Three decades on from independence, Kyrgyzstan is still dealing with the consequences of the Cold War nuclear arms race. Mining towns like Min-Kush provided the Soviet Union with essential uranium, leaving behind vast quantities of dangerous toxic waste that is still being cleared away, while local residents deal with the consequences of radiation levels many times higher than the norm.
Other parts of Spain also on high alert evacuated thousands of residents and closed schools as torrential rains lashed the European country again. National weather agency AEMET issued a red alert lasting until midday (1100 GMT) on Thursday for the Valencia coast, with up to 180 millimetres of rain predicted to fall in 12 hours. AEMET also placed the southern province of Malaga and the northeastern Catalonia region on red alert for rains expected to last until Friday. Emergency services in Andalusia... Читать дальше...
In this Science segment we take a look at a new decree signed by French Prime Minister Michel Barnier that compels doctors to specify patients' medical conditions for the prescription of certain drugs. If they fail to do so, the drugs will not be reimbursed. Many doctors fear this decree could affect medical confidentiality and freedom of prescription. FRANCE 24's Julia Sieger tells us more.
Asif Rahman, who worked abroad for the Central Intelligence Agency, was arrested in Cambodia by the FBI and was to appear in a federal court in Guam on Thursday, the newspaper said. It said Rahman, who held a top secret security clearance, was indicted in Virginia last week with two counts of willful retention and transmission of national intelligence information. Iran unleashed a wave of close to 200 ballistic missiles on Israel on October 1 in retaliation for the killings of Tehran-backed senior figures in Hamas and Hezbollah. Читать дальше...
In its 2024 Green Skills Report, social media platform LinkedIn uses data from its 1 billion users to track the evolution of so-called "green skills" on the labour market. Their findings show that while the number of people with the skills that help combat the effects of climate change has grown over 5 percent in the year, that's not keeping up with the 11 percent increase in jobs requiring those skills. With the COP29 climate summit underway, FRANCE 24's Charles Pellegrin speaks to LinkedIn's Vice President of Public Policy, Sue Duke.
Rape is widespread in Sudan's civil war, a United Nations investigation said Tuesday, accusing paramilitaries especially of committing sexual violence on a "staggering" scale. Children are not spared the abuse, while women and girls are being abducted for sexual slavery, the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan said in a new report.
World number three Alcaraz comfortably defeated Rublev to lift himself off the bottom of the John Newcombe Group and looked in much better form despite struggling with fatigue and illness in the lead-up to the match. There had been some doubt as to whether Alcaraz would continue in Turin after quickly ending his training session on Tuesday, with his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero saying that he had trouble breathing. But the Spaniard, winner at Wimbledon and Roland Garros this season, cruised to the first set in 38 minutes... Читать дальше...
The International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi appealed to Iran's leadership to take steps to resolve longstanding issues with his agency ahead of his arrival in the Iranian capital for crucial talks over its nuclear programme. As the UN atomic watchdog chief pushes for more monitoring cooperation at nuclear sites, FRANCE 24's Delano D'Souza is joined by Dr. Sina Azodi, Professorial Lecturer in the Elliott School of International Affairs at the George Washington University, specializing in International Relations of the Middle East... Читать дальше...
Lebanese state media reported on Wednesday a third wave of Israeli raids on Hezbollah's south Beirut bastion in 24 hours, after the health ministry said another strike south of the capital killed six people. People hastily drove away from the area following the evacuation calls, with residents firing gunshots in the air to warn civilians to flee, an AFP photographer said.
Why have Cadbury Finger biscuits disappeared from French supermarkets? FRANCE 24's Delano D'Souza and Solange Mougin find out how Mondelēz International, which owns the Cadbury brand, has stayed quiet about the pulling of the much-loved sugary snack from French supermarket shelves.
Democratic governors and state attorneys general are dusting off the playbooks from their offices' pushback against President-elect Donald Trump's policies, but they know it could be a harder battle in his second time in office. Trump's history includes rolling back environmental regulations and setting the stage for state abortion bans. All of that is putting liberals on edge — and believing that an organised resistance is necessary, as FRANCE 24’s Wassim Cornet, reporting from California, explains.
Healy, 37, made his Test debut in 2009 and surprised many when he carried on playing despite missing the 2023 Rugby World Cup because of injury. Although he said this week he would "never be the player (O'Driscoll) was", head coach Andy Farrell had few qualms about where he stood in the pantheon of Irish rugby players. “For Cian (Healy) it will be an incredible moment for him, his family and friends to reach Brian O'Driscoll's 133-cap landmark," said Farrell. "We'll pay tribute to Cian again,... Читать дальше...
