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French firefighters struggle to contain biggest wildfire since 1949

France is grappling with its largest wildfire in nearly 80 years, with the three-day blaze still raging near the border with Spain. As of Thursday, at least one person has been killed and three more are missing.

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Third-hottest July on record worsens droughts, floods and fires

The world experienced its third-hottest July on record last month, the European climate monitoring service said Thursday, with parts of Asia and Scandinavia suffering record-high temperatures even as the global average dipped slightly.

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Humanitarian situation in Gaza still very severe, EU official says

Humanitarian operations in the besieged Gaza Strip continue to be undermined by "significant obstructive factors", an EU official told Reuters Thursday following an update from the bloc's foreign policy and humanitarian arms. The official described the h

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Myanmar's junta-picked acting president Myint Swe dies after a long illness

Pacific Asia • 5:47 AM

Myint Swe, the figurehead acting president handpicked by the military junta that seized power from Myanmar's democratically elected government in 2021, died on Thursday after a long illness, the junta said. Myint Swe had been suspended since July due to

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Nice falls to Benfica (0-2) in the first leg of the Champions League third qualifying round

Nice’s hopes of reaching the Champions League group stage took a hit. They lost 0-2 at home to Benfica in the first leg of the third qualifying round. The return leg will be played on Tuesday in Lisbon, and Nice will need a major upset to advance to the

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New Trump tariffs take effect, plunging dozens of countries into economic uncertainty

US President Donald Trump's sweeping "reciprocal" tariffs took effect on Thursday, kickstarting a new stage of uncertainty for dozens of trading partners, including allies, and casting fears of an economic backlash domestically.

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Deadly France wildfire grows past the size of Paris

France 24 journalist Carys Garland reports from southern France, where a deadly wildfire expanded to cover an area larger than Paris, with firefighters struggling to keep the blaze from spreading. French officials said the "unprecedented" scale of the fi

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Trump increases India tariffs to 50% for buying Russian oil

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order to impose an additional 25 percent tariff on India over its purchase of Russian oil, bringing the total duties on the energy-starved country to 50 percent as Trump attempts to force an end

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Trump praises progress with Russia following Witkoff meeting with Putin

David Smith, the head of The Guardian's Washington bureau, joined France 24 to discuss US President Donald Trump's cautious encounter with the press when asked whether a breakthrough on ending the war in Ukraine had been reached during an earlier meeting

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Putin meeting over Ukraine war likely to happen 'very soon', says Trump

Europe • 1:13 AM

After weeks of tense back-and-forths over Russia's unrelenting offensives in Ukraine, US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he could personally meet Russian President Vladimir Putin "very soon". Trump's announcement follows what he called "great progr

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Yesterday

Apple to invest $100 billion in US as Trump doubles down on 100% tariffs on semiconductors

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Apple will pledge an additional $100 billion to its initial $500 billion investment in the US over the next four years and said he would impose a 100 percent tariff on semiconductors, in Trump's latest push t

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Ghana defence and environment ministers killed in helicopter crash

Africa • 9:27 PM

Flags in Ghana are set to fly at half-mast as the country mourns the deaths of the defence and environment ministers, who were both killed in a military helicopter crash. Edward Omane Boamah and Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed were among five passengers aboard

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ICE agents stage 'Trojan Horse' raid in Los Angeles despite court ban

US immigration agents carried out a surprise raid outside a Home Depot store in Los Angeles on Wednesday, detaining 16 people and using a decoy moving truck. The operation, dubbed "Operation Trojan Horse" by officials, has drawn sharp criticism from righ

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Macron seeks to end visa exemptions for Algerian diplomats amid deportation row

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday ordered tighter visa restrictions on Algerian diplomats, escalating a diplomatic dispute over Algeria's refusal to accept deported nationals. The move comes amid worsening ties following France's recognition

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Dozens of Palestinians killed seeking aid as Israel mulls full occupation of Gaza

At least 63 Palestinians were killed overnight and into Wednesday in the Gaza Strip, according to local health officials, who said 38 of that number died seeking food aid from UN convoys and US-run Gaza Humanitarian Foundation sites. The surge in violenc

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Failing to tackle climate change will mean more wildfires ahead

Europe • 5:47 PM

France’s biggest wildfire this summer was spreading quickly Wednesday in a Mediterranean region near the Spanish border after leaving one person dead, authorities said. The fire had burned an area larger than Paris. French Prime Minister François Bayrou

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Trump hikes India’s tariffs by 25% for buying Russian oil, bringing total to 50%

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order imposing an additional 25 percent tariff on goods from India, raising total US tariffs on the country to 50 percent. The move, effective in 21 days, is aimed at pressuring both India and Ru

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Ghana’s defence, environment ministers among 8 killed in helicopter crash

Africa • 3:56 PM

Ghana's defence and environment chiefs were killed in a helicopter crash on Wednesday along with six others, the presidency said. The incident comes at a time of heightened regional security concerns amid rising jihadist activity near Ghana's northern b

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Italy approves $15.5B plan for longest suspension bridge to Sicily

Italy cleared the way Wednesday to build the world’s largest suspension bridge linking the Italian mainland with Sicily in a massive 13.5 billion euro ($15.5 billion) infrastructure project that has been long delayed by debates over its scale, earthquake

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Nuclear weapons states no longer respect 'legal commitment to non-proliferation treaty'

Europe • 3:32 PM

Hiroshima has marked the 80th anniversary of the US atomic bombing of the western Japanese city, with many aging survivors expressing frustration about the growing support of global leaders for nuclear weapons as a deterrence. With the number of survivor

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France: In Aude, the largest wildfire of the summer

The largest wildfire of the summer in France has already burned through 15,000 hectares of vegetation in less than 24 hours in Aude, leaving at least one person dead, several seriously injured, and one missing.

