
France extends aid to sectors hit by fuel price surge amid Middle East tensions
France's aid extension highlights ongoing economic strain from fuel costs, potentially influencing crude oil market expectations and prices.

France's aid extension highlights ongoing economic strain from fuel costs, potentially influencing crude oil market expectations and prices.

The US Federal Reserve has raised its key interest rates for the first time in three years, as it seeks to bring down high inflation. The policy decision sets up a potential confrontation between Chairman Kevin Warsh and President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly called on the central bank to cut interest rates. Also in the show - France extends fuel subsidies as fishermens' protests gather momentum, and Hong Kong seeks to fall in line with Beijing's economic vision.

Ed Sheeran's tour of North and South America has been roiled by the decision this week to drop Macklemore as an opener because of the rapper's onstage pro-Palestinian comments. Since then, all of Sheeran's other supporting acts have dropped out, including a group that plays with Sheeran during part of the show. FRANCE 24's Monte Francis speaks with David Jackson, Professor of Political Science at Bowling Green State University.

Ed Sheeran's tour of North and South America has been roiled by the decision this week to drop Macklemore as an opener because of the rapper's onstage pro-Palestinian comments. Since then, all of Sheeran's other supporting acts have dropped out, including a group that plays with Sheeran during part of the show. FRANCE 24's Monte Francis speaks with David Jackson, Professor of Political Science at Bowling Green State University.

Iranian authorities committed crimes against humanity in the crackdown on 2022 protests that left hundreds dead, Amnesty International said Wednesday, adding Tehran's suppression of new demonstrations this year bore the "same hallmarks" but on an even wider scale. FRANCE 24's Mark Owen speaks with Amnesty International Iran Researcher Raha Bahreini. She calls for the establishment of an international criminal justice mechanism to prosecute those responsible for the crimes.

Turkish courts have jailed more LGBTQ activists and supporters, raising to 62 the number remanded in custody following a weekend crackdown, a legal rights group said on Wednesday. Speaking with FRANCE 24's Mark Owen, Koen Slootmaeckers, Reader in International Politics at City St George's, University of London, says that Turkish President Recep Tayyp Erdogan wants to claim "the idea of a strong, masculine state and LGBTQ people are a threat to this ideal".

Sweden's centre-left opposition has defeated the incumbent right-wing governing bloc by the slimmest of margins, public broadcaster SVT said on Wednesday, after 99% of the votes in Sunday's parliamentary election had been counted. FRANCE 24's Paul Rhys reports.

Saudi Arabia accused Yemen's Houthis on Wednesday of launching a "cowardly" attack targeting Islam's holy city of Mecca, sparking outrage across the Muslim world. The Houthis swiftly rejected as a "lie" Riyadh's statement that it had shot down a drone heading towards Mecca, which attracts millions of pilgrims each year. FRANCE 24's Emerald Maxwell reports.

The US federal government is on track to approve a $2.8 billion arms package for Israel, US media reported Tuesday, with the sale of 40,000 one-ton bombs among the largest munitions packages sold in recent years. The Washington Post said the package -- funded with US taxpayer dollars -- featured some of the most destructive munitions in Western arsenals, including 20,000 MK-84s, 20,000 BLU-117s, and 20,000 I-2000 Penetrator warheads. FRANCE 24's Selina Sykes reports.

France has selected exiled Russia director Andrey Zvyagintsev’s French-produced political thriller Minotaur as its entry for the Best International Feature Film category of the 99th Academy Awards. The submission was chosen from a shortlist also featuring Antonin Baudry’s historical biopic De Gaulle: Tilting Iron, Louis Clichy’s animated feature Iron Boy, Marine Atlan’s La Gradiva and […]

France has selected Andrey Zvyagintsev’s Cannes Grand Prize winner “Minotaur” to represent the country in the international feature film race at the Oscars. The choice was made Wednesday by France’s Oscar committee following auditions with the producers, international sales agents and U.S. distributors behind the five shortlisted films, including Mubi, Neon and Sony Pictures Classics. […]

Countries including Syria, France and Guatemala have seen blockades, marches or other protests due to rising fuel prices caused by conflict in the Middle East.

A Russian drone struck a passenger bus in southern Ukraine early Wednesday, killing five people and wounding at least seven. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the attack, the latest in a series of Russian strikes on civilian transportation, as an “atrocity.” France 24's Gulliver Cragg tells us more.

TotalEnergies service stations are accused of distorting competition as they display France's lowest-priced fuel. Supermarkets that usually sell fuel as a loss leader to pull in customers are furious, along with independent service stations.

The Trump administration is planning to deliver powerful 2,000-pound bombs to Israel as part of an upcoming arms deal, weapons that prompted such concerns about the possibility of mass casualties in Gaza that the Biden administration paused their delivery two years ago. France 24's Philip Turle tells us more.

This year, several French landmarks are paying tribute to France’s last queen, Marie-Antoinette. Despite her public execution taking place more than 230 years ago, the monarch continues to fascinate both at home and abroad. Our reporters dive into the reasons behind the lasting interest and explore why she could be considered France’s first influencer.

Between dance, installation work, music making and more, artist Nora Chipaumire brings her ideas to Paris, hosted by the Résidence Tallard. Chipaumire is also leading performances and workshops at the Festival d'Automne, a contemporary arts festival in the French capital. At the heart of her work, she tells FRANCE 24, is a will to "shift the world into a much more positive, joyful" and equitable place.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday she wanted to open the door for Canada to become the European Union's first "associate member". France 24's Douglas Herbert tells us more.

France's ex-culture minister Rachida Dati appeared in court Wednesday on corruption charges linked to dealings with the Renault-Nissan group, just months after her bruising defeat in the Paris mayoral race.

A Paris court on Tuesday sentenced a former school aide to one year of house arrest with an ankle tag for sexually abusing nine children – the first conviction since a nationwide scandal erupted over abuse in France's childcare system. Nearly 200 similar cases are under investigation in Paris alone, with parents and advocacy groups saying their trust in schools is collapsing.