France News
El Salvador sets 2027 presidential election as Nayib Bukele seeks third term
El Salvador will hold presidential elections on February 28, 2027, the electoral tribunal said Wednesday, opening the way for President Nayib Bukele to seek a third term after constitutional changes removed presidential term limits. Bukele has drawn praise for sharply reducing gang violence but faced criticism over rights abuses during his crackdown.
Russia launches major attack on Ukraine’s energy grid, causing power cuts
Russia launched its heaviest combined assault on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in months on Wednesday, killing seven people and triggering emergency power cuts in Kyiv and nearby regions. The strikes came as officials warned of a difficult winter as Russian forces target power and heating systems.
Trump renews calls for former Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell's resignation
The Federal Reserve's watchdog on Wednesday found no grounds for a criminal referral over a roughly $1 billion cost overrun on renovations to the central bank's Washington buildings, while faulting project oversight. The findings prompted President Donald Trump to renew his call for former Fed chief Jerome Powell to resign.
Paramount takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery clears legal hurdle
A federal judge on Wednesday approved a settlement clearing Paramount’s takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery after 12 US states challenged the deal on antitrust grounds. The agreement includes safeguards for CNN’s editorial independence and requires the merged studio to release at least 30 films a year for its first two years.
Meet 'America': Trump’s AI chatbot changes answers after challenging his claims
Donald Trump has launched “America”, an AI chatbot designed as a digital portal for US government information. But its responses appear to be changing. The chatbot initially challenged several of Trump’s claims, including on the 2020 election and inflation, providing evidence and links. More recently, it has refused to answer some of the same questions. Other responses still contradict Trump, while some echo his views. Vedika Bahl tests the chatbot, and its varying answers in Truth or Fake.
France to unveil 2027 budget as debt hits record high
As the French government prepares to unveil its latest budget, the country's debt is at a record high and growing every day. France's public debt currently stands at nearly 3.6 trillion euros, nearly 60 billion of that added in the last three months alone.
Clashes between French teens, police as school blockades intensify
French teenagers on Tuesday set fire to rubbish bins and threw projectiles at police who responded with batons and tear gas, with hundreds detained across the country over the blockades and protests demanding better conditions at schools. Since last week, students have staged protests outside hundreds of schools over grievances including timetables, class sizes and a shortage of teachers as well as overheated classrooms during this year's heatwaves. FRANCE 24's Rachel Griffiths reports.
Ronaldo leaves Portugal training camp after coach drops him from upcoming match
Portugal captain and striker Cristiano Ronaldo said Wednesday he had walked out on the national team's training camp in Copenhagen after coach Jorge Jesus announced the 41-year-old player would be dropped from the team's next match against Denmark.
Israel PM says pilot of rerouted flight tried to crash plane
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that the pilot of a Tel Aviv-bound flydubai flight had tried to crash the plane and kill its passengers, after the aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. Passengers gave a similar account of the incident on board, describing a fight for control after the plane suddenly plummeted, losing around 17,000 feet of altitude in the span of a minute, according to the Flightradar24 website.
UK-France 'one in, one out' migrant exchange deal is scrapped
A British-French agreement aimed at reducing the number of people trying to cross the English Channel in small boats has been scrapped, London said Wednesday. The pilot programme was intended to break the business model of "people smugglers" by exchanging undocumented migrants who had made the crossing for people who legally applied for asylum.
'Hard to see Man City getting anything other than the book thrown at them', expert says
Manchester City enjoyed a meteoric rise from mid-table mediocrity to Premier League domination, but their golden era could be forever tarnished after they were found guilty of scores of financial rule breaches. FRANCE 24's Mark Owen speaks with James Reade, Professor of Economics at the University of Reading. He says that it's unlikely that the club will see any leniency from football authorities: "it's hard to see it getting anything other than the book thrown at them".
UK PM Burnham reopens divisive debate on rejoining EU
Andy Burnham put the idea of Britain rejoining the EU on the table Wednesday, breaking a taboo for a UK prime minister and reopening the divisive Brexit debate. Speaking with FRANCE 24's Monte Francis, Catherine Barnard, Professor of European Law at the University of Cambridge, says that Burnham "is sending the message that actually it's been pretty cold being on the outside of the EU so we're now looking at the alternatives".
Ethiopia back to civil war? Horn of Africa fears spillover effect of renewed fighting
After contagion in the Arabian Peninsula, should the entire Horn of Africa fear a domino effect? Just as Donald Trump’s decision to invade Iran drew the Saudis back to Yemen: did threats over the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb light the fuse in Ethiopia, where last week, unresolved issues between the government and its Tigray region erupted? Could a potential return to civil war draw in regional rivals?
Like a 'rollercoaster': passengers describe harrowing flydubai flight
As flight FZ 1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv approached the Jordanian border on Wednesday, passengers knew in an instant that something was wrong when the plane began plummeting from the sky in a rapid dive. It was like "we were having very big turbulence, but there was no turbulence", passenger Almog Italie told AFP, describing the sensation of losing thousands of feet of altitude in seconds as similar to riding a "rollercoaster". FRANCE 24's August Hakansson reports.
UK PM Burnham reopens divisive debate on rejoining EU
Andy Burnham put the idea of Britain rejoining the EU on the table Wednesday, breaking a taboo for a UK prime minister and reopening the divisive Brexit debate. Speaking with FRANCE 24's Monte Francis, Catherine Barnard, Professor of European Law at the University of Cambridge, says that Burnham "is sending the message that actually it's been pretty cold being on the outside of the EU so we're now looking at the alternatives".
Ethiopian AI expert, Timnit Gebru, wins 'alternative Nobel'
In tonight's edition, Africa's richest man breaks ground on a 16 billion dollar oil refinery in Kenya. Also, at universities across Cameroon, programming is overshadowed with uncertainty amidst an indefinite strike by lecturers. And I speak to Ethiopian-born computer scientist and pioneering AI ethicist Timnit Gebru as she is honored with the Swedish Right Livelihood Award for her work on how AI is influenced by biases.
Meet 'America': Trump’s AI chatbot changes answers after challenging his claims
Donald Trump has launched “America”, an AI chatbot designed as a digital portal for US government information. But its responses appear to be changing. The chatbot initially challenged several of Trump’s claims, including on the 2020 election and inflation, providing evidence and links. More recently, it has refused to answer some of the same questions. Other responses still contradict Trump, while some echo his views. Vedika Bahl tests the chatbot, and its varying answers in Truth or Fake.
British PM alleges there are 'strong indications' Iran was involved in Fairford airbase incident
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Wednesday insisted that there were "strong indications" that Tehran was involved in a security incident on Sunday near an airbase in England that the US military uses in its war against Iran. The British government has still not explained the nature of the incident – in which five British men were arrested only to be later released on bail – and no explosives were found at the scene.
US stocks: S&P 500 ends nearly flat as US-Iran talks help stocks pare losses
S&P 500 ended almost flat as Microsoft declined, while Meta Platforms recorded gains amid ongoing market fluctuations. Oil prices surged following geopolitical ...
Mexican President “Disrespecting” Stray Kids And BTS Triggers Criticism
Statements made by the Mexican president about Stray Kids and BTS have sparked backlash online due to the comparisons made.