France24.com (en)

French police cordoned off the Iranian consulate in Paris on Friday, where a man was threatening to blow himself up, reported Europe 1 radio and BFM TV.

Klopp's side crashed out of the Europa League quarter-finals on Thursday after a 1-0 win against Atalanta that failed to overturn the three-goal first leg deficit. It was the latest blow for Klopp in the closing weeks of his nine-year stay at Anfield. Liverpool also bowed out of the FA Cup at the quarter-final stage after losing to a last-gasp goal at bitter rivals Manchester United. United rubbed salt into Liverpool's wounds by holding them to a draw in the Premier League on April 7, before Crystal... Читать дальше...

The Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) released a statement which made clear how unhappy it was at the announcement by World Athletics president Sebastian Coe that track and field gold medallists at the Paris Games will receive $50,000 (47,000 euros). World Athletics' move, announced last week, was for a first for a federation at an Olympics. It said it would extend prize money to all medallists in Los Angeles in four years' time. ASOIF, which has 30 full members and two associate members... Читать дальше...

Bekele, a three-time Olympic track champion, is gearing up for Sunday's latest edition of the race in the English capital. But the event will be overshadowed by the absence of long-distance runner Kiptum, who won last year's London Marathon for the third time before dying in a car accident in February. Kiptum set a new London Marathon record time of two hours, one minute and 25 seconds last year and he was also the first man to run the marathon under two hours and one minute in Chicago. The 24-year-old's... Читать дальше...

Robins began his playing career with United and famously scored the FA Cup third round winner against Nottingham Forest in 1990 that is often credited as saving Alex Ferguson from the sack. United's current manager Erik ten Hag is also battling to hold onto his job after a difficult second season for the Dutchman. Ten Hag's side are almost certain to miss out on a place in next season's Champions League. And United, who last won the Premier League in Ferguson's final season in charge in 2013,... Читать дальше...

There have been fears over the last weeks decades of enmity between Israel and the Islamic republic could spill over into all-out war as Israel pursues its offensive on Gaza in the wake of the October 7 attack on Israel by Palestinian militant group Hamas which is backed by Tehran. An apparent Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus on April 1 killed seven members of the Revolutionary Guards force, including its top commander for Iran and Lebanon, and enraged Iran as well as troubling Israel's Western allies. Читать дальше...

The new deal keeps Nagelsmann with Germany for an additional two years and will see him coach the team at the 2026 World Cup in North America. "This is a decision from the heart. It is a great honour to coach the national team," Nagelsmann said in a statement. The announcement comes just a few weeks before Germany is set to host the 2024 European championships over June and July. Nagelsmann said he was "moved by the enthusiasm of the fans" after victories in recent friendlies against France and the Netherlands. Читать дальше...

The reigning Olympic champion went under four minutes at the Australian championships on the Gold Coast, hitting the wall in 3min 59.13sec to remain unbeaten in the event since 2019. Titmus beat Ledecky in a thrilling final at the Tokyo Olympics then broke the American great's long-standing world record in 2022, only for Canadian teenager McIntosh to better the mark last year. The Australian hit back to reclaim the world record months later with the expected clash between the three in Paris shaping as a blockbuster. Читать дальше...

Defending the company's decision not to enter into a bidding war with its fierce US rivals, Gulden said the German sport outfitter would continue to go after major kit deals, including the franchise for France, but only if the price is right. News of the breakup with the German football team came at a bad time for Adidas, which had slumped to its first annual loss in over three decades in 2023. The German Football Association (DFB) said last month it would end its partnership of over 70 years with Adidas... Читать дальше...

The Croatian city of Vukovar, on the banks of the Danube, has a painful past. Located on the border with Serbia, it was the scene of the first major battle in the 1990s Balkan wars. Four years before the genocide in Srebrenica and eight years before the war in Kosovo, Vukovar was the first city in the former Yugoslavia to suffer ethnic cleansing, in 1991. More than 30 years later, reconciliation between local Serbs and Croats is hindered by impunity for war crimes and the inability to agree on a common version of events.

"This is a decision from the heart. It is a great honour to coach the national team," Nagelsmann said in a statement. The announcement comes just a few weeks before Germany is set to host the 2024 European championships in June and July. Nagelsmann said he had been "moved by the enthusiasm of the fans" after victories in the recent friendlies against France and the Netherlands. "Together, we now want to have a successful home Euros," Nagelsmann said. The DFB was already "absolutely convinced"... Читать дальше...

