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Thousands gather in Belgrade to protest against Serbia’s populist government

Europe • 8:07 PM

Tens of thousands of people gathered in Belgrade Sunday to protest against President Aleksandar Vucic and his ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). The rally, organised by students and farmer unions, was part of a wider movement demanding accountabilit

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Syrian rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa says state to control all weapons

Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa Sunday said that all weapons would be controlled by the state in a presser with Turkish FM Hakan Fidan, referring to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces that operates in the country’s north. Turkey views the US-bac

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France awaits fourth government of the year: Macron, Bayrou met twice

France awaited the appointment of a new government Sunday to lead the country out of political crisis, amid predictions that Francois Bayrou, the fourth prime minister of the year, will struggle to survive. Charlotte Minvielle, Green party politician, wa

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Death toll from cyclone Chido rises to 94 in Mozambique

The death toll from cyclone Chido has risen to 94 in Mozambique. The cyclone had made landfall in northern Mozambique a week ago and Mozambique's institute for natural disasters on Thursday had given the death toll at 73.

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France: PM Bayrou hopes to announce new government before Christmas

France's Prime Minister Francois Bayrou, appointed on December 13, is racing to name a new government by Christmas.

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Germany: Crowds mourn victims of deadly car-ramming attack

The alleged attack Friday evening in Magdeburg, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) west of Berlin, killed a 9-year-old and four adults and injured 41 people badly enough that authorities warned the death toll could rise.

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Gaza: UN warns some displaced Palestinians might not survive cold

Winter is hitting the Gaza Strip and many of the nearly 2 million Palestinians displaced by the devastating 14-month war with Israel are struggling to protect themselves from the wind, cold and rain. Humanitarian policy lead for Oxfam Bushra Khaldi was

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Syria’s new rulers name defence, foreign ministers as interim cabinet takes shape

The key defence and foreign affairs portfolios in Syria's transitional government go to prominent figures in the insurgency that overthrew Bashar al-Assad nearly two weeks ago, tasked with restructing the country's army and establishing "international re

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Christmas market attack: German authorities under fire over suspect’s history of threats

German officials faced mounting criticism on Sunday over the failure to prevent a deadly Christmas market attack in Magdeburg as it emerged that the 50-year-old suspect had made online death threats against German citizens and had a history of quarrellin

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Stampedes at Christmas charity events in Nigeria leave at least 32 dead

Africa • 10:46 AM

At least 32 people, including several children, were killed in two separate stampedes in Nigeria as large crowds gathered to collect food and clothing items distributed at annual Christmas events, the police said Sunday.

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Vendée Globe: Samantha Davies on her commitment to children with heart conditions

Samantha Davies, currently sailing toward Cape Horn, is raising funds for a charity supporting children with heart conditions. She was France 24's guest.

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Syria: Families in Tabqa search for missing relatives after pro-Turkish offensive

The town of Tabqa in northeast Syria has become the gateway for refugees who fled the pro-Turkish offensive twenty days ago against Kurdish-controlled areas north of Aleppo. That offensive took place as HTS rebels moved towards Damascus. A stadium in Tab

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Israeli troops in Syria: Villagers watch on warily as soldiers patrol

Residents of Syrian towns in a province bordering Israel observe IDF troops establishing themselves in their neighborhoods. The province, Quneitra, is located on the Golan plateau. Israel took the Golan Heights in 1967 after the Six Day War. After anothe

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US military says it conducted airstrikes against Houthi facilities in Sanaa

The US military said it conducted precision airstrikes against a missile storage facility and a command-and-control facility operated by Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen's capital, Sanaa. David Smith tells us more.

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Magdeburg: Germany mourns victims of deadly Christmas market attack

Germans on December 21 mourned the victims of an apparent attack in which authorities say a doctor drove into a busy outdoor Christmas market, killing five people, injuring 200 others and shaking the public’s sense of security at what would otherwise be

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Israeli strikes across Gaza kill at least 28 people, Palestinian rescuers say

Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip overnight and into Sunday killed at least 28 people, according to Palestinian medical officials. Rescuers said four children were killed in a strike on a school that the Israeli military said was used by Hamas milita

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Suspect behind German Christmas market attack 'Islamophobic', authorities say

The Saudi suspect behind the deadly car attack on a Christmas market in Germany is believed to be “Islamophobic”, the interior minister said Saturday. The 50-year-old doctor, now under arrest, said German authorities had not done enough to fight the “Isl

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Two US Navy pilots shot down over Red Sea in 'friendly fire' incident

