France backed by Britain intercepts sanctioned oil tanker sailing from Russia

France seizes Russia-linked oil tanker

France's navy has intercepted a sanctioned tanker linked to the Russian oil trade in the Atlantic Ocean and ordered the vessel to head for the French mainland, in a move Russia said was illegal and bordered on "international ​piracy". French President Emmanuel ‌Macron on Monday posted a video o...

Live: Israeli military issues evacuation warning for Beirut's southern suburbs

'Most extreme right-wing fringes of Netanyahu govt call for far greater military action in Lebanon'

Nadia Massih is pleased to welcome Dr Filippo Dionigi, Senior Lecturer of International Relations specialized in Middle Eastern politics at the University of Bristol. As Israeli forces push deeper into southern Lebanon than at any point since the end of their occupation in 2000, the seizure of Bea...

Ukraine: How a kamikaze drone partially operated by AI is attacking Russian convoys

Drones piloted by artificial intelligence are now being deployed on the Ukrainian front lines, and while there has been much talk about them, there is still much that remains unknown. The US-made Hornet Drone, which is partially guided by AI, is at the centre of a new Ukrainian strategy to target R...

Russian oil tanker intercepted by France and allies in Atlantic

France and its partners intercepted a Russian oil tanker circumventing sanctions in the Atlantic over the weekend, President Emmanuel Macron said in a social media post on Monday.  The Tagor was detained Sunday morning in international waters with the help of Britain and other partners, the Fren...

Ukraine hits Russian energy targets, denies striking Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant

Ukrainian drones struck targets across several Russian regions overnight from Saturday, including an oil pumping station, a refinery and a fuel depot, Russian and Ukrainian authorities said Sunday. Kyiv however denied Moscow's claims that a Ukrainian drone struck the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in R...

Ethiopia heads to the polls: Elections under the shadow of war and dissent

As Ethiopia prepares to hold its seventh General Elections on June 1, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the ruling Prosperity Party are widely expected to secure a landslide victory. But the stakes for him are high nonetheless: restoring stability and projecting an image of national unity. Critics warn...

Swiatek out of French Open as Kostyuk, Svitolina book all-Ukrainian quarter-final

Iga Swiatek became the latest former title holder to crash out of the French Open on Sunday after losing in straight sets to Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine, meaning there are no former champions left at Roland Garros in either the men's or the women's draws. Kostyuk, who remains unbeaten on clay this sea...

Putin's quest to avoid the Grim Reaper: What’s behind the $26 billion longevity programme?

The Wall Street Journal’s award-winning chief European political correspondent Bojan Pancevski speaks to FRANCE 24’s Gavin Lee about the anti-ageing efforts Russian President Vladimir Putin is undertaking and Russia's $26 billion, state-backed programme for longevity....

US says 'more than capable' of resuming war, as peace deal remains elusive

Pentagon head Pete Hegseth - has said that Washington could restart the war with Iran at any time if it wanted. His remarks follow days of talks and a two-hour meeting in the White House situation room - that has yet to produce a deal between the US and Iran. Analysis by FRANCE 24 international aff...

Defending ⁠champion Coco Gauff eliminated from French Open after 3rd round loss

US defending champion Coco Gauff was defeated by Russian-born Austrian Anastasia Potapova in the third round of the French Open on Saturday while Japan's Naomi Osaka advanced to the fourth round with a victory over American Iva Jovic....

Lebanon PM denounces Israeli campaign as fresh strikes hit south

Lebanon's prime minister accused Israel on Saturday of pursuing a "scorched-earth policy" in his country's south, urging a halt to the fighting as Israel carried out fresh airstrikes and issued evacuation warnings for more than a dozen locations....

"Choose France" summit to kick off as factory closures multiply

In France, Emmanuel Macron toured the French factory of German-owned Thermomix kitchen appliances on Friday… one of over 100 industrial and business sites opening to the public this weekend in the leadup to the French President's annual "Choose France" summit on Monday. Macron will be hosting som...

Romania says Russian drone targeting Ukraine crashes in apartment, killing two

France has summoned the Russian ambassador following a drone crash on an apartment building in Romania. It hit an apartment building, wounding two and drawing condemnation from NATO. Russia says no evidence has been provided for claims about Russian drones in the EU. Story by Jennie Shin....

Putin's warning to Armenia: Russia or the European Union

Armenia is under pressure from Russia. President Nikol Pashinyan has been openly pursuing a strategy of "diversification" - forging ties with both Russia and the West. But his aspirations for the country to join the EU are unacceptable to President Vladimir Putin, and The Eurasian Economic Union, l...

