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Syrian mass graves expose "machinery of death" under Assad, top prosecutor says

An international war crimes prosecutor said on Tuesday that evidence emerging from mass grave sites in Syria has exposed a state-run "machinery of death" under toppled leader Bashar al-Assad in which he estimated more than 100,000 people were tortured a

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Nigeria: 792 arrested over crypto-romance scam

Africa • 10:20 PM

792 people have been arrested in Nigeria as part of a raid on a crypto romance ring. Many of those taken into custody from the site in Victoria Island were foreign nationals including 148 who were from China. The scam targeted victims around the world by

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Luigi Mangione charged with murder as ‘act of terrorism’ in US CEO slaying

Luigi Mangione was indicted on 11 counts, including first-degree murder and murder as a crime of terrorism, in the slaying of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Manhattan District Attorney said Thompson's death “was a killing that was intended to evoke

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'This is the best moment for a comprehensive peace effort' in the Middle East: expert

The United States said Tuesday it felt "cautious optimism" on the prospects of reaching a ceasefire in the 14-month war in Gaza, although it acknowledged that similar hopes had been dashed before. Henri Barkey, Professor of International Relations at Leh

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No, the BBC did not report that Luigi Mangione ‘shot himself’ in prison

In the latest flood of misinformation regarding Luigi Mangione, indicted for the murder of health insurance CEO Brian Thompson, some users are sharing a fake BBC headline claiming that Mangione committed suicide while in prison. The notification was actu

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UN envoy warns Syria conflict not over yet

A UN envoy warned on Tuesday that Syria's protracted conflict "has not ended yet", even as the country's victorious Islamist-led rebels stepped up contacts with governments that deemed ousted president Bashar al-Assad a pariah. The UN's migration chief,

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Russian general assassination 'fits a pattern', more to come from Ukraine's SBU, analyst says

The head of the Russian army's chemical weapons division was killed Tuesday in a brazen Moscow attack reportedly claimed by Kyiv, the most senior military figure assassinated in Russia yet as the Kremlin's campaign in Ukraine drags on. Melinda Haring, ad

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Was Japan standing on a whale? Dismissal the 'only proper political answer to extradition request'

Anti-whaling activist Paul Watson has been released from detention after Denmark refused a Japanese extradition request over a 2010 clash with whalers. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective on a high-stakes international incident pitting justice

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Chinese businessmen Yang Tengbo: The alleged spy with links to UK politics, royal family

Europe • 7:19 PM

Authorities banned alleged spy Yang Tengbo from entering the UK after finding he had an “unusual” relationship with Prince Andrew, revealed in court documents last week. The Chinese businessman, who also had links to high-ranking politicians, says he has

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Syria ex-rebel military chief says to dissolve armed wing

The military chief of Syria's victorious Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham said on Tuesday the group would be "the first" to dissolve its armed wing and integrate into the armed forces. Earlier, Syrian rebel leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, better known by his

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Moderate enough? The West eyes normalisation with HTS-led Syria

Just as the leader of the Islamist-led alliance that toppled Syria’s Assad announced he was shedding his wartime alias Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, can Ahmed al-Sharaa’s HTS shed its past as the Al-Nusra Front, a hardline offshoot of al-Qaeda? France 24’s Was

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Vinicius Júnior and Aitana Bonmati named FIFA best players of the year

Barcelona playmaker Aitana Bonmati continues to dominate the awards for women’s soccer while Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior finally got his hands on a big global player award on Tuesday.

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Mayotte powerless in face of climate change: 'There's a huge inequality and injustice issue here'

For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective on climate change and the devastating effects of Cyclone Chido, the storm that has ravaged Mayotte, the archipelago off east Africa, FRANCE 24's Annette Young welcomes Dr Charlie Gardner, Writer, Interdiscip

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US woman sees second chance at life after pig kidney transplant

Towana Looney, a 53-year-old from Alabama, is the fifth patient to receive an organ from a genetically modified pig in the United States since 2022, and was in better health than prior recipients who died within two months of receiving a pig kidney or he

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Human Rights Watch discovers 'the presence of a mass grave' in Damascus

Human Rights Watch works in Syria to find evidence of mass grave in Southern neighbourhood of Damascus. FRANCE 24's International affairs editor, Kethevane Gorjestani has more.

