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Syrian rebels capture four more towns in advance on Hama

Insurgents led by the Islamist rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham along with Turkey-backed opposition fighters were about 10 kilometers from Hama, Syria’s fourth largest city, after seizing Aleppo over the past few days.

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Chernobyl's mutant wolves: A case study of adaptation and cancer resistance

In the Science segment, we tell you more about the so-called "mutant wolves of Chernobyl". 38 years after the nuclear disaster, animals roaming the exclusion zone are still exposed to high levels of radiation but researchers have also found that part of

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Kirill Serebrennikov’s poetic take on Russian punk outsider Eduard Limonov

Eduard Limonov was a poet, a punk, a Russian “émigré” and provocateur whose anti-system politics eventually saw him embrace fascist tendencies. Filmmaker Kirill Serebrennikov tells Olivia Salazar-Winspear why he chose to make a “ballad” of Limonov’s life

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Notre-Dame Cathedral: At the heart of a changing neighbourhood in Paris

Since the 2019 fire that devastated Notre-Dame, the historic centre of Paris has been affected by extensive renovation works. Now, five years later, the reopening of the cathedral on Saturday, December 7 is bringing hope to locals and businesses that hav

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The ruins of Paris through the lenses of Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre

Two photographers whose images look like something you might see in a Hollywood high budget film have spoken to FRANCE 24 about their work. They take pictures of Paris, and then use artificial intelligence to adapt them to take viewers to a post-apocalyp

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🔴 South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declares martial law

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South Korean parliament votes to block President Yoon's declaration of martial law

The South Korean parliament voted to block President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law in a late-night session Tuesday. Both Yoon's ruling party and the opposition had vowed to block the president's move, which came as Yoon accused the oppositio

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Valencia floods: Human tragedy and environmental disaster

With at least 222 people dead, the torrential rain and floods in Valencia – on the eastern coast of Spain – have devastated many families and the cleanup of the region continues, more than a month after the disaster struck. But until now, there has been

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'Russia believes it should control Georgia'

Georgia has been locked in a political crisis since its contested October election, with tens of thousands of pro-EU protesters taking to the streets in recent days against the increasingly authoritarian Eurosceptic government. For in-depth analysis and

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Melting permafrost in Canadian Arctic town could lead to first climate refugees

PRESS REVIEW – Tuesday, December 3: French Prime Minister Michel Barnier faces a fight for his job as two votes of no confidence will be held against him, plunging France into a deep political crisis. The New York Times reports from a Canadian Arctic tow

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Vietnamese real estate tycoon to raise $9 billion or face death penalty

An Ho Chi Minh City court upheld a death sentence for Vietnamese real estate magnate Truong My Lan after convicting her for embezzlement and bribery in the country's biggest financial fraud case. The 68-year-old still has the right to request a review of

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Trump to attend Notre-Dame Cathedral reopening ceremony in Paris

US president-elect Donald Trump is one of 50 heads of state set to attend a ceremony to mark the reopening of the restored Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Saturday.

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French MPs to hold no-confidence vote on Wednesday

France is facing a "turning point" said Finance Minister Antoine Armand on Tuesday as Prime Minister Michel Barnier is set to face a no-confidence vote tabled by a left-wing alliance on Wednesday, according to parliamentary sources.

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Macron and Saudi crown prince sign partnership deal, call for Lebanon elections

French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed a strategic partnership deal in Riyadh and pledged to help de-escalate the Middle East conflict, particularly in Lebanon, with a call for the holding of long-delayed presi

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Georgian police crack down on pro-EU protesters for fifth consecutive night

Police fired water canons and tear gas at demonstrators who gathered for a fifth consecutive night outside Georgia's parliament building in Tbilisi to protest a government decision to delay EU accession talks.

