Author: France 24

Voters in Finland are choosing Sunday between two experienced politicians to be their next president, whose main task will be to steer the Nordic country’s foreign and security policy now that it is a member of NATO, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Issued on: 11/02/2024 – 09:29 1 min Former prime minister Alexander Stubb, 55, on the center right, and former foreign minister Pekka Haavisto, 65, from the green left, largely agree on Finland’s foreign policy and security priorities.These include maintaining a hard line toward Moscow and Russia’s current leadership, strengthening security ties with Washington, and the need to help…

Las Vegas, the premier party town in the U.S., is relishing its role as a first-time Super Bowl host, welcoming fans from all over the country eager to be part of America’s biggest sporting event. Issued on: 11/02/2024 – 11:09 2 min Traffic on the Las Vegas Strip has been at a near standstill in recent nights as an influx of several hundred thousand football fanatics descend on the city in anticipation of the title clash between San Francisco and Kansas City.Rapper Lil Wayne electrified a pre-Super Bowl party hosted by Shaquille O’Neal on Friday at XS nightclub, where the…

Emergency medical personnel who volunteered to work at the European hospital near Khan Younis tell FRANCE 24 of the dire conditions at one of Gaza’s last functioning medical facilities, where overwhelmed staff grapple with an acute shortage of medicine and have to make agonising choices over which critically injured patients to treat.  Doctor Raphaël Pitti and nurse Imane Maarifi returned to France on February 6 after a gruelling 16-day stint at the overcrowded European hospital in southern Gaza, where thousands of displaced people have joined the injured and sick, seeking shelter and safety.   Their account offers rare insight into the plight of the Palestinian enclave…

Iran marked Sunday the 45th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution amid tensions gripping the wider Middle East over Israel’s continued war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Issued on: 11/02/2024 – 09:58 2 min Thousands of Iranians marched through major streets and squares decorated with flags, balloons and banners with revolutionary and religious slogans.In Tehran, crowds waved Iranian flags, chanted slogans, and carried placards with the traditional “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” written on them. Some burned U.S. and Israeli flags, a common practice in pro-government rallies.Processions started out from several points, converging at Azadi Square. State…

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…

The Africa Cup of Nations concludes on Sunday as Ivory Coast aim to complete a remarkable turnaround in fortunes by becoming the first host nation to win the title in 18 years when they meet the Nigeria of Victor Osimhen in the final. Issued on: 11/02/2024 – 07:48 3 min The match starts at 2000 GMT at the Ebimpe Olympic Stadium on the outskirts of Abidjan, Ivory Coast’s economic capital, the venue where Nigeria defeated the tournament hosts 1-0 during the group stage.After a month of competition, the most thrilling AFCON in recent memory has thrown up a fascinating heavyweight…

Back to homepage / Shows / Africa Cup of Nations 2024 Issued on: 11/02/2024 – 00:55 17:09 AFCON © France 24 It was a match void of quality in front of goal as South Africa and the DR Congo played out a goalless draw in Abidjan. While the Leopards had the better of the chances, Ronwen Williams stood strong in goal for Hugo Broos’s team, saving two penalties to earn Bafana their best result since 2000. We take a look at the match plus a preview of the final between Nigeria and Ivory Coast here on France 24. © Studio graphique…

Hungarian President Katalin Novak, a close ally of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, announced her resignation Saturday following outrage over a pardon granted to a man implicated in a child sexual abuse case. Issued on: 10/02/2024 – 21:04 2 min Soon afterwards another Orban supporter, former justice minister Judit Varga, announced she was withdrawing from public life over the affair.The announcements followed growing pressure from opposition politicians and protests outside the presidential palace Friday evening.”I am resigning my post,” said 46-year-old Novak, acknowledging that she had made a mistake.”I apologise to those who I hurt and all the victims who may…

Climate activist Greta Thunberg on Saturday joined a banned anti-motorway protest in southern France where police fired tear gas and made arrests a day earlier. Issued on: 10/02/2024 – 12:41Modified: 10/02/2024 – 18:20 2 min Thunberg came as part of a delegation of French, Belgian, Swedish and Spanish activists to the site near the southwestern city of Toulouse.”We are here to stand in solidarity with the people who are resisting this project and this madness,” Thunberg told reporters, wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh. “Unfortunately, these kinds of projects are not unique to France but are happening all over the world and are…

France held off Scotland for a scrappy 20-16 win at Murrafield after a lengthy controversial TMO call not to award the home side a try with the last action of the game on Saturday. Issued on: 10/02/2024 – 17:39Modified: 10/02/2024 – 17:37 3 min Scotland thought they had snatched victory at the death but the video referee could not find conclusive proof to overturn referee Nic Berry’s on-field call of no try after adjudging the ball not to have been grounded by Rory Darge over the line.Les Bleus were far from their brilliant best but did enough to ease the…