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Idlib: a testing ground for HTS

Nine days after Bashar al-Assad was ousted, the new prime minister installed by Sharaa's Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group said the government was grappling with very low currency reserves and called for sanctions to be lifted. Western states are

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Hamas says Gaza ceasefire deal 'closer than ever before’

An agreement to halt the 14-month-old war in Gaza and free Hamas-held hostages in the Palestinian enclave could be signed in coming days with talks in Doha making progress, according to US and Hamas officials. This comes just a day after an Israeli deleg

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Exclusive: Ahmed Al-sharaa has spoken to FRANCE 24

Our France24 reporter Wassim Nassr was one of the 9 journalists to get the chance to interview HTS leader Ahmed al Sharaa in Damascus.. An opportunity for Syria's de-facto leader to bolster his legitimacy on the international stage. A story by Camille Kn

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'It's not acceptable when half the population is silenced': CEO of Afghan media group Moby

Pacific Asia • 4:05 PM

FRANCE 24 spoke to Saad Mohseni, co-founder and CEO of Moby, Afghanistan's largest media group. His new book "Radio Free Afghanistan" chronicles the ups and downs of building a media conglomerate in the country. Mohseni lamented the fact that since the r

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French generosity: The art of giving in France

In this edition of Entre Nous, we break down what may or may not be a debated question in your household: whether to give gifts on Christmas Eve or on Christmas Day. We also fill you in on some of France's many other giving traditions during the holidays

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Ukraine security service says it killed Russian chemical weapons chief

Top Russian general, Igor Kirillov, accused by Ukraine of being responsible for the use of chemical weapons against Ukrainian troops was assassinated in Moscow by Ukraine's SBU intelligence service on Tuesday morning in the most high-profile killing of i

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The captagon trafficking ring: How Assad turned Syria into a narco state

Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, rebel HTS fighters in Syria have found huge stockpiles of an illegal drug called captagon in several warehouses in and around the capital Damascus. The Assad family was at the head of a vast narcotics trafficki

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Ukraine says Russia used North Korean troops for ‘intensive offensive’ in Kursk region

Europe • 2:59 PM

Moscow has intensified its attacks on Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region by using North Korean troops, Ukraine said Tuesday. Russia also increased pressure on Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, in the latest escalation in fighting before US Preside

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Is the champagne bubble popping? Sparkling wines offer alternative

With the end-of-year holidays fast approaching, many French people are getting ready to celebrate with a glass of bubbly. France is famous for its champagne, but there are many different kinds of sparkling wines around Europe, including Italian Prosecco

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The Art of Giving in France

In this edition of Entre Nous, we break down what may or may not be a debated question in your household, whether to share gifts on Christmas eve or on Christmas day. We also fill you in on some of France's many other giving traditions during the holi

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A bomb killed a Russian general in Moscow

Two people were killed in an explosion near a residential building in southeast Moscow on Tuesday morning, according to Russian authorities. One of those killed was Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov in charge of the Russian army's nuclear.

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Director Nabil Ayouch pays tribute to artistry of Morocco's Sheikha singers

Culture • 2:21 PM

Moroccan director Nabil Ayouch tells us about the Aïta tradition of sung poetry at the centre of "Everybody Loves Touda" as his latest film gets a release in France. He tells us why actress Nisrin Erradi was the perfect choice to play the central charact

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A celebration of Palestinian cuisine: Fadi Kattan on his cookbook 'Bethlehem'

A Franco-Palestinian chef from Bethlehem has spoken to FRANCE 24 about how his love for cooking has helped him get through the region's current problems. Fadi Kattan's book "Bethlehem" is a love letter to his hometown and is said to conjure the colours a

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Fall of Assad regime: European diplomats arrive in Damascus for talks

As French, German and UK's diplomats arrive in Damascus for talks, HTS and other groups are trying to show that they "heard the warning" of European leaders says FRANCE 24's International affairs editor, Kethevane Gorjestani about the political situation

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Mayotte 'totally devastated': 'There will be long-term consequences on the island'

Authorities in Mayotte are racing to get food and water to residents stricken by the weekend's devastating cyclone and fighting to stop hunger, disease and lawlessness spreading in France's poorest overseas territory. Hundreds, even thousands could be de

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West Africa regional bloc approves exit timeline for 3 coup-hit member states

West Africa’s regional bloc, ECOWAS, said Sunday that the impending exit of three member states led by military juntas is disheartening after a nearly yearlong process of mediation to avert the unprecedented disintegration of the grouping.

