Author: France 24

Syria’s interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa met Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on his first international trip Sunday, visiting Saudi Arabia in what appears to be an effort to signal Damascus’ pivot away from Iran as its primary regional ally.

Japan is one of the fastest-ageing societies in the world, with almost a third of its population over 65 years old. As a result, the county is seeing more and more cases of dementia each year: almost 5 million people are now living with the condition. In response, the government is taking the problem seriously and has formed a special committee in a bid to tackle the crisis. Our correspondents Alexis Bregere, Mélodie Sforza and Justin McCurry report from Tokyo. 

Reigning champions Real Madrid will face struggling 2023 winners Manchester City in the Champions League playoff round, while Paris Saint-Germain will take on tournament newcomers Brest in an all-French clash. 

Shortly after taking office, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to delay a ban on the popular Chinese-owned social media app TikTok by 75 days. In this edition of our media show Scoop, we ask what’s next and what impact the uncertainty will have on the tech industry and its online users. We’re joined by FRANCE 24’s Peter O’Brien, Yi Song and Jesse Dimich-Louvet.

In this edition of Entre Nous, we speak to British bandleader, musician and television presenter Jools Holland ahead of the jazz festival at the Chatêlet theatre in Paris, where he’ll be playing with his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra on February 10. He tells us what it’s like playing to a French audience and what he is most looking forward to. 

The ceasefire in Gaza is entering a “new phase” as a second round of negotiations on the second stage of the truce is poised to begin on Monday. With Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu seemingly reluctant to resume peace talks, the ceasefire is at risk of falling apart. FRANCE 24’s Douglas Herbert brings you this analysis.

When he was Ukraine’s president, Petro Poroshenko says he knew how to get along with Donald Trump. The leader of the opposition European Solidarity party tells François Picard about how to handle the new administration in Washington and confirms that he’s ready when the time comes to throw his hat in the ring for a return to power. But it’s not time for elections, he explains. “You can’t have elections and unity”, Ukraine can only win this battle by “demonstrating strength through unity”, alongside Europe, the US. The Russian president only understands “the language of strength.” Mr. Poroshenko says that…

US President Donald Trump’s pick for health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr faces a grilling before the Republican-controlled Senate on Wednesday and Thursday, with some senators expressing concern over the former Democrat’s hardline anti-vaccine campaigning.

France captain Antoine Dupont lived up to expectations as the mercurial scrumhalf made his Six Nations comeback in style to lead France to a 43-0 crushing of Wales in this year’s curtain riser on Friday.

It’s becoming less clear by the day who is supposed to be buying TikTok. One of Donald Trump’s first acts on his return as US president was to delay a ban on the Chinese-owned app, in order to find an American company for it to be sold to. But near the end of his second week in office, we’re still none the wiser.