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Australia passes world's first social media ban for under-16s

Culture • 1:01 PM

Australia's Senate on Thursday passed a social media ban for children under 16 that will soon become the first law of its kind in the world. Platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram will be liable for fines of up to $33 mil

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Paris neighbourhoods: Discovering the 13th arrondissement and Chinatown

In this French Connections Plus, Genie Godula and Florence Villeminot continue their tour of Paris with a stop in the lesser-known 13th arrondissement. It lies in the southeastern corner of the city and was annexed into the French capital in 1860 by Napo

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Tanzania: Reports of violence, fake ballots dominate local elections

While polls opened on Wednesday for voting in Tanzania local elections widely seen as a litmus test for parliamentary and presidential elections due next year. Opposition party Chadema on Wednesday said three of its members were killed in incidents linke

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LVMH boss to testify in trial of former French spy chief Squarcini

Bernard Arnault, France's richest man and the billionaire head of luxury group LVMH, is set to take the witness stand in a Paris court in the trial of Bernard Squarcini, the former head of France's domestic intelligence agency. Squarcini is accused of us

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Namibia: Ruling party faces toughest race yet for the elections

Namibians waited in queues for several hours to vote Wednesday for new president and parliament. These elections could usher in the desert nation's first woman leader even as the dominant SWAPO party faces the strongest challenge yet to its 34-year grip

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Macron welcomes Nigerian president as he seeks to boost Africa ties

French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed President Bola Tinubu to the Élysée palace on Thursday, the first state visit by a Nigerian leader in more than two decades. Paris is seeking to expand its influence on the continent to include English-speaking n

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Did France backtrack on Netanyahu arrest warrant in exchange for Israel-Lebanon ceasefire?

PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, November 28: The French government's revelation that it may not enforce the ICC arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu draws ire in the press. Some dailies wonder if this "about face" was a requirement in order for France to broke

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Singapore: Seven days of final for the World Chess Championship

Off to Singapore, where the World Chess Championship is underway. The finals will last several days, featuring Chinese and Indian grandmasters. A story by Matthew-Mary Caruchet.

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Who is Nabih Berri? One of the mediator throughout the Israel-Hezbollah conflict

The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah did not officially take part in the recent truce negotiatons between Israel and Lebanon. Instead, it called on parliamentary leader Nabih Berri to negotiate on its behalf. An important figure within Lebanon's Shia co

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Lebanon: Army reinforces troop presence in south, near Israeli border

Lebanon’s army is set to play a central role in the cease-fire deal between Israel and Hezbollah. Thousands of Lebanese troops have been deployed to southern Lebanon to help ensure Hezbollah militants end their armed presence there. It will be a major te

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'Lot of Ukrainians spent the night in their shelters or in metro stations'

Russian army conducted a “massive” attack against energy infrastructure in Ukraine on Thursday, firing nearly 200 missiles and drones and leaving more than a million households without power, Ukrainian officials said. FRANCE 24 correspondent, Gulliver Cr

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Nigerian state visit in Paris: France seeks to boost Africa ties

Thursday marks the start of a two-day state visit to France by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, with both sides scenting economic rewards as Paris looks to build new ties in Africa after a series of setbacks. FRANCE 24 senior reporter, James Andre reports

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Live: Russian strikes a 'response' to Ukraine using Western missiles, Putin says

Europe • 9:43 AM

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that a massive aerial barrage against Ukraine was Moscow's "response" to Ukrainian long-range strikes on Russian territory with Western missiles. Russia is selecting targets in Ukraine that could include "de

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Live: Hezbollah and Israel accuse each other of violating ceasefire

Lebanon's militant group Hezbollah and Israel on Thursday mutually accused each other of violating the ceasefire that came into force 24 hours earlier. While Hezbollah accused Israel of firing on civilians, Israel said “several suspects” had arrived by c

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More than 130 killed as Syrian rebels seize territory from army in Aleppo province

