How the US and China could end the AI race
Fabian von der MarkThe US and China are racing toward more powerful AI. But as risks mount, can Presidents Trump and Xi agree on rules for the technology's future? https://p.dw.com/p/5MyXcAdvertisementAs concerns grow over the rapid advance of artificial intelligence, experts are warning that the g»»»
French connections - The French Senate: Old, expensive and out of touch or necessary safeguard to democracy?
France is gearing up for an election this Sunday, September 27 to renew just about half of the Senate's 348 red velvet seats. The French parliament is the country's bicameral legislature. The lower house (the National Assembly) tends to overshadow the upper house (the Senate). So what does the Sena»»»
Pakistan launches air strikes in Afghanistan, killing civilians, Taliban says
Pakistan launched air strikes Thursday on 10 sites in Afghanistan in what Islamabad said was a retaliation for a drone attack by Afghanistan's Taliban forces on a border post. A Taliban government spokesman denied the allegation and said Pakistan's latest strikes killed four civilians in Afghanista»»»
Ciela Norma to Service 12,800 Voting Machines for the Presidential Election in bulgaria
The Central Election Commission (CEC) has selected "Ciela Norma" to provide technical and logistical support for machine voting in Bulgaria's October 25 presidential election, CEC spokesperson Stoyanka Balova-Tsvetkova announced. The contract will cover full diagnostics, regular maintenance and rep»»»
‘Massive, maximum destruction’: Putin seeks to bring Ukrainian civilians ‘to their knees’
Mark Owen is pleased to welcome Peter Zalmayev from Kyiv, Founder and Director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative. According to Zalmayev, Russia’s ongoing attacks on Ukraine reflect a broader political logic in which military force, political objectives and territorial ambitions are intertwined as»»»
Business - Trump sparks debate over diesel export ban
The Trump administration's suggestion that it could ban or limit diesel exports has sparked a furious backlash from the American oil industry. Politicians are trying to bring down soaring energy prices ahead of the midterm elections in November, but critics say a ban would cause supply problems and»»»
'Death of the Soccer God' pays 'homage' to Haitian diaspora and 'those who go back & do their best'
Eve Irvine is pleased to welcome Dimitry Elias Léger, journalist and author of "Death of the Soccer God". He begins with an extraordinary but largely forgotten moment in sporting history: the Haitian-born Joe Gaetjens scoring the goal that gave the US its famous victory over England at the 1950 Wor»»»
Donald Trump startled by the sound of a fighter jet
🇺🇸 🇨🇳 As Donald #Trump welcomed his Chinese counterpart Xi #Jinping for a state visit on the tarmac of an airport near #Washington, the sound of a fighter jet during the military ceremony caught the US president off guard, prompting a series of startled facial expressions.»»»
Bulgarian MP Warns Tax Changes Could Deepen Household Financial Pressure
Venko Sabrutev, an MP from We Continue the Change (PP), said on NOVA NEWS that the planned tax and economic changes would increase the financial pressure on Bulgarian households and lead to the impoverishment of the population. Sabrutev was particularly critical of the amendments to consumer and pa»»»
Tusk Tells Radev Ukraine Must Be Supported as Bulgaria Turns to Poland for Fighter Jet Maintenance
Bulgaria will depend on Poland to keep its MiG-29 aircraft operational and will also seek Polish assistance with F-16 maintenance, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said after meeting Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw. Radev said an order for MiG-29 engine repairs was forthcoming and thanked Tus»»»
Russia slams Kyiv with ballistic missiles as Ukrainians brace for harsh winter
Russia on Thursday hit Kyiv with ballistic missiles and drones, killing two people, while a strike on a farm in the Kharkiv region killed six, according to Ukrainian officials. As autumn approaches, Ukrainians are bracing for a tough winter following Moscow's intensifying attacks on the country's e»»»
