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Today

Trump touts first year as success amid economic unease in White House address

US President Donald Trump gave an address at the White House on Wednesday, attempting to cast his first year back in office as a success, deflecting concerns about the cost of living and offering few new policy details as he looked ahead to the 2026 midt

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US Senate confirms Jared Isaacman as NASA chief amid budget cuts and moon race

The US Senate has confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as NASA administrator, installing a strong advocate of Mars missions to lead the space agency as it faces deep budget cuts and intensifying competition with China to return humans t

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Trump insists on the US economy's strength in address to nation

US President Donald Trump used a prime-time address from the White House to play down public anxiety about the US economy, insisting it is on the mend despite rising inflation, slowing job growth and growing voter frustration ahead of the 2026 midterm el

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Brazil Senate backs bill cutting Bolsonaro jail term, setting up clash with Lula

Brazil’s Senate has approved legislation that could sharply reduce the prison sentence of former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, convicted over an alleged coup plot after his 2022 election defeat, in a move that President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva ha

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Yesterday

US Congress ends Assad-era Syria sanctions, opening door to investment

The US Congress has voted to permanently repeal sweeping sanctions imposed on Syria under former leader Bashar al-Assad, clearing the way for foreign investment and marking a significant shift in Washington’s policy towards the war-ravaged country follow

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Fake video announcing ‘coup in France’ sparks anger at the Élysée

A viral video claiming that a coup d’État has taken place in France has racked up more than 13 million views on social media. Although clearly AI-generated, it sparked tensions between the Élysée and Facebook’s parent company: Meta refused to take it dow

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Warner Bros. rejects Paramount's bid, accuses it of "consistently misleading" shareholders

Warner Brothers Discovery has rejected Paramount Skydance's hostile takeover bid, saying it carries many risks and is inferior to Netflix's offer. The company's board said the Ellison family that controls Paramount "consistently misled" them about guara

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US 'pressuring' EU not to use frozen Russian assets for Kyiv, Ukraine official says

The Trump administration is seeking to discourage European countries from using frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine's war effort, a senior Ukrainian official said Wednesday, adding that President Volodymyr Zelensky would lobby Kyiv's European allies

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Disparaging plaques for Biden, Obama appear in Trump's White House 'Walk of Fame'

US President Donald Trump has added partisan and subjective plaques to his White House presidential "Walk of Fame", taking personal swipes at his predecessors Joe Biden and Barack Obama and repeating false claims about his 2020 election defeat.

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France detains 22-year-old suspect over interior ministry cyberattack

French authorities have detained a 22-year-old man over a cyberattack on the email servers of the French interior ministry that compromised files containing criminal records. Prosecutors say the suspect is known to police and was convicted of similar cri

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Safonov saves four penalties as PSG beat Flamengo to win Intercontinental Cup

Champions League title holders Paris Saint-Germain defeated Copa Libertadores winners Flamengo in a penalty shoot-out on Wednesday to clinch their first FIFA Intercontinental Cup title and wrap up the calendar year with a record six trophies.

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European Union divided over Mercosur trade deal: France and Italy demand tougher safeguards

Protesting French farmers blocked roads across France Tuesday over a mass cull to prevent the spread of a bovine disease. Anger over the sanitary measure combined with farmers’ concerns about a planned Mercosur trade deal has forced France to seek a dela

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French farmers continue blockades over cattle cull and Mercosur deal

Protesting French farmers blocked roads across France Tuesday over a mass cull to prevent the spread of a bovine disease. Anger over the sanitary measure combined with farmers’ concerns about a planned Mercosur trade deal has forced France to seek a dela

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Fake video claiming ‘coup in France’ goes viral – not even Macron could immediately get it removed

Sometime in the second week of December, an improbable video began making the rounds on French-language social media. France, it claimed, was subject to a coup d’état, and President Emmanuel Macron had possibly been deposed. The video, an AI-generated fa

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Trump orders blockade of 'sanctioned oil tankers' into Venezuela, ramping up pressure on Maduro

