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British pop star Marianne Faithfull dies aged 78

Europe • 10:33 AM

Marianne Faithfull, the British pop star, muse, libertine and old soul who inspired and helped write some of the Rolling Stones' greatest songs and endured as a torch singer and survivor of the lifestyle she once embodied, has died. She was 78.

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Syria's interim president al-Sharaa vows to uphold 'civil peace'

Syria's interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, promised Thursday to hold a "national dialogue conference" in his first address to the nation since the fall of ousted leader Bashar al-Assad. Sharaa, who was appointed interim president a day earlier for an un

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Israel severs ties with UN Palestinian aid agency

Israel, backed by Washington, will cease contact with the UN's Palestinian humanitarian relief agency UNRWA and any body acting on its behalf, its UN envoy said Tuesday, drawing condemnation from aid groups. UNRWA's offices and staff in Israel play a maj

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Investigators recover black boxes from plane that collided with helicopter

Investigators on Thursday recovered the black boxes from a passenger plane that collided mid-air with a military helicopter over Washington's Potomac River, killing all 67 people, as rescuers pulled bodies from the freezing water. US President Donald

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'Disaster' five years on: Brexit has been doing 'so much damage to the British economy'

Europe • 10:14 AM

Five years ago, the U.K. officially left the bloc after almost five decades of membership that had brought free movement and free trade between Britain and 27 other European countries. For Brexit supporters, the U.K. was now a sovereign nation in charge

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Hundreds hospitalised as fighting in DR Congo intensifies

Hundreds of wounded have been admitted to hospitals in Goma following days of intense clashes between Congolese forces and the Rwanda-backed armed group M23. The group's capture of most of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, is a dramatic escalatio

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Who's the man behind the Gaza ceasefire deal?

Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff made a rare trip to Gaza this week, the White House said, in a bid to prop up the fragile ceasefire. He also met Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. An unusual figure in US politics, Witkoff, a billionaire r

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Teen figure skaters and coaches among victims of air crash

The victims of a crash between an American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter included teen figure skaters returning from a national meet with their mothers and coaches, an Ohio college student coming from her grandfather's funeral, two Chinese national

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US funding freeze disrupts Cambodian efforts to clear landmines, Vietnam War bombs

US President Donald Trump's decision to abruptly pause all foreign aid has forced Cambodia to scale back its lifesaving campaign to clear the unexploded military ordnance left behind by decades of civil strife and American bombing during the Vietnam War.

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France's Victor Wembanyama to make NBA All-Star debut

San Antonio Spurs guard Victor Wembanyama has been chosen for his first NBA All-Star Game as one of seven reserves from the Western Conference. The 2023-24 Rookie of the Year is one of six players who will be making their All-Star Game debut.

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Live: Franco-Israeli Ofer Calderon to be freed in next hostage-prisoner swap Saturday, Hamas says

Franco-Israeli Ofer Calderon is among the three hostages set to be freed in the next hostage-prisoner exchange Saturday, the spokesperson of Hamas's armed wing said Friday. The news of his upcoming release came as Israel's military said it struck "multip

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Six Nations preview: Who can stop Ireland winning three titles in a row?

The Six Nations tournament kicks off with a Welsh trip to the Stade de France on Friday, before favourites Ireland begin their title defence against England, aiming for a historic third consecutive trophy. Here's how the teams compare going into the firs

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Nicaragua amends constitution, grants 'absolute power' to president and his wife

The Nicaraguan government strengthened President Daniel Ortega's hold on power on Thursday when it amended the constitution to give Ortega and his wife, Rosario Murillo, "absolute power". The amendment, proposed by Ortega, enshrines Murillo as "co-presid

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Europa League: English teams clear inaugural league phase, Lazio tops standings

The Europa League's inaugural league phase ended on Thursday, with Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, who are both producing lacklustre domestic campaigns, securing a round of 16 spot. Italy's Lazio finished top of the standings despite suffering t

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Helicopter and passenger jet near Washington, DC collide, killing 67

67 people are feared dead after a helicopter collided with a passenger jet over the Potomac River, near Washington, D.C., on Thursday. US President Donald blamed the crash on weakened security policies, later suggesting diversity, equity, and inclusion p

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Yesterday

What we know about the Washington midair collision of an army helicopter and airliner

A jet operated by American Airlines subsidiary PSA was approaching Washington's Reagan National Airport just before 9pm local time on Wednesday when it collided with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter. All 67 passengers and crew aboard the two aircraft were

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Israel's ban on UN's Palestinian aid agency has come into effect

Israel on Thursday formally banned the main United Nations aid agency for Palestinian refugees from operating on its territory despite heavy diplomatic backlash, a move that humanitarian officials warn could have a disastrous impact on aid delivery and j

