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3 Israeli hostages released in exchange for 110 Palestinian prisoners

Hamas-led militants freed eight hostages, including three Israelis, on Thursday as part of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Israel later began releasing 110 Palestinian prisoners after the swap was delayed by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who demand

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Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week: The highlights

Paris is bursting with fashion energy and star power this January as celebrities and fashionistas descend upon the city of lights for Haute Couture Week. This is the twice-yearly celebration of an ultra-French institution – a dazzling mix of timeless tra

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Five years on: Brexit regrets? Cancelled trips?

In this edition of Entre Nous, we take a look at how British people feel about Brexit, five years after the UK officially left the EU. We also discuss the challenges many Brits abroad now face, particularly those with second homes. Finally, we get to the

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Millions of Afghans face expulsion from Iran and Pakistan 'back to nothing', NGO warns

The head of humanitarian NGO the Norwegian Refugee Council is accusing the international community of turning its back on the Afghan people since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Jan Egeland is just back from a long visit to the country, where he f

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South Korea's webtoon comics have readers hooked

South Korea is seeing a boom in webtoons – short episodic comics that are designed to be read on smartphones. They are hugely popular in the country, where some 35 million people read at least one episode of a webtoon every week. Amid this success at hom

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Five Years On: Brexit Regrets? Cancelled Trips?

In this edition of Entre Nous, we take a look at how Brits feel about Brexit five years after the UK officially left the EU. We also discuss the challenges many Brits abroad now face, particularly ones with second homes. We get to the bottom of the many

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France ends military presence in Sahel region with handover of last base in Chad

The French army has handed over its last base in Chad in a military ceremony in the capital N'Djamena, marking the end of French military presence in the country. Once a key link in France's military presence in Africa, Chad was its last foothold in the

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Israel-Hamas ceasefire: Next phase requires 'building trust and accepting war should come to an end'

Hamas-led militants freed eight hostages on Thursday as part of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, but the chaotic handover of some of the captives, who masked militants shuttled through a rowdy crowd of thousands, drew an angry protest from Israel. For in

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US Federal Reserve pauses rate cuts, angering Trump

America's central bank has held its main interest rate steady as President Donald Trump's trade policies threaten to rekindle inflation in the world's largest economy. The Federal Reserve resisted pressure from Trump to continue with cuts, in its first r

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Upset in German Bundestag as wall comes down between conservatives and far right

PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, January 30: Friedrich Merz, Germany's conservative CDU leader and candidate for chancellorship, receives votes and applause from the far-right AfD party in the Bundestag – we look at the press reaction to the centre right breakin

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Iraqi refugee charged with burning Koran shot dead in Sweden, five arrested

An Iraqi refugee who burned the Koran in protest in 2023, sparking outrage in Muslim countries, has been shot dead south of Stockholm, authorities said Thursday, with Sweden's prime minister suggesting "a foreign power" might have been involved. Five peo

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Hamas hands over Israeli soldier Agam Berger to Red Cross under Gaza ceasefire deal

FRANCE 24's Mark Owen reports from Tel Aviv on the release of Israeli soldier Agam Berger and the upcoming release of the remaining two Israelis held in Gaza as part of the third hostage-prisoner exchange under the ceasefire. Five Thai nationals are also

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🔴 Follow live: Hamas hands over Israeli soldier Agam Berger to Red Cross under Gaza ceasefire deal

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Live: Israel begins releasing more than 100 Palestinian prisoners after hostages freed

Israel has begun releasing 110 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Israeli and Thai hostages freed from Gaza hours earlier. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu briefly suspended freeing the prisoners over what he called "shocking scenes" after th

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French foreign ministry says Rwanda fighters must leave DR Congo ‘immediately’

A French government spokesman on Thursday demanded the departure from DR Congo of Rwandan forces and Rwandan-backed M23 fighters from the east of the country. “The sovereignty and territorial integrity of DR Congo are not up for negotiation,” foreign min

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🔴 Passenger jet collides midair with military helicopter in Washington DC

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No survivors from flight that collided with Army helicopter over Washington, DC

Everyone involved in the mid-air collision of an American Airlines plane carrying 64 passengers and crew that collided with a military helicopter transporting three soldiers over Washington, DC, is feared dead, US authorities said Thursday. In remarks fr

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War in the DRC's east: Will there be a 'push for diplomatic means to end this conflict'?

DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi insisted his troops were mounting a "vigorous" response to Rwanda-backed fighters advancing in the country's perennially troubled east and slammed the international community's "silence and inaction". All the while, Pr

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Yesterday

Trump plans to detain 30,000 undocumented migrants at Guantanamo Bay

US President Donald Trump unveiled a plan Wednesday to detain thousands of undocumented migrants in Guantanamo Bay, shifting the focus from White House chaos after a federal funding freeze order was withdrawn. Trump said a new camp would hold up to 30,00

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Ex-US senator Bob Menendez gets 11 years for bribery, acting as Egypt's agent

Former US senator Robert Menendez, 71, was sentenced to 11 years in prison Wednesday for corruption after gold bars and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash were found at his home. He was also convicted of extortion, obstruction of justice and accept

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Trump unveils plan to detain 30,000 migrants at Guantanamo

US President Donald Trump unveiled a surprise plan Wednesday to detain thousands of undocumented migrants in Guantanamo Bay -- distracting from spiraling confusion after the White House withdrew a shock order to freeze federal funds. Trump said he had or

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France to overhaul sex education in schools, with focus on consent and gender identity

French schools will introduce mandatory sex education classes covering topics such as consent, gender identity and online pornography from September, despite opposition from conservative groups. FRANCE 24's Sharon Gaffney speaks to Kristen Barber, Associ

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EU unveils 'Competitiveness Compass' to cut red tape and spur investment

The European Commission has unveiled its long-awaited roadmap to revamp the sluggish economy. The "Competitiveness Compass" builds on recommendations from last year's report by former ECB president Mario Draghi. Plus, the UK government gives its backing

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No, these images don't show massive immigration raids ordered by Trump

After US President Donald Trump announced that he would be deporting "millions and millions" of immigrants from the US, some users starting sharing fake videos purporting to show the immigration raids underway. We debunk these claims in this edition of T

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"Bad news for democracy", analyst says as Germany's far-right 'firewall' crumbles

Weeks before Germany's elections, a heated immigration debate inflamed by a deadly knife attack sparked a political earthquake Wednesday when conservative parties for the first time cooperated with the far-right AfD. FRANCE 24's Yinka Oyetade speaks to S

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A US shutdown on foreign aid is hitting from Africa to Asia to Ukraine

U.S.-funded aid programs around the world were firing staff and shutting down or preparing to stop operations, as the Trump administration's unprecedented freeze on almost all foreign assistance brought their work to a sudden halt. FRANCE 24's Charli Jam

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HTS rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa is named interim president of Syria

Ahmed al-Sharaa, better known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, was declared Syria's head of state for a transitional phase and empowered to form a new legislative council, state media reported Wednesday. After an Islamist rebel alliance toppl

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Return to Damascus: How to build the new Syria?

For exiled Syrians, this is their Berlin Wall moment—the doors to a homeland they thought they'd never see again are suddenly swinging open. The heady days following December 8 and the fall of Assad's seemingly immovable regime have brought an unexpected

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French PM Bayrou sparks outrage with far-right rhetoric on migrant ‘flood’

Prime Minister François Bayrou sparked outrage from the opposition, and indignation from his allies, when he referred to a feeling taking root in France of being “flooded” by immigration. The prime minister was accused of citing the "Great Replacement" c

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Eleven Hamas hostages to be freed: 'We will only be sure of what happens when it happens'

Hamas will release three Israelis, including two women and an 80-year-old man, as well as five Thai nationals during the next hostage release slated for Thursday, officials from Israel and Hamas said as a tenuous ceasefire between the sides continues to

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Trump administration withdraws freeze on federal grants

