After being denied entry to the US, Somali referee Omar Artan was given a hero’s welcome upon his return to Somalia. Large numbers of supporters and Somali government officials received him enthusiastically at the airport in the capital, Mogadishu.

Masked men set fire to homes and torched cars and buses in a wave of anti-immigrant violence in Belfast on Tuesday night, following a knife attack allegedly by a Sudanese refugee in the city.

Genie Godula is pleased to welcome Ali Vaez, Iran Project Director at the International Crisis Group. As Iran and the US seek an end to the war, an agreement so far remains elusive. Vaez challenges Donald Trump's claims that a deal is imminent, arguing that Trump is trapped between "an unwinnable war and an unpresentable deal". Rather than addressing the fundamental disputes surrounding Iran's nuclear programme, sanctions, or regional rivalries, the deal would merely restore the status quo: "All this deal would do is to basically consolidate the ceasefire. It would not resolve anything."

A bear that roamed the streets of a Japanese city for four days, forcing mass school closures, was caught on Tuesday, capping a search involving dozens of hunters and police. Terrified families in the city of Utsunomiya, north of Tokyo, peered through windows as a search mission that included helicopters tried to track down the animal following multiple sightings, including in a shopping arcade, at a university and at a wholesale market.

Masked men burned families out of their homes in Belfast and torched ​a number of vehicles in a wave of anti-immigrant violence on Tuesday night that followed a knife attack by a Sudanese man. Hundreds of protesters, many with their faces covered, attacked police and burned vehicles in a number of locations across Northern Ireland after a video of the knife attack, which left one person with serious neck and head wounds, went viral. FRANCE 24's Hervé Amoric reports from Belfast.

The World Cup referee from Somalia who was denied entry to the United States after arriving in Miami and subsequently cut from the tournament by FIFA was set to make history for his country. Omar Artan was going to be the first referee from Somalia to officiate at a World Cup after making FIFA’s final list for the tournament, which was announced two months ago. He is one of Africa’s top referees and was named the continent’s best male referee in 2025. He was denied entry at Miami International Airport on Saturday over “vetting concerns,” U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement without giving details of those concerns. FRANCE 24's Shirli Sitbon tells us more.

Pope Leo XIV will bless the giant new tower of the famed Sagrada Familia Basilica in Barcelona on Wednesday and celebrate mass inside what is now the world's tallest church. The church is a still-unfinished modernist masterpiece by architect Antoni Gaudi that was visited by nearly five million people last year. The pope's visit during a week-long trip to Spain coincides with the 100th anniversary of Gaudi's death on June 10, 1926. FRANCE 24's Sarah Morris reports from Barcelona.

"Lift up your eyes" is the motto of Pope Leo XIV's upcoming visit to Spain. It's an invitation to look up at the soaring towers of the Sagrada Família in Barcelona. The Pope's visit comes as the city marks the centenary of Antoni Gaudí's death and celebrates the completion of the basilica's central Tower of Jesus Christ. It’s a major step in a project that has been under construction for more than 140 years. FRANCE 24’s Eve Jackson takes us inside Gaudí's unfinished masterpiece and explores the enduring legacy of the architect who continues to shape Barcelona's skyline.

Shakira will have some special guests performing with her at this year's World Cup half time show... The Ghetto Kids dance troupe from Uganda. The young performers, who are aged between 4 and 16, say they're looking forward to it. They'll be sharing the line up with BTS and Madonna.

France’s justice minister has rejected calls to resign following public outrage over judicial failures linked to the killing of an 11-year-old girl. The case has renewed scrutiny of how sexual abuse allegations are handled across the country. According to the independent commission CIIVISE, only 7% of reported sexual assaults against minors lead to a conviction. Amid growing demands for reform, here is the story of Léa. Now 17, she filed a rape complaint at the age of 11. Six years later, no charges have been filed against the man she accuses, who still lives just 300 metres from her family home.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards ​said they had carried out missile and drone attacks on U.S. military bases in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain on Wednesday in retaliation for American strikes on Iranian targets around the Strait of Hormuz. The clashes mark one of the biggest exchanges in hostilities since the two countries agreed to a ceasefire in April and came after U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran had downed a U.S. Apache helicopter near the strait on Tuesday.

President Donald Trump vowed on Tuesday to respond after he accused Iran of shooting down a US military helicopter the previous night, hours after he said negotiations to end the Middle East war were in their final stages. FRANCE 24's Fraser Jackson reports from Washington.

Award-winning Somali referee Omar Artan has been dropped from officiating at the World Cup after being barred from entering the United States. Speaking with FRANCE 24's Mark Owen, Alexander Cooley, Claire Tow Professor of Political Science at Barnard College, explains that "we're seeing the Trump's administration adherence to hard-line immigration laws clash against the reality of what you need to stage a truly global event".

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".

Lebanon's health ministry said an Israeli airstrike on Tyre killed at least eight people on Tuesday, with the Israeli military warning the entire city to evacuate shortly after the strike. Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported raids on more than a dozen other locations across the country's south, as Israel pressed on with its war against the militant group Hezbollah. FRANCE 24's Antonia Kerrigan reports from Beirut

France Tuesday banned Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from entering the country, as part of coordinated sanctions with other countries over settler violence against Palestinians. FRANCE 24's Noga Tarnopolsky reports from Jerusalem.

"It's enough now. Things have to change."Face à l'inceste's Solène Podevin-Favre tells #F24Spotlight the tragic murder of 11-year-old Lyhanna illustrates 'systemic failures' in the 'entire' French judicial system.Full interview ➡️https://f24.my/Bybo

A bear that roamed the streets of a Japanese city for four days, forcing mass school closures, was caught on June 9, capping a search involving dozens of hunters and police. Bear attacks have been on the rise in Japan. Last week, a bear attack in the northeastern city of Fukushima left at least four people injured, and authorities failed at capturing it.

Traditionally, international sports competitions are seen as a way of overlooking division and differences, and disregarding geopolitics tension - which is the reason why North Korea competes in the Olympics for example. But this year's World Cup is proving an exception. Residents of countries placed on a US travel restriction list are finding their attendance at the World Cup is not garanteed. FRANCE 24's Kethevane Gorjestani explains.