News : France24

Wednesday, july 3, 2024

Japan's Supreme Court rules that forced sterilisation law was unconstitutional

Thousands of Japanese people who were forcibly sterilised between 1948 and 1996 will be able to request government compensation after the country's Supreme Court ruled that its now-defunct eugenics law was unconstitutional.

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Tuesday, july 2, 2024

French legislative elections: What are the main alliances proposing on health?

France is heading into a second and final round of voting on July 7 after the far right came out ahead in the first round of legislative elections on Sunday. The result has sent centrist and leftist parties scrambling to keep the far right from securing

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Friday, june 28, 2024

Health at heart of UK general election: Conservatives, Labour vow to fix NHS

In the run-up to the UK's general election on July 4, the state of the country's National Health Service (NHS) is a key campaign theme. Satisfaction with the NHS is at its lowest in 40 years and the same is true of social care. Both the ruling Conservati

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Wednesday, june 26, 2024

'Constant pain': Victims of Haiti's gangs face health system in crisis

Suffering from gunshot wounds to the leg and buttocks, 31-year-old Olivier Vilminio sought treatment in a hospital in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince. But even there, he was not safe from a surge of gang violence that has upended life in the impoverished

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Tuesday, june 25, 2024

A step towards a universal antivenom: Curbing the toll of snakebites

For years, scientists have been trying to reverse the terrible toll that snakebites take on societies in tropical regions in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. In some cases, snakebites can lead to amputations and even death. The race is now on to dev

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Wednesday, june 19, 2024

AI-enhanced blood tests could detect Parkinson's disease seven years before onset

PRESS REVIEW – Wednesday, June 19: Ahead of next week's legislative elections in France, President Emmanuel Macron finds himself short on allies, while there is still uncertainty over what will happen if no party wins an absolute majority in parliament.

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Monday, june 17, 2024

Transient global amnesia: Taylor Swift fans report post-concert forgetfulness

Imagine paying hundreds – even thousands – of euros to see your favourite artist in concert, only to forget their performance. It might sound crazy, but since the start of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, several fans have reported not remembering parts of her

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Saturday, june 15, 2024

All eyes on Kate Middleton as she returns to public view for the first time after cancer diagnosis

Britain put on a display of birthday pageantry Saturday for King Charles III, a military parade that marked the Princess of Wales ’ first public appearance since her cancer diagnosis early this year. More information with FRANCE 24 journalist Benedicte P

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Thursday, june 13, 2024

Support and sniping for South African universal healthcare law

This week, a new law paving the way for the introduction of universal healthcare in South Africa both excites and divides. Also, ed tech has the potential to close education gaps in DR Congo. One digital learning portal is going down well with kids, but

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Monday, june 3, 2024

Why is France facing shortages of medication?

On Thursday of last week, pharmacists closed their doors in France in a rare strike – the first of its kind in over a decade. They were protesting against government plans to relax online sales regulations, which they fear could lead to some pharmacies c

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Saturday, june 1, 2024

Putin's war on Ukraine: West 'no longer worried' when Russia's rhetoric, talking points go 'nuclear'

As Biden takes US deeper into Russia's war on Ukraine and Blinken vows NATO response to rising Russian hybrid attacks, FRANCE 24 is joined by Dr. Alexandra Filippenko, Political Analyst and Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for US and Canadian Stud

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Thursday, may 30, 2024

French pharmacists strike over drug shortages and pay, closing shops nationwide

French pharmacists launched their first walkout in 10 years on Thursday, closing up shop over drug shortages, pharmacy closures and fears medications could be sold online, as well as higher pay.

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Monday, may 27, 2024

French lawmakers open tense two-week debate on assisted dying

Until now, people in France suffering from incurable illnesses, and who wish to end their lives, have had to travel abroad. But one of President Macron's pledges for his second term in office was a debate on the right to die. That debate got started toda

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Sunday, may 26, 2024

Roadblocks delay access to medical care in riot-hit New Caledonia

Roadblocks in riot-hit New Caledonia are delaying patients' access to medical care as vehicles and ambulances traveling to hospitals and clinics are forced to slow down. Since two weeks ago when protests and riots started, some nurses have taken to sleep

