Norway becomes ninth country to come under French nuclear umbrella
Wed, 27 May 2026 20:12:0 ISTNorway on Wednesday became the ninth country to join the France-led nuclear deterrence scheme, the leaders of both countries said. President Emmanuel Macron announced in March that France – the only nuclear-armed country in the EU – would extend its nuclear umbrella to willing European partners.
Where does Europe's far-right turn? Populists look to distance themselves from Trump
Wed, 27 May 2026 20:04:1 ISTIf the first thing Europeans think of when they fill up at the pump is Donald Trump's decision to attack Iran, it's little wonder that previously pro-Maga populists are quietly distancing themselves from the president of the United States. In fact, Trump actively campaigning for Peter Magyar's rival actually helped Hungary’s new conservative prime minister boot out his predecessor of 16 years Viktor Orban… Magyar who hopes to cash in this week with a deal to unlock more than 10 billion euros in frozen EU funds. If Budapest’s no longer MAGA’s European headquarters…then where do fellow travelers turn in places like France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands? Do they instead double down on the love for Russia’s Vladimir Putin like Germany’s far-right? For hardened eurosceptics, does the master of the Kremlin still seem like an invincible nationalist when he's bogged down in Ukraine? So, cozy up to outside superpowers... like Britain's Nigel Farage who's long been enamored with Trump… or as shown by recent revelations surrounding the same Reform UK leader… instead find a billionaire with a bee in his bonnet to bankroll you?
‘Sleepy Donald’?: Trump accused of dozing off at Memorial Day event, reigniting age concerns
Wed, 27 May 2026 19:49:4 ISTA viral video appearing to show Donald Trump falling asleep at a Memorial Day ceremony this Monday sparked outrage online, reigniting rumours about the state of the US president’s health. Social media users claimed Trump was dozing off, and furious that it could take place at a ceremony to honour fallen US military personnel. Though the low-quality video is difficult to verify, it's reignited scrutiny about Trump's health.
Hotter than July: Can electrification save humanity from soaring heat?
Wed, 27 May 2026 19:49:3 ISTEurope's in meltdown... and it's not even June yet. A not-so merry month of May as record highs explode under a heat dome that’s drifted north from the Sahara. After the frying pan of an energy crisis, the fire of a heatwave forcing a reset by the same politicians who pandered to those who complained about the cost and red tape of recent energy transition policy.
Iran war drives India’s cockroaches out, but can Modi crush them?
Wed, 27 May 2026 19:32:1 ISTWhen an Indian student at a US university used AI to create the “Cockroach Janta Party (CPJ)”, a parody political party, it sparked a viral sensation, hitting the zeitgeist in a country that has been particularly affected by the Iran war. As India's youth circumvent bans to express their economic discontent online, it could pose a threat to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.
'More than 100,000 people live in this city': Israel urges Tyre residents to leave homes
Wed, 27 May 2026 19:25:2 ISTFRANCE 24 correspondent Renée Davis reports from Beirut on the Israeli military's call for the population of Tyre in southern Lebanon to leave their homes ahead of a fresh wave of air strikes.
Cockroach Janta Party: India's youth turn judge's jab into viral political movement
Wed, 27 May 2026 17:47:4 ISTA satirical political movement has gone viral amongst India's youth with an unusual mascot at the helm: the cockroach. The Cockroach Janta Party was born after India's chief justice referred to unemployed youth as "cockroaches". Though he later said he was misquoted, his comments ricocheted online. As outrage escalated, 30-year-old Abhijeet Dipke asked: "What if all cockroaches come together?" The online satirical movement now has nearly 23 million Instagram followers and counting.
New York and New Jersey subpoena FIFA in World Cup ticket sales investigation
Wed, 27 May 2026 17:10:3 ISTThe US states of New York and New Jersey on Wednesday launched an investigation into FIFA over its ticket sales for the World Cup, with officials alleging the international football association of "fake scarcity and impossibly high prices".
Europe: New far-right generation turns away from Putin
Wed, 27 May 2026 16:33:2 IST🇺🇦🇷🇺 "The image of Putin as the great power is totally gone."Thibault Muzergues tells #F24Debate the new generation of European right-wing politicians are distancing themselves from Russia, turning instead towards #Ukraine
Iran: Global internet access to reopen after 3-month blackout
Wed, 27 May 2026 16:26:2 IST🇮🇷 Just an empty gesture? Paymon Azmoudeh weighs in on #Iran’s orders to reopen international internet access after a 3-month blackout. More on #F24Debate ➡️https://go.france24.com/XiV5
Djokovic fights through French Open as Rybakina drops out in surprise loss
Wed, 27 May 2026 16:09:1 ISTSerbia's Novak Djokovic won a four-set victory over Frenchman Valentin Royer at the French Open Wednesday, continuing his path to a possible 25th Grand Slam title. And Ukraine's Yuliia Starodubtseva won a surprise victory over world number two Elena Rybakina on Wednesday, knocking her out of the French Open after the Kazakh player blew a one-set lead under the sweltering sun.
