News : France24

Today

Live: Russian strikes on Ukraine’s Odessa kill several, leave dozens wounded

Russian missile strikes on port infrastructure in Odesa, southern Ukraine, killed eight people and left 27 wounded, Ukraine’s Emergency Service said Saturday morning. The strikes came as Russian envoys were set to travel to Miami to hold talks with US ne

Read the article

Inside the Epstein files: Famous faces, blacked-out pages

Democrats on Friday voiced frustration that the long-awaited release of the Epstein files included many heavily redacted pages, claming it fell far short of what was mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The latest release includes photos of no

Read the article

Yesterday

US launches retaliatory strikes Islamic State group targets in Syria

The US military has carried out a wave of airstrikes against dozens of Islamic State targets across central Syria, US officials said, in retaliation for a deadly attack on American personnel. The strikes follow President Donald Trump’s pledge to respond

Read the article

Customers fill in to Beijing's new consumer robot shopping centre

Are you stuck at the last minute for a Christmas gift? Wondering how to “wow” your child when they open their presents? Well, Beijing might have a solution for you: The world’s first consumer robot shopping centre. New this year, it has everything. From

Read the article

Trump refuses to rule out war with Venezuela as US sanctions Maduro family members

US President Donald Trump refused to rule out going to war with Venezuela in an NBC interview published on Friday, days after he ordered a naval blockade of sanctioned oil tankers coming to and leaving Venezuela. The Trump administration also imposed san

Read the article

Sudan: RSF kills over 1,000 civilians in Zamzam refugee camp in April, UN reports

On Thursday, the United Nations Human Rights Office released a report detailing a horrific attack on Sudan's largest refugee camp earlier this year. The document noted that over 1,000 civilians were killed by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in Apri

Read the article

Trump administration begins releasing long-awaited Epstein files

Read the article

French government warns farmers against Christmas blockades over cattle cull

The French government held talks with farmers' unions on Friday and warned against staging further blockades during the Christmas holiday season after days of angry protests over a mass cull of cows ordered in response to an outbreak of lumpy skin diseas

Read the article

'We cannot accept an enormous gap in standards between EU and Mercosur': COPA-COGECA's Tsiforou

Farmers in the EU have protested on many occasions over unfair foreign competition and the viability of their businesses. They gathered again in Brussels on December 18, while an EU summit was going on, this time focusing their ire on the Mercosur free t

Read the article

arts24 talks to AI host of reality TV show 'Non Player Combat'

Like it or not, AI is here to stay. Time magazine named the "architects of AI" as 2025's person of the year. In this edition, we focus on artificial intelligence and entertainment. A UK AI-focused studio recently released "Non Player Combat", which it ca

Read the article

Classical music takes centre stage in Paris des Arts

This week, we dive into the world of classical music. We meet one of the most inspiring voices of her generation, mezzo-soprano Léa Desandre. She welcomes us into one of the French capital's temples of classical music, the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.

Read the article

Customers fill in to Beijing's new consumer robot shopping centre

Are you stuck at the last minute for a Christmas gift? Wondering how to “wow” your child when they open their presents? Well, Beijing might have a solution for you: The world’s first consumer robot shopping centre. New this year, it has everything. From

Read the article

Russia: Annual conference of Vladimir Putin

During his annual year-end news conference, which lasted four and a half hours on Friday, President Vladimir Putin highlighted that Russian forces were making progress on the battlefield in Ukraine and expressed confidence that the Kremlin would accompli

Read the article

Zelensky and Putin issue warnings to each other and Europe

On December 19, Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelinsky both gave addresses. In the morning, the Russian president spoke during his annual press conference, broadcast on television. He once again blamed the Ukrainian authorities for the war that has been

Read the article

Sacrificing agriculture for trade? Mercosur deal divides European Union

It's a deal that's been decades in the works, but might not make it across the finishing line. The free trade agreement between the European Union and the South American Mercosur trading bloc is driving a wedge between those who are eager to diversify an

Read the article

US arms package to Taiwan seen as a 'move to use Taiwan to contain China'

