Germany’s ‘no surprise’ election yields many firsts

• 10:27 PM

1 min

As predicted by pre-election opinion polls, Germany’s conservatives swept to victory in Sunday’s parliamentary elections, with their leader Friedrich Merz set to become the new chancellor. The far-right AfD's second position also came as no surprise. But

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Who is Friedrich Merz? Meet the man set to be Germany's next chancellor

• 10:25 PM

1 min

After winning the German election with under 30 percent of the vote, the conservative leader Friedrich Merz will have to forge a new coaltion government. Merz has pledged to revive the ailing economy and shut German borders to undocumented migrants. 

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Israeli tanks enter West Bank for first time in decades as minister says Palestinians can't return

• 9:48 PM

1 min

Israel sent tanks into the West Bank city of Jenin on Sunday in the first offensive of its kind in the area in more than two decades. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said troops would remain in parts of the territory for a year, and that the tens of

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Elections in Germany: CDU-CSU bloc leads in exit polls

• 7:47 PM

1 min

The biggest losers of these elections are the Social Democrats and the Free Democrats, who were part of the previous coalition. 'It is uncertain whether this party will meet the 5% threshold required to enter the Bundestag,' says France24 correspondent N

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Pope Francis still in critical conditions with lung infection

• 7:25 PM

1 min

Pope Francis remained in critical condition on Sunday, February 23, after suffering a prolonged asthmatic respiratory crisis on Friday night while being treated for pneumonia and a complex lung infection. France24 Correspondent in Rome Seema Gupta tells

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Israeli army confirmed its stay in parts of the West Bank for coming year

• 7:22 PM

1 min

Israel's defense minister said Sunday troops would remain “for the coming year” in parts of the occupied West Bank where Israel has staged a weekslong offensive, as Israel says it was deepening its crackdown on the Palestinian territory. France24 Corresp

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Germany: CDU likely to need a third coalition partner for working majority

• 7:16 PM

1 min

What is the usual bureaucratic process for forming a coalition after elections in Germany? France24 Europe Editor Armen Georgian, reporting from Berlin, explains

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Germany: Friedrich Merz, the man tasked with leading the next government

• 6:59 PM

1 min

Friedrich Merz is the man tasked with leading Germany's next administration. Merz, who was somewhat sidelined during Angela Merkel’s 16 years at the helm of the CDU, has had a career that has seen him float in and out of politics, often taking on roles a

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Germany: Ukraine concerned three-party coalition formation will take time

• 6:48 PM

1 min

There’s general disappointment in Ukraine with the German exit polls, as 'a three-party coalition will mean longer negotiations and more instability, at least until April.' France24 Correspondent Gulliver Cragg joins us from Kyiv, Ukraine

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Elections in Germany: The AfD doubles its previous score

• 6:36 PM

1 min

The latest estimates from pollster Infratest broadcast on German public station ARD give the far-right AfD party a score of 19.7%, an “outstanding result” from the AfD which has doubled its score since the last election in 2021. FRANCE 24 Europe editor

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No reactions so far from the US on Germany elections

• 6:30 PM

1 min

The American billionaire Elon Musk expressed multiple signs of support for the far-right AfD party, as legislative elections were scheduled in Germany for February 23. During a discussion on X with leader Alice Weidel, he repeated that only the AfD could

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Brussels reacts to Germany's election exit polls

• 6:19 PM

1 min

“There’s a widespread consensus that Germany has been absent from Brussels’ discussions and the European stage during Olaf Scholz's term, creating confusion about Germany's position on European issues,” FRANCE 24 correspondent Dave Keating says, reportin

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German far-right leader hails 'historic' election result

• 6:12 PM

1 min

The leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) hailed the party's election result Sunday after exit polls gave it a record 19.5 to 20 percent of the vote. "We have achieved a historic result," the party's top candidate Alice Weidel told cheer

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German elections: "A new political order for the country"

