Russia and Ukraine begin first stage of large-scale prisoner swap

'Absolutely horrifying': Children face disease, starvation, bombardment, poor hygiene and sanitation

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres on Friday said Palestinians in Gaza are "enduring what may be the cruelest phase of this cruel conflict" as Israel ramps up its military offensive. Israel resumed major operations in Gaza on March 18, ending a two-month ceasefire. Aid began trickling into the G...

Sudan denies using chemical weapons in civil war after US imposes sanctions

Sudan's government on Friday denied US allegations that it had used chemical weapons in the country's bloody civil war last year, a day after Washington said it would impose sanctions. Information Minister Khalid al-Aiser called the accusations "nothing but political blackmail and a deliberate fa...

🔴 Russia and Ukraine begin first stage of large-scale prisoner swap

War in Ukraine: Russia says swapped 270 POWs, 120 civilians with Ukraine

Ukraine confirmed a major prisoner swap was underway this Friday it's one of the rare elements thtat Kyiv and Russia had agreed upon during their first direct talks in more than three years last week. Meanwhile,  the russian defense ministry claimed its ...

‘Dangerous clown show’: World anti-doping agency slams first Enhanced Games

PRESS REVIEW – Friday, May 23: Lots of reactions from the German press after Chancellor Friedrich Merz oversees the first permanent foreign deployment of German troops to Lithuania since World War Two. We take a look at the Enhanced Games, the world’s first sporting competition to allow dopi...

'Keep eye on the ball': Civilians in war-torn Gaza lack 'basic essentials of life just to survive'

Israeli PM Netanyahu accused France, Britain, and Canada of siding with Hamas after they warned of "concrete action" over Israel's Gaza offensive. Echoing FM Saar, his comments mark a broader pushback against growing international pressure. For deeper insight, FRANCE 24’s William Hilderbrandt spe...

Israeli FM 'throwing fuel into bonfire' by linking fatal DC shooting with critics of Gaza war

The suspect accused of gunning down two Israeli embassy staffers outside a Jewish museum in Washington has been charged with murder, as international tensions over anti-Semitism erupted over the attack. For in-depth analysis, FRANCE 24's François Picard welcomes former Israeli Ambassador to the US...

United Kingdom agrees deal over Chagos Islands despite court challenge

Britain has signed an agreement to hand sovereignty of the contested Chagos Islands to Mauritius. The Indian Ocean archipelago is home to a strategically important naval base but the deal has been criticised by some residents, as well as London says the move ...

Germany's Merz inaugurates new brigade in Lithuania, saying Russia 'is a threat to us all'

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Thursday inaugurated a historic new brigade in Lithuania, saying that Germany and its NATO partners are prepared to defend "every inch" of the alliance's territory. The thousands-strong brigade is part of European efforts to strengthen the region's defences in...

House passes Trump budget bill as critics fear cuts to services, ballooning debt

The Republican-led US House of Representatives voted overnight Thursday to approve President Donald Trump's mega-bill that critics warn would decimate health care and harm the poorest Americans while further enriching the wealthiest and ballooning the debt by almost $4 trillion over the next decade...

Humanitarian aid from 90 trucks being distributed across Gaza, the UN says

The UN said aid from some 90 trucks was being distributed at multiple points across Gaza on Thursday as more aid waited to enter the enclave. The Israeli military issued evacuation orders for northern areas of Gaza, warning they would be bombarded "with intense force" as Gaza's civil defence agency...

New York Times: How Russia’s intelligence services turned Brazil into a ‘spy factory’

PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, May 22: Lots of reactions from the South African press after Donald Trump "ambushes" South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during a meeting at the White House. The New York Times looks at Brazil's herculean efforts to dismantle a deep-rooted network of Russian spies. An...

South Africa’s Ramaphosa the latest to endure Trump’s Oval Office ambush

US President Donald Trump has turned televised meetings in the Oval Office with world leaders into punishing tests of nerve, with South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa the latest victim of Trump's verbal aggression, the same tactic he used in the notorious row with Ukraine’s President Volody...

More drones intercepted over Russian capital, flights disrupted

Russia said it intercepted more drones heading towards Moscow early Thursday. The attacks came a day after over two dozen drones were launched at the Russian capital. Both Moscow and Kyiv have deployed drones in the conflict. ...

North Korea state media reports 'serious' accident at warship launch ceremony

A serious accident occurred during the launch of a new North Korean warship on Wednesday while leader Kim Jong Un was attending the event, with him calling it a "criminal act" that could not be tolerated, state media KCNA reported. South Korean media reported that the destroyer was lying sideways...