Syrian rebels on Wednesday launched a massive offensive against the Syrian regime in Aleppo province, making the first territorial gains since a ceasefire came into force in 2020, army and rebel sources said. More than 130 have been killed in the fightin

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Last three Americans ‘wrongfully detained’ by China released after years in prison

The last Americans considered to have been “wrongfully detained” by Chinese authorities have been released and will soon be on their way home to reunite with their families, US State Secretary Antony Blinken announced on Wednesday. All three men have spe

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At least one million people without power in Ukraine after ‘massive’ Russian attack

Europe • 6:27 AM

At least one million people are without power in Ukraine after Russia staged a “massive” attack on the country’s energy infrastructure in the early hours of Thursday. The missile strikes come as temperatures have dropped to freezing, and a UN official ha

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Ukraine says energy sector 'under massive enemy attack'

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Trump administration nominees targeted with bomb and swatting threats

Several of Donald Trump’s cabinet picks, including Elise Stefanik and Lee Zeldin, faced bomb threats and "swatting" this week, a spokesperson for the transition team said Wednesday. Stefanik is Trump's choice to be US ambassador to the United Nations and

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Trump names retired general Keith Kellogg as envoy for Ukraine and Russia

US President-elect Donald Trump named retired general Keith Kellogg as Ukraine and Russia envoy. Trump, pledging a swift resolution to the war, aims to mediate a ceasefire between Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky and Russia's Vladimir Putin.

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More than half of French want PM Barnier’s government to fall, survey shows

Europe • 12:53 AM

More half of the French want the current government to fall, a survey showed on Thursday. The reason for the anger is Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s budget proposal, which entails both steep tax hikes and painful spending cuts.

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UK police identify 90 women in Al Fayed sexual assault case

Europe • 12:35 AM

London's Metropolitan Police said Wednesday that it had opened a new investigation into claims of sexual assault against late Harrods owner Mohamed Al-Fayed, identifying 90 victims. More than 400 women and witnesses have come forward since a BBC document

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Sikhs caught in middle of diplomatic spat between Canada and India

Since the assassination of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside his Vancouver temple in June 2023, diplomatic tensions between Canada and India have soared. Canada accuses New Delhi of ordering the killing and has expelled several Indian d

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Yesterday

Mbappe missed penalty as Liverpool avenge Real Madrid defeat

Europe • 11:28 PM

Liverpool beat Real Madrid 2-0 in the Champions League as Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo struck in the second half. Kylian Mbappe and Mohamed Salah missed penalties, but the Reds' 17th win under Arne Slot returned them to the top of the table, mainta

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Namibia votes for new president and parliament as ruling party faces toughest race yet

Africa • 9:31 PM

Thousands of Namibians queued late into Wednesday evening to have their say in general elections. Logistical issues held up the scheduled closure of pivotal presidential and legislative polls. The vote was held as the ruling SWAPO party faced its stronge

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French borrowing costs spike amid political turbulence

Another looming political crisis is battering France's reputation on global markets. Borrowing costs spiked as investors looked to a possible vote of no confidence over the government's budget proposal. That led the spread between French and German bond

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Pelicot trial: ‘There’s no such thing as ordinary, accidental, involuntary rape’

Europe • 8:39 PM

Prosecutors in France’s mass rape trial denounced the “casualness” of defendants who claimed their rape of Gisèle Pelicot was unintentional as they wrapped up their case on Wednesday, requesting lengthy jail terms and calls for a wider societal reckoning

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France says Netanyahu is 'immune' to the ICC's arrest warrant. We did a legal deep dive

The French government has claimed Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has immunity from the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for war crimes – on the grounds that Israel isn't an ICC member. This position has garnered criticism, in cont

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Netanyahu on 'revenge' path against Gaza, unlikely to make concessions, analyst says

Following the ceasefire deal between Hezbollah and Israel, there are fears for the fate of the Gaza Strip with Israel now able to direct its military effort on the Palestinian territory. FRANCE 24's Mark Owen speaks to Elijah Magnier is a veteran war cor

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France says it will work closely with Netanyahu despite ICC arrest warrant

France said on Wednesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had immunity given his country was not party to the statutes of the International Criminal Court that has sought his arrest, and Paris would continue working closely with him. FRANCE

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France's reckoning with rape: Will Mazan mass trial change attitudes to sexual violence?

