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South Africa : openly gay imam shot dead

Africa • 11:28 PM

An imam and religious scholar who inspired many with his reconciliation of faith and sexuality is gunned down in South Africa. Police are still searching for Muhsin Hendricks' killer.

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Rwanda's claim of FDLR threat is not credible, DR Congo expert says

Africa • 10:52 PM

M23 fighters allied with Rwandan troops on Sunday entered the centre of Bukavu, another key city in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Kinshasa has accused Rwanda of seizing land in the area for mining and agriculture purposes. Rwanda says it has

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What's wrong with Germany's economy?

As Germany enters the final week of election campaign, the economy is a top concern for voters. Having long been Europe's manufacturing powerhouse, the country has shown no meaningful growth since the pandemic and capped 2024 with a second consecutive a

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Ukraine peace talks: Did Trump exclude the EU?

In viral claims spread by pro-Russian accounts on X, users say that President Trump declared that the EU would be excluded from the Ukraine peace talks in an alleged interview with CNN. We debunk these claims in this edition of Truth or Fake.

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The first openly gay Muslim imam is killed in South Africa, prompting claims of an assassination

Africa • 8:29 PM

A man regarded as the first openly gay Muslim imam has been fatally shot while sitting in a car in South Africa in what many are calling an assassination because of his teachings. Muhsin Hendricks was ambushed by two men in a pick-up truck while visiting

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Ukraine and European allies have reasons to be worried about peace deal, expert says

FRANCE 24's Mark Owen speaks to Natia Seskuria, Associate Fellow at Royal United Services Institute. She says that the signals coming from the Trump administration give European allies and particularly Ukraine "reason to be really worried" about the pote

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US 'wants to please Putin': Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview broadcast Monday that the US is trying to "please" Moscow after a shock policy shift on the Ukraine war under President Donald Trump. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called Europe's curre

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European leaders hold emergency talks, fearing that Trump has abandoned age-old allies

European leaders sought to form a united front Monday at emergency talks in Paris, called after a U.S. diplomatic blitz on Ukraine which has thrown a once-solid alliance into turmoil and left the Europeans questioning the reliability of their key transat

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The death of NATO? Europe in crisis over Trump-Putin talks

Europe • 7:35 PM

European leaders are meeting in Paris for an emergency summit on Ukraine, following last week’s call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. With NATO’s most powerful member sidelining its allies in talks with Russia, is the U.S. still a reliable partne

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European leaders race to respond after US policy shift on Ukraine

Europe • 7:21 PM

European leaders sought to find a unified response at an emergency summit in Paris Monday following a shock policy shift on the war in Ukraine by US President Donald Trump. The talks were held as Washington and Moscow's top diplomats were due Tuesday to

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Global music stars eye India, despite a lack of infrastructure

India has become an essential stop-off point for some of the world's biggest stars. Coldplay, Ed Sheeran and many others have recently given concerts here, attracting a young, connected middle class eager for new cultural experiences. However, the countr

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French minister in 'historic' Western Sahara visit to back Moroccan sovereignty

Africa • 5:59 PM

French Culture Minister Rachida Dati began a visit on Monday to the disputed Western Sahara, a sign of French support for Moroccan sovereignty over the desert territory. The long-frozen conflict opposes Rabat, which considers the former Spanish colony as

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On the ground with Ukraine’s volunteer drone hunters

In a small town south-east of Kyiv, a team of civilians sit in the back of a pickup truck with machine guns pointed at the sky hoping to shoot down Iranian-made drones that target the Ukrainian capital on a near-daily basis. The drone hunters’ local know

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Family and friends fear for fate of Nepali hostage Bipin Joshi held by Hamas

Bipin Joshi was one of the dozens of foreign workers kidnapped alongside Israelis during Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack. His family and friends fear for his fate after 500 days in captivity, especially since there has been no information of the 24-year-o

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French PM faces scrutiny over sexual abuse claims at Catholic school

Europe • 4:37 PM

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou on Wednesday battled to contain a new controversy after lawmakers urged him to explain whether he was aware of widespread claims of sexual abuse of minors at a Catholic school. Prosecutors in France have been investi

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M23 fighters seize key city of Bukavu in DR Congo

Africa • 4:28 PM

Columns of M23 fighters allied with Rwandan troops on Sunday entered the centre of another key city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as the African Union highlighted growing fears that the strife-torn country could break up. The fall of Bukavu, ho

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France hosts emergency summit on Ukraine: US treats EU as 'junior partner'

Europe • 4:13 PM

The US is treating the EU like a "junior partner" in attempting to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine, FRANCE 24’s Armen Georgian said in an analysis. Citing President Trump's phone call with Vladimir Putin and potential talks with Ukraine's Zelensky

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Israel to remain in 5 'strategic points' in Lebanon despite withdrawal deadline