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'The memories of the horrors of nuclear war and radiation seem to be lost on today's leaders'

Pacific Asia • 3:22 PM

Hiroshima on Wednesday marked the 80th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the western Japanese city, with many aging survivors expressing frustration about the growing support of global leaders for nuclear weapons as a deterrence. The bombing of H

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Wildfire in southern France surpasses the size of Paris, continues to spread

France's biggest wildfire of the summer is still spreading after surpassing the size of Paris, authorities said on Wednesday, with Prime Minister François Bayrou calling it a "catastrophe on an unprecedented scale". The blaze has burned over 13,000 hecta

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Space race: US aims to beat out China and Russia with nuclear reactor on the Moon

NASA’s interim chief Sean Duffy has made deploying a nuclear reactor on the Moon his top priority, framing the effort as a "second space race". Washington hopes to beat Beijing and Moscow to powering a future lunar base with nuclear energy.

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Hezbollah rejects Lebanese government's plans to disarm the group

Hezbollah on Wednesday condemned the Lebanese government's decision to restrict weapons to official state forces by year's end, saying the plan serves Israeli and US interests. Hezbollah accused Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's government of bowing to US dem

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Man lights cigarette from French war memorial

Police arrested a man in Paris who was filmed using the flame of a WW1 memorial to light his cigarette. The incident, which the country’s interior minister called “indecent and pathetic”, sparked outrage on social media. The so-called Tomb of the Unknown

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US Health Secretary to cancel $500 million in vaccine development projects

The Department of Health and Human Services will cancel contracts and pull funding for some vaccines that are being developed to fight respiratory viruses like COVID-19 and the flu. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary and a longtime vaccine criti

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World's longest suspension bridge to link Sicily to the mainland

Europe • 11:52 AM

Italy on Wednesday gave the final approval for a €13.5 billion ($15.6 billion) project to construct the world’s longest suspension bridge, linking Sicily to the mainland. After decades of planning and much debate, a ministerial committee granted the gree

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No, these videos of restaurants do not disprove famine in Gaza

For several weeks now, the pro-Israeli account Gazawood has been claiming that the famine in Gaza is staged. To back up its claims, it has been sharing videos of cafés and restaurants that are still in operation, claiming that they show that there is no

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Hiroshima: 80 years after the first atomic bomb

On Wednesday, August 6, #Japan commemorated the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of #Hiroshima and #Nagasaki, which took place on August 6 and 9, 1945. A ceremony attended by thousands served as a powerful reminder of the horrors unleashed, the on

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Karol Nawrocki becomes Poland's president

Karol Nawrocki, a nationalist historian and former amateur boxer with a keen interest in the criminal underworld, was sworn in as Poland’s new president on Wednesday. The 42-year-old won the June 1 election backed by the populist right-wing Law and Justi

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NASA races to put nuclear reactors on Moon and Mars

The US aims to deploy nuclear power reactors on the Moon and Mars, targeting the first launch by decade’s end. A new NASA directive, revealed by Politico and AFP, calls for appointing a nuclear power czar to choose two commercial proposals within six mon

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Gabon forest cave reveals clues about prehistoric central Africa

Africa • 10:06 AM

In Gabon's sprawling forest, archaeologists dig for ancient clues that could unlock the secrets of how prehistoric humans lived and interacted in the changing landscape of central Africa. Two billion years ago, the eastern Gabonese region of Lastourville

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Rwanda to receive 250 migrants expelled by the US

Africa • 10:04 AM

Rwanda will host up to 250 people expelled from the United States under an agreement with Washington, Kigali announced Tuesday. This marks a new chapter in a broad US campaign to send migrants on its soil to third countries. FRANCE 24's Juliette Montilly

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Cameroon court rejects opposition leader's presidential candidacy

Cameroon's Constitutional Council definitively rejected Maurice Kamto's candidacy for the October 12 presidential election on Tuesday. Kamto is the main opponent of President Paul Biya. FRANCE 24's correspondent has more from Yaoundé.

