enToday's news, livenews and breaking top stories on France 24https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/Tue, 02 Jun 2026 13:03:46 GMTEntertainmenthttps://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260602-legendary-130-year-old-french-wine-restored-after-decades-under-czech-castle-floor The bottles of Chateau d'Yquem -- one of the world's most expensive, highly-prized sweet white wines -- are a part of a collection of 136 bottles discovered at the western Czech castle of Becov nad Teplou in the 1980s, slated to go on display in the future. The collection once belonged to the noble Beaufort-Spontin family, who left the old Czechoslovakia hastily at the end of the war when they were suspected of having collaborated with the Nazis. The wine spent decades hidden under the floorboards of the castle chapel alongside the shrine of St Maurus before communist secret police found them in 1985. But while the shrine was taken to Prague at once to undergo extensive reconstruction before returning to Becov to be displayed in 2002, the wine was left where it was. Ten years ago, it was rediscovered during stock-taking and a painstaking rescue operation began. Chateau d'Yquem, from the Sauternes area of Bordeaux, led the way, taking care of their eight wines, made in 1892 and 1896. "We tasted a very small quantity to be sure that, aromatically and in terms of balance on the palate and overall perception, the wine corresponded to a Chateau d'Yquem of that age," said the winery's cellar master Toni El Khawand. Laboratory tests proved the wine was a real Chateau d'Yquem, and the winery could then replace the corks and fit the original bottles with capsules to protect them. As the wine gradually gave way to oxygen, the winery had to re-bottle it, returning only five full original bottles to Becov as a result. Speaking at a presentation of the reconditioned bottles, El Khawand said tasting the wine, which has survived owing to its high sugar content, was "a magical experience". "What we're really doing when we open it is unveiling a time capsule. We pull out this cork that has sealed the liquid off from its surroundings and, in a way, from the passage of time," he told AFP. 'A liquid memory' "The wine impressed us with its freshness on the palate," he said. "It is very, very fresh, with an almost acidic freshness." Relishing the wine's "great complexity", El Khawand singled out cedar, dried fruit, saffron, cinnamon and nutmeg aromas in the wine, coupled with "aromas more typical of a Chateau d'Yquem at this age: notes of chocolate, coffee, mocha, aromas of oud". More recent vintages of Yquem sell for hundreds of dollars a bottle, and the Czech National Heritage Institute has put the value of the entire collection at around $5 million if sold at auction. But El Khawand refused to give a financial estimate. "First and foremost, it has moral and historical value," he said. "It is a memory, ultimately -- a liquid memory, to be sure -- but it is a memory of all those who came before us, of the work that was done," El Khawand added. No auction is on the cards for now -- instead, Becov is planning to exhibit all the bottles from the collection containing wine and cognac, including an 1899 Pedro Ximenez sherry and an 1892 port. The castle has started a fundraising campaign for the new exhibition. "If we raise the money, we will definitely want to do a more thorough analysis of the wines," said Katerina Nyvltova, the collections manager at Becov. "And if we can recondition the rest, we'll definitely go for it," she told AFP. 75889b96-5e83-11f1-8674-033d6875be4eTue, 02 Jun 2026 13:03:31 GMT© Michal Cizek / AFPFRANCE24Spotlighthttps://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/spotlight/20260602-why-are-so-many-leaving-martinique We’re joined by Renée Bertini, a journalist with ENTR’s English-language team, who takes us to Martinique, one of France’s overseas territories in the Caribbean. She explains the main issues faced by young people in Martinique (lack of academic and job opportunies, complicated colonial legacy...) and how this is pushing so many of them to leave for mainland France. 30298fce-5e83-11f1-899b-033d6875be4eTue, 02 Jun 2026 13:01:35 GMTFrançois PICARDhttps://www.france24.com/en/video/20260602-ebola-recoveries-bring-signs-of-hope-in-drc Four nurses who were being treated for Ebola caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus have been discharged from ​a hospital in ‌Bunia in the Democratic Republic of Congo after recovering from the disease, the World ⁠Health Organization said on Sunday. More recoveries are expected, especially when people are diagnosed early and able to access care, and as the response to the outbreak intensifies. 