Christmas ornaments: Did the French invent them?

• 5:03 PM

1 min

🎄 Once upon a time, people would use apples and other fruits to decorate their #Christmas trees. So how did we end up with glass balls? Turns out a French glassblower might have had something to do with it…

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Fake French coup videos go viral, traced to Burkinabé student

• 5:01 PM

1 min

Earlier this week, several AI-generated videos claiming a coup d’état in France were posted on Facebook. The fake clips quickly went viral, prompting outrage from the Élysée Palace. An investigation by Le Monde revealed that a young Burkinabé student, ea

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Oscars to stream on YouTube from 2029

• 4:59 PM

1 min

From 2029, the Oscars will no longer air on US network television but will stream worldwide on YouTube, ending ABC’s decades-long broadcast. The Academy says the move reflects its global audience, as falling TV ratings and the rise of streaming continue

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India: Officials dismiss Delhi’s air crisis

• 4:53 PM

1 min

Recent remarks about pollution from two Indian officials have increased frustration among residents who say policymakers are unwilling to acknowledge the severity of India's air quality crisis.

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Bianca Costa: 'I went partying with Neymar'

• 4:51 PM

1 min

🇧🇷🇫🇷From Rio to Paris, @BiancaCosta is blending bossa nova and rap into her own sound, the bossa trap. The result? 50 million streams worldwide 🌍 Now 26, she’s releasing her debut album, “Gringa”, Portuguese for “the foreigner”.  Speaking with FRANCE

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Police search French culture minister's home and offices in corruption probe

• 4:46 PM

1 min

French police searched Culture Minister Rachida Dati's private home and offices on Thursday as part of a corruption investigation involving her European Parliament mandate, the French Financial Prosecutor has said. Dati, who is running for mayor of Paris

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US artist Mickalene Thomas dazzles at Paris's Grand Palais

• 4:36 PM

1 min

FRANCE 24's Charli James previews the new exhibit "All About Love" at the Grand Palais in Paris, which is celebrating the superstar American artist Mickalene Thomas. It spans 20 years of her striking, multi-disciplinary work that rewrites the role of Bla

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Nigerians protest against insecurity

• 4:32 PM

1 min

Hundreds of Nigerians took to the streets this week to protest against worsening insecurity across the country, including kidnappings, armed robbery and violent crime. Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) marched in cities such as Lagos and Abuja

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Son of Hong Kong activist Jimmy Lai denounces political persecution

• 4:26 PM

1 min

Foreign ministers from the G7 on December 17 condemned the prosecution of Hong Kong journalist and media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai, who was found guilty of collusion with foreign forces this week. His son, Sebastien Lai, told FRANCE 24 that his father is be

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Ghana sends troops to aid hurricane-hit Jamaica

• 4:23 PM

1 min

Ghana has sent a military contingent to assist with reconstruction and relief efforts in hurricane-hit Jamaica, following the destruction caused by Hurricane Melissa over a month ago. This marks the third time this year that Ghana has extended support to

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All you need to know about bûche de Noël, the traditional French Christmas dessert

• 4:22 PM

1 min

One of the highlights of the Christmas season here in France is the food. The main feast usually happens on Christmas Eve and the traditional dessert is the incredible Yule log or bûche de Noël. More than eight million Yule logs are sold in France every

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Ukraine: Kharkiv tries to give its youngest a normal life

• 4:09 PM

1 min

Only forty kilometres away from Russia, the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv is a regular target of Russian air attacks. Still, it tries to give its children and teenagers a somewhat normal life. #ukraine #ukrainewar #russia

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More than 1,000 civilians killed when Sudan paramilitary group seized Zamzam camp, UN says

• 4:02 PM

1 min

More than 1,000 civilians were killed when Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces took over the famine-stricken displacement camp of Zamzam in Sudan's Darfur in April, according to a UN report published on Thursday. About a third of the victims were s

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Are Trump, the Gulf states and Russia meddling in Italy's top newspapers change of ownership?

• 4:00 PM

1 min

Two of Italy’s top newspapers, La Repubblica and La Stampa, are likely to be sold to Greek media tycoon Theodore Kyriakou, whose political and business links abroad have sparked concern over editorial independence. The proposed sale, which involves forei

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‘Ukraine needs this money’ : Zelensky is in Brussels for talks on Russian assets

• 3:37 PM

1 min

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was in Brussels for a key European Union summit, where EU leaders faced a critical decision on the use of frozen Russian assets. Zelensky urged the bloc to release the funds to support Ukraine, warning that without

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Massive farmers protests in Brussels over EU regulations

• 3:35 PM

1 min

On the sidelines of the European summit, hundreds of farmers are gathering in Brussels, blocking parts of the Belgian capital to protest against EU regulations and the signing of a Mercosur trade deal, which they call unfair competition for European farm

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For the Brazilian President, signing the Mercosur-EU deal is 'now or never'

• 3:33 PM

1 min

As Europe hesitates over the Mercosur agreement, Brazilian President Lula has shown signs of frustration with a deal '37 years in the making'. He warned it was 'now or never' to sign, saying there would be no further opportunities during his term in offi

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EU leaders urge swift decision on frozen Russian funds for Ukraine

• 3:31 PM

1 min

EU leaders are split in Brussels over using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine. Poland backs urgent action, while Belgium resists over legal and financial risks. Ukraine is pressing for a decision by year’s end.