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Israel's ban on UN's Palestinian aid agency has come into effect

Israel on Thursday formally banned the main United Nations aid agency for Palestinian refugees from operating on its territory despite heavy diplomatic backlash, a move that humanitarian officials warn could have a disastrous impact on aid delivery and j

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Italy blocks DeepSeek over data privacy concerns

Italy's data protection agency has moved to block the Chinese AI chatbot DeepSeek after its developers failed to hand over information about how personal data is collected and whether it's stored on Chinese servers. Meanwhile, the French privacy watchdog

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Did the Biden administration really give $50 million for condoms in Gaza? No

The White House and most recently US President Donald Trump himself are claiming that they stopped $50 million in funding by the Biden administration for condoms in Gaza. Trump further alleges that the contraceptives were used by Hamas "as a method of ma

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Diplomatic tensions rise over DR Congo conflict

Africa • 9:22 PM

In tonight's edition: Rwandan President Paul Kagame strongly rejects criticism of his country's involvement in eastern DR Congo, where M23 rebels backed by Kigali appear to have taken control of much of the provincial capital Goma. Hospitals there are st

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M23 rebels aim to overthrow Kinshasa administration, researcher says, as UN warns of regional war

Africa • 8:30 PM

FRANCE 24's Yinka Oyetade speaks to Dr Alex Vines, head of the Africa Programme at Chatham House, about the M23 offensive in eastern DR Congo. He says that the ambitions of the Rwanda-backed M23 differ now from their aims back in 2012, when they first se

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M23 rebels try to expand control in DR Congo

Africa • 8:10 PM

In tonight's edition: The M23 militia has advanced on a new front in eastern DR Congo, seizing two districts in South Kivu province. The Rwandan-backed rebel group reportedly faces little resistance. Meanwhile, East African leaders have called for an imm

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Hamas confirms death of October 7 mastermind Mohammed Deif

Hamas has for the first time confirmed the death of the group's military chief Mohammed Deif, believed to be one of the key architects behind the October 7 attacks in southern Israel that sparked the war in Gaza.

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Five Thai hostages released by Hamas

Five Thai farm labourers, held hostage for nearly 16 months in the Gaza Strip, were released by Hamas on Thursday during a truce between Israel and the Palestinian militant group. They were released along with three Israelis. On October 7, 2023, after th

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Rubio to take up Panama Canal, immigration crackdown on Latin America debut trip

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will be pushing Donald Trump's hardline immigration agenda and addressing the US president's claim to "take back" the Panama Canal when he tours Latin American countries from Saturday on his first foreign trip as America

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Marianne Faithfull, British pop icon and Rolling Stones muse, dies at 78

Europe • 7:46 PM

Marianne Faithfull, British pop star and muse of 1960s London, died at the age of 78 on Thursday, her promotion company said. A singer, songwriter and actress, Faithfull was a celebrity before turning 17, homeless by her mid-20s and an inspiration to pee

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Trump floods the zone, leaving opposition drowning

Donald Trump's opponents have spent the days since his inauguration playing political whack-a-mole over a torrent of orders specifically calibrated to overwhelm and bewilder, say analysts, as the new president gets to work on his radical policy agenda. A

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Uganda confirms Ebola outbreak caused death of Kampala hospital nurse

A 32-year-old male nurse at Mulago Hospital in the Ugandan capital Kampala has died of Ebola, health officials said Thursday, adding that at least 44 of his contacts had so far been identified. Uganda’s last outbreak of the disease, discovered in Septemb

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Israel-Hamas ceasefire: How to keep it on track?

Each time, there's suspense. There was some stage-managing and some confusion, but in the end, a third round of exchanges of Gaza hostages for Palestinian prisoners this Thursday has kept the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal on the rails. We ask about the opt

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Israel-Hamas ceasefire: 'It's time for this war to end, we have to stop doing this to each other'

Hamas-led militants freed eight hostages on Thursday as part of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, but the chaotic handover of some of the captives, who masked militants shuttled through a rowdy crowd of thousands, drew an angry protest from Israel. For in

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3 Israeli hostages released in exchange for 110 Palestinian prisoners

Hamas-led militants freed eight hostages, including three Israelis, on Thursday as part of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Israel later began releasing 110 Palestinian prisoners after the swap was delayed by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who demand

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Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week: The highlights

Paris is bursting with fashion energy and star power this January as celebrities and fashionistas descend upon the city of lights for Haute Couture Week. This is the twice-yearly celebration of an ultra-French institution – a dazzling mix of timeless tra

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‘This centre saved my life’: US aid cut hits charities for Ukraine war veterans

After President Donald Trump ordered a 90-day freeze on non-military foreign aid, US projects worldwide are in jeopardy. One of the worst-hit countries is Ukraine, where stop-work orders were issued to initiatives all over the country, including those as

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Five years on: Brexit regrets? Cancelled trips?

