As Lebanon marks a month since “Black Wednesday”, when massive Israeli strikes killed 361 people, the international community continues to call on the Lebanese army to disarm Hezbollah. But the US legal imperative to ensure Israel has a “qualitative military edge” (QME) has kept the Lebanese military under-funded, under-equipped and unable to perform its role.

With PSG on the brink of history, following a very tight semi-final match against German powerhouse Bayern-Munich, Oliver Farry is pleased to welcome Victor Bolorunduro, Reporter for The Peninsula Qatar. The reigning European champions will now face Arsenal. According to Bolorunduro, PSG has discovered a "cohesiveness" and developed “a remarkable improvement from one match to another.” He places PSG’s current form within a broader narrative of European football evolution, once criticized for inconsistency, now “on the verge of retaining the title” for another year. 

Security is tight as Moscow prepares for the May 9 Victory Day parade on Red Square, marking the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945. For the first time in nearly 20 years, the event will be held without military hardware. Mobile Internet restrictions are already in effect across the Russian capital.

Stuck between a rock and a hard place.Université Paris Nanterre's Nicolas Jara-Joly tells #F24Debate #Tories are struggling to find their own voice, caught between far-right #Reform and centre-left #Labour ➡️https://f24.my/BuFe 

The number of children diagnosed with cancer in France is on the rise. Other serious medical conditions – birth defects, neurodevelopmental disorders and reduced IQ – are following the same alarming trend. Scientists are increasingly pointing to pesticides as a major risk factor. Yet France remains Europe's leading consumer of pesticides and ranks third worldwide. Across the country, parents and doctors are speaking out about the use of pesticides and their impact on the health of children. 

Israel pummelled southern Lebanon on Thursday, state media and AFP correspondents said, a day after it targeted a Hezbollah commander in its first strike on Beirut's southern suburbs since a truce sought to end weeks of fighting. The Israeli army said Thursday that the strike on the southern suburbs killed "the Commander of Hezbollah's 'Radwan Force' Unit", an elite unit within the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah. FRANCE 24's Renée Davis reports from Beirut, Lebanon.

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva flew to Washington Wednesday for talks with US President Donald Trump on thorny issues, while seeking to boost his image at home ahead of October elections. Lula, 80, and Trump, 79, are ideological opposites who have had a rocky relationship, and their meeting Thursday will be only their second official encounter since they held talks in Malaysia last year.

Iran is giving privileged internet access to a small group of approved users, while most of the population remains offline during a prolonged nationwide blackout. More than 60 days into one of the longest shutdowns in its history, authorities are moving from blanket censorship to a system that selects who can connect – raising concerns over inequality, economic damage and tighter control of dissent.

The war with Iran has prompted many economies to reevaluate their energy needs and strategy. In Europe, several countries are considering reviving the use of nuclear power. Sweden, Belgium, and Italy are among those rolling back previous restrictions, while France and the UK are spearheading new nuclear projects.

Not far from the North Pole, in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, lies a piece of Russia. In NATO member state Norway, two Russian villages, or "settlements" as Moscow calls them, have been active for decades. This frozen, hostile land at the ends of the Earth has caught Moscow's interest.

Swiss voters look set to back a controversial proposal aimed at cutting immigration that could send shock waves through Switzerland and the EU. Editor Helena Bachmann says Swiss voters appear to have fallen victim to scare tactics.