Israel said on Monday its forces will remain in five strategic points inside Lebanon after Tuesday's deadline for their full withdrawal, an Israel Defence Forces spokesman has said. Lebanon's president on Monday called for countries that helped reached t

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Camille Claudel sculpture sells for $3 million at French auction

Europe • 3:44 PM

A bronze by French sculptor Camille Claudel thought to evoke her separation with fellow artist and lover Auguste Rodin was auctioned off in France Sunday for more than $3 million. Named "The Mature Age", the sculpture has been missing since 1908 and was

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Who is Alice Weidel, AfD's top candidate for chancellor

46-year-old Alice Weidel, the leader of Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany party, is getting closer to holding power amid growing support ahead of Sunday's elections. FRANCE 24 takes a closer look at AfD's top candidate for chancellor.

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Trump’s Gaza plan a 'negotiating ploy' for annexation in West Bank, expert says

President Trump’s plan for the US to takeover Gaza is likely a “negotiating ploy” for annexation in the West Bank, said Hussein Ibish, Senior Resident Scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. Pointing to a possible nuclear deal with Iran

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Sewage scandal: The dirty secret polluting England and Wales

Since Brexit, the UK is no longer subject to European water quality standards. In England and Wales, floods of untreated wastewater have been discharged into rivers and seas, harming the health of residents and destroying ecosystems. FRANCE 24's Down to

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Pope Francis remains hospitalised to treat complex respiratory tract infection

Europe • 2:53 PM

Pope Francis’ respiratory tract infection is presenting a “complex clinical picture” that will require further hospitalisation, the Vatican said Monday as concerns grew about the increasingly frail health of the 88-year-old pontiff. Vatican spokesman Mat

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Music show: France's Victor Le Masne to tour with Olympic composition

Victor Le Masne's career has seen him go from touring indie pop clubs and festivals with his band Housse de Racket to conducting world-famous orchestras. 2024 brought him to dizzying new heights as he co-directed the opening and closing ceremonies of the

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Archaeologists push to restore Syria's war-ravaged heritage sites

Experts are returning to Syria’s war-ravaged heritage sites, hoping to lay the groundwork for restoring them and reviving tourism, which they say could provide a much-needed boost to the country’s decimated economy after nearly 14 years of war. One of Sy

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EU leaders seek ‘clarity’, ‘rational assessment’ of Trump administration

EU leaders gathering Monday in Paris for an informal meeting called by President Emmanuel Macron over the new US administration's policy shift regarding Europe are looking for "clarity" and a "rational assessment" of President Donald Trump's foreign poli

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Syrian leader al-Sharaa tours former Assad strongholds on surprise visit

Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa visited Latakia and Tartus on Sunday, his office said, making his first official trip to the coastal provinces formerly known as strongholds of ousted ruler Bashar al-Assad. Despite the tour being unannounced, Sha

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Ukrainians voice concern over Trump's phone call with Putin

Europe • 2:19 PM

Ukraine is continuing to train troops for the ongoing war with Russia despite the new US administration’s apparent willingness to negotiate an end to the conflict, without Ukraine at the table. President Donald Trump’s recent phone call with Russian coun

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Bangladesh's revolution: Exiled blogger Pinaki Bhattacharya on fall of 'fascist regime'

Pacific Asia • 2:08 PM

A leading exiled blogger from Bangladesh who has more than 3 million followers on YouTube has spoken to FRANCE 24 about his hopes for the future after the revolution there. Pinaki Bhattacharya, who now lives here in France, is credited by supporters back

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Pope's condition 'complex', hospital stay extended

Europe • 1:56 PM

Pope Francis is facing a "complex clinical picture", said the Vatican on Monday, adding that he will remain in hospital for as long as necessary. The 88-year-old was admitted to Rome's Gemelli hospital on Friday for treatment and tests for a "polymicrobi

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'Netanyahu in a bind': Israeli delegation in Cairo for Gaza talks

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu appears to be “in a bind” as talks over phase two of the Gaza ceasefire deal are due to start with the arrival of an Israeli delegation in Cairo, FRANCE 24’s Noga Tarnopolsky said. Torn between hardline ministers

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US tensions overshadow final campaign phase in run-up to German election

Simmering tensions between Europe and the United States are overshadowing the final week of election campaigning in Germany on Monday, with the debate more heated than ever amid controversy over alleged US interference in favour of the far right.

