News : France24

The trial of 51 men for the rape of Gisèle Pelicot began in earnest on Thursday as the first defendants took the stand. Their testimony included expressions of regret along with more ambiguous statements regarding their awareness of their victim’s vulner

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French PM Barnier presents new cabinet picks to Macron

France • 8:08 PM

1 min

Following a meeting with the leaders of French conservative and centrist parties and parliamentary groups, French Prime Minister Michel Barnier on Thursday presented his new cabinet choices to President Emmanuel Macron. The new premier, a seasoned politi

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Migrant women face ‘second trauma’ when reporting sexual abuse in France

France • 4:37 PM

1 min

A recent report from Amnesty International reveals that undocumented women in France face significant barriers when reporting sexual violence, often encountering hostility from the institutions meant to help them. French NGOs say law enforcement has incr

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‘I feel humiliated’: Gisèle Pelicot outraged by suggestions of complicity at France mass rape trial

France • 7:22 AM

1 min

In the courthouse in the southern French city of Avignon, Gisèle Pelicot spoke out once again on Tuesday about the rapes she suffered at the hands of scores of men while heavily sedated, assaults that were instigated by her husband over a decade. The vic

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France's budgetary situation is 'very serious', new PM Barnier says

France • 8:45 AM

1 min

France has a "very serious" budgetary deficit, Prime Minister Michael Barnier said, weeks after France was placed on a formal procedure for violating European Union budgetary rules. Barnier, who was appointed to lead the French government on September 6

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'I am a rapist,' says Frenchman accused of inviting scores of men to rape his drugged wife

France • 8:21 AM

1 min

Dominique Pelicot, the 71-year-old Frenchman accused of drugging and raping his then-wife Gisèle and recruiting dozens of other men online to come to their home and rape her while she was unconscious, told a hearing Tuesday morning that the 50 defendants

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The other D-Day: France's forgotten colonial troops and the Provence landings

France • 3:38 PM

1 min

It's one of the untold stories of World War II: how France whitewashed its colonial troops during the liberation from Nazi rule. On August 15, 1944, experienced fighters who came from all corners of the French empire landed in southern France and won key

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French jihadist linked to Charlie Hebdo attackers stands trial for terrorism-related offences

France • 11:43 AM

1 min

French jihadist Peter Cherif, who was in regular contact with the brothers who carried out the 2015 attack on satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, went on trial in Paris Monday. Cherif, who has not been formally charged over the attack, is on trial for terr

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France's Breton resigns as EU commissioner in public clash with Ursula von der Leyen

France • 9:23 AM

1 min

French European commissioner Thierry Breton announced he was standing down from his role effective immediately Monday, publicly accusing European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen of having tried to block him from being reappointed. Breton, one o

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'More than a show, a big thank you': Paris stages lavish Olympic Games farewell

France • 9:00 AM

1 min

Paris bids farewell to the 2024 Olympics with a grand parade on the Champs-Élysées on Saturday celebrating athletes and volunteers, followed by a concert featuring artists from this summer's ceremonies. Romain Pissenem, the creative mind behind the Paral

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France to bid final farewell to 2024 Olympic Games with Champs-Elysees parade, concert

France • 5:47 AM

1 min

France will bid a final farewell to the 2024 Paris Olympics on Saturday with a grand parade along the Champs-Elysees followed by a concert featuring artists from the opening and closing ceremonies. Organised at the request of President Emmanuel Macron, t

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Why so many French teachers are calling it quits

France • 5:00 AM

1 min

French teachers are quitting in record numbers, overwhelmed by low pay, crowded classrooms and increasing demands. Despite successive reforms by previous governments, staffing shortages persist. And leaving the profession is often a difficult process. Wi

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‘We believe you’: French demonstrators rally in support of mass rape victim

France • 12:33 AM

1 min

Waving banners and flags, demonstrators in cities across France on Saturday joined rallies in support of Gisele Pelicot, a woman who was allegedly drugged by her ex-husband for over a decade so that she could be raped by several men. The case has shocked

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Pope calls sex abuse ‘demonic’ amid revelations about revered French priest Abbé Pierre

France • 8:23 PM

1 min

After recent sexual abuse revelations concerning the Abbé Pierre, one of France's most revered public figures, Pope Francis said the Abbé was “a man who did so much good, but he’s also a sinner". He added: “Abuse is in my judgment is something demonic,

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Macron makes rare appearance with ex-PM and Élysée hopeful Edouard Philippe

France • 6:59 AM

1 min

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday made a rare public appearance with his ex-premier Edouard Philippe in Le Havre to commemorate the port's 1944 liberation from Nazi occupation. Philippe has criticised Macron's decision to call for snap legisla

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Are the French happy?

