Author: France24

The UN Security Council on Friday unanimously adopted a resolution calling Rwanda to end its support for the M23 rebel group and withdraw troops from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Ahead of the snap federal elections in Germany this Sunday, the Green Party held a rally in Hamburg. Two-week polling averages show that 13% of voters intend to vote for the historically ecologist party.

In recent years, the Greens have taken a more centrist line on economic policies and an interventionist line in foreign affairs. The dominance of immigration and inflation in public debate, and setbacks for the greens’ party leadership have contributed to the party’s diminishing popularity since it reached record highs of support leading up to the last federal election in 2021.

US President Donald Trump is pressuring Ukraine to give US companies preferential access to the war-torn country’s mineral deposits, saying the country’s leadership “don’t have any cards, but they play it tough”. Kyiv has been pushing for security guarantees from Washington in return.

Hamas has handed over Israeli hostage Hisham al-Sayed to the Red Cross, Israeli media reports said, making him the sixth captive released by the Palestinian militant group on Saturday. He was released without a public ceremony. The Israeli military issued a brief statement confirming that one hostage was transferred to the Red Cross, but did not name him. Noga Tarnopolsky from Jerusalem tells us more.

Copy Last year, during the Paris Agriculture Show, many farmers protested against the Macron government, demanding better measures for their work. This year, the fair seems calmer with the arrival of French President Emmanuel Macron, but the calls for policy changes and greater recognition of the farming sector persist.

Andrew Smith, Lecturer in Liberal Arts at Queen Mary, University of London, joined us to explain the importance of agriculture in France, its culture, and politics.

US President Donald Trump has named retired three-star general Dan Caine as his top pick to become the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff following a flurry of firings at the Pentagon.

After Israel accused Hamas of returning the wrong body—mistakenly identified as an Israeli hostage, Shiri Bibas, instead of an unknown woman—Hamas has now released what it claims is the correct remains. The body arrived in Israel early Saturday and will be identified through forensic examination. Hamas explained that the mix-up was likely caused by Israeli airstrikes on Gaza that led to Bibas’ death in November 2023.

The incident has raised concerns about the future of the ceasefire, with Israel expressing outrage. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to “ensure that Hamas pays the full price,” though the Bibas family has rejected any notion of “revenge,” instead blaming the Israeli government for their losses. Vedika Bahl has more.

Three more Israeli hostages freed by Hamas militants at a ceremony in central Gaza Saturday were now in the custody of Israeli forces, the military said. Eliya Cohen, Omer Shem Tov and Omer Wenkert were paraded by masked militants on stage where they waved and held release certificates before they were handed over to officials from the Red Cross. Earlier in the day, two additional Israeli men were released in Rafah—one had been imprisoned for over a decade, and the other since the Hamas attack on October 7th. Noga Tarnopolsky describes the joy felt by the Israeli population.

The “Salon de l’Agriculture” showcase is a major annual event in France, attracting around 600,000 visitors over nine days. For the first time in more than 60 years, the fair will welcome a foreign country as the guest of honor: Morocco. Agriculture is a significant part of the French economy, and for years, farmers have complained about bureaucratic hurdles and cheaper international competition, which doesn’t have to meet the same environmental and health standards. Liza Kaminov spoke with some farmers at the fair.

US President Donald Trump had a tense confrontation with a Democratic governor on Friday regarding his executive order banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports. The governor responded sharply, telling Trump, “See you in court.” The order allows US government agencies to withhold funding from schools that permit transgender athletes to participate in women’s teams. Trump also stated that he plans to urge the International Olympic Committee to revise its rules on transgender athletes ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

The Israeli army’s “Iron Wall” operation has led to an unprecedented displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank. According to the United Nations, some 40,000 people have fled their homes. They come from refugee camps, overcrowded areas where displaced Palestinians have been living since 1948.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has alleged they are what he describes as ‘terrorist strongholds’. In Tulkarem, 90% of the inhabitants have left the camps; our correspondent, Claire Duhamel, spoke to them.

International Mother Language Day, celebrated on February 21st, honors linguistic diversity and aims to preserve mother tongues worldwide. The day highlights the importance of languages in fostering inclusion, acting as the primary medium for knowledge transfer and cultural preservation. A key aspect of safeguarding indigenous languages is their promotion and use on community media platforms. South Africa’s Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, joined us to discuss this topic.

