said Thursday.

Gaming cafés have become a common sight on the streets of Cairo, especially in poorer neighbourhoods. Egyptians hold a world record for time spent gaming per day, with an average of 1 hour and 43 minutes daily. Some 43.5 percent of young gamers in Egypt are considered to be addicted. In February, the government launched a campaign to combat addiction. FRANCE 24’s Mathilde Delvigne reports.

As consumers increasingly turn to AI assistants for advice and recommendations, companies are rethinking how they reach and engage customers. Speaking to France 24 at VivaTech in Paris, L’Oréal Chief Digital and Marketing Officer Asmita Dubey explains how the beauty leader is deploying artificial intelligence across marketing, product discovery and personalised consumer experiences.

In this edition, we discover how some of Paris’s most famous landmarks are being transformed by technology, culture and contemporary art. We travel beneath the Eiffel Tower with a new virtual reality experience that brings the monument’s history to life, celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Quai Branly Museum and its extraordinary collection of art and artefacts from around the world, and cross the Pont Neuf as French artist JR turns the city’s oldest bridge into a spectacular cave-inspired installation. Together, these three stories offer a fresh perspective on Paris and the many ways it continues to reinvent itself.

As the Strait of Hormuz reopens and talks between the US and Iran start up again, how are Gulf states emerging from the Middle East war? Previously thought of as the safe haven of the Middle East, the surprise US-Israeli attack on Iran has left them reeling, and triggered a search to diversify defensively. FRANCE 24’s Angela Diffley explains.

England made a winning start to their World Cup campaign as they overpowered Croatia in a thriller in Dallas (4-2). Harry Kane scored twice, bringing him level with Gary Lineker on 10 World Cup goals.

With the French healthcare system now reimbursing the anti-obesity drugs Wegovy and Mounjaro, we explain what the strict conditions are to benefit from them. We discuss France’s rates of obesity and the areas where they’re highest. Finally, we discuss the common stereotype that French people don’t get fat. While not true, it does contain a sliver of truth when comparing France to other EU nations.

What role will artificial intelligence play in business development and daily life? It’s one of the questions dominating this year’s Vivatech, Europe’s biggest event focused on startups and innovation. Our business editor Kate Moody sat down with Julia White, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Amazon Web Services, to find out about the tech giant’s new AI shopping assistant, what jobs AI can and cannot do, and how to bring more women into leadership positions in Silicon Valley.

On this week’s film show, critic Emma Jones joins Eve Jackson to review the latest cinema releases. They discuss “Backrooms”, the record-breaking horror hit from 20-year-old director Kane Parsons, now the youngest filmmaker ever to top the US box office. Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve, the film is shaking up Hollywood’s ideas about who gets to make movies.