Author: France 24

 A vote to end a US government shutdown failed Wednesday, as Democrats in the Senate held firm to the party’s demands to fund health care subsidies that President Donald Trump and Republicans refuse to provide. 

Paris Saint-Germain stunned Barcelona with a 90th-minute goal from Gonçalo Ramos, clinching a 2-1 away win in the Champions League on Wednesday. Depleted PSG battled back after Ferran Torres gave the hosts the lead, securing a dramatic victory at the Olympic Stadium.

The United States has ambled into another government shutdown as Repubicans and Democrats in Congress failed to pass a funding bill in time for the new fiscal year.  It comes at a time the US economy is in a precarious state, with inflation rising and the job market weakening. Also in the segment, France is bracing for another day of nationwide strikes and protests as new Prime Minister Sébastian Lecornu tries to draft a budget.  The rallying cry for unions: “Tax the Rich”. 

This week on arts24, we explore the rise of virtual talent and the storm surrounding AI actress Tilly Norwood, the digital star unveiled at the Zurich Film Festival that’s shaking up the entertainment world. Plus, film critic Emma Jones tells us about the festival’s human stars: Russell Crowe reflects on his storied career while accepting a Lifetime Achievement Award, Colin Farrell charms audiences in a new role set in Macau, and Benedict Cumberbatch confronts grief in an unexpected form. We also take a first look at Palme d’Or winner “It Was Just an Accident”, a haunting new feature from Iranian…

In this in-depth interview for Top Story, Italian journalist for La Repubblica, Francesca Borri offers much-needed context on the geopolitical calculus behind the US-Israel postwar plan for Gaza. She argues the proposal lacks any enforceable commitments and risks turning Gaza into an internationally administered zone, effectively sidelining Palestinian sovereignty. With Arab regimes largely aligned out of fatigue or strategic interest, and European donors complicit in sustaining a corrupt, deeply unpopular Palestinian Authority, Borri warns that symbolic solidarity is no longer enough. She says the real danger is the definitive end to Palestine through diplomacy.

A heavy security presence on Monday evening thwarted for a straight third day youth-led protests across several Moroccan cities, where demonstrators have sought to rally for improvements to the public health and education systems. Story by Oliver Farry and Sophie Samaille.

Olympique de Marseille crushed Ajax Amsterdam 4-0 at home in the Champions League on Tuesday, with Igor Paixao scoring twice inside 12 minutes before Mason Greenwood and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang sealed the win. The Brazilian winger opened his Marseille account after six minutes and quickly doubled his tally.

As the US Senate prepared to vote again on a stopgap bill to keep the government funded for a few more weeks, President Donald Trump said a government shutdown was likely and warned Democrats that the administration could take some “irreversible” actions in such a scenario, including cuts to personnel and benefits. Meanwhile, YouTube agreed to pay Trump $24.5 million to settle a lawsuit over the freezing of his account in the wake of the January 6 riot in 2021. 

Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi has been jailed, gone on hunger strike and even sold his house to pay bail – all for the right to make movies. After winning the Palme d’Or at Cannes and being selected to represent France at the Oscars, he’s now releasing his new film “It Was Just an Accident”, inspired by his own imprisonment. In this interview, Panahi explains to Eve Jackson why every film is worth the risk.

Iran’s state television on September 24 broadcast a documentary claiming to expose confidential documents related to Israel’s nuclear programme. However, some of the information presented as new is readily available online.