Plovdiv Court Keeps 16-Year-Old in Custody Over Georgi Kuzev DeathOpinions
The Plovdiv Appellate Court has upheld the detention of a 16-year-old girl accused in the killing of Georgi Kuzev on Youth Hill in Plovdiv, denying her appeal against the District Court’s decision. Dimitar Markovski, the lawyer for Kuzev’s family, was outside the courtroom but declined to comment o»»»
New Bulgaria Credit Rules Could Target Payday Loans, Unrequested Credit and Debt RisksOpinions
Bulgaria's Parliament has approved at first reading new consumer credit rules that ban unsolicited loans and pre-approved credit cards, with the Council of Ministers' bill receiving 124 votes in favor, 64 against and 11 abstentions. The ruling coalition says the legislation is intended to strengthe»»»
Eye on Africa - Tigray rebels seize airports
In tonight's edition: TPLF fighters take over the airport in Tigray amid escalating conflict with federal troops. But first, concerns about South Africa's high rates of crimes are brought even more into focus as 11 people are killed at a party. And in eastern DR Congo, residents of Bukavu are once »»»
Bulgaria Fuel Prices Carry 20-Cent-Per-Liter Markup, Expert SaysOpinions
Fuel prices in Bulgaria are likely to remain closely tied to international oil and refined-fuel prices despite domestic supply exceeding demand by 20-30%, energy expert Martin Vladimirov of the Center for the Study of Democracy said in an interview with Nova TV. Vladimirov said Bulgaria currently h»»»
Focus - China cracks down on scam centres in neighbouring Myanmar
In Southeast Asia, hundreds of thousands of people working in fraud centres are scamming people across the world. US authorities suggest the fraudsters are responsible for scams worth almost $10 billion a year against US nationals alone. Victims in Europe, the UK and China have also been targeted. »»»
UN General Assembly: Bulgaria's President Calls for Russia, Ukraine and Europe to Shape Post-War Security
Bulgaria's President Iliana Yotova has called for Russia and Ukraine to take part in discussions on Europe's post-war security and for the European Union to play a more active role in resolving the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, during her address to the 81st session of the UN General As»»»
Bulgaria: Former Prosecutor General Reports Justice Minister to Radev Over Alleged Political Corruption
Former Acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov, now an investigator at the National Investigation Service, has filed a report with Prime Minister Rumen Radev alleging political corruption and trading in influence, BNR reported. Sarafov submitted the report through an open letter, sending copies »»»
German economic growth forecast doubles for 2026
PoliticsGermanyResearch institutes double German economic growth forecastsGerman research institutes have increased their prognosis for the country's economic growth to 1.3% in 2026 https://p.dw.com/p/5Hz5UAdvertisement Send us your feedbackYour feedback»»»
US judge lifts Trump’s White House ban on CNN, MS NOW, Politico
A US federal judge on Thursday ordered the reinstatement of White House access for journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico, in a major setback for President Donald Trump in one of his biggest battles with the media. A federal judge ordered US President Donald Trump on Thursday to restore Wh»»»
Morocco’s centre-right PAM leads in provisional election results
Morocco’s Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) won the largest number of seats in the country’s parliamentary elections, according to provisional results announced by the Interior Ministry Thursday. PAM, which is part of the kingdom's ruling coalition, made an effort to woo young voters by recrui»»»
Fiscal Council president: Forming government Romania's top priority; S&P unlikely to rush downgrade
Romania's most urgent priority is to form a government, while rating agency S&P is unlikely to rush into downgrading the country's sovereign rating, Fiscal Council President Daniel Daianu said on Wednesday."What is the priority now? The country's first priority is to have a government. And I would »»»
Bulgaria Housing Prices Rise 15.5% in Second QuarterOpinions