• 6:00 PM

1 min

Part of the German electorate is concerned about Elon Musk’s support for the far-right AfD party and the new political order in Germany that can be inferred from these elections. France24 Europe Editor Armen Georgian, reporting from Berlin, tells us mor

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Germany's conservatives win parliamentary elections while far-right AfD surges, exit polls show

• 5:45 PM

1 min

Germany's conservatives won Sunday's parliamentary elections, heading off the surging far-right AfD party, which roughly doubled its results from 2021. Despite its strong showing – fuelled by fears over security and immigration after a series of deadly a

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Germany: Protests against the far-right party, the AfD

• 5:36 PM

1 min

Far-right AfD second in Germany vote with at least 19.5 percent, according to exit polls. France24 Europe Editor Armen Georgian, reporting from Berlin, witnessed strong protests during the last hour of voting against the AfD.

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Germany: CDU leads early results, far-right AfD holds second place, exit polls show

• 5:30 PM

1 min

Germany's conservative opposition emerged victorious in Sunday's parliamentary elections, according to exit polls, giving Friedrich Merz a significant win in his bid to succeed Social Democrat Olaf Scholz as the next leader of Europe's largest economy. M

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Germans vote under shadow of far-right surge

• 4:15 PM

1 min

Voting is underway in what many are calling Germany's most crucial election in decades. Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democrats, appears on track to become the country’s tenth Chancellor. The far-right AfD is expected to secure second place in

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'Aerial terror': Zelensky condemns Russia's largest drone attack on Ukraine since start of war

• 3:53 PM

1 min

Russia launched its largest drone attack on Ukraine yet on Saturday night, Ukrainian officials said. Ukraine's air force reported that it had downed 138 of 267 Russian attack drones. Ukraine President Vladimir Zelensky slammed the attack and called for u

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Macron defines deadly knife attack in eastern France an 'Islamist terror act'

• 3:19 PM

1 min

On Saturday, a 37-year-old Algerian national killed an elderly Portuguese man and injured five police officers with a knife before being arrested in the French eastern city of Mulhouse. Forensic experts say the man was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Frenc

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Germany: High turnout predicted for snap elections

• 3:13 PM

1 min

German voters head to the polls on Sunday with the conservatives as the strong favorites after an intense campaign underscored by a far-right surge. Figures showed that around 52% of Germans have already voted by 2PM today. Turnout is usually high in G

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US aid shutdown sends shockwaves through Africa's HIV program

• 2:40 PM

1 min

The United Nations AIDS agency warns that Trump's decision to suspend U.S. funding for Pepfar, the world’s largest AIDS control program, could lead to a drastic rise in HIV infections and deaths, potentially causing 6.3 million AIDS-related fatalities in

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Tens of thousands join mass funeral for slain Hezbollah leader Nasrallah

• 2:18 PM

1 min

Five months ago, former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut, but his funeral has only been held today. Tens of thousands of people have gathered at the capital's main sports stadium, with several top Lebanese an

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Germany's snap elections: CDU leads, far-right AfD set for record gains

• 2:11 PM

1 min

Millions of Germans have been voting in the snap elections called after the previous left-wing coalition collapsed amid in-fighting. The conservative CDU are strong favourites. But the election could bring record results for the far right AfD, which is p

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Conservative chief Merz on track to become next German chancellor

• 1:29 PM

1 min

German voters are voting on Sunday with the conservatives as the strong favourites after an intense campaign underscored by a far-right surge, bolstered by Donald Trump's presidency in the US, and amid voter concerns about economic stagnation, immigratio

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French convict arrested in Romania nine months after deadly van ambush

• 1:18 PM

1 min

Fugitive French prisoner Mohammed Amra who prompted an international hunt after staging a deadly escape nine months ago was arrested Saturday in Romania, the French government said. Matthew-Mary Caruchet has this story.

