France and Germany said on Monday they had agreed to abandon a joint fighter jet programme due to disagreements between the companies involved, in a blow to European efforts to boost defence cooperation. Speaking with FRANCE 24's Mark Owen, Jeanette Süß, Research Fellow, Study Committee on Franco-German Relations, explains that "France and Germany are characterised by totally different strategic cultures, totally different military cultures and also in their weapons systems".

Protesters on Tuesday set vehicles on fire and blocked several central roads in the Northern Ireland city of Belfast after police charged a Sudanese national suspected of violently stabbing another man in the street the night before. The attack was caught on video and prompted far-right figures to call for anti-migrant protests across the United Kingdom.

Pope Leo on June 9 arrived in Barcelona where he will celebrate mass in the Sagrada Familia Basilica and bless the new tower that has made it the world's tallest church. It was completed after 144 years spent under construction. The Pope's visit coincides with the 100th year of its architect's death, architect Antoni Gaudi. FRANCE 24's Eve Jackson went to Barcelona to learn more about one of the world's most famous architects.

Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed reports that he asked Roman Abramovich to pass on an offer of direct talks to Vladimir Putin. A Russian oligarch loyal to the Kremlin may be a surprise choice of messenger for Kyiv, but the former Chelsea owner has a history of acting as go-between since the start of Russia’s invasion.

The Nigerian army said on June 7 it freed 360 people abducted by Boko Haram in the northeastern part of the country. The operation, according to the army’s statement, was conducted in the Mandara mountains which form a part of the militant group’s stronghold. It resulted in the release of several people, including children, who had been abducted across different communities in Borno.

PRESS REVIEW – Tuesday, June 9: We look at how the Chinese papers are covering Xi Jinping's two-day visit to North Korea. The New York Times examines how Pyongyang has transformed its economy through repression and fortuity. In the UK, West Ham's billionaire former co-owner David Sullivan is accused of sexual coercion by several women, with his past as a porn baron also under scrutiny. Plus: actor Idris Elba explains why fans are not ready for a Black James Bond.

France and Germany have agreed to scrap a landmark project to build a next generation fighter jet. The move is a setback for European defense cooperation at a time when leaders are pushing for greater military unity, amid increasing tension with the United States.

The EU has invited Taliban representatives to Brussels for technical talks on deportations, which could take place before the summer. This despite worries that such talks could normalise the Taliban, on top of legal and human rights concerns about sending people back to the country. Critics say that by diplomatically engaging the Taliban, the EU is trading its soul for a migration deal.

French singer and actor Patrick Bruel will be held in police custody until Wednesday as investigators questioned him over allegations of sexual assault and rape involving at least a dozen women, prosecutors said, adding that two new rape complaints had recently been filed.

Seven Georgian nationals are due in court in Paris on Tuesday for the theft of rare works by Russian literary giants including Alexander Pushkin from prestigious French libraries, in a case prosecutors say formed part of a Europe-wide organised theft operation.

Russian strikes killed four people and wounded 10 others in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, according to local officials. The attack hit the city of Chuguiv, causing fires, damaging residential buildings and vehicles, and adding to a surge in civilian casualties amid intensified fighting in recent months.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he held a positive conversation with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on Monday, signalling renewed efforts to advance diplomacy over the war with Russia. The call came as European leaders backed a proposed meeting between Zelensky and Vladimir Putin to seek a ceasefire.

Human rights groups are raising the alarm after the European Commission invited Taliban officials to Brussels to discuss migrant deportations. More than 80 groups are asking the European Commission to reverse course, saying that the move risks normalizing a regime that has banned girls from school, and barred women from much of public life. FRANCE 24's Monte Francis speaks with Fawzia Koofi, former Vice President of Afghanistan's National Assembly. She says that inviting the Taliban 'sends the wrong signal to anyone that is using power as a means of suppression'.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Armenia is moving to distance itself from Russia and forge closer ties with the European Union. Despite pro-Russian disinformation campaigns targeting the government, the pro-European candidate won the parliamentary elections held on June 7.

Pope Leo XIV told Spanish bishops on Monday to provide reparations and adopt a "culture of care" ahead of an expected meeting with survivors of clergy sexual abuse during his weeklong visit to the country. The Spanish hierarchy had largely dismissed the scale of abuse in their church for decades until a newspaper began documenting a legacy of abuse and cover-up.

A drone that entered NATO member Latvia's airspace from Russia on Monday was shot down by a French military fighter jet, as fragments of another drone were found in a field in Moldova after it entered from Ukraine earlier the same day. Military drones straying into the airspace of ​Russia's neighbours have stoked concerns that the war in Ukraine is spilling over NATO's borders.

At the MuMa du Havre, Chinese artist Ai Weiwei revisits Monet's famous Water lilies through two monumental works composed of 650,000 Lego bricks. Behind the technical prowess is also a more intimate story, marked by exile, dissent - and the artist's family history.

FRANCE 24's Charles Pellegrin is pleased to welcome Dr Narek Sukiasyan, Senior Policy Researcher at Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Armenia and Adjunct Lecturer at American University of Armenia. He argues that while Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's victory does signal a continued ouverture towards the West 'in the shape and form of the European Union" he must carefully manage Armenia's dependence on Russia. The election was about far more than foreign policy, explains Dr. Sukiasyan. Security, social concerns, economic vulnerability, and the legacy of conflict were equally central to voters' decisions. Armenia navigating multiple transitions at once: between war and peace, dependence and diversification, polarization and democratic consolidation. 

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's ruling party has won parliamentary elections, according to results from Armenia's electoral commission, cementing the nation's Westward tilt. The result comes despite threats from Moscow and claims of Russian interference. According to the country's electoral commission, voter turnout in the ballot was 59%.

Massimo Faggioli is a Church Historian and Professor in Historical and Contemporary Ecclesiology at Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin. He tells us more about Pope Leo XIV's visit to Spain.