Housing prices in Bulgaria climbed 15.5% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026, according to National Statistical Institute (NSI) data. On a quarterly basis, prices rose by an average of 4.5% compared with the first three months of the year. Plovdiv recorded the strongest increase at 5.8%, fol»»»
TotalEnergies appoints Sameh Kokash as Vice President Refining & Chemicals Qatar and Business Development & AOBO Gas in Qatar
Doha, Qatar: TotalEnergies announced the appointment of Sameh Kokash as Vice President Refining and Chemicals Qatar and Vice President Business Development & AOBO Gas (Assets Operated by Others – Gas), effective September 2026. He will succeed Amir Kabbej, who is moving to a new assignment in Franc»»»
Live: Netanyahu faces UN over Gaza as Abbas set to address assembly by video
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to address the UN General Assembly on Thursday, as international scrutiny of Israel's war on Gaza and occupation of Palestinian territory takes centre stage on the third day of the annual debate. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is also »»»
From TikTok to church pews, France's Catholic influencers find a new flock
Brother Paul-Adrien preaches from a studio with gamer-like codes. Sister Albertine debunks convent clichés on Instagram. Father Benoît prays with followers on TikTok. As France sees a surge in teen and adult baptisms, a new generation of Catholic influencers is fuelling a quiet religious »»»
The Debate - Holy regulation? Pope in Paris to press case for 'disarming' AI
It's all about his high holiness here in France. For weeks already, the nation's been abuzz over the upcoming visit of Leo. From Friday evening mass at Notre Dame Cathedral and mass before 600-thousand faithful in Paris to the pilgrimage city of Lourdes and a trip to Metz, hometown of father of Eur»»»
Trump gives Xi rare airport welcome as Chinese leader begins US state visit
US President Donald Trump personally welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping at a military airfield outside Washington on Wednesday, kicking off a lavish state visit focused on trade, artificial intelligence and Iran, as the two powers seek to preserve a fragile diplomatic and economic truce. US Pres»»»
Turkey to hand over military base in northern Iraq to Baghdad
Turkey will gradually hand over control of its Bashiqa military base in northern Iraq to Baghdad, Ankara and Baghdad said Wednesday, in a move aimed at strengthening Iraqi state authority and easing a long-running source of tension between the neighbours. Turkey will hand over control of its base i»»»
AI leaders urge caution at UN, with Anthropic chief pledging to slow down
Leaders of some of the world's biggest AI companies urged caution at the United Nations on Wednesday, warning that increasingly autonomous systems could outpace human oversight. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei pledged to slow development to ensure new AI systems are safe, while OpenAI chief Sam Altman c»»»
Iran will 'never bend at the knee', Pezeshkian tells UN in defiant wartime address
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian gave a defiant wartime address at the UN on Wednesday accusing the US of terrorism in his country and saying Iran would not "bend at the knee". But as Pezeshkian called for diplomacy, Iranian officials downplayed their talks with US counterparts on»»»
No, this video doesn't disprove the 9/11 attack on the south tower of the World Trade Center
A former British member of parliament implied that a video filmed from a helicopter on September 11, 2001 shows that no planes actually hit the World Trade Center's south tower, but this claim would be unfounded. The plane that hit the south tower hit the other side of the building, which isn’t vis»»»
Truth or Fake - Fact-checking Trump’s speech at the United Nations General Assembly
Donald Trump’s UN address was packed with claims that are misleading, false or exaggerated. He said the US has more munitions than it could ever use, despite reports of depleting stocks. He claimed the US and Venezuela hold 60% of the world’s oil, despite the numbers not adding up, and he said»»»
Press Review - Fresh drilling for a lost Egyptian queen?
