Author: France 24

She’s played the blushing bride in “Mamma Mia!” and the sidekick to the high-school bully in “Mean Girls”. Now Amanda Seyfried takes on the role of Ann Lee, the 18th-century religious leader who founded the Shaker movement in the United States. Eve Jackson hears from Seyfried about the role at the Paris premiere of The Testament of Ann Lee. We also check in with ambassadors of Tuareg culture, Tinariwen, as they return with their 10th album and embark on a European tour. And, we hear from the team behind a powerful new animation telling the story of a child soldier…

As Israel steps up its bombing campaign on Lebanon, many hospitals have had to close, leaving only a handful of healthcare facilities still operating. For patients with chronic illnesses — and the doctors and nurses treating them — every trip to the hospital now carries the risk of death. FRANCE 24 visited the Sacré-Cœur hospital near Beirut as it prepares its staff for the worst.

Iran’s participation in the World Cup seems to be slipping further away on Thursday, with US President Donald Trump saying that Team Melli players would not be “safe” if they came to the United States.

As he takes on the presidency of PEN America, Dinaw Mengestu explains why defending a plurality of voices is crucial at a time of censorship and revisionism. He also discusses how the organisation is working to rebuild its credibility after criticism over its failure to condemn the war in Gaza in 2023. The award-winning author’s fourth novel, “Someone Like Us”, has just been published in France, and Mengestu tells us about the personal elements he has woven into this story of an Ethiopian-American grappling with his identity. We also discuss the immigrant experience in the United States and why notions…

In his first message since he was appointed Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei ordered the vital Strait of Hormuz oil shipping lane to remain closed and called on Gulf Arab states to “shut down” US bases. It was a message of defiance and continuity, explains FRANCE 24’s Leela Jacinto.  

After twice being caught up by an ambitious Blues side, Paris Saint-Germain finally won 5-2, putting one foot in the Champions League quarter-finals. Scoring three goals in the last quarter of an hour, PSG seem to have restored the confidence they displayed last season. They have five days to rest before travelling to London for the second leg.

In Egypt, Ramadan is not just a time for religious fasting – it is also a critical financial lifeline for the country’s public and charitable healthcare system. Without the generosity of Zakat (obligatory alms) and Sadaqa (voluntary charity), many major hospitals would struggle to survive. For a month, Egyptian TV and social media are flooded with appeals from hospitals seeking donations, as competition for charity peaks. Hospitals spend millions on emotional campaigns, often featuring celebrities or popular songs. Some rely on Ramadan donations for up to 80% of their annual budgets. Yet behind these polished images lies a darker reality of…

Oil markets fell and picked up again on Wednesday, as the International Energy Agency reportedly considers its largest-ever release of emergency crude stockpiles to stabilise global markets, while Iran is said to have laid naval mines in the Hormuz Strait. In this edition, we look at how the latest developments in the ongoing Middle East war are affecting markets.

Beloved children’s character Winnie the Pooh, who ambled into the world in 1926 in a book written by English author AA Milne and illustrated by EH Shepard, is turning 100. Disney, which now holds the rights to the self-described bear of “very little brain” and his lovable pals, is holding a year-long celebration in Pooh’s honour.

A British warship is on its way to Cyprus. More than a week ago, a British Royal Air Force base was hit by an Iranian-made drone. The opposition criticizes the UK’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer for taking too long to send reinforcements. The country’s ministry of Defence defended its actions saying the Royal Navy worked hard to complete six weeks’ of work in 6 days.