Author: France 24

“If we can laugh together, we can live together.” The phrase serves as the leitmotif of the Styria Comedy Club stand-up collective. With the fall of the Assad regime last December, Styria comedians are enjoying newfound freedoms, touring the country to perform their shows. They are also staging Syria’s first-ever stand-up festival this October, with the goal of bringing Syrians together through humour. The FRANCE 24 Observers team spoke to Malke Mardinali, one of the founders.

The United Nations’ top legal body, the International Court of Justice, is issuing an advisory opinion on what Israel’s obligations are to the UN and other aid organisations trying to work in Gaza and the West Bank. Could this have an impact on humanitarian aid reaching civilians in war-torn Gaza. To offer on-the-ground expertise and deep perspective on the on-going humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Genie Godula is pleased to welcome Arwa Damon, Founder of the International Network for Aid, Relief and Assistance (INARA), and former CNN Senior Correspondent. While “in theory” the ICJ advisory should make a difference, Ms. Damon…

Paris Saint-Germain crushed Bayer Leverkusen (7-2). With three wins in three games, they are top of the table.

The jewellery stolen from the Louvre in Paris on Sunday is valued at 88 million euros, according to the Paris prosecutor citing the museum’s curator.  Authorities warn the robbers not to disassemble the pieces to sell the precious stones. Elsewhere, Japan’s first female prime minsiter Sanae Takaichi faces economic challenges as she hopes to spur growth with Abenomics-style economic policies, at a time of rising inflation and a weaker yen. 

Nigerian-Belgian artist Otobong Nkanga chose a particularly poetic title for her latest exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in Paris: “I Dreamt of You in Colours.” This marks her largest show to date in France. Otobong joins us to talk about how living entities are in constant dialogue with the environment in her multi-media installations, and why “bling” means so much more than the glint of cheap jewelry in her artwork. The award-winning sculptor also discusses how stone, textiles and even her own voice can be shaped to tell a story, and we discuss the seminal artworks that prompted…

With the fragile ceasefire still holding, Gazans try to rebuild after two years of continuous bombing. At the same time, concern grows regarding the fragile US-brokered peace deal, following a flare f tension between Israel and Hamas. Said concerns have prompted a visit from US Vice President JD Vance.

As French police, including 60 investigators, step up the hunt for the perpetrators behind the unprecedented theft of the Louvre museum’s priceless royal jewels, François Picard welcomes Prince Joachim Charles Napoléon Murat, descendant of Caroline Bonaparte. Prince Murat describes the Louvre as a “beautiful gift to humanity and the world.” And for him, this brazen act is much more than a personal loss. He regards the  incident as a veritable attack on the soul of France, striking at the very heart of its cultural heritage. These nine pieces of jewellery, once belonging to Empresses Josephine and Eugénie, reflect the enduring…

It’s an industry tipped to be worth more than a trillion dollars in the coming decade. Femtech refers to technology-driven solutions for women’s health, covering areas such as reproductive health, pregnancy care and menopause management. Marina Gerner, the author of “The Vagina Business”, joins Annette Young to discuss the rapidly growing industry that’s revolutionising women’s health. Also, marking the 30th anniversary of a groundbreaking UN conference on women’s rights, China touts its progress on gender equality. But its approach to feminist activism paints a very different picture.

Paris Saint-Germain face Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League. Ousmane Dembélé and Marquinhos are back in the squad after missing more than a month.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) says it found significant errors in its Domain Name System, or DNS, which translates website names to IP addresses so browsers and apps can load on internet-connected devices. No evidence of foul play has been reported and the company says the DNS issue has been “fully mitigated”, amid reports of a resurgence in issues. Also in the segment, Gucci owner Kering is selling its beauty unit to L’Oreal only two years after launching it, as the group aims to reduce debt.