Author: France 24

Paris Saint-Germain was handed a tough start to the defense of its Champions League title when the draw was made Thursday with no opponent from any of the lower-ranked nations. FRANCE 24’s Mark Owen speaks with sports journalist Ruben Slagter.

Health scientist and longtime civil servant Susan Monarez was fired from her short-lived role as head of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the White House confirmed Wednesday. Monarez said she had refused to sign off on what she described as “unscientific, reckless directives” from Health Secretary and vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. France2’ International Affairs Editor Kethevane Gorjestani tells us more.

US AI chipmaker Nvidia, the world’s most valuable company, posted record $46 billion sales in the latest quarter, showing strong demand from clients like OpenAI, Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet and Meta. However, the company’s lack of shipments of chips to China is clouding the horizon. In this edition, we explain the geopolitics affecting Nvidia’s business. Plus, FRANCE 24’s Yuka Royer speaks to France’s Minister for Foreign Trade Laurent Saint-Martin about the country’s dire public finances.

In this episode of arts24, Eve Jackson sits down with Scandar Copti – a Palestinian filmmaker, Israeli citizen and one of the most original cinematic voices working today. His new film, “Happy Holidays”, is set in the northern city of Haifa and unfolds in four interwoven chapters, following the intersecting lives of Palestinian Christians and Jewish Israelis. As these characters navigate love, gender roles and the invisible weight of politics, the film reveals a society shaped as much by silence as by conflict.

Israel’s military said Friday it was suspending the pauses during which it had been allowing food and other humanitarian aid to enter the famine-stricken Gaza City, saying it was in the “initial phases” of its planned offensive in the territory’s largest city. Israel also said it had recovered the bodies of two hostages held in the devastated enclave. Follow our liveblog for the latest developments.

Both Liverpool and Manchester City will face Real Madrid in the league phase of the Champions League, while Tottenham and Newcastle must both play reigning champions Paris St-Germain.

FRANCE 24’s Sharon Gaffney speaks with Lawrence Gostin, Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre on National and Global Health Law, about CDC Director Susan Monarez’s firing by Donald Trump. He says that the latest development is ‘a very dangerous moment for the United States’ and part of a ‘systematic assault on science, public health and vaccinations’.

This week, we are at the Roland-Garros stadium in Paris – not for the French Open tennis tournament, but to meet business leaders who are gathered for the annual end-of-summer conference of Medef, France’s largest employers’ federation. This year’s theme “Jeu décisif” is a tennis metaphor meaning “tie-break”, reflecting the decisive moment businesses are facing. From Donald Trump’s trade war to political instability in the country, how do French entrepreneurs plan to navigate through another year of geopolitical uncertainty? FRANCE 24’s Yuka Royer has been finding out.

In this edition of arts24 with Eve Jackson, dive into the dazzling opening night of the Venice Film Festival. From Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton to George Clooney and Heidi Klum, we take you inside the star-studded red carpet moments. Also on the programme: an exhibition giving “Downton Abbey” fans the chance to own a piece of television history. From costumes to iconic props and even the Grantham family’s car, these treasured items are on display in London ahead of a charity auction at Bonhams.

At least 32 people were killed and more than 100 injured on Saturday morning when Israeli troops opened fire on crowds of Palestinians seeking food from two aid distribution hubs in southern Gaza, according to witnesses and hospital officials. Israeli defence forces said that an evacuation from Gaza City is now “inevitable”. For more, France24 spoke with Bahaa Zaqout, resident of Deir-al-Balah.