News : France24

Wednesday, december 18, 2024

First severe human case of bird flu in US sparks pandemic concerns

US authorities announced on Wednesday the first severe human case of avian flu in Louisiana, marking a critical escalation in the 2024 outbreak. With 61 cases reported nationwide, experts warn of rising pandemic risks.

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The US farm where pigs are bred for human organ transplants

Could harvesting organs from cloned pigs that have been genetically modified with human DNA be the answer to the chronic shortage of organs donated for transplant? At a farm in Virginia, USA, one biotech company is hoping to do just that, and on an indus

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Tuesday, december 17, 2024

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

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

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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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Wednesday, december 11, 2024

A bitter pill to swallow? France's relationship to medicine

France has restricted the sale of certain common cold medicines by making them prescription only. On today’s edition, we explain why the ANSM – France’s national agency for the safety of medicine and health products – has made this call. We also dive int

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Tuesday, december 10, 2024

Zimbabwe's sick turn to herbalists over ailing health system

In Zimbabwe, the countries' struggling healthcare system is driving desperate cancer patients to unregulated herbalists. Doctors warn these types of alternative medecines could be doing more harm than good. Story by Laurent Berstecher.

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Suspect in killing of UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson charged with murder

New York prosecutors filed a murder charge against the suspect in the killing of a UnitedHealth executive, a brazen shooting that set off a manhunt that culminated in his capture in Pennsylvania. Story by Morgan Ayre.

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Suspect arrested in killing of United Healthcare CEO

FRANCE 24 correspondent Jessica Le Masurier provides the latest developments after police in Altoona, Pennsylvania, arrested a 26-year-old man on Monday over the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last week.

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Suspect detained over US health insurance executive's murder

Officers in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on Monday apprehended 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, a former Ivy League student born and raised in Maryland, over last week's killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, after Mangione was found with a "ghost gun" equ

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Friday, december 6, 2024

New clues emerge in hunt for gunman who killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO

Investigators probing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson's murder uncovered key leads Thursday, including a suspect’s possible New York trip from Atlanta and ammunition marked with the words "deny, defend, depose". The phrase, which evokes insurance ind

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Thursday, december 5, 2024

Police hunt for US healthcare executive's masked killer after New York attack

The chief executive of one of the United States's largest health insurance companies, UnitedHealthcare, was shot and killed outside a New York Hilton hotel in an apparently targeted hit Wednesday. Brian Thompson was shot just before 7 am outside the hote

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Police hunt for US healthcare executive's masked killer after New York attack

The chief executive of one of the United States's largest health insurance companies, UnitedHealthcare, was shot and killed outside a New York Hilton hotel in an apparently targeted hit Wednesday. Brian Thompson was shot just before 7 am outside the hote

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Friday, november 29, 2024

Moment of truth for assisted dying in England and Wales as MPs hold key vote

PRESS REVIEW – Friday, November 29: The debate over assisted dying rages on in the UK ahead of a key vote in Westminster this Friday. In other news, the French government makes concessions to the far right in the hope of surviving a likely no-confidence

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Tuesday, november 26, 2024

How to counter obstetric and gynaecological violence against women

In this Science segment, we tell you more about obstetric and gynaecological violence, a form of violence against women that has remained hidden for a long time. However, in the privacy of a medical consultation or childbirth, many women say they have ex

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Friday, november 22, 2024

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

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.

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Tuesday, november 19, 2024

The fight against Alzheimer’s disease: How effective and safe is lecanemab?

In this Science segment, we examine the European Medicines Agency's recent decision to recommend granting marketing authorization for the anti-Alzheimer's drug lecanemab. This follows an earlier rejection of its commercialization, citing concerns that th

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Monday, november 18, 2024

India's north shrouded in smog as Delhi pollution hits season high

Toxic smog engulfed much of northern India on Monday and pollution readings in New Delhi hit their highest of this pre-winter season, after dense fog overnight. Details with Delano D'Souza.

