France 24

We speak to the chair of the European Parliament's delegation for relations with the United States: Italian politician Brando Benifei. He recently led a group of MEPs to the US to meet members of the US Congress and other players in a bid to de-escalate the trade crisis between Washington and Brussels. He talks of the probability of a negotiated solution, and comments on the complicated political relationship between the US president and the EU – as evidenced by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's tightrope act when she was hosted by Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday.

On April 17,1975, a hardline Communist command led by Pol Pot swept into Phnom Penh and overthrew the US-backed military government of General Lon Nol. The Khmer Rouge went on to write the darkest chapter in Cambodia's history, committing one of the worst genocides of the 20th century. More than two million people were killed during their four-year rule, as they carried out mass killings and forced labour in their pursuit of radical ideologies. 

A crackdown on demonstrators in Turkey, the detention of the mayor of Istanbul and a clampdown on pro-EU protesters in Georgia – there is currently no shortage of challenges to the Council of Europe from its own members. Europe's largest and oldest intergovernmental body – comprising 46 countries – has a relatively new boss: Alain Berset became secretary general in September 2024. We ask him if human rights are under attack, and what recourse he has when members flout the organisation's core principles and values. Before his current role, Berset was an elected minister in the government of Switzerland. 

A mob, which included many members from the anti-blasphemy political group Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), on Friday lynched a member of Pakistan's persecuted Ahmadiyya minority in the port city of Karachi. Hundreds of radical Islamists stormed the streets chanting slogans, enraged that Ahmadis were allegedly offering Friday prayers.

US Vice President JD Vance met with Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome ahead of celebrating Easter at the Vatican and a meeting with the pope's right-hand man. Meloni shares far-right views with Vance and President Donald Trump, whom she met in Washington just a day before on a charm offensive aiming for a US-EU tariffs deal. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, FRANCE 24's Jennie Shin welcomes Arturo Varvelli, Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) and Head of ECFR Rome.

Nearly 200 people detained in a government crackdown on protests went on trial on Friday in Istanbul. Suspects include several students and journalists who were arrested while demonstrating against the March 19 detention and subsequent jailing of Ekrem Imamoglu, Istanbul's mayor and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's greatest political rival.

A woman injured during a fatal cryotherapy session at a gym in France's capital earlier this week is now brain-dead, the prosecutor's office said Friday.

Togo's International Fashion Festival has chosen a topical theme for its twelfth edition: the fight against cancer. The issue may not appear glamorous, but the alarming rise in cancer rates makes it extremely relevant. Jacques Logoh, the festival's founder, believes that fashion must help raise awareness of the disease, with prevention as its watchword. As such, some 40 designers from 25 countries are showing off their artisanal and fashion expertise at the event. FRANCE 24 went to check it out.

The Israeli military is tightening its hold on the Gaza Strip, expanding buffer zones and security corridors and keeping border crossings closed. Since the end of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire on March 18, the partition of the Gaza Strip has accelerated, perhaps a prelude to a lasting Israeli occupation. The Israeli Defence Minister said on Wednesday that the army “will remain in the security zones to act as a buffer between the enemy and the [Israeli] communities”. 

Perrier faces trouble after pathogenic bacteria were found in 75cl bottles at its Vergèze factory, according to ARS documents. A production line was halted, and 300,000 bottles blocked, with possible destruction under consideration. The sparkling water could lose its 'natural mineral water' label.

The Baltic nation of Estonia has been calling for a significant boost in EU defence spending for years and is now seeing that call heeded. Sharing a 300-kilometre border with Russia, Estonia would be on the front lines in case of an invasion. Tallinn has committed to bump up the country's defence spending to 5 percent of GDP by next year – well above the current NATO commitment of 2 percent. For more, FRANCE 24's Charles Pellegrin speaks to Estonian Foreign Affairs Minister Margus Tsahkna. 

On Thursday, April 17, 2025, a series of avalanches struck the French Alps following an intense spring snowstorm, resulting in the death of a 27-year-old British man at the Val Thorens ski resort. Authorities closed the resort and issued avalanche warnings across the region, advising residents and visitors to stay indoors due to the high risk of further slides.