93208840-5e82-11f1-8492-d5b77dd56ea7Tue, 02 Jun 2026 13:00:04 GMTFRANCE24https://www.france24.com/en/video/20260602-civilians-caught-in-the-crossfire-as-israel-continues-strikes-across-lebanon Israeli drone strikes on southern Lebanon on Tuesday killed at least eight people, including a father and his two children, a day after US President Donald Trump said Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah agreed to dial back fighting. FRANCE 24's Renée Davis reports from Beirut, Lebanon. e35f94a0-5e81-11f1-b848-d5b77dd56ea7Tue, 02 Jun 2026 12:58:41 GMTFRANCE24Perspectivehttps://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/perspective/20260602-french-slavery-law-repealed-now-we-can-start-talking-about-reparations-historian-says Now that France has finally repealed the so-called Code Noir or Black Code, experts are urging the country to also consider the issue of reparations. The Code Noir was the law that effectively regulated slavery by making people like property, notably in the French colonies – enabling people to be worked, beaten, sold, raped and even killed. It was only repealed last week, even though France abolished slavery back in 1848. In Perspective, we spoke to Olivette Otele, a historian and professor at SOAS in London. 66cd7c34-5e60-11f1-8519-ff7b1f54c746Tue, 02 Jun 2026 12:37:54 GMTStuart NORVALInternationalhttps://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260602-un-warns-world-to-prepare-for-el-nino-extreme-weather "Fuelled by unusually warm ocean waters in the tropical Pacific, El Nino conditions are developing and are set to influence global temperature and rainfall patterns," the United Nations' WMO weather and climate agency said. Forecasts from the WMO global network "indicate a pronounced shift toward El Nino conditions, with probabilities reaching 80 percent for June-August", the Geneva-based organisation said. El Nino is a natural climate phenomenon that warms surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, bringing worldwide changes in winds, pressure and rainfall patterns. It typically takes place every two to seven years and lasts around nine to 12 months. Conditions oscillate between El Nino and its opposite La Nina, with neutral conditions in between. The likelihood of El Nino developing by November is "near or above 90 percent", and most forecast models suggest it will be "at least moderate -- and possibly strong", the WMO said in its quarterly El Nino/La Nina update. WMO chief Celeste Saulo said the world needed to get ready for an El Nino which could "exacerbate drought and heavy rainfall and increase the risk of heatwaves both on land and in the ocean". The WMO says that even a moderate El Nino makes some weather and climate extremes more likely. The last El Nino contributed to making 2023 the second-hottest year on record and 2024 the all-time high at around 1.55C above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial average. 'Urgent climate warning': Guterres In late April to mid-May, the sea-surface temperature in the central-eastern Equatorial Pacific -- the area used as a monitoring reference -- was approaching El Nino thresholds, the WMO said, with sub-surface temperatures more than 6C above average. Meanwhile, the Southern Oscillation Index -- the atmospheric component of El Nino -- is also consistent with the phenomenon developing. The WMO said there was no evidence that climate change increases the frequency or intensity of El Nino events. However, the agency believes it can amplify the associated effects, because a warmer ocean and atmosphere increase the availability of energy and moisture for extreme weather events, such as heatwaves and heavy rainfall. "El Nino is arriving on our doorstep," UN chief Antonio Guterres said in a video message. "The world must treat it as the urgent climate warning it is. El Nino conditions will pour fuel on the fire of a warming world. "The only effective response is climate action equal to the crisis -- ending the addiction to fossil fuels, accelerating the shift to renewables, protecting the most vulnerable, and delivering early warning systems for all." Saulo said 128 countries now have multi-hazard early-warning systems in place, with the UN target being universal coverage by the end of 2027. Temperatures above normal While El Nino typically peaks between November and February, the resulting spike in temperatures typically comes later down the line. Next month's forecast is likely to be more accurate as to the onset of El Nino and its strength. The WMO said that for June to August, forecasts project "a nearly universal dominance of above normal temperatures in nearly all parts of the globe". This increases the risk of compounding hazards in some regions and accelerating the onset of drought conditions where rainfall is reduced, it said. Saulo said El Nino would have "cascading impacts", with a warming ocean in the tropics resulting in effects on global trade. These go from "variability of the climate, into the economy and security of the people. That's why this information is so relevant and so important", she told reporters. The WMO hopes advance warning will guide preparedness, especially in climate-sensitive sectors like agriculture, water management, energy and health. Regional climate centres are predicting "below-normal" rainfall during the critical June-September rainy season in the northern Greater Horn of Africa; below-average monsoon rainfall in south Asia; and drier and warmer summer conditions in central America. During the northern hemisphere summer, warm waters associated with El Nino can fuel hurricanes in the central and eastern Pacific, while hindering their development in the Atlantic Ocean. 