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Sunday, november 17, 2024

Thousands join Santa Claus parade in Tokyo to support children in need

Thousands of people dressed as Santa Claus filled the streets of Tokyo this weekend for an event aimed at raising funds for children battling illnesses. The festive parade, now in its sixth year, brought smiles and cheers to both participants and benefic

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Friday, november 15, 2024

Known for 'incredibly dangerous ideas': Robert Kennedy Jr tapped to head US Health Department

Trump is laying down a gauntlet even before taking office challenging the Senate, in particular, to dare defy him over the nominations of Matt Gaetz, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other controversial choices for his Cabinet and administration positions. For

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French territory Guadeloupe declares epidemic of dengue driven by uncommon strain

Authorities in the Caribbean archipelago of Guadeloupe on Thursday declared a dengue epidemic driven by a virus strain that had a limited circulation for two decades. Health officials in the overseas French territory warned of a "high number" of "severe

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Thursday, november 14, 2024

Trump picks vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy as health secretary

Donald Trump named anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy as health secretary, marking another bold choice in his rapid post-election cabinet appointments. Announcing on Truth Social, Trump expressed enthusiasm for Kennedy's nomination, signaling his in

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Wednesday, november 13, 2024

New decree forces French doctors to disclose some patients' medical conditions

In this Science segment we take a look at a new decree signed by French Prime Minister Michel Barnier that compels doctors to specify patients' medical conditions for the prescription of certain drugs. If they fail to do so, the drugs will not be reimbur

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Monday, november 11, 2024

Pakistan choked by thick smog, limits outdoor activities

Pakistan's Punjab province banned most outdoor activities and ordered shops, markets and malls in some areas to close early from Monday to curb illnesses caused by intense air pollution. Story by Eliza Herbert.

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Pakistan choked by thick smog, limits outdoor activities

Pakistan's Punjab province banned most outdoor activities and ordered shops, markets and malls in some areas to close early from Monday to curb illnesses caused by intense air pollution.

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Saturday, november 9, 2024

1.2 million displaced in Lebanon, including 11.000 pregnant women, are facing a health crisis

As Israeli strikes continue to exacerbate a health crisis in Lebanon, pharmacies have been forced to close. This has left 1.2 million people to face a health crisis, thousands of which are now fleeing to the Syrian border in hopes of finding medical supp

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Wednesday, october 30, 2024

Shift toward more plant-based foods will drastically reduce emissions: expert

A new report from medical and health experts is warning that climate change – driven by fossil fuel emissions – is raising heat levels to dangerous new heights, while also worsening drought and food security. About a third of all human-caused greenhouse

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Wednesday, october 23, 2024

Easing the burden of sickle cell disease in Africa: more campaigners push for improved care

Sickle cell anemia is an inherited blood disorder that can leave sufferers struggling with serious, sometimes excruciatingly painful health complications. Most of the eight million people worldwide who have the disease are of African descent. With the ri

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Monday, october 21, 2024

Cuba never recovered from Covid, Trump sanctions, expert says

Electricity has been restored to almost 90 percent of Havana residents, four days after a nationwide blackout hit Cuba in the wake of Hurricane Oscar. Several Cuban provinces were still without power, after the collapse of the nation's largest power plan

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Saturday, october 19, 2024

Alarming rise in addictions can be attributed to 'misuse' of prescriptions, 'lack of due diligence'

Addiction to prescription medication continues to its steep rise and fatalities linked to overdoses of illicit or prescription drugs are hitting record highs. In the US alone close to 108,000 Americans died from drug-involved overdose in 2022. Dr Adam R

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Wednesday, october 16, 2024

Poppins, the French app designed to help kids with dyslexia

The 2024 Ivy Tech Prize for France's young entrepreneur of the year was awarded on Tuesday to François Vonthron, CEO and co-founder of Poppins. The app was designed to help children with dyslexia by using a video game format, with one independent study s

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Monday, october 14, 2024

Hands off the Doliprane: French outcry over plan to sell popular painkiller to US

Politicians from across the political spectrum are up in arms over healthcare giant Sanofi's plans to sell France's best-known medical drug Doliprane to US investors, a move critics say would lead to a "loss of sovereignty" for the country in a sensitive