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One billion Catholics concerned about Pope Francis' critical condition

• 1:12 PM

1 min

The Vatican said that Pope Francis had a peaceful night at a hospital in Rome following a respiratory crisis and blood transfusion on Saturday. He remains in critical condition, as more than 1.3 billion Catholics around the world are concerned

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Norwegian film “Dreams (Sex Love)” wins Berlin Film Festival’s top prize

• 1:03 PM

1 min

Norwegian drama Dreams won the top prize at the Berlin Film Festival on Saturday, taking home the Golden Bear. The head of the jury described it as a 'meditation on love that cuts to the quick with its keen intelligence.' Australia's Rose Byrne clinched

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Hezbollah could enter Lebanese political landscape, Rawad Taha reports

• 10:45 AM

1 min

FRANCE 24’s Rawad Taha reporting from Beirut, where mourners gather for the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, says the big question everyone is asking is what is next for the Hezbollah. “Will they try to reestablish some sort of a military i

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Trump addresses CPAC amid growing tensions between US and Europe over Ukraine

• 10:01 AM

1 min

In the US woke ideology is getting a hammer treatment. The Conservative Political Action Conference—better known as CPAC—is a major event in right-wing politics in the US. On its third day, US President Donald Trump addressed the gathering, rallying his

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Hundreds of thousands flock to funeral of slain Hezbollah leader in Beirut

• 10:01 AM

1 min

Mourners dressed in black, some waving Hezbollah flags or clutching portraits of the group's slain leader Hassan Nasrallah, gathered in their thousands to attend his funeral on Sunday in a stadium on the outskirts of Beirut.

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Israeli army to remain in some West Bank refugee camps for 'coming year', says defence minister

• 9:23 AM

1 min

The Israeli army is to remain in some of the occupied West Bank’s urban refugee camps “for the coming year", Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Sunday.

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Germans vote as far right surges in polarised national election

• 8:50 AM

1 min

Voting kicked off in Germany on Sunday in an increasingly polarised election, with the conservatives tipped to claim victory after a campaign rocked by a far-right bump in the polls and the dramatic return of Donald Trump to the US presidency. 

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In pictures: Catholics pray for Pope Francis as he remains in critical condition

• 7:53 AM

1 min

Well-wishers from around the world offered prayers for Pope Francis on Sunday after the Vatican announced the night before that he was in critical condition following a prolonged respiratory attack. While the 88-year-old pope had a peaceful night, he was

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🔴Live: Germany's Conservative CDU leads early results, far-right AfD holds second place

• 7:27 AM

1 min

Germany's conservative CDU/CSU alliance led by Friedrich Merz won Sunday's elections with between 28.5 and 29 percent of the vote, according to initial TV exit polls. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) followed in second place with 19.5 to 20 pe

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Pope Francis receives high flow of oxygen to help him breath

• 12:56 AM

1 min

The Vatican says Pope Francis was in critical condition on Saturday after he suffered a prolonged asthmatic respiratory crisis while being treated for pneumonia and a complex lung infection, the Vatican says. France24 correspondent Seema Gupta tells us m

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Germans head to polls in high-stakes national election

• 12:39 AM

1 min

German voters head to the polls on Sunday with the conservatives as the strong favourites after an intense campaign underscored by a far-right surge, bolstered by Donald Trump's presidency in the U.S., and amid voter concerns about economic stagnation, i

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Germany: AfD set for record gains as CDU struggles to secure majority

• 12:23 AM

1 min

Voting is underway in what many are calling Germany's most crucial election in decades. The snap election was triggered by the collapse of a three-way coalition led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s center-left Social Democratic Party. Friedrich Merz, leader o

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Israel delays the release of 602 prisoners to be freed in return to the six hostages

• 12:17 AM

1 min

On Saturday, Hamas released six hostages, but Israel did not release the more than 600 Palestinian prisoners that were expected to be freed in return. This was meant to be the seventh and final exchange under phase 1 of the ceasefire agreement.

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Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s funeral in Beirut, five months after death

• 12:11 AM

1 min

Mourners dressed in black, some waving Hezbollah flags or clutching portraits of the group's slain leader Hassan Nasrallah, gathered in their thousands to attend his funeral on Sunday in a stadium on the outskirts of Beirut. France24 correspondent Rawad

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