News : France24

Today

The classic musical 'Les Misérables' back on stage in Paris

The world's most successful musical, with over 130 million spectators since its premiere in Paris in 1980, “Les Misérables” is back in France after a 45-year absence. Our journalists went backstage to meet the artists of this hit play that runs until Jan

Read the article

Hundreds of organisations to protest violence against women across France

France • 11:17 AM

More than 400 French organisations have called for demonstrations across France on Saturday to protest violence against women. The mass mobilisation comes amid the widespread shock caused by the Pelicot mass rape trial, in which some 50 men are accused o

Read the article

Sixth young tourist dies in suspected mass alcohol-poisoning case in Laos

Another young tourist on Friday died in hospital after being subject to suspected alcohol poisoning during a night out in Laos, bringing the total death toll to six. The Laotian government has expressed its “sincere sympathy and deepest condolences” to t

Read the article

Toxic smog persists over India's north, Delhi pollution remains severe

Residents in India's northern states woke up to another day of poor air quality, as a layer of dense fog shrouded most of the region, and pollution in the capital Delhi remained severe. India battles air pollution every winter as cold, heavy air traps du

Read the article

Ukraine faces rapid demographic decline

Ukraine's population has declined by 10 million, or around a quarter, since the start of Russia's invasion in 2014 as a result of refugees leaving, collapsing fertility and war deaths, according to the United Nations. Catherine Norris-Trent, senior repor

Read the article

Dozens killed in sectarian clashes between Shiite, Sunni Muslims in northwestern Pakistan

More than 30 people have been killed and dozens more wounded after Shiite Muslims on Friday attacked a Sunni-dominated market and set it on fire in the mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, in northwestern Pakistan. Sporadic fighting has regularly bro

Read the article

Trump holds first meeting with NATO chief Rutte since election, talks focused on ‘global security’

US President-elect Donald Trump on Friday met NATO’s Secretary General Mark Rutte for the first time since the election. According to a spokeswoman, the meeting took place in Florida, where the two men discussed the global security issues that NATO faces

Read the article

LGBT harassment in Russia; destruction of monuments in the West Bank (16/12/2023)

A weekly news show produced with photos, videos and personal accounts from France 24 Observers around the world - all checked by our staff here in Paris. This show was broadcast on 16/12/2023.

Read the article

Trump picks hedge fund manager Bessent for Treasury, Project 2025 architect Vought for budget

US President-elect Donald Trump on Friday nominated billionaire hedge fund manager Scott Bessent as his new Treasury secretary. He also named Russel Vought as his new budget chief, and Janette Nesheiwat as surgeon general among a string of new nomination

Read the article

Live: Massive Israeli air strikes hit central Beirut, residential building destroyed

Lebanon’s capital Beirut was targeted in a massive Israeli attack early on Saturday morning, with five missiles raining down on an eight-storey residential building in the heart of the city, leading to several fatalities. Local media reported that the bu

Read the article

Lt Gen Hodges: Putin's war on Ukraine 'could've ended last year' had West provided Kyiv 'the tools'

As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appeals to allies for updated air-defence systems to meet the new threat from Russia, involving an experimental hypersonic missile, FRANCE 24's Gavin Lee welcomes Retired US Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, former

Read the article

Trump nominates billionaire hedge fund manager Scott Bessent as Treasury secretary

Donald Trump has nominated billionaire hedge fund manager Scott Bessent as Treasury secretary. After a blitz of nominations, the US president-elect took his time in settling on a name for the post as he is looking for someone who not only supports, but w

Read the article

Yesterday

COP29 drags on as developing nations reject $250 bn offer

Africa • 10:25 PM

In tonight's edition, a draft deal on climate finance was rejected by African nations at Cop29. Also, the Algerian Press Agency confirms that French Algerian novelist, Boualem Sansal has been arrested by Algerian authorities. And supporters of Kizza Be

Read the article

France triumphs over Argentina in hat trick of autumn wins

France’s Les Bleus on Friday won its third autumn test by beating Argentina 37-23 at the Stade de France in Paris.

Read the article

'The Russians know they cannot win this war unless the West quits', former US Army officer says

Commenting on President Joe Biden's decision to let Ukraine use US-provided long-range missiles to strike inside Russian territory, retired United States Army officer Ben Hodges said "it should have been done two years ago". "You can see how much the Rus

Read the article

Netanyahu: A wanted fugitive, 1000 days of war in Ukraine, G20

It has been a week that has seen the International Criminal Court issue arrest warrants for the Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu and his former minister of Defence Yoav Gallant. They are accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, alongsi

Read the article

'We can never stop migration by building walls': EU Commissioner Urpilainen

The EU believes it has an offer than can effectively counter China worldwide – its Global Gateway Investment Strategy. Jutta Urpilainen, the outgoing European Commissioner for International Partnerships, is adamant that this strategy offers long-term hum

Read the article

What we know about the new hypersonic Oreshnik missile Russia used against Ukraine

Europe • 6:07 PM

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that Moscow would continue testing the hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile in "combat conditions" a day after firing one on Ukraine. "We will continue testing this newest system. It is necessary to establish

Read the article

ICC arrest warrants: 'Binyamin Netanyahu's world has shrunk considerably'

Arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court on Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif mark a "historic moment" in the history of the court

Read the article

'Unprecedented, justified and overdue': No int'l court has indicted a pro-Western leader since WWII

Gazans saw little hope on ICC arrest warrants for Israeli leaders would slow down the onslaught amid fresh Israeli military strikes. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective on what is being deemed a "watershed event in the history of international

Read the article

The Pelicot case: Will it change French attitudes towards rape?