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Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Over 360 thousand people diagnosed yearly

This year alone more than 360 thousand people will be diagnosed with breast cancer ... while many will die of it without being diagnosed at all. And yet if it is detected early, the 5-year relative survival rate of breast cancer stands at an incredible 9

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Sunday, october 13, 2024

Harris challenges Trump by issuing medical report showing she is in ‘excellent health’

US Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris on Saturday issued a medical report showing she is in “excellent health” and fit to serve as the country’s leader. The move is seen as a challenge to Donald Trump, whom Harris has accu

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Friday, october 11, 2024

'My life got turned upside down': One woman's experience of battling breast cancer

This October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Every year, 2.3 million women are diagnosed with breast cancer across the world, meaning that every 14 seconds, somewhere on the planet, a woman is diagnosed with the disease. Among them is FRANCE 24 journal

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Promising findings emerge from latest cancer trials

We take a look at some of the findings that emerged from this year's European Society for Medical Oncology conference in Barcelona. Some 30,000 people attended the forum to hear what advances doctors and researchers have made in the fight against cancer.

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As snake season nears, fears in South Africa over lack of antivenom

Experts in South Africa are warning of a shortage of snakebite antivenom that could leave thousands without access to the crucial treatment. Production stopped four years ago and with South Africa the only antivenom producer on the continent, it means ot

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Thursday, october 10, 2024

'Relentless, deliberate' attacks by Israel destroying Gaza's healthcare, say UN experts

A UN report said that Israel's targeted and "wanton destruction" in Gaza was destroying the healthcare system in the Palestinian enclave. The report found evidence that both Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages have been tortured and sexually abuse

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Wednesday, october 9, 2024

Victims of toxic waste dump in Ivory Coast still seeking justice

It's an environmental tragedy with ongoing consequences in Ivory Coast. Back in 2006, the company Trafigura wanted to get rid of 500 cubic metres of toxic waste from the refining of petroleum products stored on its cargo ship Probo Koala. After three cou

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Tuesday, october 8, 2024

Weight-loss drugs could help those who have moderate amount to lose, expert says

Novo Nordisk's weight-loss drug Wegovy will be available in France from this Tuesday. The drug will require a prescription and will not be reimbursed by French social security. FRANCE 24's Sharon Gaffney speaks to Adam Collins, Associate Professor of Nut

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Novo Nordisk's weight loss drug Wegovy available in France from Tuesday

Novo Nordisk's weight loss drug Wegovy will be available in France from Tuesday. The drug will require a prescription and will not be covered by social security. The main molecule in the medication is also found in the diabetes drug Ozempic which many ce

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French end-of-life bill debated by MPs

Debate is beginning at the National Assembly on French President Emmanuel Macron’s proposed end-of-life bill. It would create a legal framework for the terminally ill to get help to die; a highly contentious issue. FRANCE 24's Solange Mougin tells us wha

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Saturday, october 5, 2024

DR Congo begins mpox vaccination campaign in bid to curb outbreak

The first vaccines against mpox were given to hospital staff on Saturday and more will be made available to members of the public who are most at risk on Monday, the health minister said. As Democratic Republic of Congo attempts to curb a deadly mpox epi

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Wednesday, october 2, 2024

Breast cancer awareness month: Targeted therapies offer hope

This October marks the 30th edition of Pink October, an entire month in France dedicated to raising awareness and promoting breast cancer screening. Each year, some 61,000 new cases are diagnosed, and 12,600 women die from the disease in France. Breast c

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Monday, september 30, 2024

Rwanda reports eight deaths linked to Ebola-like Marburg virus

In tonight's edition: Rwanda raises the alarm as eight people die after getting the Marburg disease, a highly contagious virus with Ebola-like symptoms. Also, the UAE is to file an official complaint with the African Union over what it calls a "heinous a

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Friday, september 27, 2024

We need to talk about menopause: An estimated one billion women will be impacted by 2030

