Favourites Finland and Israel advanced from the first Eurovision semi-final on Tuesday, despite five countries boycotting the contest over Israel’s participation. Belgium pulled off a surprise qualification, while Croatia, Greece, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Serbia and Sweden also secured spots in Saturday’s grand final in Vienna.

Iran’s chief negotiator said on Tuesday Washington must accept Tehran’s latest peace plan or risk the collapse of the Middle East truce, after President Donald Trump warned the ceasefire was near failure. The war, triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran more than two months ago, has destabilised the region and rattled global markets.

Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche on Tuesday defended issuing subpoenas to journalists as part of investigations into leaks of classified information. Blanche did not name any outlet in a post on X, but his remarks came a day after The Wall Street Journal reported receiving grand jury subpoenas tied to Iran war coverage.

The 79th Cannes Film Festival is officially underway, and France 24 is live from the Croisette for its very first Cannes 2026 special. Join Culture Editor Eve Jackson and Film Critic Emma Jones as they break down the biggest moments from opening night: the honorary Palme d’Or presented to Peter Jackson, the arrival of Hollywood stars on the red carpet, and the films already creating buzz on the Croisette.

Speaking with FRANCE 24's Sharon Gaffney, David Sacks, Fellow for Asia studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, explains that Trump "could choose to change US policy towards Taiwan and Congress only has so many things that it can do to try to rein that in". U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese ​President Xi ‌Jinping are holding two days of meetings on Thursday and ⁠Friday where the issue of Taiwan, which Beijing views as its own territory, is certain to come up.

“If now everyone is rushing to isolate Rwanda simply because the Americans have done so, there is little chance of persuading Rwanda to adopt a cooperative policy.” In an exclusive interview with FRANCE 24, RFI and TV5Monde, French President Emmanuel Macron called for dialogue with Rwanda and DR Congo

In tonight's edition, sovereignty was the buzzword of Kenyan President William Ruto at the close of the Africa Forward summit in Nairobi. Also, in the biggest change on the ground in months,  Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have retreated from seized territory in the DRC. And as the war in Iran continues to disrupt exports around the world, Zimbabwe's horticulture industry is also struggling with rising shipping costs, which are threatening vital exports. 

As the number of confirmed hantavirus cases from the Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius reaches 9, social media users firmly revived Covid-19 era conspiracy theories of “bioweapons” and “plandemics,” making the online rhetoric feel eerily familiar. Among these resurrected theories, the name of American billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has once again emerged.

"I think we should have had that challenging dialogue sooner. And perhaps in such cases, we should have rethought our military presence sooner." In his interview with FRANCE 24, RFI and TV5Monde, French President Emmanuel Macron reflected on the state of relations between France and the Sahel countries. Here's a part of his interview.

Global oil prices rose further with Brent crude climbing near $110 a barrel, as a standoff over the Strait of Hormuz continues with the US and Iran both rejecting the other's ceasefire proposal.  Meanwhile, Japanese snack giant Calbee has decided to temporarily switch to black and white packaging for some of its products including crisps and prawn crackers due to supply instability in printing ink, made using petrochemical materials. 

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday spoke to FRANCE 24 at the close of the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya. Here’s what you need to know about how Macron sees France’s changing relationship with African nations.

The 2026 Cannes Film Festival began on Tuesday with actors Jane Fonda and Gong Li presenting the opening ceremony, and New Zealand's Peter Jackson, who directed the Lord of the Rings trilogy, receiving an honorary Palme d'Or award for his career.