France • 12:47 AM

1 min

In this week's show, we focus on a stereotype about the French, backed up by statistics: that they are the world champions of pessimism. That cliché seems to have been turned on its head by the 2024 Olympics, when the notoriously cynical French seemed to

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French PM Barnier promises to form new government next week

France • 11:53 AM

1 min

French Prime Minister Michel Barnier said on Wednesday that he will name his government next week. President Emmanuel Macron last Thursday chose Barnier, a 73-year-old conservative and former Brexit negotiator, to lead the government after two months of

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Frenchman in mass rape trial again excused from testifying due to ill health

France • 11:34 AM

1 min

Dominique Pelicot, the Frenchman on trial for enlisting dozens of strangers to rape his wife Gisele after he drugged her into unconsciousness over a period, was on Wednesday excused a second time from attending a hearing due to ill health, the presiding

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France reels from new sex abuse allegations against Emmaus charity founder Abbé Pierre

France • 4:56 PM

1 min

Charities set up by France’s most famous Catholic priest, Abbé Pierre, are distancing themselves from their founder following a fresh wave of sexual assault allegations against a man once best known for his fight against homelessness and poverty. Emmaus

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Poll finds 52% are satisfied with Macron's choice of Barnier as French PM

France • 1:50 PM

1 min

An Ifop poll commissioned by the French weekly Journal du Dimanche found that 52 percent of respondents said they were satisfied with newly appointed Prime Minister Michel Barnier, who was named by Emmanuel Macron after two months of political deadlock.

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Speed limit on vital Paris ring road falls to 50km per hour on October 1

France • 1:33 PM

1 min

The speed limit on the ring road that surrounds and delineates the city of Paris will be limited to 50 kilometres (30 miles) per hour starting on October 1, the city's mayor announced on Monday. The decision, which immediately drew criticism for having b

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Eiffel family calls for removing Olympic rings from iconic Paris tower

France • 9:23 AM

1 min

The family of the legendary engineer behind the Eiffel Tower has said they have spoken to a lawyer about blocking Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo’s plans to leave the Olympic rings on the Paris landmark. Gustave Eiffel’s descendants argue that the rings would g

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Le Pen denies playing a part in Macron's choice of Barnier as French PM

France • 12:52 AM

1 min

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen on Sunday said she played no part in the appointment of veteran conservative Michel Barnier as French PM, denying media reports that she assured President Emmanuel Macron her party would not back a no-confidence moti

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French protesters rage at ‘stolen election’ as Macron picks conservative Barnier for PM

France • 4:54 PM

1 min

Two months after snap parliamentary elections that threw France into political turmoil, tens of thousands of left-wing demonstrators rallied in central Paris on Saturday in protest at French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to name conservative Miche

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Critics blast new French PM Barnier for having twice voted against gay rights

France • 9:27 AM

1 min

French media and some political opponents of freshly appointed Prime Minister Michel Barnier quickly dug up that, while serving in parliament in 1981, he had been among 155 lawmakers who voted against a law decriminalizing homosexuality.

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French PM Barnier says he will defend key Macron policies, toughen stance on immigration

France • 6:43 PM

1 min

France's newly-appointed Prime Minister Michel Barnier on Friday gave his first interview since being appointed to the role by President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday. In the brief televised exchange on broadcaster TF1, he said his government would be comp

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At least 17 more people allege sexual violence by French charity icon Abbe Pierre

France • 3:29 PM

1 min

More than a dozen more people have made accusations of sexual violence against the late French humanitarian monk Abbe Pierre, according to a report published Friday. With Pierre's once-saintly image already shaken by allegations of sexual abuse in July,

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Paris to honour slain Ugandan Olympic runner Cheptegei by dedicating sports venue

France • 10:45 AM

1 min

Mayor Anne Hidalgo announced on Friday that the city of Paris would honour the memory of murdered Ugandan Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei, 33, by naming a sports venue after her. Cheptegei, who finished 44th in the women's marathon during the Paris Olym

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France’s new PM Michel Barnier tackles challenge of forming a unifying cabinet

France • 10:00 AM

1 min

France’s new Prime Minister Michel Barnier on Friday got to work on the challenge of forming a cabinet of ministers capable of gaining majority support in parliament. The former EU Brexit negotiator was reported to be meeting with President Emmanuel Macr

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France to use frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine military aid

France • 11:27 PM

1 min

France’s defence ministry on Friday announced that it will use a share of €1.4 billion euros in revenue from frozen Russian assets to finance the purchase of military equipment for Ukraine. EU member states agreed in May to use the interest generated by