68e6d952-5e7e-11f1-a72c-033d6875be4eTue, 02 Jun 2026 12:27:23 GMT© MARTIN BERNETTI / AFPFRANCE24Sporthttps://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260602-liverpool-legend-dalglish-reveals-cancer-treatment Dalglish, who is one of Liverpool's greatest players and also managed the club in two spells, issued a statement about his diagnosis on Tuesday. The 75-year-old former forward said he had mistakenly posted about his health on social media before later confirming the treatment. "As my inadvertent social media post has indicated, I am currently undergoing treatment for cancer," Dalglish said. "Unlike my mobile phone use, the treatment is going well. "Ideally this would have remained private because that's the way it should be, but my useless technology skills have forced my hand. "Obviously I did not mean to make this matter public so I would appreciate it if the privacy of my family and myself are respected." Liverpool sent their "support, best wishes and love" to Dalglish, adding: "The club would also like to underscore his request for privacy moving forward." Dalglish's statement came just 24 hours after it was revealed that Liverpool star Kevin Keegan has stage four cancer. Dalglish, who was signed from Celtic to replace Keegan in 1977, won six English titles and three European Cups as a member of Liverpool's feared attack. He took over as player-manager ahead of the 1985/86 campaign and won the English title and the FA Cup in his first season. Dalglish, nicknamed "King Kenny" by Liverpool fans, led the club to the First Division title again in 1988 and 1990 and also lifted the 1989 FA Cup. He was widely praised for his handling of the Hillsborough tragedy in 1989, which resulted in the deaths of 97 Liverpool fans. But the emotional toll played a major role in Dalglish's decision to resign as Liverpool manager in 1991. He returned to management with Blackburn later that year and led them to the Premier League crown in 1995. Dalglish won the League Cup in his second spell as Liverpool boss but was sacked in 2012 after just 16 months following a disappointing Premier League campaign. He remains a regular at Liverpool games after becoming a non-executive director and had a stand named after him in 2018. d59f373e-5e7d-11f1-8769-17b0a76e7319Tue, 02 Jun 2026 12:23:16 GMT© PETER POWELL / AFPFRANCE24Mid-Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260602-iran-world-cup-squad-to-head-for-mexico-via-spain The 2026 World Cup is being hosted jointly by the United States, Mexico and Canada. Neither the United States, where Iran will play their three group stage matches, nor Mexico, where the team will be based throughout the tournament, have yet issued visas for the players. "We will leave for Spain on Saturday, and from there the team will go directly to Tijuana in Mexico," football federation chief Mehdi Taj said on Monday on a sports programme broadcast on state television. "We will obtain a Mexican visa tomorrow (Tuesday) or the day after, and then a US visa will be issued quickly," Taj said. Iran have been drawn in Group G and will play New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles on June 15 and 21, followed by a game against Egypt in Seattle on June 26. Taj said that the outbreak of the Middle East war on February 28, when the United States and Israel attacked Iran, "changed everything" for Team Melli. "The situation in the country, and especially the war, has upended all our plans," Taj said. "We had arranged good warm-up matches, including one against Spain, which was cancelled" in February. The Iranians relocated their World Cup base, which initially was planned to be in Tucson in the US state of Arizona, to the northwestern Mexican border city of Tijuana due to tensions over the Middle East war. Iran are currently preparing for the tournament in Turkey. On Friday they beat Gambia 3-1 in a friendly in Antalya, where they will play another warm-up match against Mali on Thursday. Taj complained that the team's World Cup preparations had been also dogged by "financial difficulties" because of the economic crisis in the country and the sharp depreciation of the rial against the dollar. d4f2df20-5e7d-11f1-a626-4d94ebcaa301Tue, 02 Jun 2026 12:23:15 GMT© Oner SAN / AFPFRANCE24Sporthttps://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260602-bologna-announce-tedesco-as-new-coach-replacing-italiano Italiano is one of the favourites to replace Antonio Conte as Napoli coach. "Bologna announces that it has appointed Domenico Tedesco as first team technical director," the club said in a statement, adding the coach had signed a two-year contract with an option for a further year. The 40-year-old, who holds joint Italian and German citizenship, recently left Turks Fenerbahce, where he replaced Jose Mourinho, after less than one season. He previously coached Schalke 04, Spartak Moscow and RB Leipzig, with whom he won the German Cup in 2022. He also spent two years at the helm of the Belgian national team. Born in Italy, Tedesco -- whose name means German in Italian -- was brought up in Germany from the age of two. He is set to be part of a summer coaching merry-go-round in Italy where Bologna, Napoli, AC Milan and Lazio will all hire a new boss, with Atalanta and Fiorentina potentially doing likewise. 