Author: France 24

French teenage sensation Paul Seixas sealed a dominant overall victory at the Tour of the Basque Country on Saturday, becoming the youngest ever winner of a World Tour stage race as Andrew August claimed the final stage.

One of the world’s leading AI companies has built a model so powerful that it refuses to fully release it publicly just yet, prompting urgent talks from Wall Street to financial regulators in the UK.

The Coachella Festival, which kicks off in the California desert Friday, features a star-studded line-up including Justin Bieber, Karol G. and Sabrina Carpenter, and has gathered thousands of fans. French DJ and producer David Guetta returns to the desert in Indio, and David Byrne, the legendary co-founder of Talking Heads, will make an appearance.

US navy will begin blockading ships trying to enter or leave the Strait of Hormuz “effective immediately”, US President Donald Trump said in a social media post Sunday. He added that the US would ‌also “interdict” every ‌vessel in international waters that had paid a toll to Iran for passing through the critical waterway. France 24 correspondent Fraser Jackson tells us the latest.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, the Paris Marathon sees participants staying connected throughout the race, with technology playing a key role in managing exertion and optimizing performance. Caitlin Brown reports.

Crude oil prices rose again on Thursday as the ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump and Iran shows signs of fragility. In this edition, we speak with Ilian Mihov, Professor of Economics at INSEAD, about whether the war and the resulting oil shock could trigger a global recession. He explains that supply shortages can affect economic activity more than price hikes and outlines the delicate calculations central banks will have to make.

Aïda Asgharzadeh was widely praised for her powerful exploration of dissidence and exile in Persian Dolls, weaving her own family’s story into a drama spanning Iran and France. Her deft use of history as a backdrop to intimate, personal narratives is once again in focus with her latest play, The Last Cedar of Lebanon, which examines how individuals respond to the pressures of war and violence – and how geopolitical upheaval can echo across generations. Speaking to FRANCE 24, she explains how creating an emotional landscape lies at the heart of her work, and why, as an Iranian, she struggles…

The 70-member Iranian delegation taking part in negotiations in Pakistan today is being led by one of Tehran’s most prominent non-clerical figures, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. Caroline Baum takes a look at the man Iran has entrusted with securing an end to the war on terms acceptable to Tehran.

France Cricket, the former governing body for the sport in France, is fielding a senior men’s team at an international ranked tournament in Portugal despite having lost its official status on January 1. France’s sports ministry warned that doing so would be against the law, and legal experts said those responsible risk civil and criminal liability.

The US and Israel’s war with Iran has triggered one of the biggest global energy shocks in decades. Asian economies, in particular, are facing disruptions to oil and gas supplies, while energy prices have surged worldwide. Climate activists say the shock should serve as a catalyst in the switch to renewable energy sources.