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Telegram chief Durov denounces French charges as ‘surprising’ and ‘misguided’

France • 10:48 PM

1 min

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov criticised France for his recent arrest over extremist content on the messaging platform. In his first public comment on Telegram, Durov called it "surprising" he was arrested for third-party actions, condemning the use of outdat

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French woman says police investigation of mass rape trauma 'saved her life'

France • 8:30 PM

1 min

Gisele Pelicot, 71, whose husband has admitted to recruiting dozens of strangers to rape her while she was drugged, took the stand for the first time on Thursday and said that police had saved her life by uncovering the abuse. In almost 90 minutes of tes

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New PM Barnier vows to address 'anger and grievances' of French

France • 11:23 AM

1 min

French Prime Minister Michel Barnier on Thursday vowed to address the "anger and grievances" of the French at a handover ceremony at the Hôtel de Matignon. Barnier was named to the role after nearly two months of political turmoil following surprise snap

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France’s newest nuclear reactor shuts itself down

France • 8:31 AM

1 min

France’s newest nuclear reactor automatically shut itself down Wednesday, a day after starting up for the first time. The state-owned operator said there was no need for concern and that shutdowns can happen during such “long and complicated” startup pro

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France still in political deadlock as Macron grapples with choosing prime minister

France • 8:56 PM

1 min

President Emmanuel Macron remained undecided on Wednesday on the choice of his new prime minister, with Conservative Xavier Bertrand and the former Socialist prime minister Bernard Cazeneuve both seen as frontrunners. Analysts speculated on Wednesday tha

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French husband kept detailed records of sexual abuse of his wife, court told

France • 5:38 PM

1 min

A Frenchman accused of orchestrating multiple rapes of his wife kept detailed records of the decade-long abuse, enabling police to compile a list of more than 70 men suspected of abusing her. Dominique P., is accused of drugging his wife with sleeping pi

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Marseille fans cry foul as iconic pastis maker Ricard teams up with bitter rivals PSG

France • 5:05 PM

1 min

Dispirited fans of Olympique Marseille have vowed to stop drinking the beloved anise-flavoured aperitif after beverage giant Pernod Ricard announced a commercial partnership with football rivals Paris Saint-Germain, sparking a heated row that has drawn i

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French former PM Edouard Philippe launches 2027 presidential bid

France • 7:12 AM

1 min

France’s former prime minister Edouard Philippe on Tuesday announced he would run in the 2027 presidential elections in a widely expected move. Philippe, who was Macron’s first prime minister, has remained a popular figure since he resigned in 2020, and

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Boat carrying migrants capsizes in English Channel, killing at least 12

France • 5:31 PM

1 min

A boat carrying migrants ripped apart in the English Channel as they attempted to reach Britain from northern France on Tuesday, plunging dozens into the treacherous waterway and leaving 12 dead, authorities said.

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Remembering Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, France's flying storyteller

France • 3:10 PM

1 min

A pilot, writer and illustrator, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry penned "The Little Prince", which has been translated into nearly 600 languages. The Frenchman disappeared 80 years ago during a World War II reconnaissance flight. His death long remained a myste

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Music show: Documentary shines spotlight on life of late French producer DJ Mehdi

France • 2:25 PM

1 min

On today's arts24 music show, Jennifer Ben Brahim chats with Thibaut de Longeville, director of the award-winning documentary series "DJ Mehdi: Made in France". The French-Tunisian producer was one of the rare musicians to unite the worlds of hip-hop and

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Frenchman goes on trial charged with enlisting dozens of men to rape his drugged wife

France • 1:09 PM

1 min

A French pensioner went on trial Monday accused of recruiting dozens of strangers online to rape his wife after he drugged her into unconsciouness. Fifty other men are also being tried in the city of Avignon for allegedly participating in the abuse.

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Macron meets with former presidents, top politicians as search for PM narrows

France • 7:27 AM

1 min

French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday held yet another round of talks to find a new prime minister after almost two months of deadlock, hosting his two predecessors and two potential candidates. France has been run by a caretaker government since th

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Search for new French PM: Macron 'trying to divide left and far left', expert says

France • 12:02 AM

1 min

French President Emmanuel Macron is continuing his search for a new prime minister, almost two months after inconclusive snap elections. He’s meeting with two of his predecessors, François Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy, as well as two other senior French

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The long wait for a new French prime minister

France • 3:51 PM

1 min

Saturday, August 31, 2024: In our first edition after the summer holidays, Alison Sargent is joined by French politics and history professor Andrew Knapp to discuss France's ongoing political deadlock. Nearly two months after snap parliamentary elections

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Paris seeks UNESCO cultural heritage status for distinctive zinc rooftops

France • 9:09 AM

1 min

The French culture ministry wants to etch the unique zinc-plated rooftops of Paris and their workers in the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Though iconic, the roofs are often criticised for their inadaptability to hot temperatures brought on

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Eiffel Tower to keep Olympic rings after 2024 Paris Games, mayor says

France • 9:19 PM

1 min

Paris's iconic Eiffel Tower will keep the Olympic rings it has been decorated with since June until after the ongoing Paralympic Games, mayor Anne Hidalgo said on Saturday, without specifying for how long.

