US law enforcement detained Rafael Enrique Gamez Salas, a 40-year-old Venezuelan national and alleged leader of Los Piratas, the Chilean branch of the Tren de Aragua criminal organization. The detention followed charges filed by Chile accusing him of orchestrating multiple extortions and kidnappings in Chile, including one that ended with the murder of a former Venezuelan military officer. Gamez Salas’s arrest marks a significant step in international cooperation to dismantle the Tren de Aragua’s influence across South America. He has previous US convictions for human smuggling and illegal reentry after deportation, underscoring his history of transnational criminal activity. This case... [Continue Reading]
William Todd, 61, a convicted murderer already serving two life sentences, masterminded an elaborate plan to help his criminal associates escape long prison terms. The effort targeted the trial of Danny Brown, 58, Stefan Baldauf, 66, and four others, who were convicted of smuggling 448 kilograms of MDMA valued at £45 million into Australia. Both Brown and Baldauf received sentences of 26 and 28 years respectively in December 2022 after a National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation. The scheme unfolded when the jury was deliberating in June 2022. False reports were sent to Kingston Crown Court claiming that five jurors had... [Continue Reading]
Are you on track? [Continue Reading]
That M&S trench is THE moment. [Continue Reading]
Amid concerns about waning US aid and shortages of air‑defence systems for Ukraine linked to the Iran war, there are expected to be renewed calls during Monday's foreign affairs council meeting for increased bilateral military support for Kyiv alongside the stalled €90bn in EU funding that Hungary is currently blocking. [Continue Reading]
The UK government has announced that survivors of Ireland's mother and baby homes will be allowed to continue receiving benefits, following mounting pressure from advocates and groups representing these individuals. This decision is a pivotal moment for up to 13,000 survivors residing in Britain, who were at risk of losing their benefits if they accepted compensation from the Irish government. Previously, a plan had been set forth that would have seen payment reductions for these survivors, with significant implications for their financial stability. With compensation amounts ranging from €5,000 to €125,000 depending on the duration of residence in the institutions,... [Continue Reading]
He moved to Brazil after being released from prison. [Continue Reading]
On Friday, the Israeli military conducted an airstrike on the Zrariyeh bridge over the Litani River in southern Lebanon. This marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict, as it is reportedly the first acknowledgment by the Israeli military of targeting civilian infrastructure in response to activities attributed to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. The Israeli forces claim that the bridge serves as a critical transit point for Hezbollah militants traveling between northern and southern Lebanon, although they did not provide any accompanying evidence to support this assertion. This military action follows a series of regional tensions exacerbated by recent... [Continue Reading]
Genie Godula is pleased to welcome Hassan Al-Sayed. Field Coordinator for the NGO Solidarités International, joining us from Saida in southern Lebanon, a city that has rapidly transformed into a refuge for hundreds of thousands displaced. A significant proportion of the population remains trapped in areas exposed to daily bombardment, unable to leave due to poverty, disability, age, or family responsibilities. The psychological trauma experienced by displaced families and those trapped in conflict zones underscores the sheer cruelty and profound human cost of war. [Continue Reading]
Fabien Galthie has driven sky-high standards throughout his coaching career - but he has not always made friends on the way. [Continue Reading]
As fighting between Hezbollah and Israel worsens, Lebanon’s healthcare system is buckling under pressure, jeopardizing the lives of thousands of pregnant women. UN representatives report that 11,600 pregnant women are currently affected by the conflict and blockade, with 4,000 anticipated to deliver in the next three months. Displacement and damaged infrastructure have severed many from critical medical care. This humanitarian crisis has led to desperate scenarios where expectant mothers are giving birth in unsafe environments, including on the side of roads. The escalation primarily impacts vulnerable populations in southern Lebanon, Beirut, Mount Lebanon, and the Bekaa Valley, fueling fears of... [Continue Reading]
The UK government is enhancing policing efforts by expanding Project Vigilant, an undercover operation designed to tackle predatory behavior against women and girls in nightlife settings. The initiative will now run across nine more police forces in England and Wales, increasing the presence of covert officers in high-risk nightlife hotspots. Undercover officers are specially trained to identify early indicators of predatory conduct, including loitering without clear purpose, unwanted sexual advances, misogynistic remarks, covert filming, and following individuals persistently. By identifying these behaviors early, officers can alert visible police units to intervene before crimes escalate into violence. This proactive policing approach... [Continue Reading]