The White House rescinded an order freezing all federal grants and loans on Wednesday. Acting director Matthew J. Vaeth for the Office of Management and Budget, which issued the freeze order, told federal agencies that the memo suspending the funds had b

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Petro Poroshenko: 'We should not only win the war, we should win the peace'

When he was Ukraine’s president, Petro Poroshenko says he knew how to get along with Donald Trump. The leader of the opposition European Solidarity party tells François Picard about how to handle the new administration in Washington and confirms that he’

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‘Risks involved’: The UK school using AI teachers

At a private school in central London, a group of students have for the past six months been taking their lessons not from a teacher but from an artificial intelligence platform that takes them through the course material and monitors their progress. The

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Donald Trump's health secretary pick faces critical Senate grilling

Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s confirmation hearings began Wednesday before the Senate Finance Committee. He appears before the Health, Education, Labor and Pension committee on Thursday. For more, FRANCE 24's correspondent, Fraser Jackson.

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United Nation refugee agency taking 'precautionary measures' amid US aid freeze

The United Nations refugee agency said Wednesday that it was taking a string of temporary measures as it faces "funding uncertainty" following a US decision to freeze virtually all foreign aid. FRANCE 24's journalist, Charli James has more.

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'I am not anti-vaccine,' Robert F. Kennedy Jr tells US Senate hearing

US President Donald Trump's nomination for health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, who has spent decades fueling misinformation around vaccines, told a Senate hearing on Wednesday he was not anti-vaccine but pro-safety. Citing a book he wrote in 2014, Ke

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Replay: RFK Jr. set to appear on Capitol Hill for HHS confirmation hearings

Just a little over a week into his second term, President Donald Trump is taking steps to maximize his power, sparking chaos and what critics contend is a constitutional crisis as he challenges the separation of powers that have defined American governme

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Israel says 11 hostages held by Hamas set to be released this week

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s office said Wednesday that Hamas had given it a list of three Israelis and five Thai nationals set to be released in the next hostage-prisoner exchange on Thursday. Another three hostages will be released on Sa

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Trump reiterates Gaza expulsion plan – and stokes security fears

US President Donald Trump’s suggestion that Egypt and Jordan should absorb Palestinians from Gaza has gotten no takers in the Arab world, shocked US allies like France and Germany, and threatens to strengthen Hamas.

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Timothée Chalamet plays 'A Complete Unknown' in Bob Dylan biopic

Taking on one of the 20th century's most iconic singer-songwriters was always going to be a significant challenge, yet Timothée Chalamet manages to channel Bob Dylan's singular energy and talent in this latest biopic. Film critic Emma Jones tells us why

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Day of chaos after federal judge temporarily blocks Trump’s funding freeze

A federal judge has temporarily blocked a Trump administration freeze on federal grants and loans that could total trillions of dollars and cause disruptions in health care research, education programs and other initiatives. For more, FRANCE 24's corresp

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What exactly is behind the conflict in Democratic Republic of Congo?

The M23 group is one of about 100 armed factions vying for a foothold in eastern Congo, where a decades-long conflict has raged. The group, made up primarily of ethnic Tutsis who failed to integrate into the Congolese army, led a failed insurgency agains

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Trump, Witkoff got Gaza ceasefire deal 'across the line', adviser to Qatari PM says

FRANCE 24 spoke to Majed al-Ansari, an adviser to Qatari Prime Minister Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and spokesperson for the Qatari foreign ministry. He discussed the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas on January 15. Qatar, along with Egyp

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In the streets of Beijing, China, year of the snake gets underway

From incense offerings and vibrant lion dances in Beijing to prayer rituals at temples in Bangkok and Taipei, hundreds of millions of people across Asia celebrated the Lunar New Year on Wednesday, ushering in the Year of the Snake. FRANCE 24's correspond

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French luxury giant LVMH to shift focus to the United States

France's largest conglomerate LVMH is turning its eyes the the United States in order to avoid higher taxation in Europe. Billionaire CEO Bernard Arnault is also hoping to leverage his friendship with President Donald Trump in order to garner favorable t

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M23 rebels expand their control in east Democratic Republic of Congo

In DR Congo, fighting continues in the Eastern city of Goma. MONUSCO, the UN peacekeeping mission in the country says civilians are faced with unimaginable suffering.

