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Global war on drugs relies on 'international cooperation in intelligence, criminal justice system'

French authorities seized 10 tonnes of cocaine in the port of Dunkirk over the weekend. French media reported that the haul was the biggest-ever in metropolitan France, corresponding to nearly a fifth of all cocaine seized last year. For in-depth analysi

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Central African Republic: On the road to reconciliation in Bangassou

In May 2017, a Catholic Mission in Bangassou in the Central African Republic became a symbol of resistance. Priests formed a human chain to defend Muslims from a massacre by Christian majority anti-balaka militants. The priests sheltered the persecuted M

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Seeds of hope: Saving mangroves in the Niger Delta

One of the most polluted places in the world is located at the heart of the Niger Delta where decades of oil exploitation have ravaged the native flora. Fringing the delta of the Niger River, local mangrove forests are essential to biodiversity and the s

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France 'slight favourites' in Six Nations clash with Ireland

Irish rugby great Hugo MacNeill said that the fight for who finally comes away with the Six Nations title will likely be decided at Saturday's match between France and Ireland.

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Syria's new authorities launch security operation against Assad loyalists

Syria's transitional government under interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa launched a sweeping security operation Friday against fighters loyal to the deposed Assad regime. The crackdown was triggered by worsening violence that has left dozens of people dea

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Macron calls Putin an 'imperialist' after Russian president's Napoleon comments

French President Emmanuel Macron branded his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin an "imperialist" who was trying to "rewrite history" after Putin compared Macron's proposal to extend France's nuclear umbrella to its European allies to Napoleon Bonaparte's

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🔴 World War II bomb found on tracks near Paris station, halting Eurostar trains to London

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Eurostar, traffic halted at Paris's Gare du Nord after World War II bomb found on tracks

A bomb apparently dating back to World War II was found overnight on train tracks leading to Paris Gare du Nord station, officials said. All traffic to the busy station, including the Eurostar service to and from London, has been halted.

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Impeached South Korean president still in jail despite cancelled arrest warrant

South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol remained in prison on Friday despite a court decision to cancel his arrest warrant on the grounds that prosecutors waited too long to indict him. Yoon, who also faces an impeachment trial at the Constitutio

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Macron says France is 'loyal' US ally as Trump casts doubt on NATO solidarity

French President Emmanuel Macron said that France was a "loyal and faithful ally" after US President Donald Trump expressed doubt that NATO would come to the US's defence if it was attacked. NATO's Article 5 defence guarantee was invoked following the Se

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'A watershed moment': EU leaders agree on a huge boost to defence spending

PRESS REVIEW – Friday, March 7: The British papers react as EU leaders agree on an €800bn plan to increase European defence spending. Also, a Ukrainian military band has taken on the task of playing at every one of their fallen comrades funerals. Plus, U

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Live: Ukraine uses French Mirage jets for first time to repel Russian attack

Europe • 5:35 AM

Ukraine said on Friday it used Mirage jets provided by France for the first time to fight off a mass drone and missile attack launched overnight by Russia. The attack, which saw every region in Ukraine put under air raid alerts, targeted critical infrast

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China vows retaliation against US tariffs and warns of global instability under Trump policies

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi accused the US of undermining ties with "arbitrary tariffs" and warned that Trump’s confrontational policies risk global instability in a scathing press conference on Friday. He vowed continued retaliation and reaffirmed

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EU leaders vow to re-arm Europe amid US retreat on Ukraine

Europe • 3:53 AM

European leaders pledged to dramatically boost defence spending and build a stronger, more sovereign military bloc at a crisis summit Thursday, as fears grow that the United States – long Europe’s security guarantor – is stepping back from its commitment

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Pope Francis, still hospitalised, thanks faithful in rare audio message

Pope Francis, speaking in a frail and breathless voice, thanked the faithful for their prayers in an audio message broadcast Thursday. It was his first public communication since being hospitalised three weeks ago with double pneumonia. The 88-year-old p

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SpaceX loses another Starship rocket during eighth test flight

SpaceX carried out another launch of its Starship rocket Thursday but quickly lost contact with the vessel as it roared over the Gulf of Mexico. The rocket scattered debris over parts of the Caribbean, prompting numerous flight diversions around Turks an

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Yesterday

NY doctor risks extradition to Louisiana in abortion pill case

The Trump administration has taken a number of actions aimed at restricting access to abortion, including pardoning anti-abortion protesters convicted of violating a law that protects abortion clinics and their patients. Jessica Le Masurier reports on th

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US, Ukraine teams to hold talks in Saudi Arabia, Zelensky says

Europe • 9:37 PM

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday said talks between Ukraine and the US on ending the war will take place in Saudi Arabia next week. The Ukrainian leader said he would travel to Riyadh on Monday and his team would stay on to hold talks w

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'Things have become too important for silly political games', analyst says as Hungary sidelined

Europe • 9:30 PM

European Union leaders at a summit in Brussels on Thursday approved a statement in support of Ukraine without the backing of Hungary, an EU official said. Sven Biscop, Director of the 'Europe in the World' Programme at the Egmont Royal Institute for Inte

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As faith in the US wavers, can France’s nuclear umbrella deter Russia?

