French aid worker for UNICEF killed in DR Congo's Goma, Macron says
A French aid worker for the UN children's agency was killed in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday, after air strikes overnight killed several people in the city of Goma. A French national working for UNICEF was killed in Goma in the eastern »»»
DRC youth disillusioned by politics ahead of presidential elections
The DRC is preparing to elect its next president. But some young voters in the African country are increasingly disillusioned with politics. Incumbent leader Denis Sassou-Nguesso, who is 82 years old, is the favorite to win after more than forty years in power.»»»
Libyan Ramadan celebrations tempered by rising inflation
Rising inflation has dampened Ramadan celebrations in Libya. Across the country, families have had to cope with higher prices. In the eastern city of Benghazi, residents have embraced the spirit of the holy month by lending a helping hand to the city's most disadvantaged people. FRANCE 24's Lilia B»»»
Focus - Healthcare on a lifeline: Egypt’s hospitals rely on Ramadan donations to survive
In Egypt, Ramadan is not just a time for religious fasting – it is also a critical financial lifeline for the country’s public and charitable healthcare system. Without the generosity of Zakat (obligatory alms) and Sadaqa (voluntary charity), many major hospitals would struggle to survive. For»»»
Eye on Africa - Drone strike hits Goma killing aid worker and civilians
In tonight's edition, a French aid worker is killed by a drone strike in Goma in eastern DRC. Also, global cocoa prices plunged after 2024's record highs, forcing producers to cut payments to farmers. And after nearly 170 years, leopards are returning to South Africa’s western coast, a real c»»»
The race for Paris: How the capital’s housing crisis could determine the city’s next mayor
With France preparing to vote in the first round of the municipal elections on Sunday, Paris has become a battleground between left- and right-wing forces fighting to shape the capital’s future. FRANCE 24 looks at how the city’s affordable housing crisis is shaping the tight-run race. For man»»»
French AI startup AMI raises $1B to develop 'universal intelligent systems'
French artificial intelligence startup AMI on Tuesday said it has raised $1 billion to develop AI systems designed to understand the physical world "in the way animals and humans do", unlike the language-based models behind chatbots such as ChatGPT. The company said it expected to pr»»»
Greek Defence Minister Dendias to Visit Bulgaria for Security Talks
Greek Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias will visit Bulgaria on Thursday at the invitation of caretaker Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov. The two ministers and the delegations they lead will discuss current issues in the field of security and defence, the Bulgarian Defence Ministry’s press»»»
Energy Minister Traikov to Meet Central and South Eastern Europe Energy Connectivity Coordinator Klaus-Dieter Borchardt
Caretaker Energy Minister Traicho Traikov will hold a meeting on Thursday with Prof. Klaus-Dieter Borchardt, coordinator of the Central and South Eastern Europe Energy Connectivity (CESEC) initiative, the Energy Ministry said. The main topic of discussion is expected to be accelerating work on the »»»
Parliament simplifies entry into civil service for people with disabilities - | 24.KG
Members of the Zhogorku Kenesh of Kyrgyzstan have approved in the third reading a draft law introducing amendments to the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic «On the State Civil Service and Municipal Service.» The bill was initiated by MP Dastan Bekeshev. The document proposes granting citizens of Kyrgyzsta»»»
US, Other Nations Start To Acknowledge Russia’s Key Role In Global Energy Stability - Dmitriev
Kirill Dmitriev, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and Russian special presidential envoy for economic cooperation with foreign countries, visited the United States, where he met heads of the working group on bilateral economic cooperation. "On instructions from [Russian] Presid»»»
Shell Declares Force Majeure to Clients who Buy Qatari LNG
Shell, the world's largest liquefied natural gas trader, has declared force majeure on LNG cargoes it buys from QatarEnergy and sells to its clients worldwide, three sources told Reuters on Wednesday. Qatar, the world's second-largest exporter of LNG, announced a production halt at its 77 million t»»»
Drone attack in Kuwait injures 2, limited fire reported
A drone attack on an apartment building in the Mangaf area, south Kuwait, injured two people and caused a minor fire on Thursday morning. Firefighters quickly rushed to the scene, evacuated residents, and brought the fire under control, Spokesman of the Kuwait Fire Force Brig Mohammad Al Gharib tol»»»
Bahrain arrests four for espionage; six detained for sharing videos
The Ministry of Interior announced the arrest of four Bahraini nationals and identified a fifth, currently at large abroad, for espionage activities in coordination with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) via elements in Iran. The arrested individuals are: Murtadha Hussain Awal, 25 Ahmed »»»
Parliament approves bill granting international status to two checkpoints - | 24.KG
Deputies approved in the third reading the draft law «On the ratification of the protocol amending the agreement between the Government of Kyrgyzstan and the Government of Kazakhstan on state border crossing points of December 25, 2003, signed on August 22, 2025, in Bishkek.» The decision was made »»»
Qatar condemns Iranian attack on Salalah Port in Sultanate of Oman
Doha, Qatar: The State of Qatar expressed its strong condemnation and denunciation of the Iranian drone attack targeting the port of Salalah in the Sultanate of Oman, which caused damage to several fuel tanks at the port. Qatar considered the attack a blatant act of aggression and a flagrant violat»»»
Norway Police Arrest 3 Suspects in Bombing of US Embassy
Norwegian police said on Wednesday they had apprehended three brothers suspected of carrying out Sunday's bombing at the US embassy in Oslo, in an attack investigators have branded an act of terrorism. The powerful early-morning blast from an improvised explosive device (IED) damaged the entrance t»»»
Parliament to Discuss on First Reading Five Bills Amending Penal Code
Parliament is set to debate at first reading five bills proposing amendments to the Penal Code, according to the agenda adopted for Thursday's plenary sitting. Four of the bills have been approved by the National Assembly’s Committee on Constitutional and Legal Affairs, while one has been rejected.»»»
