The resignation of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer less than two years after his election victory, extreme heat grips France, fans fete the World Cup and twin earthquakes ravage Venezuela: FRANCE 24 looks back at some of the week's most striking images. »»»

New Caledonia goes to the poll on Sunday in crucial elections. The possibility of independence from France remains the central political issue, with today’s vote taking place peacefully. The election comes two years after plans to expand voting rights to thousands of non-Indigenous residents trigge»»»

Burkina Faso's military junta on Friday cut diplomatic ties with former colonial power France, accusing Paris of acting against its interests and backing subversive networks and militants in the Sahel. The move deepens the ruling authorities' break with Western allies since Captain Ibrahim Traore s»»»

Voting in the French overseas territory of New Caledonia closed on Sunday, with a turnout of 54.42 per cent, as citizens participated in the archipelago's first provincial elections since 2019. The results of the election, initially planned for 2024, will determine the balance of power in»»»

The Public Health France agency said Sunday that around 1,000 more deaths than expected occurred during a record-breaking heatwave that baked much of western Europe for days, adding that 85 percent of the casualties were people aged 65 and over. The agency stressed that the figu»»»

Tens of millions of people are enduring extreme temperatures across Europe as a deadly heatwave pushes eastward. Scientists say a heatwave of this intensity so early in the summer would have been virtually impossible without human-caused climate change. Switzerland has broken its record for the hot»»»

Search and rescue teams have pulled a nine-month-old baby and his mother from the rubble three days after two earthquakes struck Venezuela. The disaster has claimed more than 1,000 lives, and search efforts are still underway for the hundreds of people who remain missing. Yinka Oyetade has more.»»»

Frustration mounted in Venezuela's state of La Guaira on Saturday as rescuers and civilians used shovels, heavy equipment, ropes and bare hands to look for survivors of the devastating twin earthquakes that killed at least 1,430 people. Many citizens have been critical of what they s»»»

An intense heatwave that scorched western Europe this week spread into central and eastern parts of the continent on Saturday, bringing record temperatures from Denmark to Switzerland and Germany. The extreme heat disrupted transport, strained hospitals and renewed concerns over the growing impact »»»

Bulgaria's direct exports of weapons and ammunition to Ukraine surged dramatically in 2024, reaching 156,365,717 euros, according to an official response from the Ministry of Economy, Investments and Industry to Bulgarian media BGNES. Compared with the previous year, when direct deliveries amounted»»»

Europol has identified Bulgaria as a key transit country along a migrant smuggling route running from Turkey toward Western Europe, according to a new report released today. The analysis outlines how criminal networks operating in the region used Bulgaria as part of a broader cross-border trafficki»»»

The US military launched a second wave of airstrikes against Iran on Saturday on President Donald Trump's orders after Tehran struck Bahrain and Kuwait, escalating tensions that threatened a fragile interim deal. The attack on Kuwait was the first since the accord, as a US-led maritime body expande»»»

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday hailed a US-brokered agreement with Lebanon as a blow to Iran and Hezbollah, while the militant group's leader, Naim Qassem, rejected the framework as "null and void". The opposing stances underscored the uncertainty surrounding a deal intended »»»

The Israeli military carried out an air strike Saturday on the Nabatiyeh area of southern Lebanon, a day after the US announced a framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon. The news comes as Tehran accused the Washington of a "blatant violation" of the peace deal after the latest American stri»»»

Russian regions have been battling a fuel shortage since June 23, with bus services cut, fares raised and even rubbish collection halted in places as authorities scramble to manage a diesel deficit now recorded across almost all regions, local media reported on June 27. The shortage exposes th»»»

Nearly 7 million people may have been affected by the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela this week, the United Nations said on Saturday, as the death toll approached 1,000 and tens of thousands remained missing. The UN said up to 6.76 million people could have been impacted, including around tw»»»

John Bolton has gone from being one of Donald Trump's closest allies to one of his most outspoken critics. On Friday, the former national security adviser pleaded guilty to mishandling classified information, some of which prosecutors say was later used in his memoir, The Room Where It Happened, a »»»

The Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors announced an agreement on Friday that has been described as a step toward peace after months of cross-border fighting between Israeli forces and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. The deal marks a potential breakthrough in efforts to ease tensions following »»»

After seven consecutive days of extreme heat, French hospitals have reached a critical point, with emergency departments reporting a sharp increase in heat-related health cases within just 24 hours between Wednesday and Thursday. According to emergency physician and infectious disease specialist Dr»»»

France's prolonged heatwave has now claimed the life of a fourth child, while the overall death toll continues to rise. In Paris, an adult man was found unresponsive in the Canal Saint-Martin after reportedly swimming outside the designated area. As Europe's most severe heatwave on record continues»»»

​France, Britain, Switzerland and ‌Germany all experienced record heat in June and the weather system could test more records ⁠as it rolls across Germany towards Poland Saturday. Germany reached a new record of 41.3°C Friday near the city of Saarbruecken close to the French border while dozens»»»

Thousands of Vespa enthusiasts rode through Rome on Saturday as Italy celebrated the 80th anniversary of its iconic scooter. Created in the aftermath of World War II, the Vespa has evolved from an affordable means of transport into a global symbol of Italian design, lifestyle and cinematic glamour.»»»

London: Novak Djokovic is taking inspiration from Serena Williams' sensational comeback as he sets his sights on a record-breaking triumph at Wimbledon. Williams has returned to tennis at the age of 44 and will play her first singles match in four years when she faces Maya Joint in the Wimbledon fi»»»

On June 24, Romania’s Chamber of Deputies quietly approved a controversial bill proposing the country’s unification with neighboring Moldova. For decades, Romanian nationalists have championed the slogan “Basarabia e România” – ”Bessarabia is Romania” – a phrase emblazoned on walls across Bucharest»»»

BANGUI: The Central African Republic has declared a cholera outbreak after confirming 24 deaths and 197 cases near the capital Bangui, according to the health minister. “The Ministry of Health... has today, June 26, 2026, confirmed a cholera outbreak in the health districts of Bimbo and Mbaiki,” so»»»

HOUSTON: Before the team buses had arrived at the NRG Stadium on Friday night, local media had billed Houston as Saudi Arabia’s “home away from home,” a city with deep economic, educational and cultural ties to the Kingdom. Yet by full-time, as the white-shirted Saudis lay prostrate after crashing »»»

On Friday, the images raised more questions than answers: a light aircraft crashed into the glass façade of Beijing's tallest building, emergency crews below and police sealing off much of the surrounding business district. Now some of those questions have been answered. Chinese authorities said Sa»»»

Sydney: Australia will double the financial penalty on platforms flouting its world-leading social media ban for under-16s to stem widespread evasion of the restrictions, the government said on Saturday. New legislation will lift the maximum fine to Aus$99 million ($68 million) for systemic breache»»»

Meyrin, Switzerland: The world's most powerful particle accelerator will Monday shutter operations for four years of renovations to dramatically boost its collision-capacity and the potential for unlocking one of the greatest mysteries of the Universe: dark matter. The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) -»»»

Share: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on as State Department Counselor Daniel Holler, Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter and Lebanon’s Ambassador to the U.S. Nada Hamadeh sign a framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon, at the State Department in Washington, D.C., U.S.,»»»

A German court has sentenced Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, a Saudi immigrant, to life in prison for driving a car into a crowded Christmas market in Magdeburg in December 2024, killing six people, including a nine-year-old boy, and injuring more than 200. The Magdeburg Regional Court handed down the senten»»»

SYDNEY: Australia will double the financial penalty on platforms flouting its world-leading social media ban for under-16s to stem widespread evasion of the restrictions, the government said on Saturday. New legislation will lift the maximum fine to Aus$99 million ($68 million) for systemic breache»»»

JAKARTA: Indonesia is stepping up efforts to promote Muslim-friendly destinations across the country, as tourism officials seek to position the country as the world’s best after recently securing second place in the latest Global Muslim Travel Index. Indonesia ranked second in this year’s Mastercar»»»