Europe • 2:42 PM

In this edition of Entre Nous, we take a look at how British people feel about Brexit, five years after the UK officially left the EU. We also discuss the challenges many Brits abroad now face, particularly those with second homes. Finally, we get to the

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Millions of Afghans face expulsion from Iran and Pakistan 'back to nothing', NGO warns

The head of humanitarian NGO the Norwegian Refugee Council is accusing the international community of turning its back on the Afghan people since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Jan Egeland is just back from a long visit to the country, where he f

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South Korea's webtoon comics have readers hooked

South Korea is seeing a boom in webtoons – short episodic comics that are designed to be read on smartphones. They are hugely popular in the country, where some 35 million people read at least one episode of a webtoon every week. Amid this success at hom

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Five Years On: Brexit Regrets? Cancelled Trips?

In this edition of Entre Nous, we take a look at how Brits feel about Brexit five years after the UK officially left the EU. We also discuss the challenges many Brits abroad now face, particularly ones with second homes. We get to the bottom of the many

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France ends military presence in Sahel region with handover of last base in Chad

Africa • 1:25 PM

The French army has handed over its last base in Chad in a military ceremony in the capital N'Djamena, marking the end of French military presence in the country. Once a key link in France's military presence in Africa, Chad was its last foothold in the

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Israel-Hamas ceasefire: Next phase requires 'building trust and accepting war should come to an end'

Hamas-led militants freed eight hostages on Thursday as part of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, but the chaotic handover of some of the captives, who masked militants shuttled through a rowdy crowd of thousands, drew an angry protest from Israel. For in

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US Federal Reserve pauses rate cuts, angering Trump

America's central bank has held its main interest rate steady as President Donald Trump's trade policies threaten to rekindle inflation in the world's largest economy. The Federal Reserve resisted pressure from Trump to continue with cuts, in its first r

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Upset in German Bundestag as wall comes down between conservatives and far right

PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, January 30: Friedrich Merz, Germany's conservative CDU leader and candidate for chancellorship, receives votes and applause from the far-right AfD party in the Bundestag – we look at the press reaction to the centre right breakin

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Iraqi refugee charged with burning Koran shot dead in Sweden, five arrested

Europe • 10:55 AM

An Iraqi refugee who burned the Koran in protest in 2023, sparking outrage in Muslim countries, has been shot dead south of Stockholm, authorities said Thursday, with Sweden's prime minister suggesting "a foreign power" might have been involved. Five peo

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Hamas hands over Israeli soldier Agam Berger to Red Cross under Gaza ceasefire deal

FRANCE 24's Mark Owen reports from Tel Aviv on the release of Israeli soldier Agam Berger and the upcoming release of the remaining two Israelis held in Gaza as part of the third hostage-prisoner exchange under the ceasefire. Five Thai nationals are also

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🔴 Follow live: Hamas hands over Israeli soldier Agam Berger to Red Cross under Gaza ceasefire deal

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Buses carrying 110 released Palestinian prisoners reach Ramallah

Israel released 110 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for three Israeli hostages held by Hamas in the third round of exchanges in the Gaza ceasefire deal, which is in its second week. Five Thai workers held captive in the enclave were also freed in a sep

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French foreign ministry says Rwanda fighters must leave DR Congo ‘immediately’

Africa • 6:44 AM

A French government spokesman on Thursday demanded the departure from DR Congo of Rwandan forces and Rwandan-backed M23 fighters from the east of the country. “The sovereignty and territorial integrity of DR Congo are not up for negotiation,” foreign min

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🔴 Passenger jet collides midair with military helicopter in Washington DC

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No survivors after flight collides with US Army helicopter over Washington

A mid-air collision between an American Airlines plane carrying 64 people and a military helicopter over Washington, DC, has left no survivors, US authorities said Thursday. In remarks from the White House, President Donald Trump said the accident marked

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Syria's interim president vows to preserve 'civil peace' in first address

In his first address as Syria's interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led the lightning removal of former dictator Bashar al-Assad, vowed to preserve "civil peace" and issue a "constitutional declaration", presenting core elements of his plan to rebuil

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War in the DRC's east: Will there be a 'push for diplomatic means to end this conflict'?

DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi insisted his troops were mounting a "vigorous" response to Rwanda-backed fighters advancing in the country's perennially troubled east and slammed the international community's "silence and inaction". All the while, Pr

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