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Notre-Dame set for further restorations, thanks to generous donations

The destruction caused by the devastating 2019 fire that ripped through Paris's Notre-Dame Cathedral triggered an avalanche of donations to help rebuild the monument. The surplus – which amounts to €140 million – will be used for a "Phase 3" of restorati

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Vietnam court upholds death penalty for tycoon in multibillion-dollar fraud case

Vietnamese courts said that property developer Truong My Lan's sentence could be reduced to life imprisonment if she pays back three quarters of the assets she is accused of stealing from Saigon Commercial Bank.

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Zelensky urges Scholz to ramp up 'fundamental' support against Russia

Despite Germany pledging a €650 million aid package on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged its second-largest backer not to reduce its backing of Ukraine's efforts to defeat Russia, saying Ukraine's allies could only "ensure peace throug

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'Destructive industries destroying water and land which the wildlife depend on, which we depend on'

Amnesty Int'l is imploring Canada to "respect indigenous rights on Wet’suwet’en territory" and put an end to "megaprojects" by "destructive industries" that include the multibillion dollar Coastal GasLink pipeline. For an intimate look at the native peop

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Live: Israel threatens to push deeper into Lebanon if Hezbollah truce collapses

Defence Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday warned that if the shaky ceasefire with Hezbollah collapses, Israel will widen its strikes to target the Lebanese state, threatening to “penetrate deeper” into Lebanon. Since the ceasefire came into force last week

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US judge rejects Musk's $55.8 billion Tesla pay deal – again

Billionaire Elon Musk missed out on a mammoth $55.8 billion pay deal at his electric vehicle company, Tesla, after Delaware judge Kathaleen McCormick on Monday stood by her January decision to annul the compensation package, qualifying it at excessive an

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Nearly 50,000 displaced as Iran, Turkey, and Russia FM to discuss Syria

Bashar al-Assad, head of the Syrian regime, continued his counter-offensive after insurgents' captured Aleppo last week, vowing to carry on towards the country's capital of Damascus. Both Iran and Russia said they would help al-Assad's government fight b

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Germany's Scholz pledges €650 million in aid to Ukraine

France 24 correspondent Gulliver Cragg unpacks the new €650 million in aid German Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged to Ukraine on Monday, unveiling what it could mean for Ukraine's chances at repelling Russian forces.

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Israel vows 'tough response' to Hezbollah strikes on Israeli positions

Hezbollah said it launched projectiles towards Israeli military positions on Monday in response to "repeated violations of the ceasefire", after Israel carried out at least four airstrikes on southern Lebanon earlier in the day. The ceasefire, which was

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Yesterday

Under fire: ICC president hits back at 'attacks', 'threats'

The president of the International Criminal Court hit back Monday against attacks on the court, which finds itself under the spotlight after issuing arrest warrants over wars in Gaza and Ukraine. The ICC has faced criticism after judges issued an arrest

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At least 56 killed in stampede during football match in Guinea

Guinea has announced three days of national mourning starting Tuesday. On Monday, many in the country felt shock, confusion, sadness and anger after the deaths the evening before of at least 56 people in a stampede at a football match. The crush happened

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Romania to hold presidential run-off after top court validates first round

Romania's constitutional court on Monday certified the shock first-round results of the presidential election, confirming the lead of pro-Russia nationalist Calin Georgescu, who will face liberal leader Elena Lasconi in the run-off on Sunday.

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Belgian court rules against state over abduction of mixed-race children in colonial Congo

In a landmark ruling, Belgium's court of appeals on Monday said that five women, born in Belgian-ruled Congo and now in their 70s, had been victims of "systematic abduction" by the state when they were abducted from their mothers as small children and br

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Why the French government is headed for collapse

The government of French Prime Minister Michel Barnier looks almost certain to fall to a no-confidence measure after the right-wing premier pushed an unpopular social security budget bill through parliament without a vote. Both the left-wing New Popular

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In deep contrast to 2011, 'most governments in the region don't want Assad to go'

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad vowed to use force to eliminate "terrorism" during a phone call with an official from the Moscow-backed breakaway Georgian republic of Abkhazia. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective on the civil war heading into

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No, this video doesn’t show rebels beheading Syrian soldier

