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S&P maintains France economy rating despite fiscal challenges

Ratings agency S&P upheld its "AA-/A-1+" credit rating for France on Friday, maintaining a stable outlook despite the country's mounting debt and political instability. While the agency acknowledged delays in fiscal reforms, it expressed confidence in Fr

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Protesters rally in Spain to mark one month since deadly floods

Angry residents protested and lit candles in memory of victims on Friday as Spain marked one month since its worst floods in a generation killed 230 people. Outrage swept the country after the October 29 catastrophe wrecked homes and businesses leaving t

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Georgian protesters clash with police after govt suspends EU talks

Thousands of demonstrators protesting the Georgian government's decision to suspend negotiations to join the European Union rallied outside the parliament and clashed with police for a second straight night on Friday.

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Zelensky calls for NATO to protect parts of Ukraine's territory

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called Friday for NATO to offer guaranteed protections to parts of Ukraine controlled by Kyiv in order to "stop the hot stage of the war." Zelensky also implied he would be willing to wait to regain the almost one-f

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Zelensky suggests NATO membership could end 'hot stage' of war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged NATO on Friday to provide guaranteed protections for territories controlled by Kyiv in order to halt the ongoing war, suggesting he could wait to regain Russian-occupied areas diplomatically. His appeal follow

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Syria's Aleppo airport closed as rebels reach heart of the city

Rebel fighters led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham launched a surprise offensive into Aleppo on Saturday, prompting Syrian authorities to close the city's airport and key access roads. The escalating conflict has claimed at least doze

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Yesterday

'Frank Talks': Nigeria's Trade Ministry in France on deal and investment drive

In tonight's edition, In town on a rare state visit to France. We speak to Nigeria's Minister of Trade and Investment about her administration's plans to woo more private funding. Also, after the distancing of Djamena and Senegal, it now looks like Fran

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Lebanon’s uneasy truce, Trumponomics, Merkel’s Memoir, Sudan ‘The Invisible Crisis’

This week, the guests gathered around Gavin LEE discuss the fragile ceasefire that was agreed between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah; how Donald Trump plans on launching a new tariff war with America's neighbours; and what is happening in Sudan, where war

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From Chinese army dancer to transgender icon: Jin Xing's extraordinary journey

In this edition, we meet the Oprah Winfrey of China. Born a man and once crowned the country's best male dancer, Jin Xing has gone on to become China's first transgender icon and a star TV host. Now in Paris for her upcoming show, she shares her life sto

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Jihadists and allies breach Syria's second largest city

Jihadists and their Turkish-backed allies reached Syria's second city of Aleppo Friday, as they pressed a lightning offensive against forces of the Iranian- and Russian-backed government. The fighting is some of the deadliest in years, with 255 people ki

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Fighting disinformation is a daily struggle, former EU commissioner Mariya Gabriel says

Social media platforms play an increasingly important role in election campaigns, as the first round of the Romanian presidential election – in which a NATO-sceptic populist came out on top – amply demonstrates. Our guest is Mariya Gabriel, a former EU C

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French PM scraps electricity tax under no-confidence threat

French Prime Minister Michel Barnier on Thursday announced a major concession in a bid to end a standoff with the opposition over the budget, which has caused jitters on financial markets and risks bringing down his minority government.

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Russia targets Ukraine's energy infrastructure ahead of winter

Russia launched more than a hundred drones at Ukraine overnight and early Friday, killing one person and wounding eight others, officials said. The nearly three-year war has seen a sharp escalation in recent days, with Moscow pummelling Ukraine's energy

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French troops in Sahel: A look back at Operation Barkhane

The government of Chad on Thursday abruptly ended its defence cooperation pact with France, a surprise move that caught French officials on the hop while Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, in a similar vein, called on France to close its army ba

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Namibia extends voting due to logistical problems, opposition alleges fraud