A pillar of French sovereignty and source of national pride, France’s nuclear deterrent has long served as a symbol of the country’s independence from Washington. But as Europe’s faith in American protection wavers, does France’s nuclear umbrella offer a

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Sudan files case against UAE at top UN court over 'complicity in genocide'

In tonight's edition, as Sudan's war deepens, the army takes the UAE to court, accusing it of breaching the genocide convention by funding the paramilitary RSF. Also, the WFP warns that millions in Somalia are going hungry because of the fallout from a

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No, the French President did not declare the Minsk agreements as ‘worthless’

The French President made a stark speech to the nation, where he called Russia a threat to France and Europe, and said Moscow can no longer be trusted as it violated the Minsk agreements by starting the war in Ukraine. Barely 24 hours later, pro-Russian

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Trump reverses course, delaying some tariffs on Mexico and Canada amid economic fears

US President Donald Trump on Thursday said he was suspending new tariffs on most imports from Mexico and Canada until April 2. The exemptions came after Canada adopted aggressive countermeasures when Trump imposed 25% tariffs on imports from the USA's tw

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US-China armed conflict 'no longer unthinkable' analyst says

China vowed to fight a trade war with the United States "to the end" on Thursday, as tariffs from Washington buffeted the global economy and threatened to hit Beijing's lagging growth. FRANCE 24's Mark Owen speaks to fellow at the Global Foresight Hub an

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Trump to decide whether to revoke legal status of Ukrainians who fled to US

Europe • 8:12 PM

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he will make a decision soon on whether to revoke temporary legal status for some 240,000 Ukrainians who fled the conflict with Russia. The love would potentially put Ukranian migrants on a fast-track to depor

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EU leaders cautiously welcome Macron's nuclear umbrella offer

Europe • 7:41 PM

European leaders showed a cautiously receptive ear to President Emmanuel Macron's proposal to debate extending the French nuclear umbrella to Europe on Thursday, though some were reluctant to draw a line under years of U.S. protection. FRANCE 24's Siobh

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EU countries greenlight plan to boost bloc's defence: spokeswoman

Europe • 7:10 PM

EU countries on Thursday gave a green light to plans to boost the bloc's defences as a bulwark against Russia, as President Donald Trump pivots away from America's transatlantic partners, a spokeswoman for the European Council said. The text endorses a E

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Race to rearm: can Europe deter Russia on its own?

Europe • 7:09 PM

Ukraine’s allies in actual fact have plenty of troops and hardware. But how battle ready? And is it enough to deter Putin’s Russia? An emergency summit in Brussels inviting Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a show of solidarity in the face of a NATO leader that’s u

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Dozens killed in clashes between Syrian forces and pro-Assad militias in coastal stronghold

At least 70 people were killed in Syria’s Latakia province as security forces clashed with loyalists of ousted leader Bashar al-Assad, in the bloodiest challenge to the new authorities since Assad’s fall. Pro-Assad fighters launched coordinated attacks o

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'Unlikely' all of Mexico is corrupt, as Trump claims, no proof Mexican leaders collude with cartels

Donald Trump's promised war on drug cartels will stop Mexico from becoming a "narco state," US Vice President JD Vance insisted, as he hinted that Washington remained ready to take military action against the gangs. For in-depth analysis and a deeper per

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Europe's new Ariane 6 rocket successfully puts French spy satellite into orbit

France • 4:31 PM

Europe's new heavy-lift rocket Ariane 6 carried out its first commercial mission on Thursday, launching without a hitch and deploying a French military reconnaissance satellite into orbit. The success of the mission means that Europe can now put large sa

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What's behind Donald Trump's 'love affair' with tariffs?

Why does Donald Trump appear so determined to impose tariffs? Is it about raising revenue and bringing back jobs? Is it about leverage? To help us sort through what could be a complete overhaul of US and global trade policy of the past 75 years, Charles

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Egyptian documentary shows young women hovering on 'The Brink of Dreams'

Culture • 4:10 PM

Majda, Monika and Heidi are part of the Panorama theatre troupe in the village of El Barsha, a small Coptic Christian community in the south of Egypt. As they devise and perform plays in the street, filmmakers Nada Riyadh and Ayman El Amir follow the you

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Daughter of French rapist Dominique Pelicot files sex abuse case against him

France • 4:02 PM

Caroline Darian, the daughter of convicted French rapist Dominique Pelicot, on Thursday said she had filed a sexual abuse complaint against her father, who denies the allegations. Darian's mother Gisèle Pelicot became a feminist icon for her courage duri

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Kingdom of falcons: Qatar's lucrative hobby and national sport

Falconry is an ancient art recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage. In Qatar, where falconry symbolises nobility and prestige, the art is passed down from generation to generation. For Qataris, who invest heavily in the breeding and train

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‘Company’: From Broadway to Paris

Culture • 2:21 PM

The hit musical comedy "Company" is coming to France. The show by Stephen Sondheim premiered on Broadway in 1970 and is a series of vignettes centered around Bobby, a 35-year-old single New Yorker who's trying to find his place among his group of married

