Author: France 24

Renewed sectarian clashes erupted in southern Syria’s Druze-majority Sweida province on Sunday (August 3). For more on that topic, FRANCE 24 spoke to Amr Fahed, a Syrian artist and human rights activist.

This week on arts24, Eve Jackson is in the studio while our reporter Olivia Salazar-Winspear is on the ground at one of the world’s most iconic theatre gatherings – the Avignon Festival in southern France. Now in its 79th year, the event is turning heads with a bold and timely focus on Arabic-language works, shining a light on one of France’s most spoken – yet still underrepresented – languages on stage. Festival director Tiago Rodrigues continues his mission to open up theatre to new audiences with a more inclusive and international approach. This year’s programme features powerful performances from Morocco to…

One year after leaving for Saudi Arabia following a difficult season for OM, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang expressed his joy at playing for Marseille again. 

Since the beginning of sectarian clashes between Bedouins and Druze in Sweida province, several humanitarian organizations have been helping civilians to evacuate from the devastated city. The UN believes 173,000 people have been displaced since mid-July. A majority of Bedouins have found refuge in Daraa in temporary shelters. When they fled they left everything behind.

A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule carrying an international team of four astronauts docked on Saturday with the orbiting International Space Station (ISS) just 15 hours after it launched. 

Léon Marchand won his sixth world title on Thursday in Singapore — his third in the 200-meter individual medley — just one day after setting a world record in the event.

France announced Friday it would halt its Gaza student evacuation programme after a scholarship recipient accused of sharing antisemitic posts was ordered to leave. All Gazan arrivals will now face new screening as authorities investigate the vetting process.

Innovative theatre auteur Bob Wilson died Thursday in New York after a short illness, his management said. His productions were hugely popular wherever they were shown, but he was best known in France, where he directed the inaugural show of the Opéra Bastille in 1989.

Truckloads of food reached hungry Gazans on July 28 after Israel promised to open secure aid routes, but humanitarian agencies warned vast amounts more were needed to stave off starvation. With Gaza’s population of more than two million facing famine and malnutrition, Israel bowed to international pressure at the weekend and announced a daily “tactical pause” in fighting in some areas. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective on the harrowing plight of the more than two million civilians in war-torn Gaza, FRANCE 24’s Stuart Norval welcomes Dr. Hadeel Qazzaz, Oxfam International spokesperson and MENA Regional Gender Coordinator.

Frenchwoman Maeva Squiban made a perfectly-timed attack on the final climb to win the mountainous stage six of the Tour de France Femmes on Thursday. Mauritian rider Kimberley Le Court retained the leader’s yellow jersey.