Author: France 24

Iran may look increasingly isolated on the international stage, but cybersecurity companies say its extensive network of hackers is working hard to pursue the government’s strategic interests. One person who’s being used as a pawn in a massive cyber campaign is FRANCE 24’s technology editor Peter O’Brien.

Donald Trump rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange, a first for the US president-elect, after he was named “person of the year” by Time magazine. Plus, the European Central Bank cut interest rates again as the focus shifts from fighting inflation to supporting the Eurozone economy amid sluggish growth and political uncertainty. 

 A top U.S. military officer visited Beirut on Wednesday to monitor the withdrawal of the first Israeli troops from Lebanon under a ceasefire agreement reached last month, the U.S. Central Command said. The U.S. confirmed that Israel had withdrawn its forces from the town of Al-Khiam in south Lebanon. 

Dheepthika Laurent and film critic Perrine Quenesson look at the latest film releases in France, starting with a very famous aviator: the enigmatic Antoine de Saint Exupéry, best known for writing “The Little Prince”. He’s the focus of “Saint-Ex”, a biopic by Argentine-French filmmaker Pablo Aguero. Also on the big screen is another biopic on a legendary French stage actress in Guillaume Nicloux’s film “The Divine Sarah Bernhardt”, and a very French movie – “Holy Cow” by filmmaker Louise Courvoisier – set in the Jura region home to Comté cheese, as well as a documentary on renowned French music composer Michel Legrand in…

France has restricted the sale of certain common cold medicines by making them prescription only. On today’s edition, we explain why the ANSM – France’s national agency for the safety of medicine and health products – has made this call. We also dive into some preconceived notions about the French’s love of prescriptions. We find out they are no longer the champion pill poppers of Europe, but they do consume dozens of boxes of drugs every year.

Manchester City are facing elimination from the Champions League after a seventh defeat in 10 games. They lost 2-0 to Juventus on Tuesday. 

French lawmakers are considering emergency financing laws to avoid a potential shutdown of government services. The budget which Michel Barnier attempted to force through parliament was a key factor in the no-confidence vote which toppled his government. With the government’s future in limbo, any delay could leave the French state – and programs like social security – without funding on January 1. Also in the show – your Christmas tree may be green, but is it sustainable? 

Since the October 7 Hamas attack last year, some 350,000 Israeli reservists have been called up to fight. The ongoing fighting, now entering its 14-month mark, has left its mark on Israel troops as more and more suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Struggling to cope with the horrors of war, some soldiers are seeking out equine therapy to help heal from their trauma. Claire Duhamel and Noga Tarnopolsky report.

Street art used to mean spontaneous scribbles under the cover of darkness; now those images hang in major museums and sell at auction for millions. A new exhibition at the Petit Palais in Paris is celebrating the universal language of street art. “We Are Here” features work from around the world, including an installation by French artist Seth. He tells us how collaborating with people around the world has informed both his style and the way he creates his pieces, and why we should adopt more of a child-like attitude when we encounter artwork in galleries.

In Zimbabwe, the countries’ struggling healthcare system is driving desperate cancer patients to unregulated herbalists. Doctors warn these types of alternative medecines could be doing more harm than good. Story by Laurent Berstecher.