Why does Trump want to transfer Cold War-era plutonium to nuclear start-ups?

The Trump administration has announced that it has selected several nuclear start-ups to participate in a project that would allow them to use plutonium stockpiles inherited from the Cold War. This plan has alarmed nuclear non-proliferation specialists....

Edgar Morin: France's intellectual 'grandfather' dies at 104

France's favourite intellectual Edgar Morin, a World War II Resistance member who dedicated his life to promoting critical thinking and combatting intolerance, has died at the age of 104, his wife said Saturday....

French intellectual and inventor of 'cinema verité' Edgar Morin dies at 104

French intellectual Edgar Morin has died at the age of 104, his wife said Saturday. The World War II Resistance member dedicated his life to promoting critical thinking and combatting intolerance. Outside of France he was best known as the inventor of "cinema verité" for his 1961 documentary wi...

Middle east live: Pentagon chief says US 'more than capable' of restarting war with Iran

The US ⁠is 'more than capable' of restarting ​attacks on Iran if a deal cannot be reached, Defense Secretary ​Pete Hegseth said on Saturday, as negotiators from Washington and Tehran worked to bridge major differences blocking an agreement. The Pentagon chief said President Donald Trump was...

Trump says he’s making final decision on Iran deal as Tehran slams ‘mixture of truth and lies’

US President Donald Trump on Friday said he would be making a final decision on a potential deal to end the US-Israeli war against Iran ahead of a high-security meeting in the White House Situation Room. But after more than two hours of deliberations, no decision has yet been forthcoming. ...

Romania hit by drone strike: Foreign Minister speaks to FRANCE 24

It was two o’clock in the morning when the explosion hit — a Russian drone smashing into the tenth floor of an apartment block in the Romanian town of Galati, just 11 kilometres from the Ukrainian border. Romania scrambled two F-16 fighter jets and a military helicopter, while emergency alert...

'We need Operation Eastern Sentry': NATO's eastern flank 'facing Russian threat every week'

Gavin Lee is pleased to welcome prominent Romanian journalist, TV anchor and military analyst Radu Tudor. As tensions continue to rise along NATO's eastern frontier, the latest drone incident in Romania has once again exposed the growing security dilemmas facing frontline alliance states. Tudor s...

Iranian regime still standing three months after Khamenei’s death

The United States and Iran appeared closer on Thursday to a deal extending the ceasefire. The day also marked exactly three months since the United States and Israel killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei — the event that triggered the war. To discuss where Iran stands three months later, FRANCE 24...

Israeli forces cross key Lebanon river in expanded ground offensive

Israeli forces have advanced to positions north of Lebanon's Litani River, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday, as Israel escalates attacks against Hezbollah militants after warning thousands more Lebanese to flee their villages. The Israeli advance came as the US military ​hosted Is...

US-Iran deal: Tehran demands release of frozen assets

As the US and Iran continue to negotiate on proposals to end the war, a source close to negotiations told Iran's Fars news agency that the last real sticking point was $24 billion in Iranian funds frozen in banks around the world. FRANCE 24’s Camille Knight takes a look at what those assets are ...

Romania: Russian drone hits apartment building

🇷🇴 🇷🇺 🇺🇦 A #Russian drone launched at #Ukraine struck an apartment building in #Romania early Friday.  The incident injured two people in the #NATO-member country, prompting strong condemnation from the military alliance and the #EU....

More climate records under threat as spring heatwave bakes western Europe

Western Europe faced another day of record-breaking temperatures Tuesday as a heatwave pushed the mercury well above normal levels for May. A so-called "heat dome" of warm air from northern Africa trapped under a high-pressure system over western Europe is behind the sort of heat not usually seen u...

Europe's population reckoning: How can the EU avoid falling off a demographic cliff?

It has been called Europe’s demographic time bomb: Older people are living longer, while younger people are having fewer children. Last year in France, for example, deaths outpaced births for the first time since the end of World War II, prompting President Emmanuel Macron to call for "demograph...

Russian drone launched against Ukraine crashes in Romania, injuring 2

A Russian drone that was part of an overnight attack on Ukraine crashed into an apartment building in eastern Romania, injuring two people, Romanian authorities said Friday. In response to the crash in the city of Galati, NATO member Romania asked the alliance for a faster transfer of anti-drone ca...

NATO vows 'absolute solidarity' with Romania over Russian drone

NATO chief Mark Rutte pledged the alliance's "absolute solidarity" in a call with Romania's president Friday, slamming Russia for a drone crash that injured two people in the country bordering Ukraine. FRANCE 24's International Affairs Commentator Douglas Herbert tells us more....