Author: France 24

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations group phase draw was made in Rabat on Monday, setting the stage for the coveted football competition when it kicks off in Morocco on December 21. Hosts Morocco will open the tournament against the Comoros while other groups will see Egypt face South Africa and reigning champions Ivory Coast take on Cameroon.

In this edition of arts24, we meet the breakout star of one of the most anticipated films of the year. American actress Monica Barbaro plays folk music icon Joan Baez in the Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown”, opposite Franco-American star Timothée Chalamet in the main role. They have both been nominated for an Oscar. Monica has gone from flying fighter jets in “Top Gun: Maverick” with Tom Cruise to fighting baddies for the CIA next to Arnold Schwarzenegger in the series “Fubar”. Our culture editor Eve Jackson met her as “A Complete Unknown” premiered in Paris.

As a major energy summit kicked off in Tanzania towards the goal of delivering affordable electricity to 300 million more people by 2030, France 24’s Yuka Royer speaks with Sarah Malm, Executive Director at Gogla, about the importance of off-grid solar power.  But first, the release of Chinese AI chatbot DeepSeek has caused a global rout in technology stocks, with US chip designer Nvidia losing about 600 billion dollars in its market cap in a single day.  

Italian tennis champion Jannik Sinner cemented his status as the world’s top tennis player after surging past Germany’s Alexander Zverev to retain his Australian Open title on Sunday. 

His artistic vision and talents as a painter have contributed to some of the fantastical backdrops featured in “Star Wars”, “Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial”. As art director Michael Pangrazio receives the Génie d’honneur prize for outstanding achievement in visual effects at the Paris Images Digital Summit, he tells us about starting out in the film industry at an experimental time and how specialising in matte painting saw him create iconic scenes for Steven Spielberg. We also talk about how AI is set to revolutionise the movie industry and discuss the young filmmaking talents…

If you’ve watched the Netflix show Squid Game, you surely remember her face. The gigantic scary doll in the deadly version of Grandmother’s Footsteps (or Red Light, Green Light if you’re American). The doll’s name is Young-hee, and its designer says she was inspired by her own daughter, – who hopefully isn’t as deadly. Story by Charli James.

FRANCE 24 meets the musicians behind the Oscar-nominated soundtrack for “Emilia Perez”, as the French film establishes itself in pole position at the upcoming Academy Awards. While the musical has been applauded at many international film festivals, director Jacques Audiard has come under fire in Mexico for his portrayal of drug cartels and failing to cast more Mexican actors. And, we hear more from Chinese artists drawing up their own rules, as a group show in Paris shines a light on contemporary talents coming out of the country. Finally, we take a stroll through the Dolce Vita inspirations of fashion…

In a crowded Paris metro car or at the counter of a bustling café, it’s easy to forget what loomed over us just five years ago.Yet, on the fifth anniversary of the first Covid-19 lockdown in Wuhan, China, the headlines tell a different story: Donald Trump, on his first day back in office, signing an order for the United States to withdraw from the World Health Organization.We’ll examine why the UN health body might lose its largest donor and discuss the grievances surrounding global health leadership. Are we dealing with fringe anti-vaccine groups—or a more profound dissatisfaction?And just as many…

In the penultimate match week of the Europa League’s first league phase, English sides Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur edged closer to cementing a top eight finish on Thursday with wins against Rangers and Hoffenheim, respectively. Elsewhere, Olympique Lyonnais remained ranked between the two Premier League teams in fifth place after a tense draw with Istanbul, while Italian side Lazio remained top of the standings, becoming the first team to qualify for the round of 16.

US President Donald Trump addressed business leaders in Davos, with a clear message: build in America, or face tariffs. FRANCE 24’s Charles Pellegrin was on the ground to catch their reactions. IDA Ireland’s CEO also spoke to FRANCE 24 about how Irish businesses are preparing for a second Trump presidency.