Author: France 24

The Golden Triangle takes part of its name from its location on the border of three countries: Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos. Gold refers to “black gold” – or opium – which has contributed to the wealth of the region since it was first produced there in the 19th century. The CIA popularised the name Golden Triangle in the 1970s, when drug trafficking reached its peak. Nearly 700 tonnes of opium were produced every year in the region and exported worldwide. It was often sold as heroin. But the region has seen a rise in new illicit synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine and…

Cristiano Ronaldo and his future-wife Georgia were at the White House on November 18 as President Donald Trump hosted a glitzy dinner to honor Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

It’s the third Thursday of November, meaning this year’s Beaujolais Nouveau is out on sale.  Massively popular in the 1980s, the wine has seen its sales decline significantly. The French wine sector as a whole has been in difficulty, amid climate change, trade tensions and falling demand. 

Currently touring Europe, jazz musician and trumpet player Takuya Kuroda sits down with FRANCE 24 to speak about his beginnings in the industry and his recording process. Originally from Kobe in Japan, Kuroda says the country’s jazz scene, particularly vibrant in Tokyo, encouraged him to go to New York. The Big Apple, he says, is still an influential “melting pot” of cultures and styles. When it comes to “contemporary crossovers” in his own music, Kuroda credits jazz vocalist José James, whom he met during his studies, with showing him how to blend jazz with other genres like funk and hip-hop.

The Lebanese army on Thursday arrested infamous drug kingpin Nouh Zaiter during an operation in the country’s east, according to a military source. Zaiter, who is under European and US sanctions, is accused of running a vast cross-border narcotics empire.

In this episode of Arts 24, we look at “Fall of Freedom” – a nationwide wave of performances, readings and public art events as artists across the United States mobilise against mounting censorship and political pressure on cultural institutions. Hundreds of theatres, museums, and libraries are taking part on November 21 and 22 in what organisers call an urgent stand for artistic freedom. Joining us from New York are two of the movement’s leading voices: Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Lynn Nottage and visual artist Dread Scott. They discuss why they believe democracy is at risk, how cultural institutions are being pressured…

Achraf Hakimi on Wednesday became the first defender in over half a century to win African Footballer of the Year at the 2025 CAF Awards in Rabat, topping Mohamed Salah and Victor Osimhen after a trophy-filled season with PSG.

Today marks World Toilet Day, a day that seeks to inspire actions to tackle what the UN refers to as a global sanitation crisis, with some 3.4 billion people living without safe sanitation. In China this year also marks 10 years since Chinese President Xi Jinping declared a “Chinese Toilet Revolution”, aimed at upgrading the country’s bathrooms and hygiene standards. Despite large improvements, work remains to be done. Report by FRANCE 24 correspondents in China, Jan Camenzind Broomby and Eudeline Boishult.

The European Union has proposed plans to ease the bloc’s strict data protection rules and delay central parts of its AI law.  Brussels says the aim is to boost innovation and competitiveness of European firms by cutting red tape, but digital rights groups see the move as capitulating to pressure from Big Tech and US President Donald Trump. Also in the segment, a Belgian farmer has taken TotalEnergies to court over climate change, hoping it would force the oil giant to change its practices. 

Film critic Emma Jones joins Eve Jackson to unpack Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s show-stopping return to Oz in Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked: For Good”, the blockbuster sequel landing with sky-high expectations, brand-new music and even a headline-grabbing incident at its Asian premiere. But this week’s arts24 film show has far more than pink bubbles and green glamour.