UN reports 78% of Gaza Strip buildings are partially or fully destroyed

Ukrainians mark end of WWII amid fragile ceasefire with Russia

As a temporary ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia comes into effect, residents across Ukraine reflect on the enduring toll of war and the uncertainty of peace. In Zaporizhzhia, mourners at a World War II memorial drew parallels between past and present suffering, while others in Kharkiv and Kyiv...

'End of an era': EU flag outside parliament signals shift in Hungary

Hungary may be entering a new political phase as the European Union flag appeared alongside the national flag outside parliament, symbolising a potential shift in the country’s long-standing confrontation with Brussels. FRANCE 24 International Affairs Editor Shirley Sippon said the change comes a...

Moscow marks Victory Day amid tight security

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday voiced confidence of victory in Ukraine as he oversaw a military parade on Red Square commemorating the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II – a show that didn't include heavy weapons for the first time in nearly two decades. Security was tight in M...

'Atmosphere closer to wartime': Moscow’s muted Victory Day reflects growing security fears

Russia’s scaled-down Victory Day celebrations highlighted mounting security concerns and the strain of the war in Ukraine, according to Chatham House analyst Grégoire Roos. Speaking to FRANCE 24, Roos said tighter security, internet shutdowns and fears of Ukrainian drone strikes created an atmos...

'Disposable spies': Poland records unprecedented number of Russian espionage cases

Warsaw has recorded an unprecedented number of hybrid attacks on its territory since 2024, Poland’s internal security service (ABW) said in a report published this week. Amateur spies once used by Russian intelligence services have laid the groundwork for more complex operations, according to a r...

Jordan sees collapse in tourism since Iran war

Since the Middle East war erupted in late February, Jordan's ancient city of Petra has been all but abandoned by the usual crowds of tourists that flock to the site every year....

Russia marks Victory Day with scaled-back parade

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday voiced confidence of victory in Ukraine as he oversaw a military parade on Red Square commemorating the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. But this year, for the first time in nearly two decades, the parade took place without tanks, missiles and oth...

Live: Israel launches strikes on south Lebanon after warning residents to evacuate

The Israeli military launched strikes across southern Lebanon on Saturday after issuing evacuation warnings for several villages in the area, saying it was targeting Hezbollah positions despite an existing ceasefire. Follow our liveblog for all the latest updates....

Russia is fighting an 'aggressive' NATO-backed force, Putin says in Victory Day speech

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that Russian troops in Ukraine were fighting an "aggressive force" backed by all of NATO and described his war goals as "just" in a combative speech during the annual Victory Day parade on Red Square....

One Page Peace Plan for Iran? Starmer’s Sinking Ship, Musk V Altman

In a week thats’s seen renewed hope for ending the war in Iran, ten weeks since it started, with four weeks of stalemate, a ceasefire and skirmishes over the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Intermittent peace talks have boiled down to a fourteen-point, one-page “memorandum of understanding”...

Trump announces three-day ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia

US President Donald Trump on Friday announced a three-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, starting on May 9. Aside from a pause in the fighting, the two warring sides will also engage in a prisoner swap, with 1,000 prisoners from each country....

Middle East war back on? UAE responds to fresh attacks, US and Iran trade fire

The United Arab Emirates says it's responded to fresh missile and drone attacks by Iran this Friday. The strikes come hours after the US says three of its navy destroyers in the Strait of Hormuz were targeted. President Donald Trump ordered retaliatory strikes - but then downplayed the hostilities...

Dr Winter warns UK PM normalised far-right, 'legitimised migration talking points, policy positions'

As British voters head to the polls for local elections, Peter O'Brien is pleased to welcome Dr Aaron Winter, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at Lancaster University. He offers a stark diagnosis of Britain’s political drift: Dr Winter argued that the real story was not simply electoral volatility, b...

EU enlargement: New horizons, from East to West

Nine countries are currently in the process of acceding to the European Union: North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia and Turkey. The European club seems to be growing ever more appealing, to the point where Iceland could also reintroduce a...

Russia loses ground – but not the war – in Ukraine

Moscow lost territory on the battlefield in April 2026 for the first time since Ukraine’s bold August 2024 incursion into Russia's Kursk oblast, according to an analysis published this week. Moscow's losses were equivalent to some 116 square kilometres across several areas of the front line.  ...