Woman stabs her husband to death after quarrel in Kara-Balta - | 24.KG
A woman suspected of murdering her husband has been detained in Chui region. The press service of the Main Department of Internal Affairs of Chui region reported. According to police, on March 11, 2026, at approximately 12:20 p.m., a woman U.V. reported the murder of her husband, P.A., in a house o»»»
Bodies of anonymous migrants wash up in Sicily weeks after cyclone
Over the past weeks, the bodies of anonymous migrants have washed up on the shores of Sicily, victims of the recent extreme weather caused by Storm Harry as they were attempting to cross the sea from north Africa. The cyclone has underlined a brutal reality: that the central Mediterranean remains o»»»
Ukraine sends drone experts to Gulf, viewing an ‘opportunity’
Ukraine has sent drone expert teams to several Gulf countries to help in their fight against Iran's drones. The Ukrainian military has experience downing Iranian Shahed drones and the government “sees this as an opportunity,” explains FRANCE 24’s Gulliver Cragg, reporting from Kyiv. With the war ag»»»
Processing industry growth recorded in Kyrgyzstan - | 24.KG
The country is consistently working to develop its processing industry, and the sector is showing steady positive growth. During the reporting period, the share of food processing enterprises, including beverage and tobacco production, in the total volume of processing industry output was 18.8 perc»»»
KLM suspends Dubai flights until March 28; passengers offered refund or rebooking
Dubai: Dutch carrier KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has cancelled all flights to Dubai until March 28 due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The airline said passengers booked on the affected services will be contacted and can either »»»
LIVE UPDATES: Middle East Tensions Mount After Strikes on Iran – Day 13
The Middle East remains on edge as the conflict triggered by the February 28 US–Israeli strikes on Iran enters its 13th day. The attacks, which targeted multiple Iranian sites and killed senior Iranian officials, sparked a major regional escalation and a wave of retaliatory missile and drone operat»»»
Spain removes ambassador from Israel
Spain has permanently withdrawn its ambassador from Israel, formally downgrading the level of diplomatic relations with the country. The long-strained relations between Madrid and West Jerusalem have deteriorated amid the ongoing US-Israeli war against Iran. Spain is the only Western nation that ha»»»
Epstein's longtime accountant testifies on his wealth and business ties
WASHINGTON (AP): House lawmakers were digging into Jeffrey Epstein's sprawling financial portfolio Wednesday as a committee deposed his former accountant and tried to understand his connections to some of the world's wealthiest men. Richard Kahn, who worked closely with Epstein for years and now se»»»
Bahrain says fuel tanks in Muharraq attacked by Iran, requests residents stay home
Manama: Bahrain told residents to stay home after an Iranian attack on fuel tanks on Thursday as Tehran carries out a campaign in the Gulf to disrupt global energy markets. Also Read: US-Israel war on Iran Day 13: Trump pledges to end war amid ongoing attacks on Gulf nations"The blatant Iranian agg»»»
Number of mass food poisoning victims in Bishkek rises to 20 - | 24.KG
Twenty people have been admitted to the Republican Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital as a result of the mass food poisoning, the hospital’s chief physician, Gulzhigit Aaliev, told 24.kg news agency. According to him, 19 people have been hospitalized, and another is receiving outpatient treatmen»»»
March 12 update: Air India, Air India Express operate 58 West Asia flights; IndiGo resumes 9 routes
As travel between the UAE and India picks up, several airlines have resumed scheduled and non-scheduled flights to key destinations. On March 12, travellers can expect services from Indian carriers as well as UAE-based airlines, helping passengers reconnect with family and continue business and lei»»»
A propos - ‘Radical acceleration’ in AI military targeting raises oversight fears
Speaking with FRANCE 24’s Sharon Gaffney, Elke Schwarz, Professor of Political Theory at Queen Mary University of London, warned of a “radical acceleration” in the speed at which military targets are identified through the use of AI, and how quickly action is taken against them. She said this raise»»»
Chief accountant of Kyrgyz Pochtasy branch detained for embezzlement - | 24.KG
Officers of the State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan (SCNS) detained the former manager and chief accountant of Leilek district branch of Kyrgyz Pochtasy OJSC. The agency’s press center reported. During efforts to prevent corruption crimes at state-owned enterprises, cases of embezzl»»»
Police officer detained in Bishkek on suspicion of fraud - | 24.KG
A police officer has been detained in Bishkek on suspicion of fraud, the press center of the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) reported. According to the SCNS, an officer of the Security Department of Pervomaisky District of the Interior Ministry’s Security Service, K.u.A., took a large »»»
Senators demand answers on school strike in Iran as growing evidence points to US involvement