6cff0f7a-5e7c-11f1-985c-4d94ebcaa301Tue, 02 Jun 2026 12:13:11 GMT© Oli SCARFF / AFP/FileFRANCE24Sporthttps://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260602-liverpool-close-to-hiring-iraola-reports Iraola has emerged as Liverpool's top target to replace Slot, who was sacked on Saturday after a turbulent second season in charge. Liverpool have reportedly agreed a deal in principle to bring the Spaniard, who left Bournemouth at the end of this season, to Anfield. Sporting director Richard Hughes was heavily involved in hiring Iraola during his time at Bournemouth and is again spearheading the recruitment of the highly rated coach. The Reds are believed to be keen to wrap up a deal with Iraola before the start of the World Cup next week, which would allow the 43-year-old a lengthy acclimatisation period before pre-season training. Slot was sacked last weekend after Liverpool finished fifth in the Premier League, 25 points behind champions Arsenal. The Dutchman had led Liverpool to the Premier League title in his debut season, but his follow-up campaign quickly turned into a nightmare. The death of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota last year had a huge impact at Anfield, while the club's £450 million ($606 million) spending spree on new signings failed to pay off. Slot's relationship with star forward Mohamed Salah also deteriorated, while Liverpool fans turned on the former Feyenoord manager due to his team's lifeless performances and poor results. Liverpool's pursuit of Iraola is in line with the club's desire to move back towards the aggressive, attacking style used by Slot's predecessor Jurgen Klopp. Iraola earned plaudits for Bournemouth's impressive sixth-place finish this season, which secured the club's first qualification for Europe in the Europa League. He arrived at Bournemouth from Raya Vallecano in 2023, having previously managed Mirandes and AEK Larnaca. Bournemouth improved each year under Iraola, finishing 12th, ninth and sixth. The Spaniard was praised for his astute tactics and development of youngsters including Eli Junior Kroupi and Alex Scott. Iraola is understood to be keen on taking his Bournemouth assistant Tommy Elphick with him to Anfield. Elphick, a boyhood Liverpool fan, has reportedly rejected an offer to become manager of second-tier side Bristol City. fe32a6ca-5e75-11f1-be58-17b0a76e7319Tue, 02 Jun 2026 11:27:08 GMT© Glyn KIRK / AFP/FileFRANCE24arts24https://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/arts24/20260602-peaky-blinders-star-joe-cole-and-director-clio-barnard-on-class-masculinity-and-modern-britain Premiering in the Directors' Fortnight section at the Cannes Film Festival, "I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning" is Clio Barnard's adaptation of Keiran Goddard's acclaimed novel about five childhood friends from working-class Birmingham whose lives have drifted far from the futures they once imagined. "Peaky Blinders" actor Joe Cole stars as Rian – the one who escaped, made money and seemingly "made it", only to discover that success cannot free him from the place he came from. 9309e010-5e67-11f1-90af-97440cfc772aTue, 02 Jun 2026 11:17:46 GMTEve JACKSONhttps://www.france24.com/en/video/20260602-japanese-tech-giant-pledges-massive-investment-for-french-data-centres Japanese SoftBank’s group announced 45 billion euros of investment in France by 2031 and the opening of three data centres. Data centre operators are choosing the country because it has space to expand and ample electricity thanks to its nuclear plants. 0f36c4c4-5e71-11f1-96b9-8dcd696fd8eaTue, 02 Jun 2026 11:04:16 GMTFRANCE24Press Reviewhttps://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/press-review/20260602-offshore-detention-hubs-europe-turns-to-trump-style-tactics-on-migration PRESS REVIEW – Tuesday, June 2: The European Union approves the creation of offshore "return hubs" to where failed asylum seekers could be sent. The British papers focus on a new trove of documents pertaining to Peter Mandelson, the former ambassador to the US. The Canadian province of Alberta will hold a referendum in October to decide on whether to vote on secession. Finally, researchers conclude that there is nothing foul about birds who masturbate. 