In northwestern Syria, where rebel forces seized Aleppo last Wednesday, capturing swathes of land across the region and fighting against Bashar al-Assad’s forces. Misinformation and out of context imagery is surging online, including a violent video clai

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Georgians fear losing European future more than police brutality, analyst says

Georgian police fired tear gas to disperse thousands of pro-EU demonstrators on Monday, who had rallied in the centre of Tbilisi amid a deepening political crisis in the Black Sea nation. FRANCE 24's Selina Sykes reports. We speak to Tina Dolbaya from th

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'No solution to this equation' - analyst says split parliament will undermine new French government

France's Michel Barnier faced an abrupt end to his premiership Monday after key opposition parties said they would back a no-confidence motion against his government after only three months in power. FRANCE 24's Alex Aucott speaks to Hind Ziane, CEO of '

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There goes France? Le Pen and left set to topple Barnier government

Is France broken? Is France broke? Marine Le Pen to join the left and bring down a minority government that was scrambling to plug France's spiraling budget deficit. What is the plan for the far-right leader of parliament’s largest opposition party?

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Paris prepares to host 50 heads of state at high-security reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral

Invite-only ceremonies Saturday and Sunday will launch the reopening of Paris's Notre-Dame Cathedral five years after fire reduced it to a shell. About 50 world leaders are expected on Saturday, while nearly 170 bishops from France and other countries wi

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Macron begins state visit to Saudi Arabia as conflict roils the Mideast

French President Emmanuel Macron began a three-day state visit to Saudi Arabia Monday aimed at boosting diplomatic and economic ties. The first state visit by a French president since 2006 comes as a fragile ceasefire holds between Israel and Hezbollah i

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Researchers analyse DNA from dung to save Laos last elephants

Slow and silent, former logging elephant Mae Khoun Nung emerges from a forest in northern Laos and follows her guide to an animal hospital for a check-up. Once abundant in the forests of Laos, Asian elephants like her have been decimated by habitat destr

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French heavy metal: Rocking the world with 'Mass Hysteria'

French rock and metal have been gaining prominence on the world stage. From Grammy-nominated Gojira playing the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics to the country being home to one of the world's biggest Metal festivals, it's no surprise France h

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The future of the ISS in question: Cracks, leaks, debris, ageing equipment

Cosmonauts on the International Space Station were forced to briefly lock down a segment of the orbiting lab after finding an “unusual odour” emanating from a Russian cargo spacecraft that had docked earlier that day. The worst scenarios, including the l

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The future of the ISS in question: Cracks, leaks, debris, equipment obsolescence

Cosmonauts on the International Space Station were forced to briefly lock down a segment of the orbiting lab after finding an “unusual odour” emanating from a Russian cargo spacecraft that had docked earlier that day. The worst scenarios, including the l

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'The French far-right has the fate of the government in its hands'

The hard-left France Unbowed party is "extremely hard with the French government but also with President Macron", said FRANCE 24 journalist Clovis Casali. For them, "Macron is the person who caused the chaos, not the motion of no-confidence that is creat

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Article 49.3: The French government’s special constitutional power

With political turmoil in France kicking into high gear, we take a look at the ins-and-outs of Article 49.3, the French constitutional measure that allows the government to pass legislation without a parliamentary vote. We discuss which prime ministers h

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Russia winning war for hearts and minds of African youth with anti-French propaganda

Chad's surprising announcement that it is ending military cooperation with France -- the last Sahel country to host French troops -- comes just a day after Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye declared that France should close its military bases in

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French government faces no-confidence vote after PM forces through budget bill

French Prime Minister Michel Barnier on Monday used a controversial constitutional tool known as Article 49.3 to force a social security budget bill through parliament without a vote, prompting opposition parties from both the far right and the left to t

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Romania faces political deadlock as far right makes gains in legislative vote

Romania's legislative elections on December 1 produced a fragmented parliament after the far right made big gains. The vote took place a week before the second round of presidential elections in which pro-Russian nationalist Calin Georgescu has the lead.