Namibians returned to the polls Friday, two days after the first ballots were cast in the general elections following widespread frustration with technical and logistical problems. Voting was extended into the weekend, a move challenged by the main oppos

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Police and protesters clash in second day of demonstrations over Georgia’s frozen EU bid

Police and pro-EU protesters clashed again on the streets of Tbilisi Friday night during a second day of protests against the government's decision to delay EU membership talks until 2028. The prime minister's announcement followed a non-binding European

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Investigation into Notre-Dame fire, five years on

As the world gets its first glimpse of the fully restored Notre-Dame Cathedral which was engulfed in flames over five years ago, we look back at what happened in 2019 and what could have caused the fire that devastated Paris's landmark church.

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Ezra Collective bring dancing back to jazz

In this edition of arts24, Jennifer Ben Brahim chats with the first jazz act to ever win a Mercury Prize. Ezra Collective are one of the UK's most exciting improvisation groups, blending jazz with Afrobeat, reggae and soul. The quintet released their thi

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Georgia rocked by turmoil as police clash with protesters

Police in Georgia arrested dozens of people overnight and early Friday in a violent crackdown on protests against the government's decision to delay EU membership talks. The Black Sea nation has been rocked by turmoil since the ruling party declared vict

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Housing crisis in Ireland on voters' minds in general election

The current housing crisis in Ireland caused by a severe shortage of homes is on the top of voters' minds as they cast their ballots in a general election Friday with the two centre-right coalition partners neck-and-neck with opposition party Sinn Fein.

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Returning Lebanese find destroyed homes and razed neighbourhoods among rubble

In Lebanon, thousands of displaced people began returning to their homes this week after a ceasefire was announced between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group. Many found their homes reduced to rubble after intense Israeli airstrikes over the past tw

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The rise of drug-related violence in Europe: EU searches for joint solutions

A recent shootout over drug trafficking in France that degenerated into a massive fight between rival gangs, involving hundreds of people, prompted authorities to compare the French state to Mexico – the land of drug cartels. For Interior Minister Bruno

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Chad's decision to end defence agreement with France a 'surprise' and 'humiliation'

Chad's government on Thursday announced that it is ending a defence cooperation agreement with France, its former colonial ruler, to redefine the nation's sovereignty. As one of the last countries in the region in which France maintained a large military

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Senegal president says France should close army bases in country

Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye told AFP Thursday that France should close its military bases in the West African state as it prepared to mark the 80th anniversary of a notorious colonial slaughter. Faye said that France's President Emmanuel Ma

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Notre-Dame Cathedral reconstruction a ‘success’, specialist says

The reconstruction of France's world-famous landmark - Notre-Dame Cathedral - appears to be a "success" as the now restored medieval edifice was unveiled during President Macron's visit Friday, lecturer in liberal arts at Queen Mary University of London

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Immigration and housing take centre stage in Irish election

The Irish are heading to the polls this Friday to elect a new government. The left-wing nationalist opposition Sinn Féin party, which is hoping to finally take power, is facing competition from an emerging populist right that's focusing on the issue of i

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How to carry out a visual detox: Ways to sharpen our visual critical thinking

With the advent of social media, our brains are receiving a constant stream of images. So how can we undergo a visual detox? Annette Young speaks to Marine Tanguy who has written a book on how to do just that. Also as we face a global epidemic of domesti

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Macron unveils restored Notre-Dame Cathedral in visit to Paris landmark

After more than five years of reconstruction work, Notre Dame Cathedral was unveiled on Friday as images broadcast live of a site visit by French President Emmanuel Macron showed the inside of the iconic building. Many of the over 1,300 artisans who part

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Macron takes world on first tour inside Paris’s restored Notre-Dame cathedral

Five years after a fire devastated the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris, the world got a first glimpse inside the historic French landmark as President Emmanuel Macron conducted a tour of the restored monument Friday. Notre-Dame, which lost its famed spire

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Irish voters head to polls in closely-fought general election

