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Germany's youth opposed to return of military service

The war in Ukraine has pushed defence issues to the top of the agenda in Germany, where the federal government has confirmed that a military call-up will return as early as next year. All young men born from 2008 onwards will have to register and undergo

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US police releases new video of suspected Brown University shooter as manhunt continues

Police in the United States have released a new video of the suspect in the shooting of December 13 at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Two students were killed and seven injured in the shooting, which took place during exams. There have bee

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Australian authorities defend Bondi Beach response as country mourns

A father and son were driven by "Islamic State ideology" when they fired on crowds at Bondi Beach in one of Australia's deadliest mass shootings, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on December 16. As they investigate, authorities are also facing mounti

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Hollywood and beyond pay tribute to Rob and Michele Reiner following murder

Following the murder of studio director Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Reiner on December 14, tribute has been pouring in from actors, directors and politicians, all expressing their shock and sympathy. In the meantime, US President Donald Trump cam

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Ford to take $19.5 billion writedown as it scraps flagship EVs

Ford is abandoning top EV models like the F-150 Lightning as weak demand and hostile policies from the Trump administration weigh on sales. We take a closer look. Also in this edition: the EU prepares to water down its own upcoming ban on sales of new in

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Shipping is one of the world's dirtiest industries. Could sailing cargo ships be the answer?

International shipping accounts for 3 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. But a new path is emerging: starting in 2026, sailing cargo ships will set off from France to the United States, some flying the French flag. The big question is whether this inno

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Civilians flee DR Congo for Rwanda following new M23 offensive

Africa • 10:56 AM

At least 200,000 people have been displaced following a new offensive by the M23 in eastern DR Congo early December. One thousand found refuge in Rwanda. The neighbouring country is also accused of backing the rebel group. FRANCE 24's correspondent in th

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Medetomidine: New drug causing extreme withdrawal crisis spreads in US

PRESS REVIEW – Tuesday, December 16: French President Emmanuel Macron is visiting Marseille to discuss the fight against drugs, one month after the murder of Mehdi Kessaci, the brother of a well-known anti-drug crime activist. Staying on the topic, a dea

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French cement-maker Lafarge risks heavy sentence in trial for financing terrorism in Syria

The prosecution is to present its closing case in the trial of the French cement manufacturer Lafarge, accused of financing terorrism. Eight former executives are suspected of having paid jihadist groups in Syria until 2014 - including the Islamic State

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"There is reason to be optimistic, but also to be extremely cautious" over US-Ukraine peace talks

The U.S. has agreed to provide unspecified security guarantees to Ukraine as part of a peace deal to end Russia's nearly four-year war, U.S. officials said December 15 following the latest discussions with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Berlin. But alth

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Donald Trump sues BBC over misleading video editing of speech

Trump has followed through on his threat to sue the BBC over a misleading video edit of a speech he made on January 6th, 2021 and filed a lawsuit against the media corporation on December 15. He will be seeking 10 billion dollars in damages. The BBC apol

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Bondi Beach investigators probe gunmen's movements prior to the attack

Australia is in mourning for the 15 people killed at the shooting during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi beach on December 15, while the investigation into the shooting is making progress. A father and son are behind the shooting - one gunmen was killed

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USA: Military carries out strike on three vessels in Pacific

Strikes on three alleged narco-trafficking vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean killed eight people on Monday, according to the US military, as part of an ongoing campaign that has ended more than 90 lives.

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Chile's president-elect close to other far-right leaders "culturally and ideologically"

Chile has just elected its first far-right leader, Jose Antonio Kast, since the fall of the dictator Augusto Pinochet in 1990. The arch conservative politician was elected on an anti-crime and anti-immigration platform, which won over 60% of voters. But

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AFC/M23 rebels agree to US request for withdrawal from city in DR Congo

Africa • 9:14 AM

AFC/M23 rebels, backed by Rwanda, on Tuesday agreed to withdraw from the city of Uvira in eastern DRC following a request from US mediators. The group said its withdrawal was a gesture to give the ongoing peace process between Rwanda and DRC a chance to

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Premier League: Spectacular draw between Manchester United and Bournemouth

Manchester United failed to beat Bournemouth (4-4) in the Premier League on Monday. The Red Devils remain sixth in the table.

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Live: France demands ‘robust security guarantees’ for Ukraine before talks on territory

Europe • 6:03 AM

Ukraine must have "robust security guarantees" before any talks on whether Kyiv will cede territory to Moscow to end the war, President Emmanuel Macron's team said Tuesday. European leaders will meet on Tuesday to launch an International Claims Commissio

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US military kills eight in strikes on alleged narco-trafficking vessels in eastern Pacific

US military strikes on three suspected narco-trafficking vessels in the eastern Pacific killed eight people on Monday, US Southern Command said, part of an ongoing campaign that has left more than 90 dead. The command said intelligence showed the vessels

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EU set to scrap 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars to boost auto industry

The EU looks set to scrap a ban on petrol and diesel cars that was supposed to come into effect in 2035, as European car makers are struggling against fierce competition from China and slow consumer update of electric vehicles.