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Tuesday, may 21, 2024

US FDA approves Neuralink's brain chip implant for second patient

The US startup Neuralink, which recently implanted one of its chips into the brain of a young quadriplegic man for the first time, has been forced to halt the trial. The company, co-founded by Elon Musk, encountered issues just a few weeks after the oper

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British inquiry shows past govts deliberately infected citizens with contaminated blood

PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, May 21: There are calls for justice after a damning report shows that the British government intentionally contaminated the blood of tens of thousands of patients between the 1970s and 1990s and attempted to cover it up. Also: re

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New device helps paraplegics regain partial control of arms and hands

More than 40 people suffering from paralysis from the neck down regained partial control of their arms and hands thanks to a relatively simple to use device, a large study said Monday.

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Monday, may 20, 2024

'Day of shame': UK inquiry finds cover-up of NHS infected blood scandal

An infected blood scandal in Britain was no accident but the fault of doctors and a succession of governments that led to 3,000 deaths and thousands more contracting hepatitis or HIV, a public inquiry reported on Monday.

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Wednesday, may 15, 2024

The Car-T cell revolution: reprogramming lymphocytes against cancer

There's been a significant advancement in the fight against cancers, called CAR-T cell therapy. It is a rapidly developing cellular immunotherapy strategy that holds great promise. More information with FRANCE 24 Science Editor Julia Sieger.

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Global Citizen Prize winner on helping rural Africans access healthcare

A 2024 Global Citizen Prize winner – Andrew Ddebme – spoke to FRANCE 24 about the joys of having his work recognised by the international organisation. Ddebme is the founder of MobiKlinic, a digital solution that has helped rural communities in Africa ac

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Tuesday, may 14, 2024

What are the health risks associated with excessive screen time for children?

A French association on Tuesday launched a "10 days without screens" challenge. From May 14th until May 23rd, hundreds of cities, day care centres, preschools and high schools across France will offer screen-free activities to children with the help of f

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Saturday, may 11, 2024

Field hospitals to be 'the future' of Gaza, French doctor says

Field hospitals are increasingly used to treat patients in Gaza after Israeli forces bombarded the Strip's main facilities including Al-Shifa, French doctor Zouhair Lahna, who has recently returned after working with NGOs in Gaza, told FRANCE 24. Lahna’s

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Friday, may 10, 2024

Kenya's public hospital doctors sign agreement to end national strike after almost 2 months

Kenya's public hospital doctors union on Wednesday signed a return to work agreement with the government, ending a national strike that began in mid-March and had left patients in limbo. More information with FRANCE 24 correpondent at Nairobi, Kenya, Oli

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Thursday, may 9, 2024

Fatal case of cholera in French Indian Ocean department of Mayotte

In the French Indian Ocean department of Mayotte, a three-year-old child died of cholera on Wednesday. Story by France 2 and Matthew-Mary Caruchet.

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Friday, may 3, 2024

Chronic ills of France's Health Ministry: Entire system 'must be rebuilt' under stable leadership

Delano D'Souza reports on the French government's years-long attempt to revitalize the healthcare sector. And while they are gaining some ground, the French Ministry of Labor, Health and Solidarity has a long way to go before getting a clean bill of heal

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Wednesday, may 1, 2024

Paris Olympic athletes will feast on cheese and fresh baguettes, with menus by fêted French chefs

Freshly cooked bread, select cheeses and a broad veggie assortment will be among the meals to be offered to athletes and visitors during the 2024 Paris Olympics — including, of course, gourmet dishes created by renowned French chefs.

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Tuesday, april 30, 2024

Androcur: New French public health scandal over 'miracle' drug

In this Science segment, we look at the public health scandal surrounding a prescription drug called Androcur. First used in the 1980s to treat acne, hair loss or hirsutism (excessive body hair), it was later prescribed as a contraceptive pill. But the d

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Friday, april 26, 2024

Local cholera cases reported in French Indian Ocean island Mayotte

Mayotte, a French island in the Indian Ocean, on Friday reported its first locally acquired cases of cholera, in addition to 10 imported cases detected over the past month.

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Thursday, april 25, 2024

Race against time to treat malaria 'with urgency before drug resistance becomes established'

As we commemorate World Malaria Day, FRANCE 24's Shona Bhattacharyya is joined by Researcher Dr. James K. Tibenderana, Chief Executive of The Malaria Consortium.

