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Nightclub fire in North Macedonia kills at least 51, injures more than 100

A massive nightclub fire has killed at least 51 people in North Macedonia’s eastern town of Kocani and injured about 100 more, Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski told a press conference on Sunday, adding that the blaze was probably caused by "pyrotechni

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Voice of America staff put on leave as Trump freezes US-funded media outlets

More than 1,300 Voice of America employees were placed on leave on Saturday and funding for two US news services that broadcast to authoritarian regimes was terminated, a day after President Donald Trump ordered the gutting of the media outlets' parent c

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France 24 in Syria: Aid freeze raises fears in al-Hol and Roj camps

In northeastern Syria, over 42,000 people—mostly women and children believed to be linked to Islamic State fighters—remain detained in the closed refugee camps of al-Hol and Roj, under Kurdish forces' guard. These camps heavily rely on international aid,

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Gaza: Israeli air strike kills nine in Beit Lahiya, local ministry says

At least nine Palestinians including three local journalists were killed on March 15 in an Israeli air strike on Gaza's northern Beit Lahiya town, the local health ministry said, as Hamas leaders held ceasefire talks with mediators in Cairo.

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US launches deadly strikes on Yemen's Houthis as Trump vows to end Red Sea attacks

US President Donald Trump launched large-scale military strikes against Yemen's Houthis on March 15 over the group's attacks against Red Sea shipping, killing at least 31 people, according to the Iran-aligned group. Washington warned Tehran to stop backi

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Between 275,000 and 325,000 rally in Belgrade for anti-corruption protest

Between 275,000 and 325,000 protesters gathered in Serbia's capital, Belgrade, on March 15 in what was likely the largest in a series of anti-corruption demonstrations that have shaken the Balkan country in recent months. The movement emerged after 15 p

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Coalition of the willing: Reactions on the Ukrainian side

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted a virtual meeting on March 15 to marshal more pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to accept a ceasefire deal being pushed by US President Donald Trump. 'From Ukraine's perspective, it is positive that t

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SpaceX capsule docks with ISS to replace stranded NASA astronauts

A SpaceX capsule delivered four astronauts to the International Space Station early on Sunday in a NASA crew-swap mission that will allow a pair of stuck astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, to return home after nine months on the orbiting lab.

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McLaren's Norris wins rain-hit Australian Grand Prix as Hamilton finishes 10th

McLaren's Lando Norris held off defending champion Max Verstappen in Melbourne on Sunday to win a Formula One season-opener littered with crashes, while seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton had to settle for 10th on his debut with Ferrari.

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Record-breaking France defeat Scotland to claim Six Nations title

France swept to the Six Nations title with a record-strewn 35-16 victory over Scotland on Saturday. The win put Les Bleus one point above England, whose 68-14 rout of Wales had sent the championship battle down to the wire.

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Spurred by Trump turnabout, European nations debate conscription

Frightened by the prospect of US security disengagement and three years of Moscow's war against Ukraine, European countries are debating reinstating compulsory military service to boost their defences in the face of Russian aggression.

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Rubio discusses 'next steps' to ending Ukraine war with Russia's Lavrov

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russia's top diplomat Sergei Lavrov discussed the next stage of ending the war in Ukraine in a phone call on Saturday. Kyiv has agreed in principle to a 30-day ceasefire if Moscow halts attacks in east Ukraine but Ru

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At least 33 dead as tornadoes tear through central and southern US

Violent tornadoes ripped through central and southern parts of the United States on Saturday, flattening homes and flipping trucks as forecasters warned of more severe weather to come over the weekend. The tornadoes killed 12 people in Missouri alone.

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Yesterday

European military chiefs to plan for ‘operational phase’ of Ukraine peace deal

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Saturday said an alliance of global leaders would exert "maximum pressure on Russia" to sign up to a ceasefire in its war against Ukraine. The warning came as summit leaders meeting virtually on Saturday shifted pla

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🔴 Trump launches multiple strikes against Yemen's Houthis

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At least 31 killed in US strikes on Yemen's Houthis as Trump vows to end Red Sea attacks

US President Donald Trump launched military strikes against Yemen's Houthi rebels on Saturday over their attacks on Red Sea shipping vessels, killing at least 31 people, according to the Iran-aligned group. Washington also warned Tehran to stop backing t

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Trump orders multiple strikes in Yemen against Iran-backed Houthi rebels

US President Donald Trump launched a series of air strikes on Yemen's capital, Sanaa, on Saturday, promising to use “overwhelming lethal force” against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels until they agreed to end their attacks on shipping assets along a vital m

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Several killed as storm rips through southern US, triggering risk of tornadoes

At least 17 people were killed and scores of homes destroyed as wild winds whipped up a giant storm across parts of the US that intensified as it moved into the Mississippi Valley and Deep South on Saturday and triggered the threat of violent tornadoes i

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Hamas accuses Israel of 'violating' Gaza truce after deadly air strikes

Hamas has accused Israel of a "blatant violation" of a fragile ceasefire in the Palestinian territory after around nine people were killed, including journalists, in Israeli strikes on Saturday, according to Gaza's civil defence agency.