Will this trial be remembered as France's reckoning with sexual violence in the digital age? Closing arguments are underway in the mass rape trial of 51 men who were invited over the internet to the home of Dominique Pelicot to assault his heavily sedate

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French court to rule on electoral ineligibility for far-right leader Le Pen in March

The verdict on whether France's far-right leader Marine Le Pen will be ruled ineligible to compete in elections will be delivered on March 31, 2025. Le Pen and two dozen other figures in the National Rally party are accused of having embezzled millions o

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UN Resolution 1701 is the linchpin of the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire. Will it hold?

The ceasefire deal agreed to by Lebanon and Israel aims to reinvigorate a UN Security Council resolution adopted in 2006 after a previous war between Hezbollah and Israel. Observers say that circumstances are now more complicated than they were nearly tw

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'My father stayed to defend his people': Son of jailed Hong Kong publisher Jimmy Lai

FRANCE 24 spoke to Sebastien Lai, the son of jailed Hong Kong media tycoon, pro-democracy activist and founder of the now-defunct tabloid Apple Daily newspaper, Jimmy Lai. The elder Lai, in prison since December 2020, is currently on trial in Hong Kong f

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Plastic pollution: Chinese island’s plastic waste turned into artworks

As storm clouds gathered on a forgotten beach in China's Miaodao islands, artist Fu Junsheng picked his way through piles of plastic waste washed up along the shoreline, looking for inspiration.

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Romania telecoms regulator calls for TikTok suspension after viral far-right candidate leads vote

Europe • 4:01 PM

A senior official at Romania's telecoms watchdog called for TikTok to be suspended on Wednesday pending an investigation into the platform's possible role in the surprise victory of a far-right candidate in the first round of its presidential election. R

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Bunkers and survival manuals: The EU countries preparing their populations for war

In this Science segment, we take a closer look at the "bunker plan" launched by Germany as a response to a worsening international threat, particularly from Russia. The goal is to identify all shelters or bunkers capable of accommodating the population i

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An operatic experience like no other: 'The Opera Locos' returns to Paris

France • 3:07 PM

Exposing children to opera is not always easy. Traditional productions can last three hours or more, but a French show called "The Opera Locos" is trying to change that. It's made up of five slightly crazy singers, including our guest Laurent Arcaro. We

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France says Netanyahu has 'immunity' from ICC arrest warrants

France's foreign ministry has said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu enjoys "immunity" from prosecution before the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC last week issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defence minister Yoa

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Susie Morgenstern, the American star of French kids' fiction

We speak to US author Susie Morgenstern, who's written over 150 books in her five-decade career, including several bestsellers that have become classics here in France. She's has won several awards, including a knighthood from the French government and m

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Film show: Ungodly horror in 'Heretic', toxic masculinity and a quirky 'Grand Tour'

Culture • 2:37 PM

Film critic Emma Jones tells us why Hugh Grant's creepy character is the star attraction in his latest film, "Heretic". We also discuss timely French feature "Animale", as Oulaya Amamra plays a woman trying to navigate the macho world of bull-running in

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Author Alexis Pauline Gumbs on perpetuating the Black feminist legacy of Audre Lorde

An author who has drawn strong parallels with the iconic Black lesbian feminist writer Audre Lorde has spoken to FRANCE 24 about Lorde's legacy, and her hope that she is carrying on her message. Alexis Pauline Gumbs is author of the new biography "Surviv

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As ceasefire takes effect, Lebanon's economy is shattered by war

A ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah, brokered by the US and France, went into effect this Wednesday, paving the way for the more than 1.2 million Lebanese citizens displaced by war to return home. More than a year of cross-border fighting had c

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Taiwan's Olympic boxing champion Lin Yu-ting 'quits event' over gender questioning

Taiwan's Olympic boxing champion Lin Yu-ting pulled out of the World Boxing Cup Finals in Britain on Wednesday, the country's sports chiefs said, saying that organisers had questioned her gender eligibility. The featherweight was one of two women boxers

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Russia cements rule in occupied Ukrainian regions through propaganda and violence

Russia currently occupies about 18 percent of Ukraine's territory. Yet reliable information about what life is like there is hard to come by, since there is no longer any access for Ukrainian media. Nevertheless, various Ukrainian initiatives aim to shed

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Did the Biden administration discuss returning nuclear weapons to Ukraine?

Europe • 10:16 AM

Rumours about the US returning nuclear weapons to Ukraine have been circulating since November 21, when The New York Times published an article citing several unnamed US officials who "suggested that Mr. Biden could return nuclear weapons to Ukraine that

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ICC prosecutor seeks arrest warrant for Myanmar’s junta leader for crimes against humanity

Pacific Asia • 10:05 AM

The top prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Wednesday asked judges to grant an arrest warrant for Myanmar’s junta leader. Min Aung Hlaing is suspected of committing crimes against humanity through the deportation and persecution of th

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World Food Programme scales up operations to deliver aid in famine-hit Sudan

Africa • 9:39 AM

Displaced people living in Sudan's North Darfur state cheer at the arrival of the first convoy of food and supplies in months, but the glimmer of hope is still vastly short of what's needed. Also, Namibia heads into general elections, with the ruling par

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As ceasefire begins, a look back at the Israel-Hezbollah conflict

Israel and the Lebanese based militant group Hezbollah have reached a ceasefire agreement. The two sides have been exchanging fire for more than a year, but in the past two months the conflict escalated greatly when Israel launched aggressive air and gro

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What's left of the German model? The Merkel years revisited

Europe • 8:52 AM

It's hard to believe she’s only been out of power for three years. While no one expects Angela Merkel's supporters to rally behind calls to "make Germany great again", the excitement surrounding the release of her memoirs highlights a sense of nostalgia

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The Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire seems to be holding, but Gaza sees no end to war

A US-France-brokered ceasefire agreement to the 14-month conflict between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah that came into power on Wednesday morning seems to be holding. But for Palestinians in Gaza – and the families of hostages still held t

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Whose legacy is it?: Germany grapples with Merkel's 'no regrets' legacy as govt 'breaks into pieces'

Germany's former chancellor Angela Merkel is giving a spirited defence of her 16 years at the helm of Europe's top economy in her memoir "Freedom", including her diplomatic efforts with Russia and open-door migrant policy. For in-depth analysis and a dee

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'Diplomacy finally gets a win': Papers react to ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah

PRESS REVIEW – Wednesday, November 27: We look at reactions and analysis as an Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire deal is agreed. The local and international press ponder if peace will be long lasting and what the deal means for the war in Gaza.

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REPLAY: Netanyahu says he supports proposed Lebanon ceasefire in address to nation

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Tuesday recommended his cabinet approve a US-brokered ceasefire agreement with Lebanon's Hezbollah, setting the stage for an end to nearly 14 months of fighting linked to the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. Wat

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Live: Israeli military imposes restrictions on nighttime movement in south Lebanon

The Israeli army announced restrictions Wednesday on people's movements in south Lebanon after dark, hours after a ceasefire with Hezbollah took effect. The army will also bar them from returning to villages it has ordered evacuated, a military spokesper

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The Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire seems to be holding, but Gaza sees no end to war

A US-France-brokered ceasefire agreement to the 14-month conflict between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah that came into power on Wednesday morning seems to be holding. But for Palestinians in Gaza – and the families of hostages still held t

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