Hamas brings three more Israeli hostages in Gaza’s Nuseirat area before release

Copy Hamas brought three more Israeli hostages on stage in Gaza’s Nuseirat area before their release, AFP reports. Earlier in the day, two additional Israeli men were released in Rafah—one had been imprisoned for over a decade, and the other since the Hamas attack on October 7th. Noga Tarnopolsky has more.

The seventh and final hostage-prisoner exchange of the first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal is underway. Two hostages have been transferred to Israeli custody, and four more are expected to be exchanged in Nuseirat. “This war has brought nothing good for either Israel or Palestine. Strong leadership is now needed to think about the second and third phases of the ceasefire. Gaza now needs reconstruction, and we cannot allow Trump to take control of the territory. Let’s come up with a constructive alternative,” said Yossi Mekelberg, a senior fellow at Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa programme, who joined us from London.

A few hours later, following the release of the first two hostages by Hamas in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, Red Cross vehicles arrived in the central town of Nuseirat for the next handover. The six hostages freed on Saturday are the last living ones to be released under the first phase of the ceasefire. This latest hostage release, to be followed by the release of hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, comes after tensions escalated over a disturbing and heart-wrenching dispute. The conflict was sparked earlier this week when Hamas initially returned the wrong body for Shiri Bibas, an Israeli mother of two young boys who was abducted by militants. Noga Tarnopolsky has more.

The largest farm in France opened its doors on Saturday at the Porte de Versailles in Paris, following the final adoption of the agricultural orientation law. President Macron arrived at the fair and walked through the halls of the exhibition in an atmosphere that seems to be calmer, despite the working conditions of farmers and the low level of their income continue to drive the ongoing protests. However, the French President will still need to address concerns within the agricultural world, particularly regarding the ecological transition. Liza Kaminov tells us more.

French far-right leader Jordan Bardella cancelled his scheduled speech at a Washington conference on Friday after Donald Trump ally Steve Bannon appeared to make a Nazi salute at the same event. The incident comes just weeks after Elon Musk, another Trump ally, made headlines for twice making a gesture interpreted by some as a Nazi salute at a celebration of Trump’s inauguration in January.

On February 24th, Ukraine will mark the third anniversary of the Russian invasion, a milestone amid rising diplomatic tensions as US-Russia relations seem to be warming. This geopolitical shift is worrying both European leaders and Ukrainians. Despite being worn down by the war, Ukrainians remain resolute in rejecting any peace deal at any price. Reporting by France2.

On Saturday, Hamas began releasing Israeli hostages in Gaza in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, marking the seventh hostage-prisoner swap under a fragile ceasefire.

Six Israeli hostages are set to be exchanged for 602 Palestinian prisoners. The release follows controversy over the identification of the body of Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas, whose remains were returned by Hamas on Friday.

Noga Tarnopolsky tells us more.

France is standing alongside disaffected farmers and other agricultural groups to block the EU-Mercosur trade deal with four South American countries from taking effect, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday.

Grünheide, a small town on the outskirts of Berlin, has become the showcase of Brandenburg, an eastern German state experiencing strong economic growth in stark contrast to the rest of the crisis-hit country. For many, the reason is clear: a massive Tesla factory in the area. FRANCE 24 visited the town to examine the realities of this new “economic miracle” as Germany heads into parliamentary elections.

Avera Mengistu and Tal Shoham were the first two Israeli hostages released by Hamas on Saturday.

“There’s a lot of relief for both families,” FRANCE 24’s Middle East correspondent Noga Tarnopolsky says.

Hamas freed six more Israeli hostages in Gaza on Saturday in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in the seventh hostage-prisoner swap under the first phase of a fragile ceasefire. Their release came after the remains of a body returned by Hamas on Friday was identified as Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas. Follow our liveblog for all the latest developments.

In tonight’s edition, Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye was charged with treason on Friday.

Also, Our focus tonight is on education; we talk to South Africa Basic Education Minister Siviwe Garube. 

And artists are paying tribute to the work of Frédéric Bruly Bouabré. The artist invented a syllabary for the Ivorian Bété’s people’s language.