The United States have announced a $11 billion arms package for Taiwan, the largest ever by the country to the island. China has threatened 'forceful measures' over the sale to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity. It is seen as a move to

Read the article

Trump administration releases hundreds of thousands of Epstein files after months of wrangling

The US Justice Department began releasing several hundred thousand documents Friday from the investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, with more files to be published over the coming weeks. The publication marks the clearest opportunity

Read the article

Bondi Beach gunmen's Philippines trip becomes focus of investigation

Police in Australia are investigating a trip made by the suspects of the Bondi Beach anti-Semitic terrorist attack to the southern Philippines island of Mindanao, just weeks before they shot and killed 15 people and wounded dozens more. The region has lo

Read the article

Paris court rejects bid to suspend fashion giant Shein after sex doll scandal

French fashion giant Shein was issued with an "injunction" on Friday as a Paris court ordered the e-commerce giant not to resume selling "sexual products that could constitute pornographic content, without implementing age-verification measures". But the

Read the article

Ghana's Highlife finds its rhythm on UNESCO world stage

Ghana's famed Highlife music was inscribed in December on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list, a major international recognition of one of West Africa's most influential musical traditions. The international organisation described it as a "monumen

Read the article

Epstein files to be made public by US authorities after months of delays

The United States is poised on December 19 to pry open one of its most closely guarded case files, as President Donald Trump's administration prepares to release a long-suppressed cache of records tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. It is ant

Read the article

In DR Congo, pregnant women face rising costs in maternity care

In eastern DRC, an increasing amount of pregnant women are struggling as they face rising cost of maternal care after a free childbirth programme was cancelled by Rwanda-backed rebel group M23. It has left many expecting mothers terrified of giving birth

Read the article

Epstein files: 68 new photographs released

The new photo drop comes just a day before the public is expected to get the Justice Department's full archive of Epstein documents, which could reignite questions about President Trump's former connections to the financier.

Read the article

China threatens 'forceful measures' over $11.1 billion US arms sales package to Taiwan

Beijing again lashed out at a planned US arms sales package to Taiwan on Friday, with the Chinese defence ministry threatening to take "forceful measures" over the $11 billion weapons package approved by US State Department and awaiting congressional app

Read the article

Small packages, big problems: EU cracks down on cheap Chinese parcels swamping its market

A major step away from naivety – that's how EU officials describe moves to crack down on cheap Chinese parcels flooding the European market. The EU is edging closer to abolishing the customs exemption on packages valued at under €150. For now, the EU has

Read the article

Ukraine can now invest in ramping up its drone production thanks to EU loan, says Zelensky

The news that the EU will be loaning Ukraine €90 billion for the next two years is good news for the country, who is spends most of its tax revenue on defence to fight off the Russian invasion. Volodymyr Zelensky said the money will help the country inve

Read the article

Mercosur deal delay could play to idea that "European leadership is not doing what it needs to do"

French producers have welcomed the delay in the Mercosur deal signing. But globally, the message could be riskier for Europe, says Chris Hegadorn, adjunct professor of global food politics at Sciences Po University in Paris.

Read the article

Who are the favourites for the African Cup of Nations?

The Africa Cup of Nations begins in Morocco on December 21. Half a century after its only success in the competition, its host is the overwhelming favorite. The four-week tournament has been framed as a high-visibility dress rehearsal for the World Cup i

Read the article

More than 1,000 patients have died awaiting evacuation from Gaza since July 2024

The WHO and its partners have evacuated more than 10,600 patients from Gaza with severe health conditions, including more than 5,600 children, since the start of the war, the head of the UN health agency said Friday, adding that 1,092 patients are known

Read the article

From trash to fine dining: The French startup recycling oysters into porcelain

Oysters are a Christmas staple in France, but thousands of empty shells are bound for trash bins once the festivities are over. One French company is rescuing waste shells and using them to make porcelain and paving stones. Our Down to Earth team reports

Read the article

Lafarge risks €1.1 million fine for financing terrorism in Syria

French cement-giant Lafarge is on trial, accused of having paid millions of euros to terrorist organisations operating in Syria between 2012 and 2014, including the Islamic State group. The goal was to keep the group's activities running, allowing trucks

