Author: France 24

Nearly 700 people have been killed in Lebanon this week, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. Israel has dramatically escalated strikes, saying it is targeting Hezbollah’s military capacities and senior Hezbollah commanders. More information with FRANCE 24 correspondent in Beirut, Rawad Taha.

Italian sprinter Valentina Petrillo became the first openly transgender athlete to compete in a Paralympics on Monday, while Brazil’s swimmer Gabrielzinho completed a golden treble with victory in the 200 metres freestyle S2 final.

Amnesty International is accusing big tech platforms of playing an active role in fuelling racist violence. The accusation comes after riots erupted in the UK this summer following the publication of false information on social media, but it also applies to many other issues and conflicts around the world. The issue of online content and free speech are also at the forefront of the US presidential election campaign. In Perspective, we speak to Head of Big Tech Accountability at Amnesty International, Pat de Brún.

A ground offensive in Lebanon would be “costly” to the Israeli army if it decides to send troops across the border, former head of the French military mission to the UN Dominique Trinquand told FRANCE 24. “I think it would be a very dangerous position to go on the ground [for Israel],” Trinquand said, evoking the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war during which Israeli forces invaded Lebanon.

Maggie Smith, the masterful, scene-stealing actor who won an Oscar for 1969 film “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” and gained new fans in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham in “ Downton Abbey” and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films, died Friday. She was 89.

In a special edition, we focus on menopause since general knowledge of what it means for those who experience it and how to best treat it, is minimal to say the least. Although menopause is still considered taboo in many parts of the world, we report on how attitudes are changing dramatically in the UK where legislation is being discussed and employers now have a legal responsibility to support middle-aged women at work. Annette Young is also joined by noted American urologist, Dr Kelly Casperson, and Mathilde Neme who’s designed an app in France to help women deal with its…

French rugby superstar Antoine Dupont paid a visit to the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday, two months after inspiring France to a historic rugby sevens gold at the Paris Olympics. But he played down rumours of a future shift to American football.

OpenAI, the world’s most valuable AI startup, has just lost another executive. Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati is one of more than 20 key staff who have departed this year, leaving CEO Sam Altman with just one of his fellow co-founders.

She’s one of the greatest contralto singers in the world; a French-speaking Canadian opera star who has performed on stage across the planet. Marie-Nicole Lemieux talks to Eve Jackson about wanting to speak to the audience’s emotions through music, being a body positive role model for women of different shapes and sizes and why Maria Callas’s tragic life nearly put her off becoming an opera singer. You can see her perform at the Bastille Opera house as Mrs Quickly in Verdi’s “Falstaff” until September 30. After that she’ll be back in January for Wagner’s “Das Rheingold”.

Amnesty International is accusing big tech platforms of playing an active role in fuelling racist violence. The accusation comes after riots erupted in the UK this summer following the publication of false information on social media, but it also applies to many other issues and conflicts around the world. The issue of online content and free speech are also at the forefront of the US presidential election campaign. In Perspective, we spoke to Head of Big Tech Accountability at Amnesty International, Pat de Brun.