Author: France 24

At least 14 Eurostar trains were cancelled on Saturday after flooding in tunnels in southern England, stranding thousands of passengers just ahead of New Year’s Eve. Issued on: 30/12/2023 – 11:20 The tunnels near Ebbsfleet International Station in Kent were inundated as the Met Office issued weather warnings for rain, snow and ice across large parts of the country.“Flooding between Ebbsfleet International and London St Pancras International means that all lines are blocked. Trains running between these stations may be cancelled,” the train operator Southeastern said on its website. Service update: trains have been cancelled today due to part of…

Of the 360,000 reservists called up for Israel’s military operations since October 7, around one-third have families to provide for. With fewer hands around the house, the partners of many reservists have had to give up work altogether. And while the Israeli government has made funds available to help those in need, some families will find it increasingly difficult to make ends meet as the war in Gaza drags on. FRANCE 24’s Luke Shrago, Ludovic de Foucaud and Alexandra Vardi bring you this report. Issued on: 30/12/2023 – 11:14 Click on the player above to watch the full FRANCE 24…

The authorities in Ethiopia’s war-scarred Tigray region warned Friday of a looming famine linked to drought and the lingering effects of the devastating two-year war in the north of the country. Issued on: 30/12/2023 – 11:46 2 min Getachew Reda, president of the interim regional authority in Tigray, said more than 91 percent of the population was “exposed to the risk of starvation and death” and called for the Ethiopian government and international community to help.In a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, Getachew likened the situation to the Ethiopian famine in the 1980s which cost the lives…

Issued on: 27/12/2023 – 10:43Modified: 27/12/2023 – 16:22 01:44 © FRANCE 24 “Israel has expanded its offensive throughout the Gaza Strip in recent days … all this while Israel is trying to keep a lid on pressure in the West Bank as well. We heard early in the morning that there was a raid on the town of Tulkarem in the north of the West Bank. It was said six people were left dead, with Palestinian media blaming a drone strike,” FRANCE 24’s Luke Shrago said, reporting from Tel Aviv. Read more on related topics: Source link

Hong Kong democracy activist Tony Chung said Friday he had fled to Britain because he could no longer endure living in fear, with authorities pressuring him to become a paid informant while banning him from working. Issued on: 29/12/2023 – 04:53Modified: 29/12/2023 – 05:29 3 min In 2021, Chung, then 20, became the youngest person to be imprisoned under Hong Kong’s sweeping national security law — imposed after massive and at times violent pro-democracy protests kicked off in 2019 in the former British colony.He pleaded guilty to “secession” and was sentenced to three and a half years in prison.Since his…

Issued on: 27/12/2023 – 10:47Modified: 27/12/2023 – 11:22 01:29 Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia claimed responsibility for a missile attack on Tuesday on a container ship in the Red Sea, and for an attempt to attack Israel with drones. The Houthis, who control much of Yemen including the capital, have since October attacked commercial vessels in the Red Sea that they say have Israeli links or are sailing to Israel, in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. The reported incidents come a week after the United States announced a multinational maritime security initiative in the Red Sea in response to attacks on…

China has expelled nine military officials from its parliament, including four generals of the army’s strategic missile unit, in a sweeping reshuffle following the appointment of a new defence minister. Issued on: 30/12/2023 – 08:12 1 min The decision, announced late on Friday by the state news agency Xinhua, came after a meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Communist Party.No explanation was given for the officials’ removal.Their removal is one of a series of high-level restructuring moves in the military establishment since defence minister Li Shangfu was abruptly sacked in October following months of speculation about his whereabouts.Appointed…

Issued on: 27/12/2023 – 12:08Modified: 27/12/2023 – 12:11 01:42 Israel again pounded Gaza with air strikes and shelling on Wednesday after its armed forces chief warned the war raging with Hamas since the October 7 attacks will last “many more months”. Explosion lit up the night sky over the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis – a focus of heavy urban combat since the Israeli army said it had largely gained operational control over Gaza’s north. Heavy firefights however also raged again around Gaza City in the north, while an air strike wounded 11 people near Rafah, a far-southern city crowded…

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…

From Iran to Hollywood, in the domains of space travel, football and tech, 2023 was a year shaped by strong personalities. Some inspired us, most made us reflect, and others occasionally annoyed us. As the year comes to an end, FRANCE 24 has selected some of the personalities leaving a mark on 2023. Narges Mohammadi, fighting for human rights in Iran Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize “for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all”. The journalist plays a key role in Iran’s “Women, Life, Freedom” movement…