Read the article

Switzerland goes bunkers as citizens revamp fallout shelters

Despite being a neutral country, Switzerland counts hundreds of thousands of fallout shelters – enough to accommodate its entire population in the event of armed conflict. This culture of civil protection is a legacy of the Cold War. Now the war in Ukrai

Read the article

UN declares famine over in Gaza, says 'situation remains critical'

A famine declared in Gaza in August is now over thanks to improved access for humanitarian aid, the United Nations said on Friday, but warned the food situation in the Palestinian territory remained dire.

Read the article

Russia's Putin says it is up to Ukraine and its allies to end hostilities

At his annual press conference on Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the ball was in Kyiv and its allies' court to end the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin chief also said he was certain that Moscow would take more cities and towns in eastern

Read the article

Rwandan stadiums, the new refuge of Sudanese football in exile

Forced into exile by the war tearing its country apart since April 2023, Sudanese football has found an unexpected new home… in Kigali. The country’s two biggest clubs, Al-Hilal and Al-Merrikh, have been invited to join the Rwandan Premier League for the

Read the article

Burundi launches humanitarian plan to deal with influx of refugees from DRC

Tens of thousands of Congolese have fled to neighbouring Burundi following an offensive by the M23 rebel group in early December. To deal with the influx of refugees, the Burundian government announced an emergency response plan, and the United Nations a

Read the article

How France investigates its cold cases

In France, dozens of serial killer cases from the 1980s remain unsolved. The fact that serial killers existed in France "was ignored by the authorities" Thierry Lévêque, independent journalist and author of Le Continent des oublié.e.s, tells us more abou

Read the article

Brown University shooting suspect found dead

The man suspected of carrying out a mass shooting at Brown University was found dead, officials said on Thursday. The Portuguese national is also suspected of having killed an MIT professor three days before the Brown University attack. Authorities s

Read the article

Vladimir Putin hails recent gains in Ukraine at annual press marathon

Russian President Vladimir Putin opened his year-end news conference on December 19, an event that will be closely watched for his response to the U.S.-backed peace plan for Ukraine. Putin reaffirmed that Moscow was ready for a peaceful settlement that w

Read the article

The EU agrees to help Ukraine financially without Russian assets

All eyes were on Brussels as EU leaders met for a make-or-break summit to find a way to lend billions of euros to Ukraine. But as Belgium pushed back against the use of frozen Russian assets, demanding guarantees against potential repercussions from Rus

Read the article

Australia launches largest gun payback scheme since 1996 following Bondi Beach attack

Australia announced December 19 it will launch a national gun buyback scheme following ⁠the mass shooting in Sydney as hundreds of surfers and swimmers paddled out at Bondi Beach to honour victims. The scheme is the largest in the country's history since

Read the article

EU leaders agree on €90 billion loan to Ukraine as 'plan B' to use of Russian assets

European Union leaders agreed on December 19 to provide a €90 billion interest-free loan to Ukraine. The joint borrowing will cover two-thirds of the country's financial needs for the next two years. Although hailed by several European leaders as a clear

Read the article

Brown University suspect found dead after a days-long manhunt

Law enforcement officials announced that the body of the suspect in the mass shooting at Brown University has been found, after nearly a days-long manhunt. The suspect was tracked down to a storage unit where he is believed to have shot himself, after au

Read the article

The EU delays 25 year-old Mercosur deal in the face of farmer protests

The European Union decided to delay a massive free-trade deal with South American countries after the opening day of its leaders' summit was rocked by fiery farmer protests. Officials had hoped to sign the Mercosur deal in Brazil right before Christmas b

Read the article

Live: Vladimir Putin says Russia advancing on all parts of front, praises gains in Ukraine

Read the article

EU agrees to €90 billion loan for Ukraine, without frozen Russian assets

European leaders on Friday decided to finance Ukraine's war effort for at least two years through a joint loan of €90 billion, without resorting to Russian assets due to a lack of agreement. Kyiv was at risk of running out of money as early as the first

Read the article

Morocco defeat Jordan, claim the Arab Cup ahead of hosting AFCON

Morocco won the Arab Cup after a thrilling final against Jordan (3-2) on Thursday in Lusail, Qatar, three days before the start of the Africa Cup of Nations at home.