Two US Navy pilots were recovered alive after their aircraft was shot down over the Red Sea early on Sunday in what the US military described as "an apparent case of friendly fire". The military earlier said it struck Houthi targets in Yemen, hours after

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France's Mayotte struggles to recover as aid trickles in a week after cyclone

One week on from a devastating cyclone that battered France's Indian Ocean territory, aid is still only trickling in to the worst-affected areas in Mayotte, where emergency workers are scrambling to restore essential services and aid a beleaguered popula

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Christmas market attack: German authorities under fire over suspect’s history of threats

Europe • 6:21 AM

German officials faced mounting criticism on Sunday over the failure to prevent a deadly Christmas market attack in Magdeburg as it emerged that the 50-year-old suspect had made online death threats against German citizens and had a history of quarrellin

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Syria's reconciliation centres: Former soldiers, officers hand in weapons

Former soldiers and officers along with members of police forces in Syria have attended reconciliation centres on December 21. The centres have been set up in part to settle the status of those who did not take part in torture and killing during Bashar a

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Yesterday

Albania to shut down TikTok for one year after fatal school stabbing

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama on Saturday announced the shutdown of TikTok for at least one year from 2025. The decision comes after a 14-year-old student was stabbed to death by a classmate last month in a fight that had started on social media.

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‘The most powerful weapon in the world is a camera,’ says anti-whaling activist Paul Watson

Anti-whaling activist Paul Watson has dedicated his life to sailing into danger to protect marine life. At 73, his decades of activism have brought him into conflict with numerous countries, multiple arrests, and even Interpol red notices – the latest is

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‘The most powerful weapon in the world is a camera,’ says anti-whaling activist Paul Watson

Anti-whaling activist Paul Watson arrived in France on Friday after spending five months in detention in Greenland based on an Interpol red notice requested by Japan. He spoke to FRANCE 24 about his time in detention and his plans for the future.

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Kenya: Nairobi River pollution contaminates food and water supply

Industrial waste and sewage from the Nairobi River are seeping into crops and drinking water, raising serious health and environmental concerns for local communities.

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Sudan: 2.7 million women of reproductive age displaced

UN estimates reveal that 2.7 million women of reproductive age have been displaced in Sudan, highlighting the devastating impact of the ongoing conflict on vulnerable populations.

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Uganda: Muhoozi Kainerugaba's controversial tweets ignite political debate

Muhoozi Kainerugaba stirred controversy with provocative tweets, igniting debates over his political ambitions and the country's future. France 24's Clément di Roma tells us more.

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‘The most powerful weapon in the world is a camera’, anti-whaling activist Paul Watson says

Anti-whaling activist Paul Watson arrived in France on Friday after spending five months in detention in Greenland based on an extradition request filed by Japan. He spoke to FRANCE 24 about his time in detention and his plans for the future.

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Magdeburg: Germany reels after deadly Christmas market attack

The Saudi suspect in Germany's deadly car-ramming attack on a Christmas market held strongly anti-Islam views and was angry with Germany's migrant policy, official said on December 21. Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned the 'terrible, insane' attack that k

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Major drone attack on Kazan: Airports reopen following Ukrainian drone attack

Kyiv on December 21 staged a major drone attack on the Russian city of Kazan, 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) from the frontier, the latest in a series of escalating aerial attacks in the nearly three-year conflict. France 24's Philip Turle tells us more.

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‘Tolerance’ or ‘vengeance’: Future of Syria hangs in the balance

The future of Syria is hanging in the balance following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime nearly two weeks ago. Back in Paris after reporting from northern Syria, FRANCE 24's Andrew Hilliar recounts his encounters with Syrians who are calling for

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Car attack on German Christmas market: Scholz condemns 'terrible, insane' act

Germans on Saturday mourned the victims and their shaken sense of security after a Saudi doctor intentionally drove into a Christmas market teeming with holiday shoppers, killing at least five people, including a small child, and wounding at least 200 ot

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At least 20 killed in suspected Islamist attacks on villages in central Mali

Africa • 2:33 PM

Some 20 people were killed and others were wounded in attacks carried out by suspected jihadists in six villages in central Mali on Friday. Grain silos were burned and members of the local population fled, authorities reported.

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US avoids government shutdown: 'President Biden has been noticeably absent from the negotiations'

A government shutdown would have disrupted everything from law enforcement to national parks and suspended paychecks for millions of federal workers. Dr. Andrew Smith, Director of the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, was our guest.

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US avoids government shutdown: 'Trump and Musk want to tear down the US system'

The late-night vote capped a frantic week that saw President-elect Donald Trump and his billionaire ally Elon Musk defeat an initial bipartisan deal, throwing Congress into disarray. Scott Lucas, Professor of US and International Politics, was our guest.