Viral stardom saves ‘Trump’ buffalo from sacrifice in Bangladesh
Wed, 27 May 2026 15:55:1 ISTA 700-kilo albino buffalo in Bangladesh dubbed "Donald Trump" for its sweeping cowlick of strawberry-blond hair has been saved from sacrifice after achieving viral fame. The bull was slated to be slaughtered as part of the Islamic feast of Eid al-Adha on Thursday.
Film show: French WWII epic 'De Gaulle: Resistance' hits screens
Wed, 27 May 2026 15:50:2 ISTBen Croll takes us through four films from the Cannes Film Festival which are being released in cinemas this week. One of France's biggest film events of the year is Antonin Baudry's "De Gaulle: Resistance", the first of a two-part WWII epic centred on French general Charles de Gaulle, from the fall of France in 1940 to the liberation in 1945. Ben tells us why this film is part of a new trend of French blockbusters focused on uniquely French stories.
Trump Board of Peace's official Gaza fund is empty despite billions pledged, source says
Wed, 27 May 2026 14:49:4 ISTFour months after its creation, the Gaza reconstruction fund of US President Donald Trump's so-called Board of Peace has yet to receive any of the billions of dollars pledged by donor countries. Israel has continued to carry out strikes across the devastated Palestinian territory despite a US-backed ceasefire, killing at least 910 people since the truce was signed.
New Zealand sees brain drain to Australia amid stagnating economy
Wed, 27 May 2026 14:46:1 ISTNew Zealand is facing a major brain drain. Even former prime minister Jacinda Ardern has chosen to relocate to Australia. Her decision has reignited a debate over the country's persistent struggle to retain its talent, against a backdrop of a stagnating economy and a soaring cost of living. Our Auckland correspondent Emma Garboud-Lorenzoni reports.
Witnesses accuse the Israeli army of arbitrary arrests in Syria
Wed, 27 May 2026 14:19:5 ISTThe Israeli army has arrested at least 197 men in southern Syria since late 2024. A lawyer confirmed that 43 of them are still being held in what he says is arbitrary detention in Israeli prisons. The Israeli army, for its part, says they are targeting “suspected terrorists”.
5 people trapped in Laos cave found alive, 2 still missing
Wed, 27 May 2026 14:00:4 ISTFive of seven people trapped in a flooded cave for a week in Laos were found alive on Wednesday, Laotian and Thai rescuers said. Seven Laotian villagers entered the cave in central Xaysomboun province on May 20. They were searching for gold but instead got trapped after heavy rain triggered flash flooding, blocking their exit.
DR Congo facing 'catastrophic collision' of Ebola and war, WHO chief warns
Wed, 27 May 2026 12:50:1 ISTThe ongoing conflict between armed groups in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has made it harder for health workers to contain the worsening Ebola outbreak, World Health Organization Secretary-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday.
Hamas's armed wing confirms Israel killed its new leader in Gaza strike
Wed, 27 May 2026 12:02:3 ISTHamas’s armed wing confirmed on Wednesday that Israel killed its new leader Mohammed Odeh in a strike in Gaza City Tuesday, less than two weeks after killing his predecessor. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz called Odeh “one of the architects” of the October 7 attacks that triggered more than two years of war in Gaza.
NASA lays out moon base plans including buggies, landers and drones
Wed, 27 May 2026 09:59:3 ISTNASA on Tuesday outlined the first phase of a sprawling moon base plans on Tuesday, less than two months after the Artemis II's record-breaking lunar flyaround, with visualisations of landers, rovers and drones. The space agency also awarded hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts to four US companies.
USAID was shut down 'to soothe ego' of Musk, whistleblower says
Wed, 27 May 2026 09:55:3 ISTIn an interview with FRANCE 24, Nicolas Enrich, a former senior USAID official-turned-whistleblower, said the US agency was dismantled not to cut waste but "to soothe the ego of the world's richest man", then DOGE head Elon Musk. Enrich warned that up to 14 million people could die in the next five years as a result and called the shutdown "illegal".
FRANCE 24's live streams are temporarily unavailable on its digital platforms
Wed, 27 May 2026 06:28:3 ISTA technical incident is preventing FRANCE 24 from offering its live broadcast on digital platforms.
Critically endangered New Zealand parakeet gets lifeline from randy pair
Wed, 27 May 2026 03:25:2 ISTA critically endangered New Zealand parakeet known as kakariki karaka has seen its numbers surge thanks to a pair of super breeders now responsible for more than 10 percent of the total population. Parents Nacho and Trixie were paired up in 2024 at the Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust in Christchurch and have since produced 55 chicks, including 33 this year alone.
French luxury store Galeries Lafayette shuts Beijing flagship branch after 13 years
Wed, 27 May 2026 03:15:2 ISTFrench luxury retailer Galeries Lafayette closed its flagship Beijing store on Wednesday after 13 years, underscoring weak consumer spending and changing shopping habits in China. Shoppers snapped up final bargains as staff cleared unsold goods and dismantled displays at the six-floor department store before its indefinite closure.
