mastodon 4.8.0-nightly.2026-10-06France 24 senior news editor
#fedi22
Posting mainly stuff on #geopolitics #economics #publicpolicy #EU and #regulation
The White House posted - then deleted - a video from Trump's Easter luncheon, where the US President made inflammatory and false statements against several figures. Except it was downloaded by a journalist who posted it online. In the hour-long clip, Trump mocked French President Emmanuel Macron's marriage and imitated him, called himself a 'king' and was compared to Jesus Christ. Vedika Bahl explains in Truth or Fake.
#Trump #Macron #WhiteHouse
The number of #elderly inmates in #Japan has quadrupled over the past 20 years. Around a fifth of people over 65 live below the #poverty line, struggling to make ends meet. Some go to extraordinary lengths to improve their circumstances, deliberately getting caught shoplifting in the hope of landing in prison. There, they can access a secure place to live, proper meals, and medical care – basic necessities often denied to them outside.
Lebanon's president and prime minister accused Israel on Thursday of a war crime, after an airstrike killed a Lebanese journalist in the country's south, where Israeli forces occupy several areas. Rescuers and the reporter's employer on Wednesday confirmed the death of Amal Khalil, a 42-year-old journalist who worked for the Lebanese daily Al-Akbar.
#Israel #Lebanon #journalist
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday announced a "drone deal" with Ukraine to boost joint production of the key battlefield technology. Ukraine has already signed similar deals with some individual EU countries and Gulf nations looking to tap into the expertise Kyiv has developed during more than four years of war with Russia. FRANCE 24's EU correspondent Dave Keating has more.
#Ukraine #Russia #EU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDUnyYyOots
FRANCE 24's Clovis Casali reports from France's National Assembly, where lawmakers have approved a ban on social media for children and teenagers under-15, the first EU country to do so. FRANCE 24's Mark Owen speaks with Philippe Coen, lawyer and founder of the NGO Respect Zone.
#France #SocialMedia #children #Meta #TikTok #technology
Does Marco Rubio covertly control Venezuela? A report from the New York Times suggests that the US Secretary of State now effectively controls the Latin American country's finances, the distribution of its natural resources and its government since the capture of Nicolas Maduro. FRANCE 24's Monte Francis speaks with Christopher Sabatini, Director of Chatham House’s Latin America program.
#Venezuela #Rubio #Maduro #Trump
#UEFA said on Thursday it would boycott the #WorldCup if #FIFA pressed ahead with its private investor plan. "No UEFA national teams will participate in any FIFA competition for so long as these proposals remain alive, unless this proposal has been abandoned in its entirety and binding assurances have been given that FIFA will never again open its governance or competitions to private ownership," UEFA said in a statement. FRANCE 24's James Vasina reports.
#sports
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCBAotCNOMk
President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday fired Gen. Oleksandr Syrsky as commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces, following days of mass protests in Kyiv and other cities nationwide demanding his removal. Zelensky appointed Mykhailo Drapaty as the new army chief, according to a statement on social media.
#Ukraine #Syrsky #Fedorov
On the most dangerous parts of Ukraine's front line, it's almost as common these days to hear Spanish as Ukrainian. Many Colombian soldiers are now fighting in Ukraine, lured by the comparatively high salaries, but also by a sense of adventure and of helping a good cause. Our reporters Gulliver Cragg and Catalina Gomez travelled around Colombia and Ukraine to understand what drives these men to go to war and what their families think.
#Ukraine #Colombia #war #Russia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Por3OCvBTo
France on Wednesday moved closer to joining the ranks of countries that guarantee the right to assisted dying, a move championed by President Emmanuel Macron. Macron had promised an assisted dying law when he was re-elected for a second term in 2022, in a change seen as one of the most important social reforms since France allowed same-sex marriage in 2012.
#France #AssistedDying #Health
With the two wildfires burning southeast of Paris now contained, for investigators, the focus is on how they started. Five people have been arrested, suspected of setting the blazes intentionally, including a volunteer fire fighter. Prosecutors say that a second suspect admitted to accidentally starting a fire by throwing away his cigarette. FRANCE 24's Monte Francis reports.