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Excitement grows in Morocco ahead of Africa Cup of Nations

• 3:28 PM

1 min

Morocco is putting the finishing touches on preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations, which starts on December 21 and runs until January 18. With venues ready across six cities, the football tournament is seen as a showcase of Morocco’s sporting ambiti

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Australia mourns youngest Bondi victim as government acts on antisemitism

• 2:52 PM

1 min

Australia is tightening hate speech laws after the Bondi Beach Hanukkah massacre, which killed 10-year-old Matilda and others. PM Anthony Albanese announced tougher penalties, easier prosecution of hate crimes, blacklisting extremist groups, visa restric

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Farmers take Brussels to protest Mercosur deal and EU rules

• 2:49 PM

1 min

Thousands of French and Belgian farmers converged on Brussels in protest, expressing frustration over EU regulations, struggling livelihoods, and the Mercosur trade deal, which they fear will disadvantage European agriculture. Anger has also been fueled

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US Trump Christmas speech draws criticism over inflation claims

• 2:48 PM

1 min

President Trump delivered a pre-recorded Christmas address highlighting his first year back in office, focusing on economic achievements, immigration, and tariffs, while criticizing the previous administration. He promised an economic boom and announced

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Brussels: Farmers block roads to protest EU-Mercosur trade deal

• 2:47 PM

1 min

Farmers, particularly in France, worry the Mercosur deal,  which will be discussed at the EU leaders meeting, will see them undercut by a flow of cheaper goods from agricultural giant Brazil and its neighbours.

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France marks International Migrants Day amid growing pressure on migrant workers

• 1:37 PM

1 min

On International Migrants Day, hundreds of groups across France are mobilizing to highlight migrants’ contributions and struggles as immigration rules tighten and expulsions rise. Migrant workers remain vital to sectors like restaurants and construction,

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UK to rejoins EU's Erasmus exchange program

• 1:36 PM

1 min

Britain and the European Union agreed on December 17, 2025 to allow UK students to rejoin the bloc's popular student exchange programme Erasmus+ from 2027, a small but symbolic sign of improved relations after Brexit.

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Brazil Congress passes bill to cut Bolsonaro prison term

• 1:34 PM

1 min

Brazil’s Senate passed a bill that could drastically reduce former President Jair Bolsonaro’s 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup, potentially cutting his time behind bars to just over two years. The bill, already approved by the lower chamber, n

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EU kicks off crunch summit on Russian asset plan for Ukraine

• 1:33 PM

1 min

EU leaders kicked off a make-or-break summit Thursday on using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine, with key player Belgium under pressure to drop its opposition. The 27 nation bloc is scrambling to bolster its ally Ukraine, as US President Donald Trum

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Donald Trump delivers year-end address, deflects blame for economic difficulties

• 1:31 PM

1 min

President Trump delivered a prime-time address blaming Democrats and Joe Biden for economic struggles while promising an eventual economic boom. He announced a one-time bonus check for U.S. troops tied to America’s upcoming 250th anniversary, in a speech

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Syria trial over post-Assad violence

• 1:29 PM

1 min

A trial opened December 18 in Aleppo for suspects accused of post-Assad violence, including attacks on transitional government forces. About 500 people are under investigation, in what is seen as a landmark case as it is the first time government-linked

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Venezuela claims US naval blockade is not affecting oil exports

• 1:28 PM

1 min

Venezuela on Wednesday said its crude oil exports were not impacted by US President Donald Trump's announcement of a potentially crippling blockade, insisting it was proceeding with business as usual. The UN Security Council will meet next week to discus

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US : Filmmaker Rob Reiner's son appears in court on murder charges

• 1:26 PM

1 min

Nick Reiner made his first court appearance Wednesday in Los Angeles on two counts of first-degree murder in the killing of his parents, actor-director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner, while the couple's other two children made their first

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EU-Mercosur deal hangs in balance amid farmer concerns

• 1:25 PM

1 min

Brazilian President Lula has warned the EU to sign the long-delayed EU-Mercosur trade deal now or risk losing Brazil’s participation altogether. France and Italy are blocking progress over concerns about protecting their agricultural sectors, while suppo

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How much does it cost to live like Emily in Paris? Vanity Fair did the maths

• 1:24 PM

1 min

PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, December 18: French paper Le Monde reveals who was behind the viral AI fake news video that announced a coup in France. Next, some good news: a mama polar bear adopts a cub in a rare case of polar bear bonding. Also: the new seas

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Lumpy skin disease sparks French farmers protests

• 1:21 PM

1 min

French farmers are protesting the Mercosur trade deal and a livestock disease called lumpy skin disease, which affects cattle with painful nodules and fever. Laura Darnat, a French horse breeder and chicken farmer in Perigueux, spoke to FRANCE 24 about t

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EU leaders split over using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine

• 1:18 PM

1 min

EU leaders meet in Brussels to decide on using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine. Germany backs the move, while Zelensky urges action. The EU proposes a €90 billion loan, but Belgium opposes, fearing Russian retaliation. Moscow calls it theft.