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Suspect behind German Christmas market attack 'Islamophobic', authorities say

The Saudi suspect behind the deadly car attack on a Christmas market in Germany is believed to be “Islamophobic”, the interior minister said Saturday. The 50-year-old doctor, now under arrest, said German authorities had not done enough to fight the “Isl

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Samuel Paty: French court sentences eight for involvement in beheading

A French court sentenced eight people to prison terms ranging from one to 16 years for their roles in a hate campaign that culminated in the murder of Samuel Paty, a teacher who had shown caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad in class.

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France - Samuel Paty trial verdict: Eight people found guilty

Eight individuals have been convicted over their roles in the 2020 beheading of French teacher Samuel Paty. FRANCE 24's Claire Paccalin was at the courtroom in the French capital.

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German police search for motive in Christmas market attack that killed five, injured hundreds

German officials hunted for clues on Saturday after a 50-year-old Saudi national with a history of anti-Islamic comments drove his car into a Christmas market teeming with holiday shoppers, killing five people, including a small child, and injuring more

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Germany: World leaders pay tribute to victims of Magdeburg Christmas market

World leaders share heartfelt messages online to pay tribute to the victims of the tragic Magdeburg Christmas market attack.

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Car attack on German Christmas market: Four dead, dozens injured

A car barrelled through a Christmas market crowd in the eastern German city of Magdeburg on Friday December 20. The suspect of the the incident is thought to be a 50-year-old Saudi doctor who moved to Germany in 2006. Our correspondent Nick Holdsworth te

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French court hands down heavy sentences in teacher beheading trial

France’s anti-terrorism court on Friday convicted eight people of involvement in the beheading of teacher Samuel Paty outside his school near Paris four years ago, a horrific death that shocked the country. FRANCE 24's Claire Paccalin was at the courtroo

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German leader to visit site of deadly Christmas market attack

Scores of people were injured and at least two people, including a small child, were killed on Friday after a car ploughed into a crowd of people at a Christmas market in the eastern German town of Magdeburg, in what local officials described as a terror

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Driver kills at least two after ramming into crowd at German Christmas market

A car plowed into a busy outdoor Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg on December 21, killing at least two people and injuring at least 60 others in what authorities called a deliberate attack.

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Yemen's Houthis claim Israel attack after 'projectile' lands in Tel Aviv area

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for a missile attack in central Israel on Saturday after the Israeli military acknowledged it failed to intercept a projectile that hit Tel Aviv, lightly injuring 16 people.

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France's most powerful nuclear reactor comes on stream after 12-year delay

The Flamanville 3 EPR nuclear reactor, France's most powerful to date, finally began providing electricity to French homes on Saturday after a plethora of technical setbacks led to a 12-year delay and a four-fold increase in the project's overall cost.

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'Pulled from my side': Survivors recount horror of German Christmas market attack

Shocked survivors recounted the moment a driver rammed a car into a crowd of revellers at a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg on Friday evening, killing five people, including a small child, and injuring more than 200 others.

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Car ploughs into German Christmas market in deadly holiday season attack

Europe • 12:02 AM

A driver rammed a car into a large crowd of revellers at a Christmas market in the central German city of Magdeburg on Friday evening, killing at least two people, including a toddler, and injuring more than 60 before he was arrested.

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Friday, december 20, 2024

Evening of holiday fun at German Christmas market turns to horror

A car plowed into a busy outdoor Christmas market in the eastern German city of Magdeburg on Friday, killing at least two people and injuring at least 60 others in what authorities believe was an attack.

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Over 700 killed in siege of Sudan's El-Fasher

In tonight's edition, more than 700 people have been killed in El-Fasher in Sudan's North Darfur state since May, according to the UN. Also, France began withdrawing soldiers from Chad. And we're just a few days away before Christmas, Chef Sonia Marty

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'We cannot characterise what happened in Syria as Turkey's doing': Turkish FM Fidan

In an interview with FRANCE 24 in Ankara, Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed his country's position in the wake of the ouster of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad. Fidan claimed that Turkey played no role in the Syrian rebel group HTS's ouster o

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The World This Year 2024: A look back at events

This year, headlines have been dominated by wars in Ukraine, Sudan and the Middle East. Israel’s leader has become a wanted man for alleged war crimes, and revolution in Syria has led to the downfall of a dictator, though the true scale of Assad’s reign

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🔴 Car drives into crowd at Christmas market in Germany, dozens injured

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Germany: Car drives into a crowd at Christmas market in Magdeburg

A car barrelled through a Christmas market crowd in the eastern German city of Magdeburg on Friday, leaving 60 to 80 people injured, in what regional authorities were treating as a suspected attack. FRANCE 24's Nick Holdsworth reports from Berlin.