In this special edition, Annette Young heads to Avignon as the Pelicot case enters its closing stages. For nearly a decade, Gisèle Pelicot was regularly drugged by her husband and offered up to strangers for sex. Now seen as the most notorious rape trial

Read the article

Trump tariffs loom over Europe: Is a US-EU trade war inevitable?

There is nervousness in Brussels about the incoming US administration. That is not just down to Donald Trump's plans for Ukraine, but also because of his pledge to slap tariffs on EU goods of at least 10 percent. Trump insists that the EU will have to "p

Read the article

Judge delays sentencing in Trump’s criminal hush money case indefinitely

The sentencing in Donald Trump's criminal hush money case has been postponed indefinitely. Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing Trump's case, did not provide a new sentencing date in his order.

Read the article

US prosecutors have demanded the breakup of Google. What happens next?

The chips are down. In the biggest antitrust trial of this century, US federal prosecutors have filed their demands for Google, including for the tech giant to sell its ubiquitous Chrome browser. It comes after the judge Amit Mehta ruled in August that G

Read the article

Wealthy nations offer $250 billion on climate action, developing nations say it's not enough

Wealthy nations on Friday pledged $250 billion by 2035 to help poorer nations hit hardest by extreme weather events adapt to the challenges of climate change. A number of developing countries have already responded that they need far more to help them sh

Read the article

FRANCE 24 war correspondent on being embedded with Ukrainian military in Russia

Europe • 3:36 PM

In this episode of Scoop we take a look at the origins of embedded journalism, when a reporter is attached to a military unit in a combat zone. Critics say the access comes at the cost of impartiality; proponents say that while it is not a comprehensive

Read the article

Vendee Globe: the esteemed sailor Samantha Davies also raises money for children with heart diseases

On November 10, 2024, 40 skippers from around the globe took to sea to participate in the Vendée Globe, an epic solo yacht race around the world. One of them is Samantha Davies. She's not only an esteemed sailor but also the founder of Initiatives-Coeur,

Read the article

'Chilling': Raising democracy & human rights on the world stage a 'red line' for Chinese government

Jailed Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai on Friday said he had advocated for "peaceful resistance" against China's erosion of the city's freedoms as he provides evidence for three days in his trial for collusion with foreign forces, an offence carrying up to li

Read the article

Ukraine a 'punch bag': Despite Western military support, 'Russia can always retaliate multifold'

The Kremlin has publicly declared that a strike on Ukraine using a newly-developed hypersonic ballistic missile was designed to warn the West that Moscow will respond to moves by the US and Britain to let Kyiv strike Russia with their missiles. For in-de

Read the article

Hugh Grant horrifies in new film 'Heretic'

He may have made a name for himself in light-hearted British rom-coms like "Four Weddings and a Funeral", "About a Boy" and "Notting Hill", but Hugh Grant has undergone a startling transformation over the last decade, rebranding himself as a character ac

Read the article

The renaissance of Notre-Dame Cathedral: Behind the scenes of a monumental restoration

For nearly five years, our reporters have followed "the project of the century" – the reconstruction of Paris's Notre-Dame Cathedral, which was devastated by fire in April 2019. In this final episode, we take you across France to discover the craftsmansh

Read the article

Concern in France over fate of prize-winning French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal

French President Emmanuel Macron is "very concerned by the disappearance" of French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, his office said. Known for his strong stance against both authoritarianism and Islamism, the 75-year-old writer was arrested on Saturday a

Read the article

UNESCO 'enhanced protection' for 34 Lebanon heritage sites

Dozens of heritage sites in Lebanon were granted "provisional enhanced protection" by UNESCO Monday, the UN cultural body said, offering a higher level of legal shielding as fighting continues between Israel and Hezbollah militants. Report by Rawad Taha

Read the article

Russia says hypersonic missile strike on Ukraine was a warning to 'reckless' West

The Kremlin said that a strike on Ukraine using a newly developed hypersonic ballistic missile was a message to the West that Moscow will respond harshly to any "reckless" Western actions in support of Ukraine. Analysis by FRANCE 24's Andrew Hilliar.

Read the article

Storm Caetano causes disruption in France, most of which is under snow, ice and wind alerts

Some 200,000 homes remain without power in France, and many roads are severely disrupted due to poor traffic conditions caused by storm Caetano. Details by Elitsa Gadeva.