A new exhibition in Paris is shining a light on the rich cultural history of Gaza, with artwork and artefacts which tell the story of the Palestinian enclave's unique melting pot. Featuring classical sculpture, ancient mosaics and archaeological finds, the Arab World Institute hopes that "Saved Treasures from Gaza" will paint a more complete picture of the region's history as a commercial crossroads between Asia and Africa. Meanwhile, Katy Perry's stardom reaches new heights as the American pop star joins the all-female team participating in the Blue Origin flight into space. We also check out the largest show of David Hockney's artwork ever assembled, as the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris celebrates his 70-year career. Plus a family-friendly exhibition takes visitors through a century of Disney’s movie magic.

A growing number of Mongolian LGBTQ youth are challenging stereotypes and fighting for acceptance through media representation in the socially conservative country, where they are often forced to hide their identities from employers and colleagues, for fear of discrimination.

"I'm not worried about Jensen [Huang] at all," said US President Donald Trump, commenting on the Nvidia CEO's visit to Beijing. The trip was the latest twist in a tumultuous week for the US firm, which is the world's third most valuable company and top supplier of AI computer chips. We take a closer look in this week's edition of Tech 24. 

US Vice President JD Vance on Friday met with Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome to discuss tariffs and a ceasefire in Ukraine, ahead of celebrating Easter at the Vatican. Vance said he would discuss the ceasefire negotiations with Meloni, adding that he felt "optimistic" about bringing the war to a close.

Canadians will head to the polls at the end of the month to elect a new parliament, following Thursday's second and final televised debate among party leaders. Topics included the cost of living, national sovereignty, and immigration. However, the spotlight seemed to shift to someone absent from the debate: Donald Trump.

The Palestinian Civil Defence announced on Friday that 15 people, including 10 members of the same family, were killed in two Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip. Israel has resumed intense strikes on Gaza, with ceasefire negotiations once again at a standstill.

This week in Paris des Arts, we meet a bestselling author from the French literary scene: David Foenkinos. In his new book, "Tout le monde aime Clara" ("Everybody loves Clara"), he explores his favourite themes: the right to a second chance, the fear of a blank page, and art at the heart of beauty. We meet him at the Tristan Bernard Theatre where the play inspired by his novel "Numéro deux" (Number two) is being performed. 

Yemen's Huthi rebels said US strikes on a fuel port killed 74 people and wounded more than 170 on Friday, making it the deadliest attack of Washington's intensified month-long air campaign.

The FEMUA music festival is in full swing, and beyond its vibrant musical performances, FEMUA serves as a platform for social awareness, engaging attendees in discussions and initiatives that promote civic responsibility and road safety. Clémence Waller has more from Abidjan.

An autistic artist has set a Guinness World Record for creating the largest art canvas in Abuja, showcasing talent and determination. The giant canvas, which was completed on the World autism awareness day, shows various faces representing a wide range of emotions.

Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni struck an optimistic tone on a potential US-EU tariffs deal as the Italian prime minister launched a charm offensive at the White House. The two far-right leaders shared warm words, with Trump calling Meloni "fantastic." Casting herself as the only European able to de-escalate Trump's trade war, Meloni stressed their ultra-conservative alignment and vowed to "make the West great again." For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, FRANCE 24's Catalina Marchant De Abreu welcomes Vincenzo Emanuele, Assistant Professor in Political Science at LUISS Guido Carli and Researcher at the Italian Centre for Electoral Studies.

In recent years, Spain has become a leading destination for tech giants to set up their data centres in Europe. Madrid even aims to become a "digital hub" on the continent, like Germany and the UK. But at what cost to the environment? To cool down their servers, data centres consume billions of litres of drinking water: a huge worry in Spain, one of the countries worst affected by drought in Europe. Our correspondent Armelle Exposito investigates the environmental impact of these data centres.

Ukraine and the US signed a "memorandum of intent" on Thursday to advance a deal granting Washington access to Kyiv’s natural resources and critical minerals, Ukraine said. The pact aims to foster an economic partnership and create a reconstruction fund, Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said.