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Chile elects hardline president, joining Latin American neighbours in swing to the right

Chile on Sunday voted in far-right leader Jose Antonio Kast, making it the latest country in Latin America to ditch the left. As many voters are looking for solutions to economic woes, US President Donald Trump has also upped the ante vowing to pull US s

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Trump files $10 billion defamation lawsuit against BBC over edited Capitol speech

President Donald Trump on Monday sued the BBC for defamation, accusing the British public broadcaster of misleadingly editing clips of his January 6, 2021 speech to suggest he urged supporters to storm the US Capitol, while omitting remarks calling for p

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Australia PM says Bondi Beach attack driven by 'Islamic State ideology'

Pacific Asia • 12:35 AM

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday that a father and son who opened fire at a Jewish festival on Sydney’s Bondi Beach appeared to be driven by Islamic State group ideology. Sajid Akram and his son Naveed killed 15 people at a Hanu

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Benin jails 30 people with links to thwarted coup attempt, legal sources say

Africa • 12:24 AM

Benin on Tuesday jailed around 30 people, most of whom were soldiers, linked to an attempt to oust President Patrice Talon, legal sources said. The attempted coup was defeated by loyalist army forces with the help of the Nigerian air force and French spe

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PSG must pay Mbappé 60.9 million euros, French labour court rules

A Paris labour court on Tuesday ordered Paris Saint-Germain football club to pay former player Kylian Mbappé 60 million euros ($70.6 million) in unpaid salary and bonuses, bringing a partial end to one of the most acrimonious disputes in French football.

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French court jails DR Congo ex-rebel leader Lumbala for 30 years over crimes against humanity

Africa • 12:03 AM

A French court handed ex-rebel leader Roger Lumbala a 30-year jail term on December 15 over complicity in crimes against humanity during the Second Congo War in what activists hailed a "historic" verdict. He was found guilty of being the mastermind of at

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Yesterday

France's first lady Brigitte Macron apologises after slur sparks feminist backlash

France’s first lady Brigitte Macron apologised on Monday for using a slur against activists that triggered a feminist backlash and a social media trend against her. Speaking to Brut, Macron, 72, said she was sorry if she hurt women, but defended the rema

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Trinidad and Tobago to open airports to US military as Venezuela tensions rise

The government of Trinidad and Tobago said on Monday it would allow the US military access to its airports in the coming weeks, as tensions rise between Washington and Venezuela. Authorities said a newly installed US radar in Tobago is for fighting crime

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China sees first annual investment decline in 30 years

Despite logging a record trade surplus, economic data for November showed China's domestic woes are deepening. Retail sales grew at their slowest pace in three years and investment slowed sharply, signalling that Chinese consumers and businesses are beco

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Ahmed or Edward? Disinformation clouds identity of Bondi Beach shooting hero

In the aftermath of the anti-Semitic Bondi Beach attack, footage emerged showing a mysterious bystander disarming one of the gunmen. Scores of users praised this courageous man, who was quickly identified by journalists. But other accounts claimed that t

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US dangles security guarantees for Ukraine but no deal on 'painful' territorial concessions

The European leaders in a joint statement at the Berlin talks proposed a force as part of US-backed "robust security guarantees" aimed at guaranteeing that Russia would not violate an agreement to end the war, which started with Moscow's 2022 full-scale

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European leaders agree Ukraine security guarantees must include ‘multinational force’

European leaders meeting in Berlin on Monday agreed that Ukraine required robust security guarantees, including a European-led "multinational force" with US support, before making any decisions on potential territorial concessions to Russia. A statement

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200,000 displaced in DR Congo as M23 rebels eye mineral-rich south

In tonight's edition: Some 200,000 people are displaced in DR Congo as the M23 rebels eye the mineral-rich south of the country. Also, former Congolese rebel leader Roger Lumbala is sentenced in France to 30 years in prison over atrocities committed two

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France says cattle disease under control as farm protests continue

France said on Monday the lumpy skin disease affecting cattle is under control in the country even as farmers continue a second week of protests against the government's handling of the virus by blocking highways with tractors and dumping manure. Lumpy s

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Prevention, data monitoring 'more useful' in fight against terrorism, expert says

Speaking with FRANCE 24's Peter O'Brien, Yann Saint Pierre, CEO and counter-terrorism consultant at the Modern Security Consulting Group, says that the Australian government's push for stricter gun laws "will only be superficial and not go at the heart o