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Police says at least 30 people have died in a stampede at Maha Kumbh festival

Bathing has resumed at the Maha Kumbh Mela festival in India, after a stampede took place at around 1-2am this morning, reportedly killing dozens of people. Prime Minister Modi has offered his condolonces to those lost in the incident, their loved ones a

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Feminicides in France: On average, one woman is killed every 3 days

While the trial of a man who is accused of murdering is wife begins in Bordeaux, feminists associations continue to fight and protest asking authorities to tackle this problem in French society.

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Georgia Meloni under investigation over release of Libyan suspect

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Tuesday she had been placed under judicial investigation over her country's surprise release of a Libyan police officer wanted by the International Criminal Court. FRANCE 24's Correspondent Seema Gupta report

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Millions celebrate Lunar New Year as Year of the Snake gets underway

Hundreds of millions of people in Asia and around the world are celebrating the Lunar New Year. In China, travel is expected to reach record highs. This New Year ushers in the Year of the Snake, as people bid farewell to the Year of the Dragon. Our Beiji

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Gaza ceasefire is 'beginning of difficult healing journey', mental health worker says

A mental health worker for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has spoken to FRANCE 24 about how the ceasefire has been a relief for the people of Gaza. Zahra Legris is now back in Dublin after spending two months in the south of Gaza working for the charity.

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Guinean 'Circus Baobab' performs a piece about female genital mutilation in France

A creative collective of artists from Guinea, Circus baobab performs a piece about female genital mutilation in France

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Gambian exiled former president tells supporters: 'I'm coming back'

The Gambia's former dictator Yahya Jammeh has said he intends to take back control of his political party and declared he is "coming back". FRANCE 24's correspondent, Caitlin Kelly has more.

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'There were bullets everywhere, corpses everywhere': Refugees flee Congo into Rwanda

'There were bullets everywhere corpses everywhere', says a young Congolese man to FRANCE 24's correspondent in Rwanda, Clement di Roma. Thousands fled clashes in eastern Congo after Rwanda-backed M23 rebels seized control of Goma on Monday (January 28),

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War-battered eastern Democratic Republic of Congo ravaged by new conflict

Goma, the main city in the Democratic Republic of Congo's volatile east, is set to fall to the M23 armed group and Rwandan army -- the latest upheaval in a region devastated by three decades of war.

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With organic cotton, India bets on textile industry's green transition

India is the world's leading organic cotton producer, controlling 51 percent of global production. The country has set its sights on becoming a major player in the textile industry's green transition – a market that's projected to grow 10 percent by 2026

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Shows, ceremonies, fireworks: How Asia celebrates the Lunar new year?

Hundreds of millions of people in Asia are ringing in the Year of the Snake as they celebrate the Lunar New Year. The biggest occasion of the year in China is also observed in several other countries in the region and travel doesn't get any busier as peo

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The 'Mona Lisa' will get its own room under a major renovation of the Louvre

Emmanuel Macron made a visit on Tuesday to the "bedside" of an ailling museum. The biggest and most visited museum in the world, according to a leaked memo from the museum's director to the culture minister, is falling into disrepair. The president put a

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Serbia's populist prime minister resigns after anti-corruption protests

Serbia's prime minister Milos Vucevic announced his resignation on Tuesday. The outgoing PM was the former mayor of Novi Sad where the collapse of a freshly renovated roof of a train station killed 15 people, sparking massive anti-corruption protests.

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Student protestors unfazed by PM Vucevic resignation, demanding Serbia 'become a different society'

Students in Serbia vowed to continue protesting even after the country's Prime Minister Milos Vucevic announced his resignation on Tuesday, following weeks of mass demonstrations over the fatal collapse of a train station roof in November. For in-depth a

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