In Madagascar, it has been more than a month since Cyclone Gezani struck the country's eastern coast, devastating the city of Tamatave and surrounding areas, and killing 62 people. It is now the cost of recovery that is causing growing concern. Amid shortages and speculation, the price of construction materials has surged by 50 percent. Rebuilding a roof has become a luxury many of the poorest can no longer afford. FRANCE 24's Aurelie Kouman reports. [Continue Reading]
Singapore said it ran a trade deficit with the US in 2024, disputing figures published by Washington that showed the city state posted a surplus and challenging suggestions that it is contributing to global manufacturing overcapacity. The dispute surfaced after the Office of the US Trade Representative announced this week that it had launched investigations under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 into the acts, policies and practices of 16 economies, including Singapore. The investigations... [Continue Reading]
There's a chance you could end up on the TV, too! [Continue Reading]
The Madison wasn't made for me. [Continue Reading]
This is a travel MUST. [Continue Reading]
Pep Guardiola says the Premier League title race will be "over" if his Manchester City side drop points at West Ham on Saturday. [Continue Reading]
Clashes in the town of Akobo in South Sudan displaced hundreds of thousands of people, leaving them without humanitarian aid. Akobo in the eastern state of Jonglei is the latest flashpoint as fighting between the government and opposition has brought South Sudan back to the brink of all-out civil war. [Continue Reading]
French President Emmanuel Macron Friday vowed to keep up pressure on Russia to end its four-year invasion of Ukraine after Washington partially rolled back sanctions against Moscow to cool oil prices sent soaring by the Middle East war. FRANCE 24's Camille Knight reports. [Continue Reading]
Governments have stockpiled oil, and cars are more efficient but the supply shock is global, and there’s no sense of when it’ll end. [Continue Reading]
In a 40-year career that brought him two Pulitzers, he reported from trouble spots around the world, eloquently conveying the chaos of war. [Continue Reading]
The remarks fueled concerns that CNN’s prospective new owner may shift its coverage in a Trump-friendly direction. [Continue Reading]
People in Iran are questioning who's really in charge after Mojtaba Khamenei's first address came via a presenter on state TV. [Continue Reading]
Exclusive: Government’s work tsar warns that having young people not in work will create ‘long-term scarring effect’Mayors across England should be given greater powers to tackle the youth unemployment crisis and avoid the “long-term scarring” of regions outside London, the government’s work tsar has said.Alan Milburn, who is leading a major review into increasing inactivity among Britain’s young people, said the issue could not be solved by Whitehall alone. Continue reading... [Continue Reading]
Campaigners rejoice after Keir Starmer backs ‘Philomena’s Law’ to protect payments for up to 13,000 survivors living in BritainSurvivors of Ireland’s mother and baby homes can continue to receive benefits in the UK after Downing Street dropped a plan to cut payments.Keir Starmer bowed to pressure from campaigners to back a bill known as Philomena’s law, which would ringfence survivors’ benefits if they accepted compensation from Dublin. Continue reading... [Continue Reading]
35 of 52 escalators at Berlin Central Station are defective. [Continue Reading]
ll six crew members aboard a US military refueling aircraft that crashed in western Iraq are confirmed to have been killed, the US military said on Friday. The deaths add to the seven US service members who have already been killed as part of US operations against Iran which began on February 28. [Continue Reading]
New waves of attacks struck Gulf nations on Friday after Iran renewed its threats on oil facilities. Tehran has unleashed waves of drone and missile strikes against neighbouring states hosting US military assets, including Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain and Dubai. Hoda Abdel-Hamid reports from Doha, Qatar. [Continue Reading]
Israeli leaders are framing the bombing campaign as having transformed the Middle East in their favour as pressure to end the conflict builds. [Continue Reading]
She’s played the blushing bride in "Mamma Mia!" and the sidekick to the high-school bully in "Mean Girls". Now Amanda Seyfried takes on the role of Ann Lee, the 18th-century religious leader who founded the Shaker movement in the United States. Eve Jackson hears from Seyfried about the role at the Paris premiere of The Testament of Ann Lee. We also check in with ambassadors of Tuareg culture, Tinariwen, as they return with their 10th album and embark on a European tour. And, we hear from the team behind a powerful new animation telling the story of a child soldier... [Continue Reading]
An Iranian drone has killed a French soldier in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, his commanding officer said on Friday, after President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the first French military death in the Middle East war. Since US-Israeli strikes on Iran last month engulfed the Middle East in war, multiple attacks attributed to pro-Iranian factions have targeted the region where foreign forces are based as part of an international anti-jihadist coalition. FRANCE 24's International Affairs Commentator Douglas Herbert tells us more. [Continue Reading]
A whole vibe! [Continue Reading]