#Fontainebleau #wildfire #France
France plans to add a further 36 billion euros to its defence spending between now and 2030 under an updated military planning law that expands its nuclear arsenal and boosts missile and drone stocks. The increase reflects mounting security pressures from wars in Ukraine and the Middle East and growing uncertainty over U.S. commitments to NATO under President Donald Trump. FRANCE 24's Luke Shrago reports.
#France #NATO #Ukraine
Elon Musk did not appear Monday for a voluntary interview with Paris prosecutors, who had issued the summons in February as part of an investigation into allegations that X's algorithm was used to interfere in French politics. The probe was later expanded to include dissemination of Holocaust denial and sexual #deepfakes by X's #AI chatbot #Grok . We speak with Professor Julia Hörnle, Chair of #Internet #Law at Queen Mary, University of London.
#Musk #Grok #SocialMedia
Four people are currently in custody in the investigation into the fires ravaging the Fontainebleau forest, south of Paris, including a volunteer firefighter who admitted to the facts, the Fontainebleau prosecutor announced on Tuesday.
#Fontainebleau #wildfire #France
Speaking with FRANCE 24's Monte Francis, Stefan Doerr, Director of the Centre for Wildfire Research at Swansea University, says that "we need to prepare the environment more to reduce the risk of #fire but we will never eliminate it competely". #France on Monday battled to contain a fire that scorched about 1,200 hectares in a forest south of Paris. Throughout the day, aircraft in the skies and firefighters on the ground were trying to douse the flames.
#Fontainebleau
Speaking with FRANCE 24's Mark Owen, Dr Marc Roscoe Loustau, Affiliated Fellow at the Central European University, says that "next to Viktor #Orban , the person who stands to lose the most in case of a Fidesz party loss is Vladimir Putin". According to press reports quoting intelligence officials, the powerful explosives found near a Serbian gas pipeline to #Hungary may be part of a "false flag" operation to influence the upcoming election.
#Putin #Serbia #Russia #Ukraine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuhobjGFaEw
Go to sleep in France, wake up in Germany. That's the idea between the iconic Paris-Berlin sleeper train, which is once again being revived. The night train was launched by SNCF in 2023 after a near-decade hiatus… But managed only stayed in operation until December 2025. Now, a new company is taking on the mission.
#Paris #Berlin #train #railway #travel
Madrid on Thursday said it would deploy soldiers to Ceuta to ensure security after hundreds of migrants entered the Spanish north African exclave from Morocco, mainly by swimming, and reported nine deaths. The Italian government is considering suspending the EU Schengen agreement with Spain in light of the migrant crisis in Ceuta. FRANCE 24's Sarah Morris reports from Madrid.
#Spain #Ceuta #migrants
The international jury of the Venice Biennale resigned Thursday, just days before the world’s oldest and most important contemporary art fair opens. No reason was given, but the move came as Italy's government opposed Russia's participation. FRANCE 24's Seema Gupta reports from Rome.
#Venice #Biennale #Russia
US President Donald Trump said Thursday that a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia depends on the kingdom recognizing Israel -- throwing the agreement into turmoil just the day after it was signed. Riyadh has long resisted joining the so-called Abraham Accords with Israel, insisting especially after the Gaza conflict on a pathway to a Palestinian state. FRANCE 24's Emerald Maxwell reports.
#US #SaudiArabia #Israel #nuclear
Ousted Ukrainian defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov said on Thursday he would accept no other government position besides his former job, escalating a political crisis that has gripped Ukraine at a pivotal point in the war with Russia. Speaking with FRANCE 24's Mark Owen, Ukranian MP Liudmyla Buimister says that reinstating Fedorov "is the only right decision that President Zelensky can make".
#Ukraine #Fedorov #Zelensky
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday he was looking at "all options" after US President Donald Trump made plans to impose new 50 percent tariffs on many Canadian goods in 30 days. Carney also said that he and Trump had agreed to "intensify discussions" in the coming weeks on a possible deal, but did not suggest he would travel to Washington for any talks. FRANCE 24's Christopher Guly reports from Ottawa.
