Author: France 24

Forty-year-old Lewis Hamilton controlled the 19-lap sprint race in Shanghai to take the chequered flag in only his second weekend for Ferrari. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri will be joined on the front row for Sunday’s 56-lap race by the Mercedes of George Russell after a thrilling day of action at the Shanghai International Circuit.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on the 10th March that Washington would slash 83% of its USAID-funded international aid projects. The decision is already having serious repercussions. In southern Mexico, the Swiss NGO, Doctors of the World, has warned it may soon be forced to cease operations, leaving thousands of migrants without critical medical care. FRANCE 24’s team in Mexico reports.

Amid rising threats from war, climate change and disease, the EU is urging every household to stockpile enough food and supplies to last three days in case of a crisis.  Crisis Management Commissioner Hadja Lahbib also called for building up the EU’s strategic reserves of critical resources to respond to “every type of emergency including chemical, biological,and nuclear threats”. Plus, amid Donald Trump’s tariff wars, a majority of French adults are in favour of boycotting American goods. 

Hundreds of Palestinians protested in northern Gaza on Tuesday, demanding an end to the war with Israel and chanting anti-Hamas slogans, witnesses said. The crowd, mostly men, shouted “Hamas out!” and “Hamas terrorists” in Beit Lahia.

In the digital age, we are often reminded of the minefield that awaits us online—and the need to remain vigilant. As we whimsically share life’s most cherished moments—at times simple, at times exceptional, we bask in the excitement without a care in the world. All the while, a darker underworld lurks beneath the surface. Artificial intelligence offers a whole new world of possibilities, albeit bipolar, as it unlocks a Pandora’s box and unleashes “deep fakes” and disinformation, spreading bias, socio-economic inequality, and political instability. But what happens when an everyday private citizen falls prey to “virtual insanity”? A Norwegian family…

We kick off this edition of arts24 with a look at the world’s oldest moving images, courtesy of France’s Lumière Brothers, in Thierry Frémaux’s documentary “Lumière! The Adventure Continues”. Next, get ready for the musical adaptation of the Oscar-winning classic “Midnight Cowboy”, which is hitting London’s Southwark theatre soon. Plus, discover Alain Chabat’s new 3D animated Asterix series and a stylish Snoopy exhibition in Paris marking the Peanuts gang’s 75th anniversary.

Two of football’s former top officials, Sepp Blatter of FIFA and Michel Platini of UEFA, were on Tuesday acquitted of charges of fraud and mismanagement of $2 million of FIFA money by a Swiss court. It is the second time the pair has been acquitted of the crimes that prosecutors say occurred in 2011.

Attorney Generals in several US states have warned users to delete their accounts and protect their data, after 23andMe filed for bankruptcy protection and its CEO stepped down on Sunday. The company is best known for its saliva test kits that enable users to track their ancestry, but it has been struggling with the fallout of a massive data leak in 2023. Plus, a French entrepreneur hopes to revive Tupperware after buying the bankrupt airtight container maker’s French business. 

The United Nations is cutting its international staff in Gaza by around a third, a UN spokesperson said on Tuesday, citing concerns that the organisation wouldn’t be able to keep them safe. One UN staffer was killed and five more wounded earlier in March after an Israeli tank fired on a UN guesthouse in central Gaza. Follow our liveblog for all the latest developments.

French movie giant Gérard Depardieu on Tuesday gave his first testimony in a Paris-held trial where he is accused of groping two women on a 2021 movie set. The actor acknowledged using vulgar language and grabbing a woman’s hips but denied the sexual assault charges against him, saying his behavior can sometimes be boorish. “I’m not touching the butts of women,” he said.