Author: France 24

Extreme heat is one of the most deadly problems from climate change even though it receives less attention than other knock-on effects like hurricanes and flooding, two of the world’s leading humanitarian organisations warned Thursday. Issued on: 29/03/2024 – 01:56 2 min The year 2023 was the hottest on record, with rising temperatures affecting the most vulnerable populations in particular — the elderly, outdoor workers and those without access to cooling systems such as air conditioners.The Red Cross and the US Agency for International Development delivered their warnings against the “invisible killer” of extreme heat at a virtual summit, on…

Russian missile and drone attacks hit thermal and hydro power plants in central and western Ukraine, power grid operator Ukrenergo said on Friday, in the latest barrage targeting the country’s already damaged power infrastructure. Issued on: 29/03/2024 – 08:40Modified: 29/03/2024 – 10:31 1 min “During the night, the Russians struck again at energy facilities in a massive and combined attack,” Ukrenergo said on the Telegram messaging app.”Thermal and hydroelectric power plants in the central and western regions were damaged.”Regional officials said Russian forces had attacked infrastructure in the Kamianske district near the city of Dnipro. At least one person was…

Gaza’s health ministry collects data from the enclave’s hospitals and the Palestinian Red Crescent.The health ministry does not report how Palestinians were killed, whether from Israeli airstrikes and artillery barrages or errant Palestinian rocket fire. It describes all casualties as victims of “Israeli aggression”.The ministry also does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Throughout four wars and numerous skirmishes between Israel and Hamas, UN agencies have cited the Hamas-run health ministry’s death tolls in regular reports. The International Committee of the Red Cross and Palestinian Red Crescent also use the numbers.In the aftermath of war, the UN humanitarian office has published…

French President Emmanuel Macron and his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Thursday displayed their unity on major global issues, while skirting differences on the war in Ukraine. Issued on: 29/03/2024 – 02:19 3 min Macron wrapped up his three-day tour of the Latin American giant with a solemn, but warm, trip to the presidential palace in the modernist capital Brasilia.The French leader paid tribute to “the spirit of resistance” of Lula’s government for “restoring democracy” after a crowd of extreme-right supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro stormed the seats of power in the city in January 2023.Lula…

Senegal’s anti-establishment leader Bassirou Diomaye Faye, whose weekend election victory could be officially confirmed within days, was welcomed at the presidential palace Thursday by outgoing leader Macky Sall. Issued on: 28/03/2024 – 22:36 1 min The meeting, which came after weeks of crisis surrounding the vote, suggested a swift and peaceful handover in the West African nation that prides itself on democratic stability in a coup-hit region.Faye, 44, was only freed from prison 10 days before the election, along with his mentor Ousmane Sonko, who was barred from running following a criminal conviction he says was politically motivated.The outgoing president…

France has asked its foreign allies to send several thousand members of their security forces to help guard the Paris Olympics, officials said Thursday, underlining the strains caused by the sporting extravaganza which begins in July. Issued on: 28/03/2024 – 17:59 2 min “Several foreign nations are going to reinforce us in certain critical areas, such as dog-handling capabilities where the needs are enormous,” an official at the defence ministry told AFP on condition of anonymity.The official did not say how many foreign soldiers would be on French soil, but Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz confirmed his country was joining…

Russia said Thursday it had evidence the perpetrators of last week’s massacre at a concert hall outside Moscow were linked to “Ukrainian nationalists”, a claim that the United States called nonsense. Issued on: 28/03/2024 – 19:49Modified: 28/03/2024 – 19:50 2 min President Vladimir Putin and his security services continue to allege Kyiv and the West were involved somehow in last Friday’s attack, despite an Islamic State (IS) group affiliate having claimed responsibility.Putin said Saturday that 11 people had been detained after gunmen stormed the Crocus City Hall, setting the building alight and killing at least 143 people.”As a result of…

Back to homepage / Shows / People & Profit Issued on: 28/03/2024 – 18:03 11:34 PEOPLE&PROFIT © France 24 TikTok is once again in the crosshairs of the US administration, after the House of Representatives voted in favour of a bill that would force its Chinese owner ByteDance to divest itself of the social media platform or see it banned in the US. Charles Pellegrin asks journalist Océane Herrero, who’s written a book on TikTok, what it would mean for the future of the video-sharing app if the bill were signed into law. Also on the programme:Under the leadership of…

The investigation continues to determine why a container ship, the Dali, smashed into a pillar of the 2.6 km span of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key bridge in early morning darkness on Tuesday, causing it to collapse and leaving six construction workers presumed dead. Issued on: 28/03/2024 – 17:20 2 min However, establishing the precise cause of the accident will be just the first step in untangling the question of who will shoulder the financial cost of the disaster, which will be considerable. John Neal, chief executive of the leading global insurer Lloyds of London, told British media on Thursday that the…

Disgraced cryptocurrency wunderkind Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced to 25 years in jail on Thursday following his conviction in one of the biggest financial fraud cases in history. Issued on: 28/03/2024 – 17:17Modified: 28/03/2024 – 17:47 3 min US prosecutors were seeking a prison term of 40-50 years after a New York jury found Bankman-Fried, known by his initials SBF, guilty in November following a five-week trial that probed the one-time high roller’s spectacular fall.During the hearing Bankman-Fried told the courtroom that he was “sorry about what happened at every stage. And there are things I should’ve done and things I…