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered a “blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers traveling to and from Venezuela, marking Washington’s latest effort to intensify pressure on Nicolás Maduro’s government by targeting its primary source of revenue. H

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Rome: new metro stations showcase city's ancient past

#Rome just inaugurated two new metro stations which showcase artefacts and ruins dating back to the city's ancient past. All were found during the stations' construction. #rome #romemuseums #ancientrome

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Iran: A ‘blood rain’ in the Persian Gulf

Heavy #rains washed iron-oxide-rich soil and rocks across an “Iranian island, creating this intense, almost unreal red. Seen in the Persian Gulf on December 16, the phenomenon was nicknamed ‘blood rain’ by visitors, despite having nothing to do with biol

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Bus carrying mineworkers pelted by stones in DR Congo

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a bus transporting company mineworkers was pelted by stones by artisanal miners in early November. We spoke to several locals who said this was not an isolated incident, blaming the tensions on a lack of space for the

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Trump orders blockade of 'sanctioned oil tankers' bound for Venezuela

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the US will impose a blockade on all “sanctioned oil tankers” entering or leaving Venezuela, dramatically escalating his administration’s campaign against President Nicolás Maduro. The move follows the recent

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Fake video claiming ‘coup in France’ goes viral – not even Macron could immediately get it removed

Sometime in the second week of December, an improbable video began making the rounds on French-language social media. France, it claimed, was subject to a coup d’état, and President Emmanuel Macron had possibly been deposed. The video, an AI-generated fa

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United Kingdom to rejoin Erasmus programme in 2027

While the UK may never rejoin the European Union, it has now been confirmed that the country will return to the Erasmus program it left during Brexit. This means EU students can study in the UK without major bureaucratic hurdles, and British students wil

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Film show: 'Avatar' makes a fiery return

Emma Jones takes us through the third installment of James Cameron's epic project, as "Avatar: Fire and Ash" takes us back to the spectacular setting of Pandora. We discuss the message at the heart of the movies and the new additions to its cast. Next, d

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Brazil’s Lula says now or never as EU-Mercosur trade deal hits French roadblock

France and Italy said Wednesday they remain opposed to a trade agreement between the European Union and South American trade bloc Mercosur, dashing hopes of the contentious pact being signed soon. Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva responded with a threa

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France probes 'foreign interference' after passenger ship hit by remote-control malware

France is investigating whether an organised group linked to a “foreign power” may have been involved in the malware infection of a passenger ship that would allow it to be controlled remotely. The malware discovery onboard the Italian-owned Fantastic wa

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Chocolatier Jade Genin turns holiday traditions into edible art

Christmas is just around the corner, and for many people in France, the end-of-year holiday season is synonymous with chocolate. In this edition of Entre Nous, we speak to chef Jade Genin, who has made a name for herself in France's highly exclusive choc

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Warner Bros board rejects takeover bid from Paramount, favours deal with Netflix

Warner Bros Discovery's board has urged shareholders to reject a $108.4 billion hostile takeover bid from Paramount Skydance, saying it failed to provide adequate financing assurances. The board argued that the terms of a rival merger deal with Netflix r

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Gaza struggles in winter conditions, with rains and sewage sparking deadly disease surge

Palestinians in Gaza were struggling to recover on Tuesday after days of torrential rain battered the enclave, flooding displacement camps, turning dirt roads into mud, and causing already war-damaged buildings to collapse, leaving at least 12 people dea

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'When you educate a girl, everything changes': CAMFED CEO Angeline Murimirwa

The CEO of a huge organisation that has helped millions of girls across a series of African countries has spoken to FRANCE 24 about how the group she now runs helped her when she was a girl. Angeline Murimirwa was able to continue her education thanks to

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In Ukraine, Kyiv residents haunted by nightly Russian attacks

About once a week on average, Russia stages a massive combined drone and missile attack on Ukraine, usually targeting multiple cities. In the capital Kyiv alone, these attacks have killed more than 330 civilians since 2022. At least 900 others have been

