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Today

Starship carrying Tesla bot to depart for Mars by end of 2026, Musk says

SpaceX's Starship rocket is set to depart for Mars at the end of next year, carrying Tesla humanoid bot Optimus, the company's founder Elon Musk said Saturday. SpaceX faced a setback this month when its latest test flight of the Starship prototype ended

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S. African ambassador 'no longer welcome' in the US, Rubio says

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that South Africa’s ambassador to the United States was “no longer welcome” in the country, accusing Ebrahim Rasool of being a “race-baiting politician who hates America” and its president. The rare step mark

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US Senate passes GOP spending bill to avert government shutdown

The US Senate on Friday passed a Republican-led spending bill, averting a partial government shutdown, after enough Democrats backed down in a standoff driven by anger over President Donald Trump's campaign to slash the federal workforce.

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Electricity grid failure plunges Cuba into fourth blackout in five months

Cuba experienced another nationwide blackout on Friday caused by the crash of its electricity grid, the fourth such power outage on the island in five months. The outages come as the island battles its worst economic crisis in 30 years, including widespr

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Yesterday

SpaceX launch paves way for return of astronauts 'stranded' on space station

SpaceX and NASA launched a long-awaited mission to the International Space Station late on Friday, paving the way for the return of US astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been stuck on the orbital lab for nine months.

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Former central banker Mark Carney sworn in as Canada’s new PM amid barrage of Trump threats

Mark Carney, an experienced former central bank boss, was sworn in on Friday as Canada's new prime minister. Carney, who is replacing Justin Trudeau, has vowed to take a firm stance against US President Donald Trump who has made a series of threats again

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Pro-Palestinian protesters take over Trump Tower in New York

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators Jewish Voice for Peace took over US President Donald Trump's hotel in New York on Thursday in protest of activist Mahmoud Khalil's arrest, leading to 98 arrests. Khalil, a Palestinian student at Columbia University, was deta

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Thursday, march 13, 2025

Federal judge orders Trump to rehire agency workers laid off in mass firings

In a show of resistance to US President Donald Trump's drastic efforts to reduce the federal workforce, a District Judge on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to rehire probationary workers it had laid off since coming into power. The White House

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'When we hear about the Trump tariff announcement, we shake', EU wine industry lobbyist says

President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened a 200% tariff on European wine, Champagne and spirits if the European Union goes forward with a planned tariff on American whiskey. FRANCE 24's Yinka Oyetade speaks to Dr Ignacio Sánchez Recarte, Secretary Ge

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How to stop the escalation? Trump hits back after EU retaliates against US metal tariffs

Donald Trump has said it many times: "The most beautiful word in the dictionary to me is tariff." But the tariffs that Trump is imposing on businesses across the borders are having a less than beautiful effect. Trump came to power promising prosperity fo

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'Profitable today, unprofitable tomorrow'?: Businesses wary of long-term projects amid trade war

Canada, a neighbor and close ally that is the US' biggest aluminum provider, has announced countermeasures to Trump's metals tariffs and has taken the dispute to the World Trade Organization. Some Canadian retailers have pulled American bourbon from thei

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'Blood Worm Moon' to bathe Americas in rare total lunar eclipse tonight

Stargazers across North and South America will have the chance to witness a red-hued "Blood Moon" also called "Blood Worm Moon" beginning Thursday night, marking the first total lunar eclipse visible on the continents since 2022.

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Trump wielding tariffs 'indiscriminately as a weapon for geopolitical predominance'

President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened a 200% tariff on European wine, champagne and spirits if the European goes forward with a planned tariff on American whiskey. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective on an already-escalating trade war

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G7 foreign ministers meet in Canada amid rising tensions with Trump

Foreign ministers from the G7 countries and the EU convene in La Malbaie, Quebec, on Thursday amid escalating tensions with US President Donald Trump over his contentious foreign policies, including his stance on Ukraine and tariff impositions. The two-d

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Wednesday, march 12, 2025

Argentine football fans clash with police at anti-austerity pensions march

Argentina's riot police used tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannon to drive demonstrators from the streets Wednesday after hundreds of football fans, some throwing rocks, joined a weekly protest over pensions in Buenos Aires. Pensioners are among tho