It's been 24 years since Russell Crowe stepped into a dusty arena as the mighty Maximus. Now, Ridley Scott has returned to his blockbuster hit for a sequel starring Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington and Connie Nielsen. Film critic Emma Jones tells us why it's a spectacularly entertaining time at the cinema. We also discuss the documentary made by an Israeli-Palestinian collective about forced displacements in the West Bank, and Emma tells us more about Demi Moore's big comeback in "The Substance". French... Читать дальше...
Eight art conservators have begun a painstaking process to remove a layer of varnish from Rembrandt's giant "Night Watch" masterpiece to reveal its original depth and colour. The task, which could last years, began on Tuesday at the national Rijksmuseum gallery in Amsterdam.
The duo stitched together a 206-run stand off 215 balls for the highest second wicket partnership in ODIs for Sri Lanka against New Zealand. Their effort eclipsed a 21-year-old record held by Sanath Jayasuriya and Hashan Tillakaratne, who added 170 against the Black Caps in the 2003 World Cup in Bloemfontein. The stand was also the highest partnership for any wicket at Dambulla in ODIs. Sri Lanka's innings was cut short in 49.2 overs because of rain. For Avishka, it was his first century since 2021... Читать дальше...
A senior police officer warned Tuesday of calls for more rioting in Amsterdam, after dozens of people armed with sticks and firecrackers set a tram on fire Monday night and the city faces tensions following violence last week targeting fans of an Israeli football club. The Amsterdam mayor, chief of police and top public prosecutor published a report Monday outlining what happened last week, including new details about actions by Maccabi Tel Aviv fans ahead of the Maccabi Tel Aviv-Ajax soccer match.
Marine Le Pen has focused all her energy in recent weeks fighting what she claims are unfair accusations that her National Rally party embezzled European Parliament funds. France’s leading far-right figure is now facing a crucial moment in a high-profile trial where her eligibility to run for president in 2027 is at stake. Le Pen is anticipating a guilty verdict, as prosecutors wrap up their case Wednesday and lay out their proposed sentence, as FRANCE 24's Shirli Sitbon reports.
President Joe Biden will host President-elect Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday for a meeting designed to demonstrate a smooth transition between administrations despite Trump's team not yet having signed documents to start the handover process. Biden, who initially ran against Trump in the 2024 election before stepping aside and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee, will welcome the former and future president into the Oval Office, a traditional courtesy by outgoing presidents that Trump... Читать дальше...
In the late 2010s, former South African President Jacob Zuma was exposed for state capture with the notorious Gupta family, costing taxpayers billions wasted dollars. This was exposed by the people who risked their safety to report corruption in state bodies and the contractors working for them. But whistleblowers are often ousted from their jobs and even assassinated. That’s why Cynthia Stimpel, who blew the whistle on the late Dudu Myeni, is walking 700 kilometres across the Cape Camino to raise awareness. Читать дальше...
In this edition of Entre Nous, we tell you about The Greater Paris Guide. The book, published by Julia Dartois, doesn't tell you what to visit in the French capital, but rather what you can see around it!
Two jets of billionaire Elon Musk – who is set to join the incoming Trump administration – jointly discharged as much CO2 in just 25 days as 834 years' worth of emissions generated by the average person. That's just one of the shocking statistics in a report by the charity Oxfam ahead of the COP29 climate change summit, which is now underway in Azerbaijan. The report says the carbon emissions of the world's richest 1 percent increase hunger, poverty and deaths. In Perspective we spoke to Josie Lee... Читать дальше...
British media outlet The Guardian said on Wednesday it will no longer use its official accounts on X as it says the benefits of using the social media platform "are now outweighed by the negatives". The owner of the site, Elon Musk, was on Tuesday named head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency in President-elect Donald Trump's incoming administration.
Britain's Samantha Harvey won the 2024 Booker Prize for her novel 'Orbital', a story about a single day aboard the International Space Station which she wrote during COVID-19 lockdowns. For more on the winning novel that has sold more copies than the past three Booker Prize winners combined, FRANCE 24's Eve Irvine is joined by Author and former Booker Prize Judge Mary Jean Chan.
Since the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of industry in the former East Germany, many women have left the region and never returned. Men are now over-represented, with a surplus of up to 25 percent in some municipalities. This shortage of women has created a vicious cycle: a rapidly ageing population, a loss of social cohesion and a decline in the attractiveness of eastern cities. The gender imbalance is also fuelling political radicalisation, which Germany's far-right AfD party is taking advantage of. Читать дальше...