Author: France 24

France clinched a spot at the 2026 World Cup with a 4-0 win over Ukraine on Thursday as the country marked the 10th anniversary of the 2015 Paris attacks. Portugal were forced to wait after a 2-0 loss in Dublin, while Italy’s late goal in Moldova delayed Norway’s qualification.

Federal agencies have started reopening after the longest-ever US government shutdown… but it’s likely the lingering effects of it will be felt for months. Scotland says it plans to issue its own government bonds, nicknaming them “kilts”. And a Russian humanoid robot falls flat on its face.

The Bataclan music venue has become synonymous with the Paris terror attacks of November 2015, when 130 people were killed, 90 of them while attending an Eagles of Death Metal concert at the Bataclan. Photographer Marion Ruszniewski was on assignment at the venue and was injured in the attack. Ten years on, she tells us about the events of that tragic evening, as well as her feelings about returning to work at the Bataclan a year later. Plus, as Marion publishes a book detailing two decades of concert photography, we discuss the resilient spirit that saw Parisians return to the bars,…

France will face Ukraine on Thursday in the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. Kylian Mbappé’s side will secure their spot in the tournament with a victory. The match will take place in a significant context, marking the 10th anniversary of the November 13, 2015, terrorist attacks in Paris.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 20% of new cases in the United States are in people who never smoked, with young women making up the majority of the cases. Experts believe the rise in non-smoking cases is largely driven by radon exposure, air pollution, and genetic mutations. We speak with Dr Pinar Uysal, Reader in Molecular Biology at the University of Westminster.

US firm 1X Home Robots says its first “housekeeping robot” NEO can be ready to start working in homes next year.  China’s XPeng unveiled its latest IRON which moved so smoothly it had to cut open one of its legs to prove there wasn’t a real human hiding inside. Humanoid robots have been around for decades but with the advance of AI, have been moved to a new level.  Yuka Royer speaks with AI strategist Mark Minevich about just how far they have come, and how market competition is heating up. 

French director Rebecca Zlotowski had dreamed of working with her ever since she first started making films: Jodie Foster now takes on the leading role in “Private Life” as a psychologist haunted by a mysterious disappearance. Film critic Manon Kerjean gives us her appraisal of the film, and points us in the direction of “Dossier 137”, a tense police drama that draws on real-life events with compelling results. We also discuss the heartwarming, stylish “Love Letters” from Alice Douard and the origin story of one of Victor Hugo’s most beloved characters, “Jean Valjean”.

Israel’s defense minister, Israel Katz, announced plans to close the publicly funded Army Radio to maintain the military’s “nonpartisan” character. The station’s chief, Tal Lev Ram, condemned the decision as a threat to press freedom, calling it a blow to Israeli society and the people’s army. The closure, expected by March 1, has sparked criticism over its impact on editorial independence, as FRANCE 24’s Noga Tarnopolosky explains.

OL Lyonnes defeated Wolfsburg (3-1) in the Women’s Champions League. Lyon now top the table.

After US senators managed to pass a bill that could end what has been the longest government shutdown in US history, equity markets have reacted with strong gains on Wall Street and beyond. Nonetheless, the interruption in government work will take its toll on the US economy, as predicted by the Congressional Budget Office. Also in this edition: we head to China, where the Singles’ Day shopping holiday now spans five entire weeks in a contest of slow consumer demand.