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France trial opens for suspected IS group militants accused of kidnapping journalists in Syria

A landmark trial opened Monday at a Paris court in which five suspected Islamic State group terrorists stand accused of kidnapping four French journalists covering the war in Syria in 2013. Among the accused is Mehdi Nemmouche, who is already in prison f

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Israelis mark 500th day since October 7 attacks

Israelis marked the 500th day since the October 7 attacks on Monday as families called for the return of the remaining hostages in Gaza. A tenuous ceasefire in the enclave has held for nearly a month and seen the release of over a dozen hostages in excha

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Jihadist Nemmouche denies involvement in Islamic State kidnappings

Europe • 10:41 AM

Convicted French jihadist Mehdi Nemmouche was back in court Monday in Paris where he was tried for the kidnapping and torture of journalists in Syria over ten years ago. Whilst presenting himself to the court, Nemmouche hit back at the accusations, stati

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After Mbappé: Could PSG’s least ‘galactic’ team be their most successful yet?

Paris Saint-Germain’s players have developed a newfound confidence and clinical efficiency following the loss of players like Neymar, Mbappé and Messi, a shift epitomised by Ousmane Dembélé’s transformation from wasteful finisher to ruthless goal scorer.

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EU leaders meet in Paris over Trump policy shift on Ukraine

European leaders were due to meet in Paris on Monday to address Washington's shock policy shift on the war in Ukraine, as Britain declared itself ready to dispatch peacekeeping troops to Ukraine. US President Donald Trump sidelined Kyiv and its European

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Europe considers seizing frozen Russian assets for Ukraine funding

EU leaders mull the possibility of funnelling some $300 billion in frozen Russian assets to Ukraine as the US launches peace talks with Russia without input from Brussels or Kyiv. Also in this edition: US President Donald Trump's minerals-for-security de

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Jihadist Nemmouche back on trial in France for Islamic State kidnappings

Jihadist Mehdi Nemmouche, who is already serving a life sentence for a anti-Semitic terrorist attack, is back on trial Monday in France. Nemmouche and four others are accused of holding four French journalists, kidnapped in Syria in 2013, hostage.

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Israel security cabinet to discuss second phase of Gaza ceasefire

Israel's security cabinet was set to discuss on Monday the next phase of the ceasefire with Hamas, as top US diplomat Marco Rubio began a visit to Saudi Arabia where he will push Donald Trump's proposal for a US takeover of Gaza.

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Tens of thousands demonstrate against far right in Germany

Tens of thousands of people joined a demonstration against cooperation with the far right in Berlin on Sunday, after US Vice-President JD Vance called for Germany to drop the longstanding taboo. Protesters voiced concerns that the far-right Alternative f

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Live: Key European leaders arrive for Paris summit on Ukraine

Key European leaders arrived Monday at the Élysée Palace in Paris for an emergency summit called by French President Emmanuel Macron to agree on a coordinated response to a shock policy shift on the Ukraine war by the new US President Donald Trump. Briti

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Lille's Bentaleb scores in first match after cardiac arrest

Lille midfielder Nabil Bentaleb staged a star comeback on Sunday, scoring the opening goal in a match won by his team that marked his return to the pitch following a heart attack last year.

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Lost Claudel sculpture found in Paris flat fetches $3 million at auction

A bronze by French sculptor Camille Claudel, who for years sought recognition for her artistic talent independent of her lover and fellow artist Auguste Rodin, was auctioned off in France on Sunday for more than $3 million.

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'Playing with fire': European leaders convene for emergency meeting in Paris

PRESS REVIEW – Monday, February 17: European leaders flock to Paris to discuss an uncertain future, as US President Donald Trump excludes both Ukraine and Europe from peace talks with Russia. Elsewhere, an investigation by The Observer reveals that Googl

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China's Xi tells business leaders private sector challenges 'surmountable'

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Stephen Curry shines as Team Shaq wins revamped NBA All-Star game

Stephen Curry and Jayson Tatum led Shaquille O’Neal’s "Team Shaq" to a 41-25 victory over "Team Chuck" in the revamped NBA All-Star Game on Sunday. The new four-team mini-tournament drew mixed reactions, with some players welcoming the change, and others

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US says it killed senior al-Qaeda affiliate official in Syria

The US military said on Sunday that it killed a senior official of an al Qaeda affiliate during an airstrike in northwest Syria the day before. US Central Command described the person in a statement as a "senior finance and logistics official in the terr

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Sunday, february 16, 2025

UK PM says ready to send troops to Ukraine if needed as part of peace deal

Europe • 11:50 PM

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Sunday he was "ready and willing" to put UK troops on the ground in Ukraine, as part of any postwar peacekeeping force, to ensure the security of Britain and Europe. Writing in the Daily Telegraph, he said it was "e

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Zelensky lands in UAE as US and Russia prepare for Ukraine peace talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky touched down in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday for an official visit ahead of planned talks between US and Russian officials, expected to take place in Saudi Arabia in the coming days. The UAE has been an import

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Rally against Germany's resurgent far right draws thousands in Berlin

Europe • 5:15 PM

One week out from Germany's general election, tens of thousands of people gathered in Berlin to protest the growing support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. A quarter of a million people joined a similar rally in Munich last weekend

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