French Presidential campaign heats upThere are just eight months to go before France’s presidential election, with the first round scheduled for April 18. The campaign is slowly heating up, with several political gatherings taking place this weekend. The Socialist Party wrapped up a two-day gathering on Saturday with a speech from party leader Olivier Faure, who has yet to officially announce his candidacy. Meanwhile, far-right figure Jordan Bardella made a campaign stop at a fair in the Champagne region. This comes after a first debate earlier this week between seven of the leading candidates, organised by business leaders. For an analysis of the current state of the race, we’re joined by Renaud Foucart, a Senior Lecturer in Economics at Lancaster University and one of our go-to analysts on French politics.
Dolly Parton "loved being called the book lady," charity president remembersTonight, Nashville's Grand Ole Opry will remember Dolly Parton in a star-studded tribute. The beloved country singer was also celebrated for her humanitarian efforts, including her Imagination Library charity, which promoted literacy for young readers. The Dollywood Foundation president Jeff Conyers joined "CBS Saturday Morning" to speak on Dolly's generous soul.
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'It's destroying our town': Residents tell of concern after violent incidents near MiddlesbroughResidents near Middlesbrough have told the BBC of their concern after a spate of violent incidents in their area.
DRC President Tshisekedi calls for national dialogue excluding M23 rebelsIn the Democratic Republic of Congo, President Félix Tshisekedi calls for a national dialogue to ease tensions, while excluding M23 rebels from taking part, as the government plans to suspend 11 public universities in rebel-controlled areas. Meanwhile, in Ghana, 23 people, including 11 children, have died after falling into abandoned illegal gold-mining pits, as the country faces an unprecedented surge in galamsey operations. Finally, in Cameroon, US deportees face uncertainty and fears of persecution as they await decisions on their asylum claims, following controversial deals by Washington with at least 30 countries to accept people it cannot legally deport directly to their home countries.
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President Donald Trump signs order creating US Space AcademyThe president said graduates of the new academy would serve the US Space Force, NASA and the civilian flight industry.
Syrian president names former commander of Kurdish-led fighting force as adviserSyrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa appointed the former commander of a now-dissolved Kurdish-led fighting force as a presidential adviser on Friday, reflecting a rapprochement between the two longtime civil war adversaries.
UEFA prepares complaint against FIFA president InfantinoUEFA is preparing a legal complaint against FIFA president Gianni Infantino over what it calls "unfair management" linked to his abandoned plan to open the World Cup to private investors. The European governing body has meanwhile suspended its threat to boycott FIFA competitions next season after receiving assurances from FIFA, but says it will keep pressure on Infantino ahead of his re-election bid in March.
Kherson residents urged to leave as Russian attacks threaten power and heatingRegional governor Oleksandr Prokudin urged residents to leave the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson on Thursday as Russian strikes damaged a district heating plant and threatened prolonged power and heating outages.
Syria President appoints Kurdish leader Mazloum Abdi as presidential adviserSyrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa appointed Kurdish leader Mazloum Abdi as an adviser to the presidency, state media said on Friday. Abdi's appointment comes just days after he dissolved the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as part of an integration agreement with Damascus.
Syria president appoints Kurdish leader Mazloum Abdi as his adviserSyrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa appointed Kurdish leader Mazloum Abdi as a presidential adviser, state media said on Friday, days after Abdi announced the dissolution of his Kurdish forces under an integration deal with Damascus.
10 Toronto residents on a trek in Nepal unaccounted for after deadly flash floods: non-profit groupTen Toronto residents on a trek in Nepal are unaccounted for after deadly flash flooding in the country this week, according to a representative of the group that organized the trip.
French presidential candidates clash at first debate before upcoming electionsSeven of France's leading candidates locked horns on Thursday in their first debate, eight months ahead of an increasingly tight and crowded election to succeed President Emmanuel Macron. The debate comes less than eight months ahead of the 2027 election to choose France's new leader, with centrist incumbent Macron having served the maximum two consecutive terms.
'Great public test': French presidential hopefuls to face off at business summitParis's Roland Garros tennis stadium will be the venue for a French presidential election warmup event on Thursday as seven from a crowded field of candidates will take to the stage at the Medef business leaders' annual end-of-summer seminar to defend their business and economic programmes. France 24's Charles Pellegrin reports.
Presidential candidates to be grilled on economy at French business summitFrance's main candidates for next year's presidential election will be quizzed by business leaders about their plans for the nation at the Medef employers federation's annual end of summer conference on Thursday. Taxation, the burden of regulations, reindustrialisation and France's public debt of over 3.5 trillion euros are all issues on the table.
Nigeria’s president orders rescue operation after mass kidnapping at mosqueNigerian President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday ordered security agencies to conduct a rescue operation after the mass kidnapping of worshippers during an attack on a mosque in the north-central Niger State last week. Local authorities were still trying to verify the number of missing people, but local residents said roughly 600 women, children and elderly people had been abducted.
Thinking of running the Ultimate Trail of the Mont Blanc? Residents might objectThe Ultimate Trail of Mont Blanc is about to get underway, an annual 174km alpine running race that's world renowned. However, the event has come under increasing criticism from residents of Chamonix with a tense atmosphere leading up to this 23rd edition.
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Uefa chief Ceferin rules out Fifa presidency bidUefa president Aleksander Ceferin rules himself out of the running to replace Gianni Infantino, but expects a candidate to challenge the Fifa president's leadership in March.


