In a special edition, we focus on menopause since general knowledge of what it means for those who experience it and how to best treat it, is minimal to say the least. Although menopause is still considered taboo in many parts of the world, we report on

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With nearly 700 killed in a week, Lebanon fears Gaza-level violence

Nearly 700 people have been killed in Lebanon this week, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. Israel has dramatically escalated strikes, saying it is targeting Hezbollah’s military capacities and senior Hezbollah commanders. More information with FRAN

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Wednesday, september 25, 2024

Medication shortages in France: Firms handed record fine for not respecting safety stocks

The French Medicines Agency has decided to sanction 11 pharmaceutical companies that did not respect the minimum four-month stocks for drugs "of major therapeutic interest", handing them a record fine amounting to €8 million. This is 16 times the amount

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Tuesday, september 24, 2024

French maternity care: A postcode lottery?

For several decades now, France has been struggling with doctors leaving rural areas and people there not being able to access medical care. Maternity wards are also part of this trend, with 30 percent of them shutting down over the past 20 years. The he

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Wednesday, september 18, 2024

Promising findings emerge from latest cancer trials

We take a look at some of the findings that emerged from this year's European Society for Medical Oncology conference in Barcelona. Some 30,000 people attended the forum to hear what advances doctors and researchers have made in the fight against cancer.

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Drug-resistant superbugs projected to kill 39 million by 2050

Infections of drug-resistant superbugs are projected to kill nearly 40 million people over the next 25 years, a global analysis predicted on Monday, with the researchers urging action to avoid this grim scenario.

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Tuesday, september 17, 2024

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria projected to kill 39 million people by 2050, report says

Bacterial infections resistant to available antibiotic medicines will cause more than 39 million deaths worldwide over the next 25 years and indirectly contribute to an additional 169 million deaths, according to a forecast published on Monday. FRANCE 24

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Antibiotic-resistant bacteria projected to kill 39 million by 2050, report says

Bacterial illnesses resistant to available antibiotic medicines will cause more than 39 million deaths worldwide over the next 25 years and indirectly contribute to an additional 169 million deaths, according to a forecast published on Monday. FRANCE24's

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Tuesday, september 10, 2024

Frenchman on trial for mass rape of wife to testify Wednesday

A Frenchman being tried for recruiting strangers to rape his drugged wife will be back in court to testify on Wednesday after being admitted to hospital, the presiding judge at his trial said. The hospital admission on Tuesday of Dominique Pelicot, a 71-

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Tuesday, september 3, 2024

Menopause: Supporting women through hormonal changes

More than 20 years ago, a study significantly changed the perception of hormonal treatment for menopause, pointing to increased risks of breast cancer or cardiovascular diseases. But today, new data has transformed the dominant view on how to treat the m

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Wednesday, august 21, 2024

DRC centre of Mpox epidemic: WHO declares global public health emergency

A massive vaccination campaign to fight the spread of the newest strain of M-pox could be rolled out within the coming days across a number of African countries. The epicentre of the latest deadly outbreak is the DRC, but screening and border controls ar

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African countries seek to contain spread of Mpox

The United Nation's International Organisation for Migration (IOM) appealed on Wednesday for $18.5 million in assistance to provide health care services to people impacted by the mpox outbreak in East and Southern Africa, according to a statement. Story

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DR Congo says mpox vaccines arrive next week

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and other African countries could start vaccinating against mpox within days, Africa's top public health agency said on Tuesday. Details with FRANCE 24 correspondent in Kinshasa, Emmet Livingstone.

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Tuesday, august 20, 2024

Cholera outbreak in Sudan as humanitarian routes cut off

Sudan has been stricken by a cholera outbreak that has killed nearly two dozen people and sickened hundreds more in recent weeks, health authorities said Sunday. The African nation has been roiled by a 16-month conflict and devastating floods.

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Saturday, august 17, 2024

Indian medics stage nationwide strike over doctor's rape and murder

India's medical workers began a countrywide strike Saturday to protest the rape and killing of a trainee doctor at a state-run hospital in the eastern West Bengal state. Saturday’s strike was called by the country’s largest group of doctors, the Indian M

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