5f16dd32-5e51-11f1-bdaa-43a4bb23ee3fTue, 02 Jun 2026 11:00:07 GMTDheepthika LAURENThttps://www.france24.com/en/video/20260602-ukrainian-cities-targeted-by-hundreds-of-russian-drones Moscow launched over 600 drones and 70 missiles on Kyv and other Ukrainian cities overnight on June 2. Dozens were injured, and the death toll is rising quickly. This comes as Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukraine in the past few weeks. d9f453a2-5e71-11f1-ad66-794dbe58c592Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:57:29 GMTFRANCE24Internationalhttps://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260602-israel-risks-new-quagmire-in-lebanon Israeli authorities praised the symbolism of the capture of Beaufort, perched atop a rocky outcrop, as they announced its capture in an assault documented by military drones. Almost 44 years to the day earlier, Israeli forces had seized the same commanding position overlooking a valley, later turning it into a key base during their two-decade occupation of southern Lebanon. By rapidly distributing footage of troops entering the fortress, the military echoed a famous 1982 image showing then-defence minister Ariel Sharon and prime minister Menahem Begin at the same spot. For many Israelis, however, the fortress remains a symbol not of victory, but of a costly military entanglement that ultimately failed to eradicate the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah. "The conquest of Beaufort is the most blatant sign that we haven't learned a thing," Israel's Reichman University professor Nadav Pollak said on X. 'Stupid PR photo-op' The Middle East lecturer and former Israeli intelligence officer decried a "stupid PR photo-op" and described Beaufort as "a place that to many Israelis is a symbol of the stupidity of staying in south Lebanon." More than 1,200 Israeli soldiers were killed and thousands more wounded in Lebanon before Israel withdrew in 2000. The military, now conducting its deepest incursion into Lebanon since the withdrawal, argues the site holds genuine strategic value. It says Iran-backed Hezbollah has launched 400 projectiles toward Israel from the area since fighting resumed in early March. Avigdor Kahalani, who commanded the assault on Beaufort in 1982, recalled fierce battles against Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) fighters entrenched there at the time. Though pleased to see the Israeli flag flying over the fortress once again, he told AFP he viewed the operation as a symbolic milestone and a stepping stone northward, rather than a decisive turning point. "I will be excited the moment they will destroy Hezbollah," said Kahalani, a former minister of internal security. 'Historic opportunity' According to Lebanese authorities, Hezbollah has accepted a US proposal for a "mutual cessation of attacks", while President Donald Trump hoped that fighting between the two sides would stop for "eternity". Yet, despite an apparent pause in Israeli strikes on Beirut under US pressure, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to press ahead with operations in southern Lebanon. The military says it wants to establish a security zone under its control in the Litani River area, about 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the border with Israel. Sarit Zehavi, a reserve lieutenant-colonel, told AFP that most Israelis have little appetite for a return to Lebanon. "I grew up in an atmosphere when I was a child that every morning you opened the radio to hear the news of who was killed tonight in Lebanon," said the 50-year-old expert on security challenges on Israel's northern borders. "My father fought in Lebanon. My husband fought in Lebanon. I lost friends in Lebanon. And I lost my cousin's son last week, not in Lebanon, but on the border," said Zehavi, who lives close to Lebanon's border. Zehavi still believes that Israel has a "historic opportunity" to eliminate Hezbollah which she views has been weakened. With Iran under intense US pressure, Lebanon's government engaged in talks with Israel and much of south Lebanon's population displaced, she believes Israel has an unusually favourable strategic opening. 'This is the moment' Sam Heller, an analyst at the US-based Century Foundation, is unconvinced. For him, the images of the Israeli flag over Beaufort do little to alter what he sees as the most likely outcome: a new and prolonged quagmire in Lebanon. Israel's most pressing challenge, he argues, is Hezbollah's explosive drones, which have already killed several Israeli soldiers. A buffer zone in southern Lebanon would do little to eliminate that threat, Heller told AFP, "for which it doesn't seem like the Israelis have an effective countermeasure." Kahalani, however, was confident that Israel's military would eventually find a solution. "I think the Israelis don't have a dream to stay there," he said, but "we have to destroy the Hezbollah. This is the moment." b023a9c0-5e70-11f1-8d4c-fd8955eab731Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:49:10 GMT© - / AFPFRANCE24