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Thursday, april 11, 2024

‘Aid in dying’: What’s in the new French bill on assisted suicide

The French government on Wednesday introduced a bill on assisted suicide, paving the way for euthanasia under strict conditions. The text, which was deemed too restrictive by some and irresponsible by others, will be debated by lawmakers at the end of Ma

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Polish MPs open debate on easing near-total abortion ban

Poland's parliament on Thursday will open a long-awaited debate on liberalising abortion laws in the majority Catholic country, with splits in the ruling coalition suggesting an uncertain outcome.

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Wednesday, april 10, 2024

French govt presents bill allowing terminally ill adults to take lethal medication

France’s government presented a bill Wednesday to allow adults with terminal cancer or other incurable illness to take lethal medication, as public demands grow for legal options for aid in dying.

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Tuesday, april 9, 2024

New blood test can diagnose bipolar disorder

It's an innovation that scientists are describing as a revolution. EDIT-B is a simple blood test that helps differentiate between depression and bipolar disorder, enabling doctors to establish a diagnosis within four weeks, compared to eight to 10 years

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French charity sounds alarm about Seine ahead of Olympics

A French water charity sounded the alarm Monday about pollution in the Seine just over 100 days before the start of the Olympics when the river is set to be used for swimming events. Surfrider Foundation said it had analysed six months of tests over wint

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Saturday, april 6, 2024

Skin-whitening trend continues in Ivory Coast, despite ban

Eight years after a national ban on skin-whitening products came into force in Ivory Coast, the trend continues to boom despite its health risks. Half of Abidjan's women are known to engage in skin depigmentation, which can lead to serious health issues

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Friday, april 5, 2024

The failure of Ivory Coast's ban on skin-lightening products

How the ban on skin-lightening products in Ivory Coast has not stopped thousands of women from buying these creams. This as health officials warn of risks such as diabetes and hypertension. Also we head to the Anbar region in Iraq which is undergoing mas

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Thursday, april 4, 2024

Gaza cancer patients' appeal to continue care in Israel

The Israeli government wants to send Palestinian cancer patients back to Gaza. They arrived in Jerusalem before Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on 7th October, in order to get treatment not available in Gaza. Now that their cancer is in remission, the

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Tuesday, april 2, 2024

Carpe diem or killing time? Daylight saving increases fatigue, accidents, consumption, CO2 emissions

Now that spring has sprung, so have our clocks! What are the long-term benefits and consequences of falling back and springing forward every six months? For a deeper perspective on Daylight saving, FRANCE 24's William Hilderbrandt is joined by Laetitia M

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Monday, april 1, 2024

Germany becomes the biggest EU country to legalise recreational cannabis

Germany on Monday became the biggest EU country to legalise recreational cannabis, despite fierce objections from opposition politicians and medical associations.

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Saturday, march 30, 2024

Medical cannabis could soon get the green light in France after unprecedented trial

During a years-long experiment that ended on Tuesday, French health authorities gave patients suffering from serious illnesses the chance to use prescribed medical cannabis. As France prepares to put cannabis-based medicines on the market, patients look

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Is daylight saving time affecting your health?

In France and in much of Europe, clocks spring forward one hour on Sunday (March 30) marking the start of daylight saving time. The general idea behind daylight saving time is to give us more evening light during the summer and more morning light during

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Friday, march 29, 2024

Red Cross and USAID urge global action on threat from extreme heat

Extreme heat is one of the most deadly problems from climate change even though it receives less attention than other knock-on effects like hurricanes and flooding, two of the world's leading humanitarian organisations warned Thursday.

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Monday, march 25, 2024

Tuberculosis remains world's second-deadliest infectious disease

March 24 marks World TB (Tuberculosis) Day. On that day in 1882, Dr Robert Koch announced the discovery of the bacteria responsible for this age-old infectious disease. Decades later, an antibiotic was developed to treat patients with tuberculosis. But e

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Saturday, march 23, 2024

US surgeons transplant gene-edited pig kidney to patient in world first

Doctors in Boston have transplanted a pig kidney into a 62-year-old patient, the latest experiment in the quest to use animal organs in humans. Massachusetts General Hospital said Thursday that it’s the first time a genetically modified pig kidney has be

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Thursday, march 21, 2024

Global fertility rate to shrink by the end of the century, study says

The population of almost every country will be shrinking by the end of the century, a major study said Wednesday, warning that baby booms in developing nations and busts in rich ones will drive massive social change.