Iran war hangs over Trump's Beijing visit

In this edition of Access Asia, we look ahead to the US president's upcoming visit to China. While both sides will be seeking to reset ties, the war in Iran is set to cloud the trip. We also speak to an Australian artist of Indian descent who is currently in residence in Paris. We explore how Sid P...

Energy security vs climate crisis: Norway reopens three old gas fields

Norway has announced it plans to reopen three old gas fields in the North Sea in order to boost Europe's supply. Already the largest supplier for the EU, Oslo also proposed 70 new offshore locations for oil and gas exploration. Environmental activists accuse the government of using geopolitical te...

Russia forced to scale down its victory parade for the first time in almost 20 years

The unilateral ceasefire declared by Russia on the eve of its national World War II commemorations crumbled right after it took effect. Ukraine and Russia launched major attacks against each other, forcing Russia to scale down its victory parade for the first time in almost 20 years. Story by Shirl...

Russia and Ukraine trade major attacks despite Victory Day ceasefire

Russia and Ukraine are accusing each other of violating a two-day ceasefire announced by Moscow to cover the celebrations of the Soviet Union's victory over ​Nazi Germany. Ukraine's air force said it downed 56 Russian drones close to the frontline in the last few hours. On its end, the Russian De...

Iran on the verge of economic asphyxiation -- rare footage from Tehran

Two months ago, Donald Trump claimed the United States would liberate the Iranian people when it launched the offensive alongside Israel. Two months into the war, the regime is still there, the repression continues, and the country stands on the verge of economic asphyxiation. Our colleagues at Fra...

Putin's 'paranoia': 'He is fearful of Ukrainians & afraid the elite around him is starting to break'

Mark Owen is pleased to welcome Melinda Haring, expert on Ukraine, non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center and senior advisor to Razom Advocacy's advisory board. According to Haring, the psychological and military balance between Russia and Ukraine is pivoting. Her centr...

Middle East war live: UAE responds to Iranian attacks as fragile ceasefire is challenged

The United Arab Emirates on Friday said it was responding to missile and drone attacks launched by Iran, hours after the US and the Islamic republic traded fire, further straining a fragile ceasefire. Iran and the US are trading blows as their negotiators are seeking a deal to end the fighting, but...

Strait of Hormuz: What role for France?

Europe's most powerful warship is inching closer to the strategic waterway whose effective closure has come to epitomise the war in Iran. France is moving its aircraft carrier group towards the Strait of Hormuz, as it works with the UK on a proposal that aims ​to lay the groundwork for safe trans...

Still no sign of a solution in Iran: US president says war will be over soon

Donald Trump again says the Iran war will be over "soon". The US president has said this in some way, shape or form a number of times in recent days. Yet there's still no solution on the horizon in the Middle East....

Russia, Ukraine trade attacks ahead of Kremlin's World War II commemoration parade

Russia and Ukraine on Friday launched major attacks against each other as a two-day truce – declared unilaterally by Moscow to protect its World War II commemoration parade – appeared to be in tatters. Ukraine has said Russian President Vladimir Putin only wanted to pause fighting so he can s...

Russia, Ukraine trade major attacks ahead of Kremlin's WWII celebrations

Russia and Ukraine launched major attacks on each other Friday, with a two-day unilateral ceasefire that Moscow had declared around its World War II commemorations appearing to be in tatters....

Can nuclear power resolve the energy crisis?

The war with Iran has prompted many economies to reevaluate their energy needs and strategy. In Europe, several countries are considering reviving the use of nuclear power. Sweden, Belgium, and Italy are among those rolling back previous restrictions, while France and the UK are spearheading new nu...

Norway's Svalbard archipelago, a pawn on Russia's chessboard

Not far from the North Pole, in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, lies a piece of Russia. In NATO member state Norway, two Russian villages, or "settlements" as Moscow calls them, have been active for decades. This frozen, hostile land at the ends of the Earth has caught Moscow's interest....

Middle East war live: Lebanon, Israel to hold new talks in Washington May 14-15

Propaganda war: The Gen Z team behind Iran’s hit anti-Trump videos

Satirical Lego animations depicting US President Donald Trump as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s puppet while casting Iran as the defender of the oppressed mark the latest propaganda coup for the Iranian regime in its war with the US. The FRANCE 24 Observers team spoke to one of the y...