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French court jails anaesthetist for life for poisoning 30 patients, killing 12

• 1:08 PM

1 min

After a three-and-a-half-month trial, anaesthetist Frédéric Péchier was sentenced Thursday in Besançon to life in prison for all the charges against him, a verdict he plans to appeal. Péchier is accused of poisoning 30 patients, 12 of whom died, between

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FIFA goes MAGA? The World Cup, Trump and the future of football

• 9:11 AM

1 min

As 2025 draws to a close, all year long one question has dogged the most plugged-in of football fanatics: what's up with Gianni Infantino? Why all the cameos by the head of an international sports body at the US president's inauguration, a Middle East pe

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Farmers block Brussels roads, light fires in tense protest over EU-Mercosur deal

• 8:02 AM

1 min

Farmers in tractors blocked roads and scuffled with riot police outside a European Union leaders’ summit in Brussels on Wednesday to protest against a major free-trade deal with South American trading bloc Mercosur. Critics of the deal, particularly in F

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Thailand strikes building in Poipet casino hub on Cambodian border

• 7:29 AM

1 min

Thai fighter jets on Thursday struck a building in the Cambodian border city of Poipet, a casino hub popular with Thai gamblers, amid renewed clashes between the neighbouring countries just months after they agreed to a truce brokered by the US and regio

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China tells US to 'immediately' stop arming Taiwan after Washington approves arms package

• 7:10 AM

1 min

China told the United States on Thursday to "immediately stop" arming Taiwan after Taipei said Washington had authorised a $11 billion weapons package to the island. Approved by the State Department but awaiting congressional approval, the sale would tak

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Live: Zelensky says Ukraine needs a decision on Russian assets by end of year

• 6:22 AM

1 min

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told a summit of European leaders on Thursday that his country needed a decision this year on a plan to use Russian assets to plug Ukraine's budget gap. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen earlier said EU

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Trump touts first year as success amid economic unease in White House address

• 4:15 AM

1 min

US President Donald Trump gave an address at the White House on Wednesday, attempting to cast his first year back in office as a success, deflecting concerns about the cost of living and offering few new policy details as he looked ahead to the 2026 midt

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US Senate confirms Jared Isaacman as NASA chief amid budget cuts and moon race

• 2:56 AM

1 min

The US Senate has confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as NASA administrator, installing a strong advocate of Mars missions to lead the space agency as it faces deep budget cuts and intensifying competition with China to return humans t

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Trump insists on the US economy's strength in address to nation

• 2:15 AM

1 min

US President Donald Trump used a prime-time address from the White House to play down public anxiety about the US economy, insisting it is on the mend despite rising inflation, slowing job growth and growing voter frustration ahead of the 2026 midterm el

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Brazil Senate backs bill cutting Bolsonaro's jail term, setting up clash with Lula

• 1:40 AM

1 min

Brazil’s Senate has approved legislation that could sharply reduce the prison sentence of former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, convicted over an alleged coup plot after his 2022 election defeat, in a move that President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva ha

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Pope Leo replaces New York's Cardinal Dolan with Illinois bishop in shake-up of US church

• 12:55 AM

1 min

Pope Leo has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Timothy Dolan as leader of the Catholic Church in New York, replacing the prominent conservative prelate with a little-known 58-year-old bishop from Illinois, Ronald Hicks, in a major shake-up of the coun

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Farmers protest Mercosur deal in Brussels

• 12:45 AM

1 min

Hundreds of farmers in tractors protested in Brussels against the EU-Mercosur trade deal, disrupting the EU summit. Some countries pushed for stronger agricultural safeguards, while others backed the deal to boost exports. Brazil’s President Lula warned

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Intercontinental Cup: PSG beat Brazil's Flamengo, winning sixth title in 2025

• 12:40 AM

1 min

PSG won the Intercontinental Cup against Flamengo on penalties (1-1., 2-1 on pens). Jorginho Kvaratskhelia opened the score before halftime, Jorginho equalised from the spot, and Matveï Safonov shone in the shootout with four consecutive saves. Paris cla

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BP appoints Big Oil's first female CEO to continue shift away from renewables

• 12:22 AM

1 min

London-based energy giant BP announced on Wednesday it was appointing Meg O'Neill as CEO starting on April 1. The executive, who has been at the head of Australian group Woodside Energy for the past four years, is expected to focus her efforts on the com

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Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 rebels claim withdrawal from key DR Congo city

• 12:09 AM

1 min

The Rwandan-backed AFC/M23 armed group said Wednesday it had begun withdrawing its troops from Uvira, a strategic town in eastern DR Congo that it captured in early December.

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