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Wednesday, march 20, 2024

Brazil police accuse Bolsonaro of fraud in vaccine records

Brazil's police have recommended that Jair Bolsonaro be charged for the alleged forging of his Covid vaccination certificate, adding to the former president's panoply of legal woes.

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Monday, march 18, 2024

Gambian lawmakers debate bill to repeal female genital mutilation ban

Gambian lawmakers on Monday debated a highly controversial bill seeking to lift the ban on female genital mutilation (FGM) in force since 2015, before suspending the vote for at least three months. FRANCE 24's Annette Young explains the context and stake

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Wednesday, march 13, 2024

How to eradicate malaria? Promising new technique raises ethical issues

The world's largest vaccine manufacturer in India will begin distributing a new malaria vaccine in Africa starting in May. The disease kills more than 600,000 people each year, 95 percent of whom are in Africa and mostly children. Separately, another sol

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Situation in Gaza 'completely unimaginable', British doctor says after mission

FRANCE 24 spoke to Basil Budair, a British orthopaedic surgeon and member of IDEALS, a charity providing medical aid in conflict zones. He recently returned from a mission at Gaza's European hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis – one of the last

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Childhood deaths reach ‘historic’ low but progress is unequal, UN report finds

The number of children worldwide who died before age five reached a record low in 2022, the United Nations said in a report published Tuesday, as for the first time fewer than five million died.

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Sunday, march 10, 2024

Paris Olympics must have ‘plan B’ for Seine events, swim champion says

Brazilian swimmer Ana Marcela Cunha, the reigning Olympic open water champion, has called on organisers of this year's Paris Games to draw up a "plan B" in case events cannot be held in the Seine due to poor water quality.

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Monday, march 4, 2024

France to enshrine abortion rights in constitution as a ‘guaranteed freedom’

French lawmakers are expected Monday to anchor the right to abortion in the country's constitution, in a global first that has garnered overwhelming public support.

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France enshrines abortion as a constitutional right in historic vote

French lawmakers on Monday voted to anchor the right to abortion in the country's constitution, in a global first that has garnered overwhelming public support.

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Friday, march 1, 2024

More than 1 billion people worldwide are suffering from obesity, WHO study finds

More than one billion people around the world are now suffering from obesity with the number having more than quadrupled since 1990, according to a study released by the Lancet medical journal.

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Thursday, february 29, 2024

'We are delighted': Since overturn of Roe v Wade, IPPF needed a 'strong message for int'l community'

France's Senate on Wednesday backed a government move to enshrine the "freedom" to have an abortion in the constitution which will now be voted on at a special congress. President Emmanuel Macron last year pledged to put the right to terminate a pregnanc

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'We must open our eyes to worldwide movement against women's rights which are human rights'

A French government plan to enshrine the "freedom" to have an abortion in the constitution is to be tested Wednesday in a crucial vote in the right-dominated Senate. President Emmanuel Macron last year pledged to inscribe the right to terminate a pregnan

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Wednesday, february 28, 2024

France enshrining abortion rights into Constitution may be 'inspiration' to EU activists, lawmakers

A French government plan to enshrine the "freedom" to have an abortion in the constitution is to be tested Wednesday in a crucial vote in the right-dominated Senate. President Emmanuel Macron last year pledged to inscribe the right to terminate a pregnan

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Friday, february 23, 2024

Desperately seeking a cure for endometriosis

A special report here in France on the con artists who prey on the women suffering from endometriosis; a painful disease that affects millions and can sometimes lead to fertility problems. Also the Spanish government seeks to increase the number of mixed

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Monday, february 19, 2024

France's foreign doctors suffer insecurity as understaffed hospitals struggle to function

The situation for several thousand foreign doctors working in French hospitals has become more complicated since the end of the exemption scheme put into place during the Covid-19 pandemic. Nearly 1,900 of these practitioners have now lost their right to

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Wednesday, february 14, 2024

US defense secretary Lloyd Austin released from hospital, resumes full duties

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was released from hospital on Tuesday, after undergoing treatment under general anesthetic for bladder issues as he battles prostate cancer, the Pentagon said.

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