France 24 - International breaking news, top stories and headlines

A little girl sparkles in Oscar-nominated film – and shines a light on child labour

“Anuja”, a film directed by Adam Graves, was nominated for a 2025 Oscar in the live action short film category. The film, starring a former street child from New Delhi, examines the complex problem of child labour in India in a story packed with warmth, laughter, suspense and a hard look at the resilience of minors forced to work to survive.

'The Bibi Files': Documentary reveals the police interrogations behind Netanyahu’s graft trial

FRANCE 24 reviews “The Bibi Files”, a new documentary by filmmakers Alexis Bloom and Alex Gibney, which features never-before-seen footage of Israeli police interrogating Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, his family and his inner circle on corruption allegations. The documentary was screened as a work-in-progress at the 2024 Toronto Film Festival on Monday, hours after a Jerusalem court rejected a petition by Netanyahu to block the screening.

Hamas terrorist attacks on October 7: The deadliest day in Israel's history

On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched the largest-ever terrorist attack on Israeli soil. The Palestinian organisation, considered a terrorist group by the EU and the US, stormed through the security fence separating Gaza and Israel in the early morning, killing 1,189 people, including 815 civilians, wounding 7,500 and taking 251 hostage. One year on, FRANCE 24 looks back at an event that shook the region and the world.

How Bolloré, the ‘French Murdoch’, carried Le Pen’s far right to the brink of power

French tycoon Vincent Bolloré has put his sprawling media empire at the service of the country’s nationalist right, precipitating a rightward shift in French politics. Pulling strings from behind the scenes in the manner of Rupert Murdoch, the billionaire corporate raider has orchestrated an alliance of bitter right-wing rivals in the run-up to Sunday’s legislative elections, bolstering the far-right National Rally’s chances of victory.

Alain Delon, French cinema’s enigmatic, ‘angel-faced’ icon

After a long career that brought him legions of fans – and many detractors – French actor Alain Delon leaves behind a rich legacy in film, including some of the great classics of world cinema. A dark acting style, encapsulated in a look that earned him the nickname “angel-face”, characterised an enduring body of work – even though Delon’s reputation was sometimes marred by his often tumultuous private life. FRANCE 24 takes a look back at one of the giants of French cinema – from Delon’s dazzling rise to stardom to the disillusionment his persona provoked amongst some of the public.

Why so many French teachers are calling it quits

French teachers are quitting in record numbers, overwhelmed by low pay, crowded classrooms and increasing demands. Despite successive reforms by previous governments, staffing shortages persist. And leaving the profession is often a difficult process. With the announcement of a new education minister just around the corner, will France’s public education crisis finally ease up?

‘Wind of revolt’ sweeps French cinema in belated #MeToo reckoning

French cinema has been rocked by a new wave of allegations of child rape and sexual assault targeting household names in the industry, bolstering talk of a long-awaited breakthrough for the #MeToo movement in France following a nationwide controversy over Gérard Depardieu. The latest accusations shine a stark light on the culture of impunity that prevailed in a country where auteur worship has long served as a cover for abuse.

Lithium: The white gold of the energy transition

The automotive industry’s adoption of lithium-ion batteries has turned lithium, a chemical element until now extracted in small amounts, into a strategic resource whose production will only increase.The dreamed-of transition to a fully electric future within the next 10 years has sparked a worldwide race to mine and refine this new white gold to fuel the transport of tomorrow.Home to more than 65 percent of the world’s known reserves, could Latin America’s “Lithium Triangle” formed by Argentina, Bolivia and Chile become the Saudi Arabia of the 21st century?