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Oil prices rise as Trump orders blockade of sanctioned tankers in and out of Venezuela

Crude benchmarks were rising on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump said the US would put a stop to any traffic of sanctioned oil tankers in and out of Venezuela. The country's oil revenue is a lifeline for the Maduro government, which now mainly s

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Musicians raise alarm over AI scammers

If a recent song by your favorite artist sounded slightly unusual, there may be a reason: musicians are warning that AI-generated tracks are appearing on streaming platforms while being falsely credited to their names. Experts say the technology has beco

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Louvre staff vote to extend strike over working conditions, unions say

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France: Macron vows to fight drug trafficking

The French president is visiting Marseille one month after the murder of the brother of a young anti-drugs activist, as the government steps up efforts to tackle the city’s drug-related crime. On Tuesday, Emmanuel Macron announced tougher penalties for d

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Torrential rains and floods kill 12 in Gaza

Thousands of tents housing displaced Palestinians across the Gaza Strip have been inundated after heavy rain and strong winds battered the area. Witnesses said that early Tuesday, hundreds of Palestinians sought shelter from the storm among the ruins of

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EU eases ban on internal combustion cars

The European Union is considering revising a 2023 law that would have ended sales of new combustion-engine cars by 2035, proposing instead a 90% cut in CO₂ emissions rather than a complete phaseout. This would allow limited production of petrol or hybrid

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Funerals of Bondi Beach victims begin in Australia

The first funerals have taken place for victims of the Bondi Beach attack, with large, grieving crowds overflowing from synagogues as mourners gathered in visible distress to honor those who lost their lives. Meanwhile, police have charged the suspect’s

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Trump orders 'blockade' of sanctioned oil tankers leaving, entering Venezuela

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered a “blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers traveling to and from Venezuela, marking Washington’s latest effort to intensify pressure on Nicolás Maduro’s government by targeting its primary source of revenue. H

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European Union rolls back petrol car ban

The European Union has proposed changes to a 2023 law that effectively banned the sale of new internal combustion engine cars from 2035. Instead of cutting CO2 emissions by 100% from 2021 levels, carmakers would be required to reduce them by 90%, meanin

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Louvre to partially reopen after vote to extend strike over working conditions

The Louvre Museum will partially reopen on Wednesday after staff voted to extend a strike over pay and working conditions, according to union representatives. Frustrations at the world's most visited museum were further sharpened by fallout from the thef

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Sarkozy faces possible indictment over witness tampering in Libya funding case

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy's legal woes looked set to continue as prosecutors on Tuesday said they would seek indictments against him, his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy and nine others for alleged witness tampering in the Libya campaign funding c

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'We thought we were safe': Bondi shooting shocks Australia's Jewish community

Jewish Australians said they felt unsafe, angry and frustrated at the perceived government's failure to confront rising antisemitism after a deadly shooting at a Hanukkah festival in Sydney’s Bondi Beach last week. One of the alleged gunmen, Naveed Akram

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Ousmane Dembélé named 2025 FIFA best player, Aitana Bonmati wins women's award

France and Paris Saint-Germain attacker Ousmane Dembélé was named FIFA Player of the Year 2025. Spain and Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati won the women's award.

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'We thought we were safe': Bondi shooting shocks Australia's Jewish community

Jewish Australians said they felt unsafe, angry and frustrated at the perceived government's failure to confront rising antisemitism after a deadly shooting at a Hanukkah festival in Sydney’s Bondi Beach last week.

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Live: EU parliament gives final approval to ban Russian gas imports by 2027

The European Parliament voted Wednesday to ban all Russian gas imports by the end of 2027, approving a key step in the EU's effort to cut off revenues fuelling Moscow’s war in Ukraine. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said that leaders must decide at a cruc

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Alleged Bondi Beach gunman charged with 59 offences, including terror

Australian police charged Naveed Akram with 59 offences, including terrorism, after he allegedly opened fire at a Jewish event on Sydney’s Bondi Beach.