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South Africa says Washington gave its envoy 72 hours to leave US

South Africa said on March 15 that its US ambassador had been given 72 hours to leave the country following his expulsion by Washington.

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UK's Starmer says 'coalition of willing' expanding preparations for post-truce Ukraine

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on March 15 European nations and Western allies were stepping up preparations to support Ukraine in the event a peace deal was struck with Russia, with defence chiefs to firm up 'robust plans' next week. France 24

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Tens of thousands rally in Serbia's capital for anti-graft rally

Tens of thousands of protesters converged in Serbia's capital Belgrade on March 15 during the latest in a series of anti-corruption demonstrations to upend the Balkan country in recent months. Our correspondent Laurent Rouy tells us more.

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Huge crowds march in rival rallies for and against South Korea’s impeached president

Thousands of South Koreans on March 15 filled the streets of downtown Seoul in massive rival rallies for and against impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, as the Constitutional Court nears a decision on whether to formally remove him from office over his im

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Telegram founder Durov allowed to temporarily leave France: sources

Telegram founder Pavel Durov has been allowed to temporarily leave France, where he is charged with multiple infractions linked to allegedly enabling organised crime, sources told AFP.

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Belgrade on edge as anti-government protesters converge on Serbian capital

Tens of thousands of protesters converged on Serbia's capital Belgrade on Saturday for what could be the largest single rally since the start of an anti-corruption protest movement triggered by a deadly railway station roof collapse in the city of Novi S

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Zelensky denies troops surrounded in Kursk as Russia retakes villages

Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky denied on March 15 his troops were encircled in Russia's Kursk region, where Moscow has regained swathes of land this week, as Russia said it took back two more villages in the border region. US leader Donald Trump had

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Cuba suffers another massive power outage leaving millions in the dark

Cuba suffered a massive power outage on March 14 affecting Havana and the country's provinces that left millions in the dark.

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Joint Viking in Norway: NATO's largest Arctic military exercise showcases strength

Around 10,000 soldiers from NATO countries are taking part in Joint Viking 2025 in Troms County, northern Norway, training Norwegian forces to operate alongside allied troops in harsh winter conditions.

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France launches manslaughter probe into TotalEnergies over 2021 Mozambique massacre

French prosecutors on Friday launched an investigation into TotalEnergies for involuntary manslaughter in connection with a 2021 attack by jihadist militants near a Mozambique gas field. Mozambique's government says some 30 people were killed but an inde

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Ukraine rejects Russian claim Kursk forces 'encircled'

Kyiv has denied its forces in Russia's Kursk region are at risk of being encircled, after US President Donald Trump said he had urged Russia's Vladimir Putin to spare them and avert a "horrible massacre". FRANCE 24's Ukraine correspondent Gulliver Cragg

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'Stateless overnight': Authoritarian crackdown strips 42,000 Kuwaitis of nationality

Nearly 42,000 Kuwaitis have been stripped of their nationality in just six months and in defiance of international law. Launched under the increasingly authoritarian rule of Kuwait's new monarch, Emir Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the policy claims

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More than 50 universities face federal investigations as part of Trump's anti-DEI campaign

More than 50 universities are being investigated for alleged racial discrimination as part of President Donald Trump’s campaign to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs that his officials say exclude white and Asian American students.

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US: Are Trump’s tariffs stimulating growth or harming the economy?

Tariffs are Donald Trump’s favorite weapon, but are they stimulating growth or harming the economy? The effects of his controversial decisions are already being felt by American business owners. Unemployment is rising, and financial markets are becoming

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FRANCE 24 in Sudan: Four reports on the impact of war

A FRANCE 24 team reporting from Sudan in February met with civilians who have lived through two years of a civil war that has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced more than 12 million and sparked a humanitarian crisis.

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Serbia's capital Belgrade braces for massive anti-graft rally

Tens of thousands of protesters were set to converge in Serbia's capital Belgrade March 15, the latest in a series of anti-corruption demonstrations to upend the Balkan country in recent months.

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UK's Starmer convenes 'coalition of the willing' for second meeting to discuss Ukraine

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is convening a second meeting of global leaders on Mars 15 to discuss the developments regarding the war in Ukraine, following another frantic week of diplomacy aimed at getting Russia to back a 30-day ceasefire. Franc

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Russian captain involved in North Sea tanker crash charged with manslaughter

UK police said on Friday they charged the Russian captain of a container ship that crashed into a US tanker earlier this week with manslaughter and gross negligence. One crew member went missing after the collision, which set both vessels ablaze.

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Moroccan stucco at risk of disappearing as young artisans lose interest

Moroccan stucco is an age-old technique that has survived for centuries. This type of plaster, known for its elegant finish, adorns mosques, homes, and riads. However, some fear it could soon vanish.