BERLIN/MILAN: Germany and Italy endured sweltering conditions on Saturday as a heatwave linked to dozens of deaths in Western Europe spread eastwards after temperatures broke records above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Britain, France, Switzerland and Germany have all experienced rec»»»

Foreign search and rescue teams have arrived in Venezuela to assist with the desperate and slow-moving search for survivors after the country's most powerful earthquake in more than a century. The death toll nearly doubled on Thursday to 920, but authorities warn the final number is expected to be »»»

KYIV: Ukraine struck a major industrial facility in the Russian city of Volgograd, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday, while a Russian drone attack killed a man in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region overnight. Ukraine has stepped up its long-range aerial attacks on Russian militar»»»

A disturbing alleged confession has intensified scrutiny in the death of realtor Ketan Agarwal, with police claiming the accused said it felt “easier” to kill her fiance than to call off her arranged marriage and face her family, according to NDTV. Pune Rural Police sources told investigators that »»»

Secretary's SpeechLebanon PalestineZionist EntityRegional and International International More Video Language Ar En Fr EsSubscribe for Weekly Updates Subscribe Lebanese Speaker Berri Warns against Internal Strife 27-06-2026 15:27 PM Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in an image from archive.I»»»

Rome: More than 10,000 Vespas putt-putt-putted around the Colosseum and past the Roman Forum on Saturday, marking the 80th anniversary of the iconic scooter. Enthusiasts came from all over. Vespa-borne visitors converged on the Eternal City's cobblestone streets to celebrate a brand they likewise v»»»

Share: Nada Hamadeh Moawad, the Lebanese ambassador to the United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined Israel and Lebanon’s ambassadors to the U.S. Friday to announce a framework agreement that was described as a first step toward peace following months of conflict between Israel and the Le»»»

Los Angeles, United States: England and Portugal will aim to finish on a high as the World Cup group stages draw to a close on Saturday with the final places in the knockout rounds up for grabs. Both nations have been inconsistent in the opening rounds of the tournament, alternating between laboure»»»

Member of Hezbollah’s Loyalty to Resistance parliamentary bloc MP Hasan Fadlallah voiced the Lebanese resistance group’s sweeping rejection of the so-called framework agreement between the political authority in Lebanon and the Israeli enemy, warning it violates the constitution and threatens the f»»»

Speaker Nabih Berri on Saturday warned the Lebanese against being dragged into "sedition" in the wake of the Lebanon-Israel agreement. "O my people in Lebanon, all of Lebanon, this is sedition," Berri said, apparently referring to the agreement and Hezbollah's rejection of it. "Be in strife like a »»»

Arab Finance: The prices of several food commodities and vegetables in Egyptian markets fluctuated on Thursday, June 25th, according to the Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC). A kilogram of packaged rice reached EGP 34.3 per kilogram, with a daily increase of 0.7%. Likewise, the price o»»»

MANILA: The Philippines is preparing to showcase its gaming talent at the Esports Nations Cup in Riyadh later this year, after Filipino players qualified to compete for at least two titles in the inaugural competition. Saudi Arabia will host the inaugural ENC in November. The cup is set to become a»»»

Beijing: A pilot was killed when his small aircraft crashed into Beijing's tallest building, with 13 people also injured, Chinese authorities said on Saturday without elaborating on the cause of the rare incident. Witnesses of Friday's crash reported plane debris at the base of the 528-metre (1,732»»»

Dubai: An oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz was struck and damaged by an "unidentified projectile", British maritime security agency UKMTO said on Saturday, following the first exchange of fire between the US and Iran since their deal to end the Middle East war. "The vessel sustained damage to the»»»

President Joseph Aoun said a deal signed with Israel on Friday was a first step towards fully restoring Lebanon's sovereignty after the latest war between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah. "The framework agreement signed today is a first step" that will enable Lebanese "to return to their fully lib»»»

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel would remain in south Lebanon until Hezbollah disarms, shortly after the announcement in Washington of a framework agreement with the United States and Lebanon. "The most important thing is, first of all, that Israel remains in the security»»»