Fresh evacuations as deadly floods leave thousands stranded in eastern Australia

Torrential rain pummelled Australia's southeast on Thursday, triggering flash flooding and forcing officials to issue fresh evacuation orders, while 50,000 residents were warned to prepare to isolate with more downpours expected over the next 24 hours....

No aid entering Gaza this week has reached Palestinians, UN says

FRANCE 24's Sharon Gaffney speaks to Rob Williams, CEO of War Child UK, about the spiralling humanitarian crisis in Gaza. On Wednesday, the UN announced efforts to deliver urgently needed aid that has arrived in Gaza this week, despite delays caused by concerns over looting and Israeli military res...

'Nowhere is safe in Gaza, nowhere at all'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday he was open to a "temporary ceasefire" in Gaza, as international pressure intensified over Israel's renewed offensive and aid blockade in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory. "If there is an option for a temporary ceasefire to free hostages...

Replay: Trump meets South Africa's Ramaphosa, plays 'genocide' video

US President Donald Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the White House on Wednesday with allegations of mass killings and land seizures from white people, in a scene reminiscent of his February ambushof Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky. ...

Could the Finland-Russia border be the next conflict zone after the Ukraine war?

Russia has been increasing its military presence near the more than 1,300-kilometre border it shares with Finland, prompting concern in European capitals over Russia’s future plans. For its part, Helsinki has made a concerted effort to bolster its own border defences, including ramping up defence...

South Africa president "very positive" ahead of meeting with Trump

US President Donald Trump is gearing up to host his South African counterpart at the White House wednesday. Topping the agenda for their meeting will be trade, the war in Gaza and the White Afrikaner farmers who the US President claims are the focus of a genocide in South Africa. Diplomatic ties b...

Cannes 2025: Gaza casts shadow over festival, but films celebrate Palestinian resilience

With war still raging in Gaza, Palestinian filmmakers are in no mood to celebrate their strongest Cannes showing in years. But the movies screened at the world’s leading film festival, including brothers Tarzan and Arab Nasser’s "Once Upon a Time in Gaza", are powerful odes to resilience....

Live: Ukrainian drone attack hits Russian semiconductor plant

A Ukrainian drone attack hit a semiconductor devices plant in Russia's western Oryol region that supplies Russian fighter jet and missile producers, Ukraine's military said on Wednesday. Ten drones had reached the target area, and a fire had broken out, Ukraine said on the Telegram messaging app. F...

European nations increase pressure on Israel to halt Gaza onslaught

The European Union on Tuesday said it would to review its trade cooperation deal with Israel over alleged human rights abuses brought about by the Israeli blockade of humanitarian aid into Gaza. In London, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said in parliament that Israel’s policy of blocking a...

China slams new US chip curbs as 'bullying,' vows response

Beijing on Wednesday condemned new US semiconductor export controls as "bullying," vowing countermeasures against restrictions limiting China's access to high-tech chips and supply chains. The commerce ministry warned the new measures undermine the global semiconductor industry chain....

Canada sends 'strong message' on Ukraine at G7 finance ministers summit

Top finance leaders from G7 nations convened in Canada on Tuesday to address Russia's war in Ukraine the and economic instability being fuelled by US President Trump's tariffs. During the summit to be held through Thursday, they will assess global economic challenges and attempt to align on Ukraine...

Ukraine launches probe into French-trained brigade hit by scandal

The scandal-plagued “Anne of Kyiv” brigade of the Ukrainian army that was trained in France is under further investigation after a Ukrainian media report alleged that its commander had been involved in “fictitious combat payments and extortion”.  The unit has seen over 1,200 cases of soldi...

'We need diplomacy now: Europeans don't have to wait on US to engage directly with Russians'

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he was weighing what actions to take after the European Union and Britain moved ahead with new Russia sanctions, but gave no further details. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, FRANCE 24's Delano D'Souza welcomes Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director of...

Romania's allies relieved by the victory of the pro-European party

Centrist and pro-European candidate Nicușor Dan has won Romania's presidential election, defeating far-right nationalist George Simion with 53.6% of the vote. Dan's victory, following a campaign emphasizing anti-corruption and EU integration, was welcomed by the European Union as a reaffirmation o...

Three dead as thunderstorms hit southeastern France

At least three people died, including a couple in their eighties, when thunderstorms hit southeast France on Tuesday, leaving behind what one official described as "scenes of war"....