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Ethiopia: Healthcare access crumbles amid Oromia conflict

The conflict between Ethiopia’s army and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) in the Oromia region is causing severe harm to civilians, especially in remote areas, with limited access to healthcare and frequent violence. Despite a peace deal in Tigray, Ethiop

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Colombian mercenaries seen in Sudan

Colombian mercenaries have recently been identified among the foreign fighters supporting the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who have laid siege to El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, for over a year. It remains the only city in the region still held by

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France battles largest wildfire of the year so far

Firefighters in southern France were battling on Wednesday to control the country's biggest wildfire so far this year, local authorities said. One person died in the village of Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, and one person from the same village was miss

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Pro-Trump nationalist Karol Nawrocki sworn in as Poland's new president

Europe • 9:53 AM

Karol Nawrocki was sworn in as Poland's new president on Wednesday, pledging to defend a "sovereign Poland". An ally of US President Donald Trump, Nawrocki's election in June marked a major setback for pro-EU Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government, rais

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Japan's Hiroshima remembers 80 years after first atomic attack

Japan commemorates 80 years since the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, which killed around 140,000 people. A ceremony included a moment of silence at the exact time the US plane Enola Gay dropped the bomb on August 6, 1945—the first use of an atomic bomb in

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China eases travel rules to boost tourism post-pandemic

Citizens from 75 countries can now visit China with minimal paperwork. Some no longer need tourist visas for up to 30 days, while others enjoy longer, paperless transit options. This move is part of Beijing’s push to attract more foreign visitors and rev

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Poland: Nationalist Nawrocki sworn in as president, in blow for Tusk

Karol Nawrocki, a conservative historian and supporter of Donald Trump's MAGA movement, was sworn in as Poland's president on Wednesday, setting the stage for conflict with the centrist government and potentially cooler relations with Ukraine.

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Netanyahu signals possible Gaza war expansion amid ongoing bombing

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted at wider military action in devastated Gaza on Tuesday, even as former Israeli army and intelligence chiefs called for an end to the nearly 22-month war. The war continues to divide Israel, with numerous p

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Massive wildfire in France leaves at least one dead, nine injured

Europe • 9:17 AM

Firefighters in southern France were battling on Wednesday to contain the country’s biggest wildfire so far this year, said local authorities. At least one person has died so far in the wildfire, while nine others were injured. More than 1,800 firefighte

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RFK Jr. to cancel $500 million in funding for vaccine development

The Department of Health and Human Services said it plans to terminate contracts and withdraw funding for certain vaccine development efforts targeting respiratory viruses such as COVID-19 and influenza. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced in a statement rel

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The Bright Side: Nigerian fishermen hold fast to tradition amid rapid urban growth

Beneath the looming luxury apartment towers rising along the reservoir’s edge, Maniru Umar dips his oar into the water, guiding his shallow wooden canoe through thick reeds. Motivated by a blend of pride and necessity, Umar and his fellow fishermen in Ni

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OGC Nice start season against Benfica in third qualifying round of Champions League

The Eagles face a tough challenge against the Portuguese, who reached the quarterfinals of the Champions League last season, in the 3rd qualifying round of the competition. The first leg will take place at Nice's Allianz Riviera, which will be sold out.

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US envoy Witkoff holds 3-hour talks with Putin ahead of sanctions deadline

US envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Wednesday, just two days before a deadline set by President Donald Trump for Russia to agree to a Ukraine peace deal or face fresh US sanctions. The high-stakes talks lasted three h

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Several dead, more than 50 missing after deadly Himalayan flash floods

Pacific Asia • 4:51 AM

The Indian army scoured a Himalayan village on Wednesday in an effort to find scores of missing people a day after flash floods killed at least four people and left many other trapped beneath debris. At least four people were killed and more than 50 are

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Bill and Hillary Clinton subpoenaed in Epstein probe

The Republican-controlled US House Oversight Committee on Tuesday issued subpoenas for former US President Bill Clinton and his wife, former US Foreign Secretary Hillary Clinton, as part of a probe into the crimes of deceased sex trafficker Jeffrey Epste

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Over 11,000 hectares engulfed in southern France wildfire

A massive wildfire broke out in the Aude department in southern France on Tuesday, engulfing homes and injuring at least nine people, including one critically, as it spread across 11,000 hectares.

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UN calls report on Israeli expansion of Gaza war 'deeply alarming'

France 24 correspondent Pamela Falk reports from New York, where senior UN official Miroslav Jenča on Tuesday called reports that Israel is mulling an expansion of its military operations in Gaza "deeply alarming," as the Israeli government faces increas

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Survivors mark 80 years since Hiroshima atomic bombing

On the 80-year anniversary of the United States' detonation of the world's first atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, survivors, witnesses, and their descendants collectively preserve the memory of the hundreds of thousands of casualties and st

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Hiroshima marks 80 years since atomic bombing amid escalating nuclear tensions

Pacific Asia • 3:07 AM

Against the backdrop of rising Russia-US tensions, Japan held a ceremony on Wednesday morning commemorating 80 years since the United States' atomic bombing of Hiroshima. Speakers warned the representatives of 120 countries and regions in attendance that

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US envoy Witkoff meets Putin as Trump's sanctions deadline nears

Europe • 12:53 AM

US envoy Steve Witkoff held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin on Wednesday, two days before the expiry of a deadline set by President Donald Trump for Russia to agree to peace in Ukraine or face new sanctions. Witkoff flew to Mos

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