PRESS REVIEW – Wednesday, September 23: The papers look ahead to US President Donald Trump hosting his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. In other news, a Haitian-born novelist, tipped to win France's prestigious Goncourt literary prize, has been struck by an AI scandal. Finally, could the remains of »»»
Europe lifts sanctions against two Russians
The EU has agreed to remove Russian billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman from its sanctions list, while extending restrictions on nearly 3,000 individuals and companies linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine for another three years. The decision came after difficult negotiations, as EU sanct»»»
Zelensky accuses Putin of using nationals of 47 countries to fight Ukraine war
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the UN General Assembly on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin had enlisted fighters from 47 countries including North Korea, Ghana and India to fight against Ukraine. Zelensky also warned that his forces could target Russian heating»»»
Business - French government scales up targeted fuel price relief
Under pressure to help businesses and workers cope with soaring fuel prices, the French government has announced it will expand targeted energy relief for those most affected. The new measures will cost €450 million, bringing the total so far to €1.4 billion. Meanwhile, as French President Emmanuel»»»
Disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 15 years for 2006 sex assault
Disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 15 years in prison Wednesday in another #MeToo reckoning for sexually assaulting a former production assistant in 2006. Weinstein, who was at the center of abuse allegations that spurred the #MeToo movement in Hollywood, was res»»»
Stocks dip, oil soars despite Trump hailing ‘productive’ Iran talks
LONDON — Stock markets fell on Wednesday while oil rose sharply as investors weighed the chances of a deal to end the Mideast war, after US President Donald Trump had hailed "very good" talks at the United Nations between US and Iranian representatives.Trump added that a three-hour meeting Tuesday »»»
MIHAS 2026 highlights global halal trade and AI-driven business matching
KUALA LUMPUR — The 22nd Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) has brought together around 450 buyers from 58 economies, underscoring the event’s role as a major global platform for the halal industry.The four-day international halal trade fair opened on Tuesday and is expected to attract ar»»»
Innovation to boost pharmaceutical industry expansion, competitiveness - JEDCO
AMMAN — The Jordan Enterprise Development Corporation (JEDCO) stressed the importance of innovation, research and development (R&D) in boosting the "competitiveness" and expansion of Jordan’s pharmaceutical industry.JEDCO Executive Director Ghaleb Hijazi, Wednesday said "stronger" cooperation a»»»
'Breakthrough' archeological find could confirm location of Paris's original settlement
An ancient wall discovered this summer under a hospital in central Paris is thought to be a fragment of city ramparts built by Iron age settlers. Experts say the stone-and-wood structure could confirm the location of the ancient city of Lutetia. An ancient wall discovered beneath Paris wa»»»
Backlash against smart glasses grow
Paris prosecutors say they have opened several investigations after receiving complaints about women allegedly filmed on the street without their consent by people wearing so-called “smart glasses”. Calls are growing across Europe for action against what campaigners have dubbed “pervert” smart glas»»»
UN General Assembly enters second day with key speeches ahead
It’s Day Two of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, with a packed programme including speeches by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Some of the biggest names in artificial intelligence will also address the UN Security Council. France 24’s »»»
Golan Heights will 'remain Syrian', President Ahmed al-Sharaa vows at UN
Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa told the UN Wednesday that the contested Golan Heights region would "remain Syrian" despite ongoing military occupation by Israel. The Syrian leader also used his second turn at the UN rostrum to denounce repeated Israeli strikes on his country. Syrian Pr»»»
Hurricane Polo churns off Mexico
Hurricane Polo has strengthened into one of the most powerful Pacific cyclones in decades and is expected to skirt Mexico’s southwestern coast as a Category 5 storm. The Miami-based National Hurricane Center described Polo as an “extremely dangerous” storm, with maximum sustained winds of 165 miles»»»
Perspective - Thomas Chatterton Williams on how Covid-19, George Floyd protests affected US social justice
An acclaimed American author has spoken to FRANCE 24 about his theories on how American society's opinion and ideas of social justice have changed since the presidency of Barack Obama. Thomas Chatterton Williams says the left became disillusioned during Obama's second term, and in later years amid »»»
Chinese beauty products prove resilient amid US-China trade war
The US-China trade war has hit exports ranging from soybeans to solar panels, but one industry appears to be weathering the tariffs remarkably well. As Donald Trump and Xi Jinping prepare to meet in Washington this week, big-ticket exports are likely to be high on the agenda. But Chinese beauty pro»»»
A propos - UN General Assembly to discuss war, climate and AI
World leaders are heading to New York for the world's biggest diplomatic gathering: the UN General Assembly. Throughout the week, attention will turn to the war in Iran, climate change and the race to rein in AI. FRANCE 24's Monte Francis and Theresa Squatrito from the London School of Economics di»»»
World leaders weigh AI worries, regulations
AI leaders are due to brief the UN Security Council at an emergency session later today. The meeting comes after weeks of warnings about the potentially uncontrollable risks posed by artificial intelligence. Delano D’Souza reports.»»»