Read the article

Strasbourg finish top of Conference League group stage with win over Breidablik

Strasbourg wrapped up the Conference League group stage with a 3-1 win over Iceland's Breidablik, finishing unbeaten and top of their group. Liam Rosenior's men were held for much of the match, but found the breakthrough in the final 10 minutes. The resu

Read the article

Live: Ukraine says it received more than 1,000 bodies in latest swap with Russia

Ukraine said Friday it had received from Russia the remains of 1,003 people that Moscow said were Ukrainian soldiers killed in combat. Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier hailed his army's territorial gains in Ukraine, saying that the ball was in Ky

Read the article

Brown University shooting suspect found dead, police say

The man suspected of carrying out a mass shooting at Brown University that killed two people and wounded several others has been found dead, officials said on Thursday. Authorities believe the 48-year-old Portuguese national, a Brown student, was also re

Read the article

Australia announces gun buyback scheme and reflection day after Bondi shooting

Australia has announced a major gun buyback program and a national day of remembrance following the anti-Semitic shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, which left 15 people dead. On Friday, hundreds of surfers and swimmers plunged into the ocean to honour th

Read the article

TikTok signs joint venture deal to avert US ban over ownership

TikTok said on Thursday it had agreed to a joint venture with investors to keep operating in the United States, averting a potential ban tied to its Chinese ownership, US media reported. CEO Shou Chew said ByteDance approved the deal, with Oracle, Silver

Read the article

Louvre reopens fully after staff vote to suspend strike over working conditions

The Louvre reopened as normal on Friday after the museum’s staff voted against continuing their strike over working conditions. The former royal palace was shut to visitors all day on Monday and then reopened only partially on Wednesday and Thursday.

Read the article

'Some of the most disturbing yet': Papers react to 'terrifying' Epstein files

PRESS REVIEW – Friday, December 19: A new batch of Epstein files includes photos of famous men, chat screenshots and "Lolita" quotes written on a woman's body. Next, Kristin Cabot, the HR boss caught on the Coldplay kiss cam, speaks out in an exclusive i

Read the article

New EU loan to Ukraine was 'not what most EU member states wanted'

EU countries have announced they will raise a joint €90 billion loan on the capital markets to financially help Ukraine. But the announcement is not the deal that most EU member states hoped for, which initially meant using frozen Russian assets. The loa

Read the article

Thursday, december 18, 2025

UN elects former Iraqi president Barham Salih to lead UNHCR

The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday approved former Iraqi president Barham Salih as the next head of the UN Refugee Agency, the first from the Middle East since the late 1970s. The 193-member body elected the 65-year-old by consensus.

Read the article

Frenchwoman repatriated from Syria sentenced to 10 years for terrorist conspiracy

A French court on Thursday sentenced a woman repatriated from Syrian camps holding Islamic State group members to 10 years in prison for terrorist conspiracy. Carole Sun, 30, left France for Syria in 2014 and was arrested by Kurdish forces in 2017 as the

Read the article

Tren de Aragua mastermind charged in US federal court with racketeering, drug charges

An alleged leader of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang was charged in New York with racketeering and drug and firearms offences, US officials said on Thursday. Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, 42, whose whereabouts are unknown, faces a $5 million US rew

Read the article

Viral videos question Morocco's AFCON stadiums after deadly floods

At least 37 people have been killed in Morocco after flash floods swept through the city of Safi. Officials say it's the country's deadliest flooding disaster in more than a decade. Online, viral videos have since claimed that the torrential rain severel

Read the article

US announces $11 billion arms package for Taiwan, its largest ever

US President Donald Trump's administration has announced a massive package of arms sales to Taiwan valued at more than $10 billion that includes medium-range missiles, howitzers and drones, drawing an angry response from China. FRANCE 24's Monte Francis

Read the article