Author: France 24

French doctors are striking over the Social Security Financing Act for 2026. According to Dr. Anna Boctor, Paediatrician and President of Jeunes Médecins, this signals an “authoritarian drift” in healthcare governance in a country long admired for its universal health care. Conditioning reimbursements on who prescribes care rather than why it is prescribed raises fundamental questions about medical autonomy, public health strategy, and democratic accountability.

Warner Brothers Discovery has rejected the latest takeover bid from Paramount Skydance, saying it’s still inferior to a rival offer from Netflix. Despite a $40 billion guarantee from billionaire Larry Ellison, WBD’s board says the plan is a risky leveraged buyout, financed by debt. But first, the United States says it’s “selectively” removing sanctions to bring Venezuelan oil back into international markets, starting with the sale of up to 50 million barrels to the US. 

We take a look at the French films kicking off 2026, as Manon Kerjean tells us about ‘Furcy’, the true story of a slave living on Reunion Island in the early 19th century who discovers that he was, in fact, born free. We also discuss the moving family drama “The Wonderers” and hear from début director Joséphine Japy about bringing her personal experience to the film.

The Syrian government and Kurdish-led forces traded blame over who started the deadly clashes on January 6, in which at least nine people were killed. A curfew has been imposed, and schools, universities and government buildings remained closed. This comes after a rare meeting in Paris between Syrian and Israeli representatives, with both seeking military de-escalation. FRANCE 24’s Wassim Nasr breaks it down for us.

Algeria defeated DR Congo thanks to a superb goal by Adil Boulbina in the last minute of extra time.

A severe cold snap has gripped Europe, causing deadly accidents and travel chaos.  In the German capital Berlin, freezing temperatures have made the situation even worse for tens of thousands of households that have been affected by a widespread power outage since Saturday.  A suspected arson attack claimed by a left-wing group is thought to have knocked electricity offline, sparking questions over the vulnerability of Germany’s wider infrastructure. 

His photography captures faces, figures and fleeting moments, and gives us the bigger picture when it comes to the social, cultural and political landscape. Franco-British photographer Ed Alcock is the winner of the Prix Niépce Gens d’Images, France’s oldest photography award, and he joins us to discuss the imagery that caught the jury’s attention. From family mysteries to the Brexit vote in 2016, Alcock takes a socio-realist approach to making photographs; the artist tells us why his documentary series are often prompted by deeply personal questions.

One of the humanitarian aid organisations affected by an Israeli ban from operating in Gaza and the West Bank says it is trying to negotiate with Israeli authorities to revoke the measure. Israel says the licences of the NGOs were removed after they refused to share full details of their staff. But Elsa Softic, deputy chief operations officer at Première Urgence Internationale, says her organisation has “serious concerns” about the new rules.

Nigeria booked their place in the quarter-finals of the AFCON in Morocco with an emphatic 4–0 victory over Mozambique, easing through the round of 16 without ever needing to hit top gear⤵️ #AFCON #Nigeria #Mozambique #AFCON2025 #Osimhen #Lookman

On Monday, the US government rolled back decades of childhood vaccination guidance, a move that comes amid broader efforts by the Trump administration’s Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reshape immunisation policy. Public health experts warn the change could leave children vulnerable to preventable diseases and hospitalisations.