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Trump seeks to bolster Tesla by turning White House into car showroom

President Donald Trump sought to boost plummeting Tesla share prices Tuesday by briefly turning the White House into a showroom, announcing he was buying one of the electric cars made by close advisor Elon Musk and threatening anti-Musk protesters with "

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Imposition of tariffs makes US an inefficient 'high-cost producer', economist says

FRANCE 24's Mark Owen speaks to Marcus Noland, Executive VP of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, about the trade war triggered by the Trump tariffs. He says that there's no evidence that Trump's strategy will pay off and that the imposi

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Big Tech shares tumble as Trump adds chaos to stock market mix

Since the start of Donald Trump’s second term as US president, tech giants have seen their shares on the stock market tumble. To what extent is the president, who tech bosses courted during the 2024 campaign, responsible for the downturn? Although he is

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SpaceX mission to bring stranded astronauts back home postponed

SpaceX postponed a mission to bring astronauts who have been stuck on the International Space Station back to earth on Wednesday. The postponement was due to an issue with the hydraulic system on the launch side and not an issue with the spacecraft, Spac

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Trump administration to cut Department of Education workforce by half

Five days after taking office, US Education Secretary Linda McMahon said on Tuesday she aims to cut nearly 50 percent of the Department of Education's workforce, initiating President Donald Trump's plan to devolve the department's powers to state governm

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White House rejects bid to release Palestinian student activist amid protests

The US government on Tuesday indicated it would fight efforts to release Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, who was arrested without a charge or warrant by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on Saturday, leading to a series of New York

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US House approves stopgap bill to avert government shutdown

Attempting to avoid a government shutdown amid US President Donald Trump's turbulent economy, the US House of Representatives on Tuesday narrowly passed a partisan emergency government funding bill, which Democrats fear would further slash domestic spend

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Tuesday, march 11, 2025

Ontario premier says to suspend 25% electricity surcharge on US states

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he is "probably so" going to reduce the recently increased tariffs on Canada after Ontario suspended a surcharge on electricity exports to the United States. FRANCE 24's Christopher Guly reports from Ottaw

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Trump halts doubling of tariffs on Canada metals as Ontario retracts price hikes

President Donald Trump's threat on Tuesday to double his planned tariffs on steel and aluminum from 25% to 50% for Canada has resulted in Ontario’s premier backflipping on planned surcharges on electricity sold to the United States.

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US politicians can't stand up to Trump, says French senator who went viral for 'Nero' comment

US politicians are unable to stand up to Donald Trump, French Senator Claude Malhuret said, after going viral for a speech in which he described Trump as presiding over "Nero's court" and billionaire top adviser Elon Musk as a "buffoon on ketamine". Repu

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Amid a widening rift with US, Canada's ruling party banking on highly-skilled technocrat Mark Carney

Former central banker Mark Carney has helped run two Group of Seven economies in crisis and is set to become Canada's next prime minister after the governing Liberal Party elected him its leader in a landside victory with 85.9% support. He will have to s

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Maradona medical team on trial for 'horror theatre' of his death

The medical team of late football legend Diego Maradona went on trial in Argentina on Tuesday, over four years after his death, in a case that has riled emotions in the South American country where the World Cup winner is still revered.

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Greenland to hold legislative elections, eyes independence amid US interest

Greenland votes Tuesday in pivotal elections that may set a path to independence, supported by most residents. President Trump's persistent bid to acquire the Arctic island has met mixed reactions among its 57,000 inhabitants, ranging from astonishment a

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Monday, march 10, 2025

US capital erases Black Lives Matter mural in wake of Trump pressure

A "Black Lives Matter" street mural, erected during the height of 2020 racial justice protests in the US, was being erased by workers in Washington on Monday in an unequivocal demonstration of the Trump administration’s commitment to roll back measures t

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Trump behaving 'like Saddam Hussein’ towards Greenland, expert says

Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, will hold parliamentary elections on March 11 with independence a key campaign theme after US President Donald Trump said he wants control over the world's biggest island. FRANCE 24's Sharon Gaffney spea

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Ontario slaps 25% tax increase on electricity exports to US in response to Trump's trade war

Ontario's premier announced that effective Monday it is charging 25% more for electricity to 1.5 million American homes and businesses in response to Donald Trump's trade war. Ontario provides electricity to Minnesota, New York and Michigan. “I will not

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Judge halts deportation of Columbia University's Gaza protest leader Mahmoud Khalil

A federal judge has temporarily blocked the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil until a new hearing on Wednesday. Khalil, a Palestinian rights activist and a former Columbia University student, was arrested over the weekend in accordance with “President Trump’

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‘Treated like animals’: The migrants shunning Panama’s shelters

Since Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration, Panama has been flooded by migrants returning south, with more than 2,200 arriving in the country in February alone. The country has been housing some migrants in shelters located in the remote jungle of the

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PEN America on book banning: 'We're supposed to be a country that espouses freedom of expression'

Freedom of expression is a cherished right in the United States that is coming increasingly under attack at an alarming rate as conservative groups target schools and books to censor topics ranging from racism, LGBTQ+, sexuality and sexual violence. PEN

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Who is Mark Carney, the next prime minister of Canada?

Mark Carney, a former central banker born in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, will succeed Justin Trudeau as Canada's prime minister following a decisive victory in the Liberal Party leadership vote on Sunday.

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Argentina declares three-day mourning as flood death toll rises to at least 16

Argentina declared three days of national mourning following flash floods that claimed 16 lives in Bahia Blanca, where a year's rain fell within hours, inundating neighbourhoods. Two young girls, aged one and five, were tragically swept away in the disas

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Sunday, march 9, 2025

Mark Carney set to replace Justin Trudeau as Canada's prime minister

Former central banker Mark Carney has been elected as Canada's next prime minister, succeeding Justin Trudeau who announced his resignation in January. Carney won 85.9 percent of the vote as leader of the governing Liberal Party amid US trade tensions an

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Who will be Canada's next PM? Liberal Party selects Trudeau replacement

Daniel Béland, Political Sociologist spoke to France 24's Gavin Lee about the race to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal Party leader and next PM. Produced by Gavin Lee, Luis Miguel Cabrera and Guillaume Gougeon.

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US Secret Service agents shoot armed man near White House

A man brandishing a firearm near the White House was shot by Secret Service agents early Sunday, the service said. The man was taken to an area hospital and his condition was not known, the statement added. US President Donald Trump was in Florida at the

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Canada Liberals to vote on Trudeau's successor as trade war with US heats up

Former central banker Mark Carney is tipped as the favourite to replace Canada's outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the ruling Liberal Party meets to choose a new leader.

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Saturday, march 8, 2025

At least 12 people wounded in Toronto pub shooting, police searching for three men

A shooting at a pub in Scarborough in eastern Toronto, Canada has wounded at least 12 people, police said Friday night. Police are searching for three male suspects.

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Friday, march 7, 2025

Hollywood star Gene Hackman died of natural causes a week after wife, medical examiner says

Award-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, died of natural causes a week apart, a medical examiner said Friday. Investigators suggest that Hackman, who was in an advanced stage of Alzheimer's, may not have been aware

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Trump administration cuts $400 million from Columbia University over Gaza protests

The Trump administration announced Friday that it is pulling $400 million in federal grants and contracts from Columbia University, saying the university failed to take action against anti-Semitism on campus. The statement said that the cuts were just th

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What parallels do historians see between the Trump administration and the Nazi regime?

