Author: France 24

An uncounted number of extra people have died, and 2.5 million have lost access to medicine to block the spread of HIV and AIDS. That’s because of huge cuts to global aid programmes since US President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January. UNAIDS warns that unless the situation improves, the funding cuts will mean an extra 3.3 million people will be infected by HIV over the next five years. On World AIDS Day, we spoke in Perspective to Christine Stegling, Deputy Executive Director of the Policy, Advocacy and Knowledge Branch of UNAIDS.

Hosts Australia and three-time champions New Zealand were drawn into the same group Wednesday for the expanded Rugby World Cup in 2027, with the winner likely to meet defending champions South Africa in the quarterfinals. France will take on Japan, USA and Samoa, while England go up against local rivals Wales as well as Tonga and Zimbabwe.

The European Commission has unveiled plans to provide €90 billion to support Ukraine over the next two years, by either using frozen Russian assets or by borrowing money on international markets. Although the EU has already been using interests earned on Russian central bank assets held up in Europe to help Ukraine, Belgium is firmly against tapping into the actual funds.  But first, the EU has presented a new strategy to reduce its dependence on China for rare earths. 

Arts24 dives into the life of France’s most explosive cinema legend as a new documentary pulls back the curtain on Brigitte Bardot – the star who became a myth and then walked away from it all to fight for animal rights. Director Elora Thevenet joins us in the studio to reveal how she gained rare access to the fiercely private 91-year-old, while our critic Manon Kerjean breaks down the film’s intimate portrait of a woman once adored and still controversial decades later.

In Gaza, 54 couples held a mass wedding in Khan Younis, bringing a rare moment of joy amid war and displacement. The UAE-sponsored event also provided support for couples to start their new lives.

In France, the mental health of young people has deteriorated in recent years, particularly since the Covid-19 pandemic. In this edition, we met several young people suffering from mental health struggles, who shared their stories in the hope of overcoming taboos.

The Coupe de France (French Cup) round of 64 draw was held at Parc des Princes. Monaco will face Auxerre in the only clash between Ligue 1 sides.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman declared a ‘code red’ to improve ChatGPT, planning to put all other projects on the backburner. The urgent call in an internal memo, first reported by The Information, highlights the ever-tightening race for AI supremacy with Google’s recent launch of its new Gemini chatbot threatening ChatGPT’s lead in the field. Also in the segment, the OECD says the global economy has held up better than expected this year in the face of Donald Trump’s tariffs, but warns risks remain. 

From Lisbeth Salander to Mother Teresa, Noomi Rapace has never shied away from transformative, fearless roles. In her latest film “Mother”, directed by Teona Strugar Mitevska, the Swedish actress takes on one of her most radical characters yet: a young Mother Teresa in 1948, on the brink of leaving the convent to follow her calling. But this is no reverential biopic. “Mother” is raw, provocative, and intimate – a “punk rock” portrait that demystifies the saint and reveals the ambitious, conflicted woman beneath.

Pope Leo’s plane has departed Beirut for Rome, marking the end of his first overseas trip as head of the Catholic Church, which included visits to Turkey and Lebanon. During the visit, he delivered a strong plea for Lebanon’s diverse communities to come together to address the country’s deep crises, speaking to tens of thousands at a Mass on Tuesday. He also urged broader peace across the region. France24 correspondent Rawad Taha reports from Beirut.