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Son arrested for murder of movie director Rob Reiner and wife

Rob Reiner’s younger son, Nick Reiner, was in custody Monday after being booked for what investigators believe was the fatal stabbing of the director-actor and his wife at their Los Angeles home a day earlier, authorities said. FRANCE 24's Emerald Maxwel

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US offers 'NATO-like' security to Ukraine, expects Russia to accept

Europe • 7:55 PM

The U.S. has agreed to provide unspecified security guarantees to Ukraine as part of a peace deal to end Russia's nearly four-year war, and more talks are likely this weekend, U.S. officials said Monday following the latest discussions with President Vol

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Terror at Bondi Beach: What response to Australia's worst anti-Semitic attack?

Pacific Asia • 7:14 PM

It was the worst of humanity, and the best of humanity. What kind of a father-son duo decides to go shooting at a gathering that's come together to celebrate the Jewish festival of light? We ask about the motives and circumstances of the Bondi Beach terr

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Tsarist warriors revival: Putin sends Cossacks to Ukraine’s front lines

Europe • 6:12 PM

Once prized fighters under the Tsars, Russia’s Cossack population was ostracised by authorities during the Soviet era. Under President Vladimir Putin, they have reintegrated into Russian society, acting as a supplementary police force and restoring their

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French court sentences DR Congo ex-rebel chief Lumbala to 30 years over atrocities

Africa • 5:35 PM

A French court on Monday sentenced ex-rebel leader Roger Lumbala to 30 years in jail after finding him guilty of complicity in crimes against humanity in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2002-2003.

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In the wake of the Bondi Beach shooting, what is Australia's legislation on gun ownership?

Australia's leaders have agreed to strengthen gun laws across the country in the wake of the mass shooting at Bondi Beach. After a meeting with the heads of states and territories, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said they had agreed to look into ways to

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Radical right grows in South America as Chile elects its most right-wing leader since Pinochet

José Antonio Kast was elected Chilean president on December 14, the first far-right leader in the country since the fall of Augusto Pinochet in 1990. An ultraconservative, the 59-year-old won 58% of the popular vote, with the moderate communist Jeannette

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Morocco: Deadly torrential rains and flash floods

Africa • 4:07 PM

A flash flood in a Moroccan coastal town killed at least 37. Drought-hit Morocco often faces severe weather, but Sunday's flooding in Safi is already the deadliest such disaster in at least a decade.

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Music show: Gaspard Royant's cool Christmas and The Spitfires' renaissance

Culture • 3:55 PM

In this edition of our arts24 music show, Jennifer Ben Brahim chats with the frontman of British band The Spitfires, Billy Sullivan, as well as French musician Gaspard Royant. The Spitfires are back after having split up three years ago. The indie rock,

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Rob Reiner's son taken into custody after deaths of Hollywood director and his wife

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French farmers protest tough government measures to contain cattle disease outbreak

French farmers are protesting against government measures, including the culling of entire cattle herds, aimed at containing an outbreak of lumpy skin disease among livestock. If left unchecked, the disease could wipe out 1.5 million cattle in France, or

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France seeks delay in EU-Mercosur trade deal vote amid farmer protests

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has called for pushing back the final approval vote on the landmark EU free trade deal with the Mercosur group of Latin American countries after outbreaks of the highly contagious lumpy skin disease sparked livesto

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France reinforces security for Hannukah after Bondi Beach antisemitic shooting

Against the backdrop of an already high terror threat in France, the Bondi Beach shooting sounded alarm bells with Hannukah celebrations planned in various French cities. Security and intelligence presence was increased at these places of celebration, on

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Australia: What we know about the Bondi Beach attack on a Jewish festival

An attack by a father and son on a Jewish celebration at Sydney's Bondi Beach killed 15 people, plunging Australia into national mourning Monday. Here is what we know.

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Bondi Beach shooters clearly motivated by extremist ideology according to PM

As Australia mourns the victims of the Bondi Beach antisemitic shooting, the identity of the two shooters is emerging. A father and son, one was killed at the scene, while the other is critically injured. According to media, both had possible links to th

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Santa events take place across the world ahead of Christmas

With less than two weeks to Christmas, Santa runs and festivals are spreading holiday cheer across the globe this weekend. From Paris to Mexico City and Romania, and even bar crawls in the United States. In recent years, Santa runs have grown, becoming a

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Flash floods kill dozens in Moroccan town of Safi

Africa • 2:37 PM

Flash flooding in Morocco caused by heavy rain hit the coastal town of Safi on December 14. At least 70 homes and businesses have been affected with dozens killed and injured. Drought-hit Morocco often faces severe weather, but Sunday's flooding in Safi

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