Author: France 24

Syrians head to the polls on Sunday to vote for the new lawmakers of its first post-Assad parliament in a process criticised as undemocratic, with a third of MPs appointed by interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.  According to the organising committee, more than 1,500 candidates – just 14 percent of them women – are running for the assembly, which will have a renewable 30-month mandate.

Youth-led demonstrators in Morocco took to the streets on Thursday for a sixth straight night despite fears of more violence after police killed three people the night before. Story by Eliza Herbert.

On his return to action a month on from the US Open, Novak Djokovic battled past Marin Cilic (7-6, 6-4) to reach the third round of the Shanghai Masters. With a combined age of 75 (38 and 37 respectively), the two veterans played out the oldest matchup in the history of Masters tournaments.

This week on FRANCE 24’s media show Scoop we look at the future of TikTok. US President Donald Trump says a deal to find a new American owner is done. We look at who the investors are and what changes could be in store for the app’s powerful algorithm, particularly over the war in Gaza. Our guests are two content creators: Raymond Wei, from the NGO the Conscious Citizens, and Sean Szolek-Van Valkenburgh, a big tech and data policy educator.

The seaside town of Dinard in Brittany is rolling out the red carpet for stars from Ireland and the UK as it hosts its annual film festival. Culture editor Eve Jackson tells us about the dramas, documentaries and horror stories screening there this year, and catches up with actress and director Kristin Scott Thomas as she presents the very personal “My Mother’s Wedding”. We also weigh up Leonardo DiCaprio’s prospects as Oscar buzz surrounds the actor’s latest performance. Plus: Swifties, rejoice! Taylor Swift releases her 12th album, “The Life of a Showgirl”, and reflects upon a life spent on stage. 

Israel’s army said it would advance preparations for the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza and return all the remaining hostages. The news came after Israel launched dozens of air strikes and artillery attacks on Gaza City overnight, Gaza’s civil defence agency said. At least 20 homes were destroyed, with multiple casualties reported, including children. Follow our liveblog for the latest developments.

Argentina’s struggling President Javier Milei suffered a new setback Thursday as Congress overturned his vetoes of laws increasing funding for public universities and pediatric care. Story by Daniel Quinlan.

Lille goalkeeper Berke Ozer saved three consecutive penalties in stoppage time to seal a 1-0 Europa League win over Roma on Thursday. Hakon Haraldsson’s early strike gave the French side the lead, while Roma failed to capitalise on a late Aissa Mandi handball that offered them a lifeline.

After breaking most music industry records during her “Eras” tour in 2023 and 2024, Taylor Swift is back with the hotly anticipated account of that time in the form of her twelfth studio album. “The Life of a Showgirl” brings in pop princess Sabrina Carpenter and Swedish producers Max Martin and Shellback, who produced Swift’s synth pop album “1989” and mega hits “Shake It Off” and “Blank Space”. The release coincides with a weekend screening of a behind-the-scenes documentary, where the US star will unveil a new music video from this latest album. FRANCE 24’s Olivia Salazar-Winspear tells us more.

As GenZ youth protests are spreading worldwide, Alison Sargent welcomes Dr. D.B. Subedi to get to the heart of the driving force of these new collective protests. Dr. Subedi situates the Moroccan Gen Z protests within a wider range of youth-led movements across Asia and parts of Africa, showing how shared structural stresses: inequality, corruption, institutional decay are all fueling collective frustration. He contrasts the uniquely Moroccan triggers (lack of funding for social services, public hospitals, alongside heavy investment in international events) with the broader grievances seen elsewhere: distrust in rulers, diminishing faith in institutions, and lack of economic footholds. He…