A team of South Korean researchers has put forward a new date for the night sky depicted in Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh's famed masterpiece "The Starry Night". Art historians have long assumed the stars were a product of the artist's fantasy or dated the scene to June 1889 based on the artist's location and other details, but astronomical details like the sliver crescent moon don't line up. 

Russia’s latest attacks on Ukraine show there has been “no real change” in Moscow’s attitude towards the war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday. The deadly strikes came just hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin told US envoy Steve Witkoff his country was ready to resume trilateral talks with Washington and Kyiv.

Jean-Emile Jammine is pleased to welcome Federico Donelli, Associate Professor of International Relations in the Department of Political and Social Sciences at the University of Trieste in Italy. Can another three days of military strikes achieve what eight months of confrontation have failed to deliver? Donelli challenges the assumption that a short, intensive offensive would necessarily produce a decisive political outcome. He argues, "the real question is whether military pressure is intended to constrain Iran's capacity, or to pressure Iran to sit on the table." And whether they can translate that capacity into a sustainable political outcome without provoking a wider regional crisis. Regardless, Donelli reminds us that "Iran still has leverage over the US."

In Paris, shopkeepers fear further losses ahead of a demonstration planned for next Saturday. After last weekend’s protests saw scenes of vandalism, some are considering closing their shops, while others plan to stay open.

Ukraine and Russia exchanged drone and missile strikes on Thursday, killing seven people in Ukraine, according to authorities. Moscow said it had intercepted 630 Ukrainian drones targeting the Russian capital. The strikes came hours after US envoy Steve Witkoff met Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg. Witkoff said Moscow was ready to resume trilateral talks with Kyiv and Washington.

French authorities have banned or curbed protests across the country ahead of the weekend in a bid to prevent another wave of the violence and looting that plagued last week’s demonstrations. In Paris alone, hundreds of shops and other small businesses were destroyed on the sidelines of the protests over the cost of living and education funding shortfalls. 

President Donald Trump's push to redistrict congressional maps and a Georgia state election law disproportionately affecting African Americans are aimed at diluting the power of the Black vote. Six decades after Atlanta was at the heart of the civil rights movement that granted Blacks in the southern states the right to vote, the community is fighting back.  

Concerns are mounting as Ethiopia and Eritrea inch closer to war. With Ethiopia now having taken control of the border town of Zalambessa, the fear is that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed will send his troops into Eritrea. In Perspective, we spoke to Martin Plaut, a senior research fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London.

The French "interfac" student movement organised new protests on Thursday, even though it is currently the school holidays in France. Student representatives are set to meet soon with Education Minister Edouard Geffray. Details by FRANCE 24's Ellen Gainsford.

Reports claim that the US and Israel have ramped up military drills and planned new strikes in Iran, potentially targeting energy sites, drone facilities and missile arsenals. Details by FRANCE 24's correspondent in Jerusalem, Noga Tarnopolsky.

Italian truck drivers have been blocking refineries and key roads to protest against soaring diesel prices. Italy’s government has warned truckers blocking roads could face criminal penalties, as authorities move to clear demonstrations. Details by FRANCE 24's correspondent in Rome, Seema Gupta.

It has been ten years since a Cameroon National Railway Intercity train travelling between Yaounde and Douala derailed and became the country's worst ever railway disaster. Seventy-nine people were killed and hundreds were injured.

French PM Sebastien Lecornu holds a meeting with the leaders of political parties after unrest this weekend across the country. The aim is to prevent potential violence during the next protests, including on Saturday as the "Yellow vests" movement called for a new mobilisation. Details by FRANCE 24's Luke Shrago.

A US envoy met Putin in Saint Petersburg on Wednesday after the Kremlin agreed to resume peace talks with Ukraine and the United States. Details by FRANCE 24's correspondent Gulliver Cragg.

One in four Europeans has fallen victim to an online scam, from identity fraud to fake romances. The rise of artificial intelligence is ushering in new risks. Minh Nguyen, Chief Product Officer at security solutions provider Entrust, says both online platforms and governments can play a role in protecting consumers and businesses.

Delano D'Souza is pleased to welcome Dr. Laura Keesman, Assistant Professor of Sociology at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Dr. Keesman examines the complex relationship between peaceful protest, radical activism, social inequality and state authority. She challenges the tendency to interpret disruptive demonstrations exclusively through the lens of extremism. Even when protesters engage in confrontational or unlawful actions, she argues, their motivations may remain rooted in genuine political and socioeconomic grievances. 

French President ​Emmanuel Macron spoke to the press on Thursday after a meeting with security chiefs. He said that "illegitimate" protests would be banned in ​coming ‌days, ⁠while those from ‌organised groups such as unions ⁠would be offered alternative paths ​for the marches ‌to protect businesses.

One of the most recognisable and beloved musicals of all time has hit the stage in Paris. "Singin' in the Rain" is on at the Lido theatre until January 10. In this edition of Entre Nous we are pleased to welcome Ashley Day, the British actor bringing Don Lockwood to life. He tells us what it's like to step into Gene Kelly's shoes. 

As Brazilians head to the polls on Sunday for the second round of presidential elections, our correspondents take us to the heart of the country's favelas, where residents live in unsanitary conditions. Over the past 40 years, the area occupied by Brazilian favelas has almost tripled in size. They now cover around 460,000 hectares, compared with 53,700 in 1985.