Ireland began voting Friday in a closely-fought general election with the incumbent coalition neck-and-neck with opposition party Sinn Fein after a campaign marked by rancour over housing and cost-of-living crises. The election also marks the first time

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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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Jihadists and allies reach Syria's second city of Aleppo as deadly campaign continues

Syrian jihadists and their Turkish-backed allies reached the country's second city of Aleppo on Friday as they pushed ahead with their lightning advance. The rebels have seized more than 50 towns and villages in northern Syria, according to a monitoring

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Macron to visit Notre-Dame Cathedral ahead of reopening

Eight days ahead of the December 7 reopening of the restored Notre Dame Cathedral in France, President Emmanuel Macron will conduct an inspection, broadcast live on television, which will provide the first official insight into how the 850-year-old edifi

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Romanian court orders recount of presidential vote

A top Romanian court on Thursday asked the official electoral authority to recount and verify all of the ballots cast in the first round of the presidential election, won by a far-right outsider candidate, sending shockwaves through the political establi

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'End the wars everywhere': Peace in Lebanon requires 'Palestinian state, normalisation for Israel'

The US-brokered ceasefire to end the war between Israel and Hezbollah brought a rare moment of respite for Lebanon following a year of war. Thousands of displaced people joyfully drove back to their towns and villages. For in-depth analysis and a deeper

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Senegal’s leader says France should close all army bases in country

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on Thursday said that France should close all its army bases in the country, noting that it was “incompatible” with Senegal’s national sovereignty. Faye swept to power in the March elections.

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Macron acknowledges 1944 ‘massacre’ of West African troops by French army

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday acknowledged that the 1944 killing of West African soldiers in a Senegalese fishing village by French forces was a massacre for the first time. The soldiers had fought alongside the French during World War II,

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Chad ends military cooperation with France

Chad’s foreign minister on Thursday said his country was putting an end to its military cooperation with former colonial power France, saying “Chad has grown up, matured and is a sovereign state that is very jealous of its sovereignty”. Chad was France’s

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Live: Israeli tanks enter Lebanese border village, Macron calls for 'immediate' end to ceasefire violations

French President Emmanuel Macron called for the “immediate” end to all violations of the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah that came into effect Wednesday morning, the Élysée Palace said Friday. His plea came as four Israeli tanks later en

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Replay: President Macron visits restored Notre-Dame Cathedral

French President Macron Friday visited the newly restored Notre-Dame Cathedral that was partly destroyed in a fire in 2019. Accompanied by his wife Brigitte, Macron toured the key areas of the cathedral, including the nave, choir and chapel, and spoke t

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Replay: President Macron speaks at Notre-Dame Cathedral

Watch French President Emmanuel Macron's speech during his visit Friday to Paris's Notre Dame Cathedral ahead of its scheduled reopening on December 7.

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France's far right at the gates of power: Marine Le Pen's party becomes kingmaker

At almost every French election, it’s the same old story: the far right makes significant gains. Under longtime leader Marine Le Pen, the party carried out a "de-demonisation" operation: changing its name from National Front to National Rally and softeni

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British MPs vote assisted dying law through to next stage

UK's parliament voted in favour of a bill to legalise euthanasia for terminally ill people in England and Wales on Friday, passing the legislation to the next round of parliamentary scrutiny. Public support for allowing incurably ill adults to end their

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Thursday, november 28, 2024

French PM Barnier announces concession in bid to end budget standoff

French Prime Minister Michel Barnier on Thursday announced a major concession in a bid to end a standoff with the opposition over the budget, which has caused jitters on financial markets and risks bringing down his minority government. FRANCE 24's Sharo

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Mass rape trial: Fake profiles, sites are pretending to be Gisèle Pelicot for money

It's been confirmed she's not on social media, but X and Instagram profiles under the name of Gisèle Pelicot have been sharing and interacting with content as if it’s the French mass rape survivor herself. Additionally, a website exists in her name shari