Longer sentences, overcrowding and inexperienced staff cited as factors in ‘rising tensions’ in prisonsNotorious prisoners such as the Soham killer Ian Huntley are facing increasingly violent attacks from inmates with “nothing to lose”, the head of the Prison Governors’ Association has said.Tom Wheatley, the president of the PGA, which represents governors in England and Wales, said those serving lengthy sentences or whole-life tariffs in high-security institutions had “no fear” of being given additional time in prison, and could earn status by singling out famous child murderers and paedophiles.Last week, a 20-year-old sex offender who had recently moved to my son’s... [Continue Reading]
The gas, ethylene oxide, plays a crucial role in sterilizing medical devices. But long-term exposure is linked to several types of cancer and other ailments. [Continue Reading]
The United States recently decided to lift certain restrictions on Russian oil exports, a move that has sparked sharp criticism from the European Union. EU officials describe the action as unilateral and concerning, particularly given the volatile global energy market exacerbated by ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. This decision comes at a time when Europe and its allies have sought to maintain stringent economic pressure on Moscow to curb its military operations in Ukraine. European Council President Antonio Costa highlighted that easing sanctions would provide Russia with greater financial resources, potentially extending its ability to fund the war against... [Continue Reading]
She's setting the record straight. [Continue Reading]
Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun held a meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Beirut, focusing on stopping Israeli military strikes on Lebanese territory. The UN chief reiterated his support for Lebanon's sovereignty and called for a ceasefire to prevent further escalation. The Lebanese president emphasized the necessity of halting hostilities to proceed with a peace initiative he has proposed. The meeting underscored the growing humanitarian impact, particularly on the more than 800,000 displaced people within Lebanon. Both leaders stressed the importance of restoring Lebanon’s full sovereign control over its borders and security to stabilize the country. The talks come amid... [Continue Reading]
Despite war, al-Quds Day marches in Tehran saw thousands protest, voicing anger against Israel and the US. [Continue Reading]
A presentation from a headhunting firm aimed to recruit Wall Street investors to the Pentagon by offering “unmatched access” to government officials and fund-raising opportunities among foreign sovereigns. [Continue Reading]
An air attack hit in Tehran as Iran’s chief justice gave lives interview at an al-Quds rally [Continue Reading]
French President Emmanuel Macron Friday vowed to keep up pressure on Russia to end its four-year invasion of Ukraine after Washington partially rolled back sanctions against Moscow to cool oil prices sent soaring by the Middle East war. Kyiv's allies worry that the United States temporarily allowing some sales of Russian oil will aid President Vladimir Putin, already boosted by the rising energy prices. FRANCE 24's International Affairs Commentator Douglas Herbert tells us more. [Continue Reading]
The Israeli military said it carried out an air strike on a bridge in southern Lebanon on Friday, in what appeared to be the first time in the current campaign against Hezbollah that it acknowledged attacking civilian infrastructure. The military said the Zrariyeh bridge, which crosses the Litani River, was used by Hezbollah militants moving between northern and southern Lebanon, but provided no evidence to support the claim. [Continue Reading]
Asian nations, including India, are feeling the impact of the ongoing war in Iran. We explore how dependent the region is on West Asia for energy and consider whether New Delhi should position itself as a mediator to help bring the conflict to an end. [Continue Reading]
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Friday that Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has been injured and pledged to continue ramping up attacks, while playing down the impact of the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Khamenei is “wounded and likely disfigured”, Hegseth said during a press conference on Friday morning. The new Iranian leader’s first public address, issued on Thursday through a written statement, showed that “he’s scared, he’s injured, he’s on the run, and he... [Continue Reading]
The auction includes a $100trillion note from Zimbabwe, issued during the country's years of hyperinflation [Continue Reading]
Over the past two months, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the ports of Rochester and Buffalo intercepted multiple shipments containing counterfeit luxury items. Officers identified and seized watches mimicking Rolex trademarks and various jewelry items that bore counterfeit markings. The total value of the seized counterfeit goods surpassed $125,000. The counterfeit Rolex watches alone would have been worth about $82,000 if authentic. These seizures showcase CBP's commitment to protecting American consumers and brand owners from counterfeit goods that can undermine legitimate businesses and potentially pose safety or quality risks. The operation affects importers, retailers, and consumers by... [Continue Reading]
Polls in the United States suggest the war in Iran is unusually unpopular compared with past US military conflicts. There has been propaganda, video-game footage and facts spun into fiction, but also excellent reporting and crucial analysis of the innocent lives lost. This week, FRANCE 24’s media show Scoop looks at US media coverage, and our guest is Negar Mortazavi, an Iranian-American journalist and political analyst. [Continue Reading]