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Clashes in east DR Congo day after aborted peace summit

The congolese army lost more territory to M23 rebels they have been battling in the East. The Rwanda backed militia have displaced thousands since its resurgence in 2021 and reportedly forced soldiers into retreat after siesing the

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Denmark will not extradite anti-whaling activist Watson to Japan

Pacific Asia • 11:38 AM

Anti-whaling activist Paul Watson was freed from prison in Denmark on Tuesday, his lawyer told AFP, and he will not be extradited to Japan. Watson was detained on a 2012 Japanese arrest warrant, which accuses him of causing damage to a whaling ship in th

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Exclusive: Syria’s de facto new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa calls for lifting of sanctions

Syrian rebel leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, better known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, called for the lifting of international sanctions in an exclusive interview Monday with a group of foreign journalists that included FRANCE 24’s Wassim Nasr.

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Football: Lookman and Banda become 2024 African players of the year

Nigeria's Ademola Lookman and Zambia's Barbra Banda were named Africa's players of the year on Monday. The Confederation of African Football held its annual awards ceremony in Marrakesh, with a host of top African artists taking to the stage. Carys Garla

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Scandal-hit Prince Andrew back in the UK headlines over alleged Chinese spy

Disgraced UK Royal Prince Andrew finds himself embroiled yet again in Scandal and has had to be reigned in by his older brother King Charles the 3rd yet again. In the latest controversy, a Chinese businessman with linked to the prince, was revealed to ha

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UN envoy to Syria warns ‘conflict has not ended yet’

Syria’s “conflict has not ended yet”, even after the departure of former president Bashar al-Assad, the UN’s envoy to the country warned Tuesday, highlighting clashes between Turkish-backed and Kurdish groups in the north.

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At least 14 killed in Gaza in israeli airstrikes as israeli tanks push south

Israeli military strikes across the Gaza Strip said to have killed at least 14 more Palestinians as tanks are pushing deeper towards the western side of Rafah. The country's defence Minister Israel Katz saying again that Israel will continue to have full

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Fall of assad regime: Interim leader emphasizes need for unity in post-war Syria

Many countries around the world now revising their approach to Syria. Several countries, the EU bloc, the UK and US have decided to try and build diplomatic ties with the HTS authorities, still listed on their terrorist organizations list. Meanwhile co

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Cyclone Chido: 'Air bridge' transports aid from Reunion island to Mayotte

It's an exceptional operation for exceptional circumstances. This A400M plane is one of several taking part in an air bridge to transport crucial personnel and humanitarian aid from Reunion to Mayotte. Before they fly to the disaster zone, civil security

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Mayotte: The search for survivors continues in the wake of cyclone Chido

The worst storm to hit the Indian Ocean archipelago in almost a century. Mayotte's prefect has said that deaths from the cyclone will be in the hundreds, and potentially several thousand. The archipelago is France's poorest overseas territory; it's home

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Why was the French island of Mayotte so poorly prepared for Cyclone Chido?

PRESS REVIEW – Tuesday, December 17: Mayotte is ravaged by a cyclone that has devastated the already impoverished French island as Prime Minister François Bayrou is accused of neglecting his responsibilities. In the UK, Prince Andrew is embroiled in a sc

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Trump and SoftBank CEO announce $100 billion investment plan in US

US President-elect Donald Trump appeared jointly with Masayoshi Son, the CEO of Japan's SoftBank, announcing the group's plan to invest $100 billion in the United States over the next four years. Son said Trump's election victory had boosted his confiden

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Why was the French island of Mayotte so poorly equiped for Cyclone Chido?