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Nigerian president woos French investment on state visit

In tonight's edition: For the first time in more than two decades, a Nigerian leader sets out on a state visit to France. Also, at least 15 people are killed and dozens of others are missing in devastating landslides in eastern Uganda. And faced with the

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Putin says there's no need to panic over Russia's plummeting ruble

Russian President Vladimir Putin says there's no need to panic over the country's plummeting currency, despite the ruble weakening to its lowest level in over two years. Plus, Australia has passed a law banning social media for under-16s. Voters in Irela

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On ENTR: Living with the ghosts of Spain's dictatorship

Almost 50 years after the death of the dictator Francisco Franco, the way the repression is remembered still remains a taboo subject in many Spanish families. But younger generations are fighting to revive the memory of the hundreds of thousands of peopl

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Will the Pelicot mass rape trial prompt major change in France?

FRANCE 24's Mark Owen speaks to Camille Lextray, from the NGO Solidarité Femmes National Federation, about how the Pelicot mass rape trial is prompting change in how sexual violence victims are supported in France.

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Report on 2022 coup plot in Brazil 'very methodical, detailed and loaded with evidence'

Brazil’s former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro was fully aware of and actively participated in a coup plot to remain in office after his defeat in the 2022 election, according to a newly unsealed Federal Police report. For in-depth analysis and a dee

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Recount order, TikTok claims throw Romania election into chaos

Romania's presidential election was thrown into chaos Thursday as a court ordered a recount of first-round results and security officials alleged that interference via TikTok had boosted a little-known far-right candidate. The Romanian presidency said se

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Syrian jihadists and their allies cut off key highway as escalating violence kills around 200

Syrian jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and their allied factions cut access on Thursday to the key highway linking Damascus to Aleppo as part of an offensive that has led to the deaths of nearly 200 people, including civilians. A day earlier, t

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After Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire: Too soon to call it de-escalation?

Is it a mere lull? Or the first time in more than a year, can the Middle East point to genuine de-escalation? We ask about the timing of guns going mostly silent in Lebanon after both Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a US-brokered ceasefire. A ceasefire; n

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Why Israel and Hezbollah's fragile ceasefire may already be faltering

Hezbollah and Israel traded accusations of ceasefire violations on Thursday, just a day after a US-brokered truce aimed at ending months of conflict took effect. While the agreement initially garnered international praise, experts warn of significant cha

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Irish general election: Housing crisis takes centre stage

Voters in Ireland will cast their ballots on Friday in an election that could shake up a century of political tradition. Instead of a typical left-right swing between governments, Irish voters have always put one of two centre-right parties into power. B

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Macron welcomes Nigerian president in first state visit since 2000

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Thursday began a two-day visit to France, with both sides seeking increased economic cooperation and Paris looking to boost ties in English-speaking Africa following a series of setbacks with former allies on the contine

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A Russian missile and drone attack targets Ukraine's energy infrastructure

President Vladimir Putin has said that a massive Russian overnight attack on Ukrainian infrastructure was a response to Kyiv's attacks on Russian regions using longer-range Western missiles. More than a million Ukrainians were left without power Thursday

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'Dark tourism' on the rise in Ukraine: Is war tourism educational or unethical?

Dark tourism.... or visiting places associated with tragic events, is on the rise in Ukraine. A handful of companies now offer this controversial tour. Story by Elitsa Gadeva and Anna Pereira

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Bittersweet business: How the global cocoa industry is changing

The cocoa industry in Haiti is one of the few bright spots in an economy that's suffocating amid gang violence and political instability. Exports of fermented cocoa to Europe are having a significant impact for small Haitian producers, and helping to cre

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Chronic inflation hits Russia as huge pay increases fuel rising prices

Inflation has again spiked in Russia in recent months, fuelled by massive public spending on the Ukraine war and big wage increases in many sectors of the economy. To counter this, the Central Bank raised its benchmark interest rate to a record 21 percen

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