Read the article

Indian billionaire Gautam Adani indicted by US officials

Pacific Asia • 1:56 PM

On Access Asia this week, we bring you the latest on the fallout after US officials announced they had charged Indian billionaire Gautam Adani and others with bribery and fraud. Billions have been wiped off the group's market value on the Indian stock ma

Read the article

India banks on renewables to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

At the COP29 summit draws to a close, this report takes us to a renewable energy farm in India, partly owned by billionaire Gautam Adani. He has just been charged in the US for allegedly bribing Indian authorities over contracts for solar plants in the s

Read the article

Real carbon, false credits? Investigating mass deforestation in Cambodia

With around 40 percent of its territory covered by forests, Cambodia has become Asia's champion of carbon credits. This system is supposed to finance the protection of the country's forests, thanks to money injected by multinationals from around the worl

Read the article

Are Ukrainians worried about the escalation in the war against Russia?

Europe • 1:28 PM

The Kremlin said on Friday that a strike on Ukraine using a newly developed hypersonic ballistic missile was a message to the West that Moscow will respond harshly to any "reckless" Western actions in support of Ukraine. Are Ukrainians worried about this

Read the article

France to face Croatia in Nations League quarterfinals, Spain paired with Netherlands

France will face Croatia in the Nations League quarterfinals, rekindling their 2018 World Cup final clash, while Spain takes on the Netherlands in another high-profile matchup.

Read the article

Hungary's Orbán vows to disregard international arrest warrant for Netanyahu

Europe • 1:22 PM

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Friday denounced the International Criminal Court’s issuing of an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying he would defy it by inviting him to Hungary. Details by Eliza Herbert.

Read the article

France: will the Pelicot rape trial change the way rape is viewed in the country?

Gisele Pelicot, the French woman drugged by her ex-husband so she could be raped and sexually abused by him and dozens of strangers, said in her final testimony that it was time for a "macho" society to change its attitude on rape. Will this trial change

Read the article

COP29 draft deal proposes rich nations give $250 bn in climate finance

A new draft deal at UN climate talks Friday proposes that rich nations commit $250 billion a year to help poorer nations combat global warming in an 11th-hour bid to break the deadlocked negotiations.

Read the article

Senegal ruling party wins by a landslide in parliamentary elections

Africa • 11:29 AM

Senegal's ruling party won over three-quarters of parliamentary seats in weekend elections, according to national provisional results announced Thursday, potentially handing them the means to deliver their ambitious reform agenda. Story by Thibault Franc

Read the article

Series of tourist deaths in Laos sheds light on methanol poisoning

PRESS REVIEW – Friday, November 22: We look at reactions from the Israeli and Arab-language press after the International Criminal Court issues arrest warrants for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, his former defence minister and a Hamas leader. Also: a

Read the article

Lebanese children going through trauma from losing family, their home and their school

The UN said Tuesday that over 200 children have been killed in Lebanon since Israel escalated attacks targeting Hezbollah in September. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective on the harrowing plight of children in war-torn Lebanon, FRANCE 24's Yi

Read the article

Heroin destroying lives in Kenya: trafficking to Europe fuels rising local addiction

Kenya has long been a transit country for heroin smuggled from Afghanistan to South Africa and back up towards Europe. In recent years, the drug has spilled over into some communities, fueling addiction. Story by Laurent Berstecher.

Read the article

SADC extend troops deployment in Congo and push for peace in Mozambique

Africa • 10:36 AM

Southern African leaders resolved Wednesday to extend for another year the presence of regional troops deployed to fight rebels in conflict-torn eastern Congo, and also pledged to work toward peace in Mozambique, where disputed elections stoked unrest. D

Read the article

Kenya cancels airport and energy deals with Adani group after the US indicts the Indian tycoon

Africa • 10:29 AM

Kenya’s president said Thursday that he has cancelled multimillion-dollar airport expansion and energy deals with Indian tycoon Gautam Adani after U.S. indicts one of Asia's richest men for bribery and fraud. Story by Laurent Berstecher.

Read the article

Mali junta appoints Abdoulaye Maïga to replace previous PM

Africa • 10:25 AM

Mali's military junta has appointed General Abdoulaye Maïga as Prime Minister to replace Choguel Kokalla Maïga, who was sacked after criticizing the vagueness of the military's departure date. General Maïga was until then government spokesman. Story by C

Read the article

Brazilian police indict Bolsonaro for alleged attempted coup, threatening his political career

Police indicted Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro and 36 others for allegedly attempting a coup to keep the right-wing leader in office after his defeat in the 2022 election. Already barred from running again in 2026 for a different case, he could

Read the article

Germany's Scholz set to run for second term after potential rival bows out

Europe • 9:48 AM

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was set to run for a second term in upcoming snap elections after his popular Defence Minister Boris Pistorius - a possible replacement - ruled himself out of the running on Thursday. Story by Liza Kaminov.

Read the article

Israel's Netanyahu accuses ICC of antisemitism after it issued an arrest warrant for him

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister and Hamas officials, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Netanyahu condemned the arrest wa

Read the article