Author: France 24

Following a social media announcement by Donald Trump about a trade deal, Indian officials hailed the agreement as ‘the best in the region’ while making no explicit comment about the US president’s claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed to stop buying Russian oil. Moscow meanwhile says it hasn’t heard from India about any plans to do so.  We take a closer look at how much crude oil India imports from Russia. 

Forging a singular path as an independent filmmaker whose minimalist, bucolic style has impressed the critics at the Berlin and Cannes film festivals, Kelly Reichardt shows us another America: a land of wondering outsiders and protagonists plagued by doubts. For arts24, she discusses her latest film, “The Mastermind”, a timely heist movie starring Josh O’Connor as the unsuspecting orchestrator of a robbery in an art gallery.

Israel has reopened the Rafah border crossing into Gaza, but movement remains tightly restricted, with only a dozen people allowed to enter and a small number of wounded evacuated to Egypt. While the reopening is seen as a key step in the ceasefire process, far fewer people crossed than expected, leaving thousands of patients still waiting for urgent medical evacuation. Egypt says its hospitals are ready to receive more Gazans as numbers are gradually increased.

Britain on Tuesday unveiled its first national plan to curb “forever chemicals,” seeking to cut risks to human health and the environment, the government said. PFAS, used in products from cookware to food packaging, persist for decades and accumulate in nature, posing threats likely to endure for hundreds of years.

As the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics approach, France’s bobsleigh teams train at La Plagne. Romain Heinrich pilots the two- and four-man teams, while Margot Boch leads the women’s events. France aims for a top-10 finish amid strong German and American competition, with eyes already on 2030.

French prime minister Sébastien Lecornu has survived the last of a series of no-confidence votes, allowing the full 2026 budget to be adopted. The centurist prime minister had pushed the bill through parliament without a vote after securing the backing of the Socialist Party in exchange for some costly concessions. Also in the segment, US President Donald Trump says he will lower tariffs on Indian goods after New Delhi committed to ending its purchases of Russian oil. 

For Spotlight, François Picard is pleased to welcome Ellis Cashmore Sociologist, cultural critic, Honorary Professor at Aston University and Author of “Celebrity Culture”. It was a historic first as Bad Bunny won album of the year at the 2026 Grammy Awards for his critically-acclaimed “Debí Tirar Más Fotos. Immigration was a central theme of the night. Bad Bunny was among a wide array of artists on stage to forcefully speak out against ICE: “Before I say thanks to God, I’m going to say ICE out,” he said to huge applause. Highlighting the humanity of all people, he added, “we’re not…

The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt has partially reopened, allowing limited pedestrian crossings after months of closure, offering a rare lifeline for Palestinians. Thousands of patients, students, and displaced families hope to cross for medical treatment, education, and aid, with Gaza’s health ministry saying 20,000 people are waiting to leave for care. However, Israel still controls the Palestinian side of the crossing, and humanitarian aid flows remain extremely restricted.

Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz dismissed a slow start to blast past Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in Melbourne on Sunday, becoming the youngest man to win all four majors. It’s Djokovic’s first defeat in a Melbourne final, having won the last 10, meaning he will have to continue the search for his landmark 25th major. 

When the Mongolian language started to disappear from classrooms in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in China’s north, many turned to the internet to keep their language and culture alive. A new investigation shows those remaining online spaces are being targeted by the Chinese government.