PRESS REVIEW - Tuesday, December 17: Mayotte is ravaged by a cyclone which has devastated the already impoverished French island as Prime Minister François Bayrou is accused of neglecting his responsibilities. In the UK, Prince Andrew is embroiled in a s

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Hundreds feared dead in Mayotte after deadly cyclone

Hundreds and possibly thousands of people are feared dead after the tiny French island territory off Africa was battered by its worst cyclone in nearly a century. Survivors wandered through streets littered with debris, searching for water and shelter, a

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France imposes nighttime curfew on cyclone-hit Mayotte in bid to prevent looting

Europe • 8:03 AM

Mayotte will be placed under curfew from Tuesday evening as authorities seek to re-establish order in the French overseas territory in the aftermath of the deadly Cyclone Chido. The annoucement comes as rescuers continue to search for survivors in a race

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Ukraine claims killing of senior Russian military official in Moscow

Europe • 6:51 AM

Ukraine's security service killed Russian Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov in a special operation in Moscow on Tuesday, a source inside the agency said. Kirillov was the commander of Russian armed forces' chemical, biological and radiation defence troops

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Families voice concern over treatment of Assad's former soldiers

After the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, members of the Syrian army and their families are increasingly worried over the fate of soldiers who used to fight rebel forces in the country. FRANCE 24’s James André, Julie Dungelhoeff and Sofia Amara report.

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Powerful earthquake hits Pacific island of Vanuatu, bodies seen in street

A devastating 7.3-magnitude earthquake on Tuesday struck off the coast of Vanuatu's main island, Efate, severely damaging Port Vila and crushing the ground floor of a building containing US and French embassies. Casualties and extensive destruction were

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TikTok asks US Supreme Court to temporarily block law that could ban popular app

TikTok petitioned the US Supreme Court on Monday to halt a law mandating its Chinese parent, ByteDance, to divest or close the app by January 19. This appeal coincided with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew's meeting with President-elect Trump, who expressed inter

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Syria's ex-rebel military chief says to dissolve armed wing, wants to end ‘terrorist’ label

The military chief of Syria’s victorious Islamist group HTS said that the group would be “the first” to dissolve its armed wing and integrate into the armed forces, calling on Western governments to lift the “terrorist” label from HTS and its leader. Rea

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New York judge rules against Trump bid to throw out hush money conviction

New York Judge Juan Merchan rejected on Monday Donald Trump's attempt to dismiss his felony conviction related to hush money payments, citing the Supreme Court's stance that presidential immunity doesn't cover unofficial acts. The ruling could make Trump

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India: Forty years on, Bhopal disaster still plagues local residents

Forty years after India's Bhopal disaster, local residents are still suffering from its aftermath. The gas explosion at a chemical plant caused toxic waste to contaminate the water in nearby areas, causing locals to develop numerous health issues. Today,

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Bolivia issues arrest warrant for ex-president Morales over minor 'trafficking'

Bolivian authorities have issued an arrest warrant for ex-President Evo Morales, accused of trafficking a 15-year-old during his tenure from 2006 to 2019. Prosecutor Sandra Gutierrez confirmed the warrant was issued on Oct. 16, delayed announcement due t

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Kenya's 'Maasai Olympics' offer women visibility through sports

A crowd erupts in cheers as a young Maasai woman pelts over the finish line, the latest participant in the "Maasai Olympics", a re-imagining of a traditional coming-of-age rite in the rolling Kenyan grasses.

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Protests against gender-based violence in Kenya: Amnesty director appears in court

The director of Amnesty Kenya was arrested last week along with others who took part in a march against feminicide in Nairobi. On Monday, the director was summoned to appear in court.

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Monday, december 16, 2024

Shooting at Wisconsin Christian school kills teacher and teenage pupil

In Madison, Wisconsin, a 15-year-old female student opened fire at Abundant Life Christian School, killing a fellow student and a teacher. The assailant, identified by name by Police Chief Shon Barnes, also died from a self-inflicted gunshot. Seven other

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Fighting flares up in North Kivu after DR Congo, Rwanda peace talks cancelled

Congolese forces lose the town of Matembe in North Kivu to advancing M23 fighters. Fighting flares up once again in the wake of Sunday's scuppered peace talks in Angola between the leaders of Rwanda and DR Congo.

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'Gisèle Pelicot has put the spotlight on what rape victims go through in a trial'

The French man who has admitted to enlisting dozens of strangers to rape his heavily-sedated wife asked for forgiveness from his family on Monday and hailed the courage of his now ex-spouse during his trial. FRANCE 24's Jean-Emile Jammine speaks to Sarah

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'Gisèle Pelicot has put the spotlight on what rape victims go through in a trial'

Europe • 9:47 PM

The French man who has admitted to enlisting dozens of strangers to rape his heavily-sedated wife asked for forgiveness from his family on Monday and hailed the courage of his now ex-spouse during his trial. FRANCE 24's Jean-Emile Jammine speaks to Sarah

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