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Paris court issues heavy sentences in teacher Samuel Paty's beheading trial

France’s anti-terrorism court convicted eight individuals on Friday for their roles in the 2020 beheading of teacher Samuel Paty, who was killed after showing Prophet Mohammed cartoons in class during a debate on freedom of speech.

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Two dead, dozens injured as car ploughs into Christmas market in Germany

A car drove into a crowd at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, on Friday, killing at least two people, an adult and a toddler, and injuring at least 60 others, according to local authorities. The driver was arrested and identified as a Saudi docto

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Italian court aquits Vice Premier Salvini in migrant rescue ship case

Europe • 7:12 PM

A Sicilian court on Friday acquitted Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini of illegally detaining 100 migrants aboard the Open Arms rescue ship in 2019, when he was interior minister.

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'Ultimate form of government would allow for participation of as broad a swath of Syrian population'

For the first time in a decade, US diplomats are in Damascus to hold official meetings with Syria and their new de facto rulers led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) to discuss the future of Syria's political transition. For in-depth analysis and a deeper pe

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Sweden ends UNWRA funding, boosts Gaza aid through alternative channels

Sweden announced it would cease funding the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) after Israel decided to ban its operations from January, citing alleged links to the October 7, 2023 attacks. Instead, Sweden said it will increase humanitarian aid to Gaza

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'You need peace' to send EU troops to Ukraine: Belgian FM Quintin

Preparing to support Ukraine "in all scenarios' – that's how the head of the EU Council described the gist of the last European summit of the year, before Donald Trump returns to the White House. We explore the EU's preparedness with Belgian Foreign Mini

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Erasmus programme, consumer protection, online safety: What the EU gets right

Europe • 4:48 PM

Things may look bleak for the European Union in the depths of winter, with challenges across the board: the threat of a trade war with the US, weakened political figures in Germany and France, European farmers menacing protests about the Mercosur deal, a

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A cultural stroll through Paris with graphic novelist Riad Sattouf and sculptor Nathalie Decoster

Culture • 4:30 PM

This week on Paris des Arts: Riad Sattouf, the graphic novelist and film director, takes us to Paris's Musée des Arts et Métiers. His comic books have been translated into 23 languages, as he captivated the world with his series "The Arab of the Future,"

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Indian Ocean tsunami, 20 years on: Trauma still haunts survivors

Pacific Asia • 3:27 PM

Nations around the Indian Ocean are preparing to mark 20 years since a devastating earthquake and tsunami wiped entire villages off the map and killed around 230,000 people. Even though early warning systems and preventive measures have been put in place

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US scraps terrorist bounty for Syria’s HTS leader after first official talks

The US on Friday dropped its $10 million reward for the capture of Ahmed al-Sharaa, leader of Syria's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebel group, following the first in-person official meeting in Damascus between the two sides.

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Special show: A Michelin-starred taste of Christmas in Aix-en-Provence

Culture • 3:02 PM

FRANCE 24's culture editor Eve Jackson takes viewers on a festive journey to the heart of Provence in a special programme exploring the enchanting Christmas traditions of Aix-en-Provence. This exclusive holiday show brings to life the region's rich cult

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'Mayotte abandoned many years ago': Island 'forgotten, neglected' during drought & migration crisis

People in storm-ravaged Mayotte implored French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday to do more to help as he toured the overseas territory. Officials in France's poorest overseas territory fear thousands could have been killed. For in-depth analysis an

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Indonesia: Twenty years after tsunami, Aceh province ruled by Sharia law

Pacific Asia • 2:25 PM

Twenty years after the devastating tsunami that hit the Indonesian island of Sumatra, the province of Aceh has returned to peace after a civil war and is now living under Koranic law. Our correspondent reports.

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US averts government shutdown as Congress passes spending bill

The US Congress passed spending legislation early on Saturday in a down-to-the wire burst of activity that will avert a destabilising government shutdown ahead of the busy holiday travel season. The bill does not include a demand from President-elect Don

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Gisèle Pelicot has ‘no fear’ of new trial as defendants consider appeal

Europe • 10:47 AM

A lawyer for Gisèle Pelicot said Friday that his client was "not afraid" of a possible appeals trial, a day after her former husband and 50 other men were convicted in the biggest rape trial in French history. Two defendants have already lodged an appeal

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