Iran's state media reported explosions in the central province of Isfahan Friday as US media quoted officials as saying Israel had carried out retaliatory strikes on its arch-rival. Israel had previously warned it would hit back after Iran fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel over the weekend.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Kimbanguiste Symphony Orchestra is set to spotlight African classics at a major concert scheduled for 20 April. The orchestra was the first to be founded in central Africa, just 30 years ago. The 200 musicians and choristers who make up the ensemble rehearse European classical music, such as Mozart and Beethoven all year round. But now, the Kimbanguiste Symphony Orchestra intends to showcase music from Congolese composers, as FRANCE 24’s team on the ground reports.

Despite conceding three second-half yellow cards the Hurricanes maintained their perfect start to the season by outscoring the hosts five tries to two in front of a boisterous 15,000 crowd in Suva. "It was pretty crazy, awesome atmosphere. It was a good test of our character. We talk about new challenges and this was definitely one of them," said Hurricanes captain Brad Shields. "We didn't think we would be down to 13," he added as the Hurricanes lost two players to the sin-bin midway through the second half, "but it shows good character. Читать дальше...

Two of the best-selling baby-food brands marketed by Nestlé in low- and middle-income countries contain high levels of added sugar, while such products are sugar free in its home country, Switzerland. These are the key findings of an investigation by Public Eye and the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN), as FRANCE 24's Sam Bradpiece explains.

In late March and early April, days and nights of extreme heat above 40° Celsius (104°F) gripped many West African countries. Temperatures soared so high in Mali and Burkina Faso they equated to a once in 200-year event, according to the report by World Weather Attribution (WWA).

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, on Wednesday appealed for more attention to be given to the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as he visited a camp for displaced people in Goma. Thousands of Congolese have been forced to flee their homes due to a conflict between the Congolese army and M23 rebels, leading to what the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says is one of the worst displacement crises in the world.

Three French diplomats were given 48 hours to leave Burkina Faso on Thursday after being declared persona non grata by the ruling junta. The trio have been accused of "subversive activities", allegations that Paris denies. Relations between the two countries have been unravelling since 2022, when Burkina Faso saw its second coup in less than nine months. FRANCE 24's Justice Baidoo tells us more.

The race's bizarre finish saw He cross the line first after the Kenyans Robert Keter and Willy Mnangat, and Dejene Hailu from Ethiopia, seemed to deliberately allow him to win. Footage of the conclusion to the race went viral. "Today the 2024 Beijing Half Marathon Organising Committee issued a decision on the investigation and handling of the men's race results," a state media report said on Friday. It added: "The trophies, medals and bonuses will be recovered." The four runners had stuck together... Читать дальше...

India is poised to hold the world's largest election starting this Friday (April 19), with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to win a third term on the back of his potent mix of Hindu pride, infrastructure development, and a heightened global image. FRANCE 24's Sarah Jacob reports from Muzaffarnagar, India.

Hamilton thought he had claimed pole in his Mercedes when Norris's lap of 1min 57.940sec on intermediate wet tyres was deleted for exceeding track limits, only to be dramatically reinstated a minute later. Fernando Alonso in an Aston Martin showed his experience and guile to come third in the treacherous conditions with championship leader Max Verstappen fourth after he too had a time deleted for running too wide. It was a second career sprint pole for Norris. "It was tricky, you are always nervous... Читать дальше...

The United States on Thursday voted against a Palestinian request to the United Nations Security Council for full UN membership, blocking the world body's recognition of a Palestinian state. The draft resolution received 12 votes in favour, two abstentions from the UK and Switzerland, and one vote against.

"Today the 2024 Beijing Half Marathon Organising Committee issued a decision on the investigation and handling of the men's race results," a state media report said Friday. It added: "The trophies, medals and bonuses will be recovered." The race's bizarre finish saw He cross the line first after two runners from Kenya and one from Ethiopia seemed to deliberately allow him to win. He, the 2023 Asian Games marathon gold medallist, won by one second after his supposed rivals appeared to slow down towards the finish and waved him out in front. Читать дальше...

The United States on Thursday spoiled a long-shot Palestinian bid for full United Nations membership, vetoing a Security Council measure despite growing international distress over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Iran's state media reported explosions in the central province of Isfahan on Friday, raising fears of a possible Israeli strike in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country. Here's what we know so far.