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International relations: Why France matters on the world stage

This week, we take a step back and look at France on the international stage. For a relatively small country, France wields a lot of diplomatic power and has so for centuries. French was once considered the language of diplomacy. But France has arguably

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‘See what she sees’: Women's rights, gender equality and rethinking masculinity

This weekend sees International Women’s Day with messages on women's rights, equality and empowerment. On March 8, women are encouraged to shout out “women’s rights are human rights!” But what roles can men play on all this? In Perspective, we spoke to D

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🔴 Follow live: Zelensky tells EU leaders 'thankful' Ukrainians 'are not alone'

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Germany calls for easing of EU fiscal rules ahead of European emergency summit

According to reporting from Bloomberg, Germany's envoy to Brussels urged the EU on Wednesday to ease its fiscal rules in order to allow for more defence expenditure to counter Russia. This would mark an important policy shift for a country known for fina

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'Exceptional reaction to an exceptional situation': French papers react to Macron's speech

PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, March 6: First, a look through the French and German papers as they react to Macron's address to the nation. Next, the Trump administration makes waves by cutting off intelligence support for Zelensky's forces, and an article fro

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Paris's Pompidou open for final weekend before 'colossal' five-year renovation

Paris's landmark modern art museum, the Pompidou Centre, will host a weekend of free festivities for the public before it begins closing its galleries for a five-year renovation process.

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EU leaders set to agree measures to ramp up defence spending at emergency summit

Europe • 8:03 AM

EU leaders attending Thursday's emergency summit are set to discuss changes to fiscal responsibility rules that would allow member states to ramp up defence spending. "These are rules that were introduced 15 years ago in response to the debt crisis that

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Ukraine counting on US to 'bring Russia to negotiating table and to achieve peace through force'

Europe • 7:56 AM

President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Europeans for their continued support on Thursday as he joined leaders for summit talks in Brussels, saying it meant Ukraine was not "alone" in its fight to repel Russia's invasion. For a deeper perspective on Ukraine

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'87% of the world is able to function effectively under the rules of a multilateral trading system'

Two major speeches by two of the world's most powerful leaders, delivered on opposite sides of the planet: For China, it was a call for unity to overcome obstacles through innovation and “opening up” — a time-honoured phrase in Chinese politics — to even

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EU greenlights plan to boost European defence

Europe • 5:42 AM

European leaders on Thursday backed plans to spend more on defence and pledged to continue to stand by Ukraine in a world upended by Donald Trump's reversal of US policies. Read our liveblog to see how the day's events unfolded.

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Emergency EU summit seeks to bolster defence to counter US pivot from alliance

Europe • 5:29 AM

EU leaders are holding emergency talks on Thursday in a bid to cement European support for Ukraine and bolster the bloc's defences against Russia as the US, under President Trump's administration, pivots away from its European alliances.

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Macron will discuss extending French nuclear protection to Europe with allies

French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday he will open talks with European allies about using France’s nuclear arsenal to help protect the continent, warning that Europe can no longer rely solely on the United States for its security as Russia esca

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Pre-travel entry scheme opens to Europeans seeking to visit UK

Europeans can now apply for a digital travel permit known as an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) if they wish to visit the UK. The permit will be mandatory from 2 April 2025.

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Moon lander Athena set for second lunar touchdown

US company Intuitive Machines will attempt its second Moon landing on Thursday targeting highland terrain near the Moon's south pole. Its landing craft, Athena, is set to deploy three rovers, a unique hopping drone and a drill to search for ice and other

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VP Vance touts Trump's immigration crackdown on US-Mexico border visit

Vice President JD Vance said Wednesday that Mexico should be thankful for US President Donald Trump's war on drug cartels because it will stop the country from becoming a "narco state", adding that military intervention may be needed to tackle the cartel

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EU leaders gather at 'historical, unprecedented juncture' for the bloc

Europe • 12:34 AM

European Union leaders from 27 countries gathered in Brussels on Thursday at a " historical, unprecedented juncture" for the bloc, said FRANCE 24's Europe Editor Armen Georgian. The leaders are set to rapidly bolster Europe's defence capability amid fear

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Wednesday, march 5, 2025

Champions League: Super-sub hands Liverpool win over PSG, Bayern cruise

Liverpool substitute Harvey Elliott scored a last-gasp winner 47 seconds after coming on to earn a fortunate 1-0 win against Paris St Germain who outplayed their visitors during Wednesday's Champions League last-16 first leg match. Bayern Munich took bea

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US AIDS funding cuts send HIV treatment ‘off a cliff’ in South Africa

Africa • 10:20 PM

South Africa has been racing to pivot its HIV treatment plans following the withdrawal of US aid globally. Determined to keep its hands on the tiller, the Department of Health is aiming to increase the number of people treated by one million by the end o

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Germany's Merz proposes overhaul of debt-brake system to boost defence spending

Germany's political parties hoping to form the next government have agreed to loosen the country's strict "debt brake" system which constitutionally limits new government borrowing to 0.35 percent of GDP. Conservative leader Friedrich Merz says extraord

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