#Canada #Trump #tariffs
US President Donald Trump vowed Tuesday to help Lebanon "a lot" as its president, Joseph Aoun, sought Washington's backing for a fragile effort to disarm Hezbollah and forge a path to peace with Israel. Reporting from Jerusalem, FRANCE 24's Noga Tarnopolsky explains how the meeting between Aoun and Trump reprents "a slap in the face" for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
#Israel #Lebanon #Trump
In Ukraine, protesters say they’re giving Volodymyr Zelensky until Friday to re-instate the popular Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, and fire General Oleksandr Syrsky, the military chief of staff. The President removed Fedorov from his post last week, citing a clash between the two men. FRANCE 24's Gulliver Cragg reports from Kyiv.
#Ukraine #Fedorov #Syrsky #war
Former CIA analyst Larry Johnson alleged on a podcast this week that President Donald #Trump wanted to use the #NuclearCodes against #Iran during a Pentagon meeting, but that he was stopped by General Dan Caine, Chairman of his Joint Chiefs of Staff. He described the reaction as "quite the blow up." This comes as concern mounts over the US President's unpredictable behaviour, as many lawmakers voice doubt about his mental state. Vedika Bahl takes a look.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QucZ4tIXlg
#Ukraine 's ousted defence minister directed stunning public criticism at the army's top commander on Thursday, forcing President Volodymyr #Zelensky to call for unity amid signs of an emerging split in the military's top ranks. Large protests erupted in several Ukrainian cities against the removal of popular defence minister Mykhailo #Fedorov , who had been brought in six months ago to digitise and modernise the army. FRANCE 24's Gulliver Cragg reports.
#Russia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCV59iYCOWM
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday that military personnel age 30 and older will undergo testing for testosterone deficiency as part of annual health screenings. "It's well-established science that as we age, testosterone levels often naturally drop," Hegseth said in a video posted on X along with the text: "The High-T Department of War." FRANCE 24's Fraser Jackson reports from Washington.
#US #army #testosterone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktErtD6A04Y
Due to its wartime past, #Japan adopted a pacifist #Constitution that limits its #military to self-defence. Now Prime Minister Sanae #Takaichi is calling for 'advanced discussions' on revising the Constitution, setting up a panel tasked with reviewing the country's security and defence policies as regional tensions escalate. We speak with Giulio Pugliese, Director of the EU-Asia Project at the European University Institute.
Romania's parliament on Tuesday voted to oust liberal Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan in a motion of no confidence initiated by the Social Democrats and the far right, deepening political turmoil in the EU and NATO country bordering Ukraine. Laurențiu Pleșca, Policy Fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, says that the collapse of the government "does not alter Romania's foreign policy or security trajectory".
#Romania #EU #Russia
Monday the Met Gala is happening in New York. This year, the star-studded event is being sponsored and co-chaired by the billionaire Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sanchez Bezos. That has prompted a series of unique protests against the affair, including a proposed boycott. FRANCE 24's Monte Francis explains.
#MetGala #JeffBezos #Fashion #Amazon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vk98-LDV7HA
Speaking with FRANCE 24's Mark Owen, Emma Salisbury, Senior Research Fellow on the National Security Programme at the Foreign Policy Institute, says that "America has confirmed everything that Iran has been telling its population", explaining that "the Iranian regime tell their population constantly that the US, the great Satan, is out to destroy Iran and its people and Trump has done absolutely nothing to disabuse them of that notion".
#Iran #US #war
Three people have died and three others are ill after a Netherlands-based cruise ship in the Atlantic was hit by a suspected outbreak of hantavirus. The virus is transmitted to humans through infected wild rodents, such as mice or rats, which shed the virus in their saliva, urine and droppings. In rare cases, it can also spread from human to human. FRANCE 24's Environment Editor Valerie Dekimpe tells us more.
#Hantavirus #health #cruise
Two fires that have burned just over 2,000 hectares since Sunday in the Fontainebleau Forest south of Paris, have been "contained", even though they are not extinguished, the local prefect said Tuesday evening. "Contained means they are confined within their perimeter," explained Prefect Pierre Ory, noting that firefighters will still need to remain on the scene for days, if not weeks. FRANCE 24's Catherine Norris-Trent reports.
#France #Fontainebleau #wildfire
Germany said Thursday it was "prepared" for a possible reduction in US troops threatened by President Donald Trump, who kept up his barrage of attacks on Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Trump said that Washington was considering redeploying some of the tens of thousands of its troops stationed in Germany amid a row with Merz over the war in Iran. FRANCE 24's Camille Corcoran reports.