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Behind the Morning Joe drama and the plans to spin off MSNBC

Morning Joe hosts Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough drew criticism from many and praise from some for visiting President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Following that announcement thousands of viewers stopped watching the show. The timing couldn't h

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Photographer Nicola Vigilanti on exploring the reality behind the America dream

An Italian photographer has spoken to FRANCE 24 of his latest project in the US. Nicola Vigilanti’s exhibition and book – Grainy America – aim to explore the land of opportunity to showcase its people as they live their daily lives by stripping away the

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'Twilight' of his presidency: 'Macron has painted himself into a corner from which he can't escape'

As France's far-right National Rally threatens to force the collapse of PM Michel Barnier's government, save for a "last minute miracle", FRANCE 24's Genie Godula welcomes Paul Smith, Associate Professor in French History and Politics at the University o

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What is Article 49.3?

With political turmoil in France kicking into high gear, we take a look at the ins-and-outs of article 49.3, the French constitutional measure that passes legislation without a parliamentary vote. We discuss which Prime Ministers have used it the most, t

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Poaching in Indonesia: Government cracks down on wildlife trafficking

Indonesia is the Asian capital of wildlife trafficking, a market estimated at $20 billion according to Interpol. The archipelago is one of the world’s biggest reservoirs of biodiversity. Wild animals are already the victims of massive deforestation, but

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Foreign artisans rolled up their sleeves to help rebuild France's Notre-Dame Cathedral

Paris's Notre-Dame Cathedral reopens on December 7, five years after a devastating fire left it in tatters. As part of a monumental effort to restore the Gothic landmark to its former glory, artisans from all over the world stepped in to do their part. F

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Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares resigns amid plummeting vehicle sales

The board of the world's fourth largest automaker, Stellantis, said that its CEO Carlos Tavares had stepped down from his position on Sunday. The group, which owns brands such as Jeep, Chrysler and Peugeot, had experienced a sharp fall in sales this year

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‘Julius Le Pen’: Will French far right decide fate of PM Barnier’s government?

PRESS REVIEW: Monday, December 2 – The world’s press reacts to rebels’ storming of Syria’s second largest city of Aleppo. In France, the Barnier government is hanging by a thread as far right leader Marine Le Pen appears to call the shots. In other news,

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Georgian opposition leader arrested after another night of pro-EU demonstrations

Georgian police arrested prominent opposition leader Zurab Japaridze early Monday after using water cannon and tear gas to scatter anti-government protesters who rallied outside parliament for the fourth straight night. The country's interior ministry sa

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'High-tension politics': As Barnier faces hostile parliament over budget, 'will govt stand or fall'?

French PM Michel Barnier faces a hostile parliament as his government moves full-speed ahead with a high-stakes budget and the conservative prime minister is on a no-confidence collision course with the far-right National Rally (RN). For in-depth analysi

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French PM makes last-minute concession to far right ahead of budget vote

France's Prime Minister Michael Barnier dropped planned cuts to medication reimbursements hours before he was set to present them to parliament in a bid to gain approval from the far-right for his budget and avoid sparking a vote of no confidence.

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Live: Israeli army says striking ‘terror targets’ in Lebanon

Israel's military said on Monday that it was "currently striking terror targets in Lebanon", six days into a fragile US-brokered truce with militant group Hezbollah. The announcement comes after Hezbollah fired into a disputed zone on the Israel-Lebanon

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UN top court opens landmark hearings on climate protection guidelines

The UN's top court begins landmark hearings Monday on global climate protection guidelines. Vanuatu and Pacific island nations lead proceedings before 15 judges. Over two weeks, more than 100 countries and organisations are set to present submissions on

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Scores killed in clashes between rival fans at football match in Guinea

A controversial refereeing decision during a local football tournament in southeast Guinea sparked violence and a stampede, killing 56 people according to a provisional toll, the government said on Monday.

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UN environment chief says plastic pollution talks 'did not fail' despite collapse

The UN environment chief said that 200 countries who attended a week of talks to negotiate a landmark plastic treaty to curb pollution made "very good progress" despite falling to sign an agreement.

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