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Myanmar junta seeks to prosecute hundreds for 'disruption' ahead of elections

Myanmar's junta on Wednesday said it was pursuing charges against more than 200 people for alleged disruption of upcoming elections under new laws banning criticism of upcoming elections, which rights groups and the UN have dismissed as a sham to entrenc

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Trump orders blockade of 'sanctioned oil tankers' bound for Venezuela

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the US will impose a blockade on all “sanctioned oil tankers” entering or leaving Venezuela, dramatically escalating his administration’s campaign against President Nicolás Maduro. The move follows the recent

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UK to rejoin Erasmus student exchange programme in post-Brexit reset

The European Union and the UK on Wednesday agreed to let British students rejoin the Erasmus+ programme in a symbolic step toward improving relations after Brexit.

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Trump's 'alcoholic's personality' and Epstein's fortune

PRESS REVIEW – Wednesday, 17 December 2025: Vanity Fair's interview of Susan Wiles makes headlines across the United States. Next, The New York Times investigates Jeffrey Epstein's wealth and career. Elsewhere, Kylian Mbappé has won a court case against

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AI fake news: Macron slams Facebook after false coup d’état video

An AI-generated fake video circulated on #Facebook, falsely claiming a coup d’état in #France. Alerted by a concerned African counterpart, Emmanuel #Macron criticised Facebook after the platform refused to remove the misleading content.

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Gaza struggles in winter conditions: Torrential rains kill 12

Thousands of tents housing displaced Palestinians across the Gaza Strip have been inundated after heavy rain and strong winds battered the area. Witnesses said that early Tuesday, hundreds of Palestinians sought shelter from the storm among the ruins of

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Rob Reiner’s son charged in murders: Suspect had long history of struggles with addiction

Nick Reiner, the son of director Rob Reiner has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder for the stabbing deaths of both his father and his mother. Solange Mougin has more.

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Tuesday, december 16, 2025

US warns of fees or curbs on European services amid dispute over EU tech rules

US President Donald Trump's administration has warned that it could impose fees or restrictions on European service providers, escalating a transatlantic dispute over what Washington describes as discriminatory EU actions targeting US companies.

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Rob Reiner’s son to face two murder charges over parents’ killings

Los Angeles prosecutors say Nick Reiner, the son of famed actor-director Rob Reiner, will be charged with two counts of first-degree murder following the deaths of his parents. The case has shocked Hollywood and Democratic political circles, where the co

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M23 militia says to pull out of key DR Congo city at US request

In tonight's edition: Rwandan-backed M23 rebels say they've agreed to conditionally withdraw from the strategic Congolese town of Uvira. Also, the rebels' offensive in eastern DR Congo has forced tens of thousands of people to flee into neighbouring Buru

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EU rolls back 2035 internal combustion engine ban

The European Union has proposed changes to a 2023 law that effectively banned the sale of new internal combustion engine cars from 2035. Instead of cutting CO2 emissions by 100 percent from 2021 levels, carmakers would be required to reduce them by 90 pe

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Trump slaps full travel ban on seven more countries, including Syria

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday added Burkina Faso, Laos, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Syria as well as Palestinian Authority passport holders to a full travel ban. The decision to include Syria, a country Trump has moved to rehabilit

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Lumpy skin disease: Storm-1516 spreads disinformation about French farmers’ protests

As France battles an outbreak of lumpy skin disease among livestock, some farmers are protesting government measures such as the culling of entire herds. Videos claiming to support them have gone viral online, but some are AI-generated. In this edition o

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Sarkozy faces possible indictment over witness tampering in Libya funding case

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy's legal woes looked set to continue as prosecutors on Tuesday said they would seek indictments against him, his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy and nine others for alleged witness tampering in the Libya campaign funding c

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Santa Claus prepares for global gift-giving trip in Lapland

Santa Claus is preparing for his global gift-giving trip in snow-covered Lapland, on the edge of the Arctic Circle. Elves say this Christmas, children are asking for Lego, electronics and Labubus, while Santa is sharing a message of peace. FRANCE 24's Mo

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