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France's Dorian Foulon wins gold in Paralympic cycling as Britons fall short

France • 4:49 PM

1 min

With thousands of French fans cheering him on, Dorian Foulon defended his C5 4000m individual pursuit title won at at the Tokyo Games in emphatic fashion by beating Ukraine's Yehor Dementyev.

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Waiting for Macron: France's summer without a government

France • 6:07 PM

1 min

At what point does the French president have to hand over the reins of power? It's business as usual on this last Thursday in August at the Élysée Palace for Emmanuel Macron, meeting the new British prime minister before jetting off to Serbia for an offi

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Business unusual: What's on French bosses' minds?

France • 1:09 PM

1 min

After a summer of Olympic fever, it's back to business in France. But uncertainty dominates after snap elections earlier this summer returned a hung parliament. As suspense continues over who will be the country's next prime minister, France's largest em

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From croissants to macarons: France, a pastry lover's paradise

France • 10:09 AM

1 min

France is famous for many things, but one of the first that comes to mind is food. The country boasts hundreds of cheeses, sophisticated dishes and incredible wines, but the cherry on top of French gastronomy is all its delicious desserts. France is a sw

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France, Serbia sign €2.7 billion Rafale fighter jet deal during Macron visit

France • 5:21 AM

1 min

Serbia on Thursday signed a landmark agreement with France for the purchase of 12 new Rafale fighter jets for €2.7 billion. French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the potential of a “strategic change” with the signing of the deal during his state visi

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Paralympics organisers forced to change Triathlon plans over Seine water quality concerns

France • 12:53 AM

1 min

With rain forecast for Paris, concerns about the River Seine's water quality has prompted a change to the schedule of the swimming leg of the Paralympic triathlon, organisers said Thursday. The swimming part of the event will take place on September 1, i

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France's Macron declares 2024 Paris Paralympics open at grandiose ceremony

France • 1:57 PM

1 min

The opening ceremony of the 2024 Paralympics kicked off on Wednesday night with a spectacular ceremony on the famed Champs-Elysées avenue and the adjoining Place de la Concorde in central Paris. From Thursday, eleven more days of sporting action in City

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Telegram CEO Durov placed under formal investigation and banned from leaving France

France • 1:18 PM

1 min

Russian-born Pavel Durov, the CEO of messaging app Telegram, will be placed under formal investigation after four days of questioning by French police and is forbidden to leave French territory, Paris prosecutors said on Wedneday following Durov's appear

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Medef summer conference: French business leaders react after Macron rejects leftist government

France • 9:10 AM

1 min

After French President Emmanuel Macron rejected the idea of naming a prime minister from the left-wing New Popular Front coalition, saying a leftist government would immediately be ousted by all other parties, many French business leaders gathering at th

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A guide to the 2024 Paris Paralympics: sports, venues and stars to watch

France • 12:54 AM

1 min

With eye-catching venues, inspiring athletes, thrilling sports and a historic curtain-raiser on the Champs-Élysées, the 2024 Paralympic Games promise to be every bit as spectacular as the recent Paris Olympics. Here’s a guide to the 11-day sporting extra

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Russia warns France against trying to 'intimidate' detained Telegram founder Pavel Durov

France • 11:55 AM

1 min

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has suggested the French government is trying to intimidate Russian-born Pavel Durov, the CEO of messaging app Telegram, who was arrested outside of Paris on Saturday for 12 alleged crimes related to drug trafficking, t

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Naturist exhibition in Marseille welcomes visitors in the nude

France • 10:49 AM

1 min

Stripped down to their birthday suits, visitors can flock to the Museum of Civilisations of Europe and the Mediterranean in Marseille and become fully immersed in its exhibition on the history of the naturist lifestyle in Europe.

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France's left calls for protests as Macron pushes fresh talks on forming government

France • 9:23 AM

1 min

French President Emmanuel Macron is struggling to launch a second round of negotiations over the appointment of a new government after on Tuesday having ruled out naming a prime minister from the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) coalition, which won the

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