Author: France 24

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is visiting China on a two-day trip starting Wednesday.  He’s the latest in a string of Western leaders to try and seek new partnerships with the Asian giant in recent weeks, amid Donald Trump’s trade war against the rest of the world.  It’s a delicate balancing act for the German leader as the country’s industry has been squeezed by competition from China. But first, we take stock of what four years of war have done to Ukraine’s economy. 

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In this episode of arts24, we mark four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine with powerful films from the frontlines. The BAFTA-winning documentary “Mr. Nobody Against Putin” exposes how Russian schools have been used for propaganda, while Ukrainian filmmaker Mstyslav Chernov captures frontline courage in “2000 Meters to Andriivka”, which follows soldiers during the 2023 counteroffensive.

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Students have a right to protest but must “understand the red lines”, Iran’s government spokeswoman said Tuesday ( February 24), in the first official reaction to renewed anti-government rallies on campuses. Students rallied at the start of a new semester on Saturday, following on from nationwide protests in January that sparked a deadly crackdown from the authorities.

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After the US Supreme Court struck down his ‘liberation day’ tariffs as unlawful, Donald Trump doubled down on his trade policy and warned countries around the world not to “play games” with the court ruling and stick to recently-agreed trade deals.  The EU meanwhile has decided to hold off on ratifying its agreement with the US while waiting for clarity. 

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In this edition of our arts24 music show, Jennifer Ben Brahim chats with British artist Jamie Woon, who is back with new music for the first time in a decade. He emerged from London’s fertile post-dubstep scene of the early 2010s with his debut album “Mirrorwriting” and his Mercury-nominated follow-up “Making Time”. His lyrics are vulnerable and introspective, blending R’n’B, neo soul and electronic sounds. After a decade away from the spotlight, Jamie is back with his album “3,10, Why, When” and is heading out on a European tour.

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Photos have circulated showing celebrations as formerly exiled Gazans have been able to return home since the partial reopening of the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. However, that isn’t the story for the majority of people seeking to cross: with only a few dozen people allowed through each day, many Gazans are stuck waiting, with no sense of when or if they will be able to cross.

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