WASHINGTON: Dozens of Democratic senators demanded answers from the Trump administration on Wednesday as a growing body of evidence suggested that the US was likely responsible for a strike at an elementary school in Iran that killed over 165 people, many of them children. The letter from more than»»»
US teachers from Philippines, Jamaica face Trump visa squeeze
Like many school systems facing teacher shortages, South Carolina’s Allendale County has looked overseas for help. A quarter of the teachers in the rural, high-poverty district come from other countries. The superintendent praises the international educators — mostly from Jamaica and the Philippine»»»
Driver suspected of rape detained after chase through Bishkek - | 24.KG
A truck driver suspected of rape was detained in Bishkek. The Patrol Police Department’s press service reported. According to the department, on March 10 at approximately 8:35 p.m., the 102 emergency service received information that an unidentified truck driver had committed a crime — he raped a w»»»
Orbán: “We do not need Ukraine in the European Union”
As Hungary approaches the 2026 parliamentary elections, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has framed the vote as a decisive moment for the country’s future security and economic stability. Speaking during a campaign stop in Balatonfüred, PM Orbán warned that Europe is living through a period of significa»»»
Iran Does Not Consider Israel Party to Talks to Need Mediators With It - Ambassador
Iran does not need mediators with Israel because it does not consider it a party to negotiations, Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali told Sputnik in an interview. "Iran does not officially recognize the Zionist regime as a party with which to negotiate. To date, there have been no cases of m»»»
UAE flight status March 12: Updated schedules and how to rebook your trip
UAE airlines continue to operate on a reduced schedule as regional airspace gradually reopens. Emirates, Etihad Airways, Flydubai, and Air Arabia have all updated their flight operations, offering rebooking and refund options to affected passengers. Authorities and airlines emphasise that travel is»»»
Vietnam fuel prices climb again despite stabilisation fund intervention
Fuel prices in Vietnam rose again on March 11, despite the government having decided to draw on its fuel price stabilisation fund to soften the impact of the ongoing global oil market turmoil. According to Reute»»»
COMMENT: Strategic reserve releases cannot replace an open Strait of Hormuz
A proposed record release of emergency strategic oil reserves from the International Energy Agency (IEA) could offer temporary relief to global markets if Middle Eastern supply disruptions deepen, but it will not prevent prices from rising again. »»»
Seoul to release 22.46mn barrels from oil reserves
South Korea will release 22.46mn barrels of crude oil from its strategic petroleum reserves as part of a coordinated plan by members of the International Energy Agency to supply 400mn barrels to global markets, Yonhap News Agency reports. »»»
Washington to open strategic oil reserves, release 172mn barrels
The United States will release 172mn barrels of oil from its emergency stockpiles starting in the week as part of an effort to curb rising energy prices following the outbreak of war between US and Israeli forces with Iran. »»»
Japan to release oil reserves to counter supply risks
Japan plans to begin releasing oil reserves as early as March 16 in an effort to contain a potential surge in petrol and other petroleum prices brought about by the conflict in the Middle East, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said late on March 11. »»»
COMMENT: Strategic reserve releases cannot replace an open Strait of Hormuz
A proposed record release of emergency strategic oil reserves from the International Energy Agency (IEA) could offer temporary relief to global markets if Middle Eastern supply disruptions deepen, but it will not prevent prices from rising again. »»»
Washington to open strategic oil reserves, release 172mn barrels
The United States will release 172mn barrels of oil from its emergency stockpiles starting in the week as part of an effort to curb rising energy prices following the outbreak of war between US and Israeli forces with Iran. »»»
Seoul to release 22.46mn barrels from oil reserves
South Korea will release 22.46mn barrels of crude oil from its strategic petroleum reserves as part of a coordinated plan by members of the International Energy Agency to supply 400mn barrels to global markets, Yonhap News Agency reports. »»»
COMMENT: Strategic reserve releases cannot replace an open Strait of Hormuz
A proposed record release of emergency strategic oil reserves from the International Energy Agency (IEA) could offer temporary relief to global markets if Middle Eastern supply disruptions deepen, but it will not prevent prices from rising again. »»»
China’s COSCO halts Panama Canal port calls after government seizes terminals
The abrupt suspension of services by China's state-owned shipping giant COSCO at the Pacific-side port of Balboa marks the most visible commercial reaction yet to Panama's decision to seize control of two strategic terminals flanking the Panama Canal, a move that has triggered legal disputes, diplo»»»