#Germany #NATO #Trump
The US and Israel's war on Iran is also hitting migrant workers who live in the Gulf region, often accepting harsh controls and little in the way of rights in return for the kind of pay they'd never see back home. Now though, they have a choice - stay and risk their lives in an active war zone, or return home - likely to poorer nations struggling with the fallout from that same war as living costs spiral and an energy crisis endures.
#Gulf #migrants #war #Iran #US
In Canada's oil heartland of Alberta, separatism is no longer just a slogan. An unprecedented movement of independence supporters, aided by a reform from the western province's conservative government, has just cleared the way for a referendum to be held on October 19. This is a first in #Canada since Quebec's failed #independence referendum in 1995.
#MAGA #Alberta #Quebec #FarRight
Fire broke out at a major UAE oil industry zone on Monday after a drone attack originating from Iran, authorities said, as the Gulf state's military separately intercepted three Iranian missiles over its waters and a fourth crashed into the sea. Hoda Abdel Hamid reports for FRANCE 24 from Doha.
#UAE #oil #Iran
The ceasefire in the Iran war abruptly faced its most perilous moment Monday after the United States began trying to open the Strait of Hormuz to allow hundreds of stranded commercial ships sail out. The United Arab Emirates said it came under attack for the first time since the early April ceasefire, and a British military monitor said two cargo vessels were ablaze off the UAE. FRANCE 24's Reza Sayah reports from Tehran.
#Iran #US #war
A car ploughed into a crowd on a street in Germany's eastern city of Leipzig on Monday, killing at least two people and injuring several others, authorities said. Germany has been shaken by a series of car-ramming attacks in recent years, including one targeting a Christmas market in 2024 in Magdeburg, and also in Berlin and Munich. FRANCE 24's Nick Holdsworth reports from Berlin.
#Germany #Leipzig #attack
It’s the world’s largest sailing ship and it’s about to set sail from Saint-Nazaire, the town in Western France where it was built. The giant three-masted luxury vessel can accommodate 130 passengers, who will pay up to €200,000 for an exclusive week-long cruise. FRANCE 24's Emerald Maxwell reports.
#France #sailing #CruiseShip #travel
Two days of national mourning have been declared in Mali after the country's defence minister was killed in an attack by Al-Qaeda linked group JNIM, who have allied with Tuareg rebels. Despite their disagreements, the two sides joined forces to fight against the Malian army, which is supported by Russian mercenaries.
#Mali #rebels #jihadists #JNIM #ALF #Tuareg #Sahel
Jailed Iranian Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi, who won the 2023 peace prize for her decades of campaigning for human rights in Iran, could die in prison unless she is urgently given proper health care after suffering two suspected heart attacks in recent weeks, supporters warned on Tuesday. FRANCE 24's international affairs commentator Douglas Herbert has more.
#Iran #NargesMohammadi #HumanRights
FRANCE 24's Solange Mougin takes a look at France's "chicken wars", or the fast-food fight over a roasted chicken chain that's become highly political. We also dive into the nation's love of fast food, and in particular chicken. Finally, we discuss some of the many expressions in French that pay tribute to the most Gaulois of birds: the Gallus gallus, or "le poulet".
#France #gentrification #food #UrbanDevelopment #health #economy #inequality #politics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJjcJhoiZkU
European leaders talked up independence on defence and closer ties with Canada Monday, as they gathered in Armenia for a summit clouded by US threats to cut military support. US President Donald Trump loomed large over the meeting of the European Political Community (EPC) in Yerevan, which was for the first time attended by a non-European leader: Canada's Mark Carney. FRANCE 24's international affairs commentator Douglas Herbert has more.
#Canada #EU #Trump #Russia
U.S. President Donald Trump has again threatened to pull American troops out of Germany, a key NATO ally. Speaking with FRANCE 24's Mark Owen, Dafydd Townley, Teaching Fellow in US politics and international security at the University of Portsmouth, says that such a move would be "foolish" explaining that "Germany is exceptionally important as a logistical and refuelling hub for American air force operations".
#Germany #NATO #Trump