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Starship carrying Tesla robot 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 robot Optimus, the company's founder Elon Musk said Saturday. SpaceX faced a setback this month when its latest test flight of the Starship prototype ende

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African literature: Cameroon honored at the African Book Fair in Paris

For the fourth year in a row, Paris is hosting Europe's largest event dedicated to African and Afro-descendant literature. France 24's Clémence Waller tells us more.

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World Cup: Assane Diao has chosen to play for Senegal over Spain

Senegal's national football team has announced its lineup for two key World Cup qualifying games. Among those selected are several star players who were born, raised, and trained in Europe. Following a recent trend, more and more African players are choo

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CAR still awaiting Russian fuel as 30,000-ton shipment remains stuck

Russia donated 36 million liters of fuel to the Central African Republic. But the cargo has now been stuck in Cameroon, sparking fears that much-needed relief from soaring prices and shortages will not materialize.

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France 24 in Sudan: In Bahri, a community kitchen for the displaced

Our reporters are travelling across Sudan to shed light on war's devastating impact on civilians. The final report of our series takes us to Bahri, a town hard-hit by the fighting.

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Live: UK’s Starmer calls for ‘maximum pressure on Russia’ over ceasefire in Ukraine

UK PM Keir Starmer convened a meeting of world leaders Saturday to marshal support for Ukraine and put "maximum pressure on Russia" to back a ceasefire deal put forward by Washington while also advancing plans for a peacekeeping force to an "operational

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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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Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters converge in Belgrade

Tens of thousands of protesters converged on Serbia's capital Belgrade on Saturday for what could be the largest single rally since the start of an anti-corruption protest movement triggered by a deadly railway station roof collapse in the city of Novi S

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'Coalition of the willing': 'Ukraine needs action, not more summits'

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine now if he is 'serious about peace.' We discussed this with our guest, Dr. Eugene B. Kogan, a Harvard negotiations expert.

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Friday, march 14, 2025

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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Sudan bans all imports from Kenya after it hosted the RSF

In tonight's edition, Sudan retaliates after Nairobi hosted paramilitary RSF last month: all imports from Kenya have now been banned. Also, more than 30 000 tons of Russian fuel donated to the Central African Republic remain stuck in Cameroon. And big

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“Yes, but…” Truce seeking in Ukraine, Mark Carney's elbows

This week, our set of experts gathered around Gavin Lee to take a look at the latest in Ukraine-Russia ceasefire proposal, clashes and mass killings in Syria and Donald Trump's tariff war against EU and its neighbouring countries.

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France Cricket saga: Defeat for the remade women's national team in New Caledonia

The French women’s cricket team came last at a tournament in the overseas territory of New Caledonia on Friday, but officials are optimistic for the future. The brand-new squad completely replaced the women's team whose members called for a probe last ye

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Mayotte residents struggle to pick up the pieces after Cyclone Chido

Cyclone Chido was the strongest storm to hit Mayotte in at least 90 years. When the cyclone slammed into the French overseas department in December, it packed winds of more than 200km per hour, wreaking devastation across the island. In Mayotte, a territ

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European parliament bans Huawei lobbyists from premises amid corruption probe

The European Parliament on Friday said it has banned lobbyists working for Chinese telecom firm Huawai to enter its premises “as a precautionary measure” after police launched an investigation into suspected bribery, arresting several people in both Belg

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French champagne industry baulks at Trump's threat of mega 200% tariff

In Champagne, the French region from where the glamourous bubbly gets its name, makers of the sparkling wine are reeling at US President Donald Trump’s threat to slap a 200 percent tariff on the drink. Should the threat materialise, the average price for

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'Trump really looking for a success: He overestimated ability to push Putin toward a real ceasefire'

US President Donald Trump said his administration had "productive" talks with Russia about a ceasefire in Ukraine, urging counterpart Vladimir Putin to spare Ukrainian soldiers on the front line. For in depth analysis and a deeper perspective, FRANCE 24'

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Defence shortages create ‘temptation for Putin to test us’: EU Defence Commissioner Kubilius

The EU has just launched an ambitious-sounding defence plan, “ReArmEU”, and it is also publishing a landmark white paper on defence. The person at the heart of these initiatives is our guest on the programme; Andrius Kubilius is the EU Commissioner in ch

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#MeToo Japan: Shiori Ito’s courageous campaign for justice

Journalist and filmmaker Shiori Ito has laid her life bare in “Black Box Diaries”, as the film documents her battle for justice after she accused a prominent TV executive of raping her in 2015. Following its nomination for an Academy Award, the film has

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EU unveils plan to cut bureaucracy and boost competitiveness: The simpler the better?

The European Union has long talked about reducing the bureaucratic burden on businesses. In the current EU mandate, there has also been a lot of emphasis on competitiveness – putting Europe’s industries, large or small, in a better position to rival the

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