Elon Musk appeared to make a Nazi salute as he celebrated the start of Donald Trump's second term as US president. Trump’s new administration has said it will acquire Greenland and Panama, defunded US foreign aid programmes, fired federal workers and hum

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New tariffs, same old trade rift: How China could retaliate against Trump

Tensions between Beijing and Washington rapidly devolved Friday after China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi made his annual address to the press, including foreign journalists, where he fired off a series of broadsides aimed at the US and warned the Trump adm

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Trump 'considering' sanctions on Russia after large-scale bombardment of Ukraine

US President Donald Trump on Friday threatened to hit Russia with additional sanctions after Moscow launched a large-scale of missile and drone attacks on Ukraine overnight from Thursday. Teams from both the US and Ukraine are preparing to meet in Saudi

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Trump proposes nuclear talks with Iran in a letter to its supreme leader

US President Donald Trump said in an interview that aired on Fox News on Friday that he has written to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, pressing him to enter negotiations on preventing the development of Iran's nuclear program. The comments come as both Israel an

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SpaceX loses another Starship rocket during eighth test flight

SpaceX carried out another launch of its Starship rocket Thursday but quickly lost contact with the vessel as it roared over the Gulf of Mexico. The rocket scattered debris over parts of the Caribbean, prompting numerous flight diversions around Turks an

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'The danger we face from Trump and Putin might finally force Europe to unite'

European leaders have backed plans to spend more on defence and continue to stand by Ukraine in a world upended by Donald Trump's reversal of US foreign policy amid his abrupt pivot towards Russia. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective on the wi

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Thursday, march 6, 2025

NY doctor risks extradition to Louisiana in abortion pill case

The Trump administration has taken a number of actions aimed at restricting access to abortion, including pardoning anti-abortion protesters convicted of violating a law that protects abortion clinics and their patients. Jessica Le Masurier reports on th

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Trump reverses course, delaying some tariffs on Mexico and Canada amid economic fears

US President Donald Trump on Thursday said he was suspending new tariffs on most imports from Mexico and Canada until April 2. The exemptions came after Canada adopted aggressive countermeasures when Trump imposed 25% tariffs on imports from the USA's tw

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US-China armed conflict 'no longer unthinkable' analyst says

China vowed to fight a trade war with the United States "to the end" on Thursday, as tariffs from Washington buffeted the global economy and threatened to hit Beijing's lagging growth. FRANCE 24's Mark Owen speaks to fellow at the Global Foresight Hub an

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'Unlikely' all of Mexico is corrupt, as Trump claims, no proof Mexican leaders collude with cartels

Donald Trump's promised war on drug cartels will stop Mexico from becoming a "narco state," US Vice President JD Vance insisted, as he hinted that Washington remained ready to take military action against the gangs. For in-depth analysis and a deeper per

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VP Vance touts Trump's immigration crackdown on US-Mexico border visit

Vice President JD Vance said Wednesday that Mexico should be thankful for US President Donald Trump's war on drug cartels because it will stop the country from becoming a "narco state", adding that military intervention may be needed to tackle the cartel

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Wednesday, march 5, 2025

White House confirms ‘ongoing’ direct talks with Hamas over freeing hostages

The US on Wednesday confirmed unprecedented direct talks with Hamas on the release of hostages, as Israel threatened to renew its military campaign in Gaza despite a fragile ceasefire.

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The end of shared values? Europe grapples with Trump's America

Can Europeans and Americans still speak of shared values? The longest-ever speech by a US president to a joint session of Congress doubling down on an America First vision of foreign policy that's heavy on the sticks, light on the carrots. In the past, c

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Trump speech to Congress: 'Made-for-TV event that appealed to base and played on existing divisions'

In an unyielding prime-time address before Congress, President Donald Trump vowed to keep up his campaign of “swift and unrelenting action” in reorienting the nation’s economy, immigration and foreign policy. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspectiv

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The many hands behind Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival

Just a few minutes from the school parades in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome, there’s a huge workforce stitching, fixing, sweeping up feathers and sequins, and assembling floats and instruments. Carnival creates some 50,000 jobs throughout the year, without

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‘Trump is lying’: Panama’s president refutes claims that US will take back canal

A day after Donald Trump told Congress that his administration had started reclaiming the Panama Canal, Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino on Wednesday said the US president is "lying". A senior official of a Hong Kong-based company that sold major st

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Trump defends tariffs, government cuts in firey address to Congress

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday gave his first speech to Congress since his return to power, which he used to give a fiery defence of his administration's tariff's, government staff cuts and culture war wins. His remarks were met with a raucous atmo

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