Author: France 24

Hollywood A-lister Brad Pitt has put out a statement after a French woman was swindled into sending her life savings – €830,000 – after being scammed by his AI likeness. The woman appeared on primetime television on French channel TF1, claiming the fraudster sent daily photos, videos and even IDs as Brad Pitt, claiming the money was needed for secret cancer treatment. Her story has unleashed a torrent of widespread cyberbullying, memes and mockery online. Vedika Bahl explains in Truth or Fake.

Canadian rapper Drake sued his longtime label Universal Music Group on Wednesday for promoting rival Kendrick Lamar’s song “Not Like Us”, saying the diss track released as part of a bitter rap beef last year contained false accusations that put him and his family in danger. 

The incoming US administration under Donald Trump may go “as far as war” with Iran, said Eberhard Kienle, research professor at the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). While Trump appears to prefer pressure through economic sanctions, “with Iran, there may be an exception … maximum pressure may go as far as war,” Kienle said.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is currently under pressure from right-wing members of his cabinet, according to Scott Lucas, professor of American Studies and International Politics at the Clinton Institute of University College Dublin. “I think the biggest influence on Netanyahu will not be Donald Trump. It will be those right-wing ministers that threaten to bring down his government,” Lucas said.

TikTok plans to shut US operations of its social media app used by 170 million Americans on Sunday, when a federal ban is set to take effect, barring a last-minute reprieve, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. FRANCE 24’s Sharon Gaffney speaks to Nadine Strossen, New York Law School Professor Emerita and Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. She says it is “nonsensical” for the US to single out one single social media app.

David Lynch, the American filmmaker, writer and artist who scored best director Oscar nominations for “Blue Velvet”, “The Elephant Man” and “Mulholland Drive” and co-created the groundbreaking TV series “Twin Peaks” has died at age 78, his family said on Thursday.

The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was a “political decision” for Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Israeli political commentator Dr. Ori Goldberg told FRANCE 24. “He (Netanyahu) understands two things: one is that Israel has absolutely nowhere else to go, and its condition is beginning to deteriorate both externally and internally, but also I think he understands that there has been a subtle shift in Israeli public opinion over the past several weeks … his future voters are tired of the war and want it to end”, Goldberg said.

As France celebrates half a century of legal abortion, FRANCE 24’s Oliver Farry welcomes Kei Yoshida, Senior Legal Advisor at the Center for Reproductive Rights, offering an in-depth look at women’s health, reproductive rights, and the progressive trend spanning the globe.

Are leading artificial intelligence companies doing enough to keep us safe from the potential harms of their products? According to the nonprofits SaferAI and the Future of Life Institute, based in Paris and Brussels respectively, the answer is “no”. We tell you more in this edition of Tech 24.

As the film world mourns the loss of legendary director David Lynch, arts24 looks back at the life and career of a true icon. Known for his surreal and unsettling style in films like “Twin Peaks”, “Blue Velvet” and “Mulholland Drive”, he redefined cinema and television, leaving behind a legacy of groundbreaking works. Film critic Emma Jones talks to Eve Jackson about his importance to cinema, his love of France and how he even made the weather interesting.