France's Le Pen loses court appeal but declares she'll run for President

France's Le Pen loses court appeal but declares she'll run for President

The French hard right leader Marine Le Pen says she'll still be a candidate in next year's presidential election, despite losing an appeal against her conviction for misusing EU funds. Also in the programme, we speak to Andrew Giuliani, the executive director of the presidential task force for the World Cup, on one of the most controversial moments in the tournament's history; and, a 700 year-old book telling the story of King Arthur and his court. (Photo :French far-right leader Marine Le Pen, member of parliament for the Rassemblement National (National Rally - RN) party, poses prior to an interview on the evening news broadcast of French TV channel TF1, following the verdict in her appeal trial over misuse of EU funds, in Boulogne-Billancourt, near Paris, France, July 7, 2026. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann/Pool TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Paris court upholds Le Pen's embezzlement conviction

A French court of appeal has upheld the conviction of the far right leader Marine Le Pen for misusing public funds. She will have to wear an electronic tag, which she has previously said will stop her from running for president next year. Also on the programme: a crunch Nato meeting for Ukraine's President Zelensky as he urges world leaders to cough up cash; and the story of Kenya's “eco mamas” -- the women reviving marine conservation on the country's coast. (Photo: Rassemblement National (RN) parliamentary party leader Marine Le Pen arrives at the Paris courthouse for a hearing on the verdict in her appeal trial in Paris, 7 July, 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)

Donald Trump asks FIFA to review a player ban

US President Donald Trump confirms he spoke to FIFA before they suspended Folarin Balogun's one-game red card ban. The 25-year-old striker, who is the US's top scorer at the tournament with three goals, was shown a straight red card for a foul on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender last week. There are now warnings that football's integrity may be at stake as the ban was overturned. We hear from a former top FIFA executive who thinks football's governing body has got it badly wrong. Also on the programme: a new insight into a puzzle from the start of the universe; and why an ancient Greek epic speaks to us today as Homer's Odyssey has its global movie premiere in London. (Photo: US footballer Folarin Balogun practising in Seattle Credit: Imagn Images via Reuters/Steven Bisig)

Russian missile strikes on Kyiv kill 17

Ukraine’s President Zelensky calls on allies for air defence help after more than seventeen people are killed in Russian ballistic missiles strikes on and around the capital Kyiv. Also in the programme: the World Cup red card row ramps up as Belgium appeals FIFA’s decision to suspend a match ban on Team USA's top striker, which followed a phone call to FIFA’s boss by President Trump; and Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese apologises to singer Kylie Minogue after comments he made on a podcast. (IMAGE: An explosion in Vyshneve, Kyiv region, Ukraine, July 6, 2026, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in this still image obtained from a social media video / CREDIT: Social media verified via REUTERS)

Russia reels from Ukrainian drone strikes

Ukrainian drone strikes deep inside Russian held territory fuel growing energy crisis as Kyiv tries to pressure Moscow into peace talks. We hear from one oil analyst and former Gazprom Neft employee about the impact these strikes are having on Russia's fuel supplies. Also in the news: We'll hear about Israel defying the Israeli supreme court - with President Herzog saying that crosses a red line; and why male marathon runners collapse in a heap more often than female ones (Photo: Vehicles queue to refuel at a Rosneft petrol pump, Sergey Pivovarov: REUTERS)